The Supreme Court has ruled that the 2020 election petition be telecasted live on national television. The request was granted Thursday ahead of the first hearing of the election petition. Lawyers of NDCs presidential candidate made a request for the election petition to be live on national Television. This, according to the petitioners, is in the interest of fairness as was done during the 2012 election petition. The hearing of the petition will be broadcast live on Ghana Television (GTV). Petitioners case In his petition, former President Mahama contended that no candidate won the 2020 presidential election and, therefore, the declaration of President Akufo-Addo as the winner of the election by the Chairperson of the EC, Mrs Jean Adukwei Mensa, was null, void, unconstitutional and of no legal effect. He argued that as per the results announced by Mrs Mensa on December 9,2020, no candidate garnered more than 50 percent of the total valid votes cast, as required by Article 63(3) of the 1992 Constitution. According to him, the EC Chairperson announced the total valid votes cast as 13,434,574, minus the results of Techiman South, with President Akufo-Addo obtaining 6,730,413 of the votes, representing 51.595 percent of the votes, while he (Mahama) got 6,214,889, representing 47.366 percent of the votes. It is the case of Mr Mahama that per the figures, the actual percentage for President Akufo-Addo minus Techiman South ought to be 50.098 percent and not 51.595 percent, as announced by the EC Chairperson. He also argued that his percentage minus Techiman South should be 46.26 percent and not 47.366 percent. Source: UTV/kasapafmonline.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 Texas is the first state to administer more than 1 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday. So far, the state has handed out just over a million doses to a total of 890,000 Texans. About 130,000 of those individuals have received both of the shots required to become fully immunized, according to the Department of State Health Services vaccine dashboard. This is the biggest vaccination effort we have ever undertaken, and it would not be possible without the dedication and tireless efforts of our health care workers, Abbott said in a release. We still have a long road ahead of us, but Texans continue to prove that we are up to this challenge. The milestone is just a small step in the effort to vaccinate as many willing Texans as possible in a state of about 29 million residents. Still, Texas vaccine administration has outpaced that of other large states, including California, Florida and New York, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. TEXAS TAKE: Get the latest news on Texas politics sent directly to your inbox every weekday California, with a population of nearly 40 million, is also on track to also surpass 1 million doses on Thursday, but Texas crossed the line first. California had administered just more than 975,000 shots as of Thursday afternoon though California has been allocated more than 3.5 million doses, compared to Texas 2.1 million, according to the CDC. Texas is currently inoculating members of priority groups 1A and 1B the first includes health care workers and nursing home residents; the second, senior citizens and anyone 16 and older with certain pre-existing conditions, including obesity and kidney disease. Pregnant women are also included in group 1B. The states that have been the most successful so far in quickly administering doses, including Texas, have generally deviated from the federal governments initial recommendations for vaccine priority groups. Those guidelines originally prioritized only frontline health care workers and nursing home residents, followed by those over 75 and other essential employees, including teachers and grocery store workers. Texas abruptly decided to expand eligibility to those 65 and older and those with pre-existing conditions in the last week of December. Essential workers are not yet eligible for the vaccine here. The vaccine rollout in Texas, however, has not been without its troubles. Vaccine providers across Texas have reported supply issues, with too few doses available to satisfy a huge demand. That has left hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of eligible Texans unable to register for a shot and, in many cases, unsure where to look for one. This week, the state shifted its distribution strategy from giving a small number of doses to many providers to instead providing about 30 large-scale providers with thousands of vaccines. The effort, state officials said, will consolidate available doses and make them more accessible. Its not clear yet who exactly has been receiving the vaccine or whether the most vulnerable and underrepresented groups have equitable access. John Kennedy spends much of his day next to a concrete divider in the Walmart parking lot on Dixwell Avenue in Hamden. Hes not there by choice, although passers-by may think so. That, however, may change with a partnership that evolved among the Hamden Police Department, the Hamden Community Development Department and the Cornell Scott Hill Healthcare Homeless Healthcare team. They want to give Kennedy and other homeless people a chance to get on their feet and into jobs that will change their lives for the better. The partnership came about five months after the COVID-19 pandemic slammed into Connecticut and forced Gov. Ned Lamont to lock down businesses to prevent the spread of the virus. That, in turn, led to a collapse of the economy, forcing tens of thousands of residents to seek unemployment benefits. People already on the edge of survival such as Kennedy didnt qualify as they had no work before the pandemic hit. Instead, Kennedy is homeless and left to beg for loose change and dollar bills for food because life dealt him a bad hand that he couldnt play well. He doesnt drink, do drugs or harm himself or others in any way, he said. He, like many other homeless people, cant seem to find a way out. The stereotype surrounding the homeless suggests they made mistakes that put them in that unfortunate situation. While that may sometimes be true, there are a lot of homeless people who simply got the short end of the stick. According to the Connecticut Department of Labor, Hamden is 15th highest in the state in terms of unemployment, with just under 2,500 residents without work. Kennedy and his girlfriend, Deidre Gonzalez, are two of them. We try our best to survive, Gonzalez said. It does get hard when John and I are here trying to make an honest living for food and survival and certain thieves who are on drugs take our things. Gonzalez said some people who are homeless because of drug and alcohol abuse seek money to feed their addiction. She and Kennedy arent in that group, she said. We just save up money for normal things, Gonzalez said. The biggest thing I buy that is a guilty pleasure is cigarettes, but I havent done any drugs since being homeless and even was starting work prior to the COVID-19 shutdown. Gonzalez said she has been homeless for just more than a year. Kennedy, who has been homeless for at least a year, is in a similar spot, so the two are working through the struggles together. I had no father and my mother died shortly after I graduated high school, Kennedy said. We always had problems financially, and after my mom was gone all I had was my grandmother. She needed help paying for her house, and I gave her everything I had. I had to take out a loan after that, which set me back and put me in debt, and after she died I havent been able to recover. Kennedy said people dont realize how hard it is to get hired when homeless. People say to get a job but dont realize I have no ID and cant just go get them with no money and no proof of identity, since I dont even have a home address, said Kennedy. I was able to go to the St. DePaul shelter, Gonzalez said. I only ended up being able to stay two weeks. Some five months after the pandemic hit the state, Hamden police spokesman Capt. Ronald Smith said the agency began noticing a rise in homeless people begging for money on the citys main commercial thoroughfare, Dixwell Avenue, and near the ramps to Route 15, also known as the Merritt Parkway. Instead of making arrests, police partnered with the Hamden Community Development Department and Cornell Scott Hill Health Center Homeless Healthcare team in an attempt to address these issues, Smith said. Hamden police officers now check in on the homeless and work to find them safe shelters and medical help if needed. Obviously we deal with a lot of things on a daily basis, and homelessness is one of them, said police officer Steve Teague. It is always good to go over and spread a positive word to them, since you never know what people are going through on a daily basis, especially in these times. We ask them if they want a meal, usually they say yes but sometimes they do not, which is totally fine, too. A helping hand coming from somewhere they may not expect certainly means a lot. Hamdens approach is complicated by COVID-19 and the spike of unemployment because of it. The difference in types of homeless people doesnt make it any easier, and Gonzalez and Kennedy recognize that may be a point of confusion for both residents and police. I get why people see us the way they do, Kennedy said. It doesnt help when other homeless people prove the citizens right, since they are the ones who make us look bad. I dont blame them for pooling us together because one time I saw a man try to give someone a burger and the homeless guy threw it back at him. Oftentimes when I get money, they say, Dont touch the car, or throw (the money) at me so I dont get too close. I often think to myself, I dont want to bother you or touch your car, I just want to eat. But I get why, like I said. Few cars stop at the Dixwell Avenue barrier where Kennedy and Gonzalez ask for money. The two are not aggressive in their approach and let cars pass unbothered. Kennedy and Gonzalez store their sleeping bags, clothes and signs in the caged area around a dumpster where they also sleep. They said their lives are compressed into this boxed area. They alternate going to the Walmart parking lot entrance with a sign asking for money. One begs while the other stands watch over their belongings. Other homeless people are more aggressive and some said they work in groups, including several who ask for money at the Route 15 intersections near the Welcome to Hamden sign. They declined to provide their names. A lot of people are near the sign at all hours, but not in the plaza at night since the stores are closed. Kennedy and Gonzalez said life in shelters is harder than many think. The shelters have not been the place I would want to be, Kennedy said. They are wet shelters, so there are a lot of belligerent drunks in there giving folks a hard time that dont deserve it. They are not very nice, but I have heard that theres been improvements. Maybe if it is somewhere I would want to live and it would help more than hurt, I would consider. The Hamden police, meanwhile, said their partnership should eventually help all homeless find somewhere to stay. Quality of life issues are a top priority, Smith said. During normal times, but especially in unprecedented times, helping the vulnerable is priority number one. Matthew Nygaard is a journalism student at Quinnipiac University. The University of Alabama in Huntsville says three campus police officers are no longer with the university after a local high school student said he was taunted during a traffic stop last year. This includes the former chief of police, former police captain and the officer involved in the Oct. 3, 2020, traffic stop. We spoke to the mother of the student in October, who said UAH police pulled over the Black teenager on campus for a broken tail light. His mother said they told him to get out of the car and then asked him disturbing questions. The university released an action plan last year after its investigation into the incident. It issued an update this week on progress made with that plan. On Oct. 22, the university appointed UA System Director of Security Steven Anderson to be the UAHPD interim police chief. The university says it's started a national search for a new chief of police. Read the full announcement here. Trump Praises Military Policies, Says Troops in Afghanistan Are at a 19-year Low President Donald Trump, in a message on his military policies, touted his military policies over the past four years. The number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan are at a 19-year low, said Trump in a statement on Thursday, touting a key initiative to withdraw soldiers from the country after nearly 20 years. Likewise, the president continued, Iraq and Syria are also at the lowest point in many years. I will always be committed to stopping the endless wars. It has been a great honor to rebuild our military and support our brave men and women in uniform. $2.5 trillion invested, including in beautiful new equipmentall made in the U.S.A., Trump said in a statement. Last month, Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which President Trump criticized as a bill that goes against his foreign policy positions, namely his efforts to bring U.S. troops back from Afghanistan, South Korea, and Germany. Trump vetoed the bill, but both the House and Senate voted to overcome his veto. Acting Department of Defense Secretary Christopher Miller said in November that he will draw down American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan to about 2,500 each. I am formally announcing that we will implement President Trumps orders to continue our repositioning of forces from those two countries, he said in a news conference at the Pentagon at the time. I celebrate this day. The move to draw down troops, Miller said, is due to the presidents bold leadership. Trump, who has long been a critic of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, in 2016 campaigned that he would stop endless wars being waged by the United States. In 2018, he wrote that the United States would be pulling troops out of Syria, leading to the resignation of James Mattis, who was serving as Pentagon chief at the time. In November, Ambassador Jim Jeffrey, the U.S. envoy to Syria, admitted that officials hid the numbers of troops that the United States had in Syria from Trump, suggesting that it was done to keep troops in the country. We were always playing shell games to not make clear to our leadership how many troops we had there, Jeffrey said in an interview. He added that the real number of troops was a lot more than the roughly two hundred troops Trump initially agreed to leave in Syria last year. Jeffriess admission drew considerable backlash on social media. NELSON Chamisa is still keen to meet with President Emmerson Mnangagwa to help resolve Zimbabwes decades-long political and economic challenges, MDC Alliance secretary for presidential affairs, Jameson Timba, has said. Speaking to the Daily News yesterday, the level-headed and ever approachable Timba also observed that Chamisa had been among the first leaders to call for necessary national dialogue adding, however, that he had been ignored by Mnangagwa and the ruling Zanu PF. Our position on the issue of legitimacy and dialogue has not changed. The legitimacy question is not a pre-condition for dialogue, but an agenda item for that dialogue. Chamisa was the first to call for dialogue, but was spurned by Zanu PF, which said there was nothing to talk about, he said, amid national hopes that the political climate in the country has never been more conducive for all-inclusive talks. This comes after Zanu PF said earlier this week that Chamisa had rebuffed several invitations by Mnangagwa for talks, including joining the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad) platform where the president holds meetings with leaders of fringe opposition parties who contested him in the 2018 elections. Timba said yesterday that the MDC Alliance had indeed refused to join Polad because Chamisa wanted to hold talks with Mnangagwa directly, as there was no dispute between the MDC Alliance and the other political formations which are part of the platform. We said dialogue can only take place between those who are not in agreement. We have no dispute with the other 20 politicians in Polad. We, therefore, believe that meaningful dialogue to resolve the national crisis can only take place between the two main protagonists and these are Chamisa and President Mnangagwa. He (Mnangagwa) is currently the president of the country and it is incumbent upon him to say let us sit down and talk to solve the problems facing us as a country, Timba further told the Daily News. The even-tempered former Cabinet minister in the short-lived, but stability-inducing 2009 government of national unity (GNU) also said Zimbabwes politics had been sullied by a legitimacy crisis for many decades and, therefore, it was wrong to see the disputed 2018 presidential election result as an isolated incident. The legitimacy crisis has been with us for decades. The crisis of legitimacy arises out of a cycle of disputed elections, and this dispute cannot, therefore, be simplistically reduced to a dispute between Chamisa and Mnangagwa because previously it was a dispute between (Robert) Mugabe and (Joshua) Nkomo, then Mugabe and (Edgar) Tekere, Mugabe and (Morgan) Tsvangirai (all late), and now these two. Unless this cycle is broken then the crisis in this country will not end. Chamisa and Mnangagwa are just but the current representatives of this dispute by virtue of their 2018 election dispute, Timba added. He also said among the problems that Mnangagwa and Chamisa needed to sit down to resolve, was the militarisation of our whole body politic and the capture of the state by a few. These issues must be put on the table and discussed openly by everyone who claims to have this country at heart. We owe it to ourselves and to future generations to right the wrongs of the past which have been perpetuated to date. Chamisa and Mnangagwa must sit down on their own first, and find common ground, before the dialogue is broadened to include all other stakeholders because when discussions are held around the issue of electoral reforms, for example, that will need everyones involvement, Timba said further. This comes after Zanu PF claimed earlier this week that Chamisas political star was dimming after he allegedly batted away several opportunities to hold talks with Mnangagwa. Speaking in an interview with the Daily News, tough-talking Zanu PF national political commissar, Victor Matemadanda, also accused Chamisa of over-estimating himself and suffering a lack of wisdom for declining to dialogue with Mnangagwa under Polad adding that this was the MDC Alliance leaders biggest undoing. Chamisas lack of wisdom is his biggest undoing. You need to understand that you cannot hold the people to ransom for a long time. We have had people with support, but when you dont work with others, they will dump you. This is what has happened with him, he said. Matemadanda also said it was to Mnangagwas credit that since the dramatic fall from power in November 2017 of the late former president Robert Mugabe, Mnangagwa had been extending a hand of friendship to all his political rivals as part of efforts to promote peace and unity in the country. Obviously, the approach of our current president was and remains engaging. Many of the opposition parties were formed during the Mugabe era, where there were no engagement platforms. President Mnangagwa invited all parties to Polad and the MDC Alliance decided not to join. He (Chamisa) made a serious mistake by refusing to join Polad. What will happen is that (first MDC deputy president Thokozani) Khupe and others become relevant because they are part of what will be going on while he continues to cry from outside. He now has nowhere to take his problems as an opposition party, Matemadanda added. This comes as the countrys new opposition leader, Douglas Mwonzora, has promised to pursue a new type of politics that will see him seeking heightened interactions with both the ruling Zanu PF and other opposition forces. The respected Harare lawyer and senator has since reiterated that he will, indeed, pursue dialogue with Mnangagwa and Zanu PF with a view to improving the lives of long-suffering Zimbabweans. On being elected as the new MDC president, Mwonzora exclusively told the that he would seek to have more interactions with Mnangagwa and Zanu PF, as he sought to end the politics of hate and divisions. But Timba yesterday insisted that dialogue with Mwonzora would not resolve the countrys problems, adding that he (Mwonzora) derives his legitimacy in the Senate by virtue of his appointment by Chamisa on the MDC Alliance Manicaland party list. If I may ask a question, what is the dispute between Mnangagwa and Mwonzora that dialogue between them would resolve? He participated at our congress and lost. This is public knowledge. He then left the party with others. This is public knowledge too. If he wishes to join the party that he left, he is fully aware of the constitutional procedures he has to take. But one does not walk away voluntarily from an organisation and co-operate with the State to decimate the same organisation through unlawful recalls of peoples representatives, and then say can we have talks to reunite. He can re-join the MDC Alliance if he wishes, Timba said of Mwonzora. Daily News Saudi Arabia is preparing to return to global capital markets with a bond sale aimed at raising about $5 billion to help cover financing needs heightened by last years slide in oil prices, according to people with knowledge of the plan. The kingdom is close to hiring banks for a sale earmarked for as early as this month, the people said, declining to be identified because the matter is private. No final decision on the timing has been made and the country may still put off the sale should market conditions deteriorate, they said. The Finance Ministry in Riyadh didnt immediately respond to requests for comment. Though the price of oil, Saudi Arabias lifeblood, has rebounded about 45% to more than $55 a barrel since the end of October, it remains below the $80 level the country needs to balance its budget at a time when global Covid-19 infections show little sign of slowing. Saudi Arabia still expects to narrow its fiscal deficit this year after spending cuts reduced its funding needs. Saudi Arabia surprised investors by staying away from foreign capital markets in the second half of last year, opting to cover almost all of its budget deficit via domestic borrowing. The kingdoms total outstanding debt stands at almost $228 billion. Emerging-market bond sales have got off to a brisk start this year as borrowing costs tumbled following unprecedented stimulus by central banks to shore up economies during the pandemic. Governments and companies in the Gulf will issue about $120 billion of dollar and Islamic securities this year, according to Franklin Templeton. That compares with a record $126 billion last year. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 The Daily Beast Rexburg Police DepartmentA psychological evaluation has found Lori Vallowthe doomsday mom accused of murdering her two childrennot competent to stand trial.Assessment determined at this time the defendant is not competent to proceed and recommends restorative treatment, Seventh Judicial District Judge Steven Boyce wrote in a Thursday order pausing the case.Prosecutors have already contested the reports findings, but the judges order remains in effect pending determination of the issue of competency.The news comes after Vallow and her husband, Chad Daybell, were indicted on several new charges and accused of justifying the murders of three peopleincluding Vallows two kidswith their doomsday-centered religious beliefs.On Thursday, the Chandler Police Department confirmed to The Daily Beast that it has also submitted its investigation into the death of Vallows ex-husband, Charles Vallow, who was fatally shot by his brother-in-law in July 2019, to the Maricopa County Attorneys Office. Police said they recommended that Vallow should be charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murderthough it is up to county prosecutors to make an official charge.A Maricopa County Attorneys Office spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast they received the Chandler Police Departments investigation into Charles Vallows death on April 1, but declined to comment on it.Doomsday Couple Allegedly Murdered Threeand Justified It With Religious Beliefs On Tuesday, the couple was indicted on several charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, in connection with the deaths of Vallows kids, 7-year-old J.J Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan. Daybell, a doomsday author, was also been charged with first-degree murder for the October 2019 death of Tammy Daybell, his ex-wife. Vallow has been separately charged with grand theft for allegedly diverting her childrens Social Security benefits into her personal bank account. Prosecutors allege Daybell and Vallow did endorse and espouse religious beliefs for the purpose of encouraging and/or justifying the homicide of all three people.Their alleged murder spree began in 2019, when Charles Vallow was fatally shot by his wifes brother, Alex Cox, during a domestic dispute. Cox, who was not charged and died months later from natural causes, said at the time he fired in self-defense. In divorce and custody petitions against Vallow, Charles wrote that his estranged wife had become obsessed with doomsday visions and had threatened his life. He said Vallow believed she was reincarnated to lead people during the second coming of Jesus in July 2020 and said that if he got in the way of her saving humanity, she would kill him, according to NBC News.Vallow believes that she is receiving spiritual revelations and visions to help her gather and prepare those chosen to live in the New Jerusalem after the Great War as prophesied in the Book of Revelations, the divorce petition read.Vallow and Daybell, who are members of a community of doomsday preppers and were married two weeks after Daybell was widowed, are already in prison for several other crimes related to the childrens disappearance in September 2019.Im Not Supposed to Be Talking to You: Doomsday Mom Called Hubby From Jail as FBI Searched His HomeProsecutors allege Daybell and Vallow killed Tylee Ryan on Sept. 8 or Sept. 9, 2019, after almost a year of planning. About two weeks later, the pair allegedly killed J.J. The indictment states that Daybell then murdered his ex-wife in October with the help of Vallow and her brother. In January 2020, Vallow made national headlines when she refused to comply with a court order to produce her two children. It was later revealed she had also asked a friend to lie to the police and say she was watching J.J.Last June, Idaho authorities charged the pair with conspiracy to conceal evidence after the remains of two kids were found in Daybells home. Daybell is scheduled to enter a plea on the murder charges on June 9. Vallow was supposed to make an initial appearance on Wednesday but her hearing was put on hold at the request of her lawyer, Mark Means. Attorneys for Daybell and Vallow did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's request for comment.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. UK fisheries minister did not read Brexit bill as she was busy at nativity January 14,2021 | Source: The Guardian Downing Street has said Boris Johnson maintains confidence in the fisheries minister after she admitted not reading the post-Brexit trade deal with Brussels when it was agreed because she was busy organising a nativity trail. Victoria Prentis faced calls for her to quit after the comments, but the prime minister is standing by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) minister. Asked if her jaw had dropped when she saw the deal with the EU on Christmas Eve, Prentis told the Lords EU environment subcommittee: No, the agreement came when we were all very busy on Christmas Eve, in my case organising the local nativity trail. We had been waiting and waiting, it looked like it was coming for probably four days before it actually arrived. I, for one, had gone through, as Im sure members of this committee had, a gamut of emotions over those four days. A No 10 spokesperson told the PA news agency that the prime minister had confidence in Prentis, 49. But the Scottish National party took a dim view of the behaviour of Prentis, the MP for for Banbury and North Oxfordshire, and insisted that she should stand down. The comments came following delays to seafood exports after the Brexit transition period ended on New Years Eve. Companies trying to export fish and other Scottish seafood have encountered red tape since the new trading rules with the EU came into force. The SNPs Brexit spokesperson, Philippa Whitford, said: Due to Brexit-induced bureaucracy, Scotlands fishing communities are already experiencing severe disruption and cannot get their produce to their customers in the EU market on time. For the Tory governments fisheries minister to then admit that she did not even bother to read the details of the damaging deal because she was too busy is unbelievable and makes her position untenable. 2021 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. Theme(s): Post Harvest Technology and Trade. Lucknow, Jan 14 : In a landmark judgment, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has ruled that the 30 days' notice to a marriage officer to register a wedding under the Special Marriage Act, 1954, should be optional rather than mandatory. The court said that enforcing a notice period on the couple is tantamount to intruding on their fundamental right to privacy and liberty. "If the couple does not want to go for publication of the 30-day notice, the marriage officer has to solemnise their wedding forthwith," said Justice Vivek Chaudhary while disposing of a habeas corpus petition filed by a Hindu man married to a woman who was born Muslim but converted before the wedding. Petitioner Abhishek Kumar Pandey alleged that his wife Sufiya Sultana was being held captive by her father because she had converted and got married according to Hindu rituals. Justice Chaudhary based his judgment on three key observations. First, the law must keep evolving with time and societal change. Second, it should not violate anyone's privacy, a fundamental right underscored in several orders of the Supreme Court. Lastly, when there is no provision of a 30-day notice period to get married under various personal laws, why should this be mandatory under the Special Marriage Act? The court, however, clarified that the onus would be on the marriage officer to verify the identity, age and valid consent of the couple and their eligibility to marry under the relevant law. "In case the marriage officer has any doubt, it shall be open for him to ask for appropriate details or proof as per the facts of the case," the court said. Responding to an earlier directive, the father of Sufiya a.k.a. Simran had produced his daughter in court. During the course of the hearing, she and Abhishek told the court that they were consenting adults who had married of their free will because they wanted to live together. Simran's father thereafter gave his personal consent to their marriage. While the case was amicably closed, the court took notice of the fact that under the Special Marriage Act, it is mandatory to give 30 days' notice for an interfaith couple to legalize their union. Abhishek and his bride had pleaded before the court that any such notice would be an invasion of their privacy and cause unnecessary social pressure and interference in their decision to marry. They also pointed out that many interfaith couples face the same challenge. The petitioner's counsel said the circumstances had become even more difficult for couples in Uttar Pradesh under the Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, which treats conversion through marriage as 'illegal and punishable'. He argued that in the light of changes in society, amendments to the Special Marriage Act and various judgments of the Supreme Court in regard to the privacy, liberty and freedom of choice of a person, it is imperative to revisit the provision for a 30-day notice period and understand whether this is to be treated as mandatory or directory in nature. Citing various orders of the Supreme Court and recommendations of the Law Commission of India in 2008, the court concluded: "...the procedure of publication of notice and inviting objections to the intended marriage in Act of 1954 thus has to be such that would uphold the fundamental rights and not violate the same. No reasonable purpose is achieved by putting the provision of 30 days' notice publication under the Special Marriage Act. Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi. World over individuals, institutions, and Governments are more aware of the role that technology plays in their lives. One aspect that we tend to overlook with our smartphone usage is our choice of store for apps. In this article, we will provide options for Android users for other stores that ought to explore. Google Play Store One of the first mobile app stores, Google Play Store was introduced in 2008 with a vision to target the Android market. We all know how successful and popular this app store is across the globe. On average, this store comprises 2,714,499 apps, with 3739 new apps being added regularly. Samsung Galaxy Store Available to Samsung app users, the Galaxy Store comes with a minimalistic interface with two tabs on the home screen: games and apps. The store which previously contained themes, wallpapers, games, etc. has recently reshaped itself with more focus on app and content delivery in local languages. As a result, it now also provides a curated list of app, game recommendations, better gaming perks, and app-exclusive features and offers. Indus App Bazaar Designed to help users discover new and trending apps in their preferred language, Indus App Bazaar houses over 400,000 apps in English as well as 12 Indian languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Gujrati, Tamil and Bengali. Driven to support Made in India and Vocal for Local initiatives, this app store aims to address the needs of Indian consumers using local and linguistic content. Amazon App Store Available on all Amazon Fire devices, the Amazon App Store is not just limited to these devices but is accessible to more. To make it more rewarding, Amazon has recently redesigned the store by introducing Amazon Coins, which is a virtual currency to buy apps on discount or for free. This is what sets this store apart from others. OPPO App Market Created for ColorOS devices, the OPPO App Market enables users to download all types of Android apps and games for free. The app market offers a wide array of apps that span across categories such as music, social, office, books, photography, health, etc. Both Oppo and Vivo, top Chinese players joined forces to launch this app store to allow developers to market their creations in overseas markets. Xiaomi GetApps Started as an online marketplace of apps for Xiaomi smartphone users, Xiaomi GetApps now supports devices from other manufacturers as well. The best part about this app store is that it offers all popular applications, including PUBG, VSCO, and more than that, it also has a section called Today, which comprises various useful and interesting apps that are updated regularly. Huawei App Gallery A perfect place to discover your next favorite apps and games, Huawei App Gallery offers a wide array of exclusive content, coupled with free welcome gifts, special in-game events, competitions, and prize draws to make app shopping more rewarding for users. Although it doesnt have common apps like Zoom, Netflix, Facebook, and even WhatsApp, users dont have to fret because the store has these apps in APK formats. So, nothing can stop you from using these apps anyway. A man who doused his teenage girlfriend in fuel and set her alight could be out of jail in as little as six months. Brae Taylor Lewis was originally sentenced to 11 years in jail in 2018 after he was convicted of maiming his then-girlfriend by setting her on fire on May 27, 2016. But that sentence was slashed to nine-and-a-half years on appeal in the Brisbane District Court on Thursday. When factoring in time already served in custody, the now 22-year-old will be eligible for parole in just six months. Judge Michael Burnett acknowledged the 'horrendous and disgraceful' nature of his offending but said the new sentence needed to reflect his youthfulness at the time of the crime, remorse and rehabilitation efforts while behind bars. The 22-year-old was set to face a retrial this week but entered a last minute guilty plea to one count of malicious act with intent in the Brisbane District Court. Lewis was a daily user at the time of the incident and had been addicted to amphetamines since he was 15 years old Lewis' victim's mother had begged the judge to keep him locked up for as long as possible on Wednesday, arguing that Judge Burnett was 'the only person who could keep her daughter safe'. The couple, who were both 17 at the time of the incident and living together, had a volatile relationship marked by frequent verbal abuse and 'regular outbursts of aggression'. But in the lead up to the 2016 attack, Lewis had grown increasingly aggressive and threatened to set his girlfriend alight on at least one other occasion. She suffered deep dermal burns to 21 per cent of her body and has permanent scars across her arms, chest, abdomen, back and thighs following the Marsden attack, south of Brisbane. In 2019, 20-year-old Lewis argued he was simply trying to scare her and appealed his conviction of committing a malicious act intended to cause grievous bodily harm. The woman and her mother both read victim impact statements to the court on Wednesday. Brae Taylor Lewis was sentenced to 11 years in jail in 2018 after he was convicted of maiming his then-girlfriend by setting her on fire on May 27, 2016 His girlfriend suffered deep dermal burns to 21 per cent of her body and has permanent scars across her arms, chest, abdomen, back and thighs following the attack The mother told the court how she feared for her daughter's safety during the relationship and begged her to leave him. 'His plea is for freedom, and mine is for him to stay incarcerated,' she tearfully told the judge. 'I feel he is a genuine danger to society, to other unsuspecting women and again to my daughter... Your Honour, you are the only person who can protect my daughter.' The mother said she felt Lewis' last minute guilty plea was a last ditch bid for freedom rather than a reflection of his rehabilitation since his incarceration in 2016, and described it as a final insult to her daughter. Prosecutors explained that the mother was made aware of a Facebook post made to Lewis' account just days ago which read: 'Plead guilty and get out in a few weeks... Who wouldn't? F*ck yeah.' Lewis' barrister Andrew Hoare denied his client made the post, despite comments from both his mother and grandmother which 'suggested they were under the impression the statement had come from him'. The victim, who is now 22, told the court she still requires therapy for the 'brutal attack' and feels like she is 'living a life sentence'. The woman, who is now 22, told the court she still requires therapy for the 'brutal attack' and feels like she is 'living a life sentence' (burns left, boyfriend right) 'I can't put petrol in my car, I can't light a gas stove top, I struggle to do everyday things and I constantly feel self conscious about my scars and appearance.' She struggles to trust people and still has nightmares about the ordeal. 'I woke up from that coma not knowing where I was and with tubes coming out of me... And then I found out what happened and was heartbroken to know the one that I loved did that to me.' Mr Hoare acknowledged the severe consequences for his client's actions while also arguing for the sentence to be reduced. 'These acts occurred four years and seven months ago, when he was a child,' he said. 'He's been in custody for more than a quarter of his life.' The court previously heard that the victim spent two days in an induced coma following the attack, and the burns were so severe they'd penetrated her skin. She admitted that they would 'hit each other, kick, choke and throw things at each other,' but said that 'at certain points, he would take it that step further'. In the months leading up to the attack, Lewis had already doused his then-girlfriend in petrol and threatened to set her alight. Mr Hoare acknowledged the severe consequences for his client's actions while also arguing for the sentence to be reduced (her burns are pictured) 'I thought, yeah, he may have thrown it on me to scare me, but I never believed that he was ever going to go that extra step and actually set me on fire,' she told the court at his initial sentencing. A week prior to the incident, he threw a screwdriver at her and it wound up lodged in her hip. She did not seek medical treatment over the incident and still has a scar. But his pro bono barrister Andrew Hoare, in asking for an appeal, maintained that Lewis did not intend to set her alight, and instead was trying to scare her. Mr Hoare said Lewis lit the fumes in the air and did not directly light her. He also argued that Lewis showed immediate remorse by attempting to put out the flames. On that matter, the victim said: 'After the fire was off me he started crying and screaming that he was sorry and that he would never intentionally mean to hurt me.' 'He was simply trying to cease an argument. He was simply trying to cause fear to her so she would retreat,' Mr Hoare said at the time. After neighbours arrived at the house and called emergency services, Lewis fled the scene. He called his family and asked whether he would be in trouble, but refused to offer his location. Police found him at an undisclosed address the next day. The barrister argued the original 11-year sentence was a miscarriage of justice and said an eight to nine year sentence was more appropriate. Two witnesses to the incident told the court they were under the influence of drugs at the time. Lewis was a daily user at the time of the incident and had been addicted to amphetamines since he was 15 years old. The court heard he had a difficult upbringing, was exposed to significant violence and sexually abused by an older associate. His lawyer also said his drug use increased after the death of his younger brother by suicide. 'His conduct was that of an addict with trauma that was unresolved and untreated, which culminated in an act that led to serious consequences to the young woman. The court previously heard that the victim spent two days in an induced coma following the attack, and the burns were so severe they'd penetrated her skin Guyana says culprits of illegal fishing are from neighbouring countries January 14,2021 | Source: News Room Guyana Guyana is increasing its fight against illegal fishing as part of a broader national agenda to protect the countrys resources which can be found throughout its maritime zones. On Tuesday, Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Brigadier Godfrey Bess said illegal fishing continues to take place in Guyanas sea space a foray that the government takes seriously. Yes, there have been issues of illegal fishing in Guyana waters, the Army Chief said moments after signing a new military-to-military with the United States Department of Defence which offers added assistance in tackling the incursion; the signing took place on Tuesday at State House in Georgetown. Brigadier Bess also clarified that the vessels engaged in the illegal activity in Guyanas territory mostly emanate from neighbouring countries. He said domestic work is ongoing through an interagency approach to ensure that the issue is dealt with effectively. Guyana has also received international help to go after persons who enter its sea space without permission to carry out fishing activities. On Saturday last, ranks from Guyanas Coast Guard and the United States (US) Military began joint exercises offshore Guyana. While there has been no subsequent update on the exercise, it was touted as a major joint activity intended to counter illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing while strengthening relationships for maritime sovereignty and security throughout the region. It comes four months after the two countries activated the Shiprider Agreement that allows for joint marine and air operations to counter narcotrafficking and other illegal activities. The GDF was assisted by one of the U.S Coast Guards flagship vessel, Cutter Stone in the operation dubbed, Operation Southern Cross. This is conducted in conjunction with U.S. Southern Command, charged with managing operations in Central and South America by working collaboratively to ensure the Western Hemisphere is secure, free, and prosperous. Commander of the U.S Southern Command, Admiral Craig Faller recommitted to the longstanding security cooperation with Guyana and said the new Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement also supports activities against illegal fishing. 2021 - News Room Guyana. All Rights Reserved. Theme(s): Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods. Blue Origin launched its New Shepard rocket system Thursday morning from West Texas, marking its 14th flight in a program aiming to push people past the threshold of space and then return them in a roughly 10-minute journey. Thursdays launch, without people onboard, tested features the company will use when it does launch paying customers. This included cushioned wall linings and sound suppression devices to reduce ambient noise, a cooling system and humidity controls to regulate temperature and prevent capsule windows from fogging, and speakers with a microphone and push-to-talk button at each seat. [January 13, 2021] Rapyd Raises $300 Million in Funding to Support Accelerated Growth Within Global Payments Industry Series D financing to be used to expand company's global fintech and payments platform and enable strategic acquisitions LONDON and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jan. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Rapyd , a global Fintech as a Service company, today announced a $300 million Series D financing round led by Coatue. Several new investors participated in the financing, including Spark Capital, Avid Ventures, FJ Labs, and Latitude, along with further investment from current investors General Catalyst, Oak FT, Tiger Global, Target Global, Durable Capital, Tal Capital, and Entree Capital. Rapyd's platform embeds fintech services into any application and simplifies the complexity of offering local payment methods through an easy-to-use API while managing diverse compliance and regulatory requirements. Businesses can accept and send payments without having to build their own infrastructure through the Rapyd Global Payments Network which supports hundreds of local payment methods including cards, bank transfers, ewallets, and cash. 2020 experienced a massive acceleration in the adoption of local and cross-border digital payments, which has fueled tremendous global growth for Rapyd. As noted in a recent Mckinsey report , one of the pimary impacts of COVID-19 has been the acceleration of changes in areas that are typically much more gradual - namely consumer behavior - with five years of change compressed into less than one. The change in purchasing habits has propelled consumers and businesses in both mature and emerging markets online and with that the need to accept and send payments using cards and alternative payment methods en masse. "The demand for online payments has skyrocketed following the restrictions due to the effects of COVID, and as a company, we are well placed to provide businesses across the globe with the solutions they need and to get them up and running fast," said Arik Shtilman, co-founder and CEO of Rapyd. "To kick off 2021 with this substantial round of funding to further invest in our platform is a tremendous vote of confidence both in the growing need for local payment solutions that can be deployed at scale globally, and more specifically in our vision and company." "The payment landscape varies dramatically across countries. A company doing business globally might need to accept hundreds of local payment methods. Rapyd's API, which abstracts away this complexity, is currently powering what we think are many of the world's most exciting companies," said Kris Fredrickson, Managing Partner at Coatue. "We are honored to partner with Arik and team for the next phase of the Rapyd journey." The new financing will be used to double the engineering and product teams, as well as expand the "Self-Service" element of Rapyd's platform, empowering businesses globally to onboard and begin utilizing any of Rapyd's financial capabilities in the shortest possible time frame. The company will continue its focus on core markets that serve B2C and B2B eCommerce payments, marketplace, and financial services businesses. Following the successful acquisition and integration of European card acquirer Korta in early 2020, Rapyd is also exploring additional strategic acquisitions in the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe, Middle East and Africa. About Rapyd Rapyd is the fastest way to power local payments anywhere in the world, enabling companies across the globe to access markets quicker than ever before. By utilizing Rapyd's unparalleled payments network and Fintech-as-a-Service platform, businesses and consumers can engage in local and cross-border transactions in any market. The Rapyd platform is unifying fragmented payment systems worldwide by bringing together 900-plus payment methods in over 100 countries. Rapyd's investors include Stripe, General Catalyst, Oak FT, Coatue, Tiger Global, Durable Capital, Target Global, and TaL Capital. To learn more about the company that is accelerating the Fintech-as-a-Service revolution, visit www.rapyd.net , read our blog , or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter . Media Contacts: Headline Media Raanan Loew raanan@headline.media 1-347-897-9276 SOURCE Rapyd [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Thursday said 2020 had been very challenging for the country and the Armed forces bravely stayed at the northern borders while also battling the coronavirus pandemic efficiently. He was apparently referring to border standoff with China. "Last year had been very challenging for our nation and the Armed Forces. The Armed Forces bravely stayed at the northern borders while also battling the pandemic efficiently. I am proud that we had the support of our veterans in carrying this out," Gen Naravane said while speaking at the Armed Forces Veterans Day meet. The Army chief also said 2021 will be celebrated as 'Golden Victory Year' to mark the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war victory. "Some of our veterans have expressed disappointment that 50 years celebration of the 1971 war is not being given importance. This year will be celebrated as 'Golden Victory Year' to mark 1971 war victory and various programmes would be organised across the country like exhibition, parade among other things," he said. The army chief also informed that a small memorial would be built at the National War Memorial with the soil from the villages of the gallantry awardees of 1971 war and the places where they came out victorious at that time. Gen Naravane said the Indian Army will always continue working for welfare of veterans. "After the retirement from the Army, all veterans are working in different sectors for the progress of the country and society. You being an ambassador of the Army are setting examples of a true patriot and responsible citizen. The high standards set by you will inspire our youth," he added. -ANI Also Read: Rahul Gandhi: Farmers fighting for their rights against powerful forces Supreme Court to decide if Christian students banned from preaching deserve compensation Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The United States Supreme Court will soon decide whether a college that ordered a Christian student to cease preaching on campus can be punished even though the administration has since changed the institution's free speech policies. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Tuesday in the case of Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski, which is centered on George Gwinnett Colleges treatment of student Chike Uzuegbunam. Gwinnett punished Uzuegbunam for preaching outside of an on-campus free speech zone, prompting the student to file a lawsuit which resulted in Gwinnett changing its policies. At issue was whether the college was responsible for compensating Uzuegbunam for its previous policy restrictions. Another student named Joseph Bradford joined the lawsuit. Kristen Waggoner of the Alliance Defending Freedom, which is representing the plaintiffs, argued before the high court that the students lost forever the chance to get those days back and speak their message to their peers. No policy change can ever restore that lost opportunity, said Waggoner, the appropriate remedy to redress those past times is nominal damages. For centuries, English and American courts have awarded nominal damages when no future threat exists, even after a plaintiff waives compensatory damages. In response, Justice Clarence Thomas asked if the plaintiffs were only asking for a dollar or nominal damages if that seems to undermine the real and substantial requirement? I don't think so, responded Waggoner. This court has held that vindicating constitutional rights is of the highest importance and that it is an injury in and of itself to have the government engage in misconduct and not redress that injury, no matter how insignificant the damage award might be. Justice Sonia Sotomayor critically asked why Bradford was part of the lawsuit, as there was never enforcement against him when the college had stricter free regulations. Waggoner replied that his injury was that his speech was chilled, citing Susan B. Anthony List v. Driehaus, in which the Supreme Court unanimously ruled against an Ohio law barring supposed false statements during political campaigns. Andrew Pinson, arguing for the defendants, said that nominal damages can't serve as independent redress for purely past injuries, such as those experienced by the students. Petitioners haven't cited a single common law case that decided the merits of a legal claim where a plaintiff had sought only nominal damages and awarding them couldn't affect the plaintiff's ongoing legal rights or interests, continued Pinson. Without a working theory for how nominal damages can actually redress past injuries or historical evidence for that claim, the conclusion has to be that they aren't retrospective relief that saves the case from mootness when there's no longer a threat of continuing injury. Justice Stephen Breyer talked about the challenge of quantifying damages, citing as an example a college saying that a student cannot pray at a given location, which is unconstitutional. And suppose he was stopped from praying. What's the damage? Can you say there was no damage? There was. But what is it? How do you measure it? I don't know, Breyer said. And the same with speech. He wanted to speak there. He was unconstitutionally forbidden to do it. Well, he was about to give his speech. What's the damage? Now, don't nominal damages have a place right there where there is damage but it's just impossible to measure? Pinson responded that nominal damages do not, adding that he believed the plaintiffs want nominal damages to redress harms that are difficult or impossible to quantify. In July 2019, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit issued a per curiam decision against the students, affirming a lower court decision labeling the case moot. MONTREAL, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - LOGISTEC Stevedoring Inc. ("LOGISTEC") is very pleased to welcome Philip O'Brien to the LOGISTEC team as Vice-President, Business Development. Mr. O'Brien will lead LOGISTEC's experienced sales and business development team, accelerating revenue through network expansion, developing new opportunities and contributing to LOGISTEC's bold growth strategy. Mr. O'Brien was formerly President and founder of Gestion Castaloop inc. ("Castaloop"), which LOGISTEC acquired in December 2020, further solidifying its position as a leading provider of innovative cargo-handling services at ports throughout North America and strengthening its network reach into new markets. "Philip is an outstanding addition to the LOGISTEC family and he is joining the team at a pivotal time for our industry," explains Rodney Corrigan, President of LOGISTEC Stevedoring. "He brings a deep understanding of the marine services industry and what it takes to deliver customer success. Philip is best known for his unrelenting focus on developing innovative solutions for customers. Under his leadership at Castaloop, Philip built a high-performance team that is recognized in the industry for being highly resourceful, flexible and agile. He also is known for working closely with customers to identify unique opportunities to help them succeed in their markets." Prior to Castaloop, Mr. O'Brien was Director, Business Development with Groupe Bellemare and previously was with QSL for close to 20 years as Vice-President, Marketing, Break-bulk. "As LOGISTEC continues its strategic growth plan and focuses on expanding its presence across North America, Philip's sales leadership and his strong background in building a top performing sales and business development team will be a major asset. Philip has already started to work very closely with our leaders in the field, through the Castaloop transaction, and is excited to bring our teams together, in support of the global supply chain," reinforces Madeleine Paquin, CEO and President of LOGISTEC Corporation. ABOUT LOGISTEC Corporation LOGISTEC Corporation is based in Montreal (QC) and provides specialized services in both the marine and environmental industries. Marine services are offered in the areas of bulk, break-bulk and container cargo handling in 53 ports and 79 terminals across North America. LOGISTEC Corporation also offers marine transportation services geared primarily to the Arctic coastal trade, as well as marine agency services to foreign shipowners and operators serving the Canadian market. Environmental services are offered through its subsidiaries SANEXEN Environmental Services Inc. and FER-PAL Construction Ltd. https://www.logistec.com/news/ SOURCE Logistec Corporation - Communications Related Links http://www.logistec.com NEW YORK, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cognito, the international specialist communication and marketing agency, today announced the appointment of Mark Weiner as Chief Insights Officer to develop the firm's newly launched research-based consulting practice Cognito Insights. Weiner is responsible for establishing and growing the firm's research organization by serving clients and accelerating the organization's growth through the provision of data-informed analysis, insights and guidance. Cognito represents clients across the financial, professional services and technology sectors from six offices around the globe. The appointment is a direct response to the increased ability and growing expectation that communications and marketing will deliver measurable and meaningful growth to businesses while protecting and enhancing reputation and profile. Based in the United States, the practice will serve Cognito's clients globally and look at the strategy, effect and impact of marketing and communication activity on Cognito's clients including communication, social and digital campaigns. Mark brings 35 years of professional experience having built businesses in the United States and internationally. Prior to Cognito, he led PRIME Research as its CEO before transitioning to Chief Insights Officer after Cision's acquisition of the communications research provider. Mark led Ketchum's global research practice after leaving Delahaye Medialink, a company he founded in 1994. He is a member of The Arthur Page Society and a Trustee for the Institute for Public Relations. His new book, "Public Relations Technology, Data and Insights" will be published in April by Kogan Page. "With our Insights practice, we enhance our commitment to data-informed communications and marketing. Data enables us to elevate our performance while demonstrating value and generating a positive return on investment," said Rowan Benecke, Cognito's US President. "Mark is a recognized leader in our profession as reflected by the businesses he's created, the awards he's won and his many years of experience across diverse business categories." "The pandemic has reaffirmed the essential role communication plays for our clients. The crisis has accelerated the need for data-informed strategies and measurement," said Tom Coombes, Cognito CEO. "This new practice will help our clients to ensure that they work we do is underpinned and informed by solid insights and analytics and that impact and outcomes for the business are maximized. Ultimately it will enable our clients to direct their investment into communication and marketing more effectively and make it more measurable. Ideally, we want to correlate communication and marketing impact on profile and sales and other business functions." "Cognito's commitment to the development and deployment of its research capabilities is a source of great excitement for me," Weiner stated. "The agency's faith in my leadership underscores my commitment to providing research-based counsel and guidance to the world's greatest companies and brands. Unlike the many commoditized data analytics tools available to communicators and marketers today, we focus on expertise, insights and quality counsel, the uniquely human elements that differentiate our offering and drive client success." About Cognito Cognito is an integrated financial communications consulting firm for the finance, technology and professional services sectors. With offices in New York, London, San Diego, Singapore, Hong Kong and Amsterdam, we help firms improve their performance, meet business objectives and manage their reputation. We combine strategy and planning, marketing, design, PR and social expertise, together with proprietary software that delivers measurability and intelligence. Read more at cognitomedia.com and follow us on Twitter at @CognitoPR Media Contact Information US Sam Barber / [email protected] / +1 917 246 2775 EMEA Jon Schubin / [email protected] / +44 7307 063066 SOURCE Cognito The Chinese Communist Party's actions are "indicative of genocide" the British Conservative Party Human Rights Commission report, "The Darkness Deepens: The Crackdown On Human Rights In China 2016-2020", revealed. According to Breitbart, whose London branch was able to get an advanced copy of the said report, the commission detailed its findings from various interviews and testimonials against China's atrocities and grave violations on human rights in Hong Kong, Tibet, and Xinjiang, which is in the Western province of China. The Commission's report provides insurmountable evidence of genocide done against the Uyghurs, who are an ethnic minority in China, and targeted for extinction of its "intellectuals, the rich, and the religious" through torture, forced labor, forced organ donations, forced sterilizations, and forced surgeries to keep them from giving birth. Breitbart cited a 2019 testimonial given by Dr. Adrian Zenz to the Commission on how the government officials in Xinjiang have "planned to subject at least 80 percent of women of childbearing age in the rural southern four minority prefectures" of China "to intrusive birth prevention surgeries (IUDs or sterilisation), with actual shares likely being much higher." Data presented by Zenz showed "that between 2015 and 2018, population growth rates fell by 84 per cent in the two largest Uyghur Muslim prefectures, with birth rates continuing to fall" such that by 2020 the "Uyghur region" experienced an "unprecedented near-zero population growth." Zenz stressed that "these findings provide the strongest evidence yet that Beijing's policies in Xinjiang meet one of the genocide criteria cited in the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide." "We believe that the CCP is committing mass atrocity crimes against the Uyghurs and others," stressed the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, "that is evidence indicative of the crime of genocide." This does not include violations against religious freedoms that the Uyghur Muslims experienced with Christians, Buddhists, and Falun Gong practitioners because "religion as a whole has increasingly become a target of the communist regime," Breitbart revealed based on the statements of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) regarding China. Christian Solidarity Worldwide exposed that "under Xi Jinping, there has been a new focus on religion at the highest levels of government" because China "intends to bring Christianity under the full control of the government" such that "both registered and unregistered Protestant churches have been individually and collectively penalised for peaceful religious activities" along with the Catholics. "Registered churches under the Three-Self Patriotic Movement have been forced to sing national and pro-Communist songs during services, to fly the national flag and remove religious images," Christian Solidarity Worldwide elaborated, "Across the country, churches have had their crosses removed, and many report that under-18s are now banned from attending religious activities." The group said this is out of China's "fresh emphasis placed on the requirement that all religious communities in China 'sinicise' by becoming 'Chinese in orientation' and adapting to "socialist society" and to "bring all religious activities under state control". According to the Commission, "between one and three million Uyghur Muslims have been detained in concentration camps" where people are injected of medicines that "made them mentally ill" since the Communist Party ensures they "will change their thinking". The concentration camps contain people of all ages, including children. Former acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said President Donald Trump bears 'some responsibility' for the MAGA riot and said the punishment of impeachment was 'appropriate.' Wolf, who resigned from office Monday, talked to ABC News on Wednesday as Trump was getting impeached by the House of Representatives for a second time. 'If certain individuals or the Congress wants to take the action that they're taking today, I believe, regarding impeachment, that that's their right, that's their prerogative,' Wolf told the network. 'I think that's the appropriate channel.' Former acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said President Donald Trump bears 'some responsibility' for the MAGA riot and told ABC News he believed impeachment was the 'appropriate' recourse President Donald Trump, photographed returning to Joint Base Andrews after his trip to the U.S.-Mexico border wall Tuesday, was impeached by the House of Representatives for inciting the riot on Capitol Hill last Wednesday Wolf said he agreed with Vice President Mike Pence who said Tuesday night that the 25th Amendment, which House Democrats had urged him to pursue, wasn't the right vehicle to use in this case. 'I think the 25th Amendment is exceptional circumstances,' Wolf argued. Wolf did place some of the blame for the riot on Trump's head. 'The president's words matter and they do,' he said. 'He certainly has some level of responsibility for at least the words that he said.' Like a number of lawmakers have expressed, Wolf also wished the president would have acted sooner to quell the riot. 'I've talked about my disappointment in wishing that he had come out sooner to condemn the violence and just talk more vocally about that,' Wolf said. Earlier Wednesday, the White House had released a statement from Trump - who's been banned from major social media sites - urging groups not to do it again. 'In light of reports of more demonstrations, I urge that there must be NO violence, NO lawbreaking and NO vandalism of any kind. That is not what I stand for, and it is not what America stands for. I call on ALL Americans to help ease tensions and calm tempers. Thank You,' the Trump statement read. Wolf also gave Trump a little wiggle room, pointing out the rioters 'decided to partake in this or not.' 'They act on their own accord and they decided to take criminal acts on their own, just like the individuals in Portland and around the country this summer,' Wolf said. Portland's federal courthouse had been the site of racial justice protests. Wolf said he didn't blame politicians on the left for any violent incidents that occurred. Acting DHS Director Chad Wolf sent out a statement to colleagues Monday announcing he was stepping down Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf stands in front of a new section of the border wall in October in McAllen, Texas. Wolf would have normally accompanied Trump to the border Wolf implored the president and other elected officials to 'strongly condemn the violence that took place yesterday' in a statement that he tweeted on Thursday before he announced his resignation Monday Wolf left his office Monday, citing the legal battle over whether he can do his job. His resignation came a day before the president visited the U.S.-Mexico border wall, a trip the DHS head would usually take. In a note to agency workers, obtained by Fox News Channel, Wolf said he was quitting because of 'recent events.' 'Including the ongoing and meritless court rulings regarding the validity of my authority as Acting Secretary,' Wolf went on. 'These events and concerns increasingly serve to divert attention and resources away from the important work of the Department in this critical time of a transition of power.' He said that FEMA's Administrator Peter Gaynor, who was Senate-confirmed, would take over DHS through the end of the transition. Federal judges have ruled that Wolf's appointment to the top position at DHS does not appear to be lawful because it didn't follow the department's order of succession. Wolf had been nominated to hold the job full-time, but the White House announced it had pulled his nomination Thursday. Earlier in the day, Wolf had been publicly pleading with the president to condemn the violence after the Capitol Hill siege. 'What transpired yesterday was tragic and sickening,' Wolf wrote in a statement then. 'While I have consistently condemned political violence on both sides of the aisle, specifically violence directed at law enforcement, we now see some supporters of the President using violence as a means to achieve political ends,' Wolf said in a statement Thursday. 'This is unacceptable. These violent actions are unconscionable, and I implore the President and all elected officials to strongly condemn the violence that took place yesterday,' Wolf continued. 'DHS takes the safety and security of all Americans very seriouslyit's at the core of our mission to defend our homeland. Any appearance of inciting violence by an elected official goes against who we are as Americans,' Wolf added. The White House's announcement that Wolf's nomination had been pulled first looked like retribution for the statement he made, but CNN later reported that it had technically been withdrawn Wednesday, because no further action in the Senate was expected. Wolf said on Thursday that he would remain in his post 'to ensure the Department's focus remains on the serious threats facing our country and an orderly transition to President-elect Biden's DHS team.' Other cabinet-level members of the administration have bailed, including Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. President-elect Joe Biden takes office on January 20 and the Senate is out of session until January 19, so no future Trump nominees will be considered. New York Antiques Show opens on line on January 29th. This is a chance to re-create the fun of the good old New York shows we all loved, but without the snow, ice, and the traffic. Antiques lovers from all over the country and the world, for three days, January 29-31, 2021, will be able to browse and shop the inaugural New York Antiques Show online at the virtual show platform developed by Getmansvirtual.com. Customers will be able to view and purchase the wares of more than 100 dealers from 24 states plus two Canadian provinces by going to NYAntiqueShow.com. Exhibitors have been chosen by a committee for the quality and variety of their material, as well as their ability to offer items in a variety of price ranges, relevant to todays markets. The idea is to celebrate the vibe of the great old New York pier shows, as well as the other armory and church events, where there was something for everyone, in every price range. Collectors will be able to shop some of the dealers who were regulars at these events, as well as some dealers who are brand new to the New York market. This is a chance to re-create the fun of the good old New York shows we all loved, but without the snow, ice, and the traffic. Now you can shop the show while staying cozy in your living room! The show will stay online from 11:00 am EST Friday January 29th and continue through Sunday January 31st at 8:00 pm EST. Admission is free and shoppers will be able to browse by key word, category, by their favorite dealers, or simply browse through the show as if in person, using the robust search engine. 2500 items are expected to be posted by showtime. Unlike live shows, no one has access to the items before the show opens. The list of dealers is available at NYAntiqueShow.com. Individuals can also register at that site to receive email reminders of the show. The online platform was designed to emulate the experience of walking through a live show booth by booth. In collaboration with a South African firm the platform was initially launched for a series of Marvin Getmans monthly antiquarian book fairs, which have become enormously popular. It was customized successfully for The Fall Fox Valley Online Antiques Show (hosted by the Chicago Suburban Antiques Dealers Association) last October. Of that experience, Ohio dealer Jane Langol wrote Don't believe that the antique market is dead! It is alive and well and strong at the FOX VALLEY ONLINE SHOW. The show was terrific! As a dealer, I was excited to see my choices sell quickly--two of them in the first 15 minutes. Does not always happen at a live show. Let's do it again! Visit The New York Antiques Show from January 29th through the 31st at NYAntiqueShow.com. After New York, the next Getmansvirtual antiques show will be the 64th Spring Fox Valley Online Antiques Show March 13-14, 2021. Save the dates! Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- Its nearly two months since turbulence erupted around China Huarong Asset Management Co.At the end of March, its 4% perpetual dollar bond was trading at 102 cents on the dollar as investors figured the January execution of former chairman Lai Xiaomin for bribery put a line under past wayward behavior. But the failure of the company to release 2020 results by a March 31 deadline, and a subsequent report by mainland media Caixin that the firm will restructure, sparked weeks of turmoil. The same bond is now at 57 cents.The heart of the matter is whether the central government will rescue a state-owned company thats integral to the smooth running of the financial system. While there are signs Beijing wants to ensure China Huarong can repay its debts on time, uncertainty prevails.Heres a look at the key events for China Huarong:May 27Liang Qiang, who currently heads another bad-debt manager, is on track to become president of China Huarong, reports Bloomberg News.May 24China Huarong dollar bonds climb after the managing editor of Caixin Media wrote in an opinion piece that the asset manager is nowhere near defaulting on its more than $20 billion of offshore notes.May 21Some of China Huarongs thinly traded onshore bonds slump after having held up better than the companys dollar-denominated notes, signaling broadening concern about the firms financial health. May 18China Huarong has transferred funds to repay a $300 million note maturing May 20, Bloomberg News reports, the first dollar bond to come due since the delayed 2020 results. Prices for the firms dollar bonds slump earlier in the day after the New York Times reports China is planning an overhaul that would inflict significant losses on both domestic and foreign China Huarong bondholders.May 17The company has reached funding agreements with state-owned banks to ensure it can repay debt through at least the end of August, by which time China Huarong aims to have completed its 2020 financial statements, according to a Bloomberg News report. That as at least two of its onshore bonds see big price declines in recent days, worrying some investors.May 13The firm says its prepared to make future bond payments and has seen no change in the level of government support, seeking to ease investor concerns after a local media report that regulators balked at China Hurarongs restructuring plan.May 6The company says it transferred funds to pay five offshore bond coupons due the following day, its latest move to meet debt obligations amid persistent doubts about its financial health.April 30China Huarong breaks its silence, with an executive telling media it is prepared to make its bond payments and state backing remains intact. The official also says the weeks rating downgrades have no factual basis and are too pessimistic.April 29Moodys Investor Service downgrades China Huarong by one notch to Baa1, adding the firm remains on watch for further downgrade. The cut reflects the companys weakened funding ability due to market volatility and increased uncertainty over its future, according to the statement.April 27China Huarong units repay bonds maturing that day. The S$600 million ($450 million) bond was repaid with funds provided by Chinas biggest state-owned bank, according to a Bloomberg News report.April 26Fitch Ratings downgrades China Huarong by three notches to BBB while dropping the companys perpetual bonds into junk territory. The lack of transparency over government support for the firm may hamper its ability to refinance debt in offshore markets, Fitch said.April 25China Huarong says it wont meet an April 30 deadline to file its 2020 report with Hong Kongs stock exchange because auditors needed more time to finalize a transaction the company first flagged on April 1. Securities and asset-management units said in the days before that they wouldnt release 2020 results by months end.April 22The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission asks lenders to extend China Huarongs upcoming loans by at least six months, according to REDD, citing two bankers from large Chinese commercial lenders.April 21China is considering a plan that would see its central bank assume more than 100 billion yuan ($15 billion) of China Huarong assets to help clean up the firms balance sheet, according to a Bloomberg News report. Peer China Cinda Asset Management Co. was said to be planning the sale of perpetual bonds in the second quarter.April 20China Huarongs key offshore financing unit says it returned to profitability in the first quarter and laid a solid foundation for transformation. Reorg Research reports that regulators are considering options including a debt restructuring of the unit, China Huarong International Holdings Ltd.April 19Huarong Securities Co. says it wired funds to repay a 2.5 billion yuan local note.April 16The CBIRC says China Huarongs operations are normal and that the firm has ample liquidity. These are the first official comments about the companys troubles. Reuters reports Chinese banks have been asked not to withhold loans to Huarong.April 13Fitch and Moodys both put the company on watch for downgrade. The finance ministry, which owns a majority of Huarong, is considering the transfer of its stake to a unit of the countrys sovereign wealth fund, Bloomberg News reports. Chinese officials signal they want failing local government financing vehicles to restructure or go bust if debts cant be repaid.April 9China Huarong says it has been making debt payments on time and its operations are normal. Bloomberg reports the company intends to keep Huarong International as part of a potential overhaul that would avoid the need of a debt restructuring or government recapitalization. S&P Global Ratings puts China Huarongs credit ratings on watch for possible downgrade.April 8China Huarong is preparing to offload non-core and loss-making units as part of a broad plan to revive profitability that would avoid the need for a debt restructuring or government recapitalization, Bloomberg News reports.April 6Selling gains steam in China Huarongs dollar bonds, following a holiday in China. Huarong Securities says there has been no major change to its operations, in response to a price plunge for its 3 billion yuan local bond.April 1China Huarong announces a delay in releasing 2020 results, saying its auditor is unable to finalize a transaction. Stock trading is suspended and spreads jump on the firms dollar bonds while China Huarong tells investors its business is running as usual. Caixin reports the company submitted restructuring and other major reform plans to government officials and shareholders.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 14) Half of consumer demand will remain absent if the government continues to bar minors from going out during the coronavirus pandemic, Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said on Thursday. During the forum of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines or FINEX, the official stressed the importance of allowing minors to go out to spur economic activities. "We have to recover lost demands by allowing family activities," he said. Citing a report from the World Bank, Chua said no country keeps their children at home 100 percent. "In a young country like ours, where the median age is 25 years old and 40 percent of the population is below 20 years old, then if the children are not participating in economic activities, and the families are not participating, up to 50 percent of the total sales and demands are not going to recover," the NEDA acting chief said. "That is where we are today," he added. The Department of the Interior and Local Government earlier said only 15 to 65 year olds are allowed to go out in areas under general community quarantine and modified GCQ, subject to local governments' discretion. However, Metro Manila, which contributes 32 percent of the Philippine economy, continues to limit the movements of people aged 17 below. They are only allowed to go outside to purchase essential goods and services. The country's capital and nine other areas, including Isabela, Santiago City, Batangas, Iloilo, Tacloban City, Lanao del Sur, Iligan City, Davao City, and Davao del Norte, remain under GCQ in January. The rest of the Philippines are under modified GCQ. Last month, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said restricting people aged below 15, and those older than 65, delays the country's economic revival and jobs recovery. "What we're talking about now, do we allow minors with parents to go out? That will be a big boost to the economy, especially to retail trade," Lopez said during a virtual briefing last December 9. Chua also reiterated at the forum the need for sufficient yet safe public transportation, noting visits to public transportation stations remain down by around 50 percent. While the Department of Transportation has started reducing physical distancing in mass transit, trains in particular, public transportation operations continued to be limited. "The economy is strong enough to recover if we allow it to do so, but quarantine restrictions prevent it from fully recovering," he said. A leading priest has pleaded with people across the country to stop attending funerals and gathering outside churches saying it is helping to spread the Covid virus. Co Donegal cleric Fr John Joe Duffy said that while he appreciated it is a great custom to console bereaved people we must stop immediately. The Creeslough-based priest said he has seen time and time again that too many people are gathering outside churches for funerals. While funerals are limited to close family inside the church, many are gathering outside churches to show their respects to grieving families. But Fr Duffy has warned that this practice, despite being outdoors, is still helping to spread the deadly virus. He said "One of the many things that we are great at in this country at is being there for people in their pain and suffering and we truly are the best at that and showing respect for those who have died. "I appreciate the long tradition it is to attend wakes, funeral Masses/services and burials and we have all known the comfort, goodness and kindness of those who have walked with us and stood with us on many sad days. "This tradition/custom is for us a very important part of dealing with death and has been a tremendous comfort, consolation and strength." He added that sadly new realities have to be faced up to in light of the current pandemic which is worsening at an alarming rate and which we all have to take heed of. He said "It is plain to see that far too many are attending cemeteries and standing out and congregating far too close at arrivals and removals of remains at Churches. This beautiful and consoling custom is no longer safe for the bereaved families and for those attending. Fr Duffy said that time and time again, he has witnessed too many people gathering and congregating too close together outside churches. He said "Despite public health pleas, the message is not sinking in and it is not getting through that it is dangerous to gather in large numbers and to gather close together. "Covid-19 can spread as easily outdoors as it can indoors, it can spread as easy among a group of people outside as it can among families within the home. "This new British variant is many times more infectious than anything we have seen, so we need to be much more careful for the safety of others and ourselves." He said he wants to appeal to the public to find other ways of showing their respects to bereaved families rather than turning up for funerals. "I am urging people to take care to avoid what we are so accustomed to for the next few months and avoid congregating and gathering in large numbers outside Churches and in Cemeteries/graveyards and leave those spaces for families who cannot enter the Church. "People might stand at good distances along the route in safe places from the house to the Church and from the Church to the cemetery. "It is much safer at this time to send a card, make a phone call, send a message, add your condolences to the death notices on RIP.ie. "The next month will be critical for all of us, I urge people to stay safe, stay at home and follow the public health guidelines." Brisbane City Council's fleet of replacement cross-river ferries, nicknamed KittyCats, has generated so many noise complaints the council has been forced to slow them down. The KittyCats were touted as being 44 per cent faster than the cross-river wooden ferries they replaced late last year, after eight wooden ferries were taken off the river over safety concerns in June. The new KittyCat fleet (front) operates on cross-river and CityHopper services alongside the CityCats (rear). Credit:Lucy Stone Speaking in November, public and active transport committee chairman Ryan Murphy said the KittyCats had a top speed of 23 knots, allowing services to be 44 per cent faster than the wooden ferries. This meant the reinstated cross-river and CityHopper ferry timetables would run at 25-minute intervals, stopping at six ferry terminals, he said, rather than the 36-minute wooden monohull ferry services. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 10:32:04|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KIGALI, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Rwanda Defense Force (RDF) on Wednesday expressed condolence in a statement over the death of a Rwandan peacekeeper killed in the Central African Republic (CAR) in a rebel attack earlier in the day. Meanwhile, RDF remains committed to the protection of civilians within the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and the other peacekeeping missions it contributes to. Since Dec. 19, major armed groups have reportedly been on an offensive to disrupt the presidential and legislative elections that took place on Dec. 27. Provisional results showed that the CAR's President Faustin-Archange Touadera won the absolute majority in the first round of the presidential election, while the final results will be announced by the Constitutional Court by Jan. 19. Enditem Scottish nationalists are on course to win a record majority in elections for Scotland's devolved parliament that would start a new push for independence, an opinion poll published on Thursday showed. Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's first minister and head of the pro-independence Scottish National Party, will claim a mandate for another independence referendum if her party performs strongly in the elections scheduled for May 6. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who would have to agree to a new referendum, has said there is no need for a new vote after independence was rejected by Scottish voters in 2014. The SNP is expected to win 71 of 129 seats in the Scottish parliament, eight seats more than it won in the last election in 2016, according to the poll carried out by Savanta ComRes and published in The Scotsman newspaper. The only other time the SNP has won a majority was in 2011 when it won 69 seats under former leader Alex Salmond. If Scotland voted for independence it would mean the United Kingdom would lose about a third of its landmass and almost a tenth of its population - just as the world's sixth-biggest economy is grappling with the impact of Brexit. Johnson's Conservative Party may lose 14 seats in the Scottish parliament and the opposition Labour Party may lose three, the poll found, leaving the Conservatives with 17 seats and the Labour Party with 21. Scots voted 55-45% against independence in a referendum in 2014, but Brexit and the British government's handling of the COVID-19 crisis have bolstered support for the SNP, with most polls showing a majority now favour breaking away. The Savanta ComRes poll found 57% of people would vote for Scottish independence in a new referendum, close to a record high. The poll was based on responses from 1,016 people in Scotland between Jan. 8 and 13. For the December 20 quarter, total group production was 62% above the normalised (excluding Snowtown 2, SWF2) December 19 quarter result, primarily driven by a 189 GWh contribution from the 336MW Dundonnell Wind Farm (DDWF), which is in commissioning and a 30 GWh contribution from the 133MW Waipipi Wind Farm (WWF), which is in construction and recorded its first generation during the quarter. As reported to the market on 21 December 2020, completion of commissioning of DDWF remains subject to AEMO approvals, with the current hold point cap set at 295 MW. Production from fully operational Australian assets (excluding SWF2 and DDWF) was 4% below the December 19 quarter, impacted by elevated curtailment of Snowtown 1 due to AEMO constraints in South Australia and a higher frequency of negative price dispatch intervals where TLT assets were turned down to optimise revenue outcomes (combined impact ~10GWh during the quarter). New Zealand production from fully operational assets (excluding WWF) was 11% below the December 19 quarter, due to lower than forecasted wind speeds and lower asset availability. Lower availabilities were due to a mid-life major maintenance program targeting a number of turbines at Tararua 3, and a transmission line outage at Mahinerangi. See the link below for more details: Tilt Renewables December 2020 quarter production results Source: Tilt Renewables Limited 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: Rakon Limited (NZX: RAK) FY2021 Results Announcement Gentrack Group Limited (NZX: GTK) Half-Year Results Pacific Edge Limited (NZX: PEB) Financial Results for the 12 Months to 31 March 2021 Asset Plus Limited (NZX: APL) Financial Result for the Year Ended 31 March 2021 Stride Property Ltd & Stride Investment Management Ltd (NZX: SPG) FY21 Annual Results Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corporation Limited (NZX: FPH) Record Full Year Result for FPH: Net Profit Up 82% 27th May 2021 Morning Report Fletcher Building Limited (NZX: FBU) On-market Share buyback, FY21 EBIT Guidance $650-$665m 26th May 2021 Morning Report Fonterra Shareholders Fund (NZX: FSF) Fonterra Provides Milk Price and Q3 Performance Update Farmer unions and opposition parties too had raised doubts over the composition of the panel, insisting that its members have been in favour of the three laws in the past. The panel is due to hold its first meeting on 19 January Bhartiya Kisan Union national president Bhupinder Singh Mann on Thursday said he is recusing himself from the four-member committee appointed by the Supreme Court to resolve the deadlock between farmers and the Centre over the new agri-marketing laws. Mann's announcement came on a day when his organisation's Punjab unit decided to disassociate itself from him. Farmer unions and opposition parties too had raised doubts over the composition of the panel, insisting that its members have been in favour of the three laws in the past. The panel is due to hold its first meeting on 19 January. The farmers welcomed Mann's move, with BKU spokesperson Rakesh Tikait inviting the 81-year-old leader to join the stir. Meanwhile, ahead of the ninth round of talks scheduled for today (Friday, 15 January), Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that the government was ready to continue talks with an open mind, while the farmer unions also asserted that they want the talks with the government to continue. Mann recuses from SC-appointed panel Mann said he is thankful to the apex court for nominating him to the panel but would give up any position to prevent farmers' interests from being compromised. "As a farmer myself and a union leader, in view of the prevailing sentiments and apprehensions amongst the farm unions and the public in general, I am ready to sacrifice any position offered or given to me so as to not compromise the interests of Punjab and farmers of the country," he said. I am recusing myself from the committee and I will always stand with my farmers and Punjab, said Mann, who is also an ex-MP. The apex court had on Tuesday stayed the implementation of the three Central laws till further orders and announced the formation of a committee to hear the grievances of the farmers and the opinion of the government. BKU (Punjab) president Baldev Singh Mianpur claimed that Mann might have decided to change his stand after he got a whiff of their meeting. "We decided to disassociate ourselves from Mann as he did not consult with us to work as a committee member," he said. Mann, 81, is also the chairman of the All-India Kisan Coordination Committee. He was a Rajya Sabha MP from 1990 to 96. He had supported the Congress in 2012 and 2017 Punjab Assembly polls. Congress MP Partap Singh Bajwa welcomed Mann's decision and hoped that other three committee members will also recuse themselves. The four-member committee has further eroded the trust between farmer unions and the government, Bajwa said, adding that all four members have publicly written in support of the farm laws. "It is my hope that the other three members of the committee also recuse themselves. It is an unfortunate situation to be placed into, but given their very public support of these farm laws makes their position untenable. It is impossible for the farmers to trust in the impartiality of a committee whose members have vociferously supported the farming laws," Bajwa said in a statement. Farmer unions say others should follow Farmer bodies also hailed the Mann's decision. "He did the right thing, otherwise, he would have faced farmers' anger," Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh said. Welcoming the stay on the implementation of the new laws, farmer unions had said they would not appear before the group. Their leaders had claimed that the members of the committee are "pro-government". The Supreme Court, however, expects them to participate. The representatives of all the farmers' bodies, whether they are holding a protest or not and whether they support or oppose the laws shall participate in the deliberations of the committee and put forth their viewpoints, it had said. The committee was asked to submit its report to the Supreme Court within two months of its first sitting, which is to take place within 10 days 'Well being of farmers our priority' Apart from Mann, Shetkari Sanghatana (Maharashtra) president Anil Ghanwat, International Food Policy Research Institute's Pramod Kumar Joshi and agriculture economist Ashok Gulati were appointed to the panel. Speaking to Firstpost, Joshi said, I can assure you that the panel will do its job in an impartial and honest manner. All the four members will now develop the modalities on how to proceed. We will formulate a plan of action and a time frame so that we can submit our report in two months." Joshi is a former director for South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), New Delhi. In his recent views expressed in the media, he has strongly opposed giving legal backing to minimum support prices and has advocated contract farming as a 'win-win situation' for all stakeholders. Ghanwat, who is also a member of the panel, told Firstpost, The well-being of the farmers will be our foremost and only priority. There will be no political motives or biases involved. We will seek to ensure that the law does justice to farmers. He said, We (Shetkari Sanghatana) supported the new laws only to an extent; we did not give our complete support to them. We have also demanded that certain amendments should be made to the legislations. Now, the committee appointed by the apex court will also speak to the protesting farmers to understand what they wa1nt. First meet of SC-appointed panel likely on 19 Jan, says Anil Ghanwat The Supreme Court-appointed panel on farm laws is likely to hold its first meeting on 19 January at the Pusa campus in Delhi, one of its members Anil Ghanwat said on Thursday and asserted the committee will have no "ego or prestige issue" if it has to go to farmers' protest sites to talk to them. The panel members were scheduled to have a virtual interaction earlier in the day to discuss its future course of action, but it could not take place after Mann recused himself from the committee. The existing members can hold their virtual interaction on Friday, Ghanwat said, while asserting that he will not leave the committee unless asked by the apex court and he does not expect any other member to recuse themselves. Govt, farmer leaders show openness for Friday's meet "The government is ready to hold talks with farmers' leaders with an open mind," Tomar told reporters . Clearing the confusion over the fate of the ninth round of talks in the wake of the Supreme Court on 11 January appointing a four-member panel to resolve the impasse and a key member of the proposed committee subsequently recusing himself, Tomar said the talks between the government and the union representatives will take place as scheduled for 12 pm on 15 January. Meanwhile, Tikait also asserted that the protesting farmer unions will attend the scheduled ninth round of talks with the government claiming that it is necessary to continue the dialogue to resolve the deadlock and end the agitation. Asked if unions have any hope from the Friday meeting, Tikait told PTI: "Let's see what happens tomorrow. But, our meetings will continue with the government till our protest ends as it is necessary." "We will not oppose the meetings with the government," the BKU leader said when asked whether the Friday talks could be the last one if there is no solution. The farmer unions have been maintaining that they were ready to attend the scheduled talks with the government, even as they have said they do not want to appear before the court-appointed panel and have also questioned its composition. With inputs from PTI YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan received today Ambassador of Kazakhstan Timur Urazayev who is completing his diplomatic mission in Armenia, the Armenian Parliament told Armenpress. Speaker Mirzoyan thanked the Ambassador for his personal contributions in the relations between Armenia and Kazakhstan. He highly valued the current level of the ties between the two countries, specifically highlighting the Ambassadors investment in deepening the mutual cooperation between the Armenian and Kazakh Parliaments. Speaker Mirzoyan introduced the situation following the signing of the trilateral statement of November 10 to the Ambassador and stated that in line with the process of unblocking the regional infrastructures the issue of the return of the Armenian prisoners of war and captured civilians remains a priority. According to him, all partner states of Armenia and Azerbaijan should make efforts for solving the issue of the return of POWs. The Kazakh Ambassador thanked Ararat Mirzoyan for the effective cooperation, assuring that in his future activities as well he will try to contribute to the development of relations between Armenia and Kazakhstan. Timur Urazayev expressed confidence that Kazakhstan is interested in deepening the productive cooperation with Armenia and thanked the Armenian side for the participation with an observer mission to the parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan. Highlighting peace between the countries of the region, the Ambassador stated that the Kazakh side has always called on to solve the existing problems around the negotiation table. According to him, the unblocking of the transportation infrastructure in the region can create opportunities for the development and expansion of new ties. Timur Urazayev assured that Kazakhstan will make efforts to solve the humanitarian problems. Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed during the meeting. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan Pastor killed in crash hours after warning church to be more prayerful about using social media Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Matt Netzer, the 44-year-old pastor of RockPile Church in Marble Falls, Texas, was killed in a crash last Friday hours after warning his followers about discussing politics on social media. Netzer, who began leading his church in 1999, and was one of the congregations founders, was reportedly traveling north on RM 2900 toward Kingsland in a 2018 Mazda CX-5 when the vehicle veered across the southbound lane, left the roadway, and struck a fence, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. He was pronounced dead at the Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Marble Fall. The pastors death came just hours after he warned his followers to be more prayerful about what they share on social media in the aftermath of the deadly attack on the Capitol by pro-Trump supporters last Wednesday. Everyone wants to speak out on the riots, on Trump, on Biden, on race, on lockdowns and masks, on the elections, on conspiracies, on Democrats, on Republicans.... everyone has a thought, a judgment, a post just itching to be made. Just like we did all 2020, he began. I know, I'm there with you, I've made and deleted about 1,000 statuses, and that's probably a good thing since I've also changed my mind about 1,000 times as my own emotions have fluctuated. But really, the posts are made, and the needle doesn't move. In fact, it usually just leads to more fighting. Turns out, everyone having an instant platform has not been beneficial for the most part, I'd say the social media experiment has largely failed. Heck, social media may even be one of the biggest culprits for the anger and violence in our country, he said. He then wondered out loud if Christians would be better off praying more than they posted on social media. That question in itself is not meant to be a judgment as much as a refocus, and it's not meant to be a catchy gotcha slogan, but rather I hope we do better in 2021 than we already have only seven days in. I'm making a call to myself and to my own church to pray more and post less, he said. I truly believe that social media, and all the noise it brings, is actually serving to hinder the only real thing that is going to change hearts and bring any kind of healing to our brokenness.... so make sure you, AT LEAST, pray before you post, he added. A GoFundMe campaign seeking to raise $100,000 to assist his widow, Sarah, and his two children, Lucy and Micah, had raised more than $69,680 as of 5 p.m. Tuesday. We want to take care of his family because he fulfilled the greatest commandment as found in Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus declared, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments, a message on the campaign organized by the church said. Netzers memorial service will be held on Jan. 16 at First Baptist Church Marble Falls located at 901 La Ventana Drive, beginning at 1 p.m. The church will follow COVID-19 protocols and the family is encouraging the wearing of masks. A second service is also being planned in St. Louis, Missouri, the church said. Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. A recent market study published by Future Market Insights on the 3D Thermal Scanner market offers global industry analysis for 2015-2019 & opportunity assessment for 2020-2030. The study offers a comprehensive assessment of the most important market dynamics. After conducting a thorough research on the historical, as well as current growth parameters, the growth prospects of the market are obtained with maximum precision. Market Segmentation The global 3D Thermal Scanner market is segmented in detail to cover every aspect of the market and present complete market intelligence to readers. By Product Fixed/ Mounted Handheld/ Portable By Technology Cooled Uncooled By Application Thermography Surveillance Firefighting Personal Vision System Ruggedized Smartphone Military Others By Wavelength Long-Wave Infrared (LWIR) Mid-wave Infrared (MWIR) Short-wave infrared (SWIR) By Price Range High/Premium Mid-Range/ Economy By Region North America Latin America Europe East Asia South Asia Oceania Middle East & Africa Report ChaptersRequest a Sample of this Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-10500 Chapter 01 Executive Summary The executive summary of the 3D Thermal Scanner market includes the market country analysis, proprietary wheel of fortune, demand-side and supply-side trends, opportunity assessment, and recommendations on the global 3D Thermal Scanner market. Chapter 02 Market Overview Readers can find the detailed segmentation and definition of the 3D Thermal Scanner market in this chapter, which will help them understand basic information about the 3D Thermal Scanner market. This section also highlights the inclusions and exclusions, which help the reader understand the scope of the 3D Thermal Scanner market report. Chapter 03 Key Market Trends The report provides key market trends that are expected to impact market growth significantly during the forecast period. Detailed industry trends are provided in this section, along with key market developments or product innovations. Chapter 04 Impact of COVID-19 on the Market This section provides an in-depth analysis on the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on global economy and its related effect across various countries. Readers can also find information on the impact of the pandemic on various sectors such as manufacturing and supply chain across the globe. Chapter 05 Impact of COVID-19 on 3D Thermal Scanner Market The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the 3D Thermal Scanner market is explained in this chapter. It also includes sales projection for the 3D Thermal Scanner market during and after the crisis. Chapter 06 Global 3D Thermal Scanner Market Demand Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast, 2020-2030 This section provides detailed analysis of the historical 3D Thermal Scanner market volume, along with an opportunity analysis of the future. Readers can also find the incremental opportunity for the current year (2020 2021) and an absolute opportunity for the forecast period (20202030). Chapter 07 Global 3D Thermal Scanner Market Pricing Analysis This chapter highlights the pricing analysis based on product type for base year 2019 and forecast year 2030. In addition, profit margins at each level of the 3D Thermal Scanner market are analyzed and readers can find detailed information on top importers and exporters as well as the value chain of the market. Chapter 08 Global 3D Thermal Scanner Market Demand (in Value or Size in US$ Mn) Analysis and Forecast 2015-2030 This chapter includes detailed analysis of the historical 3D Thermal Scanner market (2015-2019), along with an opportunity analysis for the forecast period (2020-2030). Readers can also find the incremental opportunity for the current year (2020 2021) and absolute $ opportunity for the forecast period (20202030).This chapter provides details about the global 3D Thermal Scanner market on the basis of product type, technology, application, wavelength, price range, and region. In this chapter, readers can understand market attractive analysis for all segments. This chapter explains how the 3D Thermal Scanner market is anticipated to grow across North America, Latin America, Europe, East Asia, South Asia, Oceania and the Middle East and Africa. Chapter 09 Market Background The associated industry assessment of the global 3D Thermal Scanner market is carried out in this section. In addition, this chapter explains key macroeconomic factors that are expected to influence the growth of the global 3D Thermal Scanner market over the forecast period. Along with macroeconomic factors, this section also highlights the opportunity analysis for the market. It offers provides key market dynamics of the 3D Thermal Scanner market, which include drivers, restraints, and trends. Moreover, it will help readers understand key trends followed by leading manufacturers in the 3D Thermal Scanner market. Chapter 10 Global 3D Thermal Scanner Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by Product Type Based on product type, the 3D Thermal Scanner market is segmented into interdental fixed/ mounted, and handheld/ portable. In this chapter, readers can find market attractiveness analysis, based on product types. Chapter 11 Global 3D Thermal Scanner Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by Technology This chapter provides details about the 3D Thermal Scanner market on the basis of technology such cooled and uncooled, along with market attractiveness analysis. Chapter 12 Global 3D Thermal Scanner Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by Application Based on application, the 3D Thermal Scanner market is segmented into thermography, surveillance, firefighting, personal vision system, ruggedized smartphone, military, and others. In this chapter, readers can find market attractiveness analysis, based on application. Chapter 13 Global 3D Thermal Scanner Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by Wavelength Based on wavelength, the 3D Thermal Scanner market is segmented into long-wave infrared (LWIR), mid-wave infrared (MWIR), short-wave infrared (SWIR). In this chapter, readers can find market attractiveness analysis, based on sales channel. Chapter 14 Global 3D Thermal Scanner Market Analysis 2015-2019 and Forecast 2020-2030, by Price Range This chapter provides details about the 3D Thermal Scanner market on the basis of price range such high/ premium, and mass/economy, along with market attractiveness analysis. Chapter 15 Global 3D Thermal Scanner Market Analysis 20152019 and Opportunity Assessment 2020-2030 by Region This chapter explains how the 3D Thermal Scanner market will grow across various geographic regions, such as North America, Latin America, Europe, South Asia, East Asia, Oceania, and the Middle East and Africa (MEA). Chapter 16 North America 3D Thermal Scanner Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030 This chapter includes a detailed analysis of the growth of the 3D Thermal Scanner market in the North America region, along with a country-wise assessment that includes the U.S. and Canada. Readers can also find regional trends, opportunities, and market growth based on product type, age group, price range, sales channel, and countries in the North America region. Chapter 17 Latin America 3D Thermal Scanner Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030 Readers can find detailed information about several factors, such as the pricing analysis and regional trends, which are impacting growth of the 3D Thermal Scanner market in the Latin America region. This chapter also includes growth prospects of the 3D Thermal Scanner market in leading LATAM countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Rest of Latin America. Chapter 18 Europe 3D Thermal Scanner Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030 Important growth prospects of the 3D Thermal Scanner market based on its end user in several countries such as Germany, Spain, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Russia, BENELUX, and Rest of Europe are included in this chapter. Chapter 19 South Asia 3D Thermal Scanner Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030 This chapter includes a detailed analysis of the growth of the 3D Thermal Scanner market in the South Asia region, along with a country-wise assessment that includes, India, Thailand, and Indonesia. Readers can also find regional trends, restraints, and market growth of countries in the South Asia region. Chapter 20 East Asia 3D Thermal Scanner Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030 This chapter includes a detailed analysis of the growth of the 3D Thermal Scanner market in East Asia region including the important growth prospects of the 3D Thermal Scanner in several countries such as China, Japan, and South Korea are included in this chapter. Chapter 21 Oceania 3D Thermal Scanner Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030 This chapter includes a detailed analysis of the growth of the 3D Thermal Scanner market in the Oceania region, along with a country-wise assessment that includes, Australia & New Zealand. Readers can also find regional trends, restraints, and market growth of countries in the Oceania region. Chapter 22 Middle East and Africa 3D Thermal Scanner Market Analysis 2015-2019 & Forecast 2020-2030 This chapter offers insights into how the 3D Thermal Scanner market is expected to grow in major countries in the MEA region such as GCC Countries, South Africa, Northern Africa, and the Rest of MEA, during the forecast period 2020-2030. Chapter 23 Market Structure Analysis In this chapter, readers can find detailed information about tier analysis and market concentration of the key players in the 3D Thermal Scanner market along with their market presence analysis by region and product portfolio. Request for Report Ask A Question @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-10500 Chapter 24 Competition Deep-Dive Analysis In this chapter, readers can find a comprehensive list of leading manufacturers in the 3D Thermal Scanner market, along with detailed information about each company, which includes company overview, revenue shares, strategic overview, and recent company developments. Some of the market players featured in the report are Fluke Corporation, Leonardo S.p.A, Optotherm, Inc., Seek Thermal, Testo SE & Co. KGaA, L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC., Thermoteknix Systems Ltd., 3M (3M Scott), FLIR Systems, Inc., Axis Communications AB, VUMII Imaging, C-THERMAL, HGH Infrared Systems, Tonbo Imaging, TERABEE, Xenics, Infratec GmbH, AMETEK Land, and among others. Chapter 25 Assumptions and Acronyms This chapter includes a list of acronyms and assumptions that provide a base to the information and statistics included in the 3D Thermal Scanner report. Chapter 26 Research Methodology This chapter helps readers understand the research methodology followed to obtain various conclusions, as well as important qualitative and quantitative information, on the 3D Thermal Scanner market. About us: Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in Dubai, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India. FMI's latest market research reports and industry analysis help businesses navigate challenges and make critical decisions with confidence and clarity amidst breakneck competition. Our customized and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. A team of expert-led analysts at FMI continuously tracks emerging trends and events in a broad range of industries to ensure that our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers. Contact Mr. Abhishek Budholiya Unit No: AU-01-H Gold Tower (AU), Plot No: JLT-PH1-I3A, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai, United Arab Emirates MARKET ACCESS DMCC Initiative For Sales Enquiries: sales@futuremarketinsights.com For Media Enquiries: press@futuremarketinsights.com Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-15 06:51:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BRASILIA, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Most of Brazil's 5,570 municipalities have enough syringes to begin vaccinating residents against the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the National Front of Mayors (known by its Portuguese acronym FNP) announced Thursday. After meeting in Brasilia with Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello, FNP President Jonas Donizette said the immunization campaign can begin as soon as the federal government distributes the vaccines authorized by Brazil's Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa). "All the cities that were represented (during the meeting) said they are prepared to carry out the vaccination," Donizette said. According to the president of the FNP, the federal government requested some 30 million syringes and needles from suppliers mainly to ensure stocks and supply cities lacking the equipment. "Any municipality (that) does not have them, will receive them before next Wednesday," said Donizette. Brazil's Health Ministry aims to roll out a national vaccination campaign on Jan. 20. However, the confirmation of the date depends on Anvisa's approval of local government requests for the emergency use of vaccines. Enditem Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Silvio Berlusconi, 84, is at the Cardiothoracic Hospital in Monaco for tests Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi has been urgently admitted to hospital in Monaco after suffering heart problems, a spokesman and his doctor said on Thursday. The 84-year-old media tycoon, infamous for his 'bunga bunga' sex parties, 'is at the Cardiothoracic Hospital in Monaco for tests.' 'He will return home within a few days', his spokesman told AFP news agency. Berlusconi's personal doctor, Alberto Zangrillo, told the Italian ANSA news agency that he had made an urgent visit to the former prime minister at his home in the south of France on Monday because of an irregular heart beat. Zangrillo told Reuters news agency that he decided to transfer Berlusconi to a nearby hospital because he did not think it prudent to bring him to Italy, which is some 15 km (10 miles) from the small city-state. Former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi has been urgently admitted to hospital in Monaco after suffering heart problems, a spokesman and his doctor said on Thursday [File photo] The former premier was hospitalised for 11 days in September after contracting coronavirus, in what he said was 'perhaps the most difficult ordeal of my life'. He contracted coronavirus after returning from a holiday at his luxury villa in Sardinia. His daughter Barbara, 36, and son Luigi, 31, also became infected, as did his companion Marta Fascina. 'Thank heavens, thanks to the doctors, I got over what was perhaps the most difficult ordeal of my life. Once again, I seem to have got away with it!' he said as he left hospital. A former crooner turned property and media magnate, Berlusconi was Italian prime minister for his centre-right Forza Italia on three occasions between 1994 and 2011. Despite his regular brushes with the law and health concerns, including open heart surgery in 2016 and prostate cancer, the man known as 'the immortal' for his longevity in politics led the Italian right for more than two decades. Due to his regular brushes with the law and health concerns, Berlusconi has become known as 'the immortal' for his longevity in politics. Pictured: Berlusconi with two unidentified women outside his luxury villa in Sardinia in 2004 The 84-year-old media tycoon, infamous for his 'bunga bunga' sex parties, 'is at the Cardiothoracic Hospital in Monaco for tests,' a spokesman said. Pictured: Berlusconi with ex-wife Veronica Lario in Rome in 2004 No stranger to controversy, Berlusconi survived a public scandal over the 'bunga bunga' sex parties at his private villa where women would strip after there were allegations that some of the women present were underage. The flamboyant billionaire remains the head of the opposition Forza Italia party and his illness comes as Italy has been hit by political chaos after a junior coalition party quit the government, depriving it of a majority in parliament. Newspapers have speculated that some Forza Italia lawmakers might agree to help prop up the administration to prevent early elections. The party has steadily lost popularity with voters in recent years as Berlusconi battled legal problems linked to his media business and the sex parties. After being convicted of tax fraud in 2013, he had to surrender his Senate seat. He is currently a legislator in the European Parliament. CHICAGO, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- When an award is based on customer reviews, it means that much more. That is why Cision is especially proud to announce that its next-gen Cision Communications Cloud has been named a Winter 2021 Leader in PR and marketing communications software by G2, Inc., a leading global tech marketplace and review platform. Cision Communications Cloud ranked No. 1 in 13 categories and was the top performer for customer satisfaction on key grids comparing industry competitors. Read reviews of Cision Communications Cloud: "Makes media monitoring and measurement so easy" "A helpful tool for our organization to see what's being said about us" "Cision is amazing!" Customer reviews propelled Cision's Leader position on G2 for 12 consecutive quarters and secured its Leader ranking across Enterprise, Mid-Market and Small Business markets in Winter 2021. In addition to recognition for a wide-reaching market presence, Cision Communications Cloud ranked above other industry players for customer satisfaction for: Media and Influencer Targeting Software Media Monitoring Software PR Analytics Software "G2 is like the People's Choice awards for technology and we want to thank our incredible customers for continuing to choose us," said Maggie Lower, CMO of Cision. "Our next-gen Cision Communications Cloud was designed to elevate brands and demonstrate the value of PR while making it fast and easy for communicators to do their jobs. We are thrilled to see the difference it is making for our customers." Cision Communications Cloud enables communicators to connect to a network of more than 1.1 billion media and influencers, easily target and engage them with outreach campaigns, monitor coverage and measure real business outcomes. Learn more here. About Cision As a global leader in PR and marketing communications technology and intelligence, Cision helps organizations share news, amplify brands, and influence target audiences to drive business results. Newswire distribution, a network of over 1.1 billion influencers, in-depth monitoring and analytics, and social media management headline a one-stop solution suite. Cision has offices in 24 countries throughout the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. For more information about Cision's award-winning solutions, including its next-gen Cision Communications Cloud, visit www.cision.com and follow @Cision on Twitter. Media Contact Rebecca Dersh PR Manager cisionpr@cision.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1420282/2021_Q1_Blog_G2_Awards_copy.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/467136/cision_logo.jpg [January 14, 2021] 2021 SME Education Foundation Board Officers and Directors Take Office SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The SME Education Foundation 2021 Board of Directors have taken office. The governing body of the Foundation, the board is comprised of leaders from industry, academia as well as community leaders. "These officers and directors bring a high level of professional accomplishment and leadership to the Foundation," said Rob Luce, vice president of the SME Education Foundation. "This board, robust in experience and diverse in background, will be essential in furthering our mission to inspire, prepare and support young people in manufacturing and engineering fields." 2021 SME Education Foundation Officers: President Joseph A. "Joe" Kann, President, Cobble Creek Solutions Vice President Frank W. Ervin III, Group Vice President, Piston Group LLC Secretary/Treasurer John Miller, Senior Vice President, Siemens Digital Industries Software 2021 SME Education Foundation Directors: Adam Claytor, CEO and President, Coltrane Logistics Valerie I. Freeman, Manufacturing and Robotics Teacher, Washington Park High School Wayne F. Frost, LSME, CMfgE, Deere & Co. (retired) Andrew M. "Andy" Jones, Portfolio Manager, Seizert Capital Partners Robby Komljenovic, Chairman and CEO, Acieta Arthur F. McClellan Jr., Head of Supplier Diversity, Valeo Chris Rake, VicePresident of Programs, FIRST Kyle Riegel, Field Sales Engineer, Schunk Carbon Technology Joseph A. "Joe" Tate, Second District Representative, Michigan House of Representatives Marion Wells, Founder, Human Asset Management Meghan West, Vice President and CEO, CNC Software Inc. The SME Education Foundation Board of Directors will assist and support Foundation staff in executing a five-year strategic plan, including its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion for students across all activities and initiatives offered by the SME Education Foundation. "I look forward to working with my board colleagues and the staff of the Foundation to further our mission of inspiring, preparing and supporting the next generation of manufacturing talent," said 2021 SME Education Foundation Board President Joe Kann. "We're energized and have an enhanced focus on expanding opportunity for all students across the country: We're ready." Officer and director photos and biographies are available online at the SME Education Foundation website. About The SME Education Foundation As the philanthropic arm of SME, an internationally recognized nonprofit organization serving the manufacturing industry, the SME Education Foundation inspires, prepares and supports the next generation of manufacturing and engineering talent. The Foundation leverages the 90-year history and thought leadership of SME in the manufacturing and engineering industry to provide curated experiences for thousands of high school students at SME conferences and tradeshows and builds hands-on manufacturing programs in high schools across the country. The Foundation also awards millions of dollars in scholarships every year to graduating high school seniors and both undergraduate and graduate students. Through its SME PRIME program, the Foundation has reached over 100,000 students in 60 schools across 22 states. All Foundation activities are designed to empower young people to pursue careers in manufacturing and engineering. Visit the SME Education Foundation at smeeducationfoundation.org. Follow @mfgeducation on Twitter or facebook.com/SME.Education.Foundation. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2021-sme-education-foundation-board-officers-and-directors-take-office-301208725.html SOURCE SME Education Foundation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed on Thursday the latest developments in bilateral relations with a Sudanese delegation led by Sudans ruling Sovereign Council member Shamseldin Kabashi, the Egyptian presidency announced. El-Sisi and the delegation discussed the latest developments concerning the mounting tensions between Ethiopia and Sudan over the disputed eastern border region of Al-Fashqa. Ethiopia and Sudan have been exchanging accusations over ownership rights to the agricultural area. Sudan accused Ethiopia on Wednesday of a dangerous and unjustified escalation after an Ethiopian military aircraft crossed the disputed border area. The Egyptian president also discussed the latest regional developments including the situation in the Horn of Africa and Nile Basin regions. The Egyptian president and the delegation also discussed the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and the necessity of coordinating efforts and stances to achieve the interests of both countries. Sudan pulled out of the latest round of meetings after requesting a larger role for African Union experts. A high-level delegation from the United Arab Emirates concluded a one-day visit to Khartoum on Wednesday in an attempt to break the deadlock over the GERD. During the meeting with the Sudanese delegation, President El-Sisi said that Egypt is looking forward to continuing cooperation and coordination with Sudan in various areas, given the long-standing ties and common interests between the two countries. Kabashi highlighted the distinguished and historical relations binding between Cairo and Khartoum, hailing Egypt's sustained support for Sudan during the current transitional period. Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and head of Egypts General Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel attended the meeting. Kabashi is on a visit to Cairo leading a high-profile delegation that includes Sudanese Information and Culture Minister Faisal Mohamed Saleh, Director of the Sudanese General Intelligence Service Lieutenant General Jamal Abdel-Majeed and Secretary-General of the Transitional Sovereignty Council Mohamed Al-Ghali. Short link: Giant televisions, robots and flying cars have taken centre stage at the worlds biggest tech fair, the Consumer Electronics Show. The event, which normally attracts hundreds of thousands of people to Las Vegas each January, is being hosted virtually for the first time. Samsung unveiled a new 110-inch television, which is the same size as four 55-inch TVs stitched together. The manufacturer is also releasing 88-inch and 99-inch variants of the same set. The move comes as Irish retailers offer 65-inch and 70-inch TVs for under 1,000. Samsung also showed off a new tall kitchen robot that can move around the room, stacking dishes and doing other small chores. Expand Close Helper: Samsung's kitchen robot / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Helper: Samsung's kitchen robot General Motors unveiled its Cadillac flying car and electric shuttle concepts. Cadillac also is working on a battery-powered luxury two-seater vehicle. Meanwhile, Apples Taiwanese manufacturing partner Foxconn Technology Group is setting up a car venture, strengthening its automotive capabilities at a time when technology companies including Apple are looking to expand in vehicles. Foxconn is joining forces with Chinese carmaker Zhejiang Geely Holding Group to provide production and consulting services to global automotive enterprises, according to a statement from the two companies. Amid reports of Apple considering making its own electric vehicles, Foxconn has been bulking up its automotive muscles swiftly. Such moves may help the company become a major contender to make cars for its largest customer. With development work still at an early stage, Apple will take at least half a decade to launch an autonomous electric vehicle, people with knowledge of the efforts have told Bloomberg. That suggests the company is in no hurry to decide on potential auto-industry partners. Last week, Hyundai Motor backed away from a statement confirming it is in talks with Apple, saying it had been contacted by potential partners for the development of autonomous electric vehicles. Expand Close The road ahead: General Motors' Cadillac flying car / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The road ahead: General Motors' Cadillac flying car Foxconn, whose main listed arm is Hon Hai Precision Industry, in October unveiled its first-ever EV chassis and a software platform aimed at helping automakers bring models to the market faster. Earlier this month, Foxconn signed a manufacturing deal with embattled Chinese electric-vehicle startup Byton with the aim to start mass production of the Byton M-Byte by the first quarter of 2022. An Apple car would rival electric vehicles from Tesla and offerings from companies such as upstart Lucid Motors and established manufacturers like Daimler and Volkswagen. Setting up a car plant can cost billions of dollars and take years, likely the reason why Apple is talking to potential manufacturing partners. Apple has continued to investigate building its self-driving car system for a third-party auto partner rather than its own vehicle, the people familiar have said, and the company could ultimately abandon its own car efforts in favor of this approach. Other technology companies seeking to expand into the autonomous driving space have also sought partnerships. Googles self-driving unit Waymo has worked with Chrysler, while Amazon has tapped Rivian Automotive for cooperation over delivery vans. This week, billionaire Li Shufus Geely struck a pact with search-engine giant Baidu to set up a venture to make intelligent electric vehicles. Li, who is also Daimlers largest shareholder, has championed partnerships and consolidation as a way for automakers to pool resources for initiatives like self-driving cars and electrification. Hes built a global carmaking empire over the past two decades, securing stakes in European legacy brands such as Lotus as well as investing in Malaysian auto company Proton. Additional reporting: Bloomberg Tensions between Canada and China are growing sharper, as Ottawa swings ever more openly behind US imperialisms aggressive diplomatic, economic and military-strategic offensive against Beijing. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to the media at a hotel in Beijing, China on Dec. 5, 2017 (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) The federal government of Justin Trudeau directly intervened last month to prevent the takeover of gold miner TMAC Resources Inc. by Chinas state-owned Shandong Gold Mining Co. Ltd. While the Canadian government refused to explain its rejection of the C$230 million transaction, a senior government official told the Globe and Mail it was motivated by national security concerns. Another source said Washington, which has responded to the capitalist breakdown precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic by doubling down on its efforts to militarily and economically counter China, had pressed Trudeau to block the deal. In 2018, the Trudeau government similarly cited national security concerns to block the $1.5-billion buyout of the construction and engineering firm Aecon Group Ltd. by a Chinese state-controlled firm. The underlying claim that the acquisition of the Doris gold mine could serve as a means for the Chinese regime to conduct spying operations is rather absurd, considering that TMACs mine is located in Hope Bay, Nunavut, an inlet on the Northwest Passage more than 100 kilometers from the closest North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) radar station. Trudeaus decision is part of the tougher stance his Liberal government has adopted in recent years against China, under pressure from Washington, the most right-wing sections of the Canadian ruling class, and the corporate-controlled media. The leader of the official opposition Conservative Party, Erin OToole, is leading an hysterical campaign against China, repeatedly invoking the threat to national security posed by the presence of Chinese companies in Canada. OTooles criticisms notwithstanding, Canada under Trudeau has been increasingly involved in the vast US-led campaign against China that was initiated under Obama in 2011 with his Pivot to Asia, and intensified over the last four years under the Trump administration. Trudeau has also made clear that he is eager to work closely with a Democratic administration led by Joe Biden, who has pledged to intensify aggression against both Russia and China. Should Biden successfully enter the White House next Wednesday, one of his first foreign policy priorities will be the creation of a coalition of democracies against China. This proposal, which the Trudeau government is enthusiastic to join, is aimed at giving a phony human rights veneer to Washingtons bullying and threatening of Beijing. It involves the embrace of such paragons of democratic rights as the Hindu supremacist Narendra Modi of India, and Australias Scott Morrison, who has refused to denounce the January 6 Trump-incited and orchestrated coup attempt in Washington. The US provocative campaign against China includes growing trade-war measures such as the push to exclude Huawei from the 5G networks of NATO states, as well as the announced deployment of nuclear-capable medium-range missiles targeting Beijing. For both economic and strategic reasons, Washington is determined to block China emerging as a dominant player in high-tech industries. Canadaunlike its Five-Eyes partners, the US, Britain, Australia, and New Zealandhas not yet officially barred local companies from using Chinese giant telecom firm Huaweis components in their 5G networks. However, in expectation of such a move, Bell, Telus and all the other major Canadian telecommunications companies have already taken the step of excluding Huawei, whose technology is in certain respects more developed than that of its US and European competitors, from their networks. The offensive against Huawei is directly connected to the political aggression against China. In 2018, at the behest of the Trump administration, Canadian authorities arrested Meng Wanzhou, Huaweis chief financial officer, on bogus charges of breaking US sanctions against Iran. China retaliated to what was in fact a political kidnapping by detaining two Canadian citizens, Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat, and Michael Spavor, an entrepreneur operating in North Korea. Two years on, Trudeau is more forthright than ever in defending Mengs seizure. He has repeatedly spurned calls for Canada to end the extradition proceedings in exchange for the return of Spavor and Kovrig. To pressure Ottawa to adopt an even more hardline stance towards Beijing, the Trump administration has attacked Dominic Barton, Canadas current ambassador to China, for his alleged close relationship with the regime of president Xi Jinping. Before his current role, Barton was for nine years global managing partner for New York-based consulting firm McKinsey and Co. Senator Marco Rubio, a close associate and supporter of Trump, has denounced Barton for acting against US economic and national security interests by helping China advance its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) when he worked for McKinsey. The BRI, a mega Chinese-led infrastructure program that seeks to expand commerce through Eurasia and beyond, is viewed by Washington with deep hostility. Trudeau chose Barton, a former advisor to the state-controlled China Development Bank, as his governments envoy to Beijing in 2019 in an attempt to prevent a total collapse of bilateral ties. When he took power in 2015, Trudeau had raised the prospect of a free trade deal with Beijing, a proposal which enjoyed support among a faction of big business due to the potential to access new markets and profits in China and through the BRI. China is Canadas second most important bilateral commercial partner after the US (or third if the 27 European Union member states are counted as a whole). However, under conditions of the rapid intensification of the US-China conflict, and due to the Canadian bourgeoisies dependence on access to the US market and reliance on its decades-long military-strategic partnership with Washington to advance its global imperialist ambitions, the free trade proposal rapidly unravelled. As part of the revised NAFTA or Canada-US-Mexico trade agreement, the US extracted from its partners the right to review any free trade deal they might sign with China in advance, and to abrogate the North America trade pact if such a deal was implemented against their wishes. Canada is fully integrated in US imperialisms three main military-strategic offensives: in the Middle East, in Eastern Europe against Russia and in the Asia-Pacific against China. To step up its role in these US-led offensives, the Liberals announced a 70 percent increase in military spending in 2017 as part of its new national defence policy. Significantly, that defence policy also identified China, together with Russia and Islamist terrorism, as a global threat to Canada. Powerful sections of the military-security establishment, which is so closely tied to the United States that high-level military talks were held in 2013 on the possibility of merging the Canadian and US militaries, want Ottawa to go even further. In a Globe and Mail interview published this week, Gen. Jonathan Vance, the outgoing Chief of Defence Staff, called for Canada to adopt a grand strategy for dealing with China. The clear implication of this remark was that while Trudeau has accommodated himself to the bipartisan US-led offensive against Beijing, Canadian imperialism has yet to do what is required in terms of military rearmament and geostrategic planning to wage war. Vance is not alone. Leading Defence Department and military officials have been complaining for months that Canadas defence and foreign policies are out of date. Canada is already committed to spending untold billions of dollars on modernizing NORAD, the bilateral US-Canada military alliance that defends the North American continent against their geopolitical rivals, above all Russia and China. Many are arguing that a critical element of this modernization must be Canadas joining Washingtons ballistic missile defence shield, the main goal of which is to wage a winnable nuclear war. The Globe recently revealed that in 2019, Vance, at Washingtons urging, took the unilateral decision to cancel winter military exercises between the Canadian Armed Forces and Chinas Peoples Liberation Army. The secret documents show that government officials from Global Affairs Canada rebuked Vance due to their concern that this would be seen as an act of retaliation for the arrest of the Kovrig and Spavor, and could exacerbate tensions with Beijing. More significant, however, is a passage in the document that includes deliberations about how China might react if Canada took the provocative decision to send a warship through the Taiwan Strait. This it subsequently did, first in September of 2019 and then again in October of last year. In its anti-China campaign, the Trudeau government has the full support of the union-backed New Democratic Party (NDP). Last November, this ostensibly left organization presented a motion supported by all parties of Parliament congratulating Joe Biden for his electoral victory and inviting the future president to visit Canada and address a joint session of the House of Commons and Senate. Some days later, the NDP supported a Conservative motion calling for action against Chinese foreign interference and urging the Trudeau government to make a quick decision on whether Chinese-based Huawei should be banned from Canadas 5G networks. For their part, the Conservatives are pushing for an even more confrontational policy towards China. This includes mimicking Trump, both by trying to maliciously scapegoat China for the pandemic, and by calling for Canada First measures to protect Canadian jobs from Chinese competition. In a piece last month for the rabidly right-wing National Post, OToole asserted that standing up to China is critical for the safety of Canadians, both here and abroad. Australia's largest independent coal producer, Whitehaven Coal, decided years ago to steer clear of exporting to China a market that didnt demand its particular brand of product. Fortuitous as Whitehaven's decision appears today, there is no avoiding the impact that China's ban on Australian coal is having on pricing for all producers. The knock-on effects from Australia and China's diplomatic divorce are widening and causing the tectonic plates of trade to shift. As China looks for new international partners to fill the supply void, particularly for coal, Australia scours the globe for new customers. China traditionally resets its coal quotas at the start of each year, but there has been no reprieve for Australia. Credit:AP It's a scramble made all the more difficult by the global economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. And hopes that China would ease its hard ban on Australian coal in the new year are fast evaporating. China traditionally resets its coal quotas at the start of each year, but there has been no reprieve for Australia. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 23:37:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Thursday disclosed that five African countries represent about 69 percent of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases across the African continent amid uneven impact of the pandemic on the continent. The five highly-COVID-19 affected African countries include, South Africa 1,278,303 accounting 41 percent, Morocco 455,055 accounting 14 percent, Tunisia 168,568 accounting 5 percent, Egypt 152,719 accounting 5 percent, as well as Ethiopia 129,455 accounting 4 percent. The Africa CDC also disclosed that some 20 African countries have reported higher case fatality rates than the global 2.2 percent. Among the 20 African countries that have reported higher case fatality rates than the global average include Sudan at 6.1 percent, Egypt 5.5 percent, Liberia 4.5 percent, Chad 4.0 percent, as well as Mali 3.9 percent. On Wednesday, the Deputy Africa CDC Director, Ahmed Ogwell, told Xinhua that the African continent is taking an active part in the global development of a COVID-19 vaccine as well as clinical trials. "We are very much part of the clinical trials and that's the way that we get to be part of vaccine development," Ahmed told Xinhua. "Second, there are institutions in Africa who have already started the process of developing COVID-19 vaccine for the continent," he emphasized. Enditem DALLAS (dpa-AFX) - VoIP-Pal.com Inc. (VPLM.PK) has filed a petition for a Writ of Mandamus with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit challenging the decisions of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in its cases against Apple, Verizon, and AT&T. Last year, shortly after VoIP-Pal filed patent infringement suits, the companies filed declaratory-judgment actions in the Northern District of California. VoIP-Pal filed a motion to dismiss these actions, which was denied by the district court. Under Writ of Mandamus, the company has sought the Federal Circuit to order the district court to dismiss the declaratory-judgement actions to clear the way for the WDTX litigation. Emil Malak, CEO of VoIP-Pal, said, 'We know the litigation process is very slow and we appreciate the patience shown by our shareholders.' VoIP-Pal is a publicly traded corporation headquartered in Bellevue, Washington. It owns a portfolio of patents relating to Voice-over-Internet Protocol technology that it is currently looking to monetize. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. New York Attorney General Letitia James is suing the New York City Police Department and its leadership over their excessive, brutal and unlawful handling of Black Lives Matter protests last year. As part of the filing, James is requesting the police department installs a federal monitor to oversee their policing tactics. The landmark suit, filed in the Southern District of New York on Thursday, names Police Commissioner Dermot Shea, Chief of Department Terence Monahan and Mayor Bill de Blasio as defendants. It comes as the culmination of a months-long investigation into the NYPD's actions during racial injustice protests in the Big Apple from May through December, which erupted after the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota on Memorial Day. We found a pattern of deeply concerning and unlawful practices that the NYPD utilized in response to these largely peaceful protests, James said in a Thursday news conference, adding the pattern of abuse stemmed from inadequate training, supervision and discipline. As the demonstrations continued, the very thing being protested aggressive actions of law enforcement was on full public display. Scroll down for video New York Attorney General Letitia James is suing the New York City Police Department and its leadership over the excessive, brutal and unlawful handling of Black Lives Matter protests last year It comes as the culmination following a months-long investigation into the NYPD's actions during racial injustice protests in the Big Apple from May through December (Pictured: NYPD officers arrest protesters during a demonstration against the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police on Memorial Day, on May 30) James said she found 'a pattern of deeply concerning and unlawful practices that the NYPD utilized in response to these largely peaceful protests' (Picture above captured in Times Square on May 30) The lawsuit alleges that from May 28, 2020, to December 11, 2020, officers of various ranks repeatedly and without justification used batons, fist strikes, pepper spray, and other physical force against protesters. James said officers also used bicycles and a crowd-control tactic known as kettling or containment which she said caused significant harm, in addition to arresting hundreds of 'legal observers, medics, and other workers performing essential services without probable cause. Since May, James said her office has received more than 1,300 complaints and collected more than 300 written statements regarding apparent police abuse. Protesters many of whom were never charged with any crime and were merely exercising their First Amendment rights suffered concussions, broken bones, cuts, bruises, and other physical injuries, the lawsuit obtained by DailyMail.com states. The unlawful policing practices Officers engaged in at these Protests are not new, James wrote in her filing, continuing that they are the latest manifestation of the departments unconstitutional policing practices. For at least the last two decades, the NYPD has engaged in the same unlawful excessive force and false arrest practices while policing large-scale protests. This misconduct is widely documented in prior lawsuits, complaints, and reports, James alleges in the filing. Even though these practices were well-known before the 2020 Racial Justice Protests began, Defendants failed to train officers in policing protests to correct and prevent this misconducta failure that Defendants have now openly admitted following the release of public reports by the Citys Department of Investigation and Corporation Counsel about NYPDs conduct during the Protests. As part of the filing, James is requesting the police department installs a federal monitor to oversee their policing tactics. The lawsuit alleges that from May 28, 2020, to December 11, 2020, officers of various ranks repeatedly and without justification used batons, fist strikes, pepper spray, and other physical force against protesters Since May, James said her office has received more than 1,300 complaints and collected more than 300 written statements regarding apparent police abuse The complaint filed Thursday includes dozens of specific examples of what the attorney general called blatant use of excessive force and other misconduct by officers. A hospital employee on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19 at a news conference announcing the suit Thursday described how he was allegedly attacked by NYPD officers on his way home from a shift. Rayne Valentine, who works at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, recounted how he was walking home from a shift one night in June when he encountered six officers pursuing and then using physical force on a protester. Valentine said he decided to capture what was happening on his cell phone. In an interview with DailyMail.com last year, he said: I was up against one of the closed shops just recording. I didnt say anything to antagonize them. I was walking backwards as they shouted back up. And then this cop pushed me. Valentine then claims the group of officers kicked and hit him for around 90 seconds, leaving him bloodied with a deep wound to his head. He said he had to immediately return to the hospital where hed just left to receive seven staples to close the wound. James said, in total, officers struck protesters with blunt instruments at least 50 times, unlawfully deployed pepper spray on around 30 occasions and pushed or struck protesters at least 75 times. Citing another example, James spoke of an incident involving a protester named Luke Hanna, who was reportedly hit on the back of the head with a baton in June. James said Hanna, who required 10 staples to close the gash in his head, was not arrested or charged. Rayne Valentine, 32, was making his way back home after finishing a shift at Kings County Hospital Center on Saturday night when he says he was beaten by police, leaving him requiring seven staples in his head He watched on as a group of NYPD officers grappled with one protester, who Valentine described as a kid (above). The 32-year-old took out his phone to record encounter when he was shoved to the ground by police James said officers struck protesters with blunt instruments at least 50 times, unlawfully deployed pepper spray on at least 30 occasions and pushed or struck protesters at least 75 times The Black Lives Matter protests in May and June became an international movement prompted in part by anger over Floyd, a black man killed by a white Minneapolis policeman, and Breonna Taylor, a black EMT slain in her Louisville, Kentucky, home by white policemen during a botched raid. In late May, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo expressed alarm over disturbing violent clashes between New York Police Department officers and protesters, and appointed James to investigate and produce a report. At two days of virtual hearings in June, protesters described being beaten and pepper-sprayed by officers during marches that followed Floyd's death. The following month, James issued a preliminary report that cited a clear breakdown of trust between the police and public. At the time, de Blasio and Police Commissioner Dermot Shea defended the NYPDs response to protesters as mostly proportionate, saying misconduct was limited to isolated cases that were being investigated. Both pointed to several nights of looting that marked some of the earlier protests, widespread property damage and instances of protesters hurling projectiles at police officers, injuring them. However, in a statement Thursday, de Blasio revealed he had met with James earlier this week and said they both share a common goal to drive major police reforms. I couldn't agree more that there are pressing reforms that must - and will - be made this year, the mayor told CNN. That work is critical and is happening right now. A court process and the added bureaucracy of a federal monitor will not speed up this work. There is no time to waste and we will continue to press forward. The landmark suit, filed in the Southern District of New York on Thursday, names (left to right) Police Commissioner Dermot Shea, Chief of Department Terence Monahan and Mayor Bill de Blasio as defendants. James said officers struck protesters with blunt instruments at least 50 times, unlawfully deployed pepper spray on at least 30 occasions and pushed or struck protesters at least 75 times The NYPD has not yet returned a DailyMail.com request for comment. Patrick Lynch, president of New York City's Police Benevolent Association, said in a statement that what the city witnessed across last spring and summer was a failure of New York City's leadership. [City leadership] sent cops out to police unprecedented protests and violent riots with no plan, no strategy and no support, Lynch said. James concurred Thursday, adding: No one is above the law not even the individuals charged with enforcing it' They should be forced to answer for the resulting chaos, instead of pointing fingers at cops on the streets and ignoring the criminals who attacked us with bricks and firebombs. James suit follows one filed by the New York Civil Liberties Union and the Legal Aid Society in October, who sued the city on behalf of protesters who said they were assaulted and abused by police, in violation of their civil rights. Two months later, New York City's Department of Investigation found that the police department used excessive force during the protests across the city. The NYPDs use of force and certain crowd control tactics to respond to the Floyd protests produced excessive enforcement that contributed to heightened tensions, the Department of Investigation said in the executive summary of its 111-page report. James concurred Thursday, adding: No one is above the law not even the individuals charged with enforcing it. The Attorney General said she doesnt believe every officer is problematic, adding she has family members and close friends whom she deeply respects who are current or former members of the force. I know that many officers have the best intentions to protect New Yorkers and bring communities together, she said. But we have a problem that is bigger than any one officer and this is an institutional, systemic problem that must be addressed with proper training, with proper protocols and with discipline of those who violate the law. WASHINGTON - The U.S. Census Bureau has apparently abandoned its effort to compile tallies of undocumented immigrants, effectively ending President Donald Trump's quest to exclude them from congressional apportionment, according to a letter posted on its website Wednesday afternoon. The statement came a day after the Commerce Department's Office of Inspector General (OIG) sent a letter outlining reports from whistleblowers who said Trump appointees in the bureau have been making a last-ditch push to produce tallies of undocumented immigrants so the president could try to exclude them from congressional representation before he leaves office next week. The letter, from Inspector General Peggy Gustafson to Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham, said career employees at the bureau had told her that they were under "significant pressure" from two Trump appointees to produce a report by Friday related to the president's effort to remove undocumented immigrants from state population counts, even though staffers there said the data was not ready. Bureau staffers said Dillingham had categorized the report as the bureau's "top priority," regardless of the data's accuracy, the letter said, adding: "OIG is also aware that you inquired into a financial reward for speed on this directive." One senior bureau employee had gone as far as to say that what staffers were being asked to do was "statistically indefensible," according to the letter, which gave Dillingham until Thursday to respond and warned that the OIG might interview him under oath. The bureau posted a reply from Dillingham on Wednesday afternoon in which he denied setting a deadline for the data and said that "upon learning of these concerns" on Tuesday, he told bureau officials that "those involved should 'stand down' and discontinue their data reviews." The American Civil Liberties Union hailed the news that the data reviews would stop. "President Trump tried and failed throughout his entire presidency to weaponize the census for his attacks on immigrant communities," said Dale Ho, director of the organization's Voting Rights Project, who argued against the Trump administration's policy before the U.S. Supreme Court last year. "It appears he has failed yet again. We now call upon President-elect Biden to formally rescind this unconstitutional policy after inauguration." Other civil rights groups called for Dillingham's resignation. "After considering Director Dillingham's efforts to undermine the agency's core standards of data quality in order to carry out a political agenda, we believe that he can no longer carry out his duties as the leader of our nation's most prestigious statistical agency," the co-chairs of the Census Task Force at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights said in a statement Wednesday. Dillingham's 2019 appointment is not set to expire until the end of 2021. "Dillingham's order to divert precious staff time away from producing the apportionment count and into producing data on citizens and noncitizens for political, partisan purposes is a betrayal of the mission of the Bureau," wrote the co-chairs, who represent immigrant advocacy and other groups. Several federal courts had blocked a July memorandum by Trump announcing his intention of excluding undocumented immigrants from the counts, and the Supreme Court last month said a request for it to rule in the case was premature. In recent weeks, bureau officials and government lawyers had said anomalies discovered while processing the data meant it would be impossible to deliver state population counts before Trump's departure from office. It is highly unlikely that Biden will continue Trump's quest, which is historically unprecedented and could give an advantage to Republicans for House seats for the next decade. Justice Department lawyers on Monday told a federal judge that state population totals were not expected to be ready until at least March 6. The government has never explained how it planned to identify and count undocumented immigrants, a population for which no tally exists. But if the reports detailed in the letter are accurate, the Trump administration was trying to remove undocumented immigrants from apportionment counts in the last week of his term. The letter said the two political appointees who employees said were pressuring them, Nathaniel Cogley and Benjamin Overholt, would be leaving the bureau in coming days. Condemnation came swiftly from census experts and civil rights leaders, many of whom have been critics of the administration's attempted changes to the census, including an attempt to add a citizenship question. "Astounding, just astounding, that at this late date, political appointees are still attempting to engage in this very untoward conduct," said Thomas Saenz, the president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, which is involved in two lawsuits over the memo. "There's a transition of the president in a little more than a week, and trying to rush out these numbers knowing they won't be implemented in order to sow further division and disunity within the population is just astounding to me." Wade Henderson, the interim president and chief executive of the leadership conference and a signatory to its statement Wednesday, excoriated Dillingham. "The Inspector General has exposed what we have long known - there has been a continued pattern of political interference in the 2020 Census," he said in written remarks. "That the Census Director would push expert, career staff to ignore quality standards to achieve an unlawful policy for an outgoing president is appalling." Terri Ann Lowenthal, a former staff director of the House census oversight subcommittee, said: "The director's first responsibility is to uphold the quality of the bureau's data, not to help an administration achieve a political goal at the expense of the staff's scientific work. Sadly, the IG's report suggests that the director may have betrayed that duty under pressure from political appointees." Even if the premature data was released but never used, it could still be used by "someone irresponsible like Donald Trump" to cast doubt on the official census numbers the bureau eventually delivers, Saenz said Tuesday, adding that the actions described in the letter were even more alarming in the context of last week's attack on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob. "That they won't abandon these efforts in light of last Wednesday is really a sad statement about these political appointees," he said. Pupils with special needs may be back in school next Thursday in the first phase of a staggered post-Christmas return. Education Minister Norma Foley, Junior Minister for Special Education Josepha Madigan and the education partners, including teacher unions, are working towards a return for these pupils on January 21. The date is not set in stone but, after a meeting between the ministers and the education partners today, it was described as shared ambition and engagement will continue. It covers at least 18,000 pupils in special schools and special classes but schools may also bring back for children with special needs who attend mainstream schools but do not participate in special classes and other vulnerable children. Read More After todays meeting with the education partners, Ms Foley said all parties shared her objective to work together so that children with special educational needs, who find it very hard to engage with remote or online learning receive some face to face education in schools before a fuller reopening is possible. The minister said they were working together towards a phased return for children in special schools and a return to school for those in special classes in primary schools and children with significant additional needs in mainstream classes beginning on 21 January". She said they were working in parallel with post-primary stakeholders to address their concerns and recognising that post-primary schools present different logistical challenges if a partial return is to be possible. While Thursday January 21 is the target date for the return of pupils in special schools and special classes in primary schools, it may be Tuesday, January 26, before pupils with special needs in post primary schools are back The minister also very much hoped that the ongoing negotiations would set out a pathway for the return of all children at all levels of schooling at the start of February. But she added that this would be subject of course to Government and public health consideration of what constitutes the safe movement of people at that point. I am aware that staff, parents and students across all levels of education are looking for very clear communication from our colleagues in the health sector to reaffirm that infection prevention and control measures in our schools are effective at this time. She said her officials were continuing to engage closely with senior Public Health specialists in this respect and direct communications in the coming days through webinars, videos for parents and written FAQs would supplement the significant levels of information and guidance available already. Ms Madigan said she was pleased that there was now a commitment to work towards a return to school for students in special schools and primary school special classes as well as students with special educational needs in mainstream primary classes from 21 January. The Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) said it would continue its participation in engagement on the proposals and the supports required to make them work with a renewed focus on the fuller reopening of schools . The union also said that in recognition that the proposal requires special education teachers to return to their schools ahead of their mainstream colleagues, and of the very close care and attention these teachers give to their pupils , it was it is only right that they should be moved higher up the vaccine priority list.The INTO said it now expected the government to shortly re-state the commitment made this week by Tanaiste that those who work in special education will be prioritised in this manner, thereby ensuring swifter access to the vaccine.There is no date set yet for the return of 60,000 Leaving cert candidates ,who are also regarded as a priority group. The general return to school, originally scheduled for January 6, has been delayed until February 1 at the earliest because of Covid infection rates. But with the spread of the disease remaining at high levels in the community and the more transmissible and increasingly dominant UK variant is now - there is now uncertainty even about that date. The prioritisation of pupils with special needs comes after a week of intense negotiations seeking agreement on a re-opening schedule. Ms Foley was due to address the Dail around lunchtime on the outline of the deal . Last week, Ms Foley announced plans for a partial re-opening of schools from January 11, to cater for about 18,000 pupils with special needs and 60,000Leavign Cert candidates. But she was forced into a u-turn after teacher unions expressed health and safety concerns about going back to the classroom and said they not been consulted There have been intense negotiations since, involving Ms Foley, Ms Madigan, their officials and the education partners, including unions To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! DARIEN Police have identified two people who they say broke into and vandalized Midlesex Middle School the day after Thanksgiving. One day after releasing information and surveillance photos of the two suspects, Darien police said Thursday they have identified the two people involved. Barn destroyed by Wednesday morning fire Fire destroyed a barn about five miles southeast of Watertown Wednesday, according to a report from Watertown Fire Rescue. Sports lie at the margins of our culture, different from how it is elsewhere in the world, and from how it used to be. This is one of the reasons why criminality among youth proceeds unchecked. There is no youth labour market, and the school system ruthlessly triages youth. For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe. Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime. Photo: BC gov. Flickr Premier John Horgan Premier John Horgan hinted Thursday at the possibility of banning travel into B.C. from other provinces to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in British Columbia early last year, many in smaller Interior communities have expressed concerns about tourists visiting and possibly spreading the virus from other places. While the provincial government has strongly urged British Columbians avoid any non-essential travel, as have officials at the federal level, no enforceable orders have been put in place. But on Thursday morning, Horgan said his government is seeking legal advice on what restricting travel from other parts of Canada might look like. I hear from not just the media but from British Columbians that they're concerned about people coming from elsewhere when they're making sacrifices of their own, Horgan said. It's been clear that this is of public interest, and we've been trying our best to find a way to meet that objective of the public in a way that's consistent with the Charter and other fundamental rights here in Canada. Section 6 of the Canadian Charter guarantees the rights of Canadians to move to and take up residence in any province. The Maritime provinces have implemented non-essential travel restrictions, including requiring pre-travel approval and a mandatory 14-day quarantine for those entering the provinces. Horgan said enforcing similar restrictions in B.C. would be far more challenging, given B.C.'s size and many points of entry. I want to put this either to rest, so that British Columbians understand we cannot do that and we're not going to do that, or there is a way to do it and we're going to work with other provinces to achieve it, Horgan said. People have been talking about it for months and months and I think it's time to put it to bed. Horgan spoke on the matter Thursday while addressing the concerns of a doctor in Whistler, who's said many of the patients she's seen this winter are from those visiting from out of province. But concern over tourism during the pandemic has been raised across the Interior as well. Last week, Revelstoke city councillor Cody Younker took to Facebook to share the concerns he's heard in his community, where COVID-19 cases have spiked over the last month. It's becoming increasingly frustrating for many in our community including myself who see the double standards, he wrote. The majority of people in Revelstoke have been wearing masks, social distancing, sticking to their bubbles and not travelling outside of the community (for non essential reasons). Yet we continue to see people flocking to Revelstoke to come and have a winter vacation. Sure, there may not be as many people visiting as in years past, but its still far too many than should be visiting considering we are in the middle of a global pandemic. Trust me, the majority of shoppers in the store right now are not locals. Many Russians, the general believes, are well aware of what's happening and who unleashed an armed aggression against the neighboring country. Russian leaders must be punished for all crimes committed against the civilian population and military personnel in Ukraine, says Colonel-General Ruslan Khomchak, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Speaking with Obozrevatel, Khomchak added that he believes that it's the authorities in the Kremlin authorities who are at war with Ukraine, not the entire Russian nation. "For all crimes against the civilian population and military personnel in Ukraine, Russia must be held accountable," Khomchak said. "For every home destroyed, for every life of our people, broken or lost," Khomchak said. Read alsoFM Kuleba comments on Russia's behavior at talks on DonbasIn his opinion, there are many people living in Russia who are well aware of what is happening and who unleashed armed aggression against Ukraine. "Many Russians keep in touch with Ukrainian relatives and not everyone hates our country, although the Kremlin is trying with all its might to inflame this hatred. There is no getting away from this," the general emphasized. Related Reporting by UNIAN Orphaned Baby Chimpanzee Recovers After Falling From Tree as Mom Was Killed by Poachers An injured baby chimpanzee has been given a second chance at life after being orphaned by the poachers that killed her mother. It is believed that the infant was destined for illegal pet trade and her mother was likely killed for bushmeat. A ranger at Sapo National Park in the Liberian rainforest of West Africa rushed to investigate after hearing shots fired. It was too late to help the mother, but the infant chimpanzee, which sustained injuries on her face and head due to falling from a tree, was rescued. According to a Facebook post, Jenny Desmond, who founded Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue and Protection (LCRP) with her husband, wildlife veterinarian Jimmy, near the countrys capital of Monrovia, was contacted. However, owing to the flooded dirt roads, the two-day journey by road from Monrovia to Greenville seemed impossible. Thus Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) Liberia was contacted to help rescue the orphaned chimp by air. Arriving at the LCRP, the baby was treated for her injuries and safely housed alongside the rescues 63 resident chimps. LCRP founders named the baby chimp Mary Beauty. Mary was just one week old when I got to her, so she will not have had much of her moms milk, Jenny told Mirror. She also had lots of cuts and scrapes but is recovering well. Her rescuers kept her hydrated, fed, warm, and loved, before she reached the safety of the sanctuary, according to an LCRP post on Facebook. After arriving, Mary was syringe-fed before transitioning to a bottle. (Courtesy of Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue) Jenny explained that new admissions are always scary because the chimps are so traumatized. Mary, as their youngest intake, suffered serious separation anxiety. She is definitely aware of what she has been through as she is having nightmares, Jenny explained to Mirror. Also any time Mary feels I am leaving her, she becomes panicked. Liberian authorities launched an investigation into the poaching of Marys mother. Her death exemplifies a bushmeat trade that has decimated the West African chimpanzee population; the species is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. If we allow this trade to continue, in the near future this majestic species could be wiped out, Jenny lamented. She and Jimmy, who hail from Colorado in the United States, are planning to establish a 100-acre forest habitat for their rescued chimpanzees in 2021. (Courtesy of Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue) On Nov. 17, 2020, LCRP posted an update on Marys progress on Facebook. [G]etting stronger and so much more interactive as she gets more and more comfortable with and trusting of us, they wrote. While Mary had developed a cold, the team was administering fluids and vitamins and monitoring her breathing closely. Chimpanzees are not and should not be pets or forced to live with humans, LCRP reiterated. Please support LCRPs efforts to rescue chimpanzees in need to keep wild chimps wild. As of Jan. 4, 2021, Mary, who has been with LCRP for two months, is thriving and growing up fast under the care of LCRPs wildlife experts. Smile! staffers posted, beside a photo montage of Mary playing happily with her rescuers. The English edition of The Epoch Times was solely granted permission by Liberia Chimpanzee Rescue to feature photos of the chimpanzee, Mary Beauty. We would love to hear your stories! You can share them with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com MONTREAL - Quebec health authorities are examining how seven residents of a Montreal long-term care centre contracted COVID-19 despite being among the first to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the province. An ambulance leaves the Maimonides Geriatric Center in Montreal, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020. Seven residents of the Montreal long-term care centre who received a first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine have contracted COVID-19. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes MONTREAL - Quebec health authorities are examining how seven residents of a Montreal long-term care centre contracted COVID-19 despite being among the first to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the province. Management at the Maimonides Geriatric Centre informed residents of the cases in a notice Tuesday, noting that residents were infected within 28 days of receiving the first of two vaccine doses. Dr. Mylene Drouin, Montreal's director of public health, said Wednesday that authorities were looking at the cases identified at Maimonides as well as at St-Antoine long-term care home in Quebec City the other location to receive the first vaccines in the province. "It is likely that several of these users were infected before receiving the vaccine and did not begin to develop symptoms until after receiving the vaccine." Mathieu Boivin, Quebec City health authority "It is a small number to draw a conclusion," Drouin said of Maimonides, but she added health experts were looking at possible reasons and whether any recommendations need to be changed as a result. Quebec has decided to delay administering second doses to patients and has instead chosen to give a first dose to as many people as possible. Last week, a dozen Maimonides residents sued the province to obtain a second dose within 21 days of their first dose the time frame set by the vaccine manufacturer. Lawyer Vanessa Paliotti said residents had consented to be vaccinated subject to receiving two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the 21-day time frame. "They would not have agreed to receive a single dose," Paliotti said in an interview. She said residents feared contracting the coronavirus if the wait for the second dose was extended for an indefinite period. News of the COVID-19 infections at Maimonides did not surprise Dr. Donald Vinh, microbiologist and infectious disease specialist at the McGill University Health Center. He said it takes about 12 to 14 days after vaccination for the body to build enough immunity to be protected against the novel coronavirus. Vinh said it is possible to be vaccinated and contract the coronavirus afterwards, as with any other vaccine. He noted the flu vaccine does not provide 100 per cent protection, but people who get the flu after being vaccinated have less severe symptoms. At the St-Antoine facility in Quebec City, an outbreak four days before the inoculation campaign began on Dec. 14 is believed to be a factor in the cases among those who were vaccinated. Mathieu Boivin, a spokesman for the health authority serving Quebec City, said that an unspecified number of residents developed COVID-19 after receiving the vaccine, but he could not say if any of them died, citing confidentiality surrounding medical records. "Analyses are underway to fully understand the situation at the (long-term care home), but it is likely that several of these users were infected before receiving the vaccine and did not begin to develop symptoms until after receiving the vaccine," Boivin said in an email. "In these cases, the immune response was not complete and instantaneous." Because the immune system needs two weeks to develop antibodies to resist infection, some users may have also been exposed after being inoculated and before their bodies had produced sufficient immune defence. As of Tuesday, there were 73 active cases of COVID-19 at St-Antoine and 35 deaths linked to the virus. None of it should call into question the efficacy of the vaccines, Boivin said. "They have all demonstrated their effect in a scientifically convincing manner, and we wholeheartedly encourage all citizens to receive it as soon as their turn comes," Boivin said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2021. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship. Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov met with newly appointed Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran Seyyed Abbas Mousavi today, according to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. The minister of defense thanked the ambassador for Iran's support of Azerbaijan's position during the Nagorno-Karabakh War, and stressing the important role of the meetings of the heads of state in the development of Azerbaijani-Iranian relations, noted that cooperation in the military field is also developing successfully. In turn, the Iranian diplomat congratulated the Azerbaijani people and Azerbaijan on the victory in the Nagorno-Karabakh War and wished the mercy of Allah Almighty to the souls of all servicemen and civilians who died as martyrs and healing to the wounded. The ambassador noted that the development of military cooperation between the two countries is an important issue in ensuring regional security. The sides exchanged views on expanding cooperation in the military field and organizing mutual visits of military representatives of the two countries. The current state of military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran, the prospects for the development of relations in the military-technical, military-educational spheres and in the field of military medicine, as well as regional issues, were discussed during the meeting. Ukraine called on the Council of Europe to give due assessment of human rights violations by Russia in its temporarily occupied territories, Ukraines Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe has said. "Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the Council of Europe Borys Tarasyuk sharply criticized the Russian occupation administration for illegally sentencing three citizens of Ukraine on trumped-up charges. Enver Omerov, Riza Omerov and Ayder Dzhapparov were sentenced to 18, 13 and 17 years, respectively, in a maximum security penal colony," Ukraines Permanent Representation to the Council of Europe posted on its Facebook page. This indicates that "the Russian judicial system has nothing to do with justice, as it continues the policy of persecuting the Crimean Tatar people and suppresses any signs of dissent in the occupied Crimea." Tarasyuk demanded that the Russian Federation revoke the court's decision and immediately release all Ukrainian citizens who are illegally held by Russia. Ukraine also calls on the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights and the organizations member states to react decisively to these illegal actions, to demand from the Russian Federation to stop violating international law, including humanitarian and international human rights norms in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. As reported, the Southern Military District Court in Rostov-on-Don (Russia) ruled on January 12 to sentence Enver Omerov to 18 years, Riza Omerov 13 years, Ayder Dzhapparov to 16 years in a maximum security penal colony. All three men are residents of Bilohirsk district of Crimea and were detained on June 10, 2019. They were charged with "conducting terrorist activities" and participating in the activities of the Islamic organization Hizb ut-Tahrir. ish Scholars warn of dangers of critical race theory, how it's being injected into students Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Scholars are warning about the influences of the neo-Marxist paradigm in many realms of culture, a theory they say undermines the foundations of a free society and harms the marginalized people it purports to help. In a webinar hosted by The Heritage Foundation's Angela Sailor Monday, policy experts spoke at length about the ways in which critical race theory and the identity politics it underpins have sown hostile division into public life while claiming to combat racial injustice. Broadly defined, critical race theory utilizes race as the lens through which every area of life is examined, categorizing everyone into oppressor and oppressed groups. The racial theory is the child of critical theory, the scholars explained, and most Americans do not agree with its ideological claims but it is being pushed strongly by elites and has entrenched special interests in many public institutions. Lindsey Burke, director of the Center for Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation, noted in her remarks that among the most influential arenas where critical race theory is being furthered is through the approximately 14,000 public school boards across the country. Those boards indelibly shape the minds of schoolchildren and many are approving the use of the curriculum materials based on the 1619 Project, a series of New York Times reporting that frames the arrival of African slaves on the shores of the United States as the central feature of the American founding. This view stands in stark contrast to the the idea that nation was birthed at the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. "More than 4,500 classrooms around the country have begun to incorporate the 1619 Project curricular materials into their content," she said. Burke and her colleagues specifically asked school board members and families across the country about the 1619 Project and 50% of all parents and 70% of school board members said that they do not want schools to use the instructional materials rooted in the idea that slavery is the center of the national narrative. Likewise, 70% of parents and 74% of school board members believe that slavery is a tragedy that harmed the nation but freedom and prosperity represent who Americans are. Their data showed that only 25% of parents and 17% of school board members believe that students should be taught that the founding ideals of liberty and equality were false when they were written and that U.S. history must thus be reframed. Jonathan Butcher, a senior policy analyst at Heritage, explained that what the CRT worldview does is dismantle social and governmental norms and foments a new kind of intolerance. "Critical theory is not a sympathetic perspective with policy goals that lead to racial reconciliation, freedom, and opportunity. That's not what it is. It's talking about subjugation and retribution," he said, referencing a paper he co-authored with fellow panelist and author Mike Gonzalez. One of the founders of CRT calls for "transformative resistance strategy" in response to the rule of law and the U.S. constitutional republic, he said. According to those who adhere to the theory, they are "highly suspicious of the liberal agenda" with liberal in this sense meaning classical liberal values from the Enlightenment, he noted. Gonzalez, author of The Plot to Change America, offered during his remarks that it is important to realize that the far left feels emboldened to repress conservative ideas and are calling for vast institutional change, noting its grip on the government, culture-making institutions, Big Tech, and many Fortune 500 companies. At base, CRT is "a tool for changing the country," he said, a tool that undermines societal foundations and holds that the rule of law and jurisprudence is to preserve the privilege of those who write the laws. Christopher Rufo, a journalist and visiting fellow at Heritage Foundation, has been examining how the theory has been operating within institutions, HR programs, and in federal government agencies. At the National Nuclear Laboratories in New Mexico, CRT-based training sessions were held in which white male executives were taken to a resort and were forced to undergo a series of exercises to deconstruct their white male identity, something that the trainers claimed was akin to the Ku Klux Klan, mass killings, and MAGA hats, he explained. The men were asked to condemn themselves and then write letters of apology to women and people of color and apologize for their whiteness. Similar training efforts and exercises were taking place across the federal bureaucracy but President Donald Trump canceled them with an executive order. Rufo is now working on reporting that will show how this ideology is being inculcated into K-12 students. An upcoming story he will soon publish highlights how 3rd graders are being tasked with deconstructing their intersectional identities, which is "slicing and dicing their own internal self-image on the axes of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, transgenderism ... and then ranking themselves on a hierarchy of power and privilege." "They're taking these tenets that were once limited to academia and now trying to basically inject them into the bloodstream of every institution from kindergarten to the federal government," he said. "They are now training elementary school students how to hold protests, how to disrupt the system, how to become revolutionaries." The theory, which promises a utopia of sorts and racial equality, is not aiming to build anything but rests in negation that relies upon the thrill of revenge yet offers nothing to the margins of society, Rufo argued. He urged parents to find out what is in their children's school curriculum, noting that much of it is not only indefensible but likely illegal and is only backed by a tiny group of activists in all but the most extreme school districts. It will take courage to resist but it is necessary and the more scrutiny it receives the more likely it is to be rejected, he said. The Heritage Foundation discussion comes amid ongoing debate over CRT among evangelicals, with some influential leaders, including John Piper and Tim Keller, rejecting it. More recently, a group of Southern Baptist seminary presidents released a statement declaring that CRT is incompatible with their beliefs while denouncing racism. The statement sparked outrage among some within the Southern Baptist Convention, forcing at least two black pastors to cut ties. A group of pastors, including SBC's first and only black president, responded with a statement, lamenting that "the actions of some in the SBC appear to be more concerned with political maneuvering than working to present a vibrant, gospel-loving, racially and culturally diverse vision." "Many who recognize systemic injustices are labeled as 'Marxists,' 'Liberals,' and 'Critical Race Theorists,' even though they are theologically orthodox and believe in the total sufficiency of Scripture," they said. "[W]e stand firmly in opposition to any movement in the SBC that seeks to distract from racial reconciliation through the gospel and that denies the reality of systemic injustice." BW Kudu Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of BW Energy Limited and the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (NAMCOR) have signed a Farm-In and Carry Agreement. The agreement increases BW Kudus working interest in the Kudu license offshore Namibia from 56% to 95% in line with previously disclosed intentions. NAMCOR will retain the remaining 5% working interest. The agreement is subject to the approvals of BW Kudus and NAMCORs Boards as well as Namibian regulatory authorities. The agreement gives NAMCOR the opportunity to acquire an additional 5% working interest post first gas, while BW Kudu will pay USD 4 million at completion of the transaction and carry NAMCORs share of development costs until first gas. Kudu gas is an important project for the energy sector and for Namibia. It has the potential to provide a valuable contribution to Namibias energy mix and local value creation by monetizing stranded gas which is an untapped natural resource in Namibia. The next step for the Kudu joint venture will be to secure long-term commercial gas sales agreements, update the development plan to meet offtake needs and ensure robust financial project returns, said Carl K. Arnet, the CEO of BW Energy. The Kudu gas field is located about 130 km offshore the southern parts of Namibia. It contains an estimated 1.3 TCF of gas (P 50) and was discovered in 1974. The new arrangement will enable gas sales arrangements and increases the likelihood of securing financing for the upstream Kudu development. NAMCOR's Managing Director, Immanuel Mulunga, said the Kudu project may become the first ever oil and gas development offshore Namibia: It represents an opportunity to reduce carbon emissions and strengthen energy independence for Namibia, which currently imports a major part of its electricity from coal fired power plants outside of the country. I am confident this development will inspire increased exploration initiatives in other licence areas in the country. Developing Kudu will provide insights which can be used to unlock similar abundant stranded gas reserves available around the world. Adding cost efficient gas to the energy mix of tomorrow is going to be vital to reach the worlds environmental targets, Carl K. Arnet added. For further information, please contact: Knut R. Sthre, CFO BW Energy, +47 91 11 78 76 ir@bwenergy.no About BW Energy: BW Energy is a growth E&P company listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with a differentiated strategy targeting proven offshore oil and gas reservoirs through low risk phased developments. The Company has access to existing FPSOs to reduce time to first oil and cashflow with lower investments than traditional offshore developments. The main assets are 73.5% of the producing Dussafu Marine Permit offshore Gabon and a 95% interest in the Maromba field in Brazil, both operated by the Company. Total net 2P+2C reserves were 247 million barrels at the start of 2020. This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. Botsa said Naidu is still misleading the public with his crooked mind to gain their sympathy and stay in the limelight. ANI VIZIANAGARAM: Former chief minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu used Polavaram and Amaravati as two ATM cards and now he is asking the people to forgive him, said Minister for Municipal Administration Botsa Satyanarayana. Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, the minister alleged that Naidu had always been far from the opinions and wishes of the people. He is still misleading the public with his crooked mind to gain their sympathy and stay in the limelight. Its very funny to know that even after 18 months being out of office, the leader of the opposition does not know why he was defeated. Even today he is not regretting his failures, Satyanarayana said. He stated that Naidu never distributed house pattas to the poor during his 40 years of political career. He called agriculture a worthless profession but is now shedding crocodile tears for Amaravati farmers. Naidu and his henchmen purchased huge lands at Amaravati before announcing it as the capital city. He is crying foul when the new government announced Vizag as the capital because he is worried his business partners would lose a lot in Amaravati. On promises of providing jobs, except Lokesh, no others could get employment during his government, he said. The State debts increased as he was obsessed with creation of assets for himself and to implement welfare schemes but not for others. On the MANSAS issue, the minister said, Naidu never knew the history of the trust. It was P Ashok Gajapathi Raju, who wrote to the then government to merge MANSAS Trust with the State government because he could not reckon with his elder brother Ananda Gajapathi Raju being chairman of the trust. But on the request made by Ananda Gajapathi Raju, the new government had kept it as an autonomous society, he added. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Chip maker Qualcomm has acquired Nuvia, formed in 2019 by three former Apple engineers including one of Indian origin, for a whopping $1.4 billion for the 5G era. As part of the transaction, Nuvia founders Gerard Williams, Manu Gulati and John Bruno and their employees will join Qualcomm, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. "Together, we are very well positioned to redefine computing and enable our ecosystem of partners to drive innovation and deliver a new class of products and experiences for the 5G era," said Cristiano Amon, President and CEO-Elect, Qualcomm Incorporated. Nuvia comprises a proven world-class CPU and technology design team, with industry-leading expertise in high performance processors, Systems on a Chip (SoC) and power management for compute-intensive devices and applications. The addition of Nuvia CPUs to Qualcomm Technologies' already leading mobile graphics processing unit (GPU), AI engine, DSP and dedicated multimedia accelerators will further extend the leadership of Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms. "CPU performance leadership will be critical in defining and delivering on the next era of computing innovation," said Gerard Williams, CEO of Nuvia. "The combination of NUVIA and Qualcomm will bring the industry's best engineering talent, technology and resources together to create a new class of high-performance computing platforms that set the bar for our industry. We couldn't be more excited for the opportunities ahead." Microsoft said that it is exciting to see Nuvia join the Qualcomm team. "Our partnership with Qualcomm has always been about providing great experiences on our products. Moving forward, we have an incredible opportunity to empower our customers across the Windows ecosystem," said Panos Panay, Chief Product Officer, Microsoft. Hiroshi Lockheimer, SVP Platforms & Ecosystems, Google, added: "The addition of Nuvia extends Qualcomm's capabilities in these three areas and we're excited to see the next generation of Snapdragon with Nuvia." A Houston megachurch has sided with its longtime pastor, Kirbyjon Caldwell, and expressed disappointment in a recent sentence that will send him behind bars for six years for his role in a fraudulent investment scheme. After Wednesdays sentencing in federal court in Shreveport, Louisiana, the leaders of Windsor United Methodist Church defended Caldwell, who has served the church for 38 years but gave up his title as senior pastor when he pled guilty in the faulty Chinese bonds case last year. Were very disappointed that Caldwells contributions to society and his extraordinary efforts to make every victim whole resulted in [this] sentence, said Floyd J. LeBlanc, chairman of the churchs personnel committee. We look to God because we believe God has a final answer in everything. Caldwell, a spiritual adviser to President George W. Bush, was known for his entrepreneurship and philanthropy. Through the predominantly African American church and his own projects, he invested millions into community development and job creation in southwest Houston. The fraudulent scheme, which totaled $3.5 millions of bonds targeting elderly investors, has led to him and his Louisiana-based investment adviser being charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud; both pleaded guilty. In a video on behalf of the church staff, LeBlanc blamed the adviser and emphasized that Caldwell was also a victim in the scheme, having first invested in the Chinese bonds himself. The church believes that his generosity and desire to pay back victims had already accounted for the wrong hed done. UM News reported that before his sentencing, the 67-year-old pastor told the judge, This experience has brought me to the valley of disgrace and dishonor. Im ashamed of my actions. Caldwell said he has repaid his victims more than $4 million, including over $1 million prior to the 2018 indictment. According to UM News, Caldwells lawyers pleaded for him to be confined to his home, rather than going to prison, citing his ongoing treatment for prostate cancer, as well his hypertension and the threat COVID-19 poses for those incarcerated with underlying conditions. The judge deferred his report date to June. The 16,000-member church is currently led by pastor Suzette Caldwell, Kirbyjons wife. Both have been outspoken and involved in ministry throughout the pandemic, including each preaching the last two weekends. United Methodist Bishop Scott Jones offered his prayers in a statement after sentencing and acknowledged the pastors sincere expression of remorse. The churchs statement concluded by saying, The Lord will see our Church Family through this season. Lets continue to have faith and pray together. Be encouraged by Psalm 30:5, which promises that joy will follow sorrow. Virginia and Maryland expanded eligibility for coronavirus vaccinations to include older residents on Thursday, while local officials across the Washington region continued to plead for more doses as demand outstrips supply. Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, said parts of the state can move to vaccinate residents 65 or older, while Maryland will move into its next phase of vaccinations Monday. The two states join the District of Columbia in announcing increased availability this week, moving the entire Washington region to the next phase of distribution. In Maryland, Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, said Thursday the state next week will begin offering shots to people 75 or older, as well as teachers and child-care providers. The priority group also includes those in assisted-living facilities and incarcerated people at high risk of developing complications from covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Hospitals, health departments and others who have finished inoculating people in the first priority group can move to the second, he said. Hogan called vaccinations the most important step residents can take to end the pandemic, saying they are crucial before people can "throw away the d--- masks." "This is going to take a long time, a great deal of patience and a lot more vaccines," Hogan said. The governor announced that county leaders can decide how quickly to move into the next vaccination phase, provided their plans continue to prioritize elderly and other vulnerable populations. Several of Maryland's largest counties were ready and waiting for clearance - and additional doses - so they can move on. "We have a plan, and we are ready to execute it as soon as we have vaccine," Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner, a Democrat, said in a statement before Hogan's announcement. She said seven vaccination clinics are ready to open Monday. In Virginia, expanded guidelines also include those who are younger and have medical conditions that would put them at high risk if they developed covid-19. The expansion applies to areas of the state that have been most efficient in inoculating early priority groups. Northam made the announcement Thursday while also encouraging public school systems to resume in-person instruction when possible. His office said six months of data from schools around the state - coupled with a better understanding of how the virus spreads - suggests school systems can reopen with appropriate safety protocols. While the new state guidance offers a five-step program for helping school systems to reopen, the decision, timeline and scope of reopening will be left to each school division. Northam said after the school guidance is out, "our emphasis will change. Instead of schools should be closed, we're going to approach it from the starting point of schools need to be open and here are the ways to do that safely." The announcements in Virginia and Maryland signaled progress on the rate of vaccine administration in the Washington region after initial stumbling blocks. But officials continue to face criticism for not getting shots into arms quickly enough once vaccines are distributed. Northam's office said the state has distributed all vaccine doses it has received from the federal government to 160 sites. The state has come under scrutiny because only about 26% of the more than 943,000 vaccine doses it has received have been administered. State health officials have said glitches with a new computer system also have obscured the number of doses delivered. "Sometimes people think they're just sitting on shelves, but they've all been distributed out," Northam spokeswoman Alena Yarmosky said Thursday. She said Northam spoke with hospital administrators and district health officials Thursday, telling them he expects the entire state to have completed the first tier of priority recipients - known as 1A - by the end of January, then move to the 1B list. But those parts of the state delivering vaccinations more quickly already can move to the 1B priority list. Residents were urged to contact their local health department to learn whether they qualify. Expanding the priority lists depends on an increase in vaccine deliveries from the federal government, Yarmosky cautioned. Virginia is receiving just more than 100,000 doses per week, a target of administering 14,000 vaccines daily. The current seven-day average for vaccines in Virginia is just under 12,000. Expanding to people 65 and older adds another 2 million people to the population of priority recipients, which stretches beyond the current level supplied to the state, Yarmosky said. She said Northam has been in contact with the outgoing Trump administration and the incoming Biden administration about increasing the amount being delivered. "The supply is not where we need it to be right now," she said. Maryland is facing similar problems. State officials have cautioned that the current rate of vaccination - roughly 15,000 people daily - exceeds how quickly the federal government sends new doses, which are arriving at about 10,000 per day. As of Thursday, 99.6% of vaccines allocated to Maryland had been delivered to organizations inoculating residents, state data shows. But just 37% of the 547,300 delivered doses have been injected into arms. Maryland hospitals, local health departments, pharmacies and other providers have administered 45% of the 409,075 first doses they received from the state and 11.5% of the 138,335 second doses they have on hand. Hogan said not everybody in the priority group is accepting the vaccine, which has been "a huge concern." The governor also set a Jan. 25 target to begin the next phase, known as 1C, which also includes essential workers such as Postal Service employees and grocery store workers. That week, the state will launch a pilot program offering vaccinations at 22 Giant grocery stores across the state and 10 Walmarts on the Eastern Shore and in Western Maryland. Maryland county officials said Thursday they were ready to forge ahead while questioning whether the state was maximizing the allocation of its vaccination resources. Citing concerning metrics in the county, Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks, a Democrat, said Thursday that existing coronavirus restrictions, including a ban on indoor dining, will be extended through at least Jan. 29. The measures had been set to expire Saturday. Outdoor dining will still be allowed at 50%, while casino capacity will stay at 25%. In neighboring Montgomery County, officials pleaded with state officials to increase their vaccine distribution. The county requested between 12,000 and 15,000 doses last week but received 6,800 on Tuesday, less than the 8,600 received a week earlier. Earl Stoddard, the county's head of emergency management - who said he was "astonished" by the allocation - urged state officials to give the county of 1 million residents more doses. "We have more capacity," he said. Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, a Democrat, said local officials do not know whether the state provided fewer doses because it received limited supplies from the federal government or whether the state was withholding doses for other localities or groups. "I'm begging for some transparency," Elrich said. "The frustration that I and other county executives have is that we're playing in the dark." Anne Arundel County Executive Stueart Pittman, a Democrat, said his county on Monday will begin inoculating those at least 75 years old, as well as child-care providers, teachers and congregate living facility staff and residents. "It's time for us to move to Phase 1B and start vaccinating our most vulnerable," he said. "And we are ready." State data shows some organizations have been more successful than others in getting people inoculated. For example, the state's 56 hospitals have administered about 52% of the first doses of the vaccines they have received, local health departments have administered nearly 42% of initial doses, and CVS and Walgreens pharmacies have given out about 29%. Maryland House Speaker Adrienne Jones, D-Baltimore, lashed out at the Hogan administration Thursday for the pace in which people are getting vaccines. "Exactly one month into our vaccination efforts, it is clear, we are not moving fast enough for Maryland's families and businesses," Jones tweeted. "The Governor needs to tell the people today what resources he's putting in place to get Maryland vaccinated. We can't keep waiting." Meanwhile, Maryland's hospitals are nearing capacity. As of Thursday, 91% of the state's intensive care beds and 88% of its acute care beds were full, according to state data. ICU wards were full at 14 of Maryland's 35 hospitals and emergency care sites, with capacity at 95% or more at an additional five facilities. The greater Washington region on Thursday recorded 8,462 new coronavirus infections and 130 deaths. Virginia reported 5,294 new cases and 74 deaths, Maryland had 2,948 cases and 45 deaths, while the District. had 220 cases and 11 deaths. The daily death toll in the District was the highest since the earliest weeks of the pandemic, with victims ranging from 42 to 108 years old. The seven-day average number of daily deaths across the greater Washington region rose to 94, the most since May 8. - - - The Washington Post's Rebecca Tan and Rachel Chason contributed to this report. On Tuesday, I asked Health Minister Greg Hunt a fairly simple question. For several weeks, I had been reporting on uncertainties about the effectiveness of AstraZeneca's coronavirus vaccine, the centrepiece of Australia's COVID-19 vaccination strategy. While the evidence suggested it was safe and prevented people from dying, the data on how well it prevented symptomatic COVID-19 infections was cloudy. In groups that were given standard doses, it was 62 per cent effective; in a small group accidentally given the wrong dose, it was 90 per cent effective. One goal of an immunisation strategy can be herd immunity: enough people are vaccinated that a virus cannot find new hosts, and the epidemic dies out. This protects people who cannot or will not be vaccinated, and those for whom the vaccine does not work well. Herd immunity is the stated goal of Australia's childhood immunisation schedule. California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development opening office in Yerevan US Department of State issues statement on detention of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces Armenia 1st President says Aliyev is certain that Pashinyan won't win elections and is trying to get all that he can UN calls for $ 95 million in aid to Palestinians Twitter is concerned about safety of its employees in India Artsakh hero: Impotent and perhaps also treacherous authorities of Armenia need to be removed from power immediately France MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to show maximum restraint Azerbaijani attacks Russia citizen of Armenian descent in Moscow Armenia acting MOD provides President with information about capture of Armenian servicemen Lithuania MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to go to de-escalation of situation and pull out troops Russian Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia acting FM resigns Acting Deputy FM: Armenia reserves itself the right to take necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity China speaks on dark history of US intelligence in connection with Biden's order Netanyahu slams hypocritical and deceitful moralizing statements of French FM Turkish authorities issues new arrest warrant for mafia after his scandalous revelations of Erdogan's entourage EU-Armenia Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security holds 11th Meeting Armenia acting PM deletes statement on Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers "being intertwined" from Facebook post 6 Armenian soldiers captured: situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border is tense, May 27 digest Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff deputy chief explains difficulties with settlement of border with Azerbaijan UN: Israeli forces may have committed war crimes during 11-day war with Hamas Nikol Pashinyan presents plan for resolving border situation Dollar gains value in Armenia Opposition party leader: Armenia Security Council to convene session with heads of parliamentary factions this evening His Holiness Karekin II receives newly appointed UK Ambassador to Armenia Greece and Turkey FMs to meet in Athens Armenia acting PM says he will present plan for peaceful solution to border situation very soon Armenia Parliament Speaker sends letters to counterparts of partnering legislatures Zarif: Iran welcomes willingness of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tension Armenia acting Deputy MOD on news about soldiers being ordered to not open fire ANCA calls on US Congress to block financing of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Armenia to allocate lands in Syunik Province to Russian border guards Armenia Armed Forces General Staff deputy chief: We can destroy all Azerbaijani soldiers who invaded territory Armenian advocates file lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan Army general staff deputy chief: About 1,000 Azerbaijan soldiers are illegally in Armenia Army general staff: Armed forces can capture Azerbaijani soldiers who marched into Armenia Armenia legislature approves several amendments to laws Armenian opposition MP: Villages mentioned by ruling bloc's deputy are Armenia's buffer zone Armenia Gegharkunik Province villager to acting PM: Over 50% of our pastures are now under Azerbaijan control Armenia Kotayk Province has new governor Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US ambassador, discusses border situation NEWS.AM BREAKING: 6 Armenian soldiers are captured by Azerbaijan military in early morning European Council head says process of implementing sanctions against Belarus is launched Armenia acting MOD leaves for Moscow Armenia President, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces discuss current situation on border Armenia acting PM to residents of borderline village: If we cede our border, Azerbaijanis will get more excited Armenia MOD not confirming reports about Azerbaijan firing shots at Tavush Province Ex-President Kocharyan meets with Yerevan residents, "Armenia" bloc members (PHOTOS) Armenia petitions to European Court to ensure fundamental human rights of 6 soldiers captured by Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier: We need to unite in this situation Serj Tankian makes statement on Azerbaijans displayed horrific racism Man detained in US for intending to commit attempt on Biden Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD continues disseminating disinformation Erdogan to visit Baku and Shushi Two Armenia legislature committees to hold closed joint meeting regarding tense situation on Azerbaijan border Holy Etchmiadzin on capture of Armenia soldiers: Such behavior of Azerbaijan authorities is strongly condemnable Gegharkunik Province village border area situation very tense, says Armenia enlarged community leader Armenia opposition MP: Shots are heard Gegharkunik Province Armenian National Congress party electoral list is announced Armenia MFA: Azerbaijan leadership bears responsibility for consequences of actions by its armed forces Opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament demands convening Security Council special session 140 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Acting premier: Our servicemen were abducted from Armenia territory Armenia MOD announces names of 6 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan military early morning Armenia parliament majority leader to CSTO: Our international partners do not call it like it is Armenia parliament manages to have quorum in 2nd attempt World oil prices falling Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan popularity rating consistently drops over the past week Newspaper: Russia peacekeepers commander does not return from Azerbaijan with encouraging news for Armenia MOD: 6 Armenia soldiers are surrounded, captured by Azerbaijan military early morning William Shakespeare, 1st man in world to get approved coronavirus vaccine, dies aged 81 Spain Congress of Deputies committee accepts pro-Armenian motion Ex-PM comments on double-digit growth in Armenia economy Facebook calls Russia, Iran leading purveyors of disinformation Erdogan says meeting with Biden will mark 'start of new era' in relations with Washington Armenia acting Deputy PM on creation of third high-voltage electric communication line with Iran Vladimir Zaynetdinov: CSTO has taken note of application submitted by Armenia acting PM Armenia's Pashinyan says addressing UN Security Council not ruled out Armenia acting FM: International pressure on Azerbaijan is growing Netanyahu tells Blinken that Israel is against reopening US consulate for Palestinians 23 political parties and 4 alliances apply to Armenia Central Electoral Commission ahead of snap parliamentary elections Instagram launches ability to hide likes Iran FM on solutions to problems in the region, territorial integrity Bloomberg: Support for Erdogan's ruling party hits record low Inter-agency commission sums up reports on implementation of roadmap for EU-Armenia CEPA Armenian acting PM on CSTO and Russia and their duties as Armenia's allies Slovakia allows use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V Armenia acting PM on situation in Syunik Province: CSTO still hasn't clearly expressed its position Armenia's Pashinyan: It's very rarely that Baku made provocations in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces on its own Armenia acting PM: There will be no demarcation of borders until Azerbaijani troops are pulled out of territory Record-setting number of political parties register to run in snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Blinken describes Egypt as a "real and effective partner" Armenia's Pashinyan slams opposition again Yerevan court ends trial over Armenia 3rd President's nephew Hayk Sargsyan Armenia President expresses condolences on passing away of Catholicos-Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan Armenia President hosts Iran FM-led delegation Armenia acting PM doesn't see need to declare martial law in the country Iran to send delegation of intellectual companies to Armenia EU demands to fine AstraZeneca for not fulfilling contract Zakharova: Russia is closely participating in settling Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident Sito Narcisse, chief of secondary schools in Washington, D.C., was chosen as East Baton Rouge Parish superintendent Thursday night, edging out the local favorite, interim Superintendent Adam Smith. The vote was 5-4. Here's how it broke down: For Narcisse: Board members Mark Bellue, Jill Dyason, Mike Gaudet, Dadrius Lanus and Evelyn Ware-Jackson. For Smith: Connie Bernard, Dawn Collins, Tramelle Howard and David Tatman. Narcisse and Smith were the only two candidates who were nominated. A third finalist, Marla Sheppard, deputy superintendent of Kansas City Public Schools, did not get a nomination. Before the board selected Narcisse, a parade of speakers including board members Bernard and Collins spoke Thursday laying out Smith's strong qualities. Many online commenters did the same. "He has a proven record of moving our schools here. He's done it here," Collins said of Smith. A 24-year veteran of the school district, Smith on Thursday tried to position himself as someone who would be a change agent, saying his inside knowledge puts him in a strong position to carry those changes out. I consider myself an outsider with an insider perspective. I understand we can't maintain the status quo, Smith said. But others said the district needs new leadership. "I am tired of all the broken promises, miscommunication and my children being failed in their education," said Lacey Ranges, a parent of 6 children in the school system. Lanus, who voted for Narcisse, said too many students in Baton Rouge are falling short and it's time to look elsewhere. Every time we say we want change, but every time changes come knocking at our door, we turn away," Lanus said. +2 Interim Superintendent Smith collapses; interview for top Baton Rouge schools job being rescheduled Adam Smith, interim superintendent of the East Baton Rouge Parish school system, fainted as he was speaking live at a town hall Friday afterno Narcisse, who was not present Thursday, issued a statement immediately after the vote. I am excited to jump in on day one and begin the work of transforming this district into one that is focused on students first, supports and recognizes educators for the professionals they are, and is responsive to the needs of our community, Narcisse said. I am all in and I cant wait to continue connecting with and learning from the amazing students, educators, and families in this district so that we can make this a school system that meets every students needs. Narcisse has spent a lot of his career in leadership roles in larger school districts. He has spent the past 17 months as chief of secondary schools in the public school district in Washington. D.C. Before that, he served as chief of schools for Nashville, Tennessee, public schools, which have about 85,000 students, as well as four year as associate superintendent in the Prince Georges County, Maryland school system which has almost 130,000 students. As the vote on a superintendent approached, local leaders and advocacy groups sent letters to board members urging them how to vote. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up On Wednesday, more than 40 parents and community leaders sent a letter urging the board to promote Smith. We are in unprecedented times and the detriment of someone from outside our community coming in is not something we can bear at this time, said the letter. Narcisse was criticized Thursday because he lacks the minimum five years of classroom teaching required under Louisiana law to earn a superintendents certification. Narcisse lists just three years of classroom teaching on his resume: From 2002 to 2005, he taught French at Ravenwood High in Brentwood, Tenn. Narcisse is currently chief of secondary schools for Washington, D.C. Public Schools. His fellow finalists, Sheppard and Smith, have no certification issues, according to the review. +4 Superintendent finalists tout knack to 'turn around' schools; selection this week? The three finalists for East Baton Rouge Parish school superintendent all spent time as turnaround principals charged with improving the ope Sheppard, deputy superintendent of Kansas City Public schools, possesses a valid out-of-state superintendents certification, and Smith, who is interim superintendent in East Baton Rouge, already has a Louisiana superintendent's certification, the district's Human Resources department saidt. Sheppard has seven years of classroom experience, teaching math and science at two middle schools and one high school in Houston. Smith has six years of classroom experience, five as a social studies teacher at Prescott Middle in Baton Rouge. Given his situation, according to the review, Narcisse has two ways under Louisiana law to pass legal muster: He can request a waiver from a state appeals committee. He would have to apply this week to have his waiver considered at the committees Jan. 25 meeting. The committees next meeting is not until July, seven months from now. He can hire a top lieutenant, known as a chief academic officer, who has the credentials Narcisse lacks. The last time East Baton Rouge schools hired a superintendent who lacked the traditional qualifications was to hire Charlotte Placide, who led the school system from 2004 to 2009. Placide, formerly the districts chief business officer, was also the last career employee of the district to win the top job. She ended up hiring a chief academic officer to lead the academic end of the district. The chief academic officer route was created for people like Placide nontraditional superintendents who have excelled elsewhere but lack traditional qualifications to run a school system. By contrast, Narcisse is a career educator, but 15 of his 18 years in education are as an administrator. +3 East Baton Rouge Schools have another interim superintendent. How will they pick the next leader? Just four months after finishing one search, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board is starting a second one, hunting yet again for someone This is the second search in a year for a top leader for the school system, home to more than 40,000 students. The new search was prompted by the unexpected resignation of Leslie Brown in October due to an unspecified medical condition that she said made her unable to continue in the job. Brown replaced Warren Drake, who retired in July after five years at the helm. Smith was promoted to interim superintendent in October after Brown's departure. Smith resumed his interrupted interview Thursday after a medical scare on Friday when he collapsed after about 30 minutes of answering questions. Smith said Thursday that his problem grew out of a mild case of COVID-19 over the winter break, but he moved too quickly to get back to his normal routine. He found out later that he was suffering from anemia, which he said explained a lot about how he was feeling. "One of the lessons learned is, Listen to your body. Listen to your wife," Smith said. Smith thanked board members and local residents for their concern since his fall, noting hes a native of Chicago who was adopted in Baton Rouge when he attended Southern University. "I realized that East Baton Rouge is a very caring community, he said. If you fall, someone will rush to your side and help you back up." The United States must cancel its decision to classify Yemen's Huthi rebels as "terrorists" to avoid a catastrophic famine, several United Nations officials told the Security Council on Thursday. The terrorist classification has drawn criticism from aid groups, the European Union and many others over fears it will exacerbate the already dire humanitarian crisis in war-ravaged Yemen. "What is the likely humanitarian impact? The answer is a large-scale famine on a scale that we have not seen for nearly 40 years," said Mark Lowcock, the UN undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs. He said exemptions to allow aid agencies to deliver supplies, as suggested by Washington, would not be sufficient to avoid a famine, adding "what would prevent it? A reversal of the decision." Outgoing US President Donald Trump's administration announced the last-ditch move on Sunday with just days to go before his successor Joe Biden takes over. The designation is set to come into force on January 19 -- the eve of the inauguration of Biden, whose aides had hoped to mount a fresh push to end Yemen's six-year war. It is also seen as complicating the incoming US leader's promised efforts to restart diplomacy with Iran, which has links to the Huthis. The rebels control much of Yemen and have faced a bloody offensive from US ally Saudi Arabia, with millions in the country depending on aid to survive. Designation as a terrorist group is expected to halt many transactions with Huthi authorities, including bank transfers, paying medical personnel and for food and fuel, due to fears of US prosecution. - 'A death sentence' - Aid groups have said that they have no option but to deal with what is the de facto government in northern Yemen. The UN envoy for Yemen, Martin Griffiths, said he backed Lowcock's stance that the US decision "would contribute to famine in Yemen and thus should be revoked." Story continues "We fear that there will be inevitably a chilling effect on my efforts to bring the parties together," added Griffiths, who has regular contact with the Huthis. It was the first time that the UN, usually cautious with its largest financial contributor, has so clearly criticized the outgoing US administration. About 16 million people will go hungry this year in Yemen, the UN predicts. David Beasley, head of the World Food Program, discarded his prepared speech to warn of a "catastrophic" famine. "What do you think is going to happen to five million people that are in emergency classification now? They are going to slide into famine conditions," he said. "We are struggling now with a designation (which) is going to be catastrophic. It is literally going to be a death sentence to hundreds of thousands if not millions of innocent people." UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres "of course" supports the calls for the United States to withdraw its decision, his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said during his daily press briefing. But Saudi Arabia this week welcomed the US move, saying it was "in line with the legitimate Yemen government's calls to put an end to the activities of the militia supported by Iran." Deputy US Ambassador to the UN Richard Mills pointed out that the US was the largest humanitarian aid donor, and he offered assurances that exemptions would limit the impact of the American decision. Lowcock made an urgent appeal for donations, saying "in 2020, we received $1.7 billion for the UN response plan. About half of what we needed. And less than half of what we got the year before." "The aid operation used to help 13.5 million people every month. Now we're helping just over 9 million," he said. "Less money means stopping key programmes, including food aid." prh/la/bgs/jm * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! 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. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. US Aviation Academy (USAA) welcomes their first class of student pilots from Pilot Flight Academy (PFA) in Norway. Fourteen Norwegian student pilots will be completing an extended Private Pilot curriculum that involves 45 hours of dual flight and 50 hours of solo flight. USAA flight instructors are granted a special permit by the Norwegian Civil Air Authority (NCAA) and European Aviation Safety Administration (EASA) to teach a dual enrollment course. US Aviations Denton campus is an approved Aviation Training Organization (ATO) under PFAs EASA certificate. In addition, PFA students have the option to complete a FAA Private Pilot certificate while earning credit hours towards their EASA certification. Upon completion of the course, the students will return to Norway to continue training in Instrument and Multi Engine curriculums. We are motivated about the possibilities of training students under the EASA curriculum, and better equipping our instructors for their future endeavors as professional pilots, said Seth Hamilton, Vice President of International and Domestic Training. The students from Norway are excited that they will be able to take advantage of better winter weather and have the ability to complete their training faster in Denton, Texas. Norway and other European countries train under EASA regulations which are very different from the FAA training regulations that govern in the United States, which includes different minimum flight hours required. Students can obtain a First Officer position with an airline in as little as 250 hours. The partnership with PFA and USAA will bring 120-150 students per year initially, but is expected to increase. The students will be attending training at US Aviations Denton campus (KDTO) for three months and will be followed by three more groups scheduled for February, April and May 2021. About US Aviation Academy: US Aviation Academy has provided world-class professional flight training since 2006, offering accelerated professional pilot training to domestic students and contract international airline students. In addition to providing training for collegiate partnership programs and the United States Department of Defense. USAA offers FAA Part 141 training including Private, Instrument, Commercial and Certified Flight Instructor ratings. US Aviation Academy has a fleet of over 120 aircraft and simulators, making it one of the largest flight training academies in the United States. USAA conducts flight operations out of Denton Enterprise Airport (KDTO), Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport (KCXO), Fort Worth Alliance Airport (KAFW) and Hudson Valley Regional Airport (KPOU). About Pilot Flight Academy: Pilot Flight Academy is one of Europes largest and most modern flight academies and is located at Sandefjord airport Torp and Notodden airport Tuven. The academy has a large international environment with 350 students. PFAs goal is to educate professional and skilled pilots that are sought after by the airlines. If you would like more information about USAA, please visit https://www.usaviationacademy.com/ If you would like more information about PFA, please visit https://www.pilotflightacademy.com/ [January 14, 2021] MetLife Names Merrilee Matchett as Head of Global Customer Service & Operations MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) today announced that Merrilee Matchett will join the company as Executive Vice President and Head of Global Customer Service & Operations, effective March 29, 2021. Matchett will report to Bill Pappas, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Technology (News - Alert) and Operations. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005987/en/ Merrilee Matchett, MetLife (Photo: Business Wire) "Merrilee brings a strategic customer-centric approach steeped in process orientation and service excellence to MetLife-all essential to ensuring we are contemporary in delivering remarkable experiences for our customers that differentiate us in the marketplace," said Pappas. atchett joins MetLife from Bank of America, where she was responsible for fulfillment and operations for global wealth management, private banking, and institutional and personal retirement businesses supporting more than $3 trillion in client balances. She also was the chairperson of Financial Data Services, LLC, a wholly owned legal entity of Bank of America, responsible for the end-to-end operational support of domestic and offshore mutual funds. Previously, Matchett was the head of Asia servicing and operations for Bank of America's wholesale banking business, based in Singapore. She also served as the treasury payment operations executive for Europe, Middle East and Africa based in London. Prior to joining Bank of America, she spent six years at Westpac Banking Corporation in Australia. Matchett has been an advocate for diversity and women in financial services throughout her nearly 30-year career and has been recognized with numerous market awards for outstanding service and operations performance. She holds a B.A. in management from the University of Canberra, Australia. Additionally, she is FINRA accredited and licensed to trade and run a broker dealer. About MetLife MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates ("MetLife"), is one of the world's leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help its individual and institutional customers navigate their changing world. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 markets globally and holds leading positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005987/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Phoenix American , a leading fund administration provider, is pleased to announce its new client partnership with private equity real estate investment fund sponsor, Capital Square . Phoenix American will fulfill the back-office operational needs of Capital Square with its industry-leading investor services platform featuring the state-of-the-art STAR-XMS shareholder management / transfer agent system as well as specialized fund accounting and financial reporting services. Capital Square will benefit from Phoenix American's combination of advanced technology, partner-oriented client service and experience with the unique operational requirements of real estate investment funds. Capital Square Growing Popularity of 1031 Exchange Funds and Other Tax Advantaged Investments Capital Square is a national investment sponsor specializing in tax-advantaged real estate offerings, including DSTs and Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ) funds. Founded in 2012, the company has completed over $2.3 billion in transaction volume. The firm is a leading sponsor of DST offerings for both investors seeking replacement property as part of a Section 1031 exchange and cash investors. Capital Square currently focuses on multifamily and healthcare properties for most of its DST offerings. The company sponsors turn-key real estate investment offerings with low investment minimums providing investors access to larger and higher quality real estate. The company also sponsors QOZ funds for investors seeking the benefits available under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. New Fund Offerings Require Advanced Systems and Sophisticated Support Services Phoenix American has combined the most efficient systems and precision back-office processes in alternative investments since its origins as a fund sponsor in 1972. With the growing variety and sophistication of alternative investment funds and the increasing demands of both investors and regulators, advanced operational solutions are critical to the success of today's fund sponsors. Phoenix American's industry-leading STAR-XMS transfer agent system and specialized fund accounting solutions are the result of the company's direct experience as a fund sponsor as well as decades of experience as an administrator for alternative investment funds. "Capital Square aims to improve the advisor and investor experience through the use of cutting-edge technologies and automation," said Louis Rogers, founder and chief executive officer of Capital Square. "Our partnership with Phoenix American will take the process to the next level by providing industry-leading investor services." "We are very pleased to have Capital Square, a market leader in DST offerings, among our 1031 fund clients," said Andrew Constantin, Senior Vice President, Operations for Phoenix American. "We specialize in the unique back-office needs of like-kind exchange funds. As the 1031 fund space continues to gain momentum in our industry, we are delighted that our experience and solutions continue to be recognized." ABOUT PHOENIX AMERICAN Phoenix American Financial Services, Inc. provides back-office outsourcing services including fund administration , fund accounting , investor services and sales and marketing reporting for management firms in the alternative investment industry. The Phoenix American aircraft group, including its Irish subsidiary, PAFS Ireland Ltd, provides managing agent services for asset-backed securitizations (ABS) in the commercial aircraft and engine leasing industry. Phoenix American Financial Services is an affiliate of Phoenix American Incorporated along with Phoenix American SalesFocus Solutions. Phoenix American has five offices worldwide, was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in San Rafael, CA. Media Contact: David Fisher 310.621.7822 [email protected] SOURCE Phoenix American Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Mainly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 45F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Mainly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 45F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. She's been living it up in the Dubai sunshine despite claiming her trip was 'for work.' And Chloe Ferry paraded her eye-popping cleavage in a minuscule black bikini as she enjoyed posed up a storm on a beach in UAE on Thursday. The Geordie Shore star, 25, had also slipped into an orange striped two-piece earlier as she soaked up the sun on her balcony alongside her pals. Beach babe: Chloe Ferry paraded her eye-popping cleavage in a minuscule black bikini as she enjoyed posed up a storm on a beach in UAE on Thursday Chloe stunned as she leaned against a wooden post in the racy snap, perfectly showcasing her trim physique as she arched her leg for the snap. The star flashed a sultry gaze at the camera and allowed her blonde locks to flow down her back as she posed with the incredible beach scene behind her. Captioning the snap, she penned: 'Always have the best days on the beach.' Wild thing: The Geordie Shore star, 25, had also slipped into an orange striped two-piece earlier as she soaked up the sun on her balcony alongside her pals Not content with one beach look, Chloe had earlier wowed in an orange and black tiger print bikini as she lounged about on the balcony at her hotel. The TV personality left little to the imagination as she writhed about in front of the camera on her knees as she showcased her figure from all angles. It comes as Chloe could barely contain her ample assets as she modelled a racy two-piece with clear straps as she showcased all angles of her look on Instagram Stories on Wednesday. Work it: Not content with one beach look, Chloe had earlier wowed in an orange and black tiger print bikini as she lounged about on the balcony at her hotel Revealing: It comes as Chloe could barely contain her ample assets as she modelled a racy two-piece with clear straps as she showcased all angles of her look on Instagram Stories on Wednesday Chloe showed off her toned abs in the skimpy black bikini top and bottoms which barely preserved her modesty as she posed in her hotel room. The star kept her blonde tresses styled into loose waves as she headed poolside to top up her tan. Chloe, who has never shied away from flaunting her surgically-enhanced physique since unveiling her two stone weight loss, set pulses racing as she relaxed on her sunbed in the warm sunshine. Poser: The Geordie Shore star could barely contain her ample assets in the racy two-piece with clear straps as she flashed a cheeky look at the camera Flaunt it! Chloe paraded all angles of her look on Instagram as she posed in the skimpy black bikini top and matching bottoms Chloe has joined a slew of reality TV stars and influencers facing mounting backlash for jetting Dubai under the ruse of it being a 'work trip' while England is in COVID-19 lockdown. Stars have been accused of 'bending the rules' to jet abroad, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the nation would enter a third lockdown. Under the latest national lockdown rules, which is now in effect, holidays are banned as international travel is only permitted for a strict number of reasons such as for work. Revealing: She showed off her toned abs in the skimpy black bikini top and bottoms which barely preserved her modesty as she posed in her hotel room Jaw-dropping: The star kept her blonde tresses styled into loose waves as she headed poolside to top up her tan Within the UK, domestic holidays are also banned as you must stay at home at all times except for a limited number of 'reasonable excuses' such as shopping for essentials or work. The Government has said if you need to travel you should stay local meaning avoiding travelling outside of your village, town or the part of a city where you live and look to reduce the number of journeys you make overall. On Saturday evening, she took to her Instagram Story as she gave fans a glimpse of her fun-filled date night with pals as they enjoyed drinks in a nearby restaurant. Show it off! Chloe has never shied away from flaunting her surgically-enhanced physique since unveiling her two stone weight loss Call that work? Chloe has joined a slew of reality TV stars and influencers facing mounting backlash for jetting Dubai under the ruse of it being a 'work trip' The reality star put on a very busty display as she posed in a sheer black bodysuit with an intricate lace pattern around the stomach. While soaking up the sun on her luxurious break, Chloe was also selling used knickers on her Depop app for as little as 8. Depop is a fashion marketplace app which encourages its users to buy and sell clothing to make fashion 'more inclusive, diverse and less wasteful'. The Sun reported that among Chloe's 'for sale' items were a pair of black JKA knickers in a size 10-12, which she has previously showcased on her Instagram page. That's cheating! Stars have been accused of 'bending the rules' to jet abroad, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the nation would enter a third lockdown She captioned the post: 'Size guide says 10-12, knickers only.' Another item marked as sold was a tiny snake print bikini, which consisted of a skimpy thong and crop top which Chloe wore on one of her getaways. The item sold for 15 and Chloe charges 4.10 in postage. Chloe was selling a black PVC PrettyLittleThing mini dress on her page for 15 and described it as 'new with tags', but previously wore the same style dress during a night out. The blonde beauty was getting rid of a whole range of different swimwear on her page, it is unclear whether it has all been used before. Really? While soaking up the sun on her luxurious break, Chloe was also selling used knickers on her Depop app for as little as 8 Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. FAIRFIELD Police are investigating multiple instances of graffiti referencing China, socialism and President-elect Joe Biden at McKinley Elementary School and T.J. Maxx. In a news release, police said a Board of Education employee reported a sidewalk on the school property had been vandalized with spray paint around 1:28 p.m. Wednesday. Police said the grafitti read United States of China, and was also found spray painted on a snow mound at the back of the schools parking lot. Prior to the police response, Security and Facilities workers of the Fairfield Public Schools had already removed additional words spray painted on the sidewalk that read Biden for socialism, police said. The other offensive message has since been removed, school officials said Thursday. School officials told police they were concerned about the messages because McKinley is the most diverse school in Fairfield, as well as the upcoming Inauguration Day, the police report said. The district security director told police he would review surveillance footage to see if it captured the perpetrator, according to the report. Later that evening police found similar messages on the T.J. Maxx building nearby on Tunxis Hill Cutoff. Police said the graffiti there was of similar content. The Fairfield Police Department understands that this incident has caused a great deal of alarm and varying levels of concern for many living within our community, the release said, and with that in mind police have been working diligently to identify the responsible individual(s). The department also condemned the actions. Along with our community, we too are disturbed by these actions, the release said. There is no tolerance for acts of hate in our community. The Fairfield Board of Education and district officials also issued a joint statement on Thursday calling the graffiti disturbing and thanking the police for keeping McKinley a safe space for all students. As we process the events unfolding across our country, we know that many in our community are dealing with feelings of anger, hurt, and fear, the statement read. However, there is no place for divisiveness or disruptive language in the Fairfield Public Schools. We condemn in the strongest terms the actions of anyone who vandalizes property or uses hate speech. We will continue to work together with the community to ensure that all our students feel safe, supported and valued. In a statement on Wednesday, state Sen. Tony Hwang, who lives in Fairfield, said he was emotionally upset by the grafitti. These cowardly racist and political themed messages were written on the sidewalk and snowbank of a school intended for parents and students to see was abhorrent, he said. And to place it onto the property of a nationally recognized school known for its diversity of race, religion and ethnicity adds to the potency of the intended hate message. Anyone with information about these incidents is encouraged to call the Fairfield Police Detective Bureau at (203)254-4840, or Text-A-Tip to CRIMES (274637). Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. New Delhi, Jan 14 : The Delhi government is expecting to scale up the vaccination centres to 225 within a week of the Covid-19 immunisation programme launch, officials informed. Dr Suneela Garg, member of the task force for Covid vaccination confirmed to IANS that the government is looking to extend the sites by the week of immunisation drive launch. "We may have close to 225 centres. Eventually, we have demarcated 1,000 centres and will be spawning over them gradually," she said. The massive inoculation drive slated to begin January 16 onwards will be launched in Delhi with 81 hospitals, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal informed earlier in the day. The development has come after the number of vaccination sites were slashed from 89 to 75 on Wednesday. However, it was finalised to 81 today after a review meeting with the district magistrates and officers at Directorate of Health and Family Welfare, the officials informed. The officials further informed that the sites which did not make up to the final list because of various reasons will be reviewed again. The national capital has received a total 2.84 lakh Covid vaccines in the last two days. On Tuesday, the city received 2.64 lakh doses of Covishield, the Covid vaccine by Serum institute of India while a consignment carrying 20,000 doses of Covaxin, the covid vaccine of Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical firm Bharat Biotech, was delivered to the city's vaccine storage facility, on Wednesday. All the vaccines are stored at the Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital (RGSSH), which is also doubling up as Delhi's only vaccine storage facility. The roll-out of vaccines at 81 locations will start with immunising around 2.25 lakh healthcare workers in the capital as decided in the phase I of the vaccination exercise. The vaccination will include the frontline and other priority groups decided by the Centre in further stages. The government will provide a staff of 7-8 people at each vaccination site. The staff includes security personnel, nurses, paramedics and a doctor. Three rooms are designated for the vaccination at each site divided into a waiting area, inoculation room and observation area post vaccination. A reception desk is created before the rooms for the registration and verification of the beneficiaries who would be called via Co-WIN app. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) The Auto Relocation Software Developer is the 2020 Employee of the Year. ZIONSVILLE, IN / ACCESSWIRE / January 13, 2021 / Reindeer Auto Relocation recently held its annual awards ceremony. The award for Employee of the Year went to Turner Daugherty, Senior software developer for the domestic, international, and freight relocation service. Joining Reindeer Auto in March of 2018, Daugherty quickly became an integral part of Reindeer Auto's team, juggling the numerous requests from upper management. The Indiana native graduated from Ball State University with a bachelor's degree in Computer Science. "He is always behind the scenes making sure everything is running smoothly so we can all do our jobs," says Andy Hadley, Director of Sales at Reindeer Auto. "We appreciate his dedication. His commitment and hard work this year have certainly contributed to our continued success." Daugherty is responsible for creating, installing, and maintaining business systems for Reindeer Auto. He develops and maintains Reindeer Auto's online booking, car transport quote tool, and follow up systems to ensure communications run smoothly between Reindeer Auto and their clients. Reindeer Auto's Employee of the Year Award is their highest award given each year. It recognizes an employee who is not only committed to their job but goes above and beyond his or her duties. Daugherty was chosen for his positive attitude and exemplary work ethic, effectively handling his work in the rapidly changing workflow. He works well both individually and as a team member contributing to Reindeer Auto's 2020 year's success. Reindeer Auto Relocation is an industry leader in domestic, international, and freight relocation service. The logistic support team uses technology and training to plan and execute efficient transportation of vehicles or freight of any kind from one location to another. Reindeer Auto headquarters is located in Zionsville, Indiana. Their extensive network is licensed, bonded, and insured. Their logistics team has the experience needed to oversee the details in planning unique moves. Relocation services are provided by air, rail, or water freight. For more information on Reindeer Auto, or to contact them, go to https://reindeerauto.com/. For more information about Reindeer Auto Relocation, contact the company here: Alan Waugh 18004280589 alan@reindeerauto.com 5100 Charles Ct. Zionsville, IN 46077 SOURCE: Reindeer Auto Relocation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/624251/Reindeer-Auto-Announces-Turner-Daugherty-Employee-of-the-Year Xi Jinping China's President Xi Jinping has asked former Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz to help promote trade between Washington and Beijing in a rare missive to a foreign business figure, state media reported Thursday. Xi, responding to an earlier message from Schultz, urged the multi-billionaire to "continue to play an active role in promoting China-US economic and trade cooperation", the official Xinhua news agency said. China will "provide a broader space for companies from all over the world, including Starbucks and other American companies, to develop in China", Xi wrote in his letter. It was not immediately clear why the letter was published by state media, but it comes as relations between the superpowers have reached a nadir with bitter disputes over trade, tech, security and rights. Starbucks, a ubiquitous sight in major Chinese cities, says it has opened over 4,700 coffee shops across the country since 1999. Schultz, who stepped down as chairman of the chain in 2018 but retains an honorary title at the company, had previously congratulated Xi on China's transition into "moderately prosperous society", Xinhua said. US-China ties have grown increasingly strained under the administration of Donald Trump. Beijing and Washington have also sparred over blame for the Covid-19 pandemic and China's human rights record in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. But China's top diplomat Wang Yi has called for both sides to "restart the dialogue" and "rebuild mutual trust" with the incoming US administration of president-elect Joe Biden. Xi and Schultz previously met at a formal reception in Seattle during the Chinese leader's state visit to the US in 2015. Code for America Names Emily K. Tracy as Chief Revenue Officer 2021 Global Mayors Challenge to Focus on Ideas Stemming from COVID-19 Crisis City Innovate Announces 2021 STIR Lab Partnerships NYC Looks to Hire Digital Inclusion Personnel Kelly Jin, chief analytics officer for New York Citys Mayors Office of Data Analytics, is departing city service for a new position with the Knight Foundation, she announced this week on Twitter Jin, who has spent the past three years with New York City, will become the Knight Foundations new vice president for communities and national initiatives, a role in which the group says she will help lead our efforts to build informed and engaged communities. In a press release , Knight also noted that Jin would begin in this role in February. Community and national initiatives ranks as Knights largest program area.Her most recent project for New York City involved the launch of the NYC Recovery Data Partnership, which is a first-of-its-kind project that teams nonprofit groups, community organizations and private entities in order to share data around optimizing the citys response to COVID-19.Jin brings an impressive resume of data analytics experience that includes stints in both the public and private sectors. Before coming to New York City, she worked as director of the John and Laura Arnold Foundations project development and grant management. Before that, she served as adviser to the U.S. chief technology officer and U.S. chief data scientist. She also helped build Bostons analytics efforts with that citys local government.Now, more than ever, it is pivotal to support equitable recovery in communities. I am excited to join an organization with such deep local roots and a commitment to empowering communities with the information they need to shape their futures, Jin said in a statement.Code for America (CfA) a nonprofit and nonpartisan group that essentially leads American civic tech efforts has named Emily K. Tracy as its chief revenue officer (CRO).In a press release announcing the appointment, CfA noted that Tracy will lead Code for Americas effort to develop new revenue models to help scale its work to design equitable government nationwide, supporting the organizations rapid expansion and growth and providing new consulting services. In this new role, Tracy will report directly to the groups CEO, Amanda Renteria.Code for America has been at the forefront of the movement to reimagine government for more than a decade, Tracy said in a statement . Now, in the midst of this pandemic, Code for America has the opportunity to scale nationwide and ensure that equitable government services are available to all. I look forward to working with this incredible team to achieve this critically important mission.Tracy comes to the position with more than 20 years of experience as a fundraising exec in the social sector, having served as chief development officer at Polaris , which ranks as the leading anti-trafficking group in the country. In that position, Tracy oversaw revenue diversification, planning and growth. Tracy also has experience in similar work as the national director of development at the National Alliance on Mental Illness.The past 12 months have been busy for CfA in terms of leadership and staffing. In April, the group announced Renteria as its new CEO . In October, it named Arlene Corbin Lewis as its chief communications officer , and in December it hired David Newville to lead its work around tax benefits.Bloomberg Philanthropies has announced the launch of its 2021 Global Mayors Challenge, an annual local gov innovation competition, which this year will focus on ideas stemming from response to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers announced in a press release The way the competition works is that it will accept applications from urban innovators across the world, next narrowing it down to 50 finalists. Fifteen grand prize winners will then receive $1 million each as well as multi-year support from Bloomberg and its network in the service of developing and putting into place solutions and ideas.The word global is also new to the title of this competition, which is going fully international for the first time this year. It is also upping the amount of funding and number of recipients over past years, all of which it attributes to a reflection of the urgency felt by cities around the world to develop new approaches to the pandemic.The four themes for the contest this year are economic recovery and inclusive growth; health and wellbeing; climate and environment; and good governance and equality.The competition is open to cities with populations greater than 100,000, which are invited to submit related ideas at any stage of development. Applications for this years competition are currently online and slated to close on March 21.City Innovates STIR Labs program which aims to foster government and academic partnerships in the service of communities has now announced the 17 partnerships between local governments and universities that will shape its first cohort of 2021.Participants in this years cohort come from all across the country. One pairing, for example, will see Santa Fe, N.M., teaming with the University of New Mexico to use design-related methodologies as they study entrepreneurship and tech work in Santa Fe to find and address needs there.The full list of pairings can be found on the STIR Labs website The New York City Mayors Office of the Chief Technology Officer is looking to hire three director-level positions in the service of digital inclusion and broadband equity work, all of which are in the service of implementing the NYC Internet Master Plan Those three positions are director of data; director of digital inclusion and partnerships; and director of broadband technology. More information about all of these posts as well as the path for submitting an application can be found on NYCs website California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development opening office in Yerevan US Department of State issues statement on detention of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces Armenia 1st President says Aliyev is certain that Pashinyan won't win elections and is trying to get all that he can UN calls for $ 95 million in aid to Palestinians Twitter is concerned about safety of its employees in India Artsakh hero: Impotent and perhaps also treacherous authorities of Armenia need to be removed from power immediately France MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to show maximum restraint Azerbaijani attacks Russia citizen of Armenian descent in Moscow Armenia acting MOD provides President with information about capture of Armenian servicemen Lithuania MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to go to de-escalation of situation and pull out troops Russian Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia acting FM resigns Acting Deputy FM: Armenia reserves itself the right to take necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity China speaks on dark history of US intelligence in connection with Biden's order Netanyahu slams hypocritical and deceitful moralizing statements of French FM Turkish authorities issues new arrest warrant for mafia after his scandalous revelations of Erdogan's entourage EU-Armenia Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security holds 11th Meeting Armenia acting PM deletes statement on Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers "being intertwined" from Facebook post 6 Armenian soldiers captured: situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border is tense, May 27 digest Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff deputy chief explains difficulties with settlement of border with Azerbaijan UN: Israeli forces may have committed war crimes during 11-day war with Hamas Nikol Pashinyan presents plan for resolving border situation Dollar gains value in Armenia Opposition party leader: Armenia Security Council to convene session with heads of parliamentary factions this evening His Holiness Karekin II receives newly appointed UK Ambassador to Armenia Greece and Turkey FMs to meet in Athens Armenia acting PM says he will present plan for peaceful solution to border situation very soon Armenia Parliament Speaker sends letters to counterparts of partnering legislatures Zarif: Iran welcomes willingness of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tension Armenia acting Deputy MOD on news about soldiers being ordered to not open fire ANCA calls on US Congress to block financing of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Armenia to allocate lands in Syunik Province to Russian border guards Armenia Armed Forces General Staff deputy chief: We can destroy all Azerbaijani soldiers who invaded territory Armenian advocates file lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan Army general staff deputy chief: About 1,000 Azerbaijan soldiers are illegally in Armenia Army general staff: Armed forces can capture Azerbaijani soldiers who marched into Armenia Armenia legislature approves several amendments to laws Armenian opposition MP: Villages mentioned by ruling bloc's deputy are Armenia's buffer zone Armenia Gegharkunik Province villager to acting PM: Over 50% of our pastures are now under Azerbaijan control Armenia Kotayk Province has new governor Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US ambassador, discusses border situation NEWS.AM BREAKING: 6 Armenian soldiers are captured by Azerbaijan military in early morning European Council head says process of implementing sanctions against Belarus is launched Armenia acting MOD leaves for Moscow Armenia President, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces discuss current situation on border Armenia acting PM to residents of borderline village: If we cede our border, Azerbaijanis will get more excited Armenia MOD not confirming reports about Azerbaijan firing shots at Tavush Province Ex-President Kocharyan meets with Yerevan residents, "Armenia" bloc members (PHOTOS) Armenia petitions to European Court to ensure fundamental human rights of 6 soldiers captured by Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier: We need to unite in this situation Serj Tankian makes statement on Azerbaijans displayed horrific racism Man detained in US for intending to commit attempt on Biden Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD continues disseminating disinformation Erdogan to visit Baku and Shushi Two Armenia legislature committees to hold closed joint meeting regarding tense situation on Azerbaijan border Holy Etchmiadzin on capture of Armenia soldiers: Such behavior of Azerbaijan authorities is strongly condemnable Gegharkunik Province village border area situation very tense, says Armenia enlarged community leader Armenia opposition MP: Shots are heard Gegharkunik Province Armenian National Congress party electoral list is announced Armenia MFA: Azerbaijan leadership bears responsibility for consequences of actions by its armed forces Opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament demands convening Security Council special session 140 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Acting premier: Our servicemen were abducted from Armenia territory Armenia MOD announces names of 6 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan military early morning Armenia parliament majority leader to CSTO: Our international partners do not call it like it is Armenia parliament manages to have quorum in 2nd attempt World oil prices falling Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan popularity rating consistently drops over the past week Newspaper: Russia peacekeepers commander does not return from Azerbaijan with encouraging news for Armenia MOD: 6 Armenia soldiers are surrounded, captured by Azerbaijan military early morning William Shakespeare, 1st man in world to get approved coronavirus vaccine, dies aged 81 Spain Congress of Deputies committee accepts pro-Armenian motion Ex-PM comments on double-digit growth in Armenia economy Facebook calls Russia, Iran leading purveyors of disinformation Erdogan says meeting with Biden will mark 'start of new era' in relations with Washington Armenia acting Deputy PM on creation of third high-voltage electric communication line with Iran Vladimir Zaynetdinov: CSTO has taken note of application submitted by Armenia acting PM Armenia's Pashinyan says addressing UN Security Council not ruled out Armenia acting FM: International pressure on Azerbaijan is growing Netanyahu tells Blinken that Israel is against reopening US consulate for Palestinians 23 political parties and 4 alliances apply to Armenia Central Electoral Commission ahead of snap parliamentary elections Instagram launches ability to hide likes Iran FM on solutions to problems in the region, territorial integrity Bloomberg: Support for Erdogan's ruling party hits record low Inter-agency commission sums up reports on implementation of roadmap for EU-Armenia CEPA Armenian acting PM on CSTO and Russia and their duties as Armenia's allies Slovakia allows use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V Armenia acting PM on situation in Syunik Province: CSTO still hasn't clearly expressed its position Armenia's Pashinyan: It's very rarely that Baku made provocations in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces on its own Armenia acting PM: There will be no demarcation of borders until Azerbaijani troops are pulled out of territory Record-setting number of political parties register to run in snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Blinken describes Egypt as a "real and effective partner" Armenia's Pashinyan slams opposition again Yerevan court ends trial over Armenia 3rd President's nephew Hayk Sargsyan Armenia President expresses condolences on passing away of Catholicos-Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan Armenia President hosts Iran FM-led delegation Armenia acting PM doesn't see need to declare martial law in the country Iran to send delegation of intellectual companies to Armenia EU demands to fine AstraZeneca for not fulfilling contract Zakharova: Russia is closely participating in settling Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident Low cost carrier Ryanair has temporarily suspended all of its operations to markets in the former Yugoslavia after the airlines CEO, Michael OLeary, said the companys network has collapsed due to evolving travel restrictions across the continent. The budget airline was already operating a reduced schedule to the region, serving only Banja Luka and Podgorica in the former Yugoslavia. Ryanair has now suspended flights from Gothenburg to Banja Luka, as well as from London Stansted and Charleroi to the Montenegrin capital. Since the start of the pandemic, the carrier has not restored operations to Serbia, while it serves Croatia only on a seasonal summer basis. Low cost carrier Ryanair has temporarily suspended all of its operations to markets in the former Yugoslavia after the airlines CEO, Michael OLeary, said the companys network has collapsed due to evolving travel restrictions across the continent. The budget airline was already operating a reduced schedule to the region, serving only Banja Luka and Podgorica in the former Yugoslavia. Ryanair has now suspended flights from Gothenburg to Banja Luka, as well as from London Stansted and Charleroi to the Montenegrin capital. Since the start of the pandemic, the carrier has not restored operations to Serbia, while it serves Croatia only on a seasonal summer basis. Ryanair is yet to outline the resumption dates for a number of its routes in the former Yugoslavia, however, it is expected to return to all four markets at the start of the 2021 summer season on March 28. Further changes remain likely. The winter season is turning out to be even worse than expected for Europes airlines, despite Ryanairs expectations that reductions would not hit profitability as the flights were anyhow lossmaking. The groups passenger numbers in January are expected to fall to under 1.25 million, and then dip to 500.000 in February and March, the lowest since air travel all but stopped last spring. Despite the suspension of a number of routes, Ryanair still plans to launch new services to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. On March 29 the airline intends to inaugurate flights from Vienna to Banja Luka and Pula, followed by services from Naples to Zadar on June 4. I think the vaccine is a solution to this. Whether it will be in place by Easter is too early to call but certainly by the summer. By the time we get to the school holidays we'll see few restrictions across Europe because of the rollout of these vaccines, Mr OLeary said. He added, The challenge for the airline is nobody can make a booking for two weeks out in February and March if they have to wait until they get a negative PCR test four days before departure. Bookings and air travel have collapsed. Los Angeles:Oscar winner Rami Malek and Guardians of the Galaxy" star Zoe Saldana have boarded the cast of filmmaker David ORussells next feature. The two actors join Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington in the movie, which has been set up at New Regency, reported Variety. Plot details are being kept under wraps but it is said to be based on an original idea from the director. Matthew Budman of American Hustle" fame will produce. The film is currently in production. Malek, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody", will next star in Little Things", opposite Denzel Washington and Jared Leto, as well as James Bond movie No Time To Die". Saldana, known for movies such as Avengers: Infinity War" and Avengers: Endgame", is currently working on the sequel to her 2009 blockbuster Avatar". FARM safety was highlighted at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition with an award-winning device designed by a student at Scoil Phobail Bheara in West Cork. The prototype, which aims to prevent accidental injuries and deaths from farm machinery, won the ABP farm safety award at the prestigious competition. Cathal OSullivan, who was brought up on a farm and was aware of the dangers posed daily by machines, impressed the judges with his innovative project. Statistics showing that machinery is a major cause of deaths and serious injuries on farms over recent years motivated him to tackle the issue. Being entangled in PTOs (power take off shafts that transfer mechanical power between farm tractors and implements), crushed under a machine part or between vehicles, caught in mechanism, and struck by an object are the main causes of deaths with farm machinery. Between 2010 and 2019, there were 214 fatal accidents on farms, 65 of them due to tractors and vehicles and 39 relating to machinery. Cathal OSullivan from Beara Community School in Castletown-Bearhaven, Co Cork. There were 19 fatal incidents on farms in 2020. Three of these were children under the age of 18, and nine were farmers aged 65 or more. This followed 25 fatalities in 2017, 15 in 2018 and 19 in 2019. A large proportion of all fatal workplace accidents occur in agriculture, even though a small proportion of the workforce is employed in farming. Cathal O'Sullivan explained in a video supporting his entry for the Young Scientist competition that more accidents are caused by people becoming too complacent and thinking a machine is not spinning when it is actually doing so. My project aims to prevent accidents and help people feel safe around machinery by alerting them when it is dangerous and safe, he said, explaining that the device warns people when they are too close to spinning machinery parts. The recognition given to farm safety by the judges at the exhibition, held virtually for the first time this year, was particularly timely as it put a renewed focus on the issue at the start of 2021. ABP Food Group, one of Europes leading privately owned agribusiness companies and the largest beef processor in Britain and Ireland, sponsored the special farm safety award for the seventh successive year. The award recognises projects that focus on improving safety on farms and educating young people about the dangers of accidents in a farming environment. Martin Kane, managing director, said ABP was proud to again sponsor the award. Over the years, ground-breaking projects were successful in the category and the group was looking forward to another innovative project that will help improve farm safety. Annie Graham, the groups livestock strategy manager, which employs over 11,000 people and has 47 manufacturing plants in Ireland, Britain, Denmark, Poland, Austria, Holland, France, and Spain, said Cathals project embodies the spirit of the award in finding new solutions to make farms safer. Minister of State Martin Heydon, who has special responsibility for farm safety, recently launched a 1m call for proposed farm health, safety, and wellbeing projects under the European Innovation Partnerships, with January 29 as the closing date for stage one submissions. The EIP model is built on stakeholders in the sector coming together as a group and trialling new and innovative ideas and approaches. We are now asking interested parties to come together and develop their ideas as to how we can address issues of farm health, safety and wellbeing, he said, describing the call for proposals as an exciting initiative, which will help to put in place innovative approaches in this vital area. The level of safety incidents, many of them fatal, on farms across the country are unacceptably high. Mr Heydon said he was working to ensure that safety is at the heart of everything done on farms and was determined to deliver lasting change that will drive down the current level of safety incidents. A new accelerated capital allowance scheme, which he brought forward with Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, will make essential farm safety investments more accessible to farmers, he said. Mr Heydon predicted that 2021 will be an important year for farm safety with around 50,000 farmers set to receive vital safety training. The revised HSA farm safety partnership advisory committee and its new working groups are now in place. I plan to build on the momentum of recent months by working closely with farmers to deliver the needed initiatives that can make a real difference to safety on our farms, he said. Capital allowances for farm safety equipment have been accelerated. IFA Farm Business chairperson Rose Mary McDonagh welcomed the inclusion in the Finance Act 2020 of the updated accelerated capital allowances for farm safety equipment. The new scheme allows for 50% capital allowances per annum for two years for eligible equipment, which includes chemical storage cabinets and anti-backing gates, as well as adaptive equipment to assist farmers with disabilities. Urging farmers to remain vigilant, IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs chairperson Caroline Farrell said the important scheme will support farmers to invest in new equipment so they can farm in a safer way. Too many families and communities have been devastated by a farm accident or death. The Health and Safety Authority has repeatedly stressed that vehicle or machinery injuries on farms are preventable if the correct safety procedures are put in place and observed. There are a range of health and safety publications available on both the HSA and Teagasc web sites. Pat Griffin, HSA senior inspector, said last year that many dreadful farm accidents have been in farm workshops associated with the maintenance and repair of farm machinery. He strongly urged farmers to consider safety requirements before commencing any task. 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 STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. New York State Attorney General Letitia James is suing New York City over police tactics used during recent racial-justice protests and demonstrations in years prior. There is no question that the NYPD engaged in a pattern of excessive, brutal, and unlawful force against peaceful protesters, the attorney general said in a statement. Over the past few months, the NYPD has repeatedly and blatantly violated the rights of New Yorkers, inflicting significant physical and psychological harm and leading to great distrust in law enforcement. With todays lawsuit, this longstanding pattern of brutal and illegal force ends. No one is above the law not even the individuals charged with enforcing it. Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYPD Police Commissioner Dermot Shea, NYPD Chief of Department Terence Monahan and the city are named as plaintiffs in the litigation, which was filed on Thursday by James on behalf of the people. The mayor said he is on board with the need for change in the way that the city polices protests. In this Aug. 6, 2020 file photo, New York State Attorney General Letitia James takes a question at a news conference in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)AP I met with Attorney General James yesterday and we have a common goal: Continue to drive major police reforms, the mayor said on Thursday. I couldnt agree more that there are pressing reforms that must and will be made this year, including the major discipline reforms announced with my Obama Foundation pledge, all 30 of the recommendations from the DOI [Department of Investigation] and Law Department reports, and more. That work is critical and is happening right now. A court process and the added bureaucracy of a federal monitor will not speed up this work. There is no time to waste and we will continue to press forward. The New York City Police Department welcomes reform and has embraced the recent suggestions by both the citys Department of Investigation and the citys Law Department, said a spokesman for the NYPDs Deputy commissioner of Public Information. As the Mayor has said, adding another layer does not speed up the process of continued reform, which we have embraced and led the way on. The lawsuit accuses the plaintiffs of failing to address this longstanding pattern of abuse by not properly training, supervising, and disciplining officers to prevent misconduct, despite knowledge and public admission that it violated the rights of New Yorkers. The lawsuit focuses on law-enforcement tactics used against demonstrators alleging police brutality against Black people, including at events such as the 2020 racial-justice protests. Some of the rallies focused on the police-involved deaths of George Floyd in Minnesota and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky, where demonstrators called for police accountability in light of alleged racial injustice. James cites in the lawsuit dozens of examples of the NYPDs blatant use of excessive force and other misconduct, since May 2020, including the indiscriminate, unjustified, and repeated use of batons, pepper spray, bicycles, and a crowd-control tactic known as kettling against peaceful protesters all causing protesters significant physical harm, according to the news release. NYPD officers also unlawfully arrested legal observers, medics, and other workers performing essential services without probable cause and in direct violation of executive orders from Mayor de Blasio. The lawsuit seeks broad injunctive relief, including systemic reforms to the NYPD and the implementation of a monitor to oversee the NYPDs policing tactics in future protests and to ensure compliance with the law. Patrick Lynch, president of the Police Benevolent Association, issued a statement defending the actions of officers at the protests. We will say it again: What we witnessed in June was a failure of New York Citys leadership, Lynch said. They sent cops out to police unprecedented protests and violent riots with no plan, no strategy and no support. They should be forced to answer for the resulting chaos, instead of pointing fingers at cops on the streets and ignoring the criminals who attacked us with bricks and firebombs. Homeless Man Buys Derelict House for $1,500, Transforms It Into Forever Home Over 10 Years Native Detroiter Michael Gray bought an abandoned property for just $1,500 in 2009. Homeless at the time, Gray moved in immediately and began a decade-long restoration that would eventually transform the derelict house into a comfy home for himself and his wife. Gray celebrated his 10th wedding anniversary with his wife, Cynthia, on their renovated property in November 2019. He hopes to inspire others to create livable spaces from humble foundations, one step at a time. Gray, 67, works weekdays as a machinist in Bowling Green, Ohio. Yet, he once found himself jobless in Michigan despite holding degrees in English and Psychology from Spring Arbor University. I had been going through a rough time in my life, he explained to Business Insider. I was staying with my niece and sleeping in her basement. In 2008, Gray suffered another setback: he was hit by a car. Wishing to change his fortune for the better, he used a portion of the settlement money to buy a dilapidated home from his nephew, Sylvester, a broker for a commercial real-estate agency. Gray moved into the home right away despite the fact that it was infested with mites, spiders, and mice. In Detroit, if youre not there, or you dont have someone there, someone will come in and take your stuff, Gray explained. Its gone in a matter of 15 minutes. Sleeping on an air mattress, without plumbing or even a functioning toilet, Gray set to work. I tore everything out, all the way down to the studs, he said. He tackled approximately 80 percent of the labor himself, enlisting help from friends to install drywall, an electrical box, a new furnace, a hot-water tank, and central air. I also began to craft my rehab skills working as a laborer for guys who were fixing up homes to rent, he added. I watched the guys, I asked questions, and I said, I can do this. Grays vision was to make it a family home forever. By his side from the very beginning was Grays then-fiancee, Cynthia. When it came to the finer decorative decisions, those were handed over to Cynthia. She had picked out the paint she wanted for each room, he said, and, after the drywall went up, I put the primer on and painted. The bulk of Grays renovation project was completed by July 2012, with Gray investing around $70,000 into the repairs to date. With three renovated bedrooms, one bathroom, and a walk-in closet, the house is now a functioning home that the Grays are proud to call their own. Beyond making a home for himself and Cynthia, Gray has also built a major investment, as the Detroit property market is booming despite the pandemic, according to WXYZ Detroit. But Gray still has a few tasks to keep him occupied going forward. I will be retiring again and returning to Detroit to complete the process of the roof, some siding, and completion of the basement, Gray told The Epoch Times. I try so hard to inspire others in Detroit that they can do this also, one to two rooms at a time. But make your renovation a statement, rather than just making it look okay, he stated. Im retiring again, with my whole focus on making a statement for decades to come. This story was last updated in January 2021. Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired Newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. The Western Trust will suspend visiting to all its sites and facilities from tonight. The Trust said the decision had been taken in response to the ongoing pandemic situation. A spokesperson said: "Due to the very high levels of COVID-19 transmission across our community, the four UK Chief Medical Officers have advised that we now move into Alert level 5, which requires the strictest of social distancing given the threat that health and social care services could become overwhelmed and therefore impacts on visiting to all care settings across Northern Ireland. "Subsequently the Western Trust has assessed all elements of risk and in order to protect patients, visitors and staff, the decision has been made to temporarily suspend visiting on all sites and facilities within the Western Trust. "This suspension will now apply from midnight on Thursday 14 January 2021." During these chilly weeks of January, many Irish thoughts turn toward warmer climes and the idea of beach life in those fantasy islands closer the equator. For David Campion, such daydreaming is now a reality as he blends an enviable sunshine lifestyle with an architectural business that continues to expand and grow across different time zones. Like many success stories, however, Argo Development Studio grew out of tough choices and hard work. Having joined the architectural firm Murray O Laoire shortly after college, he worked at the firms Dublin office for over a decade. Sean O Laoire was a very inspirational individual and a great mentor, he recalled of the companys founding director and a former president of the RIAI. In 2010, the opportunity that would change Davids life arrived in the form of a major project the firm had won in the Caribbean. It was decided that someone from the Dublin office should relocate to that part of the world for a year and set up an office, both to manage the project at hand, as well as the prospect of chasing up new business. After talking it over with his wife Edel, the couple and their three small children decided to grab what seemed the chance of a lifetime. Looking back, it was an upheaval, but it seemed an adventure too good to pass up. However, then, just as the family were barely finding their feet in the unfamiliar surroundings of the Caribbean, the recession back home claimed another victim in the form of Irelands best-known architectural firm, Murray O Laoire, with the loss of more than 120 jobs. The firm admitted to being unable to meet its financial obligations as a result of cumulative bad debts and increasing difficulties in getting paid on time, or at all. It delivered the ultimate of career wake-up calls for David and his family. We had only been in Barbados for three months when Murray O Laoire went into liquidation, but even in that short space of time we had gotten a feel for the place, he said. The time difference between Barbados and Ireland allows for 15-hour work days. Determined to cope with the unexpected circumstance, he followed his instincts and decided to set up a fledgling practice. Argo is an architectural practice specialising in digital construction. We use a process called BIM building information modelling which allows us to design, cost and construct buildings in a virtual environment before they ever get to a site. "These digital twins of buildings that we create allow us to deliver more intelligent structures, designed to be more resilient, safer, more sustainable and to realise savings of up to 20% over conventional means. Within the first six months of setting up, the company had secured work with Digicel, Virgin, Radisson, Marriott, and Sandals. Currently with offices in Dublin, Barbados, the Grenadines, Dominica, and Jamaica, the firm employs a team of 43. They are currently managing live projects in 13 countries, including Bermuda international airport, and a number of hospitality projects in Barbados and Dominica. In 2015, the Argo Centre of Technical Expertise was established in Dublin offering the Irish construction industry access to a standard 15-hour working day thanks to the time difference between Dublin and Barbados. We opened our Dublin office with the support of Enterprise Ireland, and are currently working on several multi-unit residential schemes in Blackrock and Dalkey while also working with Henry J Lyons and Metropolitan Workshop on high profile commercial and large-scale mixed-use buildings in Dublin and the surrounding regions. Hospitality sector Fifty per cent of the companys work in the Caribbean is in the hospitality sector, working with brands such as Marriott, Park Hyatt, Sandals, Radisson, Fort Young, Secret Bay and Apes Hill. Our other work includes infrastructure projects such as Bermuda international airport, working with the World Health Organisation, smart hospitals for Pan American Health Organisation and the Maria Holder Schools programme. "Master planning projects include a new 300-acre sustainable town outside Georgetown, Guyana. We expect hospitality to continue to strengthen into 2021 and on as pent-up demand increases. While admitting that part of the charm of Barbados and the Caribbean is the laid-back nature of its warm and friendly people, the attributes that ARGO looks for in new hires do not change based on location. Our Barbados team and teams around the Caribbean share the same traits as our Dublin team talented ambitious professionals with a strong work ethic and great problem-solving capabilities. "I am demanding to work for, but I let our team know this up front, hence why we interview four times. Trust plays a huge role in managing team and it needs to be earned from both sides. Travel restrictions, the challenges of not been able to visit projects and lack of personal contact with clients are part of the Covid-19 fallout the firm continues to cope with, and which have tested its digital infrastructure and senior management to step up to the plate to become country leaders. But, as 2021 brings the prospect of a more settled world, David looks to new operational horizons with confidence. We will continue to break new territories in Jamaica, Guyana, Aruba, and also grow our market share in existing territories including Ireland," says David. "In addition, we will continue to invest in the training and software and hardware required to be an industry leader in digital construction. Progressive Based in Barbados, David has the benefit of viewing his native shore from a distance: Ireland is certainly seen as a progressive first world country from the Caribbean. Its strength in pharmaceutical and IT is well known, and the view here it is that Ireland is expected to rebound next year and to be one of the fastest growing economies in the world. And while the Campion family continue to make their home in that territory of warm breezes and glorious sunsets, the lure of home is never too far from their minds. A few years ago I undertook a project of the heart to rescue a schoolhouse falling to ruin in Leitrim, on a mountain-top overlooking Lough Allen. Maintaining the exterior of the house to reflect its history, he converted the interior as an example of low-energy luxury living. In normal times, I take the family there whenever we are home, in summer and at Christmas. Its important for us to have it. The Daily Beast Rexburg Police DepartmentA psychological evaluation has found Lori Vallowthe doomsday mom accused of murdering her two childrennot competent to stand trial.Assessment determined at this time the defendant is not competent to proceed and recommends restorative treatment, Seventh Judicial District Judge Steven Boyce wrote in a Thursday order pausing the case.Prosecutors have already contested the reports findings, but the judges order remains in effect pending determination of the issue of competency.The news comes after Vallow and her husband, Chad Daybell, were indicted on several new charges and accused of justifying the murders of three peopleincluding Vallows two kidswith their doomsday-centered religious beliefs.On Thursday, the Chandler Police Department confirmed to The Daily Beast that it has also submitted its investigation into the death of Vallows ex-husband, Charles Vallow, who was fatally shot by his brother-in-law in July 2019, to the Maricopa County Attorneys Office. Police said they recommended that Vallow should be charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murderthough it is up to county prosecutors to make an official charge.A Maricopa County Attorneys Office spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast they received the Chandler Police Departments investigation into Charles Vallows death on April 1, but declined to comment on it.Doomsday Couple Allegedly Murdered Threeand Justified It With Religious Beliefs On Tuesday, the couple was indicted on several charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, in connection with the deaths of Vallows kids, 7-year-old J.J Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan. Daybell, a doomsday author, was also been charged with first-degree murder for the October 2019 death of Tammy Daybell, his ex-wife. Vallow has been separately charged with grand theft for allegedly diverting her childrens Social Security benefits into her personal bank account. Prosecutors allege Daybell and Vallow did endorse and espouse religious beliefs for the purpose of encouraging and/or justifying the homicide of all three people.Their alleged murder spree began in 2019, when Charles Vallow was fatally shot by his wifes brother, Alex Cox, during a domestic dispute. Cox, who was not charged and died months later from natural causes, said at the time he fired in self-defense. In divorce and custody petitions against Vallow, Charles wrote that his estranged wife had become obsessed with doomsday visions and had threatened his life. He said Vallow believed she was reincarnated to lead people during the second coming of Jesus in July 2020 and said that if he got in the way of her saving humanity, she would kill him, according to NBC News.Vallow believes that she is receiving spiritual revelations and visions to help her gather and prepare those chosen to live in the New Jerusalem after the Great War as prophesied in the Book of Revelations, the divorce petition read.Vallow and Daybell, who are members of a community of doomsday preppers and were married two weeks after Daybell was widowed, are already in prison for several other crimes related to the childrens disappearance in September 2019.Im Not Supposed to Be Talking to You: Doomsday Mom Called Hubby From Jail as FBI Searched His HomeProsecutors allege Daybell and Vallow killed Tylee Ryan on Sept. 8 or Sept. 9, 2019, after almost a year of planning. About two weeks later, the pair allegedly killed J.J. The indictment states that Daybell then murdered his ex-wife in October with the help of Vallow and her brother. In January 2020, Vallow made national headlines when she refused to comply with a court order to produce her two children. It was later revealed she had also asked a friend to lie to the police and say she was watching J.J.Last June, Idaho authorities charged the pair with conspiracy to conceal evidence after the remains of two kids were found in Daybells home. Daybell is scheduled to enter a plea on the murder charges on June 9. Vallow was supposed to make an initial appearance on Wednesday but her hearing was put on hold at the request of her lawyer, Mark Means. Attorneys for Daybell and Vallow did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's request for comment.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Frequently Asked Questions: Spring Semester SEVP Guidance for Continuing Students Updated January 12, 2021 IMPORTANT NOTE: Unfortunately, the Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP) has not yet issued any guidance regarding enrollment for the spring 2021 semester. We will communicate should they issue new guidance. However, in the meantime, the below FAQs are in response to the guidance issued last summer. In the absence of new guidance for spring 2021, we will continue to follow this guidance. Questions below address concerns related to the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic and the spring 2021 semester for continuing students. New students should reference these FAQs for their questions. Immigration regulations and policies are subject to change and may change rapidly without much advance notice. Students should routinely review our FAQs, OIE News Articles, and the universitys Coronavirus Information page, as well as read all university emails sent to their Andrew account. I am a continuing F-1 student in the U.S. Can I remain anywhere in the U.S. and complete all of my coursework remotely for the spring 2021 semester with the CMU hybrid model? According to the SEVP Frequently Asked Questions related to the Fall 2020 semester (updated August 7), continuing F-1 students who were enrolled in March 2020 in the U.S. can study from anywhere within the U.S., as long as they remain enrolled full time. According to the guidance issued in summer 2020 (the only guidance currently in place), students who first came to the U.S. to study for the fall 2020 semester are required to have some in-person classes for the spring 2021 semester. How can I get a new travel signature from OIE (since OIE is working remotely)? You do not need a travel signature to exit the US you only need a valid travel signature for re-entry into the US. For an updated travel signature you should send an e-mail to OIE (oie@andrew.cmu.edu) and attach completed OIE Request for Services Request Form. You will receive a new I-20 (with a new travel signature) by e-mail. The current government guidance allows the use of electronic I-20s for travel. You can find government guidanceon the SEVP website. J-1 students who need a new travel signature will need to arrange for the shipping (with eShip Global) of their new DS-2019 Form, since electronic distribution of DS-2019s is prohibited by law. I left the U.S. in the spring/summer 2020 and I will be enrolled in all remote classes this spring semester. Will I have a problem returning to the U.S. for the spring semester because of the 5 month rule? The 5 month rule applies to F-1 students who have been outside of the U.S. for 5 months or more without being enrolled at their U.S. school. If you have been continuing your full-time enrollment at CMU, the rule doesnt apply to you, even if you have been outside of the U.S. for over 5 months. I am a continuing F-1 student and currently overseas. Can I maintain my F-1 status and complete all my coursework remotely from overseas? Will this have an impact on my status, visa or future work eligibility? Do I need a new I-20? Based on the guidance issued last summer, continuing students in F-1 status who were studying in the U.S. in March 2020 with an active SEVIS record may complete their spring 2021 coursework remotely from overseas. As long as the students SEVIS record remains active and the student maintains full-time enrollment, their F-1 status and future employment eligibility will not be impacted. It is our understanding that the F-1 visa sticker in your passport will also remain valid (until its expiration date). NOTE: remote instruction may be restricted in some countries. The U.S. government still requires OPT applications to be sent from within the U.S. According to the guidance issued in summer 2020 (the only guidance currently in place), students who first came to the U.S. to study for the fall 2020 semester are required to have some in-person classes for the spring 2021 semester to maintain F-1 status and OPT/CPT eligibility. If a student has plans to re-enter the U.S. then the I-20/DS-2019 must have a travel signature that is less than 12 months old at the time of their re-entry. Please see the How can I get a new travel signature from OIE (since OIE is working remotely)? FAQ if a new travel signature is needed. I am a continuing F-1 student and currently overseas. I need a new F-1 visa to come back to CMU for the spring semester. Can I return to the U.S. to engage in a fully remote program of study with the CMU hybrid model? Do I need a new I-20 for the visa interview? Based on the guidance issued last summer, continuing students in F-1 status who were studying in the U.S. in March 2020 may return to the U.S. to engage in a fully remote program of study for the spring 2021 semester. Continuing students who require a new F-1 visa to come back to the U.S. for the spring semester will not need a new I-20 for the visa interview. It is our understanding that for continuing F-1 students who were studying in the U.S. in March 2020, F-1 status can be maintained for spring 2021 with a fully remote program of study, but whether an individual is eligible to apply for an F visa is a decision that must be made by the U.S. Department of State. According to the guidance issued in summer 2020 (the only guidance currently in place), students who first came to the U.S. to study for the fall 2020 semester are required to have some in-person classes for the spring 2021 semester to maintain F-1 status and OPT/CPT eligibility. I am a continuing F-1 student and Im currently in my home country, but Im planning to return to the U.S. as soon as Im able to sometime during the spring semester. Can I begin my coursework remotely and arrive in the U.S. mid-semester? Do I need a new I-20? As long as your academic program allows it and as long as you were studying in the U.S. in March 2020, you may arrive to the U.S. after the start of the spring semester to continue with your full-time enrollment. You will not need a new I-20 if your current I-20 has been signed for travel within the past 12 months. According to the guidance issued in summer 2020 (the only guidance currently in place), students who first came to the U.S. to study for the fall 2020 semester are required to have some in-person classes for the spring 2021 semester to maintain F-1 status and OPT/CPT eligibility. Im an F-1 student and I plan to study remotely (from overseas) in the spring semester. How will this affect my future eligibility for CPT or OPT? F-1 continuing students who were studying in the U.S. in March 2020 who plan to study remotely from outside the U.S. will continue to have an active SEVIS record. As long as your SEVIS record remains active and you remain fully enrolled, we do not anticipate a negative impact on your future eligibility for CPT or OPT. However, the U.S. government requires OPT applications to be sent from within the U.S. NOTE: remote instruction may be restricted in some countries. According to the guidance issued in summer 2020 (the only guidance currently in place), students who first came to the U.S. to study for the fall 2020 semester are required to have some in-person classes for the spring 2021 semester to maintain F-1 status and OPT/CPT eligibility. I received an electronic Form I-20 from OIE. Can I use it to apply for a new F-1 visa and/or enter the U.S.? SEVP has provided guidance regarding electronic issuance and signing of Forms I-20 for the duration of COVID-19 emergency. SEVP has confirmed that both U.S. Department of State (in charge of U.S. consulates and visa issuance) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (in charge of admission into the U.S.) are in support of the use of electronic I-20 Forms. Please feel free to use SEVP guidance when communicating with either of these agencies, if the question of your electronic I-20 Form comes up. What will happen if students leave the U.S. and then cannot obtain visa appointments or receive their visas before the spring semester? Should students stay in the U.S. if they need visas? OIE recommends that students (from all countries) consider international travel plans carefully as travel bans/restrictions may be in place at the time they want to return to the United States. Visa processing may be delayed or unavailable due to health and safety concerns at many U.S. Consulates. If you are a continuing student who was enrolled in the U.S. in March 2020 and has left the U.S., you will be able to complete your spring 2021 coursework remotely from overseas without negative impact to your F-1 student status. You will, however, need a new F-1 student visa for when you return to the U.S. NOTE: The U.S. government requires OPT applications to be sent from within the U.S. Additionally: remote instruction may be restricted in some countries. Im located in the Pittsburgh area. How do I obtain an SSN denial letter that is needed to apply for a Pennsylvania drivers license or state ID? Keith Krach (L), U.S. undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment, speaks to Brent Christensen, director of the American Institute in Taiwan, during a funeral ceremony of former Taiwan president Lee Teng-hui at the Aletheia University in Nee Taipei City on Sept. 19, 2020. (HSU CHAO-CHANG/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) US Changes Course on Taiwan in Defiance of Beijing WASHINGTONWashington has long been cautious in dealing with the Taiwan issue for fear of provoking the regime in Beijing and heightening tensions. The tone of U.S.Taiwan relations, however, has dramatically changed under the Trump administration, particularly since a September 2020 visit to Taipei by a senior U.S. official that paved the way for new economic dialogue. On Jan. 9, the United States lifted restrictions on contact with Taiwanese officials, marking the latest move to deepen ties with the democratic island. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that he was removing all self-imposed restrictions on interactions of diplomats, service members, and other officials with their Taiwanese counterparts. The decision came after a multi-year review of arcane protocols. Pompeo made the announcement, during the final days of President Donald Trumps term, saying that the U.S. government will no longer appease the Communist regime in Beijing. The move has angered China since it claims sovereignty over the island. This latest tension will likely be the first major test for President-elect Joe Biden, according to experts, as his approach will determine the fate of the U.S.China relations under his presidency. The United States sees Taiwan as a strategic partner in the region and theres a growing bipartisan push for the establishment of a bilateral free-trade agreement with the self-governed island. Keith Krach, undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy, and the environment has played a crucial role in the warming of relations with Taipei under the Trump administration. As a first step toward negotiating a free trade agreement with Taiwan, Krach recommends pursuing the completion of a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), which is a mechanism for resolving bilateral trade issues. If the incoming team would like to pursue TIFA, I think the table has been set, especially with the bipartisan support on Capitol Hill, he told The Epoch Times. In September last year, Krach led a delegation to Taiwan, becoming the highest-ranking State Department official to visit the island since 1979, when the U.S. government transferred diplomatic recognition to Beijing from Taipei. His historic visit signaled the continuation of increasing support for Taipei, in defiance of the Chinese Communist Party regime. Krach went there to attend a memorial service for former President Lee Teng-hui, the first democratically elected leader of the island and considered by many as Taiwans George Washington. A visit by such a high-profile U.S. official was a big event in Taiwan. When I arrived at the hotel to quarantine, almost every TV station was showing footage of the different chapters of my life, back to when I was 5 years old, Krach said. The move, however, drew immediate condemnation from China. We were greeted with fighter jets and bombers, he said. Beijing conducted military operations near Taiwan to express its frustration. Chinese bomber and fighter jets entered Taiwans airspace at least 46 times during the week of Krachs visit, violating a protocol that neither side would cross the midline of the narrow Taiwan strait. The United States doesnt have a formal diplomatic relationship with Taiwan, but maintains unofficial ties with the self-ruled island under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act. The act authorizes the United States to provide the island with military equipment for its self-defense, and set up a nonprofit corporation called the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which is the de facto U.S. embassy on the island. The U.S. delegation to Taipei led by Krach also conducted economic dialogue and collaboration on a wide range of areas, including secure technology, economic empowerment of women, education, entrepreneurship, healthcare, energy, infrastructure, and global supply chain realignment. U.S. Undersecretary for Economic Affairs Keith Krach, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) founder Morris Chang attend a banquet for the U.S. delegation in Taipei, Taiwan on Sept. 18, 2020. (Courtesy of Keith Krach) Krachs visit came after U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar visited the island in August to sign a cooperation agreement on disease control and drug development. During his three-day visit, Krach also set the goal of signing an Economic Prosperity Partnership (EPP) named after President Lee before Thanksgiving and signing a Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement before Christmas. As planned, both parties signed a memorandum of understanding for the EPP in Washington on Nov. 20. They also signed in December the U.S.Taiwan Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement to bolster their commitment to transparency, intellectual property, research integrity, and human rights. Strong Momentum for a Trade Agreement About half of the U.S. Senate believes that its the right time to begin trade talks with Taipei. In October last year, 50 senators sent a joint letter to U.S. Trade Representative Bob Lighthizer, urging him to start the formal process of negotiating a comprehensive trade agreement. Under Trumps presidency, Washington significantly expanded military aid to Taiwan as well. Taiwanese officials are now hoping the incoming Biden administration will follow Trumps lead. Taiwan plays a key role in the critical supply chains that the coronavirus pandemic has exposed last year. The island is also a crucial hub for the global semiconductor supply chain. In May last year, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) announced that it would build the worlds most advanced 5-nanometer chip fabrication facility in Arizona, an important milestone for building a safe 5G network for the United States and its partners. TSMC recently acquired land in north Phoenix to build its $12 billion factory and is planning to hire more than 1,600 workers when the plant is fully operational. The deal with TSMC has the potential to fundamentally reorient Taiwans high-tech supply chain away from China and toward the United States, according to a State Department official familiar with the deal. Last year, the State Department launched a campaign called Clean Network to boot Huawei and other Chinese companies from critical telecommunications infrastructure around the world. The TSMC deal is an important component of the initiative as it will help bring semiconductor production vital to national security back to the United States, according to Krach. More than 50 countries, including Taiwan, have joined the Clean Network as of December and more countries and telecom operators are expected to join the alliance. Bidens Approach to Taiwan The ongoing U.S.China trade dispute will be a central issue for the new administration. And Beijing is anxious to see how Biden will approach the outgoing administrations decision about the lifting of the restrictions on contact with Taiwanese officials. Chinas state-run media Global Times, in recent editorials, slammed the announcement as the Trump administrations last-ditch madness. However, Beijing is unlikely to make any move to upset relations with the new administration before Biden takes office. As part of the efforts to help Bidens transition team, the Trump administration suddenly canceled all planned travel this week, including a trip by Kelly Craft, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, to Taiwan. Craft had been scheduled to begin her three-day trip on Jan. 13 and was to meet the islands president Tsai Ing-wen. It is still unclear whether the new administration will unwind Trumps policies on Taiwan and pay a domestic political cost for making concessions to the Chinese Communist Party regime. Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.Taiwan Business Council, said that this would be an early test of Bidens attitude toward Taiwan. This approach of self-censorship in U.S.Taiwan relations under Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush caused considerable problems for U.S.Taiwan ties and created further imbalances in cross-strait tensions as the PRC became further emboldened, Hammond-Chambers told The Epoch Times. He believes the Chinese regime is likely to demand the United States reverse some or all of the gains made in American national interest with Taiwan during the Trump administration. As Mr. Biden has declared therell be no new trade agreements for the foreseeable future, the best we can hope for is a resumption of the TIFA [talks], not held since 2015, Hammond-Chambers said. According to him, while its hard to conceive of the Biden administration pursuing a trade agreement with Taiwan, it is still possible for his team to explore and possibly implant smaller agreements including on investment and taxation, which the U.S. business community supports. An official with Bidens transition team told reporters this week that Biden would continue to support a peaceful resolution of cross-strait issues consistent with the wishes and best interests of the people of Taiwan. Cathy He and Alice Sun contributed to this report. Airline passengers who heckled Mitt Romney and Lindsey Graham with traitor chants have been banned by Delta. The Republican senators were verbally abused by passengers after they criticised Donald Trump for his attempt to overturn the election and for his role in inciting the violent Capitol riot. Now Delta CEO Ed Bastian says it has put those passengers involved on its no-fly list. Mr Romney was heckled onboard a Delta flight from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Washington DC, and Mr Trump referred to the incident at his now infamous rally before the riot. I wonder if he enjoyed his flight in last night, said the outgoing president to his supporters. A 20-second video of the incident, in which several pro-Trump passengers chanted traitor, traitor, traitor at the Utah senator, was posted to Twitter before the account was deleted. Another passenger shouted, Resign, Mitt, while another yelled, Mitt Romney, you dont listen to your constituents. Mr Romney was also harangued before the flight by an unmasked woman, who approached the lawmaker and demanded to know why he was not supporting Mr Trump. When Mr Romney asked her to put on a mask, she replied Dont tell me what to do before agreeing to do so. He then told her that he did agree with many of the things he does, but that he opposed Mr Trumps efforts to overturn the election. Youre a joke, absolute joke, disgusting shame, the woman angrily told him as Mr Romney walked away. Mr Trumps supporters also confronted Mr Graham at Reagan National Airport in Washington DC after he denounced Mr Trump over the riot. The South Carolina politician had to be escorted through the airport by police as a group of people chanted that he was a traitor. Mr Graham was also branded a garbage human being by Trump supporters, and told, you dont represent us anymore. The airline has also banned passengers on flights to the Washington DC metro area from checking guns ahead of Joe Bidens inauguration. Were all on high alert based on the events over the last couple of weeks in Washington, said Mr Bastian on CNBC. The Federal Aviation Administration says it will take a zero tolerance policy to unruly passengers, who can be fined up to $35,000. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. A group in a Laois village has ambitious plans to make a round tower in their community a national heritage attraction for visitors on a par with the world-famous Glendalough in Co Wicklow. Timahoe is home to a remarkably well-maintained tower on the site of a monastery established by Saint Mochua in the 7th century. A number of months ago Tigh Mochua Le Cheile, a local organisation set up to enhance the village, approached Catherine Casey the Heritage Officer of Co Laois, with a view of applying for funding from the Town and Village Renewal scheme. The funding was applied for funds to carry out remedial works on the Heritage Centres roof and windows. They also applied to install a heating system, kitchenette, toilet upgrade to the building. Other money was sought to upgrade equipment and information stands with the aim of improving the visitor experience going forward. The group was delighted last week when Minister Heather Humphreys announced a 100,000 grant towards the updating and refurbishment of the centre at the tower which was built in the 12th Century. "It's our plan to begin as soon as is possible to carry out the works on the building," said Roghan Headen of Tigh Mochua Le Cheile. "Timahoe has the finest round tower in Ireland and we want to share the story of the Monastic Heritage of Laois. It is our goal with the assistance of the OPW to become a site similar to Glendalough. "Pre-Covid 19 visitor numbers to Ireland were increasing steadily each year which put pressure on our national visitor sights such as Glendalough when Ireland reopens we want to be there ready to open up to visitors," said Mr Headen. He thanked the Laois Heritage Officer for her assistance in securing the funding. CONTRACT OPPORTUNITY NGA further previews $947M 'Clover' services vehicle The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has given small businesses new glimpse at its plans for a potential five-year, $947 million contract vehicle to acquire professional services that support NGAs acquisition and business functions. NGA on Tuesday released a draft request for proposals for its multiple-award Clover vehicle, which is the successor to the current Emerald effort. The period for comments and questions is open through Feb. 2. Clovers solicitation number is HM0476-20-R-0030 in the event there are changes to how Beta.Sam.Gov tracks the procurement. Like the current contract, Clover is set aside for small businesses only. Broad areas of work for Clover will include lifecycle acquisition management, strategic business and financial management. Six companies won seats on Emerald in 2016. That contract has an $849 million ceiling over five years. CLEVELAND, Ohio U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio remains one President Donald Trumps top defenders, even in the wake of last weeks assault on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters. You can listen online here. Jordan on Wednesday criticized the second impeachment of Trump for the presidents role in spurring on the insurgents, instead portraying Trump as a victim of Democrats who have been out to get Trump since the day he took office. Meanwhile, Jordan still refuses to acknowledge that President-elect Joe Biden did not steal the election, the false claim pushed by Trump. In Cleveland, authorities say the latest plan to undercut Cleveland Public Power began in early 2018, when a Cincinnati fixer incorporated a nonprofit that was financed by FirstEnergy Corp. and aided by attorneys and lobbyists. And a variant of the coronavirus has been found in Ohio. Hear cleveland.com editor Chris Quinn discuss these stories and more in The Wake Up podcast. The podcast is a summary of cleveland.coms morning newsletter The Wake Up. You can receive The Wake Up through email at 5:30 a.m. each weekday by subscribing here. You can get our podcasts delivered directly to your phone, and we have an Apple podcasts channel exclusively for this podcast. Subscribe here. Do you get your podcasts on Spotify? Find us here. If you use Stitcher, we are here. RadioPublic is another popular podcast vehicle, and we are here. On Google Podcasts, we are here. On PodParadise, find us here. The Chinese government has rejected pleas from its own steel industry to lift bans on Australian coal cargoes, keeping dozens of ships holding 8 million tonnes of the commodity stranded at sea. More than 70 vessels carrying Australian coal have been unable to unload in China since October, coinciding with a souring of diplomatic and trade tensions between Canberra and Beijing. Australian miners had hoped the restrictions may have eased from January 1 when China reset its unofficial import quotas but analysts and industry leaders on Thursday warned China appeared to be taking an even "firmer position" against Australian coal. Ships have continued to unload coal from other countries at Chinese ports even as those from Australia languish. Credit:AP Coal mining insiders, not authorised to speak publicly on the matter, said some of their customers in China's steel sector had notified them that they had lobbied Beijing to lift the Australian import ban late last year with the help of their industry associations, but their efforts were unsuccessful. A huge three-metre crocodile has been filmed crossing a dirt road in the remote Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory. Park ranger Jenny Hunter filmed the video on Wednesday with her partner Andy Ralph sending out a warning to local communities in the area. The croc can be seen lumbering across the dusty, red road in front of Ms Hunter's four-wheel-drive with something in its jaws, that people commenting online suggested might be a small animal. The huge croc was spotted crossing a road in the Northern Territory on Wednesday (pictured) Kakadu National Park (pictured) is a world UNESCO heritage site has a population of 10,000 crocodiles 'A decent-sized crocodile is moving about the causeway and is not shy in doing so,' Mr Ralph warned on Thursday afternoon. Rangers in the Kakadu area have recently put up warning signs about the risks from crocodiles after moderate flooding earlier in January. 'Remember, just about every creek, culvert and waterhole in Kakadu has a croc in it during the wet season - so be on the lookout and stay safe,' he wrote. More than 1,000 people have shared the video and more than 500 people have commented. 'Just another day in the Territory,' one person wrote. 'That's a decent sized croc!' Another said. Rangers recently put up fresh signs (pictured) warning residents about croc dangers after flooding The three-metre croc (pictured) was spotted in Kakadu National Park with some people commenting the reptile appeared to have foudn some lunch 'Just went out for a bit of lunch, looks like it could be a pig or dog,' added a third. Kakadu National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage protected area about 170km southeast of Darwin. The rugged area contains famous Indigenous rock art paintings and plentiful Australia native fauna including dingoes, wallabys, and quolls, along with unique bird species. Kakadu has a population of about 10,000 crocodiles which are either freshwater, growing to three metres long, or saltwater, which can grow to six metres and weigh more than a tonne. Wildfires in the western United States have exacerbated pollution enough to threaten decades of progress toward sustaining cleaner skies, according to new research underscoring one of the alarming ways that climate change can harm public health. The findings from researchers at Stanford University and UC San Diego show that wildfire smoke is now responsible for as much as half of the fine-particulate air pollution in western states. Thats about double the level that smoke accounted for in the mid-2000s, according to the paper published Tuesday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. While the country took large strides to improve air quality after passage of the federal Clean Air Act decades ago, the latest research suggests that smoky skies are frustrating the trend, particularly in western states such as California. Researchers developed a statistical model to examine how much wildfires contributed to PM 2.5, the name for inhalable particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller. Those particles can cause a range of serious health issues, including decreased lung function and heart attacks. The gains in reduced illness and death that were created by the Clean Air Act are being undermined by wildfire, said Michael Wara, director of Stanfords climate and energy policy program and one of the papers authors. The authors examined data from 2006 through 2018, so the impacts of Californias 2020 wildfire season, when more land burned than any other year on record, were not included. But the paper still captured years of increasingly extreme fires. For example, 2018 was the states second-most severe fire season as measured by acres burned. That year, the air basins also recorded their largest total number of days since 2002 when PM 2.5 levels exceeded the national 24-hour standard, according to the California Air Resources Board. The air board data did not separate sources of PM 2.5, which includes sources such as fossil-fuel-powered cars and power plants in addition to smoke from fires. It should be a concern for everyone in the western U.S., Wara said of pollution caused by fires. People living in downtown Oakland or in the heart of San Francisco, where theres never going to be a wildfire, should be concerned about what happens in Lake County, because the smoke from Lake County is going to drift over their homes and cause sickness and death. In the paper, Wara and his colleagues noted that the countrys annual burned area has about quadrupled over the past 40 years. Climate change accounts for about half of the increase, and another doubling could occur as temperatures continue rising, the authors explained. Accordingly, wildfire smoke is going to be a lot of peoples first real personal experience with climate change, said Marshall Burke, a Stanford associate professor of earth system science and another author of the paper. Its super widespread and its really hard to avoid, Burke said. So most in the U.S. are going to experience this much more readily than they are going to experience something like sea level rise or increasing hurricane intensity and that kind of stuff. Nick Otto / Special to The Chronicle 2020 As the threats from fires have soared, so has the number of people living in harms way: The number of homes on the edge of the fire danger zone has grown by about 350,000 annually over the past 20 years, the paper said. And the researchers found that counties with whiter and wealthier populations tended to be more directly exposed to fine-particulate pollution from wildfire smoke, even though lower-income communities of color are more exposed to PM 2.5 overall. But the paper also stresses that infiltration of outdoor pollutants into homes is known to be higher on average for older, smaller homes and for lower-income households. What we measure in this paper is outdoor spread, but people spend most of their time indoors, Burke said. Poor communities could still be more exposed once you account for this indoor infiltration. While fires are an obvious air quality problem, more research is needed to determine whether fine particles in wildfire smoke are more or less harmful to human health than the fine particles found in other sources of air pollution, said Tony Wexler, a UC Davis professor who was not involved in the study. Interactive California Fire Tracker This interactive map provides information on wildfires burning across California and lets you explore coverage of past fire seasons. My hunch is its less damaging, said Wexler, director of the universitys Air Quality Research Center. We as humans have evolved over millions of years with wildfire smoke and we have always had campfires and we always have cooked over stoves with wood. My guess is that our body is better adapted to that stuff than it is to diesel exhaust. But not all wildfire smoke is the same. Catastrophes such as the 2018 Camp Fire that raze whole neighborhoods are likely much worse than fires that burn mostly through forests, Wexler said. A Stanford research team that included Burke estimated in 2020 that the excess particulate matter from wildfires that year may have indirectly contributed to thousands of deaths. Dr. Stephanie Christenson, a UCSF pulmonologist and assistant professor of medicine, has seen the health consequences of wildfire smoke firsthand. When air quality deteriorates as the state burns, she said her patients with chronic lung problems report having a harder time breathing. And the effects arent limited to the days when fires are actively burning. Ill hear about even months out where people will say, This all started with the fires. My breathing hasnt been as good, Christenson said. Anecdotally, just when I talk to my patients, theyre all feeling it. Many Californians are feeling it in general on many days of the year and even people without lung problems. J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Jammu: With barely three weeks to go for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, the crime branch of Police has arrested a self-proclaimed travel agent who had been allegedly cheating people by selling fake helicopter tickets at exorbitant rates. Acting on a complaint from Global Vectra, a private helicopter company authorised to ferry pilgrims to the Himalayan cave shrive, a team of crime branch personnel headed by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ramesh Jalla nabbed Sanjay Bajaj, who runs an unauthorised travel agency adjacent to the Roop Nagar police station in the city. It was found that Bajaj had allegedly defrauded people on earlier occasions as well and had been "using press and media references" to get himself out of tight spots, an official spokesman said. Also Read: Amarnath pilgrims required to furnish bonafide medical certificates The case started when a resident of Haridwar approached Global Vectra, seeking to verify the four tickets he had purchased from Bajaj for Rs 22,000, a charge which is higher than the fare fixed by the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB). The cost of one-way travel has been fixed at Rs 1,715. The company got in touch with the police as the tickets were not issued by it. Police cracked the case after tracing the bank account number to which the money had been transferred. SSP Jalla advised pilgrims using helicopter services to verify their tickets before they proceed for the yatra, which starts on June 29. Also Read: Amarnath Yatra: MHA warns of threat of stone-pelting on pilgrims For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Armie Hammer has broken his silence after disturbing messages about rape fantasies, BDSM and cannibalism he allegedly sent to a woman were leaked last week. The Social Network star also confirmed he was dropping out of his latest film - Shotgun Wedding with Jennifer Lopez - after the news was first reported earlier on Wednesday. He said in a statement to DailyMail.com: 'I'm not responding to these b******* claims but in light of the vicious and spurious online attacks against me, I cannot in good conscience now leave my children for 4 months to shoot a film in the Dominican Republic.' He added: 'Lionsgate is supporting me in this and I'm grateful to them for that.' A Wednesday report from Page Six claimed that the actor was exiting the project, with production spokesperson saying: 'Given the imminent start date of 'Shotgun Wedding,' Armie has requested to step away from the film and we support him in his decision.' Meanwhile another report claimed that Lopez had also been considering dropping Hammer from the film. Armie Hammer, 34, on Wednesday addressed the reports of his fetishes circulating online The Social Network star has confirmed he is dropping out of his latest film - Shotgun Wedding with Jennifer Lopez - after the news was first reported earlier on Wednesday On Wednesday DailyMail.com obtained concerning videos showing Hammer looking 'out of it', cracking open a beer while driving and licking white powder off his friend's hand 'Jennifer is very concerned about the movie now these stories have come out,' a source told The Sun. A source added: 'There have been a lot of phone calls and meetings about if they can still make the movie with Armie as the romantic lead. 'A lot of people have suggested quietly dropping him from the project and I think Jennifer could agree to it,' the insider added. 'She's a producer on the movie - does she want to act with him and pretend to be in love with someone who's been accused of texting those things?' Lopez, who is reportedly 'horrified' by the alleged messages, was cast as Hammer's fiancee in the upcoming rom-com. On Wednesday DailyMail.com obtained concerning videos showing Hammer looking 'out of it', cracking open a beer while driving and licking white powder off his friend's hand. The 34-year-old is seen in two separate clips, declaring 's**t's getting weird' after polishing off a white substance from a friend's hand and in another saying 'sending love, boys' after taking a swig from his beer can while behind the wheel. Hammer began to trend on Twitter over the weekend after a series of sexually graphic Instagram DMs that he allegedly penned to a woman were leaked publicly by an anonymous, now-private account, House of Effie. Hammer's estranged wife Elizabeth Chambers, whom he split from in July 2020, is said to be currently 'shocked and sickened' over the recent revelations. A close friend exclusively told DailyMail.com: 'Armie had a whole other side to him that she wasnt aware of. Whether it was always there and he kept it hidden, or something happened that changed him completely, she doesn't know.' Armie Hammer is seen in concerning videos obtained by DailyMail.com looking 'out of it', cracking open a beer while driving and licking white powder off his friend's hand Hammer is seen licking the substance in a shocking video In another video, Hammer sports the same hairstyle and appears to be driving alone. The camera seems to be balanced on the dashboard and appears to show Hammer taking both hands off the wheel as he raises up a Miller Lite and cracks it open In the first video, a shaved-headed Hammer is riding passenger while a friend is in the driver's seat. Donning a green bandanna around his neck and wearing gold aviator sunglasses, a wide-eyed Hammer dead pans the camera and says: 'S**t's getting weird.' He then shows a friend whose hand is outstretched with a tiny amount of small white powder. Hammer is then seen licking the substance out of his friend's hand, before the man says 'more, more, more, more', prompting Hammer to go back and clean off the rest of the man's hand. Hammer grimaces, sticks his tongue out and makes disgusted noises, saying: 'Got it all.' In another video, Hammer sports the same hairstyle and appears to be driving alone. The camera seems to be balanced on the dashboard and appears to show Hammer taking both hands off the wheel as he raises up a Miller Lite and cracks it open. He then takes a long swig of it and exhales in satisfaction, before saying to the camera, 'sending love, boys.' Hammer's estranged wife is said to be distraught over the leaked messages, which date back to 2016 and some are as recent as February 2020, a time period where Hammer was still married. A close friend exclusively told DailyMail.com: 'Armie had a whole other side to him that she wasnt aware of. Whether it was always there and he kept it hidden, or something happened that changed him completely, she doesn't know' In the first video, a shaved-headed Hammer is riding passenger while a friend is in the driver's seat. Donning a green bandanna around his neck and wearing gold aviator sunglasses, a wide-eyed Hammer dead pans the camera and says: 'S**t's getting weird' He then takes a long swig of it and exhales in satisfaction, before saying to the camera, 'sending love, boys' The two announced their 10-year marriage was over in July, as a source close to Chambers admitted she was aware of his infidelities, including being romantically involved with Lily James as DailyMail.com revealed last year, which led to their split. But Hammer's alleged extreme kinks are a 'complete shock' to the mother-of-two, with the friend adding: 'Armie appears to be a monster.' The friend said: 'A lot of these women have reached out to Elizabeth and although she didn't want to admit it to herself at first, she knows now they are speaking the truth. 'Armie had a whole other side to him that she wasnt aware of. Whether it was always there and he kept it hidden, or something happened that changed him completely, she doesn't know.' The insider claims that one of the women who contacted Chambers about her experience with Hammer was left so traumatized that she entered an 'intense rehab and therapy program because of his emotional and maybe physical abuse.' The source added: 'He preyed upon her when she was coming out of a relationship. He made her feel very uncomfortable, the things he wanted to do made her very scared.' The graphic Instagram DMs that Hammer allegedly penned to a woman included talk of rape fantasies, BDSM and cannibalism. In one exchange, Hammer is seen to write: 'I am 100% a cannibal. I want to eat you.' 'F**k. That's scary to admit,' the message continues. 'I've never admitted that before.' The authenticity of the screenshots has not yet been verified, however the woman behind the House of Effie account shared new alleged correspondences with Hammer on Tuesday, in which he appeared to refer to her as his 'slave'. 'You just live to obey me and be my slave,' a message purported to have been sent from Hammer's official Instagram account reads. 'I will own you. That's my soul. My brain. My spirit. My body. Would you come and be my property till you die?' The message continues: 'If I wanted to cut off one of your toes and keep it with me in my pocket so I always had a piece of you in my possession?' House of Effie attempted to prove their authenticity by sharing private photos alleged to be from Hammer. One includes an undated photo that seems to be sent from Hammer's official Instagram account where he grabs his neck, presumably to imitate choking himself. Though the messages are unverified, the user attempted to prove their authenticity by sharing private photos alleged to be from Hammer. One includes a photo that seems to be sent from Hammer's official Instagram account where he grabs his neck, presumably to imitate choking himself (pictured) The graphic Instagram DMs that Hammer allegedly penned to a woman included talk of rape fantasies, BDSM and cannibalism. They were leaked publicly by an anonymous account, House of Effie, on Instagram over the weekend Another photo is of a male's hand splayed out across a script on a wooden table, and purports to have been sent from Hammer's Instagram account in an undated message. Visible on the man's ring finger is a small tattoo. Notably, Hammer has a similar looking tattoo on his finger, having previously had Chambers' initials inked on his ring finger shortly after they married in October 2010. They also supplied voice messages, where a man purported to be Hammer describes his sexual fantasies and speaks about the messages in question. House of Effie explained she initially shared a video that referenced her alleged affair with Hammer, prompting other women to come forward and their stories to go viral. The user wrote: 'Women approached me with their affair stories as we talked overwhelmed with grief for days and nights without sleeping or eating, with some ending up in the ER. 'We collectively decided we have to speak out after how we were treated and seeing how the women in 2020 were being treated by him. We cannot allow more women to endure what we are going through in the future.' The accuser claims the women that Hammer allegedly was having affairs with recently 'united' and were able to 'piece together a five year timeline' of his alleged activity. They concluded that 'when [Hammer] has a fight with his wife, he'd reach out to his kitten, and when they had a fight, the next day he would just reach out to his other kitten with the same message. Naturally all fights revolving around [Hammer's] bad treatment of women.' It's unclear how many women are behind the allegations. During this time period, Hammer was still married to Chambers. They are parents to two children, daughter Harper, six, and son Ford, three. The woman has also shared a photo she claims to have received from Hammer during her purported exchange with him, showing a tattoo on his ring finger Hammer has a similar looking tattoo on his finger, as seen in the above images from 2020 (left) and 2018 (right), which is said to be of the initials of his now ex-wife In a number of the alleged messages, Hammer appears to reference Chambers. In an exchange via Facebook in April of 2017, Chambers is brought up again. A woman asks 'did you fix that problem?' And when Hammer quizzes: 'What problem?', she replies: 'The f**k-your-wife-so-she-lets-s**t-go problem.' Hammer answers back: 'Hahahaha. Not yet. But I bought a b**er pill for tomorrow night just to make sure I seal the deal. They've bumped her from first class and we didn't even sit next to each other.' Another message from Instagram dated Christmas Day 2019, the accuser claims she told Hammer's wife about their alleged affair. Hammer allegedly writes: 'As long as you f**king promise never to do anything like that again.' One of Hammer's exes, writer Jessica Ciencin Henriquez, has spoken out saying she believes the shocking messages 'are real', and later wrote: 'It takes an army to hide a predator' in reference to the allegations. Henriquez tweeted on Monday: 'If you are still questioning whether or not those Armie Hammer DMs are real (and they are) maybe you should start questioning why we live in a culture willing to give abusers the benefit of the doubt instead of victims.' Henriquez, who was pictured on a date with Hammer on August 31, later took to Instagram to add: 'It takes an army to hide a predator. Behind every abuser is a team of people working hard to cover up the trail.' The writer reportedly blocked Hammer on social media shortly after their August meeting. It's unclear how long they dated. In an interview with Playboy magazine in 2013, he lifted the lid on his 'wild' sexual habits with women in previous relationships Armie Hammer says French erotica writer and philosopher Marquis de Sade is his dream dinner guest Armie Hammer dropped hints about his reported sexual fetishes in several interviews before he was was accused of sexual depravity and alleged to be a 'cannibal'. In a November 2020 Netflix interview for the film Rebecca, starring Lily James, Hammer was asked (in Spanish) 'What historical person would you like to have dinner with?' To which Armie responded, 'Marquis de Sade.' French philosopher and erotic writer Marquis de Sade Marquis de Sade was a French philosopher and writer known for his erotic work in the 1700s. De Sade's work depicted sexual fantasies and empathized violence, suffering and sodomy. The words 'sadism' and 'sadist' are derived from de Sade's work where he portrayed acts of sexual cruelty. Hammer told Netflix that de Sade would be his dream dinner guest Advertisement Henriquez previously posted a meme to Twitter that showed a picture of her with Hammer, bearing the caption 'How it started', alongside a screen shot showing Hammer's blocked account, with the words 'How it's going'. The post was uploaded on October 30. Another woman Hammer was recently said to be dating, model Paige Lorenze, tweeted Sunday: 'anyone got a good therapist?' as the messages were first leaked. Henriquez responded to the post the following day, telling Lorenze: 'Yeah girl, I'll send you the number', accompanied with a wink-face emoji. A request for comment sent to Lorenze's publicist has not yet been returned. House of Effie also shared a clip from an Interview posted by Netflix in November 2020, where he declares that his dream dinner guest would be Marquis de Sade, a French philosopher and author, whose works helped coin the term 'sadist' to describe sexual cruelty. He was known for his libertine sexuality and his works depicted sexual fantasies, which included a heavy focus on violence, suffering and anal sex. Hammer, best known for his acclaimed role in 2017's Call Me By Your Name, has appeared in recent years in films including On the Basis of Sex, Sorry to Bother You and the upcoming Death on the Nile. DailyMail.com has reached out to 20th Century Fox, who are behind Death on the Nile, and ViacombCBS, who are developing The Offer in which Hammer is set to star, for comment on the allegations but has not yet received a response. In an interview with Playboy magazine in 2013, he lifted the lid on his 'wild' sexual habits with women in previous relationships. He told the outlet: 'Well, if youre married to a feminist as I am, then its. I dont know how much we can put here without my parents being embarrassed, but I used to like to be a dominant lover. 'I liked the grabbing of the neck and the hair and all that. But then you get married and your sexual appetites change. And I mean that for the better - its not like Im suffering in any way. But you cant really pull your wifes hair. It gets to a point where you say, I respect you too much to do these things that I kind of want to do.' Hammer later blamed what he called 'over-sharing' about his past sexual exploits on alcohol. 'Let's just say hindsight is 20/20. Don't drink during an interview,' he told E! News. However, in an interview with Elle later the same year, he claimed a former girlfriend once tried to stab him in bed. 'One chick tried to stab me when we were having sex,' Hammer said. 'I should so not be telling this story. She was like, "True love leaves scars. You don't have any." 'And then she tried to stab me with a butcher knife,' he added. 'Of course I promptly broke up with her...seven months later.' 'Does she want to act with him and pretend to be in love': JLo was cast as Hammer's fiancee Bhoomi Director: Lakshman Cast: Jayam Ravi, Nidhhi Agerwal, Ronit Roy, Radha Ravi, Thambi Ramaiah, Saranya Ponvannan Lakshman's Bhoomi, now on Disney-Hotstar, could not have picked a more appropriate time to arrive. The film is a powerful indictment of the corporatisation of agriculture and the evil of middlemen (which while giving marginal profits to the farmer, sells the produce to the consumer at far higher prices). The work literally takes the space route to hammer home these points not that we are in the dark about these. But, as Lakshman underlines, we need a Bhoominathan to unify the farming community, kept in the dark for many years by selfish politicians and bribe-gulping bureaucrats who have been profiting enormously by a system that has been enslaved by corporate giants. Bhoominathan (Jayam Ravi) is a scientist working for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and he is all set to travel to the Mars to try and explore whether it is fit for life, as we know it. But in the intervening month-long break, he flies down from the US to his beloved Tamil Nadu, where he finds farmers starving because their fields are barren. There is no rainfall, there is virtually no underground water, which has been, as we are told, drawn by giant industries making motorcars, aerated drinks and even jeans. All this can be reversed, but for a foreign industrial magnate, Richard Child (Ronit Roy), who claims that only 13 families in the world control natural resources and wealth. And he has under his thumb the Minister for Agriculture (played by Radha Ravi) as well as his cronies, police chief included. Child also brags to Bhoominathan or Bhoomi that he would soon turn India into another Somalia, plagued by hunger and diseases. Seems like the very personification of evil, pure and unadulterated. He pumps hybrid seeds onto farmers, who do not realise that these require much more water than natural ones. With land and foodgrain distribution in his pocket, Child believes that he cannot be vanquished. But there is Bhoomi to throw a ring of fire around Child. In Pics: Bhoomi Star Nidhhi Agerwal's Pictures Are Rage on The Internet As much as the subject is of immense value in today's India whose farmers are fighting against big business getting into their lives the movie resorts to heroics (tempered with nationalist fervour, particularly Tamil sentiment) and exaggerated methods in the fight between Bhoomi and Child. The NASA scientist proves in the end that Child is after all, well, a child. But his defeat appears unreal, and Bhoomi's means to stamp him out may be seen as highly unethical. Unfortunately, Tamil cinema resorts to this kind of dramatics if only to prove a point, and they are often sugarcoated with dances (unnecessary) and love stories (we have one in Bhoomi as well with Nidhi Agerwal essaying Swathi, his sweetheart). The script is unwieldy. There is not much to rave about Jayam Ravi, although Radha Ravi and Thambi Ramaiah as farmer Ramaswamy appear more rooted. Rating: 2.5/5 ( Gautaman Bhaskaran is a movie critic and author of a biography of Adoor Gopalakrishnan) Finishing My First Semester Abroad Caitlyn Tsuchiya Linguistics major Hijiyama University in Hiroshima, Japan It's been a crazy and great experience being in Japan. As I finish my first semester studying abroad, I can only look forward to what the next semester has in store for me as I improve my language skills, strengthen my friendships with other students, and explore even more of this amazing country. My name is Caitlin Tsuchiya and I'm studying at Hijiyama University in Hiroshima, Japan where I am working on my Japanese Studies major. I've done a lot of exciting things both with other students at my university and on my own. At my university, I am fortunate enough to have "Ryugakusei Supporters," or "International Student Supporters," who have helped me adjust to my life in Japan. They have also organized some day trips for the international students, who hail from Korea, China, and Vietnam amongst other countries. One of these day trips was visiting the city of Iwakuni in the nearby Yamaguchi prefecture, where a guide told us about the history of Kintaikyo bridge and Iwakuni Castle. The bridge was first built in 1673 to withstand the strong currents of the Nishiki River and stood until 1950, when a violent typhoon destroyed it. It was rebuilt in 1953 and is currently under renovations, but it is still a surreal feeling crossing an iconic bridge with such a rich history. It was tons of fun, as at one point we stopped to get a taste of the street food and some ice cream. It was one of the few times I didn't feel like I stood out like a sore thumb and instead felt like a part of the group. The first picture that is attached is a picture of our group eating lunch at a restaurant, where kitsune udon and the unique Iwakuni sushi were served. While studying abroad in Hiroshima, I celebrated my 20th birthday. I am fortunate enough to also have the support of my family, who have also given me endless support and are always willing to go out of their way to help me. 20 is an important age in Japan and there is even a Coming of Age Day in January to celebrate new adults. When a female becomes 20, they often celebrate this by having professional photos taken in a kimono... which my family arranged for me to do. It was really a once-in-a-lifetime experience, especially with the fact I came to Japan to study the language and culture, I am so thankful I was able to do this. It was honestly so cool being dressed in that kimono and I was also able to make some small talk with the people helping me. I was able to experience the unique culture of Japan and I would never have been able to do this if I didn't take that step to come here in the first place and expand my horizon and experiences. With the ability to deliver deadly zaps of up to 600 volts, electric eels are without a doubt some of the most fearsome creatures on the planet. Now, the terrifying fish have been spotted hunting in groups for the first time, delivering a deadly combined zap of up to 8,600 volts to unsuspecting prey. The 'extraordinary' behaviour was spotted in the Brazilian Amazon River basin, and raises new questions about how electric eels communicate. Electric eels have been spotted hunting in groups for the first time, before delivering a deadly combined zap to unsuspecting prey HOW DO ELECTRIC EELS SHOCK PREY? Electric eels get their name from the huge electrical charge they can generate to stun prey and dissuade predators. Their bodies contain electric organs with about 6,000 specialised cells called electrocytes that store power like tiny batteries. When threatened or attacking prey, these cells will discharge simultaneously. Researchers say that if 10 of the eels discharged at the same time, they could be producing up to 8,600 volts of electricity - around the same voltage needed to power 100 light bulbs! Source: National Geographic Advertisement Electric eels a type of knifefish rather than true eels are capable of the strongest electric discharge of any animal on Earth, and were previously thought to be solitary creatures. Researchers say that if 10 of the eels discharged at the same time, they could be producing up to 8,600 volts of electricity around the same voltage needed to power 100 light bulbs. Now the scientists who made the 'extraordinary' discovery deep in the Brazilian Amazon River basin say the never previously seen behaviour raises new questions about how electrical eels communicate. The team discovered a small, river-fed lake filled with more than 100 adult electric eels, many of whom were upwards of four feet long. In the lake along the banks of the Iriri River, the researchers saw the eels working together to herd small fish called tetras into tightly packed balls. Then groups of up to 10 eels periodically split off to form cooperative 'hunting parties' - not unlike packs of wolves or pods of killer whales. The smaller groups then surrounded the prey ball and launched simultaneous electric attacks, stunning the tetras into submission. Study senior author Dr David de Santana, fish research associate at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in the US said: 'This is an extraordinary discovery. In the lake along the banks of the Iriri River, the researchers saw the eels working together to herd small fish called tetras into tightly packed balls 'Nothing like this has ever been documented in electric eels.' The team's findings, published in the journal Ecology and Evolution, overturn the notion that the serpentine fish are exclusively solitary predators. Dr de Santana said: 'Hunting in groups is pretty common among mammals, but it's actually quite rare in fishes. 'There are only nine other species of fishes known to do this, which makes this finding really special.' Electric eels were previously thought to be solitary creatures, but the new study suggests that may not be the case The discovery is the latest in a string of revelations driven by Dr de Santana's investigations of the mysterious lives of South America's electric fish. His pioneering expeditions into the remote waters of the Amazon and its many tributaries have brought to light 85 new species of electric fishes. Just last year, he tripled the number of known species of electric eels, which had stood at one for around 250 years. One of the new species, Volta's electric eel (Electrophorus voltai), is capable of producing 860-volt electric shocks - the strongest electric discharge of any animal on Earth and 210 volts higher than the previous record. Volta's electric eel, which can reach lengths of up to eight feet, is also the species behind the social hunting strategy at the centre of Dr de Santana's new research. Groups of up to 10 eels periodically split off to form cooperative 'hunting parties' - not unlike packs of wolves or pods of killer whales He said: 'If you think about it, an individual of this species can produce a discharge of up to 860 volts - so in theory if 10 of them discharged at the same time, they could be producing up to 8,600 volts of electricity. That's around the same voltage needed to power 100 light bulbs.' Direct measurements of the simultaneous shocks are one of the things Dr de Santana and his colleagues hope to collect on their next expedition. Fortunately for Dr de Santana, who has been shocked more than once by individual eels in the field, the shock only lasts about two-thousandths of a second, but it is enough to cause a painful muscle spasm that might knock a person off their feet. His team first witnessed Volta's electric eel hunting in groups during a field expedition in August of 2012. The team's findings overturn the notion that the serpentine fish are exclusively solitary predators A subsequent expedition in October 2014 found a similar collection of Volta's electric eels in the same locality, which allowed the team to confirm that it was not just a one-off event. For the majority of the day and the night, the eels lay almost motionless in the deeper end of the lake, only occasionally heading to the surface to breathe. But at dusk and dawn the swarm began to stir. In the twilight hours, the eels started interacting with each other and then began swimming in a big circle. The churning circle of electric eels corralled thousands of tetras into tighter and tighter shoals. The research team watched the group herding the concentrated tetras from the deeper end of the lake around 12 feet deep to shallow, three-foot deep waters. The discovery is the latest in a string of revelations driven by Dr de Santana's investigations of the mysterious lives of South America's electric fish Groups of two up to 10 eels would separate, move in closer and then launch joint electric attacks on the prey ball. The electric shocks sent the tetras flying out of the water, but when they splashed down the small fish were stunned and motionless. The attacking eels and their compatriots then easily picked off the defenseless prey. Dr de Santana says each dawn or dusk hunting ritual took around an hour and contained between five to seven high-voltage attacks. He said: 'This is the only location where this behaviour has been observed, but right now we think the eels probably show up every year. 'Our initial hypothesis is that this is a relatively rare event that occurs only in places with lots of prey and enough shelter for large numbers of adult eels. 'These animals can be eight feet long and produce 860-volt electric shocks; if 100 of them being in one place was a common occurrence, I think we would have heard about it before now.' But when the conditions are right, Dr de Santana explained that the hunting technique allows the eels to subdue huge quantities of prey that are normally too evasive to capture. The 'extraordinary' behaviour was spotted in the Brazilian Amazon River basin, and raises new questions about how electric eels communicate Electric eels customarily feed alone at night by sneaking up on sleeping fish and jolting them into an easy-to-eat torpor. Dr de Santana and his team hope that a newly launched citizen scientist programme called Projeto Poraque may help locate more of the special group of eels. The project, named after an Indigenous Brazilian word for electric eel, will allow users to report sightings and log observations. With the Amazon under threat from deforestation, fire and climate change, Dr de Santana says there is a profound sense of urgency to accelerate biodiversity assessment in the region. He added: 'Electric eels aren't in immediate danger, but their habitats and ecosystems are under immense pressure. 'This paper is an example of how much we still don't know, how many organisms whose life histories we don't yet understand.' SHERMAN OAKS, CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 14, 2021 / With the weather heating up this week in Hollywood, all the headlines today read "It's June in January," a refrain of the title of the jazz standard, composed by Ralph Rainger with lyrics by Leo Robin. Leo Robin would tell this story about the origins of the song: "One day Ralph Rainger came in and said, 'I hit on a little jingle tune, maybe you'll like it'. He started to play this thing, one of those kind of bouncy schottisches, and I said, 'Let me think about it', and as usual, I went out and started to walk around the Paramount lot. That was the way I used to concentrate during the day. When I came back, I said, 'Gee, I've got a great title' - no, I never said that, because I never thought any of those things were great. In fact, my dear wife used to say, if I had the Number One song on the Hit Parade - I would still say, 'Well, if they'd given me more time, I could have done it better'. So I just said, 'It's 'June in January'. Ralph said, 'You're crazy - 'June in January'?' ...Well, now, whenever the weather out here gets unusually hot in January, all the headlines use the phrase 'June-in-January weather'." Dean Martin singing the beautiful popular standard "June in January," composed by Ralph Rainger with lyrics by Leo Robin, from his 1959 album A Winter Romance "The notoriously modest wordsmith often downplayed his accomplishments, attributing whatever success he happened to have to any of his collaborators. But others continue to sing praises for his work," said Ashley Lee from the Los Angeles Times. More than 30 years ago, in 1988, both Cherie Robin, and actor, Bob Hope, wanted to see to it in their lifetime that the beloved lyricist would be acknowledged for the legacy that was to be reported on in Roy Trakin's 2019 Variety article; to this end, they sponsored Robin for a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Tragically, Cherie Robin never received the good news about Leo's star because she passed away on May 28, 1989, a little over one year before the letter from the Hollywood Chamber was sent out on June 18, 1990 announcing that her husband had been awarded the star. As a result of these ill-fated circumstances, Leo's star was never installed. On July 6, 2017, Leo's grandson discovered Leo's long-lost star when he stumbled upon it on the internet. When, later that day, the grandson called the Hollywood Chamber and spoke to Ms. Martinez, he told her about his discovery of Leo's long-lost star; she officially confirmed it was true and said, "Nothing like this has ever happened before." Almost two years later on May 23, 2019, Ashley Lee from the Times first broke the grandson's serendipitous discovery in her story, "Leo Robin never got his Walk of Fame star. Now his grandson is fighting for it." When, more than 30 years ago, the acceptance letter was mailed to Mrs. Robin (deceased) and subsequently returned to sender, Ms. Lee reported what happened, "The envelope was returned to its sender and has since remained in the Chamber of Commerce's records." She also tweeted, "at first I didn't believe that Leo Robin's star had really slipped through the cracks" with a photo of that acceptance letter and the envelope stamped "RETURN TO SENDER." The Hollywood Chamber made no attempt to notify the co-sponsor, Bob Hope, who has four stars on the Walk. What the Hollywood Chamber did after the letter was (marked) "Return to Sender" was not customary practice but smacks of disregard for the individuals honored by the Walk of Fame Committee. Leo Robin wrote the beautiful lyrics to the song "June in January," composed by Ralph Rainger, which was introduced by Bing Crosby in the 1934 film Here Is My Heart. The Crosby recording, made on November 9, 1934 with Georgie Stoll and his Orchestra, became a number #1 hit on Decca Records and has since has become a popular standard, recorded by the most celebrated jazz musicians such as saxophonist Benny Carter, guitarist Wes Montgomery and vocalists such as Dean Martin and Eydie Gorme. Bands and orchestras lead by Guy Lombardo, Nelson Riddle, Ferrante & Teicher and The Mormon Tabernacle Choir have also performed the song. From right to left: Actor Bing Crosby with the famous Paramount songwriting team, Leo Robin and Ralph Rainger, rehearsing their brand new songs -"It's June in January," "Love Is Just around the Corner" and "With Every Breath I Take" - to be featured in his new film Here Is My Heart in 1934 and all three songs went on to become jazz standards The award-winning Jazziz Magazine, known as "the voice of a new jazz culture, a culture it helped create," has earned a reputation as the undisputed authority on jazz and style over the past 35 years. This magazine made "June in January" its Song of the Day on January 31, 2019, saying, "We present it as today's Song of the Day as a reminder to our friends in frozen climes that warm weather will be here soon. In the meantime, this track is sure to keep things burning." Meanwhile, the dispute is heating up between Leo Robin Music and the Hollywood Walk of Fame in regard to the star awarded to the "June in January" lyricist but never installed. In contradiction to its mission, the Hollywood Chamber is not doing justice to the nomination of Robin. Instead we are witness to the injustice of Leo's long-lost star and the Hollywood Chamber's refusal to honor their commitment to Robin's memory. What a strange twist in irony; the Hollywood Chamber, which administers this famous sidewalk landmark and usually assists honorees, performed the opposite of its mission and public expectations. Instead of assisting, the Hollywood Chamber obstructed installation by ignoring emails for a whole year and failing to honor its promise for the Walk of Fame Committee to consider the grandson's request for the star to be placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Throughout the past sixty years, the Hollywood Chamber has successfully kept track of 2,691 honorees and has seen to it that each and every one of them received a star, which was then successfully installed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame - except for Leo Robin. Unfortunately, one can't help but conclude that Robin has been treated unjustly by the Hollywood Chamber. Upon the passing of Johnny Grant on January 9, 2008, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said, "Angelenos will always remember Johnny as the heart of Hollywood Boulevard, the dignified guardian of its gilded prestige and the human shine behind every one of its stars..." Johnny Grant, who was Chairman of the 1990 Walk of Fame Committee and signed the acceptance letter addressed to Mrs. Robin, must be looking down scorchingly, perhaps even causing the heat wave, at the Hollywood Chamber for spurning the decision by the 1990 Walk of Fame Committee to award a star to Leo Robin. It's time for the Hollywood Chamber to honor the decision made by the Walk of Fame Committee and honor its obligation to put Leo's long-lost star in its rightful place on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For more information, visit the Newsroom at the official website of Leo Robin at http://leorobin.com/. About Leo Robin Music Leo Robin Music manages the copyrights of songs written by Leo Robin, who was known as the "Dean of Lyric Writers." He created lyrics that have inspired popular music and become part of the fabric of our culture. Considered to be one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th Century, he wrote many of the country's most popular jazz standards including "Blue Hawaii," "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend," "Easy Living," "If I Should Lose You," "My Ideal," "Prisoner of Love" and "Thanks for the Memory." CONTACT: Scott D. Ora President - Leo Robin Music thanks4thememory@icloud.com (818) 618-2572 Leo Robin (@LeoRobinMusic) / Twitter SOURCE: Leo Robin Media View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/617293/With-the-Weather-Heating-Up-All-the-Headlines-Read-Its-June-in-January-The-Dispute-is-also-Heating-Up-between-Leo-Robin-Music-and-the-Hollywood-Walk-of-Fame-Re-the-Star-LeosLostStar-Awarded-to-the-June-in-January-Lyricist-But-Never-Installed Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. [January 14, 2021] Grain Management Announces New Addition to its Investment Committee and other Promotions Grain Management, LLC ("Grain"), a leading investment firm that focuses on innovative companies, technologies, and assets in the communications sector, announced today that deal team member Jenny Zhang has been promoted to Principal and appointed as the seventh member of the Firm's Investment Committee. Ms. Zhang has 10 years of experience in the financial industry, including underwriting investments, managing strategic growth initiatives, board leadership, and driving value creation across portfolio investments. Founder and CEO David Grain commented, "Our Firm's edge is an amalgam of concentrated analytical rigor and unique sector insight. This talent combination is made even more meaningful by the depth and diversity of the team. Since joining the Firm two years ago, Jenny has embodied Grain's specialized skills and strategic vision. We are delighted to recognize her growth through this appointment." Ms. Zhang currently serves on the boards of regional broadband sevices provider Ritter Communications and wireless retailer CE Workforce. Prior to joining Grain, Ms. Zhang spent eight years at Morgan Stanley where she was a Vice President in the Financial Institutions Group, advising clients on M&A and strategic transactions. During her time at Morgan Stanley, she also advised clients on esoteric solutions in the Capital Markets division and helped manage capital and liquidity in the Corporate Treasury division. In addition to Ms. Zhang, Grain made two promotions on its Investment Team, including one Vice President, Diya Berger, and one Senior Associate, Sida He. Over the last 12 months, the Firm has been committed to sourcing top talent in the communications industry, building upon an already deep bench with the addition of eight new investment professionals in 2020, advancing the Firm's agility in identifying attractive and differentiated opportunities while capitalizing on future growth trends. About Grain Management Grain Management, LLC is a leading private investment firm that focuses on communications infrastructure and technology companies that connect the world to the information economy. Founded in 2007, the Firm invests exclusively in the telecommunications sector, employing a rigorous, data-based process buoyed by deep industry expertise to identify investment opportunities in key areas of communications infrastructure, including fiber networks, wireless spectrum, and cell towers. For more information visit graingp.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005879/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High 'impacts our entire town' The Washington County Board of Education held a public hearing on the closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High School; the crowd pleaded against it. There was no postal intimation to unitholders who didnt have a registered email address, according to a letter that Midas Touch Investors Association sent to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). It added also argued that unitholders should have a vote in proportion to their holdings. The principle of one vote per shareholder violates the right of the unitholder, and hence is ... Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Germany's political future will start to take shape when 1,001 delegates from Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union pick a new leader at a virtual congress on Saturday. The winner of a tight three-way race will be in prime position to run as the conservative bloc's chancellor candidate, but there are two other contenders who might do better with voters. The messy process will set up a tense few months for Germany's strongest political group. Here's a look at the top contenders from the CDU and its CSU sister party to succeed Merkel after the Sept. 26 national election: - Armin Laschet, the continuity candidate: A Merkel ally and defender of her migration policy, Laschet has governed Germany's most-populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia since he ousted the Social Democrats in 2017. That gives him a significant power base as head of the CDU's biggest regional chapter. The 59-year-old is a moderate committed to European integration and the most likely to protect and foster Merkel's legacy. However, his political star has faded during the coronavirus pandemic. NRW is one of the hardest-hit states and his initial, more laissez-faire approach was badly received by some voters. In the ruthless Berlin political arena, Laschet is untested. If he wins Saturday's vote, his supporters are hoping he doesn't wilt in the same way as a party colleague who struggled with the transition from the state level to the federal stage: Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. Merkel's handpicked successor took over as party chief in 2018 but faltered under the pressure and decided to step aside. - Friedrich Merz, Merkel's nemesis: At 65 the oldest of the candidates, Merz is a long-time Merkel rival and has portrayed himself as a challenger to the CDU establishment she dominates. A champion of the party's conservative, pro-industrial wing, moderates view him as a relic of a back-slapping, old-boy's club that belongs in the past. After having his political career eclipsed by the chancellor, Merz stormed back onto the scene in 2018 in an attempt to take control of the party, only to be thwarted in a close contest by Kramp-Karrenbauer. A corporate lawyer, he returned temporarily to his job at BlackRock Inc. before mounting his latest bid for Germany's top political post. Merz -- who chaired the CDU/CSU's parliamentary group from 2000 to 2002 -- has the backing of the party's youth wing and is relatively popular among the CDU rank and file. However, the fact that he is not widely embraced by the broader electorate could scupper his chances. - Norbert Roettgen, the rebel returned: The chairman of the Bundestag's foreign affairs committee has the dubious distinction of being the only cabinet member whom Merkel fired outright. A former protege of the chancellor, Roettgen's ambition got the better of him when he secured the leadership of the CDU in NRW in 2010 -- notably by defeating Laschet. But he failed badly against the SPD in a regional vote two years later and refused to give up his post as environment minister at the national level. That act of hubris triggered his ouster. In the years since, the 55-year-old moderate has built a reputation as something of a party rebel. He led a revolt among CDU lawmakers against Merkel's tolerance of China's Huawei Technologies Co. and disagreed with her backing for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline connecting Germany and Russia. While a long shot, he could be a compromise candidate who looks like a break with Merkel without a hard shift to the right. In the weeks leading up to the contest, he has mounted a savvy media campaign that appears to have boosted his chances of pulling off an upset. - Markus Soeder, the Bavarian wildcard: Bavaria Premier Soeder, head of the CDU's sister party in the prosperous southern state, is consistently ranked as one of Germany's most popular politicians. That means he could be the conservative bloc's most potent weapon for September's national vote, although he has repeatedly said he intends to stay put. His chances could increase if Laschet or Roettgen win, while Merz would almost certainly want the chancellor candidacy for himself. The fact remains, however, that only two CSU chiefs have contested the chancellorship since World War II and both lost. Once a party rabble-rouser, 54-year-old Soeder has morphed into a dominant leader of his home state, becoming premier in 2018 and CSU chairman a year later. He improved his standing among conservatives at the CDU party conference in 2018, when he brought delegates to their feet with a punchy speech that overshadowed Kramp-Karrenbauer's weaker performance. He has also been a high-profile presence during the pandemic, consistently pushing for tougher restrictions. - Jens Spahn, the young pretender: Health Minister Spahn removed himself from the CDU leadership race early on and threw his backing behind Laschet. Since then, what many voters perceive as his competent handling of the coronavirus pandemic has burnished his reputation. He even overtook Merkel in one ranking published in late December. After gauging support among party officials for a possible chancellorship bid, Spahn has said he currently has no plans to run. The openly gay 40-year-old's ambitions were clear when he put his hat in the ring in 2018 as a candidate for CDU leader with nothing to lose. Although he finished third, he got much of the positive media attention. A standard-bearer of the party's right wing, Spahn made a name for himself with attacks on Merkel over her handling of the euro crisis and the influx of migrants in 2015. Perceived problems with Germany's rollout of a Covid-19 vaccine could hinder his progress. The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday announced that there will be no foreign leader as the chief guest at the celebrations due to the global situation arising out of the pandemic. It will be for the first time in over five decades that India will not have a chief guest at the parade. "Due to the global COVID 19 situation, it has been decided that this year there will not be a foreign head of state or head of government as the chief guest for our event," MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a media briefing. The decision was taken after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's last-minute decision to cancel his visit due to the spread of a mutant strain of the in the UK. India had invited Johnson as the Republic Day chief guest and he accepted India's invitation, calling it "a great honour". However, earlier this month, Johnson cancelled his India visit due to the pandemic that has escalated in the UK following the mutant variant. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi, Jan 14 : A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has reached Bangladesh to probe an alleged "love jihad" case involving Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and two hardline preachers of Pakistan origin, sources said on Wednesday. An NIA source related to the probe told IANS, "A team of NIA has reached Bangladesh to collect details in the alleged love jihad case it had registered in August last year." The source said that the team has gone to Bangladesh to question an Indian woman and the son of a Bangladeshi politician named Nafees. The NIA had recently questioned the woman through WhatsApp. The woman belongs to the family of a Chennai-based businessman. The source said the NIA will question the woman on whether she married on her wish or was kidnapped from London, where she was living earlier for higher studies, and then taken to Bangladesh. The source said the anti-terror probe agency will also question Nafees and his politician father Sardar Shekhawat Hussain. The NIA has named Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and two hardline preachers of Pakistan origin as accused in an FIR pertaining to the high-profile "love jihad" case. The case involves the daughter of a Chennai-based businessman and the son of a top Bangladesh politician belonging to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party. The NIA is probing the Indian businessman's daughter and the Bangladesh politician's son's marriage in London. Zakir Naik, who is wanted by the Indian enforcement agencies, and the hardline preachers of Pakistani origin based in the US have been named as accused in the case. The girl's father had initially lodged a complaint with the Chennai Central Crime Branch in May last year, alleging that his daughter, who was studying in London, was radicalised and forced to covert to Islam. He had also alleged that his daughter was abducted from London and taken to Bangladesh by some Bangladeshi nationals. (Newser) Legendary illusionist Siegfried Fischbacher didn't last long on this earth without Roy Horn, his partner on stage and in life, reports the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The 81-year-old magician, one half of Siegfried & Roy, died late Wednesday following a battle with pancreatic cancer. His death comes eight months after Horn died of complications from coronavirus in May at age 75. Fischbacher was 81. The German-born magicianwho met Horn while they were both working on a cruise ship in 1957died at his home in Las Vegas' Little Bavaria neighborhood shortly after undergoing a 12-hour surgery to remove a tumor. He was being cared for at home at his request, Fischbacher's sister, Dolore, tells German newspaper Bild, per the Review-Journal. "He fell asleep gently and peacefully," she adds. story continues below Fischbacher had been working as a cruise ship steward "who entertained guests with magic tricks" when Horn, a waiter, offered to help out, introducing Fischbacher to a pet cheetah he'd smuggled aboard the ship, per the Review-Journal. "From the moment we met [in 1957], I knew Roy and I, together, would change the world," Fischbacher said last year, per NBC News. The duo went on to perform across Europe before landing in Las Vegas. They sold out every one of 5,750 performances at the Mirage before tragedy struck. In recent years, Fischbacher was known to perform magic tricks for visitors to the Mirage, the site of his last public appearance. "It was just extraordinary, that joy he got from doing magic," Mirage publicist Alan Feldman tells the Review-Journal. The outlet reports a public memorial will be planned. (Read more Siegfried Fischbacher stories.) We lived through CES 2021 and all we have to show for it is our tired typing fingers. This week, Devindra, Cherlynn and UK Bureau Chief Mat Smith chat about the most notable announcements from the show. Sure, there were tons of TVs, but PC hardware like AMDs new Ryzen 5000 laptop chips and NVIDIAs RTX 30-series mobile GPUs will also shape all the systems we see throughout the year. And they also touch on what happened after the US Capitol was attacked by right-wing extremists. It turns out, social media companies finally decided to take action. Listen below, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News! Subscribe! Topics CES Highlights: PCs 7:20 CES Highlights: TVs 14:10 CES Highlights: Laptops 22:16 CES Highlights: Weird Stuff 56:02 Moflin, an AI pet 56:40 Razer Project Hazel face mask 58:52 Razer Gaming Chair 1:03:57 Avita Admiror II 1:08:45 The fallout from Twitter banning Trump 1:19:39 Working on 1:31:29 Pop Culture Picks 1:33:27 Links Credits Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Cherlynn Low Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien [January 14, 2021] Socotra Chosen as "Leading Contender" in U.S. P&C Core Systems Evaluation Report by Aite Group SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Socotra, the first cloud-native insurance core platform, was named the Leading Contender in Aite Groups new report, Aite Matrix: 2020 U.S. P&C Core Systems Evaluation. Aite Groups report explores key trends within the core systems market and discusses the ways in which technology is evolving to address new market needs and challenges. The report called out five trends shaping the future of the P&C core systems market the influx of new data, the rise of the cloud, increased analytics, increased focus on policyholder engagement and experience, and growing acceptance of the insurance ecosystem. The 2020 Aite Matrix includes competitive assessments of 14 vendors and considers client service, product features, vendor stability, and client strength. Socotra ranked highly in multiple categories, surpassing many established public companies. In the product features category, where the average score was 87%, Socotra received one of the top scores with 94%. Socotra is also the first in Aite Group history to receive a perfect score of 100% for client service based on its cost value, ability to deliver on promises, range of deployment options, and breadth of support. We are honored that Aite Group has named Socotra the Leading Contender of the P&C core systems market, said Harsh Shah, head of marketing at Socotra. As the industrys first cloud-native core system, Socotra is playing a big part in helping carriers modernize their operations for a digital world. Our platform empowers insurers to launch products 3x faster at reduced costs and with an overall lower TCO. Were proud to be recognized for our efforts to drive the industry forward. Insurance carriers are facing a shifting landscape in which agents, prospects, and policyholders are demanding a more digital experience across the entire customer journey. In order to meet these demands, carriers will require an innovative core system like Socotras, said Jay Sarzen, senior analyst with Aite Groups P&C Insurance practice. Socotras platform is cloud-native and devoted to incubating open APIs , both of which are critical for delivering a digital experience for insurance industry stakeholders. Becuse of Socotras devotion to these elements, the company has earned a Leading Contender designation in the 2020 U.S. P&C Core Systems Evaluation. We at Aite Group believe that Socotra should be part of the conversation for any carrier looking to evolve. Unprecedented flexibility: Socotra is not burdened by legacy constraints and has designed a core system that is uniquely flexibleexternal integrations are effortless with open APIs and the platform natively supports any type of P&C product. Socotra is not burdened by legacy constraints and has designed a core system that is uniquely flexibleexternal integrations are effortless with open APIs and the platform natively supports any type of P&C product. Easy data integration: Socotra is one of only a few vendors that offer clients full out-of-the-box data integration support for all key insurance functions without needing modifications to the functional source code. Socotra is one of only a few vendors that offer clients full out-of-the-box data integration support for all key insurance functions without needing modifications to the functional source code. Superior client service: The perfect client service score Socotra achieved is based on client perceptions, demonstrating Socotra's strong client relationships and comprehensive support services The perfect client service score Socotra achieved is based on client perceptions, demonstrating Socotra's strong client relationships and comprehensive support services Digital experience enablement and execution: Digital capabilities are becoming increasingly important to the customer experience. Socotra has a laser-like focus on digital enablement, and its API-first approach is empowering customers to build digital-first experiences that resonate with customers. The modernization of the insurance industry has always been our driving purpose, said Matt Hamilton, head of product at Socotra. Our platform is built from the ground up with the latest technologies to provide our clients with a cloud-based, enterprise-grade core system that is transparent, reliable, flexible, and secure. Socotras high scores in the 2020 Aite Matrix demonstrate the success of our approach and the strength of our commitment to our clients. We will continue to build on this momentum and help our clients launch exceptional digital products in 2021. For more information, view the market analysis and full Socotra excerpt from the Aite Group report here . Carriers interested in Socotra can visit www.socotra.com to learn more or contact inquiries@socotra.com to request a demo and 30-day free trial. About Socotra Founded in 2014 and based in San Francisco, Socotra is a modern, enterprise-grade core system that enables global insurers to accelerate product development, reduce maintenance costs, and improve customer experiences. Insurers trust Socotras modern technology to rapidly develop products that better serve their customers and manage their existing books of business. Socotras flexible, radically open, cloud-native solution unifies underwriting, rating, policy management, claims, billing, reporting, and more. To learn more, visit www.socotra.com . Media Contact Denton Baird Denton@bulleitgroup.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5f4357ec-58c2-4408-8f43-17b24376d0d0. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Free Library of Philadelphia and the mayors office announced Thursday that they have selected a book of poetry The Tradition by Jericho Brown as the annual One Book, One Philadelphia selection, a first for the program. The book won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for poetry and explores themes of fatherhood, Blackness, queerness, and trauma. We are excited to bring Philadelphians together with poetry for the first time in One Books history, Free Library Interim Director Leslie M. Walker said in a statement. In The Tradition, Brown, 44, of Shreveport, La., encourages readers to consider how racialized violence, from mass shootings to police killings, affects their daily lives, program organizers said. The work also offers new ways of thinking about healing and wellness. This collection examines themes that touch the lives of Philadelphians every day, and meets the moment in examining who we are and what we should expect from each other, Walker said. Its the programs 19th selection. Starting April 14, One Book will partner with local organizations, educators, and artists for virtual events exploring the book and its themes, including an author talk with Brown and Philadelphia poet laureate Trapeta B. Mayson. Other events include panel discussions, antiracism workshops, and wellness sessions. The schedule is listed at freelibrary.org/onebook. Brown has two previous collections of poetry: Please (2008), which won the American Book Award, and The New Testament (2014), which won the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award. He is the Charles Howard Candler Professor of Creative Writing and director of the creative writing program at Emory University in Atlanta. He has an MFA from the University of New Orleans and a Ph.D. from the University of Houston. One Book will distribute copies of The Tradition to middle and high school students in the School District of Philadelphia. All Free Library locations will have hard copies of the book, and digital copies will be available on freelibrary.org. Now that President Donald Trump has been impeached by the House of Representatives a second time, keeping him from holding office again could be Congress next step. Every House Democrat and 10 Republicans voted Wednesday to impeach Trump for his role in inciting last week's riot at the U.S. Capitol. The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack. ... There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution, Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., the Houses No. 3 House GOP leader, wrote in a statement announcing that she would vote for impeachment. On the Senate side, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has said privately hes through with Trump. But impeachment alone wont prevent Trump from seeking office in the future. Some questions and answers about how Congress might bar Trump from ever seeking federal office again. WHAT EXACTLY DOES IMPEACHMENT DO? Impeachment in the House sets up a trial in the Senate, where a two-thirds majority is required to remove the president from office. Trump has been at this point before, of course. After the House impeached him in late 2019 for his pressure campaign on Ukraine, the Senate voted to acquit. Only one Republican, Mitt Romney of Utah, broke with the GOP. This time, however, could prove different. McConnell himself said Wednesday he is undecided. Other Republicans are angry, and Trump would presumably be out of office before any vote is taken on whether to convict him. President-elect Joe Biden gets sworn in Jan. 20. With the Senate split 50-50, Democrats and the two independents who caucus with them would need 17 Republicans to join them to convict Trump. IS TRUMP AUTOMATICALLY BARRED FROM OFFICE IF HE'S CONVICTED? No, if past is precedent. If the Senate were to convict, lawmakers would take a separate vote on whether to disqualify him from holding future office. No president has ever been convicted in the Senate and removed from office. But in the case of federal judges who were impeached and removed from office, the Senate has taken a second vote after conviction to determine whether to bar the person from ever holding federal office again. The bar is lower on that second vote, with only a majority of senators needed to succeed. Then again, because it's never happened before in the case of a president, a court challenge could follow. Frank Bowman III, a University of Missouri law professor and author of A History of Impeachment for the Age of Trump," said it's his view the lower number of votes makes sense, but it's not crazy to think that it might be challenged if things got to that point. Another legal issue: It appears that Trumps Senate trial will not even start before Jan. 19, a day before he leaves office. Scholars disagree about whether a former president can even face an impeachment trial in the Senate. IS THAT THE ONLY WAY TRUMP CAN BE BARRED FROM OFFICE? Maybe not. In an opinion piece published in The Washington Post on Monday, Yale Law School professor Bruce Ackerman and Indiana University law professor Gerard Magliocca argued that members of Congress have another, perhaps easier, path to barring Trump from office. They pointed to the Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, aimed at preventing people from holding federal office if they are deemed to have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the Constitution. The professors write that if a majority vote of both houses agree that Trump engaged in an act of insurrection or rebellion, then he would be barred from running for the White House again. Only a two-thirds vote of each house of Congress in the future could undo that result. The sole article of impeachment adopted Wednesday cites that provision of the Constitution and says Trump should be disqualified from holding future office. WHAT'S SECTION 3 DOING IN THE 14TH AMENDMENT? The 14th Amendment was one of three amendments adopted after the Civil War to end slavery and afford equal rights to Black people. The point of Section 3, according to Ackerman and Magliocca, was to keep Confederates those who had engaged in insurrection or rebellion from holding public office in the postwar period. In 1872, Congress passed the Amnesty Act to allow those men to serve again. But Section 3 remains. It was last used a century ago to keep a socialist from Wisconsin who opposed U.S. entry into World War I from taking his seat in Congress. Financial advisory group brings decades of experience to help clients reach their financial goals. DECATUR, GA / ACCESSWIRE / January 13, 2021 / Minerva Planning Group recently celebrated its 33rd anniversary in business. Founded in 1987 by Sandra Porter, the fee-only firm now run by Porter's nephew Micah offers personalized service to meet clients' financial and investment needs. Minerva Planning Group takes a holistic view in following a clearly defined process to help clients identify, pursue and achieve their financial goals. The team of Certified Financial Planners and Chartered Financial Analysts works with clients at all stages of their career, including retirees and those who are near retirement. They have worked extensively with employees of Emory University and Clinic, and federal government employees. "Minerva Planning Group specializes in Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS). There aren't many advisors who combine knowledge of FERS with an in-depth understanding of retirement planning ," says Micah Porter, President, and CEO of Minerva Planning Group. "With 33 years of experience, we are uniquely qualified to guide our clients in building their retirement paycheck and help them determine if early retirement is an option. And we do so as fee-only advisors who act as fiduciaries to our clients." Minerva Planning Group has a thorough understanding of the FERS pension and supplement, Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) options, insurance, and how federal employees can plan for early retirement. Our planning incorporates Social Security, the FERS Basic Benefit, and, if applicable, the FERS supplement, and the Thrift Savings Plan so that clients can clearly see on a year-to-year basis how they will meet their retirement needs. Minerva Planning Group was one of Georgia's first firms to become a fee-only firm, converting to the client-centric model just a few years after they opened their doors in 1987. They are paid by their clients, not by large companies offering commissions or referral fees. Their status as fiduciary advisors means that they are legally and ethically required to act in the best interest of their clients. Their decades of experience and training allow them to give informed, practical guidance in working with their clients. Minerva Planning Group is a fee-only firm and a fiduciary advisor. Their mission is to provide their clients financial peace of mind as they pursue their life goals, and a sound financial plan and prudent investment management are key elements in achieving that mission. The new larger offices are located at 315 W. Ponce de Leon, Suite 915, in Decatur, Georgia. For more information, go to Financial Advisor: Atlanta, Decatur, St. Simons | Minerva Planning Group For more information about Minerva Planning Group, contact the company here: Micah Porter (404) 816-6688 msporter@minervaplanninggroup.com 315 W Ponce de Leon Ave #956 Decatur, GA 30030 SOURCE: Minerva Planning Group View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/624253/Minerva-Planning-Group-Celebrates-33-Year-Anniversary [January 14, 2021] Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard Enterprise Among 27 Companies Hiring at January 28 Cyber & Cloud Virtual Career Fair Amazon Web Services (News - Alert) , Microsoft and Hewlett Packard Enterprise are among 27 companies in Northern Virginia seeking to hire for thousands of open positions in the IT, cyber and cloud industries during a free virtual career fair on January 28. Hosted by the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA), this event is one of many in a series of virtual career fairs the FCEDA is sponsoring or leading. Registration details can be found here. Job seekers with security clearances are in demand and encouraged to attend, though it is not a required qualification. Participating employers range from small firms to Fortune 500 giants, including minority-owned, women-owned and veteran-owned companies. In addition to Amazon Web Services, Microsoft and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, participants include ActioNet, Altamira, Appian, BAE Systems (News - Alert) , CALIBRE, CirrusLabs, Constellation West, DocuSign, Easy Dynamics, FireEye, Hexaware, HumanTouch, ICF, ID.me, Kreative Technologies, Leidos, ManTech, NetApp, NTT (News - Alert) DATA, Nutanix, Randstad, Ridgeline International, Splunk and Triumph Enterprises. During the event, participants will be able to browse companies in a virtual lobby, enter companies' booths, view open positions, engage in video conferencing and chat with HR representatives in real-time. Candidates need not be currently located in Northern Virginia, and some companies are open to remote work options. More than 86,000 open jobs in Northern Virginia, about half in technology fields, are posted at www.workinnorthernvirginia.com. The Washington, D.C., area is projected to add more than 130,000 tech jobs within the next five years, outranking cities such as San Francisco and Austin. "Our region is a top cyber and cloud hub and there has never been a better time to land a job in this industry because of the thousands of open jobs here," said Victor Hoskins, president and CEO of the FCEDA. The virtual career fair is part of an FCEDA talent initiative funded by Fairfax County to attract, retain, grow and retrain workers. More information can be found at www.workinnorthernvirginia.com/virtual-career-fairs/. "I am delighted to see the talent initiative that the Board of Supervisors funded helping residents find jobs and emphasizing the importance of these sectors to Fairfax," said Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeffrey C. McKay. The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority promotes Fairfax County as a business and technology center. In addition to its headquarters in Tysons, Fairfax County's largest business district, the FCEDA maintains business investment offices in Bangalore/Mumbai, Berlin, London, Los Angeles, Seoul and Tel Aviv. Follow the FCEDA on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. The FCEDA is a member of the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance. Other members: the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership, Arlington County, City of Fairfax, City of Falls Church, Fauquier County, Loudoun County, City of Manassas, City of Manassas Park and the Prince William County Department of Economic Development. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114006010/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Laois GAA Chairman Peter O'Neill is backing the Leinster Express petition to have Covid-19 vaccines rolled out in pharmacies. The Leinster Express, along with its sister titles in the Iconic Newspaper group, is backing local pharmacies to deliver the Covid 19 vaccines to our communities. They have launched a petition to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly for people to sign and get behind the campaign. (Click here to sign and support) The Laois GAA boss has seen the GAA organisation have to drastically change their way of doing things in 2020 and already, the Covid-19 pandemic is effecting the GAA's plans for 2021. "I believe that anything that can speed up the process in distributing the Vaccine into the heart of our communities is to be welcomed. Our local pharmacies have the expertise having rolled out the Flu Vaccine and this system proved to be very successful in particularly to our Rural and elderly population," explained the recently re-elected Chairman of Laois GAA. With soaring cases and hospital admissions, the need for an effective vaccine rollout to see our community open up once again will be vital. Talking to all our editors, while Covid 19 is dominating news coverage, and will continue to do so, with a vaccine there is hope. But many believe that it could be done better, that we are lagging behind and want more information on what is happening. It is obvious why we need a vaccine. We now know what needs to be done. Its all about the how and the when now, said Brian Keyes, Editorial Operations Director for Iconic Newspapers. We need to put our communities front and centre in this roll out, and that means local pharmacies. They are still open, still there for locals, and they have a proven track record with administering the flu vaccine. Between pharmacists and GPs, 1.1m flu vaccines have been administered since September last. They are trusted, and thats important. They need PPE, they need to be informed and they need to lead the charge. We cant be left behind, in particular our rural communities. In many villages, a pharmacy is one of the few places open, and its important for communities. The Astrazeneca vaccine will hopefully be here in a matter of weeks, but we need to plan now, we need to give people hope and the government needs to get our pharmacies involved right away, he added. Its the only thing people are talking about, and there is frustration when we see roll outs in other countries moving ahead at pace. We know what we can do here and the potential that pharmacies in particular have to the roll out is. We need to get back to meeting family and friends again, to playing together again, back to school, opening up our businesses again. Enjoying the simple pleasures. We have started a petition, calling for our pharmacies to lead the charge in getting this vaccine to our communities. You can comment on your newspapers facebook, or follow us on twitter - #bestshot. Syria has condemned the US for putting Cuba on the list of states that sponsor terrorism and insisted that it can face US schemes writes SANA. Syria has strongly condemned the unfair decision to put Cuba back on the list of states that sponsor terrorism, renewing its solidarity with the Cuban friendly leadership and people, and confidence in its capability to foil the decision of the US regime, which has proven that it sponsors and supports terrorism in serving of its political agendas. An official source at the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry told SANA in a statement on Wednesday that the Syrian Arab Republic strongly condemns the unfair US decision. The source added that the US decision shows again the US administrations blunder and loss of credibility in recent days, after its ignorance and non-commitment to a number of international conventions and charters, as well as the decisions of the former US administrations. The American approach of imposing sanctions on the countries who defend their sovereignty and national dignity, which dont match with US policy and, with the aim of subjugating them to the US hegemony is doomed to failure in the face of the will of the free peoples and will lead to escalating tensions in the international arena, the source pointed out. The source concluded by saying that Syria reiterates its full solidarity with the friendly Cuban leadership and people, expressing confidence that the Cuban revolution, which has resisted the unfair US blockade for more than a half century, is able to confront and foil the decisions of the American regime, which has proven that it sponsors and supports terrorism in serving of its political agendas. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The Foreign Office has apologised for 'unprofessional and unacceptable language' used by officials in internal emails about Harry Dunn's bereaved family. Documents showed a number of 'upsetting' communications criticising his relatives and their media campaign. One email sent in reaction to a call by the teenager's mother for Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to resign in May last year labelled her language 'excessive'. Another branded the family's spokesman Radd Seiger as 'evil' and 'aggressive'. Mr Dunn, 19, was killed when his motorbike crashed into a car outside US military base RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in August 2019. His alleged killer, 43-year-old US citizen Ann Sacoolas, was able to return to her home country after diplomatic immunity was asserted on her behalf by the US Government. The Foreign Office has apologised for 'unprofessional and unacceptable language' used by officials in internal emails about Harry Dunn's bereaved family Documents showed a number of 'upsetting' communications criticising his relatives and their media campaign. One emailed branded his mother Charlotte Charles (pictured) 'excessive' after she claimed 'you wouldn't treat an animal the way Government treated us' Charlotte Charles had said 'you wouldn't treat an animal the way Government treated us', following a 'smoking gun' text message from a senior diplomat at the Foreign Office (FCDO) to their US Embassy counterpart saying they should 'feel able' to put Sacoolas on the next flight home. But commenting on Mrs Charles's words, one official wrote: 'Even aiming for someone bereaved that line about being "treated like animals" is totally excessive!' What did the 'upsetting' Foreign Office emails say? Branded family lawyer evil 'Everything the family say is completely wrong,' one email read. 'The trouble is they don't understand anything at all of the wider context - and the evil R (Radd) Seiger has not explained it to them... 'And so convinced are they of everyone's bad faith that it never crosses their mind that anything of that we are telling them might be true.' Said Harry Dunn's mother used 'excessive' language Reacting to Charlotte Charles's claim that the Government had treated her family like 'animals', an official wrote: 'Even aiming for someone bereaved that line about being "treated like animals" is totally excessive!' Advertisement The teenager's mother is understood to be deeply upset at the documents she has seen. The Dunn family have been represented by spokesman Radd Seiger since September 2019, but documents show FCDO officials have described him as 'evil', 'aggressive' and 'erratic' - despite admitting he had played a 'media blinder'. The documents were obtained by the family through subject access requests sent to the Foreign Office and Home Office. Another email said everything the family had claimed was 'completely wrong'. The family's campaign for justice has led to Sacoolas being charged with causing death by dangerous driving, an extradition request being sent to the US by the Home Office, and the diplomatic immunity agreements at American military bases in the UK being altered. Mrs Charles and the teenager's father, Tim Dunn, are in the process of appealing over a High Court ruling on the immunity asserted on behalf of the suspect. After the family had seen the latest documents to emerge, they received a letter of apology from Permanent Under-Secretary for the FCDO Sir Philip Barton, who described the emails as 'isolated comments'. In his letter, he wrote: 'As you will see, the digest contains some unprofessional and unacceptable language that you may find upsetting. 'I want to offer my sincerest apologies for the hurt that this may cause. 'I also want to emphasise that these isolated comments are from a handful of officials and do not in any way reflect the wider views of the FCDO or the core team working with you to deliver justice for Harry. 'As you would expect, I have ensured that appropriate management action has been taken with the authors of these emails.' The Foreign Office was heavily criticised after court disclosure documents showed a briefing note copied to Mr Raab's private secretary from three days after the fatal crash - which revealed concern for some 'very unpalatable headlines'. Mr Dunn, 19, was killed when his motorbike crashed into a car outside US military base RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in August 2019. His alleged killer, 43-year-old US citizen Ann Sacoolas, was able to return to her home country after diplomatic immunity was asserted on her behalf by the US Government Pictured: Dunn family advisor and spokesperson Radd Seiger in north Oxfordshire A witness statement from the senior investigating officer at Northamptonshire Police said an official at the government department had requested the force delay telling the family that a waiver for Mrs Sacoolas's diplomatic immunity had been declined by the US - adding that it would help if they could get their 'ducks in a row' beforehand. Sir Philip's letter continued: 'In my four months as Permanent Under-Secretary, I have seen the importance that the FCDO places on helping to secure justice for Harry and the respect we hold for the way the family have dealt with this terrible tragedy and the way you have supported them. 'I would once again like to reiterate how sorry I am for any upset these unprofessional emails may cause.' Reacting to the comments made about the family, Mr Seiger said: 'The campaign remains laser-focused on securing justice for Harry and remains willing to work with all parties involved to ensure that justice is done as soon as possible. 'However, it is impossible for us to overlook this unprofessional conduct on behalf of certain officials at the FCDO. One email branded the family's spokesman Radd Seiger (pictured centre with Ms Charles and Harry's father Tim Dunn) as 'evil' and 'aggressive' After the family had seen the latest documents to emerge, they received a letter of apology from Permanent Under-Secretary for the FCDO Sir Philip Barton (pictured), who described the emails as 'isolated comments' 'It is appalling to see that whilst we were seeking justice for Harry as anybody would, these officials thought it was appropriate to engage in baseless keyboard warfare. 'I am more than happy to bear the brunt of any criticism, but to attack a bereaved, grieving mother who has never put a foot wrong in the campaign is scandalous.' Labour's shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy urged Dominic Raab to 'come to the House tomorrow to apologise in person'. She said: 'These shocking emails show utter disrespect for a bereaved family who are rightly fighting for justice for their son. Charlotte Charles, pictured above with her husband Bruce Charles, had said 'you wouldn't treat an animal the way Government treated us' 'To describe a grieving mother's feelings as "excessive" is simply inexcusable. 'From the outset, Foreign Office ministers have refused to level with the family and repeatedly denied them vital information about how Anne Sacoolas was allowed to leave the country. 'To insult them and then try to spin their way out of it is beyond contempt. How could any UK citizen trust that this Government would not do the same to them in similar circumstances? 'The Foreign Secretary must come to the House tomorrow to apologise in person and outline the actions he will be taking to finally secure justice for Harry Dunn. If he does not come willingly, we will take steps to demand he does.' A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: 'We are very sorry for the offence caused to the Dunn family and their spokesperson. 'The views expressed by a small number officials were deeply inappropriate, and in no way represent the views of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. 'We will continue to do everything we can to support the family to achieve justice for Harry.' Heartbroken and saddened: Fla. megachurch responds after member seen at Capitol riot Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Florida church has responded to the revelations that the wife of one of its worship leaders took part in the protest outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., last Wednesday. Bayside Community Church, a multi-campus non-denominational church based in Bradenton,posted a statement to its Facebook page last Thursday regarding the Jan. 6 riot where fringe Trump supporters stormed the halls of Congress, many causing violence and destruction, and delayed the electoral vote count by hours. The riot at the Capitol began at the same time a rally was being held at the Ellipse near the White House where hundreds of thousands of Trump supporters listened to speakers, including President Donald Trump, who reasserted his claims that targeted voter fraud cost him the 2020 election. Following the rally, participants marched to the Capitol where a separate rally was to be held. That event, however, never took place because the riot had already ensued. At issue for Bayside was how Krystle Sommers, wife of the churchs worship pastor, Josh, participated in the protests on Capitol Hill. The church explained that they were heartbroken and saddened by the events and that anyone tied to their church who attended the demonstrations did so as a private individual, for their own purposes and not as a representative of Bayside Community Church. We want to make it clear that Bayside Community Church does not support, agree with, or condone violence, lawlessness, riots, or terrorism of any kind, the churchs statement reads. No pastor or staff member of Bayside Community Church attended or participated in any of the events which occurred in our Nations Capitol this past week. Bayside went on to say that the church cannot control or dictate the attitudes or actions of our church attendees, including the spouses or family of our staff members. Any actions, statements, and videos reflect personal viewpoints of the individual and in no way represent the viewpoints and beliefs of our church, the statement continued. We will continue to pray for all those who have been involved or affected by these events and are asking God to bring his peace to our hearts and unity in our nation. Janet Casserley, Sommers' mother, told local media that they were part of the overall march on Capitol Hill and they had taken photos of themselves beside a controversial noose display. My daughter and I went to D.C. to support our president and it was a peaceful demonstration and we walked down to the Capitol which we were told to do, explained Casserley to WWSB, adding that they climbed up on the scaffolding to have the pictures taken. We all stood up there having our pictures taken. I mean this is history-making. Casserley told the news outlet that her daughters husband, Josh, was not even in on us going on this trip. He has no connection with us going, she said. Us girls decided last minute that we are going, which girls do. She said that the trip had absolutely nothing to do with her husband or the church. Casserley also told WWSB that before the violence began, she viewed the trip to D.C. as a fun mother-daughter trip to make history and to support Trump. All of a sudden all hell broke loose, a man stood next to me trying to smash the windows. I tried to stop him. I got somebody else to try to stop him, the mother added. I literally climbed over the balcony on the outside, climbed down, grabbed my daughter and we got out of there. A severe period of saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta due to lower water levels upstream is expected to fall from February 8 to 16 as Vietnam celebrates the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival. A pond is digged to store water in response to saline intrusion Per a recent dispatch from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developments Directorate of Water Resources, saltwater is likely to intrude to 50-70 km from the mouth of the Mekong River at that time and 85-95 km from the mouth of the Vam Co River, with a salinity rate of 4 grams per litre. Most crops and fruit trees can tolerate a salinity rate of just 1 gram per litre. According to the International Mekong River Commission and international news agencies, the Jinghong Hydropower reservoir in China is reducing its water discharge by approximately 50 percent between January 5 and 24. This is the main cause of saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta. The dispatch urged local authorities to prepare for salinity and drought in January and February by closely following forecasts and implementing preventive measures. The Mekong Delta - Vietnams largest rice, fruit, and seafood producer - has faced severe saltwater intrusion during recent dry seasons. In the 2019-2020 dry season, intrusion of 4 grams per litre affected 1.68 million ha of land, or 42.5 percent of the deltas total area. It damaged nearly 42,000 ha of rice, more than 1,200 ha of vegetables and other crops, and 8,700 ha of aquaculture. A total of 96,000 local households also faced a shortage of clean water for daily use./.VNA Most serious saltwater intrusion in Mekong River estuary forecast for February, March Saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta in the 2020-2021 dry season will be less severe than in the 2019-2020 dry season, ROME, JAN 14 - Italian health police on Thursday seized 437 packs of illegal Chinese herbal flu drugs, some of which had been sold under the counter to treat COVID-19. NAS health and hygiene police said 88 packs amounting to over 2,000 pills had been secretly sold for this purpose. The packs were found at five sales outlets in the centre of Rome and in Prato in Tuscany, including supermarkets and herbal remedy stores, the NAS said. They did not have the required authorisation for sale, nor directions in Italian. The outlets were run by Asian people, the health police said. (ANSA). A federal judge said Wednesday hes considering requiring Portland police armed with less-lethal launchers to wear body cameras during protests, receive training every six months on when its proper to fire and explain why they pulled the trigger each time in reports that are made public. U.S. District Judge Marco A. Hernandez said he also wants the city to find ways to rotate Rapid Response Team officers for protest assignments so the Police Bureau doesnt have an operator of a less-lethal weapon on the street night after night after night. These are among the potential court sanctions the judge said hes weighing after finding Portland police in contempt of his June 26 order restricting use of less-lethal munitions during protests in the city. The judge last summer barred police from firing FN303s and 40mm less-lethal launchers and using pepper spray on people engaged in passive resistance. The judge will give city attorneys and lawyers for the nonprofit Dont Shoot Portland until Jan. 29 to respond to his ideas and will hold another hearing on Feb. 9 before he issues a final ruling. Dont Shoot Portland sued the city challenging the police use of force during demonstrations last year. I want grenadiers and other people using nonlethal weapons to be able to articulate to the court before that weapon is used what the specific danger was prior to the pulling of that trigger, the judge said. They need to be able to articulate what the specific danger was and why it was imminent to justify the use of force. If they cannot do that, they should not pull the trigger. That specific articulation cannot be based on speculation. You cannot tell me, They had a piece of plastic in their hand and I thought they might use it against me. That is not good enough. You should have a test at the end of training that requires them to be able to identify what I just described to you and that is for all uses of force.' Hernandez in November ruled that police violated his order three times on June 30 as officers declared an unlawful assembly and tried to push protesters to the east after they marched to the police union office in North Portland from Peninsula Park. The judge specifically identified three instances where police fired the FN303 less-lethal launcher at people who werent actively aggressive. In each, the FN303 fired a non-toxic brittle metal bismuth, according to the plaintiffs. Portland police have already removed one officer found to have violated the judges order from policing protests for now as an internal inquiry proceeds, held nine hours of refresher training for Rapid Response Team officers who carry less-lethal launchers and plan another three hours of use of force training for all officers by the end of this year, according to city attorneys. Attorney Juan Chavez, representing Dont Shoot Portland, argued that training shouldnt be the fix as it hasnt worked. He argued for an outright ban on the less-lethal munitions. The Police Bureaus 40mm launcher fires foam-tipped projectiles that may contain paint or powder marking rounds or pepper spray rounds. The FN303 uses compressed air to fire fin-stabilized projectiles filled with bismuth powder in the nose and a payload in the rear that can carry paint, powder markings or pepper spray. The FN303 has a 15-round drum magazine resembling a paintball gun. These less-lethal rapid-fire weapons arent a substitute for higher force, Chavez said. In fact, theyre a substitute for de-escalation, negotiation and no use of force. The city already has had every opportunity to fix its problems and prevent violations through training or other means and has failed to do so, Chavez said. Senior Deputy City Attorney Naomi Sheffield disagreed, saying the city would be willing to provide additional training and address the judges concerns. She said the types of weapons arent the reason the violations occurred. Further training this year will include not just a recitation of the courts order and police directives but scenarios and video review to show and help officers identify what active aggression is and what it is not, Sheffield said. What the court found is that there was an issue with an officer identifying certain behavior as active aggression, when it was not, and our officers may be retrained so that they understand how to identify that, she said. The judge had found Officer Brent Taylor fired five shots from his FN303 at the legs of someone refusing to let go of an Abolish the Police banner with a PVC-pipe frame and fired 10 rounds from the same launcher at two people trying to pull a person on roller skates away from police and back into the crowd. The judge said he believes the Police Bureaus acknowledged gap in training due to coronavirus social-distancing restrictions has contributed to the problem. Training was suspended because of COVID, Hernandez said. Im not so sure, at least from my perspective, that thats acceptable, but that this gap did somehow contribute to what was going on. The Police Bureau must continue training its Rapid Response Team officers every six months, with any adaptations that may be necessary as a result of the ongoing pandemic, the judge said. Police grenadiers must be able to articulate what specific danger they were facing, why the danger was imminent and to do so without speculating, the judge said. Further, those officers reports could be made public, now that protests have decreased in frequency, the judge said. Hernandez signaled that he doesnt favor an outright ban on the less-lethal launchers. The goal of the court is to make sure the behavior that occurred doesnt repeat itself, the judge said. It seems to me what the plaintiffs are proposing is an end solution, as opposed to an immediate solution. While the judge said he recognized that the citys collective bargaining agreement might be implicated by his potential call for body cameras, he said he doesnt believe hes constrained by the collective bargaining agreement. This marks the second federal judge to voice support for body cameras for Portland police. Last spring, Mayor Ted Wheeler decided to set aside any plan for a body camera pilot program for police, citing higher priorities and budget constraints amid the coronavirus pandemic. Six years ago, U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon, who oversees a city settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice on police reforms, had urged Portland police to equip its officers with body cameras. -- Maxine Bernstein Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com; 503-221-8212 Follow on Twitter @maxoregonian https://twitter.com/maxoregonian Subscribe to Facebook page Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. John Eaglin Jr. works with some of the most vulnerable Oregonians, but when he learned he could get a shot of the vaccine against the coronavirus, he wasnt sure if he wanted to do it. He combed the internet to learn how the vaccine was produced, what corners may have been cut to get it approved so fast and whether clinical studies had actually proved it was safe. Its an important decision to make, said Eaglin, who supervises dining staff in the Portland senior care facility Rose Villa. And its worth putting in the effort. Eaglin is one of tens of thousands of senior care workers in Oregon who must decide if they want to get a shot of new coronavirus vaccines that federal officials approved last month after a break-neck scientific effort to fight the pandemic. Senior care home residents have faced the brunt of the pandemics death toll, with about half of Oregons 1,700 coronavirus fatalities connected to nursing, memory care, assisted living and independent living homes, despite accounting for only a fraction of the states total cases. While thousands of workers in these facilities are choosing to go ahead with a shot to protect themselves and residents, Oregon has found that, like in other states, plenty are deciding to wait and see, if not refuse to get the vaccine altogether. If not enough people get vaccinated, facilities could see continued spread of disease along with serious outcomes, state health officials said. And if further spread and deaths continue due to an insufficient number of people signing up for a shot, it will take longer for the state to pull back restrictive measures, such as physical distancing and mask-wearing. In Ohio, only 40% of nursing home workers agreed to get a shot, Gov. Mike DeWine has told The Associated Press, and a top North Carolina health official estimated more than half were refusing. Its unclear if vaccine hesitancy among care home staff is a problem in Oregon. Multiple administrators told the newsroom about 65% to 80% of their workers got vaccinated, around the same rate the state says is necessary to achieve herd immunity in the general population. But those examples are anecdotal. Oregon health officials dont track how many workers were offered a vaccine and how many declined, and the pharmaceutical companies who do the work arent required to report that information to the state. But state officials said they havent seen significant vaccine hesitancy among staff, though there have been examples of resistance. Some workers particularly younger ones have said theyll purposefully skip the first of multiple clinics to see how their colleagues fare after getting a shot. State officials also did not say what percent of staff should be vaccinated to prevent continued spread of disease inside senior care homes. But residents might be more willing than workers to be vaccinated, numbers provided by some facility managers show, which would help ensure the most vulnerable protect themselves. 22 COVID-19 vaccines begin at Oregon nursing homes Of the approximately 4,700 doses one pharmaceutical company offered long-term care workers, around 30% refused, according to data provided by the state. Health officials were not able to provide a breakdown for the other two companies vaccinating residents and staff, Walgreens and CVS. Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are thought to be about 95% effective, leaving only about 5% of people who get a shot vulnerable to an infection. The most important thing right now is to get as many people vaccinated as possible, the Oregon Health Authority, the states public health agency, said in an emailed response to questions. We can make progress even without having everyone immunized. All of Oregons 21,300 nursing home residents and staff should have had a chance to get their first shot by this time next week, the Department of Human Services said, and workers will have multiple opportunities if they initially decline. Several nursing home administrators told the newsroom theyve had to work hard to allay their workers concerns and make sure their questions are answered so they feel comfortable getting a shot. About seven in 10 workers at one small facility in eastern Oregon agreed to be vaccinated, the facilitys administrator said, compared to every one of the residents. Staff are worried that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was simply too rushed to be entirely trustworthy. The joke going around is, How long is it going to take before theres an attorney on television asking if you got the initial COVID vaccine, said Christopher Monroe, administrator of Pioneer Place, a facility in Vale. Meanwhile, only 45% of the workers at the veterans home in The Dalles agreed to get a shot, compared to 97% of the residents. At the veterans home in Lebanon, 60% of staff got a shot, compared to 90% of residents. The Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs, which owns both homes, declined interview requests. The Oregon Health Authority said facility managers should be proactive about telling staff the vaccine is safe, lead facility-wide conversations about it, have discussions that are honest and safe and hear out workers concerns. The issue is particularly important because the state is moving into the second phase of the federal pharmacy partnership, with plans to vaccinate workers and residents in thousands of other settings. Those include hundreds of assisted living facilities and thousands of smaller facilities and adult foster homes for the elderly, people with mental illness and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Krista Mattox runs the Robison Health & Rehabilitation nursing facility, in Southwest Portland. About 90% of the residents have so far gotten a shot, compared to 65% of staff. Among the people shes talked to, side effects were the biggest concern. Since the first round, around five people have gone from saying they were on the fence to being absolutely certain that they would get a shot. Mattox said she respects workers decisions about whether to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. We wanted everybody to be making informed decisions, Mattox said. The sooner more workers and residents get vaccinated the sooner it will be possible for staff to take off their masks and allow themselves to get closer to vulnerable residents. Human beings need human contact, Mattox said. If Rose Villas experience is any indicator, listening to employees concerns could prove key to driving up vaccine rates. The facilitys director of health services, Erin Cornell, said managers expected some caution about the vaccine among staff at the Southeast Portland facility, but they didnt know how much or what workers specific concerns might be. So, a week before vaccines were first available, every Rose Villa employee received a survey with questions such as whether they were going to get a vaccine and what additional information could help them make a decision. Cornell and her colleagues used those results to answer questions about side effects, the vaccine approval process and even to connect some workers with doctors. In one case, a worker had health conditions and she wanted to talk to a doctor but didnt have one, so the facility helped her find a physician. Cornell said that employee has since decided to get the vaccine. You cant address a need without fully understanding what the need is, Cornell said. Of the 178 employees who work in both the nursing and independent living sections of Rose Villa, 128 got vaccines on the first day shots were available. By the end of the second clinic Monday, more than 20 additional staff got their first shots, according to numbers provided by a Rose Villa spokeswoman. John Eaglin Jr., lead server at the Rose Villa nursing facility in Southeast Portland, wasn't sure he wanted to get a shot of the coronavirus vaccine. But he did the research and concluded it was right for him. For Eaglin, the Rose Villa server, the final decision to get the shot at the first vaccination event came down to the safety of the elderly residents he interacts with. Because of my situation, where I work and people that I interact with, I decided and my research of the vaccine itself I decided to go ahead and opt in and get the vaccine, he said. Eaglin said his heart started to race when he got the text message saying he was in line to get a shot in Rose Villas performing arts room. By the time he rolled up his shirt sleeve, he said he had no doubts he was doing the right thing. Do you have a tip? Send me an email. -- Fedor Zarkhin fzarkhin@oregonian.com; 503-294-7674; @fedorzarkhin Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment As things are ending very badly for Donald Trumps presidency and some of his close associates are abandoning him, the question for Christian conservatives is this: Did we sell our souls by voting for Trump? Did we make a deal with the devil that was bound to end in failure and disgrace? Someone asked me on Twitter shortly after the storming of the Capitol, If you knew how things would end, would you have voted for Trump? That, of course, is an intriguing question. But it is, ultimately, unfair and unhelpful. If you knew you would be involved in a fatal car crash on your way to work, would you have gone to work that day? If you knew that, after 20 years of marriage, your spouse would leave you for another lover, would you have gotten married? If you knew that your first child would die of cancer at the age of four, would you have had children at all? We can only make decisions based on what we presently know. This includes being able to make projections and predictions as well, but we cannot do that perfectly. When it came to voting for Trump, many of us knew we were walking on treacherous ground. He could do a lot of good, and he could do a lot of bad. Would the former outweigh the latter? Or in the end, would he do more harm than good? And what of our witness and our integrity? What would be the lasting effects of our association with Trump? Perhaps we would see some policy advances, but at what cost? Those were the questions many of us wrestled with, and thats one reason I opposed Trump during the 2016 Republican primaries, as did many of you. We thought there were much better choices. (As for those who chose Trump over the other Republican candidates, thats another discussion entirely.) But when it came to Trump vs. Hillary (or, more recently, Trump vs. Biden), we felt conscience-bound to vote against the left. We knew there were inherent dangers in our vote, given the type of person Trump was. But he got our vote nonetheless. The alternatives were simply too scary to consider. And right now, as we watch the Purge taking place, with the potential banning of conservative voices and platforms by Big Tech, we remember one reason we voted for a political outsider and fighter like Trump. Take him out of the picture now, and we face some very precarious times. On the flip side, had Trump responded differently to his loss to Biden (be it by fraud or not) and not undermined the Republican party in Georgia, we would likely be looking at a GOP majority of 52-48 in the Senate, thereby holding back the radicality of the left. So, on the one hand, Trump won some short-term victories and also appointed many lifetime judges. He did much good on the national and international scene. On the other hand, we are now left with a real, national mess, with the balance of power shifting dramatically left, and with the country as a whole vulgarized in many ways by the Trump presidency. But what of our Christian witness? Did we sell our souls by voting for Trump? To this moment, I believe we can justify why we voted for him in the general elections and do so without shame, especially given the choices. (For the record, though, I have always respected those who could not vote for either candidate out of conscience before God. I differ strongly with those who voted Democrat rather than vote for Trump.) Like some of you, as a Trump voter, I often expressed my concerns about the president, sounding many warnings along the way. (See, for example, this article from June 30, 2017 titled, Dont Sell Your Soul Defending the Words of President Trump.) Like some of you, I cringed over many of his tweets and saw the real danger of his reckless words (after all, this was the most powerful man on the planet demeaning and degrading others in the sight of tens of millions). Like some of you, I saw real truth in the damning criticisms that were brought against Trump, all while recognizing how he was unfairly savaged by the leftwing media. Yet, to repeat, when it came to voting for him or Hillary or Biden, the choice was clear for us. We had absolutely nothing in common with the white supremacists and other fanatics who stormed the Capitol last week. We were not xenophobes or racists or misogynists. But we were staunchly opposed to where the radical left might take us, hence our vote for a very flawed man. Many of us also hoped that some of the godly leaders who surrounded him would be able to help him make some deep, fundamental changes as they spoke into his life with clarity and truth. And so we cast our vote. Did we sell our souls in doing so? Did we compromise our values in the process? For many of us, the answer is no, and we dont need to go on an apology tour for our vote. Even if some of our friends were more prescient than we were, seeing that things would end badly, we acted with sincerity before God and man. And if in the years ahead, our worst fears are realized and our country lurches even further to the far left, we will remember why we voted as we did. That being said, many of us did sell our souls and compromise our values. There is no doubt about it whatsoever. We diminished the importance of a leaders character and integrity. We became apologists for the presidents sins and shortcomings. We mirrored his worst characteristics. We justified the unjustifiable. We put our trust in a man to fight our political and cultural battles. We became better known as the Trump people than as the Jesus people. The list goes on and on. To the extent that applies to any of us, we need to do some serious, private soul-searching along with some honest, public repenting, not in reaction to the attacks from the left but out of reverence before God. Either way, however, we voted, the reputation of Jesus has been trashed before the nation. What can all of us do to see His name lifted up again? If you've been on the internet in recent days, chances are you've seen American actor Armie Hammer's name trending for, shall we say, unusual reasons. Let's unpack. Hold up, who are we talking about? Armie Hammer, he's the other guy in Call Me By Your Name. You know, the one that's not Timothee Chalamet. (No one can be.) Armie Hammer, pictured here at the 2018 Oscars, is the subject of some wild claims on social media. Credit:Jordan Strauss/AP Oh yep, kinda All-American vibe. So what's he done? Oh nothing, it's just that he's a horny cannibal. Allegedly. Sorry, what. Earlier this week an Instagram account @houseofeffie began sharing screenshots of her DMs with Armie. The account owner claims to have been in a consensual relationship with the actor for four years, including while he was still married to estranged wife Elizabeth Chambers. Will not let the culprits get away, India tells Israel after blast outside embassy Be it LAC or LoC, why NSA Ajit Doval gets top billing in national security planning Its done: The 3.45 am call to NSA Doval after Balakot was hit and Operation Bandar was competed For long lasting pace need to rein in on terror groups: Doval in Kabul India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 14: National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval during his talks in Afghanistan spoke about jointly combating terrorism. He also said that no part of Afghanistan should be used to perpetrate violence particularly by Pakistan-backed terror groups. During his two day unannounced visit to Kabul, Doval expressed concerns about the activities of international terror groups. He said that these could mar efforts for long lasting peace in the region. The NSA also called on President Ashraf Ghani and discussed counter-terrorism cooperation and efforts for building a regional consensus on supporting peace in Afghanistan. Ghani said that Afghanistan and India in joint efforts with NATO and the US will be able to succeed in the fight against terrorism. Chinese spies caught in Afghanistan espionage racket, return to Beijing on chartered flight While Doval expressed willingness to continue India's cooperation with Afghanistan, President Ghani said that the Afghan Defense and Security Forces are guarantors of stability in Afghanistan, and are at the forefront of war against regional and global terrorism. Trump impeached for a second time, will he be removed before Biden takes office?| Oneindia News The NSA also held meeting with his counterpart Hamdullah Mohib, foreign minister, Mohammad Atmar and Afghanistan's chief negotiator Abdullah Abdullah. The authorities in Afghanistan said that the two sides held extensive discussions on issues of strategic mutual interest, including on synchronising efforts to combat terrorism and build peace. She recently revealed she shed two stone after weight gain and trolls left her 'unrecognisable' to herself. And Francesca Allen has been keen to flaunt her new stunning physique on her getaway to Dubai, as she shared her latest Instagram bikini snap on Wednesday. The Love Island star, 25, showcased her toned and tanned abs in the sizzling shot, wearing a blue towelling two-piece as she lounged on the beach. Beach babe: Francesca Allen has been keen to flaunt her new stunning physique on her getaway to Dubai, as she shared her latest Instagram bikini snap on Wednesday Fran's ensemble consisted of a skimpy string bikini top, which she teamed with a pair of matching mini shorts and layered with a cool white linen blouse. The reality personality appeared to be topping up her tan in the UEA, after jetting out amid increasingly strict coronavirus restrictions in the UK. The stunner, who shot to fame on the show's fifth season in 2019, took to Instagram stories on Wednesday during her prolonged trip to Dubai to reveal she was being accused of editing her pictures, leading to her weight loss revelation. Detailing how she did not lose the weight easily or as a 'quick fix', she admitted she was forced to make a change after losing sight of herself and proudly professed she was feeling 'enlightened' following her lifestyle overhaul. Sensational! Fran recently revealed she shed two stone after weight gain and trolls left her 'unrecognisable' to herself Amazing! The stunner, who shot to fame on the show's fifth season in 2019, took to Instagram stories during her prolonged trip to Dubai to reveal she was being accused of editing her pictures, leading to her weight loss revelation Francesca looked sensational in her latest snaps, in which she posed on a yacht as she continues to live it up following the news that the country had been removed from the UK travel corridor amid the coronavirus pandemic. While she was certainly looking sensational, Francesca admitted she had been struggling with her weight and image yet worked hard to improve herself. She said: 'I don't get people being nasty in my DMs everyone's really kind and I'm so grateful for my following. But I've had a couple of people messaging me about my weight and saying I edit it my photo. I'm like - hun - I've actually lost nearly 2st... 'So I am gonna look a bit different. I'd loive to know how youre supposed to edit it your face or your body or any of those things in a video... Stunning: The stunner, who shot to fame on the show's fifth season in 2019, took to Instagram stories during her prolonged trip to Dubai to reveal she was being accused of editing her pictures, leading to her weight loss revelation Curves: While she has always looked sensational, Francesca admitted she feels better in herself 'My skin is looking so good. It's not something I've done overnight like I would usually do but I look at pictures of like who's that? I might do a YouTube video explaining everything that's happened... 'I feel like enlightened - which is the worst possible news I can use right now - I'm strong in myself and I have that strength in my body that I used to have like over two years ago. I just had lost love for training, I'd lost love myself.' Speaking about how trolls forced her to change herself both inside and out, she said: 'It was mad. But I'm back with a bang. I had to look inside. 'My personality was getting commented on and abused but there's only so much a girl can take. Like even me doing my accents that was wrong... Keeping up! She has been keeping up her regime in Dubai and shared videos while running Wow! Francesca looked sensational in her latest snaps, in which she posed on a yacht as she continues to live it up in the UAE following the news that the country had been removed from the UK travel corridor amid the coronavirus pandemic 'I thought is it not jest? That's the humour me and my family have but I just thought it was funny but then I felt I couldn't really be myself. It gets very confusing... 'I think like - I dunno - I'm super happy and super positive but let me tell you I have times. That may sound like I'm on a tangent but I swear to God the feeling I was feeling on the inside was showing on the outside.' Francesca then discussed the impact everything had on her, as she went on: 'Because my outside I didn't recognise myself and I didn't recognise who I was and i didn't recognise who I was looking in the mirror.' Wow! Francesca pictured in her Love Island promo shot Tough times: Francesca then discussed the impact everything had on her, as she went on: 'Because my outside I didn't recognise myself and I didn't recognise who I was and i didn't recognise who I was looking in the mirror' She assured fans that she was back on track, saying: 'Now I feel in order with my body, my mind my friends my business, everything - I've got a clarity... 'I could run through this wall mate. I had to be selfish and look at myself and evaluate who I am and what I do. It's ok to be selfish sometimes... 'I don't think I realised how upsetting my skin used to make me but I used to just crack on but I wish [my beautician Therapy] had been in my life then. She wrote over the top: 'I'm a filter free kinda girl always!' and 'Enlightened hahahahh I just feel like I know my path in life right now and it's good'. In the latest development to the case related to child pornography in Uttar Pradesh, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday took major action. A team of five specialist doctors of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) along with the CBI team from Delhi reached Chitrakoot on Thursday. They are conducting health tests at the Urban Primary Health Centre on children allegedly sexually exploited by an arrested junior engineer of the irrigation department. The CBI team reached Chitrakoot, which is the native place of the accused and has started conducting health tests of the children who were victims of the heinous act. The investigation is being carried out while keeping the identity of the children a secret. The team of doctors from AIIMS consists of two female and three male doctors. According to the CBI sources, more than 25 children was medically examined on Thursday and it will continue for the next two days. As per the sources, important evidence will also be collected during the medical tests. Junior Engineer Ram Bhawan, accused of sexual abuse and child pornography, underwent a medical test in Delhi's AIIMS three days ago. A team of eight doctors conducted the medical test. However, the report of mental test is yet to come. On November 16, 2020, the CBI had held a Junior Engineer from Chitrakoot district in Uttar Pradesh on the allegations of sexually abusing over 50 children in the state's Chitrakoot, Banda and Hamirpur districts. Thursday's development comes almost five days after Bhawan was brought to Delhi for a detailed forensic, medical and psychological assessment by a team of AIIMS doctors. Bhawan was arrested on the charge of sexually exploiting minors in 10 years and selling video clips and photographs of his sexual acts on the darknet to paedophiles across the globe. The CBI had earlier said that Bhawan was sexually exploiting minors and was arrested from Banda district. According to the CBI, the matter was brought to the notice of the agency in 2020. The CBI team during searches had recovered eight mobile phones, around Rs 8 lakh in cash, sex toys, laptop, and other digital evidence carrying huge quantity of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). A case was then registered against unidentified persons suspected of sexually abusing minors in Banda, Chitrakoot and Hamirpur districts. The CBI in a statement told news agency IANS, "It was further alleged that these photographs and video films containing child sexual abuse material were published and transmitted by the accused using the facility of internet. It was also alleged that the accused used the dark web for sale, transmission and sharing of such CSAM content with other individuals." The CBI on December 29, 2020, also arrested his wife Durgawati from Banda for trying to influence and manipulate the prime witnesses in the case against her husband. Live TV Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Longtime Escondido City Attorney Jeffery Epp has unanimously been named city manager of Escondido, the City Council announced at its Wednesday meeting. Epp replaces Graham Mitchell, who served as city manager for just over a year until resigning for personal reasons in October. Mitchell stayed on until early March at the councils request. Epp has been the acting city manager since then. Mayor Sam Abed Thursday said more than 100 applications were received for the job but the council decided to go with what they knew was already working. We have been watching closely the performance of the interim city attorney and city manager, Abed said. The entire council believes their performance has exceeded our expectations. Advertisement The council also announced Wednesday that interim City Attorney Michael McGuinness has been appointed to fill that opening which was created when Epp moved into the managers office. Epp made headlines last year when the watchdog agency Transparent California reported that his 2015 compensation which included benefits and cash payouts for unused leave made him the second highest paid municipal employee in California that year. It was no secret that Epp, who has worked for Escondido 31 years, had planned to retire in 2017. He said Thursday those plans are on hold, although he declined to say just how long he will stick around. Im going to be around as long as were making positive changes and building a great city, Epp said. Ill be around indefinitely. Epp said he will be working with the council on a number of things to improve the safety and appearance and viability and dynamics of our city. He will focus particularly on parks, Epp said, especially Grape Day Park, and on gangs, graffiti, general appearance of the city and financial issues that could threaten Escondidos future. As city attorney, Epp had been making a base salary of $252,000 annually. He said his base salary as city manager will be about $286,000 a year, the same amount the city manager of Carlsbad. My message to the council was we are as good or better than every other city and its time to start acting like it, he said. Advertisement In 2015, Epps total compensation was nearly $521,000, with benefits and cash outs of unused leave time, according to Transparent California. In fact, Epp and former Escondido City Manager Clay Phillips had been listed as two of the highest paid municipal employees in the state for three years running. Phillips retired in 2015. Epp said the inflated figures were because he and Phillips had signed nearly identical contracts in 2013 that allowed them to cash out unused leave time for three years. The way the state reported those numbers, they reported it as salary, he said this week. It made it look like I had a hugely inflated salary. Thats over now. Epp said he told the council the only way he would accept the permanent city manager post was on the condition that he had the enthusiastic support of all five members of the council. Advertisement Abed said he did. We truly believe that Jeff Epp brings fresh leadership to the city managers office and hes willing to make changes to reflect the financial challenges that we face. jharry.jones@sduniontribune.com; 760/529-4931; Twitter: @jharryjones The Member of Parliament for the Dome Kwabenya Constituency, Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo, has strongly debunked rumors alleging that she voted against Prof Mike Ocquaye, the NPPs nominee for the position of Speaker during the last special sitting of Parliament on the dawn of 7th January, 2021. She described such rumors as lacking any iota of truth, and called on the general public to completely disregard same. In a statement she issued on January 13, 2021, Hon Sarah Adwoa Safo, said, it was highly egregious and unconscionable for anyone to suggest that she would betray her beloved party merely because of the recent internal primaries of the constituency as has been alleged, where she was contested by the son of Prof Mike Ocquaye, the partys nominee. As a firm believer of democracy, which is one of the founding principles of the NPP, I have never, and can never hold grudge with any person(s) that contest(s) me in party primaries, she said in the statement, and proceeded to state emphatically that, she voted for Prof Mike Ocquaye, the partys nominee for the position of Speaker, on that faithful day. Hon. Sarah Adwoa Safo also proclaimed that, in the over 20 years of her active political life, she had always stood for and publicly supported decisions of her party hierarchy. Read Full Statement Below: My attention has been drawn to rumours and wild speculations on mainline and social media suggesting that I, Sarah Adwoa Safo, voted against Prof Mike Oquaye, the NPPs nominee for the position of Speaker during the last sitting of the 7th Parliament on the dawn of 7th January 2021. It is being alleged that I voted against Prof Oquaye because he [Prof Oquaye] allowed his son to contest me in the recent past Dome Kwabenya parliamentary primaries of the NPP in the run-up to the 2020 general elections. How absurd! I wish to state emphatically that, there is no iota of truth in these vile rumours and speculations, and I call on all and sundry to completely disregard the same. For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to state without any shred of doubt that, I, Sarah Adwoa Safo, voted for Prof Mike Oquaye. I had absolutely no motivation to vote otherwise. In the over 20 years of my active political life, I have always stood for and publicly supported the decisions of my party, the NPP. My unquenchable loyalty and commitment to the NPP over the decades can certainly not be shaken by an ordinary internal contest within the party. At every stage of my parliamentary political life, I have been contested, and at no point have I begrudged my fellow contestants. Whilst it is indeed true that since 2007, I have been contesting in the Dome Kwabenya parliamentary primaries of the party, it is undeniable, that, regardless of the outcome of each contest, I never hesitated in deploying my time and resources at the disposal of the party to ensure that Dome Kwabenya remains our traditional stronghold election after election. Also, as a firm believer of our democratic tenets, which is one of the founding principles of the NPP, I have never, and can never hold any grudge against any person(s) that contest me in our partys primaries. It, therefore, comes to me, as not only egregious but also highly unconscionable for anyone to suggest that I would betray my party merely because I was contested in the recent parliamentary primaries of the party. Beyond that, it must also be recalled that I contributed to the debate on the floor of parliament at that special sitting, making a solid case for the partys nominee, Prof Mike Oquaye to be re-elected as the Speaker of the august house. Instructively, I was the only female Member of Parliament who spoke for the partys nominee on that faithful day. Having made a case for the re-election of Prof Mike Oquaye as Speaker, what at all would be my motivation to vote against him? This, certainly, beggars belief. Also, as the immediate past Deputy Majority Leader and a 3-term Member of Parliament, I am not oblivious of the devastating consequences of not having the Speaker on the side of the governing party. I therefore could not have contemplated putting my party and government in such an uncomfortable and dire situation by voting against the partys nominee for the position of Speaker. Notwithstanding the viciousness of these malicious allegations against my person, I remain resolute and focused on my work as a Member of the august house to the service of my constituents, my party, and of course, the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in delivering prosperity to the Ghanaian people. Signed Sarah Adow Safo MP, Dome Kwabenya 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 Three Ivorian UN peacekeepers killed in Mali attack Peacekeepers (similar to this one, pictured May 2016) travelling the road linking the central town of Douentza to the city of Timbuktu further north hit a roadside bomb, according to a statement from the MINUSMA peacekeeping mission Three UN peacekeepers from Ivory Coast were killed in central Mali on Wednesday, the UN said, in the latest violence to hit the war-torn Sahel state. Peacekeepers travelling the road linking the central town of Douentza to the city of Timbuktu further north hit a roadside bomb, according to a statement from the MINUSMA peacekeeping mission. Gunmen then opened fire on the convoy, the statement added. Three soldiers died and six more were wounded. "The robust response of the peacekeepers drove the cowardly assailants to flee," the MINUSMA statement said. An statement from a UN spokesman in New York earlier on Wednesday said that one peacekeeper was killed and seven wounded. The attack is the latest in a brutal conflict which has been raging in Mali since 2012, when jihadists overtook a rebellion by mostly ethnic Tuareg separatists in the north. The conflict, which has killed thousands of soldiers and civilians to date, has since spread to central Mali as well as neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger, inflaming ethnic tensions along the way. Laying roadside bombs -- or improvised explosive devices (IED) -- is a favourite tactic among militants in the arid Sahel region. France -- which has 5,100 troops deployed across Sahel -- has lost five soldiers to IED attacks since late December, for example. First established in 2013, the 13,000-strong MINUSMA is the deadliest peacekeeping mission in the world. Over 230 of its personnel have died since the mission began. MINUSMA head Mahamat Saleh Annadif condemned Wednesday's attack on UN peacekeepers, adding in the statement that he "bowed with deep sadness before the memory of the peacekeepers". "At a time when all efforts are being mobilised to get Mali out of its rut, I deeply deplore the resurgence of these attacks against national and international forces, as well as the civilian population," he added. - Deteriorating security - The attack on UN peacekeepers occurred a day after a UN Security Council Meeting devoted to peace efforts in Mali. Story continues In his latest report, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern about the deteriorating security situation, pointing to the situation in central Mali as particularly worrying. Mali's interim government is also under pressure to quell the seemingly endless conflict. Anger about lack of progress against the jihadists and perceived corruption contributed to protests against president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, which culminated in his military ouster last August. Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) posted a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Tesla's Elon Musk on its Instagram handle today, expressing its enthusiasm over the company's upcoming base in Bengaluru. The caption on the post read, "PM Narendra Modi interacting with the CEO of Tesla in San Jose in 2015," The Prime Minister and Musk can be seen shaking hands at the Tesla Motors campus. The text in the photo read: "World's leading electric car manufacturer Tesla Inc, which had expressed its intent of starting operations in India, finally set up its office in Bengaluru. On January 8, the electric vehicle manufacturer set up its company 'Tesla India Motors and Energy Private Limited' in India with its registered office in the capital of Karnataka." Yesterday, Elon Musk had replied to an article on Tesla's India plan with the words: "As promised". It was seen as a reference to his tweet in October last year in response to a T-shirt with the message: "India wants Tesla". The Tesla CEO had replied, "Next year for sure". Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa confirmed in a tweet earlier this week that the carmaker is setting up an R&D unit in Bengaluru. "Karnataka will lead India's journey towards Green Mobility. Electric Vehicle Manufacturer Tesla will soon start its operations in India with an R&D unit in Bengaluru. I welcome Elon Musk to India and Karnataka and wish him all the very best," he wrote. Also read: Elon Musk confirms Tesla's India plans in two-word tweet Also read: Tesla incorporates firm in Bengaluru with 3 directors, scouts for land With Orion in place, companies transform their deskless workforce into an unmatched advantage a crucial step to remaining competitive in todays environment. Orion Labs, Inc., the leading voice-first, intelligent collaboration platform that empowers deskless workers, today announced the company was named a Top 10 Industrial IoT Solution Provider for 2020 by Manufacturing Technology Insights. The judging panel noted that Orion Labs was selected for its unmatched innovations to support the deskless workforce with voice-first multimodal collaboration, process automation, intelligence amplification, and analytics. Manufacturing Technology Insights provides industrial manufacturers with intelligence for investing in new technology platforms and building new operating models. Each year, the organizations editorial board and industry-leading CEOs, CIOs, and CXOs select 10 companies at the forefront of reducing the complexity of various processes, boosting operational efficiency, and furthering digital innovation, said Laura Davis, Editor-in-Chief at Manufacturing Technology Insights. Digital innovation is key to transforming the manufacturing industry as it faces increased pressure to operate more efficiently, growing global competition, downward pressure on profits, and constraints from COVID-19. Deloitte estimates 62% of manufacturers will make smart manufacturing and digital transformation investments this year to increase agility and productivity, with many organizations accelerating their investments due to pandemic-related challenges. Orion supports the digitalization journey and transforms how an organizations deskless workforce operates by enabling deskless workers to collaborate in real-time with a multimodal experience, including voice, text, photo, and video. The Orion platform leverages real-time edge-delivered data from IoT sensors to create smart plants and enable industrial companies to be more operationally aware, asset-efficient, and automate workstream processes to save time, and reduce costs in delivering goods and services. Orion makes possible a truly connected deskless workforce, and ultimately, buttresses the digital transformation of an enterprise, said Michael Schwartz, Orion Chief Marketing Officer. With Orion in place, companies transform their deskless workforce into an unmatched advantage a crucial step to remaining competitive in todays environment. We are honored that Manufacturing Technology Insights recognizes our dedication to empowering the deskless workforce with voice-first, intelligent collaboration. Orion has continually been recognized by analysts, industry pundits, and leading journals for its innovative and market-leading solutions. IDC named Orion an IDC Innovator for its unique ability to digitally transform communications for the deskless workforce with AI-powered bots that enable process automation and access to IoT systems. The company won an Edison Award for the Onyx, its patented wearable that supports hands-free, heads-up collaboration for workers. Orion holds 28 patents to protect its innovation advantage and continues to advance new ways to help its customers embrace the benefits of digital transformation. About Orion Labs, Inc. Orion is the leading voice-first, intelligent platform that empowers deskless workers by enabling real-time team collaboration, process automation, location mapping, and access to enterprise systems to improve workforce productivity, safety and compliance, and customer engagement. Orion holds 28 patents that support its award-winning solutions and has been named an IDC Innovator. The company is headquartered in San Francisco and backed by leading investors. For more information, visit http://www.orionlabs.io. Stay in touch with Orion Labs | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Blog Media contact: Jacqueline Wasem Orion Labs, Inc. 415-800-5467 press@orionlabs.io Tesla is looking to open its first sales outlet in India, possibly in Bengaluru, even as it continues talks with the Karnataka government on setting up a research and development (R&D) centre in the state, two people aware of the development said. The billionaire Elon Musk-led electric vehicle maker (EV) maker has registered a new entity, Tesla India Motors and Energy Pvt. Ltd, with an office in Bengaluru, as part of the initial steps towards starting operations in India. Also Read | Digital bank account sparks off a disruption They will introduce their products here and set up outlets. There are ongoing talks for a R&D centre (in Karnataka) but a manufacturing facility is not part of the immediate course of action," one of the two people mentioned above said, requesting anonymity. Cupertino, US-based Tesla is also likely to open retail outlets in other large cities in India depending on demand potential for its vehicles. In a confirmation of its plans to enter India, Tesla founder Musk, who recently became the richest individual on the planet overtaking Amazon.com Inc.s Jeff Bezos, tweeted a four-word response Next year for sure to an unofficial Tesla fan club Twitter handle on 2 October. The company has, however, kept its entire plans for India under wraps for a while now and even a Twitter post by Karnataka chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa, that Tesla will soon start operations in India with an R&D unit in Bengaluru, was deleted hours after it was shared on Wednesday. Karnataka government officials said that they have been asked not to divulge any details of the deal with Tesla as the company would like to make the announcement itself. Mail to Teslas teams in North America and Asia went unanswered. Tesla is also in talks with other state governments to set up retail outlets, the second person cited above said. The company has completed three rounds of talks scouting for charging sites in Mumbai, The Free Press Journal reported on Wednesday, quoting an unnamed state government official. Karnataka remains cautious after the damage to its investment-friendly image following an incident of worker violence in December at Tawainese giant Wistrons factory, which produces iPhones for Apple Inc. Teslas entry in Karnataka would help the state consolidate its image as Indias EV hub. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. BioRescue two new northern white rhino embryos created at Christmas Happy end to a challenging year: Two new northern white rhino embryos created at Christmas - now there are five The international consortium of scientists and conservationists that is working towards preventing the extinction of the northern white rhino through advanced assisted reproduction technologies is happy to announce that in December 2020, two new northern white rhino embryos were produced. On December 13, the team of Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW), Safari Park Dv?r Kralove, Kenya Wildlife Service and Ol Pejeta Conservancy successfully performed an oocyte collection in Kenya. After immediate transportation of the recovered oocytes across continents, the embryos were created at Avantea laboratory in Cremona (Italy) following maturation and fertilisation of the oocytes with the semen of Suni. They were cryopreserved on Christmas eve when they reached the blastocyst stage suitable for freezing and increase the total number of viable embryos produced so far to five. This nourishes the hope that despite challenges and delays caused by COVID-19 the northern white rhino can still be saved. The next steps in the programme are already underway. Females Najin and Fatu at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya, are the only remaining northern white rhinos in the world. To prevent the extinction of the northern white rhino, an international consortium of scientists and conservationists harvests immature egg cells (oocytes) from the two females and artificially inseminates these using frozen sperm from deceased males in order to create viable northern white rhino embryos. In the near future, the embryos will be transferred into southern white rhino surrogate mothers to create northern white rhino offspring. The COVID-19 pandemic seriously affected the process of oocyte collection and fertilisation in 2020, delaying the production of new embryos in addition to the three embryos created in 2019. At last, in December 2020, 14 oocytes were retrieved from Fatu's ovaries using a probe guided by ultrasound, after the animal was placed under general anaesthesia. The oocyte pickup device is an internationally approved patent. Both the anaesthesia and the ovum pickup procedure went smoothly and without complications. After incubating and maturing the egg cells in the Avantea laboratory, eight of them were fertilised with thawed sperm from deceased northern white rhino bull Suni using a procedure called intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Two fertilised oocytes developed into a viable embryo with the help of Geri, an innovative benchtop incubator with integrated continuous embryo monitoring capabilities designed to provide an individualised and undisturbed incubation environment and donated by Merck to the project, who further continued to support the initiative financially in 2020. The embryos are now stored in liquid nitrogen along with the three embryos from previous procedures. Unfortunately, no oocytes were retrieved from Najin, who is Fatu's mother. Previously, collecting oocytes from Najin was successful, but no embryos were created from her egg cells. The team of rhino reproduction specialists from the Leibniz-IZW, led by Prof Hildebrandt, see two possible reasons for this repeatedly negative outcome: Najin's age and/or health issues could affect the quality of her egg cells. In addition, the 31-year-old rhino has a large, tumour in her abdomen, which at this point does not cause acute health problems but may hamper the functionality of reproductive organs. Since every step of every procedure within the programme is accompanied by a thorough ethical risk assessment, the team will decide only after a health check whether to continue oocyte collection from Najin during the next visit planned for later this year. The successful embryo creation in December 2020 is a conciliatory end to a challenging year for the northern white rhino rescue programme and the world of conservation at large. The procedures scheduled for March and June had to be cancelled or postponed owing to the global COVID-19 pandemic. In August 2020, the team was finally able to repeat the oocyte collection, with the disappointing result of no embryos created. The reproduction specialists concluded that the unintended span of nearly nine months between procedures affected the results. The successful procedures in December have proven that a regular rhythm of repeated oocyte collections every three to four months is key to their success. Therefore, the team intends to continue with this cycle if possible. In December 2020, the team also started the next phase of the ambitious project - the preparations of the transfer of the embryos into southern white rhino females. For this purpose, a southern white rhino bull was transferred from Lewa Wildlife Conservancy to Ol Pejeta Conservancy in November 2020. This bull has fathered several offspring and is thus considered a proven breeder, which is the reason he was a suitable candidate to be taken out of the breeding group at Lewa and transferred to Ol Pejeta. At Ol Pejeta, he was sterilised by the BioRescue team with a minimally invasive non-surgical procedure using state-of-the-art equipment. A thorough ethical risk assessment has been applied to this procedure as to all procedures of the programme. The sterilisation procedure went smoothly and without any complications. The bull started to eat immediately after the anaesthetics wore off. As a sterilised bull he will reliably indicate through his behaviour the reproductive cycle of potential surrogate mothers without the risk of impregnating them. This indication is a crucial prerequisite for transferring the valuable northern white rhino embryos into surrogate mothers at the correct timing of their reproductive cycle. After the team has confirmed the success of sterilisation in March 2021, the bull will be constantly monitored to record whether his behaviour indicates potential surrogate mothers' cycles. The "BioRescue" research programme is led by Leibniz-IZW and funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Its goal is to significantly advance assisted reproduction techniques (ART) and stem cell associated techniques (SCAT) complemented with a comprehensive ethical assessment carried out by the University of Padova for the benefit of the northern white rhinoceros. The consortium is significantly funded by the BMBF with additional smaller donors such as the Czech foundation Nadace ?EZ or the Richard McLellan Rewind Rhino Extinction Foundation from the USA. The consortium comprises internationally renowned institutions from Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, Kenya, Japan and USA. The programme is strongly supported by the Kenyan Government and by Hon Najib Balala, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife. "On behalf of the people and the Government of Kenya, I would wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge with appreciation the impressive progress achieved so far by the joint team of Kenyan and international scientists working to save the endangered Northern White Rhino from extinction. As one of the leading country's globally in wildlife conservation, we are committed to continue facilitating this collaborative process to its logical conclusion by providing support to enable this important work to continue. I am delighted that the world has a chance through use of cutting edge and innovative technologies to save this threatened wildlife species for posterity and that Kenya is playing its part in this critical conservation effort. We must do everything possible to save this species from extinction. Remember, extinction is forever. Once we lose this species we will have lost an iconic animal which will not be seen again by future generations," Hon Najib Balala says. Since the beginning of the year, "BioRescue" has a new website (http://www. biorescue. org ). The page is a resource of knowledge and news around the scientific part of the northern white rhino rescue programme. It furthermore portrays the people behind the mission, collects visual media accounts of the mission in multiple galleries and offers users the possibility to support the programme through donations. ### Media package https:/ / hidrive. ionos. com/ share/ jcu2f1jimx Boilerplates Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) The Leibniz-IZW is an internationally renowned German research institute of the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. and a member of the Leibniz Association. Our mission is to examine evolutionary adaptations of wildlife to global change and develop new concepts and measures for the conservation of biodiversity. To achieve this, our scientists use their broad interdisciplinary expertise from biology and veterinary medicine to conduct fundamental and applied research - from molecular to landscape level - in close dialogue with the public and stakeholders. Additionally we are committed to unique and high quality services for the scientific community. http://www. izw-berlin. de Safari Park Dv?r Kralove Safari Park Dv?r Kralove is a safari park in the Czech Republic. It's one of the best rhino breeders outside of Africa and the only place where the northern white rhino bred in human care - both remaining females, Najin and Fatu, were born here. Dv?r Kralove Zoo coordinates efforts to save the northern white rhinos. https:/ / safaripark. cz/ en/ Kenya Wildlife Service Kenya Wildlife Service is the principal government institution that conserves and manages wildlife for Kenyans and the world. It also enforces related laws and regulations. http://kws. go. ke/ Ol Pejeta Conservancy Ol Pejeta Conservancy is the largest black rhino sanctuary in east Africa, and is the only place in Kenya to see chimpanzees. It is also home to the last two northern white rhinos on the planet. Ol Pejeta's cutting-edge wildlife security includes a specialised K-9 unit, motion sensor cameras along its solar-powered electric fence, and a dedicated Rhino Protection Unit. https:/ / www. olpejetaconservancy. org/ Avantea Avantea is a laboratory of advanced technologies for biotechnology research and animal reproduction based in Cremona, Italy. Avantea has over twenty years of experience and the know-how in assisted reproduction of livestock developed through years of research conducted in the biomedical and animal reproduction fields. https:/ / www. avantea. it/ en/ University of Padua University of Padua in Italy is one of the oldest in the world, celebrating 800 years. Its Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science is developing leading research and education in the field of wildlife conservation and welfare with a special focus on ethical assessment and evaluation of research projects and educational programs. https:/ / www. unipd. it/ en/ Contacts Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) Prof. Dr. Thomas Hildebrandt BioRescue project head and head of Department of Reproduction Management +49305168440 hildebrandt@izw-berlin.de Steven Seet Head of Science Communication +491778572673 seet@izw-berlin.de Dv?r Kralove Zoo Jan Stejskal Director of Communication and International Projects +420608009072 jan.stejskal@zoodk.cz Ol Pejeta Conservancy Elodie Sampere PR & Communications +254 / 727 341 612 elodie.sampere@olpejetaconservancy.org Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Dr David Ndeereh Head, Veterinary Services +254/722 556 380 dndeereh@kws.go.ke Paul Udoto Corporate Communications Manager +254/721 453 981 pudoto@kws.go.ke Avantea Cesare Galli Director +390 / 372437242 cesaregalli@avantea.it Padua University Barbara de Mori Director of the Ethics Laboratory for Veterinary Medicine, Conservation and Animal +39-3403747666 barbara.demori@unipd.it Merck KGaA Annemarie Otten (Eckhardt) Senior Manager Core Franchise Communications Group Communications | Business Partner Healthcare +49 151 14547300 annemarie.otten@merckgroup.com This story has been published on: 2021-01-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. In the coming days, Navalny intends to return to Russia. Alexei Navalny, a Russian opposition figure recovering from last year's poisoning, who recently announced his return to the country on January 17, has been put on the wanted list in Russia. That's according to Mash. As seen in the alleged copy of a warrant, Navalny has presumably been on the federal wanted list since December 29, 2020. "The search case had been opened on November 27. Documents say Navalny did not report to his probation supervisor in the Yves Rocher case (where he was sentenced with probation) and ignored the control routine. At the same time, throughout the whole time, he has reported to the penitentiary officials once on November 23 (before coming to senses on September 10), stating that he was in rehabilitation and would not comment on his return," said the report. Russian security officials claim that Navalny has been allegedly evading probation supervision: on November 27, preliminary search efforts began, and on December 29, the opposition figure was put on the wanted list. Navalny poisoning: Background Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny felt sick on board the plane he was flying from the city of Tomsk to Moscow on August 20. His rapidly deteriorating condition forced the captain to perform an emergency landing in Omsk. Navalny was evacuated from Omsk to Berlin's Charite hospital on an ambulance aircraft for further medical treatment on August 22. Read alsoFSB team suspected of poisoning Navalny may be involved in three murders BellingcatOn September 4, it was announced that experts with the Bundeswehr laboratory had found traces of poison from the Novichok group in Navalny's body. In this regard, Berlin called on Moscow to explain the circumstances of the poisoning of the Russian opposition figure. On September 10, it was reported Navalny had made further progress in his recovery and was able to speak again. On September 14, French and Swedish laboratories independently confirmed Navalny had been poisoned with a chemical nerve agent of the Novichok group. On September 23, he was discharged from Charite. He is now convalescing in a secret location. On September 25, Navalny's press secretary, Kira Yarmysh, said that the opposition leader would remain in Germany until the end of his rehabilitation course. On October 1, speaking in an interview for Germany's Der Spiegel, Navalny said that Russian President Vladimir Putin personally stood behind the attempt to poison him with Novichok. Navalny said he planned to return to Russia. In a prank call late December, Navalny duped a Russian secret agent into disclosing details of the botched plot to kill him and had been told that poison had been placed in his underpants. Reporting by UNIAN Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Global broking business, Brokerslink, starts 2021 with the continued the expansion of its global network and the addition of independent broker JDB in North Macedonia. Trading since 2009, JDB is a growing broker with a sharp focus on customer service and a dedication to providing full risk and loss analysis support as well as claims advice to its policyholders across a broad range of business lines. We are very proud to become a Brokerslink affiliate. As a business, our core values are loyalty, commitment, energy, responsibility and integrity in our work; qualities we also see in the Brokerslink team and right across the network, commented Brankica Pavleska, owner and executive director of JDB Broker. JDB Broker will be at the disposal of our fellow partners and affiliates, and their clients in Macedonia. We are ready to share our local knowledge of the Macedonian market, expert advice and guidance with the Brokerslink community, Pavleska added. Brokerslink also has announced the addition of three other new broker affiliates; Juasur in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Risk Management Services in Pakistan and Fidelia in Senegal. Zug, Switzerland-based Brokerslink is a global broking company that owns and manages a worldwide insurance broking network. Source: Brokerslink Topics Agencies Europe Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Sun and clouds mixed. High 74F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 47F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Vaccinations for the general public against COVID-19 are expected to start around Spring Festival, which begins on Feb 12, China's health authorities said. By Saturday, China had administered over 9 million shots of COVID-19 vaccine to people deemed at high risk of contracting the disease, including workers in customs, medicine and healthcare, the cold chain industry, public transportation, and produce and seafood markets, and no severe abnormal reactions had been reported, said senior health officials. As vaccine production ramps up, the rollout will gradually cover other demographics including the general public, Zeng Yixin, vice-minister of the National Health Commission, said during a news briefing held by the State Council Information Office on Saturday. The public can receive the vaccine free of charge, he added. China began mass vaccination of prioritized personnel on Dec 15 with an inactivated vaccine developed by State-owned Sinopharm Group. The two-dose vaccine, created by the China National Biotec Group, a subsidiary of Sinopharm, was approved for emergency use in China in July. On Dec 30, it became the first anti-COVID vaccine to receive conditional approval from the country's top drug regulator after showing 79.34 percent efficacy in the ongoing stage-3 clinical trials. The trials are taking place in several countries, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which both approved the vaccine in December, according to the company. "Since China approved emergency use of the vaccine in July, more than a million doses have been administered with no serious side effects. Around 70,000 people who got vaccinated have gone to high-risk countries, and no serious infection was reported," the company said in an email to China Daily. Feng Zijian, deputy director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said the two-dose vaccine may induce minor reactions, such as redness, swelling or pain around the injection site, which is normal for all vaccines. "This vaccine is produced through the inactivated vaccine technique, which is a mature method and guarantees a high level of safety and efficacy," Feng said in an interview with China National Radio. Zeng, the vice-minister, said the country has established comprehensive protocols for vaccination, including monitoring and handling of side effects. The vaccine is also able to neutralize the new strain of the novel coronavirus that was reported to be behind the rise in transmission of the disease in parts of the United Kingdom, Zeng added, citing recent research by Chinese scientists. Cui Gang, a senior official at the National Health Commission's Bureau of Disease Prevention and Control, said China has established 25,392 vaccine locations across the country, along with detailed regulations and plans for the handling and administering of the vaccine. Zhang Wenhong, leader of the Shanghai team of experts on the clinical treatment of COVID-19, said on his micro blog that the prompt and efficient popularization of COVID-19 vaccines at home and abroad will effectively curb the growth of the pandemic. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. SCHODACK Two people were killed at an Angelo Drive home Wednesday night by an assailant who then took his own life, State Police said. The 57-year-old homeowner, Bhupinder Singh, shot and killed his mother-in-law, Manjeet Kaur, 55, and his daughter, Jasleen Kaur, 14, county law enforcement sources said Thursday. His wife, Rashpal Kaur, 40, suffered wounds to her arm but survived, and investigators were waiting to speak to her at Albany Medical Center Hospital on Thursday. Related: Three fathers allegedly murdered their families. What drove them to kill? The violence at 1313 Angelo Drive happened before 9:15 p.m. Wednesday, the time when ambulances were called in to assist. Residents estimated the shooting may have occurred at 8:45 p.m. The home is near the entrance to the dead-end street at the intersection of Angelo Drive and Sand Road. The house backs up to Interstate 90 and is between exits 11 and 12. Residents described the neighborhood as quiet. An official familiar with the case said Rashpal Kaur sought help from neighbors after fleeing the house, bleeding from her wound. Jim Lundstrom, who lives next door to the house where the shootings took place, said he was lying in bed at around 9 p.m. when he heard his doorbell ring for about a minute without pause. The person outside had kept their finger on the doorbell, and as Lundstrom got up to see who it was, he heard a piercing scream outside his home: Help me! Help me! We live on a dead end street, so the only people who come up here are the people who live here, Lundstrom said. Ive lived here for 27 years. Nobodys rang my doorbell constantly holding on like that. So my first reaction was, Somethings wrong with somebody. When Lundstrom checked outside his window, he saw someone walk away from his home and stumble their way up the street to another house. He opened his door, turned on the front porch light and looked down at his driveway. There was blood everywhere, Lundstrom said. Rashpal Kaur proceeded to walk up the street, visiting two or three other residences to seek help. An ambulance was dispatched to a home four houses away from the shooting scene. Lundstrom called police, and around 10 or 15 minutes later, police vehicles from several agencies filled Angelo Drive, he said. Police at the scene advised arriving emergency crews from the Castleton Ambulance Squad and Mohawk Ambulance that there were three shooting victims and two handguns at 1313 Angelo Drive. The surviving shooting victim was up the street, where a Mohawk Ambulance with advanced life support equipment was sent. The street would remain a crime scene throughout the night as officers gathered information from neighbors. Lundstrom said officers could trace which houses Rashpal Kaur had knocked on by following the trail of blood she left while crisscrossing homes and driveways in the neighborhood, seeking help. Lundstrom and other neighbors said she eventually collapsed on the street before an ambulance arrived. On Thursday afternoon, one home four houses down from the crime scene still had blood on its front doorsteps. Lundstrom said he heard no gunshots, but he did wake up to the sight of a bullet hole on his neighbors home, which he could see from his house as he stood outside on Thursday morning, still reeling from the nights events. Lundstrom said the homeowner's wife visited him and his wife three times in 2020 to talk about problems shed been having with her husband. Shed come here and say, I dont have any food, or, He doesnt let me go anywhere, or, I cant drive my car, Lundstrom said, adding that there was likely domestic violence involved. Rashpal Kaur, neighbors said, would often walk up and down the street. Neighbors said she is a nice person who had said she didn't have a driver's license and complained she couldn't leave home. They said she had asked for assistance in getting a learner's permit. In 2017, Singh was acquitted of third-degree rape in a weeklong Rensselaer County Court trial. Singh said at the trial that he had lost business, money and respect in my community without reason. Troopers had said in December 2016 that the victim of the alleged rape was physically helpless, unable to consent to sexual contact and that Singh was acquainted with the woman. Neighbors said Jasleen, the couple's daughter, attended Schodack schools. The school district delayed the start of high school and junior high classes Thursday to allow crisis counselors to meet with students and staff. "She was a pretty little girl," said Donna Conlin, who lives across the street from 1313 Angelo Drive and is a retired Schodack town clerk. Singh, who had lived in the neighborhood for eight or nine years, didn't interact much with his Angelo Drive neighbors, and Lundstrom said this was his second marriage and that the homeowner rarely made eye contact and was "not friendly." "He kept pretty much to himself," Conlin said. Singh was the owner of Pit Stop 66 in Hudson, a beverage store. A worker there on Thursday morning, who asked to not be identified, said they learned about what happened at the residence through a customer. The worker said other employees were confused and concerned about the shooting, but added that Singh had been a good boss. On the driveway of where the shooting took place, the license plate of a black BMW X5 read, PITSTOP6. Jasleen's death was felt throughout the Schodack school community. "It is with deep sadness and regret that we inform you of the passing of one of our students in the Jr./Sr. High School," the district wrote on its website. "As you can imagine, our initial reaction was one of shock and disbelief. All of us are still struggling to make sense of this tragedy and the sudden loss of such a bright young woman." Superintendent Jason Chevrier said in a statement that "words cannot express the shock, pain and grief that we are feeling at this time. All of us are struggling to make sense of this loss of such a bright young life." Rensselaer County took the added step of offering assistance through its Mental Health Office to those affected by the shooting, especially those in the immediate neighborhood, officials said. The county's Office of Mental Health can be reached at 516-270-2800 or through the Mental Health Crisis Unit at 518-292-5499. Officials said all calls will be kept confidential. State Police said they will continue to investigate the shooting. Advertisement Britain's border defence against coronavirus was branded an 'absolute joke' today as MailOnline can reveal a traveller from variant-hit South Africa walked out of Heathrow without any checks after ministers delayed forcing people to get a negative Covid-19 test before entering Britain until Monday. Thousands of people are still arriving in the UK every day through airports with more coming in through ports and on Eurostar trains without any requirement to prove they don't have Covid-19. Government Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance has also warned a new Brazillian strain could be more resistant to our vaccines as ministers meet today to consider banning all travellers from South America despite knowing about the issues for days. Sean Meade told MailOnline that he had a Covid test on Monday in Durban, South Africa, and carried a copy of his negative result expecting that he would be asked for it when arriving at Heathrow via Paris because he was coming from a country that has a dangerous variant of the virus. Expressing his shock after being waved through arrivals this morning he told MailOnline said: 'The rest of the world seems to be taking it much more seriously than Britain. It's disgraceful and dangerous that no checks are being carried on passengers arriving at Heathrow. I wasn't even asked about my locator form, I just walked out of the airport quicker than I have ever done'. Mr Meade, 26, who works in a care home in Canterbury said that he had spent the past six weeks in South Africa visiting family. He added: 'I've come from a country that has a variant of the virus and where cases are high, but nobody even checked to see if I was negative. I got very confused about the rules. I actually thought that you had to show proof that you have got the all clear starting from Thursday and now I've just discovered that the new rule doesn't start until Monday.' Boris Johnson's Government and leaving the UK at 'serious risk' today as new rules requiring arrivals to have tested negative for coronavirus were delayed. The border rules were announced last week and had been due to come into force tomorrow, with travellers needing to have been screened within the previous 72 hours. However, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced late last night that is being pushed back to Monday to give people 'time to prepare'. Government Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance has also warned a new Brazillian strain could be more resistant to our vaccines as ministers meet today to consider banning all travellers from South America despite knowing about the issues for days. Grant Randall travels between Britain and France regularly with a team of engineers to install fire, security and data networks. Speaking on a Eurostar train to Gard du Nord this afternoon he said: 'I work between London and Paris and have been waiting to travel to see what tests are needed to return. Being pushed back leaves me travelling to Paris with my engineers with no plan on place on how to return with bow list of accepted tests. It's an absolute joke'. And speaking as she flew into the UK, Brazilian Ana Lellis, 27, said: 'I am worried about coronavirus in Brazil because people are still partying and everything is open. There is a big following of people who don't follow the rules. 'We had to get coronavirus tests because that is an TAP Air Portugal requirement but they weren't checked in London. We simply picked up our bags and came out, they didn't even check our locator form.' The chaos at Britain's open borders came as: Travellers from the whole of South America 'will be banned from entering UK from TODAY' - but scientist says it may already be too late as warnings started DAYS ago and new Brazilian variant 'could already be in Britain'; Priti Patel today warned police are ready to tackle people flouting lockdown rules but sows confusion as she claims people should exercise ALONE despite lockdown rules allowing them to work out with one person from another household; Previous coronavirus infection gives people immunity for five months - MORE than the Oxford vaccine, PHE study finds; Boots and Superdrug have started dishing out coronavirus vaccines this morning after No10 finally turned to the high street to deliver its lockdown-ending promise of immunising almost 14million people by mid-February. Sean Meade (pictured) told MailOnline that he had a Covid test on Monday in Durban and carried a copy of his negative result expecting that he would be asked for it when arriving at Heathrow via Paris - but nobody bothered Andreas Joffre (left) and Mohammed Ali (centre) were among the thousands entering the UK by plane today without checks. Mr Ali has been in Britain, Belgium and Dubai before arriving back in the country today along with Ben (right) who came from Amsterdam Grant Randall travels between Britain and France regularly with a team of engineers to install fire, security and data networks and told MailOnline the delays in implementing the rules are an 'absolute joke'. Right, Noemia Lellis, 23, left Sao Paulo yesterday and flew to Lisbon, before flying into Heathrow's Terminal 2. She told MailOnline as she touched down in the UK this afternoon: 'I am shocked they were not doing checks on passengers who recently came back from Brazil' Boris Johnson's Government and leaving the UK at 'serious risk' today as new rules requiring arrivals to have tested negative for coronavirus were delayed Patrick Vallance warns new Brazilian strain COULD be more resistant to our vaccines as ministers meet TODAY to consider banning all travellers from South America Sir Patrick Vallance, chief scientific adviser to the UK Government, said he couldn't rule out the idea that the Brazilian variant might have evolved to make vaccines less effective Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK's chief scientific adviser, has said it is possible that the Brazilian Covid variant could make vaccines less effective. The Government's top scientist said he thinks it is unlikely the mutated strain of the virus will have evolved to get past the immune system but 'we don't know for sure'. No10 looks set to finally ban flights from Brazil and potentially the whole of South America today, days after scientists sounded the alarm about the mutation. This could include other countries such as Argentina, Uruguay and Colombia and also apply to travellers arriving indirectly from Europe or the US who have been in South America within the last 10 days. This would mirror beefed-up restrictions brought in for South Africa due to its mutant Covid strain. The Prime Minister yesterday admitted officials were 'concerned' about the variant and claimed the Government was 'taking steps' to ensure it doesn't spread in Britain. Brazil has already banned travellers from the UK, starting on December 25, because of the variant that emerged here. Airlines appear to have taken matters into their own hands, with all five flights scheduled between Brazil and Heathrow cancelled, and none due from other UK airports. Public Health England (PHE) said it hasn't picked up any cases of the variant yet, but wouldn't rule out its already being in Britain. One expert told MailOnline it is 'entirely possible' it has spread here already but likely not in large numbers. Experts and politicians have raised fears that the Kent and South African mutations which are very similar to the Brazilian strain could make vaccines less effective. Sir Patrick last night revealed SAGE doesn't know whether or not jabs will work against the variant. But top scientists studying the constantly mutating SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, insist jabs currently being rolled-out are 'still likely to be effective'. Pfizer has already tested its own vaccine against the variants that emerged in Kent and South Africa and said that the jab appeared to work just as well, despite the mutations. The mutated variant of coronavirus was discovered in Japan last week in four people who had arrived on a flight from Brazil. It was first detected in Brazil where cases are spiralling rapidly in October. Advertisement Noemia Lellis, 23, left Sao Paulo yesterday and flew to Lisbon, before flying into Heathrow's Terminal 2. She told MailOnline as she touched down in the UK this afternoon: 'I am shocked they were not doing checks on passengers who recently came back from Brazil. 'There are no direct flights from the UK to Brazil anyway so people who will still travel through different countries. 'It makes sense to have less flights to avoid this spread but we are happy to be allowed back. It is going to cause trouble for a lot of people, especially residents like us.' It came at the Government was accused of 'dithering' as it failed to ban all flights from Brazil where another dangerous variant has been detected. A ban on flights from all of South America and parts of Central America is now expected this afternoon. Sean Meade arrived at Heathrow via Paris, having initially boarded an Air France flight in Johannesburg. He said: 'In South Africa, Air France were very strict about the rules. They made me show my negative test result before I could board the plane and also asked me lots of questions about where I had been and where I was going. 'There were no checks on the Paris to London leg of my journey. I wasn't asked a single question and just waltzed out of Heathrow as if there was not even a pandemic going on. It's ridiculous.' Richard Warden, 38 a marine engineer who had flown in from St Maarten island in the Caribbean said: 'I had a Covid test 36 hours before flying but wasn't asked any questions when I arrived at Heathrow. 'It's quite shocking to think that the authorities are so slack in this country. To be honest, I wasn't sure about the rules, but I'm regularly checked anyhow because my company requires it.' Mohammed Ali, a businessman from Dubai had just returned from a business meeting in Brussels. Mr Ali said that he arrived in London on Monday and then flew to Belgium on Wednesday and was returning to Dubai on Thursday night. He said: 'Britain is a joke and really needs to get its act together when it comes to Covid. I came from Dubai on Monday and haven't even bothered to self-isolate, but nobody is checking here, we all know that. People are flying into this country from all over the world and the authorities don't seem that bothered about whether they are carrying the virus or not. 'I'm having a Covid test done before I boarded my flight to Dubai on Thursday night otherwise, they will not let me on it. Once I'm there, they are very strict about self-isolating and if I leave my home I could be fined 50,000. 'But there are no proper checks being carried out for anybody arriving in the UK.' He added: 'I didn't even know that the British government is asking for proof of a recent negative coronavirus test. It's a good move, if you ask me and about time, they got serious about tackling this virus and enforcing the rules.' Ben, 21, who had arrived from Amsterdam after a two-week internship with a Dutch company said: 'I wanted to get back before the new rule came in about having a negative test. 'There's a national lockdown in Holland and I wasn't sure where I would be able to get a test, so I thought it made sense to get home as quickly as possible. I didn't know that they had changed the start day to next Monday as I might have stayed a bit longer.' He added: 'I'm not sure if how well they will enforce this new rule. Nobody checked my locator form and I just walked straight out of the airport without any questions being asked. Given the state that everything is in and the record Covid rates, it's ridiculous that no checks were carried out.' Student Andreas Jofre, 21 had just arrived from Dublin and was boarding a Thursday night flight home to his home in Argentina. He said: 'I've had a negative result which I have to show before going to Argentina otherwise they will not let me on the plane. I don't know what the rules are for coming to England, but I was not asked anything. 'It's not good. Britain is the Covid capital of the world and I can't believe that they are not carrying out proper checks on travellers to this country.' BA has not operated any flights to or from Brazil for three weeks, when the restrictions came in from Brazil, banning flights from the UK. It has not run any commercial flights to the whole of South America for 'weeks'. Normally, BA flies to Brazil, Argentina and Chile but flights to the latter two countries have been winding down in recent weeks. The ban on flights to South America is in place at least until the middle of February but will probably run on until the end of March. Abdul Yillah (pictured with his negative test certificate) and Shutaro Iikura also spoke to MailOnline as they arrived in the UK today at Heathrow The Government has been accused of dropping the ball by not better checking people entering the UK Previous coronavirus infection gives people immunity for five months - MORE than the Oxford vaccine, PHE study finds People previously infected with the coronavirus have more protection against reinfection five months later than people getting the Oxford vaccine, and the same level of immunity that is provided by the Pfizer jab, a Public Health England (PHE) study has found. Data from PHE's SIREN study, which follows more than 20,000 healthcare workers at more than 100 sites across Britain, looked at how many members of NHS staff in the study group caught the virus more than once. A total of 6,614 workers were found to have had the virus in early 2020, either through antibody testing, PCR swabs or clinical evaluation based on symptoms. Just 44 people from this group later tested positive for the coronavirus as a result of reinfection. PHE scientists say this means previous infection confers 83 per cent protection against reinfection, and also reduces the likelihood of developing symptoms and severe disease. Advertisement Meanwhile, ministers will today consider imposing a complete ban on flights and visitors for the whole of South America to combat a worrying new Brazil variant. This would mirror beefed-up restrictions brought in for South Africa due to its mutant Covid. Boris Johnson admitted yesterday that he is 'concerned' about the latest strain which the Government has known about for at least four days amid fears it could dodge current vaccines. Airlines appear to have taken matters into their own hands, with all five flights scheduled between Brazil and Heathrow cancelled, and none due from other UK airports. In a round of interviews this morning, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins suggested the government was trying to balance 'economic' factors with health protection. 'There is a very delicate balancing act here between controlling the virus but also making sure we are not putting too much of a burden on the economy,' she told Sky News. The Brazilian variant could pose a massive setback to attempts to return the UK to normality, though it is unknown at present whether the strain has reached Britain. Amid a row over the Government's response to the latest strain, the Prime Minister was yesterday accused by MPs of failing to tighten the borders quickly enough. MPs also questioned why new rules requiring all travellers to test negative before they enter the UK are being brought in ten months after the pandemic began. Other countries have had similar rules in place for months. Asked why the air corridor between Brazil and parts of South America to the UK had not already been closed off, Ms Atkins said: 'Of course, people flying into the UK, whether from South America or elsewhere are required to have a 10-day quarantine period when they land in the UK. That is mandatory. 'Don't let a coffee cost a life': No10 'plans hard hitting new ad campaign warning people not to socialise as Priti vows MORE police on the streets to tackle rule-breakers Priti Patel warned police are ready to tackle people flouting lockdown rules as she said they were seeing 'dreadful' breaches Priti Patel today warned police are ready to tackle people flouting lockdown rules amid claims ministers are planning a hard-hitting advertising campaign. After the coronavirus death toll hit a new daily record of 1,564, the Home Secretary said forces were seeing 'dreadful' breaches - with police breaking up several illegal raves last night including one held on a London roof-top. Officers in the capital were said to be 'astounded' after being called to break up a party at an industrial unit in Southwark last night, where they found at least 20 revellers on top of the building. An illegal 'house party' of up to 100 people was also broken up by police in a Hertfordshire village, where music and alcohol were seized. The events were branded 'completely unacceptable' by police who issued Covid fines and made several arrests. Appearing on ITV's This Morning, Ms Patel said the government was not intending to make the lockdown tougher over the next few days - but she underlined that there will be harsher enforcement. The government is believed to be drawing up a new advertising push, with claims one draft slogan is 'Don't let a coffee cost a life.' She said police were having to 'break up some really dreadful situations where people are breaching the rules'. 'It is important that we enforce these rules. Your viewers will see more police officers out and about,' she said. 'The rules are clear and the majority of the British public are following the rules.' Pointing to the huge death toll yesterday, she said most people understood the need to 'stop the spread of the virus'. 'The police will continue to issue fines and enforce against people who are flagrantly breaching the rules,' she said. Advertisement 'In terms of the decision on travel measures, it takes a little bit of time. 'What we need to ensure is that when we make these very, very important decisions that have a huge impact on people's personal lives, but also businesses, we have got to have a little bit of time to let that bed in. 'The Prime Minister was clear that measure will be taken, we have acted decisively in the past with both the Denmark and South African variants, so I wouldn't want to speculate further at this stage.' The requirement for all international passengers coming to the UK to show a negative Covid-19 test had been due to come into effect tomorrow. Passengers including homecoming Britons will have to get a test up to 72 hours before they travel. Border Force guards will carry out spot checks and anyone flouting the rules will be fined 500. But after 11pm last night, Mr Shapps tweeted to declare that the measure was being delayed. 'To give international arrivals time to prepare passengers will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before departure to England from MONDAY 18 JANUARY at 4am.' To add to the confusion, Mr Shapps added a calendar emoji showing the 17th. Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said the situation was 'utter chaos'. 'The Government has lacked a comprehensive airport testing policy through this pandemic and now it is slipping into utter chaos,' he said. 'Issuing statements in the middle of the night, because their proposals are unworkable, causes ever greater challenges for travellers and industry. 'This chronic failure is also putting us at risk yet again, from strains such as those that emerged in South Africa and Brazil. As ever, Ministers are too slow to act and it's putting people at serious risk.' And Scotland's Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the negative test requirement was already in force north of the border - even though it is not due to be until tomorrow. In an interview on BBC Breakfast he was asked what the Scottish position was following the news that rules requiring travellers arriving in England to have a negative coronavirus test have been delayed. He said: 'The position in Scotland is that those restrictions are in place and we want to see people following those restrictions to make sure that we minimise the risk.' Asked, 'So you have to have a test before you travel to Scotland?', he replied 'Yes' and agreed that the restrictions apply now. Home affairs committee chairman Yvette Cooper savaged Mr Johnson yesterday for failing to act fast enough. At the Liaison Committee hearing, she demanded to know why UK borders were not immediately shut to travellers from Brazil after warnings of the new strain. She asked him: 'Why aren't you taking immediate action on a precautionary basis?' Ms Cooper also criticised the quarantine system for being 'so much weaker' than measures in dozens of other countries which include rigorous border testing. 'She said it meant arrivals being allowed to board public transport to get to where they will self-isolate after landing, with few checks to see if people are quarantining. The Prime Minister revealed ministers were looking at ways to stop a variant of the variant found in Brazil but dodged questions about whether Britain would adopt a travel ban Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced late last night that is being pushed back to Monday to give people 'time to prepare' In a round of interviews this morning, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins suggested the government was trying to balance 'economic' factors with health protection Pictured: A gravedigger works at the Parque Taruma cemetery amid the coronavirus outbreak in Manaus, Brazil in December It is understood ministers will today consider imposing a complete ban on flights and visitors for the whole of South America to tackle the Brazil variant. Pictured: Guarulhos, Sao Paulo All three of the mutated versions of the coronavirus found in recent weeks the ones from Kent, South Africa and Brazil have had a change on the spike protein of the virus called N501Y, which scientists say makes it better able to latch onto the body and spread WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE BRAZIL VARIANT? Name: B.1.1.248 or P.1 Date: Discovered in Tokyo, Japan, in four travellers arriving from Manaus, Brazil, on January 2. Is it in the UK? Public health officials and scientists randomly sample around 1 in 10 coronavirus cases in the UK and they have not yet reported any cases of B.1.1.248, but this doesn't rule it out completely. Why should we care? The variant has the same spike protein mutation as the highly transmissible versions found in Kent and South Africa named N501Y which makes the spike better able to bind to receptors inside the body. It has a third, less well-studied mutation called K417T, and the ramifications of this are still being researched. What do the mutations do? The N501Y mutation makes the spike protein better at binding to receptors in people's bodies and therefore makes the virus more infectious. Exactly how much more infectious it is remains to be seen, but scientists estimate the similar-looking variant in the UK is around 56 per cent more transmissible than its predecessor. Even if the virus doesn't appear to be more dangerous, its ability to spread faster and cause more infections will inevitably lead to a higher death rate. Another key mutation in the variant, named E484K, is also on the spike protein and is present in the South African variant. E484K may be associated with an ability to evade parts of the immune system called antibodies, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro said in a scientific paper published online. However, there are multiple immune cells and substances involved in the destruction of coronavirus when it gets into the body so this may not translate to a difference in how people get infected or recover. Will our vaccines still protect us? There is no reason to believe that already-developed Covid vaccines will not protect against the variant. The main and most concerning change to this version of the virus is its N501Y mutation. Pfizer, the company that made the first vaccine to get approval for public use in the UK, has specifically tested its jab on viruses carrying this mutation in a lab after the variants emerged in the UK and South Africa. They found that the vaccine worked just as well as it did on other variants and was able to ignore the change. And, as the South African variant carries another of the major mutations on the Brazilian strain (E484K) and the Pfizer jab worked against that, too, it is likely that the new mutation would not affect vaccines. The immunity developed by different types of vaccine is broadly similar, so if one of them is able to work against it, the others should as well. Professor Ravi Gupta, a microbiologist at the University of Cambridge, said: 'Vaccines are still likely to be effective as a control measure if coverage rates are high and transmission is limited as far as possible.' Advertisement Ms Cooper added: 'You give the impression each time that you just delay all of the difficult and uncomfortable decisions until the last possible minute and when so many lives are at stake, Prime Minister, is this the leadership we really need?' Mr Johnson claimed 'huge quantities of checks' are being carried out to see if people are self-isolating. The PM said: 'We are concerned about the new Brazilian variant. 'We already have tough measures to protect this country from new infections coming in from abroad. We are taking steps to do that in respect of the Brazilian variant.' He added: 'There are lots of questions we still have about that variant, we don't know for instance, any more than we know whether the South African variant is vaccine resistant.' Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser, told ITV's Peston show there was no evidence any of the variants led to more severe disease. It is not yet known if the Brazilian strain is present in the UK. Brazil has had one of the world's highest Covid death tolls 205,000. The SAGE sub-group NERVTAG discussed the issue on Tuesday. Brazil has already banned flights from the UK amid the pandemic, so the new move would be a reciprocal one. In 2019, there were around 290,000 visits to the UK from people travelling from Brazil, but there are currently no direct flights running from Brazil to the UK, according to Skyscanner. Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi told the Commons a new jab could be manufactured in 30 to 40 days if a variant of the virus is found to be less responsive to those available. The Department for Transport published small print of the rules requiring all passengers entering the UK to show a negative test only late last night shortly before they are due to kick in. But they won't be enforced until Monday due to a 'grace period' brought in after a backlash from the travel industry. Before the delay was announced, Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith, chairman of the Airport Operators Association, said: 'It's horrendous. 'We need to support travellers who are facing the issue of needing to get home. 'The industry wants to deliver the safest way to get home, but it needs that guidance and the detail in good time.' Paul Charles, the chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: 'There is not enough clarity around the type of tests allowed, leaving consumers panicking about whether they will be let into the country without a fine, because they have the wrong documentation. Policy on the hoof never works.' Up to 100,000 Britons are estimated to be abroad. Many went in mid-December before the third lockdown. Experts last night questioned about why Britain had not brought in testing at the border, despite dozens of countries around the world having had it in place for months. Professor Lawrence Young, a molecular oncologist at the University of Warwick, said: 'You could argue it's too little, too late. We should have been doing this ages ago. 'If you look at where successful lockdowns, in terms of returning back to normality, have happened, that's where people have closed their borders. The horse has bolted. 'It is hard to understand why we haven't been more stringent about international travel and why we're doing testing now and didn't pay as much attention to it last March. Testing has to be a really important part of this.' A Department for Transport spokesperson told MailOnline: 'As the Prime Minister said, we are aware of this new variant and are considering urgent measures to reduce the spread to the UK. 'Arrivals from Brazil are already required to self-isolate for ten days or face a fine starting at 500.' It is normal for viruses to mutate and early signs don't suggest that any of the new variants of coronavirus are more deadly than others, but in some places it is evolving to be able to spread faster. If the virus is faster spreading it will inevitably lead to more cases which will in turn lead to a higher death count, even if the strain itself isn't more dangerous. The variant that emerged in Kent, now estimated to be around 56 per cent more transmissible than its predecessor, has quickly become the dominant form of the virus in England and has led to the country's longest and toughest lockdown since March 2020. There is no evidence to suggest vaccines will be any less effective against this variant. Pfizer, maker of the first jab to be approved, tested theirs on the similar UK and South Africa variants and said it still worked just as well. The mutated variant of coronavirus was discovered in Japan last week in four people who had arrived on a flight from Brazil. It was first detected in Brazil in October. Scientists said it had similarities to that of the highly contagious variants in Britain and South Africa. Namely, it has a genetic mutation called N501Y, which changes the shape of the spike proteins found on the outside of the virus. This mutation makes the virus more able to latch onto the receptors inside the body that it targets, essentially meaning it successfully makes it past the body's natural defences more often. Therefore people who are exposed to the virus become infected more often than they would if the other person was infected with an older, less contagious strain. A World Health Organization report on the variant last week said: 'The variant was identified when whole-genome sequencing was conducted on samples from 4 travellers from Brazil who were tested at the airport... 'Through our regional offices, we are working with both Japanese and Brazilian authorities to evaluate the significance of these findings. 'We are also working with our Viral Evolution Working Group to assess the significance of this, and if this variant as well as others identified in recent months result in changes in transmissibility, clinical presentation or severity, or if they impact on countermeasures, including diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.' It added: 'The same comprehensive approach to controlling Covid-19 works against these variants. 'At an individual level, protective measures work for all identified variants: physical distancing, wearing a mask, keeping rooms well ventilated, avoiding crowds, cleaning hands, and coughing into a bent elbow or tissue.' It is too early on in the variant's discovery for politicians or scientists to be confident about how the changes to the virus will affect outbreaks. Lab testing suggests its N501Y mutation could make it more transmissible the UK variant with the same change is estimated to be around 56 per cent more infectious, but other changes to the virus may affect this, too. And another key mutation in the variant, named E484K, which is also on the spike protein, may be associated with an ability to evade parts of the immune system called antibodies, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro said in a scientific paper published online. However, there are multiple immune cells and substances involved in the destruction of coronavirus when it gets into the body so this may not translate to a difference in how people get infected or recover. There is no reason to believe that already-developed Covid vaccines will not protect against the variant. The main and most concerning change to this version of the virus is its N501Y mutation, which has been linked to faster transmission. Pfizer, the company that made the first vaccine to get approval for public use in the UK, has specifically tested its jab on viruses carrying this mutation in a lab after the variants emerged in the UK and South Africa. They found that the vaccine worked just as well as it did on other variants and was able to ignore the change. And, as the South African variant carries another of the major mutations on the Brazilian strain (E484K) and the Pfizer jab worked against that, too, it is likely that the new mutation would not affect vaccines. This new variant (shown in light green) was first spotted in Brazil in October and accounted for a growing share of infections there in November The immunity developed by different types of vaccine is broadly similar, so if one of them is able to work against it, the others should as well. Professor Ravi Gupta, a microbiologist at the University of Cambridge, said: 'The Brazilian variant has three key mutations in the spike receptor binding domain (RBD) that largely mirror some of the mutations we are worried about it in the South African variant, hence the concern. 'The SARS-CoV-2 RBD is one of the main targets for our immune defences and also the region targeted by vaccines and changes within this region are therefore worrisome. 'Vaccines are still likely to be effective as a control measure if coverage rates are high and transmission is limited as far as possible.' The National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan said in its report that the people infected with the variant were found in airport screening in Tokyo on January 2. They had travelled from Amazonas, a state in the north of Brazil which contains the city Manaus, home to two million people and the first place the variant was found. The disease institute (NIID) said: 'Information on the variant isolate is limited to viral genome sequence data. 'Further investigation is necessary to assess infectivity, pathogenicity, and impact on laboratory diagnosis and vaccine efficacy of this variant strain. 'NIID recommends that persons infected with the variant isolate should be monitored in an isolated room and active epidemiological investigation should be initiated including contact tracing (with source investigation) and monitoring of the clinical course.' Ministers and experts have said the repeated emergence of new variants is a warning sign that the coronavirus is evolving frequently and that some of the evolutions make significant changes to how the virus works. Although the variants spotted already don't seem to make the virus more deadly or have the ability to get past a vaccine, the more different variants there are, the more likely it is than one will have a mutation that spells disaster. Professor Tulio de Oliveira, a virologist at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, in Durban, South Africa, told The Telegraph: 'This variant is a wake up call that we should try to really decrease transmission of SARS-CoV-2 [coronavirus]. 'It is clear that if you leave it circulating, the virus has the ability to outsmart us and become better at transmission and evasion of the antibody response.' Why DO experts say the outbreak is slowing if the death toll is continuing to soar? How 21-day lag between getting infected and becoming severely ill means fatalities won't peak for another fortnight Prominent SAGE scientists claimed today Britain's winter coronavirus wave is flattening after cases fell for four days straight despite the country recording its worst death toll ever on Wednesday. Another 1,564 more Covid fatalities were announced yesterday across the UK in the deadliest day since the pandemic began, with the total number of laboratory-confirmed victims on track to pass the grisly 100,000 mark by February. But Sir Patrick Vallance, No10's chief scientific officer, and Professor Neil Ferguson, whose modelling plunged the UK into its first lockdown in March, said there are 'early signs' the third national shutdown is slowing the crisis. They have pointed to the fact that, nationally, the number of people catching Covid is trending downwards, with the 47,525 positive tests yesterday across Britain down by a quarter on last week's figure. But there is a roughly three-week time delay between someone catching the disease and dying from it, which means it takes about 21 days for a trend in cases to translate to the fatality figures. Because Britain only went into lockdown a week ago, daily Covid deaths are likely to continue to rise for at least another fortnight before falling. Here, MailOnline answers your questions on the UK's current Covid situation: Are cases going down everywhere? Covid infection rates are falling across swathes of authorities in the UK, according to most recent official data up to January 8. Cases are falling in boroughs in London, the South East and East of England which were bearing the brunt of the winter wave ahead of the national shutdown on January 4. Infections in Kent one of the first areas of England to be slapped with the harshest local lockdown measures were actually slowing before the third lockdown, suggesting the tough Tier Four restrictions in place there were having some effect. In London, the number of people testing positive per 100,000 fell from a peak of 1,116 on January 4 to 1,005 by January 7. But there was a slight uptick again on January 8 across every region, according to Department of Health figures. In the East of England dropped from 856 per 100,000 to 741 and in the South East from 774 to 679 in the same time period. In areas with the lightest rules, however, cases continued to surge late into the year and, despite almost the entire country getting tougher rules on boxing day, continued to rise into the start of lockdown, with some still going up. Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease expert at the University of East Anglia, said: 'It is too early to be confident that the data from the past few days have indeed meant we have now reached the peak. 'The current positive signs may represent a statistical glitch or a short-lived effect causing recent increases to stall only for the surge to be resumed. 'It is also still too early for this to be driven by the vaccination campaign. Nevertheless if the recent trend is maintained this would be very good news for our NHS.' Why are infections still going up in some parts of country? Infections are still going up in some parts of the country because it takes weeks for lockdown measures to take effect. It is not by chance that the places where cases continue to climb are in areas that enjoyed looser restrictions in December. For example, the Liverpool city region formerly Britain's Covid hotspot is seeing steep increases in infection rates again. In Knowsley, where the biggest rise in England happened over the past week, cases were 1,399.3 per 100,000 people in the seven days ending January 9, up from 796.8. Merseyside was under Tier Two restrictions right up until January, which allowed restaurants, cinemas and gyms to stay open. The same was true for places in the South West. Torbay in Devon saw its case rate double in the last week to 254 per 100,000. When will hospital admissions start to fall? Hospital admissions are already falling across London and the South East and are slowing in the East, official figures suggest. Department of Health statistics show daily admissions in the capital hit their high point on January 6 on day two of the shutdown when the seven-day average stood at 864. It dropped to 845 the following day. In the South East, hospitalisations also peaked on January 6 when they reached 662. And in the East of England which was plunged into the highest bracket of restrictions at the same time they had started to level off by January 4 but have not yet started to fall. But even as admissions have slowed across the capital and in regions first plunged into the toughest bracket, the overall number of patients in hospital is still rising because the number of new cases needing treatment each day is still high. Almost 36,500 infected Britons were receiving NHS care in January 11. Despite the glimmer of hope, which comes alongside falling infections, hospital admissions for patients suffering from the virus are also continuing to rise in the South West, North West, North East and Midlands. The roughly three-week lag between a person catching Covid and falling seriously unwell with it means hospital rates could continue to climb for another fortnight. But they are anticipated to fall after that in line with the infection rate trends. But when will NHS hospitals start to feel ease in pressure? The number of coronavirus infections, hospitalisations, admissions to intensive care and deaths is going to keep rising in the UK for weeks, with the peak not hitting until next month, according to a top NHS chief. Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said he expects pressure to spike and begin to tail off in February because the third lockdown does not appear to be working as quickly as the one in spring, he claimed. He warned a health and social care committee of MPs yesterday: 'It is pretty clear the infection rate is not going to go down as quickly as it did in the first phase. 'We were hoping for a sharp peak that came sooner and shorter. So something for example where we saw the peak and started to crest it in mid to late January. 'It now looks like the peak for NHS demand may actually now be in February. Now if that's right that's going to basically mean there's a higher level, and a more extended period of pressure on the NHS than we were expecting even just a week ago.' A wave of admissions was now hitting the East of England into the Midlands, the North West and South West, after London, the South East and the East bore the brunt of the winter wave. 'That's a particular worry because trusts in the Midlands and the North have got significant numbers of patients still in hospital from the second surge.' Why are deaths still rising? Deaths always lag weeks behind cases because of the time it takes for patients to catch and fall ill with Covid. Although it varies from person to person, experts say it takes roughly three weeks for an infected person to succumb to the disease. For this reason scientists are able to forecast how deaths will trend based on how infections are fluctuating. UK cases have fallen for four days in a row which appears to show that infections are trending downwards just a week into the national lockdown. Because infections dropped from last week, it would suggest that deaths will follow in about a fortnight's time. The Government should appoint one person to oversee the Covid-19 vaccination programme, a leading infectious disease expert has said. Professor Jack Lambert has criticised the vaccination rollout to date as "very confusing" and said more information is needed. His calls come in the wake of remarks from Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, who said the Government should take early delivery of the AstraZeneca vaccine to ensure a rapid rollout when the vaccine is approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in the coming weeks. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has said he now expects that at at least four million people will be vaccinated against Covid-19 by the end of September. The Government expects to receive 3.7m doses between April and the end of June and a further 3.8m between July and the end of September. This would see at least 4m people vaccinated by the end of the summer once additional vaccines are approved by the EMA in the coming weeks. At-risk groups and healthcare workers will get the vaccine first, and it is expected that 700,000 people will be vaccinated by the end of March. Prof Lambert, speaking on RTE radio, said there have been mixed messages about the vaccination programme to date. He said there was concern about distribution of the vaccine as to date only 50% of staff at the Mater hospital, where he works, had been vaccinated. We want to get this right. Vaccination clinics had been set up on Wednesday at the hospital, but had to be cancelled as the vaccine did not turn up, he said. He said there needed to be greater transparency about the roll out of the vaccine, with a detailed map of the plan. Details such as where the proposed mass vaccination sites will be located should be made public, he said. It was not enough to say that GPs and pharmacists would be involved. We need a detailed explanation about how it is going to be rolled out. Prof Lambert said he was getting emails from GPs on the north side of Dublin asking if they could get the vaccine from the Mater hospital. There needed to be one person in charge in the Government, he said, as at present there was different information coming out every day. Ireland is behind in its programme while Denmark, a country with a similar population, was way ahead of us and the UK was 10 times ahead. We need someone to stand up and say this is the plan. Its really important to get everyone on board with clarity and the plan. Its going to be very challenging," he said. Pressure is growing for the US to completely ban flights from Brazil after the UK stopped all travel from the South American country amid fears over a new coronavirus super-strain. All direct flights from South America, Panama and Cape Verde as well as Portugal will be barred from entering the UK from 4am tomorrow. No-one who has been in any of the listed countries in the previous 10 days will be granted entry, except British and Irish nationals who will have to self-isolate for 10 days. It comes as a third and 'more infectious' variant of the coronavirus emerged in Brazil, prompting other countries, including Iraq, to tighten their borders. But the US has not followed suit and continues to see daily flights to and from Brazil, including regular routes on American Airlines and United, with at least 40 flying in on Thursday. Passengers coming in from Brazil can only enter the country if they are US nationals, permanent residents or Greencard holders. Currently people flying to the US from Brazil need to take a Covid test 1-3 days before the flight, which must be negative, quarantine for seven days when they arrive and take another test 3-5 days after landing. But pressure is growing for a full ban that would stop all air travel between the countries - like the UK has imposed. The CDC and US embassies have recommended against any travel to Brazil which has a Level 4 Travel Advisory (Do Not Travel). Travelers currently barred from entry to the United States President Trump issued a proclamation in May establishing restrictions on the entry of certain international travelers to the US in an effort to help slow the spread of coronavirus. Currently, foreign nationals who have been in any of the following countries during the past 14 days are not allowed in the US: China Iran European Schengen area ( Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Monaco, San Marino, Vatican City ) United Kingdom Ireland Brazil However passengers traveling from most parts of Europe and Brazil can still enter the country if they are US nationals, permanent residents or Greencard holders. When returning to the US, Americans must present a negative COVID test taken 1-3 days before the flight, and quarantine for seven days when they arrive. They also have to take another test 3-5 days after landing. Advertisement It comes as daily deaths in Brazil rose back over 1,000 per day this week, around the same level as during the country's first wave last spring, after it had finally brought down the curves of infections and deaths last year. The mutant COVID strain was discovered in Tokyo, Japan last week in four people who had arrived on a flight from South America. Scientists have said that the strain has similarities to those of the highly contagious variants recently found in the UK and South Africa and fear it could potentially be resistant to newly developed vaccines. Despite the surge in case, the White House is actually still considering lifting its travel restrictions on Brazil - and much of Europe, officials said Tuesday. No decision to lift the current entry ban has been made to date however, sources told Reuters those plans are still in the works now that officials are prioritizing pre-departure testing on travelers as a means of prevention instead. Marty Cetron, director of CDC's global migration and quarantine division, on Tuesday said the bans were an 'opening act strategy' to address the virus spread and should now be 'actively reconsidered.' 'This testing strategy is the pivot to something that is more comprehensive and more sensible in a lot of ways,' Cetron said. It comes as the CDC signed an order Tuesday requiring nearly all air travelers to present a negative coronavirus test or proof of recovery from COVID-19 to enter the US starting January 26. Passengers must get tested no more than three days before their flight departs and to provide proof of the negative result or documentation of having recovered from COVID-19 to the airline before boarding. The new testing policy will not affect foreigners traveling to the US from countries barred under the Presidential Proclamation the CDC said. Airlines have been lobbying for the Trump administration to lift the restrictions that reduced travel from some European countries by 95 per cent or more. Airlines for America, an industry trade group, praised the testing plan but encouraged the White House 'to concurrently lift existing entry restrictions on travelers from Europe, the United Kingdom and Brazil.' Many administration officials argued the restrictions no longer make sense given most countries are not subject to the entry bans. Others argue the US should not drop entry bans since many European countries block most US citizens. Passengers line up for a COVID-19 Test at Guarulhos international airport in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Monday Scientists in Ohio revealed the US now has its own homegrown 'super-covid' variants that are more infectious than the most common coronavirus types in the country Brazil allows visitors to fly in for 90 days with no quarantine requirement. However, tourists must provide evidence of a negative COVID test and a completed Declaration of Traveler's Health (DSV) to the airline responsible for the flight, before boarding. When returning to the US, Americans need to take another COVID test 1-3 days before the flight, which must be negative, and quarantine for seven days when they arrive, and take another test 3-5 days after landing. So far, the US has been slow to act on implementing prevention measures against the new variants. It only imposed testing requirements on UK travelers after the mutant strain was already detected in the states. WHAT COUNTRIES HAVE BANNED TRAVELERS FROM BRAZIL? At least two countries are not allowing entry to travelers coming from Brazil amid fears over the coronavirus super-strain that emerged in the South American country. The US currently has restrictions in place banning non-citizens from entering the country if they were in Brazil in the past 14 days. However, the country continues to see daily flights to and from Brazil, including regular routes on American Airlines and United. All travelers from Brazil are currently banned from: UK UK Iraq Advertisement But some experts believe the government is unlikely to crack down further. Former FDA associate commissioner Peter Pitts said that while tightening US border restrictions could help, it won't necessarily do much to mitigate the inevitable spread of mutant virus strains, which are likely to continue emerging. 'I don't think a travel ban is going to solve the problem because viruses have a way of getting places that humans can't always control and with the cat out of the bag, you're heading in the wrong direction,' Pitts told DailyMail.com last week. Viruses by nature mutate over time in order to survive thus it is likely the US and other countries will see more mutations as the pandemic goes on, he explained. Pitts said the proper course of action would be to impose testing requirements on international travelers instead. However, those measures were only imposed by the CDC this week. Prior to Tuesday, taking a COVID test before traveling had only been a CDC recommendation. 'You can always do more, quicker,' Pitts said. 'I think the lesson learned from the UK experience is don't wait until you have all the information to do anything. That's not intelligent public health policy.' 'This is a great example of that because just as you begin to put travel and testing protocols in place in the US and UK, it pops up in South Africa - and you also have to assume it'll pop up in other countries as well.' On Wednesday, scientists in Ohio revealed the US now has its own homegrown 'super-covid' variants that are more infectious than the most common coronavirus types in the US - and the new variants are spreading like wildfire in at least one state. One of the new, more infectious variants has already become dominant in Columbus, Ohio, where it was discovered. This unique US variant has three mutations not seen in the others from the UK and South Africa. So far, this homegrown variant has been seen in about 20 samples since Ohio State University (OSU) scientists first detected it in December. It's now present in most of the samples they are sequencing. A second variant has mutations identical to the UK variant's, but arose completely independently on American soil, according to Ohio State University scientists. Just one person with this variant has been found. 'It has a variant backbone that is in common with the UK and South African variants,' but is separate, said Dr Daniel Jones, one of the Ohio State University (OSU) scientists involved in the discovery of the variants. Daily deaths in Brazil rose back over 1,000 per day this week, around the same level as during the country's first wave last spring. Pictured: A patient arrives at the hospital in Manaus, Amazon State, Brazil on Thursday 'We are now in a period where the virus is changing quite substantially...so we are concerned,' at least over the transmissibility, said Dr Jones. It comes after Dr Deborah Birx warned over the weekend that the patter of COVID-19 case spikes suggested the US could already have its own 50 percent more infectious 'super-covid' variant. Scientists are quite sure both American variants are more infectious, but don't know yet whether they will be immune to vaccines. The Columbus variant is not currently thought to be deadlier, but scientists are ramping up their search for cases of it to monitor how sick people who catch it get. 'Super-covid' variants are not yet dominant in the broader US, but three Americans died of COVID-19 every minute yesterday. The death toll spiked to a record high cases and hospitalizations continue to surge and hard-hit Los Angeles says children are apologizing to their dying relatives for spreading the virus. The United States recorded a staggering 4,327 deaths on Tuesday, bringing the total death toll to more than 380,000 - more than the past 10 flu seasons combined. Fears grow over Brazilian Covid variant as 45-year-old nurse gets re-infected with mutation five months later and suffers WORSE symptoms as UK bans ALL travellers from South America A Brazilian nurse who fought off coronavirus and got reinfected with the country's new variant has sparked fears the mutation could hamper immunity. The variant, which today spooked ministers into banning all flights to the UK from South America, carries a mutation that may make the virus able to get past immunity developed from older versions of the virus. The unnamed 45-year-old fell ill with the new variant in October five months after she recovered from Covid caused by an older strain, and her symptoms were worse the second time. Researchers from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, a science institute in Rio de Janeiro, warned that mutations on the new variant could increase the risk of reinfection. The new variant to have emerged in Brazil looks extremely similar to the ones that were found in Kent and South Africa, but it has not yet been discovered on British soil (stock image) They wrote that 'viral evolutions may favour reinfections', claiming recently spotted variants 'have raised concern on their potential impact in infectivity and immune escape'. WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE BRAZIL VARIANT? Name: B.1.1.248 or P.1 Date: Discovered in Tokyo, Japan, in four travellers arriving from Manaus, Brazil, on January 2. Is it in the UK? Public health officials and scientists randomly sample around 1 in 10 coronavirus cases in the UK and they have not yet reported any cases of B.1.1.248, but this doesn't rule it out completely. Why should we care? The variant has the same spike protein mutation as the highly transmissible versions found in Kent and South Africa named N501Y which makes the spike better able to bind to receptors inside the body. What do the mutations do? The N501Y mutation makes the spike protein better at binding to receptors in people's bodies and therefore makes the virus more infectious. Exactly how much more infectious it is remains to be seen, but scientists estimate the similar-looking variant in the UK is around 56 per cent more transmissible than its predecessor. Even if the virus doesn't appear to be more dangerous, its ability to spread faster and cause more infections will inevitably lead to a higher death rate. Another key mutation in the variant, named E484K, is also on the spike protein and is present in the South African variant. E484K may be associated with an ability to evade parts of the immune system called antibodies, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro said in a scientific paper published online. However, there are multiple immune cells and substances involved in the destruction of coronavirus when it gets into the body so this may not translate to a difference in how people get infected or recover. Will our vaccines still protect us? There is no reason to believe that already-developed Covid vaccines will not protect against the variant. The main and most concerning change to this version of the virus is its N501Y mutation. Pfizer, the company that made the first vaccine to get approval for public use in the UK, has specifically tested its jab on viruses carrying this mutation in a lab after the variants emerged in the UK and South Africa. They found that the vaccine worked just as well as it did on other variants and was able to ignore the change. And, as the South African variant carries another of the major mutations on the Brazilian strain (E484K) and the Pfizer jab worked against that, too, it is likely that the new mutation would not affect vaccines. The immunity developed by different types of vaccine is broadly similar, so if one of them is able to work against it, the others should as well. Advertisement Amid growing fears about the Brazilian variant, the UK Government today banned all travellers from Portugal, South America, Panama and Cape Verde in a bid to stop it from wreaking havoc in Britain. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he had broadened the ban from just Brazil in order to 'reduce the risk of importing infections'. A virus researcher today told MailOnline it was 'entirely possible' there are already cases here but Public Health England said it had not yet detected any cases. And the UK's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, admitted last night that 'we don't know for sure' how the new variant will affect vaccines and immunity. The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation paper which hasn't been peer-reviewed by fellow scientists last week reported the case of a woman in Salvador, Brazil, who got Covid a second time amid an outbreak of the new variant. She had been diagnosed with coronavirus for the first time on May 26, 2020, when she had diarrhoea, muscle aches and general weakness. She took an asthma steroid called prednisone and recovered within three weeks without any long-lasting problems, the researchers said. But in October, she became ill again with similar symptoms diarrhoea, headache, coughing and a sore throat and again tested positive for coronavirus. Her symptoms got even worse than they had been the first time around and she developed breathing difficulties, shortness of breath, muscle pains and insomnia. When the researchers compared her positive test samples from the two episodes they found that the latter one had mutations now known to be a key component of the Brazilian variant. The genetic mutation, called E484K, changes the shape of the spike protein on the outside of the virus in a way that might make it less recognisable to an immune system trained to spot versions of the virus that don't have the mutation, scientists say. E484K is thought to change the virus in a way which makes it more difficult for antibodies to bind to it and prevent it entering the body. Antibodies are a part of the immune system that can cripple viruses or attach to them and flag them up as targets for other killer white blood cells. In this case, the part of the spike protein that gets changed is called the 'receptor binding domain', or the RBD, which the virus uses to latch onto the body. The Oswaldo Cruz researchers wrote: 'Mutation analysis demonstrated, for the first time, a reinfection case with a viral variant harboring the mutation E484K, located in a key residue of the receptor binding domain, that seems to modestly enhance binding between the Spike protein and the [body].' The scientists said this woman's case was the first time that someone had been infected for a second time with the variant, with the second case coming from this new variant. They suggest the differences the mutation caused to the spike protein meant that the natural immunity her body developed after the first infection did not protect her from the second one. The woman is thought to have recovered from her illness, and tested positive for antibodies to the new strain on November 23, the paper said. Her case report has emerged as scientists debate whether the discovery of the new variant is likely to affect how well Britain's existing Covid vaccines work. All three of the mutated versions of the coronavirus found in recent weeks the ones from Kent, South Africa and Brazil have had a change on the spike protein of the virus called N501Y, which scientists say makes it better able to latch onto the body and spread Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser, told ITV's Peston show last night there was no evidence any of the variants led to more severe disease or could get around the immune system. He said: 'There's no evidence at all with any of these variants that it makes the disease itself more severe. 'So the changes that we're seeing with the variants are largely around increased transmission. '[There's] no evidence yet for the UK version that it makes a difference in terms of how the immune system recognises it, and if you've been exposed to the old variant or you've had a vaccine, it looks like that's gonna work just as well with this new variant for the UK one. 'The South African one and Brazilian one, we don't know for sure. There's a bit more of a risk that this might make a change to the way the immune system recognises it but we don't know. Those experiments are underway.' Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at the University of Reading, told MailOnline today that even if the mutation did affect the immune system it wasn't likely to scupper existing vaccines completely. He said: 'We know where the mutations are. I think it's fair to say we don't have a good picture on how easily it spreads or how quickly it spreads. 'Some of the changes, not all, are in the spike protein. The only one we have good data on in terms of the ability to spread is the Kent strain. 'The changes to the spike mean that they could make it more difficult for antibodies to bind to. If there is an effect, and it's a big if, I would assume it would reduce their [vaccines] efficacy not abolish it, it wouldn't render it useless but it might not be effective.' In response to the new variant the UK is banning all travellers from South America, Panama and Cape Verde, as well as Portugal. Italian current Senator, former premier and head of the political party 'Italia Viva' (IV), Matteo Renzi arrives to hold a press conference on Jan. 13, 2021 at the Italian Chamber of Deputies in Rome.(Alberto Pizzoli/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Italian Coalition Ally Withdraws Ministers, Sparking Political Crisis ROMEMatteo Renzi, a former Italian premier, withdrew his partys ministers on Jan. 13 from Premier Giuseppe Contes government, triggering a political crisis in the middle of a pandemic that might lead to a revamped Cabinet, a different coalition leader, or even an early election that opposition right-wing parties hope will bring them to power. Renzi, who leads the small centrist Italy Alive party, has been chafing for weeks at what he sees as Contes heavy hand in deciding how some 200 billion euros in European Union funding will be used to help pull Italy out of years of economic stagnation that has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. In announcing that the farm and family ministers and Cabinet undersecretary were bolting the 16-month-old center-left government, Renzi said he had enough of Contes frequent governing through decrees instead of turning to Parliament. Italy Alive didnt provoke the political crisis, Renzi told reporters, putting the blame for the governments unraveling on Contes methods. We wont allow anyone to have full powers, said Renzi, who had governed Italy from 2014-2016. Its unclear if Conte may try to negotiate further with Renzi or soon tender his resignation to President Sergio Mattarella, who for weeks has been insisting the government focus on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has worsened years of Italys economic stagnation. If Conte or someone who could replace him cant muster enough support in Parliament, Mattarella could dissolve Parliament, paving the way for early elections that, if opinion surveys hold, could bring an alliance of right-wing and far-right nationalist forces to power. Earlier, after conferring about his center-left governments stability with Mattarella, Conte expressed hope that Renzis support would remain. Otherwise, a (government) crisis wouldnt be understood by the country, which is struggling with high numbers of COVID-19 infections amid a nationwide vaccination campaign, Conte told reporters. If there is willingness, Ill work to reinforce the cohesion of the coalition, he said. Mattarella has said that if the current government collapses, he may pull the plug on the legislature and trigger early elections rather than risk an alternative coalition with fragile support in Parliament. Opinion polls have consistently shown that any quick return to the ballot box would reward center-right parties, including the right-wing League of Matteo Salvini and the nationalist Brothers of Italy. Contes main partners in the current 16-month-old government are the populist 5-Star Movement and the center-left Democratic Party. This coalition had replaced another also headed by lawyer Conte that included Salvinis Euro-skeptic party and the 5-Stars. If Renzi does yank his Italy Alive partys support from the government, Conte could attempt a Cabinet shuffle. But if Conte runs of political capital, Mattarella could decide on fresh elections as the better course. With businesses suffering due to lockdowns and other restrictions in the country where the pandemic first sprung, Mattarella could seek out a non-political figure to lead a government. That figure would need to draw enough support across the political party spectrum in Parliament. Two names have been touted by political commentators: Mario Draghi, the former European Central Bank chief, and Marta Cartabia, who formerly headed Italys constitutional court. Renzis two ministers in the government abstained from a Cabinet vote on Jan. 12 to approve a draft plan for using the EU funds. Renzi has brushed off criticism that he is irresponsibly provoking a government crisis in the middle of a pandemic. What were doing is called POLITICS: studying the cards and making proposals, he tweeted. Renzi is known for power plays. He became Italian premier in 2014 after he maneuvered the governing Democratic Party to oust Enrico Letta. Renzi, though, lost a political gamble two years later when he staked his premiership on a constitutional referendum that failed, forcing him to resign. He later broke with his fellow Democrats and formed the Italy Alive party, which, while small, has enough support in the Senate to make his voice count in the government. By Frances DEmilio Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2021) - Aurelius Minerals Inc. (TSXV: AUL) (the "Company" or "Aurelius") is pleased to report assay results for the balance of Hole AE-20-003 and Hole AE-20-004 from its Aureus East Gold Project located in Nova Scotia, Canada. The Company has completed 7 holes to date for a total 3,130 metres (m) of its planned 6,000m drill program at the Aureus East Gold Project. The goal of the program is to extend mineralization at depth and along strike where the system remains open. The assays from hole AE-20-003 confirm the presence of multiple gold bearing horizons to a depth of 870m where the hole was stopped due to equipment limitations. This drilling is the deepest to date at the Aureus Gold Project. Hole AE-20-004 confirmed the gold horizons and intersected multiple high-grade intervals from a second underground drill pad approximately 80m to the south-west of the first drill pad, where the initial three holes of the program were completed. Highlights from Aureus East initial drill program: Hole AE-20-004 Intersected 1.62m @ 109.5 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, from 63.0 to 64.62m Including 1.0m @ 174.5 g/t gold, from 63.0 to 64.0m Intersected 16.5m @ 8.08 g/t gold, from 181.3 to 197.8m Including 0.5m @ 255 g/t gold, from 188.8 to 189.3m Hole AE-20-003 Over 30 new gold horizons discovered Refined sampling, as described below, significantly increased gold grades in select intervals Was 0.35m @ 1.8 g/t gold , now 0.35m @ 17.9 g/t gold, from 271.9 to 272.25m Was 0.4m @ 0.69 g/t gold , now 0.4m @ 10.4 g/t gold, from 272.25 to 272.65m Intersected 7.45m @ 1.61 g/t gold, from 606.05m to 613.5m Including 0.55m @ 16.4 g/t gold, from 606.05 to 606.6m Mark N.J. Ashcroft, P.Eng, President and CEO of Aurelius stated, "These are exciting times for Aurelius, as these results reinforce our conviction to drill, as we continue to extend mineralization at depth and along strike with our 6,000m program. Hole AE-20-004 demonstrates the high-grade nature of the mineralization and hole AE-20-003 has demonstrated this gold mineralization to almost 900m below surface. Hole AE-20-003 is particularly exciting as the mineralization and rock types encountered are analogous to those of the Bendigo Goldfields of Victoria, Australia. Assay turnaround time is proving to be an industry-wide challenge and we continue to investigate alternative facilities as we move forward. We continue to await assays on our remaining Aureus East holes, and on our Aureus West project as well, where we have completed approximately 4,500m of surface drilling." Drill results from Aureus East confirm over 30 new gold horizons at depth and below the previously identified mineralization. In addition, gold mineralization has been identified in the wall rock surrounding some of the previously identified horizons as well as some of the new horizons. This mineralization can occur up to 10m away from previously identified horizons. The gold mineralization at the Aureus East Project typically includes a significant coarse gold component, as shown in Figure 1. High grade gold nuggets offer the opportunity to contribute to potential mineral resources and increase the grade in previously identified gold horizons. To increase the likelihood of intersecting and sampling these gold nuggets, the Company is looking to larger diameter holes and thus larger samples. Additionally, the Company has undertaken a sampling study on samples with visible gold. The study involves sending both sides of the core for assay (ordinarily core is split by saw to retain half for storage). Initial results (21 samples) indicate that overall average assay values for gold are significantly increased. This refined analysis on the other half of core returned the following values, "0.35m @ 34.1 g/t gold from 271.9 to 272.25m" and "0.4m @ 20.1 g/t gold, from 272.25 to 272.65m". Updated results reported for hole AE-20-003 in this press release are the averaged values from both halves of the drill core. Similar to the Bendigo gold deposits of Victoria, Australia, the mineralization at Aureus East (and much of the Meguma district in general) takes the form of vertically stacked auriferous quartz-reefs in anticlinal fold hinges, with associated extensional veins. The regional setting of both gold districts is characterized by thick, folded and faulted accretionary greywacke-mudstone sequences of early Paleozoic age. The Company's initial 6,000m drill program at Aureus East, part of the overall 10,000m Phase One program at Aureus East and West, is ongoing. The Company completed three holes at the first underground location and four holes at the second location, and has approximately 1,800m remaining in Phase One drilling. The drill is currently at the second location and due to commence the eighth hole in the coming days. Figure 1: A representative example of core showing visible gold in Hole AE-20-004 at 189.1m, which intersected 0.5m @ 255 g/t gold To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7140/72019_260d4075f4009950_002full.jpg Figure 2: Aureus East long section looking north To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7140/72019_260d4075f4009950_003full.jpg Figure 3: Aureus East cross-section looking east To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7140/72019_260d4075f4009950_004full.jpg Table 1: Gold intersections from Aureus East Drillhole ID From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t AE-20-003 29.5 34 4.5 6.81 including 30.7 33.05 2.35 12.4 AE-20-003 58 58.5 0.5 3.01 AE-20-003 85.95 87.2 1.25 0.69 AE-20-003 121.9 124 2.1 0.88 AE-20-003 168.85 169.15 0.3 1.05 AE-20-003 176.4 222 45.6 1.38 AE-20-003 176.4 185.7 9.3 1.51 including 179 180 3.6 2.6 AE-20-003 194.3 201 6.7 0.38 AE-20-003 204.15 205.5 1.35 0.96 AE-20-003 209.5 210.1 0.6 0.83 AE-20-003 216.2 222 5.8 7.39 including 216.7 217 0.3 113.5 including 219.9 220.5 0.6 11.1 AE-20-003 233.5 234 0.5 0.64 AE-20-003 249.75 251 1.25 9.7 including 249.75 250.1 0.35 12.3 including 250.5 251 0.5 15.7 AE-20-003 271.9 275.15 3.25 9.23 including 271.9 272.25 0.35 17.9 including 272.25 272.65 0.4 10.4 including 273.4 275.15 1.75 10.7 including 273.4 273.65 0.25 48.2 AE-20-003 280.45 281.3 0.85 0.72 AE-20-003 298.8 299.1 0.3 12.2 AE-20-003 308.5 314.25 5.75 0.93 AE-20-003 368 369 1 7.96 AE-20-003 397.05 398.9 1.85 7.13 including 398 398.9 0.9 14 AE-20-003 419 421.6 2.6 1.06 AE-20-003 423.8 425.5 1.7 0.84 AE-20-003 429.3 430.15 0.85 0.75 AE-20-003 432.9 434.15 1.25 0.7 AE-20-003 435.43 436.4 0.97 1.05 AE-20-003 438.5 439.5 1 0.67 AE-20-003 443.5 446 2.5 0.53 AE-20-003 497 503.3 6.3 0.51 including 501.25 502 0.75 1.65 AE-20-003 570.45 570.76 0.31 4.15 AE-20-003 576.28 577 0.72 1.95 AE-20-003 579.8 580.5 0.7 0.6 AE-20-003 606.05 613.5 7.45 1.61 including 606.05 606.6 0.55 16.4 including 607.5 608 0.5 1.13 including 612.85 613.5 0.65 2.48 AE-20-003 695.65 696 0.35 1.08 AE-20-003 709 710.5 1.5 1.26 AE-20-004 28.5 34.75 6.25 0.62 including 30.5 31.5 1 2 AE-20-004 63 64.62 1.62 109.5 including 63 64 1 174.5 AE-20-004 72 73.5 1.5 0.54 AE-20-004 83.5 87.25 3.75 1.76 including 85.5 86.5 1 4.41 AE-20-004 91.6 93.85 2.25 1.11 AE-20-004 116.85 117.5 0.65 1.67 AE-20-004 146.6 147.45 0.85 0.6 AE-20-004 150.38 151.1 0.72 2.39 AE-20-004 171.4 173 1.6 1.29 AE-20-004 181.3 197.8 16.5 8.08 including 181.3 183 1.7 1.01 including 188.8 189.3 0.5 255 including 191.3 192.25 0.95 0.79 including 194.85 197.8 2.95 0.74 AE-20-004 228 229.07 1.07 0.75 AE-20-004 240.8 241.37 0.57 1.74 AE-20-004 260 261 1 0.67 AE-20-004 269.1 270 0.9 0.76 AE-20-004 281.33 283.7 2.37 5.62 including 282 283 1 9.09 AE-20-004 306 306.5 0.5 1.05 AE-20-004 316.5 318.5 2 0.71 AE-20-004 386.5 387.5 1 1.87 AE-20-004 397.5 398.5 1 0.64 AE-20-004 402.4 423 20.6 0.61 including 402.4 405.6 3.2 1 including 407.6 413.6 6 0.88 including 417.5 420.15 2.65 0.88 AE-20-004 469.5 471 1.5 0.58 AE-20-004 494.5 495.5 1 2.42 AE-20-004 495.5 552 Assays Pending Gold grades are not capped and may not reflect true width. Table 2: Hole location, final depth and orientation for reported holes Drillhole ID Easting Northing Length (m) Azimuth Dip Notes AE-20-003 547947 4979944 751.5 190 -77.5 Aureus East AE-20-004 547882 4979901 552 155 -83.5 Aureus East Aureus West Update The Company has completed Phase One drilling at Aureus West and is awaiting assays before initiating a second phase. Ten holes have been completed to date. The drill has been relocated to the Aureus East project. Samples have been prepared and delivered to the assay facilities. Results will be released as they become available. COVID-19 Precautions Aurelius has developed and implemented compliant precautions and procedures that are in line with guidelines for the Province of Nova Scotia. Protocols were put in place to ensure the safety of our employees and contractors, thereby reducing the potential for community contact and spreading of the virus. Mr. Jeremy Niemi, P.Geo. and Vice President, Exploration of Aurelius and the Company's Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information in this release. Individual drill core samples are labeled, placed in plastic sample bags and sealed. Groups of samples are then placed into durable rice bags and then shipped by courier for analyses to ALS Geochemistry, Moncton, New Brunswick. Sample preparation occurs at ALS in Moncton where samples are weighed, dried, crushing one kilogram to 70 percent less than two millimeters and then pulverized to create a one-kilogram sample with 85 percent less than seventy-five microns. Potential high-grade gold samples are sent for metallic screen fire assay and remaining material is assayed for 50-gram fire assay and samples grading more than 100 parts per million have a gravimetric finish performed. When visible gold is encountered the company samples both halves of the core. The remaining coarse reject portions of the samples remain in storage if further work or verification is needed. The Company inserted control samples (accredited gold standards, blanks and duplicates) at least every 20 samples and monitors the control samples inserted by ALS. About Aurelius Aurelius is a well-positioned gold exploration company focused on advancing its recently acquired and renamed Aureus Gold Properties, including Aureus East and West, the Tangier Gold Project and the Forest Hill Gold Project located in Nova Scotia and described in detail in the Company's press release of November 18, 2019. Aurelius is also focused on advancing two district-scale gold projects in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt in Ontario, Canada, one of the world's most prolific mining districts: the 968-hectare Mikwam Property, in the Burntbush area on the Casa Berardi trend and the 12,425-hectare Lipton Property, on the Lower Detour Trend. The Company has a sound management team with experience in all facets of the mineral exploration and mining industry who will be considering additional acquisitions of advanced staged opportunities in Nova Scotia, the Abitibi and other proven mining districts. On Behalf of the Board AURELIUS MINERALS INC. For further information please contact: Aurelius Minerals Inc. Mark N.J. Ashcroft, P.Eng., President and CEO info@aureliusminerals.com Tel.: (416) 304-9095 www.aureliusminerals.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" under the provisions of applicable Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Aurelius. All statements in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are "forward-looking information" with respect to Aurelius within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements with respect to the Company's planned drilling and exploration activities, the anticipated benefits of the Acquisition and the development of the Aureus Gold Properties, the future price of gold, the estimation of Mineral Resources, the realization of Mineral Resource estimates, success of exploration activities, permitting time lines, currency exchange rate fluctuations, requirements for additional capital, government regulation of mining operations, environmental risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, title disputes or claims and limitations on insurance coverage. Generally, this forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", or variations or comparable language of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performances or achievements of Aurelius to be materially different from future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which Aurelius will operate in the future, including the price of gold, anticipated costs and ability to achieve goals. Certain important factors that could cause actual results, performances or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking information include, among others, gold price volatility, mining operational and development risks, litigation risks, regulatory restrictions (including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability), changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls or regulations and/or change in the administration of laws, policies and practices, expropriation or nationalization of property and political or economic developments in Canada, delays, suspension and technical challenges associated with projects, higher prices for fuel, steel, power, labour and other consumables, currency fluctuations, the speculative nature of gold exploration, the global economic climate, dilution, share price volatility, competition, loss of key employees, additional funding requirements and defective title to mineral claims or property. Although Aurelius believes its expectations are based upon reasonable assumptions and has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company provides forward-looking information for the purpose of conveying information about current expectations and plans relating to the future and readers are cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. By its nature, this information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Aurelius to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: risks related to difficulties in executing exploration programs at the Mikwam, Lipton and Aureus Gold Properties on the Company's proposed schedules and within its cost and scheduling estimates, whether due to weather conditions, availability or interruption of power supply, mechanical equipment performance problems, natural disasters or pandemics in the areas where it operates, the integration of acquisition; risks related to current global financial conditions including market reaction to the coronavirus outbreak; competition within the industry; actual results of current exploration activities; environmental risks; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future price of gold; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; mine development and operating risks; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining approvals or financing; risks related to indebtedness and the service of such indebtedness, as well as those factors, risks and uncertainties identified and reported in Aurelius' public filings under Aurelius' SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although Aurelius has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Aurelius disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise unless required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/72019 Pursuit of moral clarity always leads to flurries of whataboutism and bothsidesism. But we can accept that the world is nuanced and inconsistent without giving up a moral compass President Donald Trump wanted to make history, and he has, plunging to new depths of ignominy. He has become the first president to be impeached twice. Yet 75 percent of Republican voters still said, in a Morning Consult/Politico poll released Wednesday, that they approved of his presidency. Trump remains the overwhelming favourite of Republicans for the 2024 GOP nomination, with 42 percent support, followed by Mike Pence, Donald Trump Jr and Ted Cruz. As I was watching the impeachment debate and writing this column, I had a call from a childhood friend, and at the end of the call he mentioned what he considered good news: Trump was preparing to crack down on that liberal media with its gays, liberals and Jews and stop Joe Bidens theft of the election. Trumps not going to stand for it, and hes going to get a second term, he said. He was bewildered when I told him that this was all nonsense, that everything he believed was false and bigoted; he was startled that I could be so misinformed. It was an echo of conversations Id had after 11 September, 2001, from Pakistan to Gaza, Iraq to Yemen, in which local people told me that it was American Jews or the CIA that had organised the attacks on the twin towers. Amid mass delusion and a miasma of bigotry and conspiracy theories, they took up arms or bombs to defend Islam from infidels. Those young Saudis, Afghans and others who backed violence in some cases arent so different from those who were manipulated by Trump and his allies into attacking the Capitol. One thing we should have learned from that epoch is the need not only to confront terrorists individually but also to clear out the ecosystem that produces them. So here are five lessons from that war on terror to inform todays: Invoke moral clarity. We instinctively reach for the military toolbox when were attacked, but its also important to fight a war of ideas and delegitimise certain behaviours and speech. To me, thats why its crucial that impeachment be a teachable moment. Pursuit of moral clarity always leads to flurries of whataboutism and bothsidesism, and there are usually elements of truth to such objections. But we can accept that the world is nuanced and inconsistent without giving up a moral compass to navigate it. In the 1960s, some on the left thought violent revolution was necessary to fight an entrenched system, but such violence led to a healthy revulsion. There are still some on the Left sympathetic to violence, but for now the biggest challenge is to mobilise public opinion to stigmatise violence by white nationalists on the right. Beware the educated leaders. People often believe that its poverty and illiteracy that drive terrorism, but thats too simplistic. The 9/11 plot was orchestrated by university-educated elites. Last weeks Capitol rampage was obviously entirely different and not comparable, but it was galvanised by a trio with Ivy League degrees. And yes, Im talking about Donald Trump, Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz. They all know better, and they should be held responsible. Tackle the ecosystem. The United States realised after 9/11 that to succeed in the war on terror it had to reform extremist madrassas, religious schools that preached hatred. Today the equivalent of those madrassas are online platforms and right-wing bloviators and again we face complicated free speech issues. I believe deeply in listening to alternative voices, not drowning them out. Thats why I went to extremist mosques in Pakistan, and its why I had an account on Parler. But I also saw how fanatical mosques inculcated violence and how Alex Jones, Sean Hannity and Donald Trump used their platforms to spread racism, bigotry and conspiracy theories in ways that made America a more frightening place. They have First Amendment rights, but not a right to advertising or to private platforms. So Id like to see pressure on advertisers to withdraw from Fox News so long as it functions as an extremist madrassa, and cable providers should be asked why they distribute channels that peddle lies. Disarm terrorists. We owe Washington, DC, a debt of gratitude for limiting firearms. Imagine if thousands of the rioters at the Capitol had been carrying military-style rifles: We would have seen a bloodbath. Gun laws saved lives in Washington, and we should try to restrict firearms at other so-called protests that can spark violence. Dont get distracted. Officials have a history of looking in the wrong direction for threats, always suspecting the other, and that may be why the white Republican establishment fortified the Capitol during Black Lives Matter protests but left it poorly protected from pro-Trump rioters. As the Capitol attack was unfolding, Sen. Susan Collins first thought, she said later, was that the Iranians were attacking. Its natural to downplay the familiar. I remember the denialism of leaders in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan who minimised their domestic extremism. But threats from within are often the most dangerous, and thats particularly so when the leader in charge of protecting a nation is inciting riots against it. Impeachment may help, but its a long road ahead. Nicholas Kristof c.2021 The New York Times Company The U.S. Army plans to review all other-than-honorable discharges given between April 17, 2011, and Nov. 17, 2020, to soldiers who were diagnosed or had symptoms of a mental health condition or brain injury. The automatic review, announced Tuesday by the service, is part of a settlement in a class-action lawsuit brought by two veterans who say they wrongly received other-than-honorable discharges for behavior linked to a psychiatric condition, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. The suit, Kennedy v. McCarthy, also charged that the Army did not adequately handle requests for upgrades from them and others, failing to consider their circumstances or behavioral health conditions. Read Next: SMA Reveals Timeline for Army's Independent Review of ACFT Under the agreement, the Army will also notify soldiers who received upgrade denials between Oct. 7, 2001, and April 16, 2011, informing them that they can reapply for a status change, according to a statement from the Army Public Affairs Office. According to the service, 3,500 active-duty, Reserve and National Guard troop discharges will receive an automatic review. Thousands more -- between 50,000 and 100,000 -- may be eligible to apply for upgrades, according to the Veterans Legal Services Clinic at Yale Law School, which represented the plaintiffs, along with the law firm of Jenner & Block. In 2016, the Defense Department announced efforts to increase awareness of the opportunity for veterans to request a review of their discharges and an upgrade. The following year, the DoD released additional guidance to clarify the circumstances that would be covered by a review. In their lawsuit, Steve Kennedy, a former 82nd Airborne soldier and Iraq War veteran, and Alicia Carson, a National Guard veteran who deployed to Afghanistan for nearly a year, said the Army Discharge Review Board ignored the policy. Shortly before his discharge, Kennedy was suicidal and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, according to court documents. He went absent without leave to attend his own wedding; as a result, he was demoted to private first class and kicked out of the service. Kennedy, now a University of Connecticut Law student, received a discharge status upgrade in 2018, but decided to pursue the lawsuit. Carson also received an upgrade to her discharge in 2018, but chose to remain with the suit, which was certified as a class action that year. The settlement, which was agreed to on Nov. 17, is subject to court approval by the U.S. District Court of Connecticut. In a hearing set for March 24, the court will decide whether to grant final approval of the settlement. The settlement also requires the Army to increase the amount of case review training that board members receive, and will allow soldiers to participate in their review board hearings by phone -- a change from the current requirement that they appear in person in Washington, D.C. to argue their cases. That change, said Kristofer Goldsmith, an Army veteran who has fought for years to reinstate rights for veterans with less-than-honorable discharges, will help many who lack the resources to fight their case. "Not having to fly to DC -- the video conferencing that is part of the settlement should have happened a long time ago," Goldsmith said. Other-than-honorable and general discharges, sometimes called "bad paper" discharges, limit veterans' access to Department of Veterans Affairs benefits, including medical services, disability compensation and education benefits. They also can have an impact on a veterans' long-term earning power, since many employers will not hire anyone with less than a good-conduct discharge. The Veterans Legal Services Clinic is arguing a similar case against the Navy for decisions made by the Navy Discharge Review Board, which also handles cases from the Marine Corps. Goldsmith said the settlement with the Army is likely to bolster the case against the Navy, which has seen a large number of other-than-honorable discharges for Marines. A settlement is not an admission of guilt by the defendant -- in this case, the Army. Veterans wishing to write to the court or to appear during the decision hearing may contact attorneys through the settlement's website or email the Yale Veterans Legal Services Clinic. Goldsmith received an upgrade to his discharge in 2019, following a years-long struggle and multiple denials, including one on the anniversary of the suicide attempt that led to his discharge. He said he is glad soldiers will have an easier time in the appeals process than he did. "That was super effing traumatic. Knowing that lot of soldiers are going to experience the opposite, hopefully with little effort on their own part. I'm glad [they] won't have to suffer as much as I did," Goldsmith said. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. Related: The VA is Seeking Input on Updating Eligibility Rules for Bad Paper Discharges Kumasi Youth Association of the Ashanti Region has urged President Nana Akufo-Addo to complete the abandoned projects in his second term. According to the group, the move will help bring more jobs and improve the living conditions in the Region. The group said this during an awards event held at Prepah Assembly Hall to honour some industrious indigenes in the Region. Some of the awardees were Hon. Boakye Agyarko, former Energy Minister, Mr. Osei Assebey Antwi, Kumasi Mayor and Dr. Ayew Afriyie MP for Afigya Asokore. Speaking to a cross section of the media after the event, the General Secretary of the group, Kwabena Frimpong said; A society which doesnt honour its heroes are not worth dying forAs such, we believed that all the hardworking and industrious indigenes of the Ashanti must be honoured for others to emulate and follow suit. Source: Josephine Acheampomaa/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video In new TN assembly DMK has most MLAs with pending criminal background, crorepatis MK Stalin sworn in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for first time In Tamil Nadu, Gandhi will handle Khadi ministry, while Nehru gets Urban Development TN Elections 2021: EC to visit poll bound state next week India oi-Vicky Nanjappa Chennai, Jan 14: Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, along with Election Commissioners Sushil Chandra and Rajiv Kumar, will visit Assam and West Bengal early next week to take stock of preparations for Assembly polls slated for later this year. Deputy Election Commissioner Sudip Jain is already in West Bengal to meet officials. This is Jain''s second visit to West Bengal. Another EC official is in Assam to take stock of the situation there. Tamil Nadu assembly elections 2021: MNM releases 'Agenda for Industry' "The two would brief the Commission on Friday and the Commission would visit Assam and West Bengal in that order early next week," a functionary said. It is usual for the Commission to visit poll-bound states before announcing the schedule of Assembly elections. But it had visited Bihar after announcing the dates for the last elections. The terms of the legislative assemblies of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry are coming to an end on different dates in May and June this year. The Assembly elections are likely to take place sometime in April-May. The Election Commission had on Tuesday discussed with Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla the availability and requirement of central security forces for the upcoming Assembly elections. Covid-19: 3 Lakh healthcare workers to get vaccine on 1st Day | OneIndia News The meeting held at the EC headquarters here was "primarily to discuss requirement vis-a-vis availability of central armed police forces (CAPFs), and related matters, for the upcoming Assembly Elections to the States of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, and the Union Territory of Puducherry," the poll panel had said. The Sense monitor uses high resolution voltage data and advanced machine learning techniques to analyze energy patterns in the home in real time. With the Floating Neutral project, Sense proactively diagnoses problems in the home that might otherwise go undetected and alerts homeowners to take action. For Sense's utility partners, hearing from customers with insights about floating neutrals helps the utility address problems more efficiently and reduces the risk of electrical fires. Since introducing these projects, many Sense customers have taken action to remedy dangerous electrical situations they discovered in the Sense app. One customer had seen his lights flickering but didn't realize it was a serious issue until he saw hundreds of power dips in his home's Power Quality graph. Another Sense customer discovered a partial break in a neutral wire after seeing his irregular voltage patterns. Yet another customer was alerted to a floating neutral in the Sense app and immediately contacted his utility company to get it fixed. Sense Labs is Sense's invention space where the company previews features under development that can make smart homes more insightful and less wasteful than they are today. In the Labs, Sense shares projects that push the boundaries of smart home innovation, moving closer to the company's vision of a future when intelligence is built into the home itself. With intelligence about electricity and other resources built in, a new generation of smarter homes can discover problems, lower carbon emissions in coordination with the utility grid, reduce costs, and automate maintenance. The Power Quality Project The Power Quality project continuously tracks the voltage coming into the home and identifies dips and spikes. Most homes in North America have split-phase 120/240V electric service. In a split-phase 120/240V electric panel, each leg in the home's electrical service panel should sustain a voltage of around 120V. This project identifies fluctuations outside of a normal range. When voltage drops 10% below the normal threshold, it's flagged as a dip. When it rises 10% above the normal range, it's flagged as a spike. Brief voltage dips and spikes can be harmless. However, frequent dips and spikes may indicate an issue with the power feed from the utility or the wiring inside the home. The user is alerted in the Sense app and can see how frequently the fluctuations took place, when, and how their home compares to most other Sense users. The Floating Neutral Project A "floating" neutral occurs when the connection to the home's neutral wire breaks or becomes loose. When this happens, the voltage on one power leg increases while voltage on the other decreases, so some electrical devices receive increased voltage, while others receive less. This condition can cause damage to appliances and potentially pose a fire or shock hazard. In a typical U.S. home, 240V electricity flows into the electrical panel via two power legs from a utility transformer. The phases are inverses of each other, with each carrying 120V relative to a third neutral wire. When the neutral wire breaks or becomes loose, the neutral can "float." This can be a problem with the utility wiring or wiring in the electrical panel in the home. The difference between the phases remains 240V, but the voltage on each leg is out of balance without the neutral. The lights in the home might start flickering or an outlet could be energized with up to the full 240V, which can damage devices and pose a shock or fire hazard. Sense detects a floating neutral by seeing when the voltage on the two phases drifts away from each other. The larger the load imbalance, the more serious the issue. Sense users receive an alert in the Sense app letting them know a floating neutral may have occurred in their home. Sense Warns Customers About Serious Issues Since introducing the projects, Sense customers have experienced electrical issues that have been fixed thanks to the insights and alerts from Sense. Sense alerted Tom B. about the danger of a floating neutral in his home. Tom had seen flickering lights in his home but hadn't pinpointed the cause. He contacted his utility who fixed a poorly connected neutral that was spliced to the main feeder wire near the pole. Curtis K., a Sense user in Raleigh, North Carolina , opened the Sense Labs project and saw 74 dips or spikes in his home's power in the previous 30 days. After ruling out his HVAC system as the cause, he contacted his utility, Duke Energy. Utility technicians arrived quickly and found a partial break in the neutral, which they repaired. , opened the Sense Labs project and saw 74 dips or spikes in his home's power in the previous 30 days. After ruling out his HVAC system as the cause, he contacted his utility, Duke Energy. Utility technicians arrived quickly and found a partial break in the neutral, which they repaired. Andrew C., a Sense user in California , learned that the flickering lights in his home, which he thought were normal, were actually a cause for concern after seeing hundreds of variations in his Power Quality in the Sense app. He contacted his utility who inspected the line to his house, found an issue, and fixed it immediately. About Sense Sense's mission is to reduce global carbon emissions by making homes smarter and more efficient. Founded in 2013 by pioneers in speech recognition, Sense uses machine learning technology to provide real-time insights on device behavior, even for those devices that are not "smart." Customers rely on Sense for a wide range of uses including checking what time their kids get home, monitoring their home appliances, determining whether they left appliances running or doors open and identifying how to reduce their energy costs. Sense is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. To make sense of your energy, visit: https://sense.com . Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Sense Related Links www.sense.com Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. WASHINGTON Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pointedly did not rule out Wednesday that he might eventually vote to convict the now twice-impeached President Donald Trump, but he also blocked a quick Senate impeachment trial. Minutes after the House voted 232-197 to impeach Trump, McConnell said in a letter to his GOP colleagues that hes not determined whether Trump should be convicted in the Senates upcoming proceedings. The House impeachment articles charge that Trump incited insurrection by exhorting supporters who violently attacked the Capitol last week, resulting in five deaths and a disruption of Congress. I have not made a final decision on how I will vote and I intend to listen to the legal arguments when they are presented to the Senate, McConnell wrote. McConnells openness was a stark contrast to the support, or at times silence, hes shown during much of Trumps presidency, and to the opposition he expressed rapidly when the House impeached Trump 13 months ago. McConnell will be Washingtons most powerful Republican once Democratic President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated, and McConnells increasingly chilly view of Trump could make it easier for other GOP lawmakers to turn against him. McConnells burgeoning alienation from Trump, plus the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach him, underscored how the GOPs long, reflexive support and condoning of Trumps actions was eroding. McConnell also issued a statement saying Congress and the government should spend the next week completely focused on facilitating a safe inauguration and an orderly transfer of power to Biden. He suggested Trumps Senate trial would begin no earlier than Jan. 19 in effect rejecting a drive by the chambers Democrats to begin the proceedings immediately so Trump could be ousted from office. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that unless McConnell reverses himself and agrees to quickly start the trial, it would begin after Jan. 19. Thats a day before Biden is inaugurated as president and about the time Democrats take over majority control of the Senate. The timetable essentially means McConnell is dropping the trial into Democrats laps. Make no mistake, there will be an impeachment trial in the United States Senate, Schumer said. He added, If the president is convicted, there will be a vote on barring him from running again. The Constitution requires a two-thirds majority to convict a president, meaning at least 17 Republicans would need to join all 50 Democrats to oust Trump. If Trump were convicted, it would take only a simple majority of the Senate to prohibit Trump, whos mentioned running again in 2024, from holding federal office again. Earlier Wednesday, a GOP strategist said McConnell has told people he thinks Trump perpetrated impeachable offenses. McConnell also saw House Democrats drive to impeach Trump as an opportune moment to distance the GOP from the tumultuous, divisive outgoing president, according to the strategist, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private conversations. McConnells views were first reported by The New York Times. McConnell spoke to major Republican donors last weekend to assess their thinking about Trump and was told that they believed Trump had clearly crossed a line, the strategist said. McConnell told them he was finished with Trump, according to the consultant. The Democratic-led House approved an impeachment article accusing Trump of inciting insurrection, an unprecedented second impeachment of his clamorous presidency. Trump exhorted a throng of his followers to march on the Capitol last Wednesday, where they disrupted Congress formal certification of Bidens win in a deadly riot that produced widespread damage. McConnell is looking out for his partys long-term future, but moving toward a political divorce from Trump could mean that congressional Republicans will face challenges in GOP primaries. It is unclear how many Republicans would vote to convict Trump in a Senate trial, but it appears plausible that several would. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, on Wednesday told Alaskas News Source, an Anchorage news outlet, that Trump has committed an impeachable offense. She stopped short of saying if shed vote to convict him. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., has said he would definitely consider House impeachment articles. Complicating GOP thinking about Trumps second impeachment is that Republicans will be defending 20 of the 34 Senate seats up for election in 2022. Thanks to Democratic victories this month in two Georgia runoffs, Democrats are about to take control of the chamber by 50-50, with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris casting tie-breaking votes. Speaking out against impeachment Wednesday was Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. A once-bitter Trump foe, Graham became one of his closest allies during his presidency, then lambasted him over last weeks Capitol invasion but has since spent time with Trump. READ MORE: Donald Trump becomes the first president in American history to be impeached twice Impeaching Trump now would do great damage to the institutions of government and could invite further violence, Graham said in a statement. He said Trumps millions of backers should not be demonized because of the despicable actions of a seditious mob, but he did not specifically defend Trumps actions last week. If there was a time for Americas political leaders to bend a knee and ask for Gods counsel and guidance, it is now. The most important thing for leaders to do in times of crisis is to make things better, not worse, Graham said. When the Senate voted against removing Trump in February after the House impeached him for pressuring Ukraine to provide political dirt on Biden, Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, was the only Republican who cast a vote to oust him. Trump has falsely insisted that Novembers presidential election was stolen from him by fraud. Those allegations have been rejected by state officials of both parties, state and federal courts and members of his own administration. AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. This week, Danny M. Lavery and art historian Anna Hetherington discuss a Prudie letter: the mother-in-law who only wants money. Anna Hetherington: Wow! Danny Lavery: I feel confident at least in saying: Definitely do not tell her to leave you alone Anna Hetherington: Do not speak to her at all Only speak to your husband Decide with him! Danny Lavery: if only because it seems pretty clear that your husband does not feel the same way (or at least isnt prepared yet to set that limit with her), and it will only make things harder for both of you if you say Stop asking him for money and then he gives her money anyways Anna Hetherington: totally Danny Lavery: yeah, I really think the LW needs to talk to him and not her about this Anna Hetherington: yes Only husband should speak to mother Danny Lavery: I agree that it sounds frustrating but its also just not a decision you can make for him because you think its what he really wants Anna Hetherington: And she and husband should figure out what his comfort is and what their budget allows for this expense Set a limit to the money given to her per month or per year Danny Lavery: right, and you dont have to *tell* him what the limit is (especially if you two have mostly separate finances) but you can absolutely tell him I want us to agree on a limit so were not just reacting whenever she texts you now, if you two have a joint account and hes just been making withdrawals whenever she texts, I definitely think you can get firmer about this Anna Hetherington: Totally Its like any other budget item he can spend on this or on coats Danny Lavery: but I think its really important to separate the financial and emotional issues here, because he may very well feel like, Yes, she was a difficult mother when I was a kid, but I still want to send her money when she cant make rent Anna Hetherington: Even if shes a millionaire Totally irrelevant, right? Point is he feels like he needs to send her money Danny Lavery: I feel like what the letter writer is kind of hoping for is for her husband to say Because she was kind of a shitty parent I dont owe her anything now and I just dont think thats going to happen (or that its even necessarily true) Anna Hetherington: I also really didnt like this line: It scarred him so much that he had to go to therapy. Seems like more therapy might be a great idea Danny Lavery: and for all the estrangement encouragement I often provide in this column, I also really think its OK for someone to decide they want to financially support a parent they love, even if their relationship is fraught or tricky Anna Hetherington: If the emotional aspect of this is hard to deal with Danny Lavery: certainly I can understand why the LW is frustrated with her, especially if shes calling up all your other in-laws to accuse you of being your husbands puppet master but the solution to that is to limit how much time you spend listening to your relatives relay her messages Ideally, theyd have had this conversation before they got married, but maybe the LW didnt know about how much or how often he was sending money before they got married I think you can advocate for limits and definitely you can make it clear that your income is not available to send to her you can also say that you think he should stop, but I think you should only say that once, and not keep bringing it up; beyond that, she is his mother and it should ultimately be his decision Anna Hetherington: Absolutely Danny Lavery: I would also consider asking the husbandsince she says he hates confrontation and just gives his mother what she wantsDo you feel like you also just say what I want to hear when I complain about this? Anna Hetherington: LW might want to acknowledge frustration and desire for money to be spent elsewhere But not position it as our family vs his family Danny Lavery: right Anna Hetherington: Because that just puts husband in a shitty position Danny Lavery: right, and I wonder if shes getting the full picture from him Anna Hetherington: And ask him what he feels comfortable contributing to his mother Danny Lavery: I dont mean to say that shes just as overbearing as his mother and its her fault if he hasnt been forthcomingI really do sympathize with her in a lot of ways and I think Id be frustrated if it felt like my partner was saying very different things to me and their parent on the same subject but I think theres an opportunity to ask him, nonjudgmentally, Do you think you will probably want to send her some money for the rest of her life? Do you want to be able to eventually stop doing that, and if so, do you want help in getting ready to do that? Or do you want to be able to do it indefinitely, in which case I want to be able to figure out our own shared budget first so that youre not dipping into down payment money or kids college education funds to do it. Anna Hetherington: Yes I think its a clarity and budget issue Because he is an adult So what is her concern beyond the financial? That to me seems much trickier As you said above, emotional vs. financial His comfort in speaking to LW vs. Mother Danny Lavery: and honestly I think it would be better for her to talk to him about the rumors aspect like, It hurts me when you tell me your mom has called your uncle to say Im controlling you, and I want you to support me that seems like something you should really be able to ask of your husband Anna Hetherington: Yeah, the rumors thing is very unclear to me It seems very much about her and not her husband If hes truly gone to therapy and has dealt with childhood And chooses to send money Than its not concern for her husband at all Its not wanting to spend money And not liking the mom So all around about her and not the husband? So whats the goal? Danny Lavery: I think the basic divide here is, you cannot realistically expect your husband will stop caring about his mother just because you dont like her, and you probably cant tell him to stop sending her money. But you can definitely talk to him about the things his mother says and does that directly affect you, and ask him to make plans with you first before giving her money. right, I think its about wanting him not to like her either, and as much sympathy as I might have for that, I just dont think you can reasonably ask that of someone Anna Hetherington: Yep And if it makes her feel better to decide on a maximum amount and never hear about it again, then thats a solution! Danny Lavery: and good luck! This is hard, but I think you can make real progress if you talk to your husband and focus your energy on him and your relationship, and really limit the amount of attention and focus you give his mother Now available in your podcast player: the audiobook edition of Danny M. Laverys latest book, Something That May Shock and Discredit You. Get it from Slate. A former personal assistant to a 'top fashion designer' has revealed how she was 'worked like a dog' and once had to plead with Heathrow security to deliver her boss underwear after he forgot to pack it for a trip - which he didn't end up wearing. London-based Fionnuala Ellen, who did not reveal who she worked for, took to TikTok to share how she would 'keep her phone on loud 24/7' because she was 'terrified of 'missing a call' from the 'big designer that would be worn on the red carpet'. The tale has been seen by more than a million TikTok users who have asked for more details from her time in the role, with many comparing the experience to Anne Hathaway's character in The Devil Wears Prada. In a follow up video, Fionnuala revealed more stories from her 'crazy experience' as a PA, including having to leave a night out with friends to deliver him sleeping pills and how the designer would call her at '4am just to order a taxi, even though he could hail one down'. 'I use to be a personal assistant to quite a top fashion designer, everyone would wear his stuff on the red carpet,' she revealed in the video. 'He literally worked me like a dog, I would have my phone on loud 24/7 as I was terrified of missing a call,' she added. 'So this one time he was flying from New York to Heathrow. 'And usually I would pack a suitcase if he was going from the studio, but because he was travelling from his house he had to pack it. 'He calls me in an absolute panic saying he forgot to pack his own underwear,' she continued. 'I say there's no problem and Google places in Heathrow, I say "look there's Calvin Klein, you can get them from there," 'He says, "No, no, no, I have to wear this specific kind, you need to get them for me".' 'So I had to run to Selfridges like a mad woman to find this specific kind, they're about 70 a pair. 'I popped in a taxi and ran to Heathrow and was screaming at security, I literally looked like a mad woman. 'And that's when I realised, "What the hell am I doing?". He got his underwear and didn't even say thank you.' In the comments section, Fionnuala said that once he returned from the trip, she unpacked his suitcase to discover he hadn't even worn the brand new underwear. Thousands of people took to TikTok to share their comments - with many telling Fionnuala to write a book 'The devil wears 70 underwear!' wrote one user, while a second penned: 'I think you should write that book!' 'He didn't even say thanks, I can't!' replied a third. When one person commented 'oh so you lived in the Devil Wears Prada' Fionnuala replied: '1000000 per cent'. The comment refers to the 2006 hit film starring Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs, an assistant to Miranda Preistley, the editor of a top-selling fashion magazine. In a follow-up video, Fionnuala shares more stories from her time as PA - including how he had 'no concept of time' and that he once 'threw a stapler at her'. 'So definitely wasn't expecting that video to pop off the way it did. So I guess it's only fair to say a few more stories,' she says. 'His own partner use to call me to ask what type of mood he was in, just so they know whether to call him,' she adds. 'I was once on a night out and he called me because he needed his sleeping tablets. 'I had to run back to the studio at 11 o'clock at night and courier them to his house, at midnight. 'He would have no concept of time and would call me at 3 o'clock, 4 o'clock in the morning just to order a taxi, even though we were in London and New York and he could hail one down. 'I use to be a ballerina when I was younger and I'd have lessons. And one evening I wanted to make a lesson at about 7pm, and he said to me "You're not a ballerina anymore, you work for me'. 'And yes, he did throw a stapler at me, but it wasn't really aimed at me, it was more just because he was mad at life. 'Overall it was a crazy experience but at least now I can laugh about it rather than cry'. Lesser-known social media sites experiencing a surge in new users as tech companies crack down on violent posts are a hotbed of extreme rhetoric and anti-government sentiment. President Donald Trumps supporters and far-right groups are flocking to alternative social media sites like MeWe, Gab, and Parler as Twitter and Facebook tighten measures to curb misinformation and calls for political violence. Websites advertised as bastions of free speech due to their lighter moderation standards are also home to Michigan-focused groups openly discussing extreme ideas about forcefully removing tyrants and training for societal collapse. Facebook and Twitter booted Trump from their websites for inciting a mob of supporters that broke into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Pro-Trump rioters attending protests organized through social media attempted to stop Congress from certifying President-elect Joe Bidens victory, clashing with police and forcing representatives to flee the building. Facebook announced Monday it will remove content with the phrase stop the steal, a rallying cry for the Jan. 6 protest and other demonstrations promoting unproven allegations of election fraud. Social media giants also began banning thousands of users affiliated with the QAnon conspiracy theory and militarized social movements like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. Several people who broke into the U.S. Capitol last week were identified as members of right-wing militia groups or adherents of QAnon, a conspiracy theory that suggests a cabal of Satan-worshipping pedophiles in the government are waging war against Trump. Trump supporters gesture to U.S. Capitol Police in the hallway outside of the Senate chamber after breaching the halls of the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021.AP While militia groups and QAnon followers are being pushed off Facebook and Twitter, Michigan-based pages on Gab are welcoming them with open arms. Gab was banned from Apple and Google app stores for hosting extremist content. A pinned post on the Michigan Conservative Patriots group on Gab welcomes Q Patriots to take refuge from censorship on mainstream social media websites. The about section states the group was formed to initiate a hostile takeover of the Michigan Republican Party. A Jan. 3 post advertises free transportation to Washington D.C. from Shelby Township to participate in protests at the Capitol last week. Another post claims anti-fascists were responsible for the subsequent riots, though images and video shows those who stormed the Capitol were overwhelmingly Trump supporters. Michigan Rifle Enthusiasts, a group with 370 followers on MeWe, celebrated riots described by lawmakers as an insurrection against the U.S. government. The groups moderator said they were ecstatic in a post published while rioters were vandalizing congressional offices. A later post warned the government is compromised and a state of war now exists in this land. Pick a side and have the courage of your convictions, the post reads. Fight for your freedom, or meekly surrender it. Your choice. Another post from a member profile named Michigan Militia was deleted from MeWe this week for violating the websites terms of service. The profile had shared a flyer advertising armed protests at state capitols across the country on Jan. 17. The Michigan State Police increased its security presence at the Capitol in response to possible protests and is installing a six-foot fence around the building. An FBI memo warns extremists may be planning to storm government buildings ahead of Bidens inauguration. Most of the Michigan-focused groups and pages on Gab and MeWe were followed by only a few hundred users. However, both sites are growing rapidly. Gab reportedly added 600,000 new users over the weekend, while MeWe reportedly added 400,000 new users every day from Jan. 9 to Jan. 11. Javed Ali, a former senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council, said social media can play a major role in accelerating a persons path toward extremism. The proliferation of misinformation and propaganda has worsened since the 2016 election, he said. Ali drew a comparison to the challenge social media companies faced in banning ISIS accounts. The terrorist organization was active on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube before those companies began removing ISIS content around 2014. They didnt have the same sort of internal capabilities to do that on their own, and so it took a few years for the social media companies to scale up to meet that challenge, Ali said. Here we are in 2020 and weve got a different sort of problems when it comes to that content on their platforms. Its not a foreign issue, its a domestic one. Todd Helmus, a behavioral scientist specializing in disinformation and terrorism research, said Gab in particular supports fairly extreme rhetoric that can contribute toward radicalizing people immersed in far-right social networks. Its kind of insane, the kind of stuff that comes across the channels but thats very reinforcing, he said. Expressions of anger and violence toward Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and other Democrats were also common among groups observed by MLive. Users who visit the Michiganders Against Gretchen Whitmer page on MeWe are greeted with an image of Whitmer blindfolded and gagged with duct tape next to text reading When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty. One user in the Michigan Conservative Patriots group called Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel a sick Jew. The user also said Nessel and her wife should lose their children and be sent to live their lives in (a) forced labor camp. MeWes terms of service prohibit posts that content that is hateful, threatening, harmful, incites violence; or contains graphic or gratuitous violence. A spokesperson pointed MLive to a Dec. 23 interview with CEO Mark Weinstein, who objected to websites where anything goes. MeWe is for the good guys, Weinstein said. But were not going to censor a conversation by conservatives or progressives, or health advocates of one health remedy versus another, simply because their opinion might differ from mine. Why is that any of MeWes business? Militia groups also kept active pages on Gab and MeWe. Groups shared documents on how to organize local militia chapters, perform weapons training sessions and maintain survival equipment. A page for the Michigan Militia Coalition on MeWe prominently displays an image of armed protesters at the Capitol in Lansing, including several men who were arrested for allegedly planning to kidnap Whitmer. One user in the group suggested politicians should be tried and hung. One user in the groups chat warned another user that last Wednesday will look like a Boy Scout jamboree in the very near future. Sleep well, loser, the user wrote. We are going to be looking for you and your ilk during the purge. Posts on the Southeast Michigan Volunteer Militia page on MeWe spread misinformation about Antrim County voting machines while promoting training events. The Southeastern Michigan Oath Keepers page on MeWe featured posts seeking recruits to defend against domestic enemies. We have enemies at home right now, people within our own government, warns a Jan. 5 post on the groups MeWe page. READ MORE ON MLIVE: Domestic terrorism represents growing threat to United States Far-right activist who encouraged U.S. Capitol occupation also organized stop the steal rally in Michigan D.C. riots inspire six-foot fence around Michigan Capitol before possible armed protests Lansing mayor wants National Guard at Michigan Capitol for possible armed protests New Yorks attorney general sued the New York Police Department on Thursday, calling the rough treatment of protesters against racial injustice last spring part of a longstanding pattern of abuse that stemmed from inadequate training, supervision and discipline. FILE- In this Aug. 6, 2020 file photo, New York State Attorney General Letitia James takes a question at a news conference in New York. New Yorks attorney general sued the New York Police Department on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021 alleging the rough treatment of protesters last spring in the wake of George Floyds killing was part of a longstanding pattern of abuse that stemmed from inadequate training, supervision and discipline. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File) New Yorks attorney general sued the New York Police Department on Thursday, calling the rough treatment of protesters against racial injustice last spring part of a longstanding pattern of abuse that stemmed from inadequate training, supervision and discipline. Attorney General Letitia James' lawsuit includes dozens of examples of alleged misconduct during the spring demonstrations in the wake of George Floyds police killing, including the use of pepper spray and batons on protesters, trapping demonstrators with a technique called kettling and arresting medics and legal observers. "We found a pattern of deeply concerning and unlawful practices that the NYPD utilized in response to these largely peaceful protests, James said at a news conference announcing the lawsuit. James, a Democrat, was tasked by Gov. Andrew Cuomo with investigating whether NYPD officers used excessive force to quell unrest and enforce Mayor Bill de Blasios nightly curfew. She issued a preliminary report in July that cited a clear breakdown of trust between police and the public. James is seeking reforms including the appointment of a federal monitor to oversee the NYPDs policing tactics at future protests and a court order declaring that the policies and practices the department used during the protests were unlawful. FILE - This May 31, 2020 file photo shows New York City Police facing off with activists during a protest march in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of the Brooklyn borough of New York. New Yorks attorney general sued the New York Police Department on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021 alleging the rough treatment of protesters last spring in the wake of George Floyds killing was part of a longstanding pattern of abuse that stemmed from inadequate training, supervision and discipline. (AP Photo/Kevin Hagen, FIle) The lawsuit in federal court named the city, de Blasio, police Commissioner Dermot Shea and Chief of Department Terence Monahan as defendants. James criticized de Blasio for saying the use of kettling was justified and Shea for saying that the NYPD had a plan which was executed nearly flawlessly when officers aggressive cracked down on protesters on June 4 in the Bronx. In June, at the height of the protests, de Blasio was accused of misleading the city when he told reporters that he personally saw no use of force around peaceful protests, even after officers had been caught on video moving on demonstrators without provocation and bashing them with batons. De Blasio said he met with James on Wednesday and that they share the goal of pushing for major police reforms, such as implementing recommendations in previous reports on the NYPD's protest response. De Blasio, also a Democrat, said however that he did not agree a lawsuit was the solution. A court process and the added bureaucracy of a federal monitor will not speed up this work, de Blasio said. "There is no time to waste and we will continue to press forward. John Miller, the NYPD's deputy commissioner of intelligence and counterterrorism, said the department is committed to reform but that James' lawsuit doesnt seem to meet the standard for a federal monitor, and it doesnt seem to illustrate a pattern and practice as required. The head of the city's largest police union blamed a failure of New York Citys leadership" for sending officers to police unprecedented protests and violent riots with no plan, no strategy and no support. They should be forced to answer for the resulting chaos, instead of pointing fingers at cops on the streets and ignoring the criminals who attacked us with bricks and firebombs, Police Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch said. James lawsuit is the second major legal action to stem from the NYPDs handling of the protests. In October, the New York Civil Liberties Union and the Legal Aid Society sued the city on behalf of protesters who say they were assaulted and abused by police. A civil rights organization and a city watchdog agency have also criticized the departments actions. Human Rights Watch issued a report in November on the Bronx crackdown and the citys inspector general issued a report in December that found that the NYPD was caught off guard by the size of the protests and resorted to aggressive tactics that stoked tensions and stifled free speech. Mark Winston Griffith, a spokesperson for the advocacy group Communities United for Police Reform applauded the lawsuit, saying: NYPD violence against protesters is a long-standing problem and its a credit to Attorney General James that shes using the power of her office to challenge the systemic lack of accountability for this violence." In a joint statement, the NYCLU and Legal Aid Society said: "We hope this will be the beginning of a serious reckoning over police violence and militarized use of force against protesters, especially people of colour, and a check on the impunity many officers have come to see as their right. On Twitter, follow Sisak at twitter.com/mikesisak. A criminal complaint for Midlanders Jenny Cudd and Eliel Rosa shows the FBIs case against them is based on security footage inside the Capitol building and their own social media posts. Cudd, a Midland businesswoman, and Rosa, an asylee from Brazil, were charged with two misdemeanors Wednesday for their roles in the riots that broke out on Capitol Hill a week earlier. They each face up to a year-and-a-half in prison for charges of entering and remaining on restricted grounds and disorderly conduct or violent entry. Rioters broke through barriers and began advancing toward the exterior of the Capitol building at about 2 p.m. on Jan. 6, according to the complaint and attached statement of facts. The documents state that at about 2:20 p.m., lawmakers were instructed to evacuate the House and Senate chambers after rioters forced entry into the Capitol by breaking windows and assaulting police officers. Cudd and Rosa are then seen on security footage entering the building through the west terrace door at 2:35 p.m., according to the complaint. Over the next 20 minutes, security cameras captured them taking pictures inside the Capitol rotunda, walking in the Statuary Hall portion of the building and near entrances to the House chamber before leaving. The complaint does not allege that the two Midlanders entered the House or Senate floors or any lawmakers offices, despite a viral Facebook live video in which Cudd says, We did break down Nancy Pelosis office door and somebody stole her gavel. Cudd said in an interview with the Reporter-Telegram the day after the riots that she used the term we to refer to the actions of the group and not her own involvement. In addition to security footage, the FBIs evidence also comes from Cudds social media posts during and after the riots, according to the complaint. In one of the videos referenced, Cudd says, We just pushed, pushed and pushed, and yelled go and yelled charge and we got in. The documents also note Cudds apparent lack of remorse following her participation in the riots, including her statement in a Facebook video that, F*** yes, I am proud of my actions. I f****** charged the Capitol today with patriots. Hell yes, I am proud of my actions. An interview with television station KOSA on Jan. 8, in which Cudd said, I would absolutely do it again, is also referenced in the complaint. The documents state that Rosa was interviewed by FBI investigators on Jan. 8 and allegedly admitted he and Cudd had entered the Capitol building. Despite Cudds assertion in interviews with news outlets that she didnt do anything unlawful by entering the Capitol building, the complaint states that both the plaza and interior of the Capitol were closed to the public on Jan. 6 during the joint session of Congress. It also notes that those who entered the Capitol did so without the required security screenings and weapons checks. Cudd and Rosa face up to a year in prison on the entering restricted grounds charge, a class A misdemeanor, as well as a $100,000 fine and up to a year of supervised release. On the disorderly conduct charge, a class B misdemeanor, they face up to six months in prison. A loving son made his ALS-suffering mother's final wish come true, by wheeling her onto the dance floor at his wedding and lifting her up for an emotional mother-son dance. Terri Hightower, 57, from Clarksville, Tennessee, was diagnosed with the degenerative disease ALS - also known as Lou Gehrig's disease in December 2019 and by summer 2020, she could no longer walk. But despite her ailing health, she dreamed of attending her son Scooter's wedding on October 9 and was surprised when he organised a special mother-son dance for the two of them at the event. Terri passed away just ten days later, with a clip of the emotional dance quickly going viral online as 10 million people tuned in to watch the special moment. The moment Scooter Hightower, from Tennessee, made his ALS-suffering mother Terri's final wish come true byy wheeling her onto the dance floor at his wedding and lifting her up for an emotional mother-son dance has gone viral online The 57-year-old was diagnosed with the degenerative disease ALS - also known as Lou Gehrig's disease in December 2019 and by summer 2020, she could no longer walk Terri dreamed of attending her son Scooter's wedding to his partner Afton, 25, in October 2020 Terri was unable to walk due to her degenerative disease by summer 2020 and attended her son's wedding in a wheelchair With friends and family gathered around the dance floor, Scooter and his family wheeled his mother's wheelchair into the middle of the room. As around 150 guests watched on, Scooter cued the music and, with the help of his father lifted his mother into his arms. Guests standing around the edge of the dancefloor applauded as Scooter moved her gently and weeping on her shoulder. He could be seen sobbing and whispering into his mother's ear as he cradled her in his arms during the emotional dance. Scooter and Afton organised for a surprise mother-son dance at the wedding after Terri was diagnosed with ALS The family said despite her diagnosis with the disease, Terri was still able to 'feel every emotion possible' The moment was captured on video by the wedding's videographer, Neil Fox, and around the room, there was not a dry eye in the house including Scooter's wife, Afton, 25, who had helped with the surprise. Terri died after losing her battle with the disease less than two weeks later, surrounded by her friends and family. Hoping to raise awareness for ALS, the family asked Neil to share the video on his Facebook page. The post has since been viewed nearly 10 million times. Afton said of the response to the video: 'We are amazed! Photographs from the wedding show Terri watching her son Scooter as he married Afton in a beautiful outdoors ceremony The mother-of-the-groom donned a floor length black gown for the occasion, where she posed for pictures with her husband The emotional surprise first dance between the mother and son quickly went viral after it was shared online Afton said the family had been 'amazed' by the response to the clip of her new husband dancing with his mother The couple said they hoped the emotional video clip from their wedding day would 'bring more awareness' to ALS 'We can't believe how much of an impact it is making around the world. 'It is so amazing how many hundreds, thousands even have reached out to us showing their love and sympathy. Terri felt every emotion possible. 'It was a very bittersweet moment, knowing that was her goal and knowing how much it meant to her and Scooter. 'We hope this video can bring more awareness to ALS.' Scooter and Afton went on to share the video clip of the dance online, and said the response had been 'amazing' after it was viewed nearly 10 million times Terri died after losing her battle with the disease less than two weeks after the wedding, surrounded by her friends and family The President of the Senate, Anca Dragu, received on Thursday, during a presentation visit, the Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Romania, Andrew Noble, among the topics addressed being the post-Brexit Romanian-British collaboration in political, economic, financial, social and cultural areas. "In the political field, the sides agreed on the need to boost dialogue, especially in terms of bilateral parliamentary cooperation. The President of the Senate expressed her intention and of the coalition she represents to boost reform processes that contribute to economic development and ensuring sustainable and inclusive economic growth based on digitalisation and taking into account the protection of the environment," reads a Senate's release sent on Thursday to AGERPRES. According to the same source, Dragu pointed out that she wants an increase in economic and trade relations with the United Kingdom, in mutual investment, in order to reflect the true potential of the two countries."The Romanian dignitary also appreciated the contribution of the Romanian community in the UK, to the economies of the two states and to the growth and strengthening of the bilateral relationship, as well as the need to protect the interests of Romanian citizens working in the UK. The dialogue also tackled issues concerning the rights and freedoms of minorities, violence against women and vulnerable people, in general, human trafficking and the role of non-governmental organizations in these fields," the release reads. A restaurant in the US has been able to feed numerous people for free after they received an overwhelming number of meal donations from people across the world. As per TODAY, the eatery has been feeding everyone from restaurant staff to first responders and other essential workers as part of its unique pay-it-forward initiative. US cooking reality show "Top Chef" star Brooke Williamson is feeling the love at her restaurant, Playa Provisions. The heartwarming effort started on Sunday night, when a Texas fan of the restaurant placed an order and asked the staff to donate it to someone in need. Getty Following which, Williamson shared the note by the fan on the restaurant's Instagram page, that included an order for a breakfast sandwich. The note read, "Here's the deal. We live in Texas, but back when traveling was a thing... We loved you guys. So we want to buy someone breakfast today. If someone in staff is hungry, let them eat or just pick someone. Love Donielle and Jocelyn." Williamson explained on another post sharing another heartwarming ticket by a fan, When you order through our website [Playa Provisions] for pickup, the order gets sent to the kitchen exactly how you write it in your browser. To whomever just sent this, you have no idea how many people you just made smile. Thank YOU and we love you too!!! The chef then said she was "so touched" by the gesture that she decided to share it online, where other fans of the restaurant quickly joined in. In the past two days, she's gotten over a hundred orders for donated meals. On Thursday, Williamson shared how donations made it possible to donate 100 packed meals to local frontline ER doctors and nurses. Thanking everyone who paid it forward on the last few day, Williamson shared image of meals boxes on her Instagram profile. "Our ticket printer has been running non-stop," she said. "From large orders with large gratuities to a coffee and a cookie just so they can share a message of appreciation, it's really seemed to have inspired a lot of people." Instagram/ Williamson Williamson said that the orders have been so extensive that Playa Provisions has been able to supply food to first responders, medical staff, and employees. The donations have been coming in from around the world. Williamson said that Playa Provisions has had orders placed from as far away as Germany and Norway, and people around the country have messaged her saying that they have started to do similar projects with their own local restaurants. Today I was reminded of how amazing, generous, and thoughtful people are! In a time of so much ugliness and worries. So many people reached out to make someone elses day better. Thank you to everyone! Willamsons husband and restaurant co-owner Nick Roberts wrote in an Instagram post. The unique initiative struck a chord with people across the world and many praised the chef and the restaurant for their generosity. Instagram Instagram Williamson also wrote about how she had to close three of her four restaurants due to the pandemic, and the last standing eatery was Playa Provisions. "I'm just so blown away by the sheer generosity of people who are struggling themselves and just want to be a part of something bigger," she said. "It's really what everyone seems to be craving right now," she told TODAY. Is this all they have to do? Bless us and save us House Impeaches President Trump with 232-197 Vote 10 Republicans Join Democrats and Vote in Favor of Impeachment Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched an 11th hour effort to oust President Trump from office with impeachment. The House of Representatives impeached President Trump with a 232-197 vote on Wednesday. The Democrats hate President Trump so much because of his America first agenda that they impeached him twice. Donald Trump is the first president in US history to be impeached twice. Ten Republicans joined the Democrats and voted in favor of impeachment. Heres the list of Republican Reps who need to be booted in 2022: Adam Kinzinger of Illinois John Katko of New York Liz Cheney of Wyoming Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington Fred Upton of Michigan Dan Newhouse of Washington Herrera Beutler of Washington Tom Rice of South Carolina David Valadao of California Peter Meijer of Michigan Source: House Impeaches President Trump with 232-197 Vote - 10 Republicans Join Democrats and Vote in Favor of Impeachment (thegatewaypundit.com) Indications are the Senate will not take up the matter before Trump leaves office. Yawn. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. India will treat a domestic COVID-19 vaccine "equally" with a prominent global one, even though the homegrown drug's efficacy has not been proven, and people will have no choice which they one they get, a top government vaccine official told Reuters. The government on Saturday will launch one of the world's biggest vaccination programmes with shots manufactured in India - one developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca Plc, the other by Bharat Biotech International Ltd with a state-run institute. Administering Bharat Biotech's COVAXIN, a move cheered by ... This article was featured in One Great Story, New Yorks reading recommendation newsletter. Sign up here to get it nightly. The COVID heist movie began with a dare: write a screenplay, land financing, and rush into production, all while in lockdown. Photo: Susie Allnutt For Doug Liman, the process of shooting a film called Locked Down during the coronavirus-induced lockdown a movie that will, in all likelihood, be watched by people still stuck in lockdown began with what he terms an insane idea. Over a Zoom meeting in July, the filmmaker behind hits like Edge of Tomorrow and The Bourne Identity hatched a plan with screenwriter-producer Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders, Eastern Promises) to write a screenplay, land financing, and rush into physical production by no later than September 2020. Despite a near-industrywide halt in filming (the megabudget event titles Mission: Impossible 7 and Jurassic World: Dominion being rare exceptions at the time), as well as the almost completely uninsurable nature of their project, Liman and Knight felt assured they could pull off their stunt. The end result? Locked Down was shot with blistering speed last year and will arrive on HBO Max on January 14. In the seriocomic feature, Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor play a London-based couple on the verge of breakup; suffering through forced quarantine cohabitation, they hatch a plan to pull an audacious jewelry heist at Harrods, the worlds most glamorous (and heavily fortified) department store. The script and our experience of making the film are almost the same story, Liman tells Vulture via Zoom conference link. Because Steve and I are locked down and were like, Lets escape by attempting this insane thing. When theres nothing going into production, every actor is available. Wed be the first independent film. Its totally uncharted territory. And the story were going to tell is this couple who attempt this audacious thing of robbing Harrods, he continues. Im not sure which one was riskier: the stealing of the diamond or the attempting to make a film under these circumstances. Liman, of course, is no stranger to exploding the boundaries of conventional filmmaking to suit his whims. Over the course of a storied quarter-century career that encompasses his 1996 indie breakthrough Swingers, the Palme dOrnominated biopic Fair Game, and the action-comedy Mr. & Mrs. Smith (the crucible in which the the tabloid entity known as Brangelina was forged in 2005), he has repeatedly infuriated collaborators, ignored studio notes, and gone way overtime and tens of millions of dollars over budget in pursuit of his own subjective variety of cinematic excellence a process detractors and admirers alike now know as Limania. Directing Tom Cruise in the 2014 sci-fi action-thriller Edge of Tomorrow, a planned two-week shoot involving an alien invasion on Frances Normandy Beach stretched into three months of grueling, simulated combat courtesy of the directors self-described workshop-y style. During filming on Bourne in 2001, the director kept his production crew overtime to light a forest outside Prague so that Liman could play paintball. Then, when production delays, general on-set chaos, and screaming arguments with producers on that film culminated in a $10 million budget overrun, Liman reportedly considered selling his directors credit on eBay (with thenUniversal chair Stacey Snider threatening that he was never going to work again). Perhaps most notoriously, when 20th Century Fox attempted to place stricter financial boundaries on the filmmaker after Mr. & Mrs. Smith went $26 million over budget, Liman famously dipped into his own savings account to build a set in his mothers garage in upstate New York then unceremoniously destroyed it with a hand grenade. I was like, As long as we keep our production budget we can go in without COVID insurance. For a filmmaker who has shown little compunction about flying by the seat of his pants (in addition to repeatedly flying in the face of filmmaking convention by actually flying more on that in a minute), Liman established a number of hard-and-fast rules governing production on Locked Down. Before a single word of the script had been written, he and Knight endeavored to make something that could be shot safely, in which the leads could exist in a quarantine bubble and almost everyone else could be filmed from a distance. Actors were cast on the basis of certain real-life parallels: Ben Stiller, for one, landed the role of Hathaways smarmy boss in part because he, like the character, had a teenage son living with him under shelter-in-place rules. Anticipating that the pandemic would worsen over the course of the shoot, they would film quickly. And the whole thing would be done on the ultracheap although Liman declined to reveal how much Locked Down cost, he waved away a report the film had been shot for $10 million, insisting its actual budget started with a three. The idea was I would do it on spec, Steve Knight would do it on spec, says Liman, using industry lingo for on speculation that is, unsolicited by a studio, without commission from any financial backer and therefore much more risky for the creative team. I was like, As long as we keep our production budget we can go in without COVID insurance. The approach was: Were going to do this as cheaply as we possibly can because we dont know if its going to be possible to finish this movie. The entire cast, which also includes Ben Kingsley, Mindy Kaling, Stephen Merchant, and Lucy Boynton, signed on without reading a finished script. The understanding was there would be no reshoots, and the dialogue they enacted would effectively be the first draft of Knights script. For Ejiofor and Hathaway, the breakneck pace of completing principal photography in London in just 18 days required some unusual actorly shortcuts as well as a newfound tolerance for Limania. One particular day, it started raining when it wasnt supposed to and I needed to change the order of scenes, the director recalls. I turned to Annie and Chiwetel and I was like, I have to shoot tomorrows work today. And Chiwetels like, I havent even looked at it yet. And Annies like, I started memorizing it but by no means do I have it memorized. The week before, Liman recalls, he and his cast had been laughing at a picture from The Godfather, in which Marlon Brando has his lines taped inside another actors jacket. Just a handful of days later, it was an acceptable practice for their set. For that scene, we actually had to tape lines wherever [Hathaways and Ejiofors] eyelines were and just go. And its my favorite scene in the movie, by the way, Liman says. (Hathaway, for her part, called shooting under curve-flattening circumstances both very normal and completely wild.) Locked Downs third act was entirely contingent on the cooperation of Harrods: the Knightsbridge luxury menagerie which had never ceased operation in its 172-year history, and moreover, never allowed a film to shoot within its walls. Harnessing the same kind of the worlds been turned upside down, normal rules no longer apply, and why not? outlook as their characters, Liman and his producers approached the department store in July anticipating tricky negotiations. We said, We dont have a script. We dont have an idea for a movie. In fact, if you dont say yes, were not going to write the script because we dont have a Plan B. It can only be Harrods, the director recalls. Under normal circumstances, Harrods would never have said yes. But again, these are not normal circumstances. The store not only relinquished its food halls and retail showrooms to the production, Harrods enlisted its staff to stand in as extras and even allowed the filmmakers access to its innermost sanctum. We decided we wanted to shoot in the Harrods vault thats where the diamond [the characters want to steal] would come from, Liman says. And Harrods was like, No, thats our vault. And were like, Okay, would you let us just see your vault? Just so we can try to re-create it somehow? Its in this secret place in the building. They took our production designer and he took some pictures. From there, they were like, Okay, well let everybody in. You can shoot in the vault. You just cant show where it is in the building. I found myself in the vault with my producer Alison Winter. Theres an air lock to get in. The person who brought us there went out. I look at Alison and Im like, We are alone in the Harrods vault. We have literally become one with our characters. I flew myself across the Atlantic to make this film. I think because of the space film, Im in a mindset where Im more open to taking big, big swings. Where Locked Down can be understood as a kind of exercise in pushing the limits of cinematic restraint in finding unexpected freedoms in enforced enclosure, lets say Limans next movie aims to blaze into even less-charted territory. In May, Deadline announced he would boldly go where no film director has gone before, shooting an independently mounted action-adventure feature starring Tom Cruise in space. Elon Musks Space X and NASA are somehow reportedly involved. To date, little else has been revealed about the project. Liman demurs when I ask about that films plot points, timeline, and gravity-defying logistics, saying hes not ready to talk about that yet. But as a licensed pilot who flies his own light aircraft whenever his busy schedule permits, the director revealed an unexpected way making Locked Down helped him prepare not only to escape Earths orbit with Cruise but to keep pace with his own Limania. I flew myself across the Atlantic to make this film, the filmmaker says of Locked Down. It was terrifying. Landing in Greenland is not for the faint of heart! Most people think of astronaut training as being very physical, but its more like pilot training. I just thought I should push myself outside of my comfort zone. Because its going to be terrifying to go into outer space. I think because of the space film, Im in a mindset where Im more open to taking big, big swings. Vaccination at pharmacies is set to begin in March using the AstraZeneca vaccine which could be approved in two weeks time, according to a pharmacist in Portlaoise who is planning for a seven-day week vaccination campaign. Liz Dalton works at the Kilminchy Pharmacy, off the Dublin Road in Portlaoise where staff have been at the frontline of the virus since last year. They are now putting plans in place for mass vaccination. We will be doing Covid-19 vaccination. We always do flu so we are very experienced and know what we are doing, she said. She endorsed the Leinster Express #BestShot petition campaign backing the role of pharmacists in Laois in protecting the public through vaccination. SIGN HERE She says pharmacists all around Ireland are planning and their representative body, the Irish Pharmacy Union, has set out the outline of how pharmacy vaccination will operate. We have been told we are doing it we just do not have a date yet. It looks like the beginning of March. We have been told that we will not be using the Pfizer BioNTech or Moderna vaccine because they are very delicate. They come in big batches and small pharmacies and GPs would not be able to get through 1,000 vaccines in a few days. So, we are going to use the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine. That can be stored at normal temperatures in a fridge. It is much more flexible, she says. Ms Dalton said this vaccine is now being assessed by the European Medicines Agency. She received a recent update from the Health Products Regulatory Authority in Ireland which works with the EMA. They expect it (AstraZeneca) to be approved on January 29. I have been told that by the HRPA," she told the Express. While customers are already trying to book vaccination appointments, the pharmacist expects a centralised national vaccination appointment system will be in place so she urged people not to contact pharmacies in advance. "For example, if you are over 70 you may be in the first batch to be called. You will not need to ring the pharmacy, she said. The pharmacist said there will be plenty of information provided in the lead up to vaccination from staff in the shop and on their social media channel and nationally. She said pharmacies received a lot of calls during the most recent flu vaccination campaign and she is hoping the public will be more patient when it comes to the Covid campaign. I spent a lot of time on the phone reassuring people, telling them they would be on the list, and then we did less than 200 vaccinations because that is the only stock we got. They didnt have enough, she said. Ms Dalton says anyone giving the shot must be skilled and up to date with what is required when giving the Covid-19 vaccine. You have to be trained in vaccination. We have been doing flu vaccination here for the past three years. We are up to date and ready to go, she said The pharmacist expects extra staff will have to be recruited because of the number of people that will come forward. That is why we are thinking of doing it in the evenings and on Sunday when we are not doing normal business and we can just focus on vaccinating, she said. She hopes to be able to have two pharmacist vaccinators working all the time when it begins. Ms Dalton adds that any pharmacist who is vaccinating is also trained in CPR and allergic reaction every three years. I am up to date on all of that. Most pharmacists will not need to do it because they will have completed their training during the summer before the flu vaccination, she said. The pharmacist said the only training most pharmacists will have to complete relates to Covid-19 vaccines. We will learn about the side effects, what to look out for and who not to give it too, she said. The pharmacist added that many pharmacists are very experienced. We have so much experience because pharmacists have been vaccinating people for 10 years. So it is just a new vaccine not a new service, she said. Ms Dalton estimated that about 1,000 pharmacies around Ireland are equipped though she has noticed that it is relatively uncommon in Laois compared to other counties. The Portlaoise pharmacist has endorsed the Governments approach to date to vaccination. She said vaccination has to be completed carefully and planning for such a huge campaign takes time. I dont think they are doing anything wrong. People dont understand that when you get a vaccine you have to do a questionnaire, the PPS number is needed, we have to make sure you havent had the vaccine. We have to upload data to the HSE website. I have to fill out three forms before a person gets a vaccine. I have to confirm they got the vaccine, record the batch number and expiry date of the vaccine and then I have to book them to come back in three weeks. So, I know everybody thinks they should rush but really is one more month going to make a difference. We have to vaccinate so many people. We have to do this right and we dont want to make a mistake, she said. The pharmacist urged people to be aware of one critically important responsibility they have when mass vaccination starts. It is so important that people get the second vaccine. You only have about 50% immunity on the first dose. If we dont keep track of who we did correctly and they dont get their second dose we will be wasting many vaccines. If they dont comply it is not going to work, she said. Ms Dalton added that the public need to be familiar with the vaccination process. It takes time to vaccinate. It is going to take 10 minutes. You cant just throw a needle into someones arm and they just go out the door. It cannot be done that way. It has to be clinically safe. Questions have to be asked. For instance, if a woman or a man has had breast cancer, that person may have had lymph nodes removed under the arm. So it must be given on the side where the nodes have not been removed. If you have had two breasts removed, you have to get the vaccine in your bum from the GP. So there are lots of things we have to check before we do a vaccine, he said. The pharmacist urged patience and reminded people about availability. There are billions of people in the world so it depends on supply," she said. She also endorsed the dual vaccination approach which the Irish Government has opted for in line with the clinical trials. She said lessons were learned from the swine flu. We need to stick to our guns and do it right, she said. Ms Dalton also reminded people to be aware that this does mean that Ireland will have to have sufficient supplies. If 20,000 vaccines are going to be given on a Monday, then in three weeks time there needs to be 20,000 more ready to go three weeks later, she said. The Cabinet member argued that Peru is in a tremendously complex situation, adding that it is at the beginning of a second wave , in which the increase in COVID-19 cases is slower compared to the previous one. However, people still continue to suffer and die because of the pandemic. Participaron en el acto, el director de las Redes Integradas de Salud Lima Centro, Alfredo Centurion, y el alcalde de San Borja, Alberto Tejada. pic.twitter.com/Km5LEwhUD0 MANISTEE COUNTY Republicans and Democrats don't agree on much these days but some agree that following the historic second impeachment of President Donald Trump, it's time to move on. However, that may be where the agreement ends. Manistee County Democratic Party chair John Helge said on Thursday that the impeachment won't increase the political division in the country and that it is a natural outgrowth of the consequences that have to be paid for what happened on Jan. 6. Trump was impeached Wednesday by the House over the deadly Capitol siege, the only president in U.S. history twice impeached, after a pro-Trump mob stormed the building. The attack has left the nations capital, and other major cites, under high security amid threats of more violence around the inauguration. No president has ever been convicted in the Senate, and it would take a two-thirds vote against Trump. Richard Schmidt, the Manistee County Republican Party chair, believes the impeachment of the president will further divide the country. "Trumps going to be done in a week. We need to drop it and move on," he said. "Theyre not moving on if they continue this. Weve got other issues more pressing than that, like whats happening in Iran, whats happening in North Korea and China. Those are issues were going to have to get to, and we need to move on." He said that the only thing impeachment accomplishes is that the president wouldn't be able to run for public office again. "But I dont think hes going to run again," Schmidt said. On the other hand, Helge said that impeachment is one way government can hold people accountable. "Any person who was able to see what happened before the insurrection, during the insurrection and after the insurrection knows that the president played a major role in instigating it and supporting it, and thats just plain wrong," he said. "This is one way that our government can hold people accountable. You just cant do this in America. You just cannot unleash a mob on our Capitol." U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) said in a statement on Wednesday that Trump violated his oath of office and should be held accountable. His reprehensible actions and rhetoric incited a violent, deadly attack on the Capitol and on our democracy. It is outrageous and unacceptable," he said. "We must hold him accountable for his actions and send a very clear signal for the future that this dangerous behavior can never be tolerated." U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet) voted against impeachment. He said in a Facebook post that the nation must address the "issues" that led to last week's riot at the Capitol and that he "will continue to unequivocally denounce these actions and all who participated in these riots. Todays vote to impeach the president, without even a single hearing, is unprecedented and simply more of the same divisiveness making no effort to heal our wounds." The congressman said the country must move forward to find solutions. "The American people are frustrated, hurting and tired of the nonsense seen every day in Washington on both sides of the aisle. We must do better for the sake of our great republic," he said. Helge is pleased the process moved quickly so as not to take up "valuable time that our congressional leaders need to do the peoples business," adding that there are many things that can be done to move forward. "We need to stop the lying, stop the misinformation, start building trust with each other. Im talking about you and me and people we meet on the street. We need to start establishing a relationship based on trust," he said. Schmidt, who also is a member of the Manistee County Board of Commissioners, said he is not happy with the current political climate. "This election throughout the whole process has been, for me my 10th year, and during the election I had half of my signs stolen," he said. "I had my American flag and Trump signs stolen out of my front yard. Ive never had that done until this year. So I believe theres probably a big divide in the country. "But we need to let this go, the impeachment, and move on. And thats what Ive been telling the people in the county lets just move on." Schmidt said as a county commissioner, he votes for the people not one party or the other. "When I place my votes at the county, its not for the Republican Party or the Democratic Party, its for the people," he said. "And thats what we have to look at right now. This is for the people. What happened last week wasnt right at all, but it happened. We have to move on." However, he did want to point out that his comments are his own opinion and not that of the county board. "These are just my opinions on whats going on. Its nothing to do with the county commissioners," he said. RELATED 'We have to move on': Manistee officials respond to U.S. Capitol insurrection Trump impeachment trial to focus on his attacks on election EXPLAINER: What's next after House impeachment vote Credit: Public Domain Researchers from the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) have used a new imaging technique to measure the function of mitochondria in patients with motor neuron disease (MND). The research, published today in the journal Brain could provide new ways to assess the effectiveness of treatments currently in development for MND. Researchers used an advanced imaging technique called 31-phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure chemicals that are crucial to energy metabolism in the cell. The research was conducted on patients living with MND as well as age and gender matched healthy controls. The patient perceives the procedure as a standard MRI scan but researchers are able to gain a direct measurement of chemicals so that they can calculate a comprehensive picture of the energy status in patients with MND. MND, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as it is also known, is a disorder that affects the nervesmotor neuronsin the brain and spinal cord that form the connection between the nervous system and muscles to enable movement of the body. The messages from these nerves gradually stop reaching the muscles, leading them to weaken, stiffen and waste. There are many barriers to developing effective treatments for MND as we don't yet fully understand how or why it develops in the first place. However, there is good evidence from laboratory data and disease models that the mitochondriaor powerhouses of the cellmay be impaired. Lead author on the study, Dr. Matilde Sassani from the University of Sheffield, explains: "It is important to have an effective technique to measure mitochondrial function in vivo in patients living with MND. "In this study we found that phosphocreatine levels were depleted in the brain compared to healthy controls and, in the muscle, we found that inorganic phosphates were elevated in patients with MND. Both of these findings are consistent with mitochondrial dysfunction occurring in these people living with MND." Dr. Thomas Jenkins, senior author of the paper and Clinical Senior Lecturer at SITraN, said: "This research has the potential to impact the development of more effective treatments for MND. It appears to be a promising tool with potential to measure the effect of medications acting on mitochondrial function in people living with MND. "Treatments that aim to rescue mitochondrial function in MND are being investigated in labs around the world. This non-invasive tool can demonstrate whether medications in development are successfully targeting mitochondria, which is an important step in selecting treatments to take through to clinical trials." Future research aims to widen the scope of this study to include larger numbers of MND patients. As the mitochondria are also thought to be a factor in a range of other neurodegenerative diseases, there may be potential for this technique to be widened to different patient groups. This is the shocking moment a drunk man jumped off the ledge of a 378-foot tall water dam in Argentina. Video footage recorded by a bystander at the Valle Grande dam in San Rafael, Mendoza, shows Fabian Olivera standing on top of the barriers ledge on Wednesday morning. Witnesses looked on in disbelief as the 37-year-old clambered on top of the barrier and prepared to dive, Fabian Olivera stands on top of the Valle Grande dam's ledge in San Rafael, Argentina, on Wednesday morning before he jumped into the reservoir According to authorities, 37-year-old Fabian Olivera was allegedly drunk when he dove of a dam's ledge and landed in the reservoir It takes Olivera close to three heart-stopping seconds to land in the reservoir. He appears to freeze, and groans in pain before one witness asked if he was ok. Local fisherman rescued Olivera from the water before paramedics rushed him to Schestakow Hospital. Authorities confirmed through Olivera's wife that he had been drinking before diving off the dam's ledge. Officials at the medical facility said that Olivera suffered a chest and abdomen trauma and was diagnosed with hypothermia. He placed under observation in the intensive care unit and his condition was updated to stable. Listen Now Here VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 14, 2021 / Tracker Ventures Corp. ("Tracker" or the "Company") (CSE:TKR)(OTC:TLOOF)(FSE:B2I) announced that Contakt LLC ("Contakt World"), a technology company modernizing public health and safety, has released the third episode of the "Contakt World: Truth in Health" podcast. The podcast is available on iHeartRadio and other popular streaming sites for podcasts. "Our third episode tackles the difficult issues of race, privilege and the politicization of public health through the eyes of Fiana Tulip, and we're honored she chose to share our podcast to share her story," said Deepti Pahwa, Chief Innovative Officer of Contakt World and co-host of the podcast. "Our goal with this episode and every episode of our podcast is to highlight these stories of humanity and dissect the real emotional toll the pandemic has had on our lives." A description of the third episode can be found below. "Contakt World: Truth in Health" Podcast Episode 3: COVID: Does Race = Risk? "Every day, cities and states are breaking records for COVID cases. Governments are scrambling to take the right measures at the right times. And the news is reporting all of it. But some of us still seem unaffected. Why is this? What will make us stop and think? Or, at the least, feel something? This week's episode of Contakt World dives into the hot-button issues of race, privilege, and the politics of health - specifically, through the lens of Fiana Tulip, a grieving daughter who lost her mother, a Latina front-line worker in Texas. As the vaccine rolls out, and we turn the page to a new year, we'll talk about how the front line isn't just made up of medical workers; it also comprises marginalized individuals. We'll also discuss how we can do more to resource health agencies, help workers get proper protection (like hazard pay), and, most importantly, ways we can help each other through this pandemic." "Contakt World: Truth in Health" is distributed by the iHeartPodcast Network and is also available on Apple and Spotify. For video previews, highlights, and full-length episodes, please visit Contakt World on YouTube. * This statement and all content within or related to this podcast has not been evaluated by the FDA. Any information presented by Contakt World or its guests is not intended to treat or cure any disease, and no claims are made as to the accuracy or sufficiency thereof. Contakt World - Tracker Transaction Tracker and Contakt World are parties to a definitive amalgamation agreement pursuant to which Tracker will indirectly acquire (the "Acquisition") a 100% interest in Contakt World. For further information respecting the Acquisition, please refer to the Company's news release dated December 8, 2020. Trading of Tracker's shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") has been halted in connection with the announcement of the Acquisition and is not expected to resume until the CSE has approved a Form 2A Listing Statement for the resulting issuer from the Acquisition. There can be no assurance that the Acquisition will be completed on the terms proposed in the amalgamation agreement or at all. About Contakt World Contakt World is a technology and media company innovating public health agency connections with their community, with the goal of becoming the most trustworthy, accessible, and scalable digital public health and safety platform globally - addressing the needs of a post-pandemic world. Contakt World combines aggressive research and development, human-centered design, next-gen data integrations, and strategic health partnerships to empower and build mutual trust within communities, contributing towards health equity for users around the world. Contakt World's first suite of tools emerges from the urgency surrounding coronavirus to manage the pandemic through innovative contact tracing and case management spanning multiple modes of communication. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.contakt.world. Tracker Ventures Contact Geoff Balderson CEO and Director Direct: 604-602-0001 Media Contact Kevin Harrington Account Director - 5WPR contakt@5wpr.com Investor Contact Lucas A. Zimmerman Senior Vice President - MZ North America Direct: 949-259-4987 contakt@mzgroup.us www.mzgroup.us The CSE has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the content of this news release. Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"), including, but not limited to, statements with respect to the future prospects of Tracker and Contakt World. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "plans," "expects" or "does not expect," "is expected," "budget," "scheduled," "estimates," "forecasts," "projects," "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." Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or result expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management of Tracker and Contakt World believes are reasonable assumptions, 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. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include those risks listed above as well as additional risks like regulatory changes, general economic, market, political, or business conditions, actual or perceived implications of COVID-19 immunization or treatments, and the timing and delivery thereof, meeting or maintaining various conditions of HIPAA, GDPR, and CCPA compliance, protection of the Company's and Contakt World's intellectual property, and adoption of the Contakt World platform or apps by government, B2B, B2I customers, and consumer end-users. Tracker and Contakt World undertake no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. SOURCE: Tracker Ventures Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/623812/Contakt-World-Truth-in-Health-Podcast-Unveils-Third-Episode--Features-Personal-Interview-with-Daughter-of-Latina-Front-Line-Worker-Who-Died-Due-to-COVID-19-Entitled-Does-Race-Risk Staff at Portlaoise hospital have reverted to a 'surge' system in the face of the Covid-19 third wave which has driven up admissions to the hospital and its intensive care unit. As the hospital faces unprecedented pressure due to the Christmas New Year spread, it has had to reconfigure to ensure it can provide potentially life-saving care. Part of this has this has seen the hospital expand its critical care capacity. Management has confirmed that this means reverting to a system set up in 2020 when the pandemic first hit. "Like all Hospitals, the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise has a surge plan in place to respond to increased Covid-19 patients. In the earlier part of the pandemic, the hospital relocated the intensive care and coronary care to enable additional space to accommodate an increased number of patients requiring intensive care support. "The hospital management also undertook contingency planning as to how this can be supported from a staff perspective. This plan has been implemented in recent days," said a statement from the Dublin Midland Hospital Group. Portlaoise had 22 patients with Covid-19, seven of whom were critically ill on Tuesday, January 12. Portlaoise has sister hospitals in Naas, Tullamore and Dublin as part of the HSE Dublin Midland Group. There was just one ICU bed between the hospitals by 8pm on Wednesday, January 12. A spokesperson for the group appealed to the public to play their part in reducing pressure on Portlaoise and other hospitals. "Hospitals across the Group are under significant pressure. We would appeal to the public to stay home and stay safe. Our Emergency Services are available if you are in an emergency situation. Please call 999 or 112 otherwise contact your GP by phone for routine matters," said the statement. Hospitals reconfigured across Ireland last week suspending non-essential services to cope with the expected surge in cases which has materialised. The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. Beijing's state broadcaster has released footage of Chinese troops launching attacks and striking targets during a live-fire exercise at sea near Taiwan. The dramatic video shows the People's Liberation Army launching a mock seizure of an unnamed islet in China's Fujian Province, which looks out to self-ruled Taiwan. It emerged after Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered his military, comprising about two million soldiers, to be ready for war 'at all times'. Scroll down for video In a social media post, CCTV's military channel showed off a simulated snap attack, which reportedly took place 'recently' in a remote area off the coast of Minnan near Taiwan Footage shows ground targets being blown to smithereens in the intense mock islet seizure The news comes as political tensions between China and the United States escalate over the sovereignty of democratic Taiwan, which China considers as its own. Washington's Ambassador to the United Nations held a virtual talk with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen on Thursday, telling the island's leader that 'the United States will always stand with Taiwan'. The meeting immediately infuriated Beijing as it warned Washington 'the attempt to challenge the one-China principle receives no support and is doomed to fail'. China's President Xi Jinping urged his People's Liberation of Army 'not to fear death' in a mobilisation order signed by him on January 4. In this file photo, Xi speaks after he reviewed the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy fleet in the South China Sea on April 12, 2018 Washington's Ambassador to the United Nations, Kelly Craft (left), held a virtual talk with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen (right, file photo) on Thursday, which infuriated Beijing China regards Taiwan as a renegade province and has stepped up threats to bring the island under its control. Late last year, the country's state broadcaster CCTV flaunted footage of soldiers 'seizing an island' during a large-scale training session in an apparent warning to Taipei. This week, CCTV's military channel showed off another similar military drill, which reportedly took place 'recently' in a remote area off the coast of Minnan. In a social media post, the official outlet did not mention any relation between the training and Taiwan. However, Minnan, situated in the southern part of Fujian Province, is mainland China's closest point to the island. According to CCTV, China's 73rd Group Army conducted the simulated snap attack on an unnamed islet off the coast of Fujian Province with 'various types of aircraft and ammunition Footage shows soldiers getting ready to jump out of a military aircraft to land on the islet Minnan in the southern part of Fujian Province is mainland China's closest point to Taiwan According to CCTV, the nation's 73rd Group Army conducted the simulated snap attack with 'various types of aircraft and ammunition'. Fighter helicopters were instructed to fly at around 20 metres (66 feet) above the sea to launch 'precise strikes' against targets on an unspecified islet during the 'super-low altitude' mimic combat, the report said. Footage shows soldiers firing explosives from helicopters and getting ready to jump out of the aircraft to land on the islet. It also features ground targets being blown to smithereens in the intense mock seizure. The CCTV report followed a mobilisation order signed earlier this month by President Xi, who urged his soldiers to get themselves prepared for combat. Xi commanded his troops to step up training in 'real combat conditions' to ensure their combat readiness and abilities to win battles. Pictured, Chinese soldiers assemble during military training at Pamir Mountains in Kashgar, northwestern China's Xinjiang region on January 4 Xi demanded all servicemen sharpen their fighting spirit and perfect their combat skills. A female soldier is pictured attending military training Pamir Mountains in Kashgar on January 4 On January 4, Xi commanded his troops to step up training in 'real combat conditions' to ensure their combat readiness and abilities to win battles, according to a script of his order released by Xinhua News Agency. He demanded all servicemen sharpen their fighting spirit and perfect their combat skills to welcome the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China this year. The country's two million or so soldiers reportedly 'jumped into action' upon receiving their leader's directive. Observers suggested that Xi's latest order showed the leader's intention to boost the army's capability of winning a war at all cost. Speaking to South China Morning Post, Hong Kong-based military commentator Song Zhongping said: 'China is indeed facing a great risk of war, which has been seriously implied in this order.' In November, Xi urged his troops not to fear death and prepare to win wars while addressing military commanders. Islamabad, Jan 14(UNI) Pakistan's government has asked its Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed to talk and prevent the students of religious seminaries from participating in the oppositions Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) march on Islamabad next month. Sources said that Mr Rashid was tasked by Prime Minister Imran Khan himself on Wednesday when during a meeting the PM expressed concern about the law and order situation in the capital Islamabad and asserted that the students of religious seminaries should not be used for politics. Speaking to Dawn, Interior Minister Rashid said that he would start meeting the clerics from 560 seminaries in the federal capital immediately, wherein he would brief the clerics on the priorities of the government. There is still a month to go and these meetings will continue in the days ahead, he added. The PDM, an alliance of 10 opposition parties, has been holding anti-government protests in major cities of Pakistan. The alliance has announced that they will march on Islamabad in February if Prime Minister Imran Khan does not resign by January 31. UNI XC ACL SB 1110 The New York Times MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan Ammunition was depleted inside the bedraggled outposts in Laghman province. Food was scarce. Some police officers hadnt been paid in five months. Then, just as U.S. troops began leaving the country in early May, Taliban fighters besieged seven rural Afghan military outposts across the wheat fields and onion patches of the province, in eastern Afghanistan. The insurgents enlisted village elders to visit the outposts bearing a message: Surrender or die. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times By mid-month, security forces had surrendered all seven outposts after extended negotiations, according to village elders. At least 120 soldiers and police were given safe passage to the government-held provincial center in return for handing over weapons and equipment. We told them, Look, your situation is bad reinforcements arent coming, said Nabi Sarwar Khadim, 53, one of several elders who negotiated the surrenders. Since May 1, at least 26 outposts and bases in just four provinces Laghman, Baghlan, Wardak and Ghazni have surrendered after such negotiations, according to village elders and government officials. With morale diving as U.S. troops leave, and the Taliban seizing on each surrender as a propaganda victory, each collapse feeds the next in the Afghan countryside. Among the negotiated surrenders were four district centers, which house local governors, police and intelligence chiefs effectively handing the government facilities to Taliban control and scattering the officials there, at least temporarily. The Taliban have negotiated Afghan troop surrenders in the past, but never at the scale and pace of the base collapses this month in the four provinces extending east, north and west of Kabul. The tactic has removed hundreds of government forces from the battlefield, secured strategic territory and reaped weapons, ammunition and vehicles for the Taliban often without firing a shot. The base collapses are one measure of the rapidly deteriorating government war effort as one outpost after another falls, sometimes after battles, but often after wholesale surrenders. The surrenders are part of a broader Taliban playbook of seizing and holding territory as security force morale plummets with the exit of international troops. Buyoffs of local police and militia. Local cease-fires that allow the Taliban to consolidate gains. A sustained military offensive despite pleas for peace talks and a nationwide cease-fire. The government is not able to save the security forces, said Mohammed Jalal, a village elder in Baghlan province. If they fight, they will be killed, so they have to surrender. The surrenders are the work of Taliban Invitation and Guidance Committees, which intervene after insurgents cut off roads and supplies to surrounded outposts. Committee leaders or Taliban military leaders phone base commanders and sometimes their families and offer to spare troops lives if they surrender their outposts, weapons and ammunition. In several cases, the committees have given surrendering troops money typically around $130 and civilian clothes and sent them home unharmed. But first they videotape the men as they promise not to rejoin the security forces. They log their phone numbers and the names of family members and vow to kill the men if they rejoin the military. The Taliban commander and the Invitation and Guidance Committee called me more than 10 times and asked me to surrender, said Maj. Imam Shah Zafari, 34, a district police chief in Wardak province who surrendered his command center and weapons on May 11 after negotiations mediated by local elders. After the Taliban provided a car ride home to Kabul, he said, a committee member phoned to assure him that the government would not imprison him for surrendering. He said, We have so much power in the government and we can release you, Zafari said. The Taliban committees take advantage of a defining characteristic of Afghan wars: Fighters and commanders regularly switch sides, cut deals, negotiate surrenders and cultivate village elders for influence with local residents. The current conflict is really dozens of local wars. These are intimate struggles, where brothers and cousins battle one another and commanders on each side cajole, threaten and negotiate by cellphone. A Taliban commander calls me all the time, trying to destroy my morale, so that Ill surrender, said Wahidullah Zindani, 36, a bearded, sunburned police commander who has rejected Taliban demands to surrender his nine-man, bullet-pocked outpost in Laghman province. The negotiated surrenders are part of a broader offensive in which the Taliban have surrounded at least five provincial capitals this spring, according to a Pentagon inspector general report released May 18. The offensive has intensified since the U.S. withdrawal began May 1. The Taliban have used their control of several major highways to cut off bases and garrisons, leaving them vulnerable. The surrenders have a profound psychological effect. They call and say the Taliban are powerful enough to defeat the U.S. and they can easily take Laghman province, so you should remember this before we kill you, Rahmatullah Yarmal, Laghmans 29-year-old governor, said of the Taliban committees during an interview inside his barricaded compound in Mehtar Lam, the provincial capital. Its an effective propaganda tactic, the governor conceded so effective that some outpost commanders now refuse to speak to elders or Taliban negotiators. He said many elders were not neutral peacemakers, but hand-picked Taliban supporters. Yarmal said 60 police officers who surrendered and took refuge in his government center are now primed to fight to retake the seven lost outposts. I think well have them back in a month, he said. But just hours after the governor spoke on May 19, a nearby district center, Dawlat Shah, surrendered without any resistance after negotiations. By the next morning, five more outposts had surrendered the same way in the district of Alishing, also in Laghman, district officials said. Those Taliban victories were facilitated, in part, by a 30-day cease-fire negotiated by elders on May 17 in the heavily contested district of Alingar, allowing the Taliban to shift resources to the Alishing, where they forced the negotiated surrender of the five outposts just two days later. (On May 21, the Taliban violated the cease-fire with renewed attacks in Alingar, Khadim said.) The series of base collapses represented the second wholesale surrender in a Laghman district in two weeks. On May 7, three outposts and a military base collapsed the same way without a fight, said Nasir Ahmad Himat, the Alingar district governor. The soldiers simply dropped their weapons, got in their vehicles and went to the district center or provincial capital, said Faqirullah, a village elder who goes by one name. As Taliban fighters advanced on the provincial capital Sunday, Yarmal announced that 110 security force members who had surrendered, and several commanders who were supposed to supervise them, had been detained for negligence. Also Sunday, the Afghan military announced that troop reinforcements and the military chief of staff had rushed to Laghman to try to repel the Taliban assault. In Ghazni province, Hasan Reza Yousofi, a provincial councilman, said he begged officials to send reinforcements to an outpost and a military base that ultimately fell to the Taliban this month. He played a recorded phone call from a police officer, Abdul Ahmad, who said his ammunition was gone and his men were drinking rainwater because the base water tower had been destroyed by a rocket. We have been sold out we make calls for reinforcements, but officials dont help, the recorded voice said. The Taliban sent us tribal elders who said, Surrender, you are sold out, no one will help you. Yousofi said he did not know whether Ahmad survived after his outpost fell. Negotiations have proved remarkably fruitful for the Taliban in Baghlan province, where at least 100 soldiers surrendered, and in Wardak province, where about 130 security force members surrendered following negotiations, officials said. In Laghman province, negotiations leading to the surrender of the seven outposts stretched over 10 days. Khadim, the village elder, said different elders negotiated with commanders of each outpost. We guaranteed they would not be killed, he said. There was nothing written, just our word. A few miles away, Zindani refused to surrender his forlorn outpost near the front line. He said officers who had negotiated surrenders at three nearby outposts had betrayed their country. One of his men, Muhammad Agha Bambard, said he would fight to avenge the deaths of two brothers he said were killed by the Taliban. He would never surrender, he said. Zindanis nine men were down to a machine gun, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and one AK-47 rifle each inside a ramshackle outpost with bloodstained walls. But he said he intended to fight on as he told the Taliban commander who regularly phoned to demand his surrender. I told him, Im a soldier of my country, the commander said. I am not here to surrender. Four days later, on Sunday, the outpost was overrun during a firefight with the Taliban, a member of the provincial council said. One police officer was shot dead and Zindani and his outgunned men were taken prisoner. A few hours later, the Taliban released a video showing Bambard being questioned by a Taliban commander as he lay on a mattress, his face and neck bandaged. In a mocking tone, the commander asked why Bambard had posted on his Facebook page that he would not let the enemy capture his outpost while he was alive. The wounded officer responded, This is Afghanistan. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 2021 The New York Times Company Arkansas senator Tom Cotton has said Donald Trump's impeachment would be unconstitutional if the trial happens after he leaves office. Cotton, a conservative hardliner and possible contender for the White House in 2024, issued a statement on Wednesday, after the House voted to impeach Trump for the second time. The decision will now move to the Senate, and Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader, said earlier on Wednesday that their trial of the president will not begin until after the Senate returns from a recess scheduled to end on January 19. The soonest the trial could begin would be 1pm on January 20 - the day of Joe Biden's inauguration. 'The Senate lacks constitutional authority to conduct impeachment proceedings against a former president,' said Cotton. Scroll down for video Tom Cotton on Wednesday night announced he was not in favor of impeaching Trump Address: Trump issued a speech delivered from a teleprompter at the Resolute Desk Wednesday evening, in which he said 'unequivocally' condemned violence and was'shocked at the calamity at the Capitol' - the opposite of accounts of him watching transfixed and being unwilling to call it off as it happened. He did not mention his impeachment which Nancy Pelosi signed off on as the speech emerged IMPEACHMENT TIMETABLE Wednesday afternoon: House passed single Article What happens next? Nancy Pelosi decides when to transmit Article to Senate. When she does, it must begin trial on the next sitting day and sit six days a week until it concludes Tuesday January 19: Earliest date Mitch McConnell has said Senate can begin considering Article. Senate procedures may mean trial will not begin until the following day at 1pm Wednesday January 20, noon: Trump leaves office What happens next? If a trial is under way, it can continue. Most legal experts say if it has not begun, it can, but there is a minority who say impeachment cannot continue if the president is not in office Advertisement 'The Founders designed the impeachment process as a way to remove officeholders from public office - not an inquest against private citizens.' Cotton's coming out against impeachment may well convince some undecided Senators. McConnell is believed to favor impeaching Trump, and has reportedly vowed never to speak to him again after he incited the mob to ransack the Capitol on January 6. McConnell has not publicly declared his intentions, however. Cotton said that impeachment could not be done once a president had left office, and that proceeding with the trial before then was impossible. 'The House has passed an article of impeachment against the president, but the Senate under its rules and precedents cannot start and conclude a fair trial before the president leaves office next week,' he said. Constitutional scholars disagree on whether a trial can be held once a president has stepped down. J. Michael Luttig, a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit from 1991 to 2006, argued in a Washington Post op-ed Tuesday that a Senate trial after Trump has left office would be unconstitutional. Other officials have been impeached after leaving office in the past, but none were presidents. The Senate voted to dismiss some of those cases on the basis that the subjects were no longer holding their positions. Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday afternoon signed Trump's impeachment after the House vote In 1876 former Secretary of War William Belknap resigned just before his impeachment. The Senate held a trial and acquitted him anyway. On Wednesday the House voted 232 to 197 to impeach Trump a second time, with 10 Republican lawmakers voting in favor of the article. The article of impeachment charges Trump with having 'repeatedly issued false statements asserting that the presidential election results were the product of widespread fraud' and incited a crowd that 'unlawfully breached and vandalized the Capitol, injured and killed law enforcement personnel' and 'menaced members of Congress.' Cotton condemned the violence and said rioters should be fully prosecuted. But the Arkansas Senator said: 'fidelity to the Constitution must always remain the lodestar of our nation.' 'Last week, I opposed the effort to reject certified electoral votes for the same reason - fidelity to the Constitution - I now oppose impeachment proceedings against a former president.' Shanghai (Gasgoo)- China Evergrande New Energy Group Limited (the company or Evergrande Auto) announced earlier this month that Shi Shouming has resigned from his positions as an executive director and the chairman of the board of the company, effective Jan. 8, 2021. Mr. Shi's capacity as executive director and chairman has been succeeded by Siu Shawn. The 49-year-old new chairman joined China Evergrande Group in Nov. 2013 and has previously acted as the executive vice president of China Evergrande Group, the chairman of Evergrande Tourism Group Company Limited and the president of Evergrande New Energy Vehicle Group. Mr. Siu has over 28 years of extensive commercial experience. Prior to the latest appointment, Mr. Siu was responsible for the company's new energy vehicle (NEV) business. Previously named Evergrande Health, the company changed its name to Evergrande Auto in late August as the NEV has become its most important business. Hengchi 1 to Hengchi 6; photo credit: Hengchi On August 3, Evergrande Auto launched six models it will sell under its Hengchi brand. Those models are numbered from 1 to 6, including two cars, three SUVs and one MPV. The company has to-date build a NEV-related industrial chain that encompasses battery power, powertrain, complete vehicle manufacturing, automobile sale and smart charging business. Evergrande Auto started in last November the trial production at its Shanghai and Guangzhou manufacturing bases, where Hengchi-branded vehicles are set to be mass produced from the second half of 2021. The company said on Sept. 15 that it had entered into top-up placing arrangements to introduce international investors including Tencent Holdings Limited, Sequoia Capital, Yunfeng Fund and DiDi Chuxing, raising HK$4 billion. The proceeds would be used for the development of NEV business. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is concerned about the Ukrainian government's intention to decide in the near future on a reduction in natural gas prices for household consumers, Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko has said in an interview with Radio NV. He noted that Ukraine, in its memorandum with the IMF, has made clear commitments on market tariffs in the natural gas market. Marchenko stressed that the decision to reduce prices has not been made yet. This can be done soon. The minister added that consultations are constantly held, including with the IMF. The issue of gas tariffs has been discussed since the beginning of the week. "Our partners know that such a decision is possible. They have a respective reaction. They are concerned that we are reviewing some of our previous commitments. The question now is whether this could be part of a mechanism or a temporary decision. The acting energy minister is actively dealing with this. Yesterday, by the way, we had a call from the IMF. I think that relevant consultations will also be held today. That is, it is a permanent process. It happens all the time. There are so far no [grounds] to say categorically that we have already done something very bad," Marchenko said. According to him, the government is trying to explain to the IMF that the failure to decide on a reduction in prices could have quite negative consequences for the economy as a whole. "That is, the question is how well-argued we will prove this position," Marchenko said. Natural gas prices in Ukraine have risen significantly since January 1. Supplier prices range from UAH 6.99 to UAH 10.8 per cubic meter. The decision to increase gas prices led to protests in a number of cities. On Wednesday, January 13, a meeting was held with the participation of President Volodymyr Zelensky, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, representatives of the National Commission for State Regulation of Energy and Public Utilities, and Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolyev. During the meeting, the decision was made to reduce the price of natural gas by more than 30%, to UAH 6.99 per cubic meter. The state regulation of gas prices will be introduced during lockdown or until the end of the heating season. op Two members of a Romanian organised crime gang made dozens of fake credit cards and used them in Dublin shops in the wake of a deep skim of UK bank customers' details, a court has heard. Daniel Almajanu (35) made fake cards using a card reader/writer machine while Albert Gimy Linul (29) visited various shops buying things with the fake cards, including cartons of cigarettes which were then sold on. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that during an extensive skimming operation in the UK a Romanian criminal gang based there used a deep insert skimmer to collect details of customers of the HSBC bank outlets. Both Almajanu and Linul were considered to be members of that organised crime group, the court heard. The court heard that Almajanu made fake cards using this information and then gave the fake cards to Linul. Linul of Prussia Street, Dublin used the cards to buy cartons of cigarettes on a number of occasions in several newsagents in Dublin and these cartons were sold on for profit. Garda Ciaran Ronan of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau told the court that Linul stole a total of 1,185 from the UK bank. Linul pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing a total of 60 fraudulent bank cards at various locations in Dublin between February 13 and February 14 this year. He also pleaded guilty to eight counts of using a fake HSBC bank card at a number of Dublin shops, ten counts of theft and two counts of attempted theft from HSBC on dates between November 1, 2019 and February 4, 2020. Almajanu, of North Circular Road, Dublin, pleaded guilty to two counts of having custody of 53 fake bank cards and one count of making 65 fake bank cards at various locations in Dublin between January 1 and February 13 this year. He also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a laptop specifically designed to make false cards. Both men were arrested when gardai noticed them acting suspiciously in Temple Bar in February this year. A number of fake cards were found on them and in Almajanu's car. Gardai found more cards in the Prussia Street flat, along with a Lenovo laptop and a card reader/writer machine used for making fake cards. A number of cartons of cigarettes were also discovered. Judge Melanie Greally adjourned sentencing to February 3 next. Linul has two previous convictions in Ireland for dangerous driving and handling stolen property and 22 previous convictions abroad - including his native Romania - for theft, fraud and drug offences. Almajanu, who is also originally from Romania, has no previous convictions here, but four convictions in Romania and the UK for similar fraud offences. Olan Callanan BL, defending Linul, said his client was well educated and attended college before he dropped out and worked in construction and car washes. He moved to the UK to work in construction and got involved in low level criminality over there, the court heard. He was deported from the UK and moved to Ireland shortly afterwards, where he got involved in this operation. He has been in custody since last February, is doing well there and is the unofficial barber on his prison floor landing, Mr Callanan said. Aidan McCarthy BL, defending Almajanu, said his client knows what he did was wrong and is remorseful for his actions. He has also been in custody since his arrest. [January 14, 2021] DreamHost Partners with Lendio to Deliver Customer PPP Assistance DreamHost (News - Alert) , a global leader in web hosting and Managed WordPress services, announced today it has partnered with small business lending network, Lendio, to provide Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) application guidance to small businesses. Lendio will work to assist DreamHost's business customers based in the United States with applications for funds recently made available in the latest round of the US government's Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). DreamHost customers who apply for a PPP loan through Lendio will gain access to a dedicated loan specialist who will act as a guide throughout the application process. Lendio's reputation for simplifying the funding process and its commitment to delivering results made the company the natural choice to help DreamHost's small businesses apply for and gain funding during this critical time. Lendio helped business owners gain access to more than $8 billion in PPP loan approvals throughout the duration of the program in 2020. "The PPP can offer a critical lifeline to qualifying small businesses that may be strugling to survive as the world comes to grips with the economic realities of this global pandemic," said Ho Yun, DreamHost's VP, Finance. "We've made available a number of resources to help our customers survive and grow during this challenging time, and we're pleased to be able to add Lendio's expert, personalized guidance to help support the small businesses that have chosen to make DreamHost their online home." In addition to PPP support, DreamHost customers also have the option of working with Lendio's experts to obtain more traditional business financing. Lendio's team works to match small businesses with lenders from its extensive network suited to meet the business owner's unique funding needs. DreamHost customers can learn more at https://lp.lendio.com/dreamhost About DreamHost DreamHost is a premier Managed WordPress hosting provider, giving over 400,000 businesses, developers and content creators worldwide the tools they need to own their digital presence. Powered by a strong team of industry experts with nearly two decades of advanced web experience, DreamHost is a leader in Managed WordPress hosting. Supporting the open source community with dedicated resources and top-tier talent, DreamHost believes in the power of the Open Web and the people that make it happen. Founded in 1997, DreamHost is based in Orange (News - Alert) County, California. Learn more at DreamHost.com. About Lendio Lendio is the nation's leading small business loan marketplace. With its diverse network of lenders, Lendio enables small business owners to apply for multiple loan products with a single application. To date, Lendio has facilitated over 200,000 small business loans for $10 billion in total funding, including $8 billion in PPP loan approvals as part of government COVID-19 relief. Lendio is a values-driven organization striving to provide equal access to capital to underserved communities and America's smallest businesses. For every new marketplace loan Lendio facilitates, Lendio Gives-an employee-contribution and employer-matching fund-provides a microloan to a low-income entrepreneur around the world. 2021 DreamHost, LLC. All Rights Reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005353/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Goldman Sachs has flipped on their bearish natural gas stance to a bullish one. Goldman's Samantha Dart's reasoning behind the view shift is due to a combination of factors including "supply disruptions, shipping delays, and strong LNG demand, supported by heavy nuclear maintenance in Japan and a cold start of the year in NE Asia, have significantly tightened the LNG market." Prices of the supercooled fuel in especially Asia have reached astronomic heights in recent days. The most critical LNG markets are in Asia and Europe, which comes as a polar vortex split that has dumped Arctic air in both regions, boosting natgas prices. Goldman points out LNG Asian benchmark JKM has jumped to a fresh all-time high of $32/mmBtu today as the "market struggle to ration demand while supply takes weeks to move incremental Atlantic Basin supply into Asia." While LNG prices are soaring in Asia, cold weather in Europe has led to the Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) physical short-term gas and gas futures contract to soar 29% higher to $9.43/mmBtu in the last two days. Goldman suggests that "even deeper-than-expected drop in NW European LNG deliveries, we now see European balances even tighter." Related: The Pandemic Could Lead To A Major Oil Supply Crunch Colder-than-average temperatures have provided significant support for European natgas demand. "TTF price forecasts skewed to the upside," Goldman said, adding that it's due to "weather-driven tightness realized thus far." We see risks to our revised TTF price forecasts skewed to the upside as, given the LNG and weather-driven tightness realized thus far, we believe that even a warm turn to the weather would not be enough to take this year's storage path towards a capacity breach. This effectively eliminates the risk that TTF may need to sell off this winter to once again close the US LNG export arb. Hence, with warm weather risks less relevant, we update our weather scenario analysis to focus on colder-than-average scenarios only. Importantly, our previous iteration of this analysis had already shown the explosive potential for TTF prices. -Goldman Colder weather in Europe has also resulted in Spanish natgas prices hitting a record high. On Monday, British wholesale gas prices surged to their highest levels since December 2018, or about a two-year high, due to colder weather. Forecast temperature deviations for Europe show much of the continent will continue experiencing colder than average temperatures for the month. The colder weather in Europe has driven power prices to record highs. About 40% of the electricity consumed in the continent comes from fossil fuels, such as natgas. In the UK, day-ahead 5-6pm electricity prices just zoomed to an all-time high many, many, but really many times above normal auction levels (see 2010-2021 chart below). pic.twitter.com/aB5l8Qiqlz Javier Blas (@JavierBlas) January 12, 2021 While natgas prices are surging in Asia and Europe, US LNG export arbitrage continues to widen. Goldman "believes this provides no incremental tightening of US gas balances, as we already expected US liquefaction facilities to operate near capacity throughout the year." Supposedly, the smartest people in the room also believe there will be "significant upside to NYMEX gas prices this summer to help correct what we see as a 2.5 Bcf/d imbalance in the market through Oct21. Accordingly, we maintain our $3.25/mmBtu 2021 summer US gas price forecast vs. forwards at $2.80." And that surging cost could be coming home soon, as BAMWX's Hinz has pointed out, high impact cold and storminess across the eastern US and Canada is next? By Zerohedge.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 12, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alpha Lithium Corporation (TSX.V: ALLI) (OTC: ALLIF) (Frankfurt: 2P62) (Alpha or the Company), sole owner of one of the last large, undeveloped salars in Argentinas Lithium Triangle, is pleased to announce that it has completed drilling operations on the first well of its planned six-well drilling program. This is an important first step towards the extraction and processing of brine from Alphas 100% owned, 27,500-hectare Tolillar Salar. The Company started drilling the first of a six-well, three-phase drilling program at the start of December (see press release December 1, 2020 ) and it was completed just prior to shutting down for Christmas. After satisfying necessary COVID-testing requirements, the entire crew has now returned to location to commence flow-back and clean-out of the wellbore. Once completed, the crew and rig will move to the second location of Phase One. A summary of the Companys Three Phase drilling plan is provided below: Phase One: Two shallow wells (less than 100 meters) designed to test and confirm geophysical targets on the east and west peripheries of the Tolillar Salar. Management elected to drill these targets first, as they were fully permitted and drill-ready. The primary objective for these two wells is to confirm lithium grades and further refine the Companys hydrogeological model. Phase Two: Up to two medium-depth wells (between 250 and 400 meters) designed to test geophysical targets on the eastern side of Tolillar Salar, which have not previously been tested, other than very shallow lithium tests that were performed by the previous salar owners. The primary objectives of Phase Two drilling are to confirm lithium grades and production flow rates for the 10 km2 extension into the southern portion of the salar. Following a short reapplication process for the expired drilling license for these locations, the Company has been informed that the license has recently been re-granted by the Argentine government. Phase Three: Up to two deep wells (greater than 400 meters). Management is eager to drill these wells, as the last round of geophysics (see press release November 10, 2020 ) identified a new, thick, deep horizon in the southern part of the Tolillar Salar. This deep horizon has been found to be highly productive and contain exceptionally high lithium concentrations on the nearby Hombre Muerto Salar. The primary objective is to identify the geological, chemical and deliverability properties of this new, high-impact horizon. The Company has applied for a license to drill on these two locations and expects to receive approval shortly. The Companys 27,500-hectare Tolillar Salar, which is over 20 km long and up to 500 meters deep, has the potential to host a significant lithium deposit. It is the Companys intent to capitalize on the next generation of Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) techniques that have been shown to economically extract lithium at concentrations as low as 100 mg/L. Previous drilling and sampling at the Tolillar Salar yielded lithium concentrations of up to 504 mg/L (see press release dated May 5, 2020 ). Brad Nichol, Chief Executive of Alpha, commented, Even in the midst of COVID, Christmas vacations and New Years break, our operations team in Argentina has successfully completed drilling of Alphas inaugural wellbore! The crew is back at work and we are almost ready to move the rig to its second location. We are also investigating the availability of a second drilling rig to move quickly and simultaneously onto Phase Two. Nichol continued, While the focus is currently and understandably on drilling, Alphas corporate motivation is to commence producing the enormous volumes held within this very large salar. Our recent team additions from Beyond Lithium (see press release November 18, 2020 ) are already working on unlocking the potential of DLE, which should allow us to process the large volumes contained within the Tolillar Salar. Alpha is also pleased to announce the granting of 1,250,000 stock options to a consultant of the Company as full compensation in exchange for corporate consulting services, specifically limited to European markets. The stock options have a strike price of $0.80, a two-year exercise life and will vest immediately. Qualified Person Michael Rosko, MS, PG, of E. L. Montgomery and Associates (M&A) of Santiago, Chile, is a registered geologist (CPG) in Arizona, California and Texas, a registered member of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME No. 4064687), and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Rosko has extensive experience in salar environments and has been a qualified person on many lithium brine projects. Mr. Rosko and M&A are completely independent of Alpha Lithium. Mr. Rosko has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical content of this news release. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF ALPHA LITHIUM CORPORATION Brad Nichol Brad Nichol President, CEO and Director For more information: Alpha Lithium Investor Relations Tel: +1 844 592 6337 info@alphalithium.com About Alpha Lithium (TSX.V: ALLI) (OTC: ALLIF) (Frankfurt: 2P62) Alpha Lithium is a growing team of industry professionals and experienced stakeholders focused on the development of the Tolillar Salar. Together, we have assembled 100% ownership of what may be one of Argentinas last undeveloped lithium salars, encompassing 27,500 hectares (67,954 acres), neighboring multi-billion-dollar lithium players in the heart of the renowned Lithium Triangle. Other companies in the area exploring for lithium brines or currently in production include Galaxy Lithium, Livent, and POSCO in Salar del Hombre Muerto; Orocobre in Salar Olaroz; Eramine SudAmerica S.A. in Salar de Centenario; and Gangfeng and Lithium Americas in Salar de Cauchari. For more information visit: https://alphalithium.com/ and follow us on Twitter or Facebook . Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information which is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. While these statements reflect management's current plans, projections, and intents, by their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond the control of the Company. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements. The Companys actual results, programs, production decisions (if any) activities and financial position could differ materially from those expressed in or implied by these forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. 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. InSites Hires Executive Director for Hong Kong Online community provider InSites Consulting has appointed former Nielsen / Synovate exec Eddie Au as Executive Director in its Hong Kong office. InSites' offering includes the Square proprietary insight community platform, and a global community moderator network of more than 150 people. At the end of 2019, the firm acquired Asia-based insight community specialist ABN Impact (now known as InSites Consulting Asia), which has offices in Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bangkok, Jakarta, Seoul and the Philippines. Au (pictured) joins in Hong Kong with twenty years' experience in the sector. Most recently, he worked for Nielsen as Senior Director, Consumer Insights, leading the financial vertical in North Asia, specifically for Hong Kong and Taiwan. Before this, he served as Research Director at boutique research agency ShairViews, after a decade at Synovate Hong Kong. His background includes customer experience, innovation, and brand equity research, and methods including online communities. Commenting on the appointment, MD Hong Kong Stephane Courqueux said: 'We are very happy to welcome Eddie to our Hong Kong team. He has two decades of consumer insight expertise, client servicing experience, in Hong Kong and across Asia, managing multi-skilled and multi-cultural teams, which will help add value to both our clients and teams. At the same time, his great versatility, curiosity and openness to innovation will help further the digital transformation sought by our clients'. Web site: www.insites-consulting.com . Bird flu has not spread among chickens in Delhi, an official said on Thursday after all the 100 samples taken from Asia's largest poultry market in Ghazipur tested negative. The results come a day after civic authorities imposed a temporary ban on sale and storage of poultry or processed chicken meat in view of the bird flu situation here. Earlier, samples taken from crows and ducks at parks and lakes in the national capital tested positive for the avian influenza. This had prompted the Delhi government on Monday to ban the sale of processed and packaged chicken brought from outside the city and shutting the wholesale poultry market in east Delhi for 10 days as a precautionary measure. "Samples taken from poultry markets have tested negative with respect to bird flu. Have directed to open the poultry market & withdraw the orders to restrict trade & import of chicken stocks," Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said in a tweet on Thursday. The Ghazipur market located on the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border is a key supplier of poultry products in the region. Chickens, geese, ducks and turkeys are among the poultry birds bred by farmers for their eggs and meat. "Test results of 104 samples arrived on Wednesday evening. Of these, 100 samples were collected from 35 poultry birds in the Ghazipur market. All samples have tested negative for bird flu," the Delhi animal husbandry unit's senior official Rakesh Singh said. "It means there is no spread of avian influenza in poultry birds in Delhi," he said. However, bird flu is suspected in the remaining four samples of heron taken from Hastsal Park, Singh said, adding that these samples have been sent from a Jalandhar-based lab to Bhopal for confirmation. The official said that around 850 bird deaths have been reported from various parts of the city since January 6. The situation is being monitored strictly and samples are being collected regularly, he said. Officials had earlier said that 10 samples from three areas -- Mayur Vihar Phase 3, Sanjay Lake and Dwarka Sector 9 -- tested positive for the avian influenza. A drive to cull ducks was conducted on Monday at the famous Sanjay Lake, where several of these birds were found dead. Authorities had on Saturday closed three recreational parks at Hauz Khas, Dwarka Sector 9 and Hastsal and Sanjay Lake as a precautionary measure. The three municipal corporations of the city had on Wednesday warned establishments such as restaurants and shops of strict action, including cancellation of their licence, if they fail to comply with the ban on meat. The New Delhi Municipal Council, which constitutes nearly five per cent of Delhi areas, however, has not issued any official order on the ban, but said they are following the directions issued by the Delhi government with respect to bird flu. The government has not imposed any such ban similar to the one issued by all the three municipal corporations of Delhi (MCDs). The ban came two days after Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Giriraj Singh said that there is no need to be scared and urged people to eat poultry items after cooking them properly at a particular temperature. He had also said that eggs are safe to eat. (With inputs from PTI) Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. PepsiCo has set a net-zero emissions target that brings the group level with the leading sustainability ambitions in the Coca-Cola system. PepsiCo has pledged to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions The Pepsi owner will aim for a net-zero carbon footprint by 2040 as part of new sustainability pledge, announced today. The company has also targeted a 40% reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions across its entire value chain, which is double the 20% goal set in 2016. PepsiCo's net-zero emissions pledge mirrors other recent announcements from beverage companies looking to cancel out their environmental impact. The commitment beats by ten years a net-zero-emissions goal signed by Danone and Unilever in July last year. However, PepsiCo is not the only soft drinks firm to set 2030 as a target year - last month, Coca-Cola's biggest bottler, Coca-Cola European Partners, announced plans to have net-zero emissions by the same date. CCEP's 2030 target is the most advanced within the Coca-Cola network in terms of net-zero emissions. PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta praised the new sustainability drive as a crucial step in combating climate change. "The severe impacts from climate change are worsening, and we must accelerate the urgent systemic changes needed to address it," Laguarta said. "Our ambitious climate goal will guide us on the steep but critical path forward - there is simply no other option but immediate and aggressive action." PepsiCo plans to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions across its direct operations by 75% and its indirect value chain by 40% by 2030 - the equivalent of taking more than 5m cars off the road for a full year. Is 'community commerce' the silver bullet for beverage's direct-to-consumer problems? - Click here for a just-drinks analysis Alexei Navalny, the opposition leader, said he will return to Russia this weekend after months recovering in Germany from a nerve-agent poisoning, despite the risk he could be arrested on arrival. Mr Navalny announced he was coming home in a defiant social media post yesterday, a day after Russian authorities suggested they would seek to jail him over a seven-year-old conviction. Its never been a question of whether I would return or not, he said. The fact is that I didnt leave. I ended up in Germany...for one reason alone: they [Russian authorities] tried to kill me. Read More He added: Germany is a cool country but I didnt come here because I chose to. Russias investigative committee has launched a fraud case against Mr Navalny, alleging he siphoned off millions of dollars in donations from his anti-corruption foundation. And this week, the countrys prison service applied to have Mr Navalnys suspended sentence from a 2014 embezzlement conviction converted to a real jail term. The service said he had failed to adhere to the conditions of his suspended sentence by refusing to return to Moscow in late December, while he was still recovering from his poisoning. Mr Navalny (44) has dismissed both cases as politically motivated. Servants of the Kremlin were doing what they always do: fabricating new cases against me, he said. All [Vladimir] Putin has left to do is put a massive banner across the Kremlin saying: Alexei, whatever you do, dont come home. But he insisted: Russia is my country, Moscow is my city, and I miss them. Mr Navalny fell suddenly ill on an internal flight last August and was briefly treated in a Siberian hospital before being transferred to Berlin. Tests showed he was poisoned with Novichok, the chemical used against Sergei Skripal, the ex-Russian agent, in Salisbury, England. Read More Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] There are growing fears a coronavirus case will seep out of hotel quarantine in Western Australia after the more infectious UK strain spread to isolating guests and a cleaner at a Brisbane medi-hotel. On Wednesday, Queensland authorities moved quickly to evacuate 129 quarantining guests from Hotel Grand Chancellor after genomic sequencing revealed five cases of coronavirus at the hotel were linked two in a couple from the UK, believed to be the source of the virus, one in a hotel cleaner, and two in a father and daughter from Lebanon. Returned travellers at Hotel Grand Chancellor in Brisbane have been moved to other quarantine hotels. Credit:AFR The isolating guests all stayed on the hotel's seventh floor, however how the virus spread remains under investigation. Hundreds of hotel workers have been placed in quarantine and the positive returned travellers have been moved to negative pressure rooms in hospital. New Delhi: The Indian High Commission in the United Kingdom on Thursday invited "Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to consult with the High Commission anytime" on all "India-related issues of interest to them in order to have up-to-date, authentic and factual information about India". In two consecutive statements, the Indian High Commission asked the UK Parliamentarian to discuss issues based on "authentic information". It includes issues that "may be of concern to them or their constituents". The statements by the Indian mission came after the Westminister hall of the UK house of commons saw discussion by MP on the situation of minorities and on the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. In the statement issued after a discussion on the situation of minorities, the Indian mission said that it has "made available fact sheets and briefs...to enable them to disregard any misinformation or incomplete or false portrayal of the ground realities". When it comes to discussion on Kashmir, the Indian mission pointed out a number of initiatives by the Indian government for the union territory including the recently held district-level elections that saw "impressive turnout of men and women alike--over 50%". The mission said, "This is a strong endorsement of the GOI initiatives by the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who are now participants and direct beneficiaries in the vibrant democratic mainstream of India." It also raised the issue of cross border terrorism from Pakistan highlighting the "atrocities being committed daily in the part of Kashmir that is illegally occupied by this third country...which is recognized as a global epicentre of terrorism" and a "perpetrator of state-sponsored cross-border terrorism for over 70 years in Jammu and Kashmir - and the rest of India". Interestingly, the government during the discussion defended India's record with Nigel Adams, Minister for Asia at UK foreign office lauding its diversity. The New York Times MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan Ammunition was depleted inside the bedraggled outposts in Laghman province. Food was scarce. Some police officers hadnt been paid in five months. Then, just as U.S. troops began leaving the country in early May, Taliban fighters besieged seven rural Afghan military outposts across the wheat fields and onion patches of the province, in eastern Afghanistan. The insurgents enlisted village elders to visit the outposts bearing a message: Surrender or die. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times By mid-month, security forces had surrendered all seven outposts after extended negotiations, according to village elders. At least 120 soldiers and police were given safe passage to the government-held provincial center in return for handing over weapons and equipment. We told them, Look, your situation is bad reinforcements arent coming, said Nabi Sarwar Khadim, 53, one of several elders who negotiated the surrenders. Since May 1, at least 26 outposts and bases in just four provinces Laghman, Baghlan, Wardak and Ghazni have surrendered after such negotiations, according to village elders and government officials. With morale diving as U.S. troops leave, and the Taliban seizing on each surrender as a propaganda victory, each collapse feeds the next in the Afghan countryside. Among the negotiated surrenders were four district centers, which house local governors, police and intelligence chiefs effectively handing the government facilities to Taliban control and scattering the officials there, at least temporarily. The Taliban have negotiated Afghan troop surrenders in the past, but never at the scale and pace of the base collapses this month in the four provinces extending east, north and west of Kabul. The tactic has removed hundreds of government forces from the battlefield, secured strategic territory and reaped weapons, ammunition and vehicles for the Taliban often without firing a shot. The base collapses are one measure of the rapidly deteriorating government war effort as one outpost after another falls, sometimes after battles, but often after wholesale surrenders. The surrenders are part of a broader Taliban playbook of seizing and holding territory as security force morale plummets with the exit of international troops. Buyoffs of local police and militia. Local cease-fires that allow the Taliban to consolidate gains. A sustained military offensive despite pleas for peace talks and a nationwide cease-fire. The government is not able to save the security forces, said Mohammed Jalal, a village elder in Baghlan province. If they fight, they will be killed, so they have to surrender. The surrenders are the work of Taliban Invitation and Guidance Committees, which intervene after insurgents cut off roads and supplies to surrounded outposts. Committee leaders or Taliban military leaders phone base commanders and sometimes their families and offer to spare troops lives if they surrender their outposts, weapons and ammunition. In several cases, the committees have given surrendering troops money typically around $130 and civilian clothes and sent them home unharmed. But first they videotape the men as they promise not to rejoin the security forces. They log their phone numbers and the names of family members and vow to kill the men if they rejoin the military. The Taliban commander and the Invitation and Guidance Committee called me more than 10 times and asked me to surrender, said Maj. Imam Shah Zafari, 34, a district police chief in Wardak province who surrendered his command center and weapons on May 11 after negotiations mediated by local elders. After the Taliban provided a car ride home to Kabul, he said, a committee member phoned to assure him that the government would not imprison him for surrendering. He said, We have so much power in the government and we can release you, Zafari said. The Taliban committees take advantage of a defining characteristic of Afghan wars: Fighters and commanders regularly switch sides, cut deals, negotiate surrenders and cultivate village elders for influence with local residents. The current conflict is really dozens of local wars. These are intimate struggles, where brothers and cousins battle one another and commanders on each side cajole, threaten and negotiate by cellphone. A Taliban commander calls me all the time, trying to destroy my morale, so that Ill surrender, said Wahidullah Zindani, 36, a bearded, sunburned police commander who has rejected Taliban demands to surrender his nine-man, bullet-pocked outpost in Laghman province. The negotiated surrenders are part of a broader offensive in which the Taliban have surrounded at least five provincial capitals this spring, according to a Pentagon inspector general report released May 18. The offensive has intensified since the U.S. withdrawal began May 1. The Taliban have used their control of several major highways to cut off bases and garrisons, leaving them vulnerable. The surrenders have a profound psychological effect. They call and say the Taliban are powerful enough to defeat the U.S. and they can easily take Laghman province, so you should remember this before we kill you, Rahmatullah Yarmal, Laghmans 29-year-old governor, said of the Taliban committees during an interview inside his barricaded compound in Mehtar Lam, the provincial capital. Its an effective propaganda tactic, the governor conceded so effective that some outpost commanders now refuse to speak to elders or Taliban negotiators. He said many elders were not neutral peacemakers, but hand-picked Taliban supporters. Yarmal said 60 police officers who surrendered and took refuge in his government center are now primed to fight to retake the seven lost outposts. I think well have them back in a month, he said. But just hours after the governor spoke on May 19, a nearby district center, Dawlat Shah, surrendered without any resistance after negotiations. By the next morning, five more outposts had surrendered the same way in the district of Alishing, also in Laghman, district officials said. Those Taliban victories were facilitated, in part, by a 30-day cease-fire negotiated by elders on May 17 in the heavily contested district of Alingar, allowing the Taliban to shift resources to the Alishing, where they forced the negotiated surrender of the five outposts just two days later. (On May 21, the Taliban violated the cease-fire with renewed attacks in Alingar, Khadim said.) The series of base collapses represented the second wholesale surrender in a Laghman district in two weeks. On May 7, three outposts and a military base collapsed the same way without a fight, said Nasir Ahmad Himat, the Alingar district governor. The soldiers simply dropped their weapons, got in their vehicles and went to the district center or provincial capital, said Faqirullah, a village elder who goes by one name. As Taliban fighters advanced on the provincial capital Sunday, Yarmal announced that 110 security force members who had surrendered, and several commanders who were supposed to supervise them, had been detained for negligence. Also Sunday, the Afghan military announced that troop reinforcements and the military chief of staff had rushed to Laghman to try to repel the Taliban assault. In Ghazni province, Hasan Reza Yousofi, a provincial councilman, said he begged officials to send reinforcements to an outpost and a military base that ultimately fell to the Taliban this month. He played a recorded phone call from a police officer, Abdul Ahmad, who said his ammunition was gone and his men were drinking rainwater because the base water tower had been destroyed by a rocket. We have been sold out we make calls for reinforcements, but officials dont help, the recorded voice said. The Taliban sent us tribal elders who said, Surrender, you are sold out, no one will help you. Yousofi said he did not know whether Ahmad survived after his outpost fell. Negotiations have proved remarkably fruitful for the Taliban in Baghlan province, where at least 100 soldiers surrendered, and in Wardak province, where about 130 security force members surrendered following negotiations, officials said. In Laghman province, negotiations leading to the surrender of the seven outposts stretched over 10 days. Khadim, the village elder, said different elders negotiated with commanders of each outpost. We guaranteed they would not be killed, he said. There was nothing written, just our word. A few miles away, Zindani refused to surrender his forlorn outpost near the front line. He said officers who had negotiated surrenders at three nearby outposts had betrayed their country. One of his men, Muhammad Agha Bambard, said he would fight to avenge the deaths of two brothers he said were killed by the Taliban. He would never surrender, he said. Zindanis nine men were down to a machine gun, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and one AK-47 rifle each inside a ramshackle outpost with bloodstained walls. But he said he intended to fight on as he told the Taliban commander who regularly phoned to demand his surrender. I told him, Im a soldier of my country, the commander said. I am not here to surrender. Four days later, on Sunday, the outpost was overrun during a firefight with the Taliban, a member of the provincial council said. One police officer was shot dead and Zindani and his outgunned men were taken prisoner. A few hours later, the Taliban released a video showing Bambard being questioned by a Taliban commander as he lay on a mattress, his face and neck bandaged. In a mocking tone, the commander asked why Bambard had posted on his Facebook page that he would not let the enemy capture his outpost while he was alive. The wounded officer responded, This is Afghanistan. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 2021 The New York Times Company California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development opening office in Yerevan US Department of State issues statement on detention of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces Armenia 1st President says Aliyev is certain that Pashinyan won't win elections and is trying to get all that he can UN calls for $ 95 million in aid to Palestinians Twitter is concerned about safety of its employees in India Artsakh hero: Impotent and perhaps also treacherous authorities of Armenia need to be removed from power immediately France MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to show maximum restraint Azerbaijani attacks Russia citizen of Armenian descent in Moscow Armenia acting MOD provides President with information about capture of Armenian servicemen Lithuania MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to go to de-escalation of situation and pull out troops Russian Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia acting FM resigns Acting Deputy FM: Armenia reserves itself the right to take necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity China speaks on dark history of US intelligence in connection with Biden's order Netanyahu slams hypocritical and deceitful moralizing statements of French FM Turkish authorities issues new arrest warrant for mafia after his scandalous revelations of Erdogan's entourage EU-Armenia Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security holds 11th Meeting Armenia acting PM deletes statement on Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers "being intertwined" from Facebook post 6 Armenian soldiers captured: situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border is tense, May 27 digest Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff deputy chief explains difficulties with settlement of border with Azerbaijan UN: Israeli forces may have committed war crimes during 11-day war with Hamas Nikol Pashinyan presents plan for resolving border situation Dollar gains value in Armenia Opposition party leader: Armenia Security Council to convene session with heads of parliamentary factions this evening His Holiness Karekin II receives newly appointed UK Ambassador to Armenia Greece and Turkey FMs to meet in Athens Armenia acting PM says he will present plan for peaceful solution to border situation very soon Armenia Parliament Speaker sends letters to counterparts of partnering legislatures Zarif: Iran welcomes willingness of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tension Armenia acting Deputy MOD on news about soldiers being ordered to not open fire ANCA calls on US Congress to block financing of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Armenia to allocate lands in Syunik Province to Russian border guards Armenia Armed Forces General Staff deputy chief: We can destroy all Azerbaijani soldiers who invaded territory Armenian advocates file lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan Army general staff deputy chief: About 1,000 Azerbaijan soldiers are illegally in Armenia Army general staff: Armed forces can capture Azerbaijani soldiers who marched into Armenia Armenia legislature approves several amendments to laws Armenian opposition MP: Villages mentioned by ruling bloc's deputy are Armenia's buffer zone Armenia Gegharkunik Province villager to acting PM: Over 50% of our pastures are now under Azerbaijan control Armenia Kotayk Province has new governor Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US ambassador, discusses border situation NEWS.AM BREAKING: 6 Armenian soldiers are captured by Azerbaijan military in early morning European Council head says process of implementing sanctions against Belarus is launched Armenia acting MOD leaves for Moscow Armenia President, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces discuss current situation on border Armenia acting PM to residents of borderline village: If we cede our border, Azerbaijanis will get more excited Armenia MOD not confirming reports about Azerbaijan firing shots at Tavush Province Ex-President Kocharyan meets with Yerevan residents, "Armenia" bloc members (PHOTOS) Armenia petitions to European Court to ensure fundamental human rights of 6 soldiers captured by Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier: We need to unite in this situation Serj Tankian makes statement on Azerbaijans displayed horrific racism Man detained in US for intending to commit attempt on Biden Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD continues disseminating disinformation Erdogan to visit Baku and Shushi Two Armenia legislature committees to hold closed joint meeting regarding tense situation on Azerbaijan border Holy Etchmiadzin on capture of Armenia soldiers: Such behavior of Azerbaijan authorities is strongly condemnable Gegharkunik Province village border area situation very tense, says Armenia enlarged community leader Armenia opposition MP: Shots are heard Gegharkunik Province Armenian National Congress party electoral list is announced Armenia MFA: Azerbaijan leadership bears responsibility for consequences of actions by its armed forces Opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament demands convening Security Council special session 140 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Acting premier: Our servicemen were abducted from Armenia territory Armenia MOD announces names of 6 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan military early morning Armenia parliament majority leader to CSTO: Our international partners do not call it like it is Armenia parliament manages to have quorum in 2nd attempt World oil prices falling Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan popularity rating consistently drops over the past week Newspaper: Russia peacekeepers commander does not return from Azerbaijan with encouraging news for Armenia MOD: 6 Armenia soldiers are surrounded, captured by Azerbaijan military early morning William Shakespeare, 1st man in world to get approved coronavirus vaccine, dies aged 81 Spain Congress of Deputies committee accepts pro-Armenian motion Ex-PM comments on double-digit growth in Armenia economy Facebook calls Russia, Iran leading purveyors of disinformation Erdogan says meeting with Biden will mark 'start of new era' in relations with Washington Armenia acting Deputy PM on creation of third high-voltage electric communication line with Iran Vladimir Zaynetdinov: CSTO has taken note of application submitted by Armenia acting PM Armenia's Pashinyan says addressing UN Security Council not ruled out Armenia acting FM: International pressure on Azerbaijan is growing Netanyahu tells Blinken that Israel is against reopening US consulate for Palestinians 23 political parties and 4 alliances apply to Armenia Central Electoral Commission ahead of snap parliamentary elections Instagram launches ability to hide likes Iran FM on solutions to problems in the region, territorial integrity Bloomberg: Support for Erdogan's ruling party hits record low Inter-agency commission sums up reports on implementation of roadmap for EU-Armenia CEPA Armenian acting PM on CSTO and Russia and their duties as Armenia's allies Slovakia allows use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V Armenia acting PM on situation in Syunik Province: CSTO still hasn't clearly expressed its position Armenia's Pashinyan: It's very rarely that Baku made provocations in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces on its own Armenia acting PM: There will be no demarcation of borders until Azerbaijani troops are pulled out of territory Record-setting number of political parties register to run in snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Blinken describes Egypt as a "real and effective partner" Armenia's Pashinyan slams opposition again Yerevan court ends trial over Armenia 3rd President's nephew Hayk Sargsyan Armenia President expresses condolences on passing away of Catholicos-Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan Armenia President hosts Iran FM-led delegation Armenia acting PM doesn't see need to declare martial law in the country Iran to send delegation of intellectual companies to Armenia EU demands to fine AstraZeneca for not fulfilling contract Zakharova: Russia is closely participating in settling Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident Amid Californias chaotic vaccine rollout, rumors started swirling Monday that Bay Area vaccination centers had extra doses that needed to be used quickly, so anyone not just health care workers could get vaccinated in Alameda or Santa Clara counties with a specific registration link. Some essential workers, including those in the restaurant industry, sent each other the same links, believing their time had come early. To make a vaccine appointment normally, individuals would have to sign an attestation under penalty of perjury that they meet the criteria, such as being a medical worker. After signing, theyd be directed to book an appointment on Calvax.org, a state website. The links going around this week allowed people to skip the attestation. More than 100 people showed up over a few days this week to vaccination sites in Santa Clara County despite not qualifying for a vaccine, according to county counsel James Williams. Those who didnt qualify were turned away. Many more people went to sites in Alameda County, arriving to see big signs posted saying doses were reserved for health workers. Public health officials said they dont know the origin of the links that allowed people to dodge screening questions. They urged anyone who signed up for an appointment through the links to cancel so the time slot can go to a health worker. Sandy Morse, who was turned away from her appointment Tuesday, said she felt bad about taking a slot that should have gone to someone else. It was challenging for her and her husband, Bob, to get them at all: They kept hitting refresh on the website and saw no availability. Eventually, her daughter-in-law snagged two slots for the Morses, who are both over 75. They double-masked, drove from Redwood City to Castro Valley and got in line, before a worker told them the Calvax website should have noted that only health workers should register, Sandy said. In that moment, Bob said he felt like he understood why Californias vaccine rollout is moving so slowly compared with other states and he wanted to know how this mix-up was allowed to happen. The method of administering the vaccines is so disjointed and so out of whack with reality and also a deep, dark secret, he said. While Santa Clara County executive Jeffrey Smith does not believe the Calvax system has been hacked, he said during Tuesdays supervisors meeting that someone got access to Calvax inappropriately. On Wednesday, a new line appeared at the top of the Calvax registration page stating vaccines are only available for those in the states Phase 1A, which only includes health care workers and long-term care residents. (Some counties are vaccinating the elderly in the general population but through separate websites.) Its unclear exactly how many people have registered for vaccinations this way. A spokesperson with the California Department of Public Health said the state doesnt track the eligibility of people who sign up for vaccine appointments. The Morses feared the vaccines they signed up to take got thrown out, but Neetu Balram of the Alameda County Public Health Department said no vaccines are wasted. The same issue unfolded in Marin County, only officials caught wind of it early. Public health officer Dr. Matt Willis said just a few ineligible people likely arrived for vaccines before officials sent out a mass email Sunday to those holding appointments, asking them to cancel if they were not a health care worker. There would have been many more because we had about 1,000 people cancel appointments within a few hours, he said. Janet Levy, general manager at Oakland restaurant Hopscotch, was surprised when she got an email from her boss Monday saying food workers could get vaccines. But she didnt argue she clicked the link and took the first available slot for noon Tuesday. Upon arrival, she was disheartened to see a sign outside, saying health care providers only. Im an essential worker, and my exposure is quite high to a lot of people, she said. Im still working with the public and many people who refuse to wear masks. To Levy, the error shows how the state needs more support for adequately distributing vaccines. Others might not be so forgiving. Jenny Schwarz, co-owner of Hopscotch as well as Nidos Backyard in Oakland, said the link went viral among Bay Area restaurant workers. Weve gone from working in fine dining to working in fast food. Its slow and its sad and its depressing, she said. I havent been able to give (my staff) good news for so long, so when I gave them this, they were so excited. Having to cancel their appointments is demoralizing, Schwarz said. Shes concerned restaurant workers who were already skeptical about the vaccine will now be even less inclined to sign up when the time comes. Thinking they can sign up and then feeling like its fraudulent, itll make them trust less next time, she said. The inconvenience for people is unfortunate, said Dr. George Rutherford, an infectious disease expert with UCSF, but hes not surprised there are still kinks in the rollout. Hopefully by this time next week, this will all be resolved, he said. Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker Authorities continue to patrol Perth's Swan River for a second day after a shark attacked swimmer Cameron Wrathall on Thursday. Cameron Wrathall was bitten on the leg by what is believed to be a bull shark in the Swan River. Credit:Facebook Kayakers returned to the water at Blackwall Reach in Bicton on Friday morning, as Fisheries officers recommenced water and land patrols. It follows Mr Wrathall being bitten on the thigh by a suspected bull shark while swimming in the river around 8am Thursday. A Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesman said drumlines would not be used to try and catch the shark that attacked Mr Wrathall due to the narrow section of river and high boat traffic. An anti-vaccination group targeted young female healthcare staff and told them the Covid-19 jab would affect their fertility, it has emerged. Health Minister Robin Swann told the Stormont health committee that a group of anti-vax campaigners staged a protest outside a trust vaccination centre last week. He said the message being given to trust staff as they arrived for their vaccine was quite negative, quite wrong, potentially quite damaging. Mr Swann also defended the decision to delay the second dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for frontline healthcare staff. The British Medical Association, which represents doctors across the UK, has been highly critical of the move and has said there is no evidence to prove that the move is safe. However, Mr Swann said taking the step will ensure more people are vaccinated more quickly, which will increase the number of people who have some immunity to Covid-19. He said the decision has the backing of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, Sage and independent Sage. Mr Swann also ruled out the possibility of using the military to support Northern Irelands struggling ambulance service. He said there are plans to use police officers and firefighters to drive ambulances but it is not possible to deploy the military. He explained they are not certified drivers in Northern Ireland so they would still need to be accompanied by another blue light vehicle. He was asked about using military personnel to help roll out the vaccination programme but Mr Swann said a significant proportion of military reservists are already employed by the health service in Northern Ireland. I only wish there was a battalion of ICU nurses I could call on, he said. Sinn Fein housing spokesperson Eoin O Broin opposed a social housing development in his own constituency after surveying local residents for their views on the project. The 28-home development on public land was opposed by a majority of residents polled in Mr O Broins Dublin mid-west constituency. Sinn Fein councillors presented the survey results to South Dublin County Council and asked to move the 28-home development to another site. They suggested building between 10 and 15 bungalows for elderly downsizers on the original site. Given the strength of local opposition to the proposed council development, Sinn Fein believes that the development should not proceed as proposed, the party said in a submission signed by Mr O Broin and his Dail colleague Mark Ward. Council managers agreed to reduce the number of homes on the development to 19 units but said it could not change the site. In December, Sinn Fein asked for a vote on the development to be delayed to allow councillors more time to consider the project. Read More At a meeting this week, the party put forward an amendment asking for the development to be reduced from 19 to 14 but this was rejected by the council. Sinn Fein supported the final vote on the project after its motion was defeated. Deputy Mayor of South County Dublin, David McManus, said valuable time has been wasted through Sinn Feins opposition to the proposed development in Mr O Broins constituency. Its truly galling to see Eoin O Broin delaying housing in his own back yard, Mr McManus said. When we see housing being delayed, it is a hammer blow for those on the social housing waiting list and for young families seeking to buy an affordable purchase home, the Fine Gael councillor added. Mr McManus said Sinn Feins proposal to move the development to a nearby site would delay the project for at least another six months. Mr O Broin said the Fine Gael councillor is on a campaign to deliberately misrepresent Sinn Feins policy on housing. We have managed through on the ground consultation to ensure every social housing project in Dublin mid-west has got through the council, he said. The councillor has no knowledge of whats in the best interest of locals in the area, he claimed. She has been riding out the COVID-19 storm at home in London. And Georgia Toffolo, also known as Toff, reminisced over a previous sun-soaked vacation on Wednesday as she uploaded a sensational throwback picture to social media. The former Made In Chelsea star, 26, displayed her lithe physique in polka dot bikini bottoms and a contrasting blue top with the word 'Honey' emblazoned across the front. 'Mentally I'm here': Georgia Toffolo displayed her lithe physique in polka dot bikini bottoms and a contrasting blue bikini top on Wednesday as she reminisced over a sun-soaked vacation Her windswept tresses were styled in a half-up half-down hairdo, and she decided to go make-up free as she posed on a wooden stairwell which led into the turquoise ocean. Georgia captioned the picturesque photo: 'Mentally Im here honey whats your favourite beach destination?' The reality star has been spending time at home after the UK was plunged into a third lockdown at the start of January, to prevent a rise in coronavirus cases. However, Georgia has been keeping herself busy as it was recently revealed that she left her management company to set up her own agency. New business venture: It comes after the former Made In Chelsea star, 26, recently revealed that she left her management to set up her own talent agency Documents on Companies House reveal that Georgia launched her new venture under the name The Visionary Talent Agency. Sources confirmed that the TV personality has already signed 15 people to her agency and left her former management under 'amicable' circumstances. MailOnline contacted Georgia's representative's who confirmed she had left YMU and said she is grateful for all they have done and is looking forward to the future. The blonde beauty also spoke with Daily Mail and confirmed a report that she makes around 5,600 per sponsored post as she said: 'It's in that ball point.' Influencer goals: The blonde beauty spoke with Daily Mail and confirmed a report that she makes around 5,600 per sponsored post as she said: 'It's in that ball point' The social media site is now her main source of income since she left the reality show Made In Chelsea and went on to win reality show I'm A Celebrity in 2017, where she struck up an unlikely but enduring friendship with jungle campmate Stanley Johnson. 'I don't want to be the girlie who just does the rounds and flits to different reality shows. It doesn't appeal to me', the TV star added. The socialite recently signed a four-book deal with romantic fiction specialists Mills & Boon, and has recently published Meet Me In London. Her new book is the first of a quartet of novels featuring the adventures of four gal pals who once endured a Terrible Accident together, but are now getting on with their lives and falling in love with sundry billionaires. Toff's discussion comes amid claims her ex love interest, Jack Maynard, is dating Pippa Middleton's relative Lily Mackie. The YouTuber, 26, is said to be 'completely smitten' with the millionaire heiress, 21, who is related to Pippa, 37, through her husband James Matthews, 45 - Lily's half brother. Jack is believed to have met his new girlfriend - who is also the niece of former Made In Chelsea star Spencer Matthews, 32 - through current cast member of the E4 series, Miles Nazaire, 25. Georgia and Jack were first linked after appearing in the I'm A Celebrity jungle together in 2017. This item is available in full to subscribers. Attention subscribers We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription. If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site. If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account by clicking here. Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing. California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development opening office in Yerevan US Department of State issues statement on detention of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces Armenia 1st President says Aliyev is certain that Pashinyan won't win elections and is trying to get all that he can UN calls for $ 95 million in aid to Palestinians Twitter is concerned about safety of its employees in India Artsakh hero: Impotent and perhaps also treacherous authorities of Armenia need to be removed from power immediately France MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to show maximum restraint Azerbaijani attacks Russia citizen of Armenian descent in Moscow Armenia acting MOD provides President with information about capture of Armenian servicemen Lithuania MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to go to de-escalation of situation and pull out troops Russian Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia acting FM resigns Acting Deputy FM: Armenia reserves itself the right to take necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity China speaks on dark history of US intelligence in connection with Biden's order Netanyahu slams hypocritical and deceitful moralizing statements of French FM Turkish authorities issues new arrest warrant for mafia after his scandalous revelations of Erdogan's entourage EU-Armenia Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security holds 11th Meeting Armenia acting PM deletes statement on Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers "being intertwined" from Facebook post 6 Armenian soldiers captured: situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border is tense, May 27 digest Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff deputy chief explains difficulties with settlement of border with Azerbaijan UN: Israeli forces may have committed war crimes during 11-day war with Hamas Nikol Pashinyan presents plan for resolving border situation Dollar gains value in Armenia Opposition party leader: Armenia Security Council to convene session with heads of parliamentary factions this evening His Holiness Karekin II receives newly appointed UK Ambassador to Armenia Greece and Turkey FMs to meet in Athens Armenia acting PM says he will present plan for peaceful solution to border situation very soon Armenia Parliament Speaker sends letters to counterparts of partnering legislatures Zarif: Iran welcomes willingness of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tension Armenia acting Deputy MOD on news about soldiers being ordered to not open fire ANCA calls on US Congress to block financing of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Armenia to allocate lands in Syunik Province to Russian border guards Armenia Armed Forces General Staff deputy chief: We can destroy all Azerbaijani soldiers who invaded territory Armenian advocates file lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan Army general staff deputy chief: About 1,000 Azerbaijan soldiers are illegally in Armenia Army general staff: Armed forces can capture Azerbaijani soldiers who marched into Armenia Armenia legislature approves several amendments to laws Armenian opposition MP: Villages mentioned by ruling bloc's deputy are Armenia's buffer zone Armenia Gegharkunik Province villager to acting PM: Over 50% of our pastures are now under Azerbaijan control Armenia Kotayk Province has new governor Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US ambassador, discusses border situation NEWS.AM BREAKING: 6 Armenian soldiers are captured by Azerbaijan military in early morning European Council head says process of implementing sanctions against Belarus is launched Armenia acting MOD leaves for Moscow Armenia President, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces discuss current situation on border Armenia acting PM to residents of borderline village: If we cede our border, Azerbaijanis will get more excited Armenia MOD not confirming reports about Azerbaijan firing shots at Tavush Province Ex-President Kocharyan meets with Yerevan residents, "Armenia" bloc members (PHOTOS) Armenia petitions to European Court to ensure fundamental human rights of 6 soldiers captured by Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier: We need to unite in this situation Serj Tankian makes statement on Azerbaijans displayed horrific racism Man detained in US for intending to commit attempt on Biden Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD continues disseminating disinformation Erdogan to visit Baku and Shushi Two Armenia legislature committees to hold closed joint meeting regarding tense situation on Azerbaijan border Holy Etchmiadzin on capture of Armenia soldiers: Such behavior of Azerbaijan authorities is strongly condemnable Gegharkunik Province village border area situation very tense, says Armenia enlarged community leader Armenia opposition MP: Shots are heard Gegharkunik Province Armenian National Congress party electoral list is announced Armenia MFA: Azerbaijan leadership bears responsibility for consequences of actions by its armed forces Opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament demands convening Security Council special session 140 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Acting premier: Our servicemen were abducted from Armenia territory Armenia MOD announces names of 6 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan military early morning Armenia parliament majority leader to CSTO: Our international partners do not call it like it is Armenia parliament manages to have quorum in 2nd attempt World oil prices falling Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan popularity rating consistently drops over the past week Newspaper: Russia peacekeepers commander does not return from Azerbaijan with encouraging news for Armenia MOD: 6 Armenia soldiers are surrounded, captured by Azerbaijan military early morning William Shakespeare, 1st man in world to get approved coronavirus vaccine, dies aged 81 Spain Congress of Deputies committee accepts pro-Armenian motion Ex-PM comments on double-digit growth in Armenia economy Facebook calls Russia, Iran leading purveyors of disinformation Erdogan says meeting with Biden will mark 'start of new era' in relations with Washington Armenia acting Deputy PM on creation of third high-voltage electric communication line with Iran Vladimir Zaynetdinov: CSTO has taken note of application submitted by Armenia acting PM Armenia's Pashinyan says addressing UN Security Council not ruled out Armenia acting FM: International pressure on Azerbaijan is growing Netanyahu tells Blinken that Israel is against reopening US consulate for Palestinians 23 political parties and 4 alliances apply to Armenia Central Electoral Commission ahead of snap parliamentary elections Instagram launches ability to hide likes Iran FM on solutions to problems in the region, territorial integrity Bloomberg: Support for Erdogan's ruling party hits record low Inter-agency commission sums up reports on implementation of roadmap for EU-Armenia CEPA Armenian acting PM on CSTO and Russia and their duties as Armenia's allies Slovakia allows use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V Armenia acting PM on situation in Syunik Province: CSTO still hasn't clearly expressed its position Armenia's Pashinyan: It's very rarely that Baku made provocations in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces on its own Armenia acting PM: There will be no demarcation of borders until Azerbaijani troops are pulled out of territory Record-setting number of political parties register to run in snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Blinken describes Egypt as a "real and effective partner" Armenia's Pashinyan slams opposition again Yerevan court ends trial over Armenia 3rd President's nephew Hayk Sargsyan Armenia President expresses condolences on passing away of Catholicos-Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan Armenia President hosts Iran FM-led delegation Armenia acting PM doesn't see need to declare martial law in the country Iran to send delegation of intellectual companies to Armenia EU demands to fine AstraZeneca for not fulfilling contract Zakharova: Russia is closely participating in settling Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said he is happy to help medically in any way he can with administering the vaccine Tanaiste Leo Varadkar has offered to administer Covid-19 vaccines to people if help is needed when a greater supply is delivered to the country. He said right now lack of administrators is not an issue but that when the country receives more vaccines he is available and certainly happy to help with the vaccine clinics. Speaking on Newstalks The Hard Shoulder, the former GP said: I am available, the medical council extended my registration and that of other non-practicing doctors so I said to the HSE that I am availbale certainly to help with the vaccine clinics if they need me. "Id be more than willing to do it and Ive a group of 150 or so non-practicing or retired GPs who are willing to do it. Read More They dont need us yet because there arent enough vaccines in the country yet but we might get to that point in the next couple of weeks and Im certainly available." The Tanaiste added he would prefer to be working in ICU but that hes not qualified. "Its not the kind of frontline work in ICU that Id like to be doing but to be honest Im out of date and not qualified but I am in certain areas and happy to help out, he said. According to Mr Varadkar and HSE CEO Paul Reid 77,000 people have been vaccinated in Ireland so far. The Tanaiste said these figures will be shortly up online on the Covid hub, however, for the moment they will not be updated daily and he said he could not give a date on when they will be. He added that from next week between 40,000 and 50,000 people will be vaccinated and that this weekly figure isnt likely to change until the AstraZeneca vaccine is approved and delivered to the country. However, Mr Varadkar said when the AstraZeneca vaccine does arrive between 100,000-150,000 vaccines should be administered weekly. Read More New Delhi: In a bizarre incident a man allegedly beheaded his 50-year-old wife on Monday in a fit of rage following an argument over a family matter, said police. The accused then walked to a nearby police outpost, carrying the severed head of his wife in his hands, and surrendered, said officials. According to the police, the victim Usha Devi and her husband Ram Sewak had an argument over a family matter. Sewak brutally killed his wife with a khurpa (shovel like tool) and beheaded her. He then went to the Behjam police outpost with his wifes severed head and surrendered. A case of murder has been lodged and Ram Sewak has been sent to jail, Neemgaon, station officer, DK Singh said. SThe couple, residents of Behjam in this district, had gone to their fields on Monday morning, added Singh. They had an argument following which Ram Sewak lost his cool and killed his wife. The villagers claimed that Ram Sewak was mentally unstable, and had once earlier even chased his brother in a fit of anger. However, this is yet to be proved, Singh said. (With PTI Inputs) For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. There are many things you have to look out for when it comes to coronavirus infection. But some of those already infected by the virus may not be aware that they could get one permanent COVID-19 symptom. Yahoo! Life said in a report that the disease's long list of symptoms also includes a "wide range of complications," including a permanent COVID-19 symptom. As many studies have reported in recent months, the loss of a person's sense of taste and smell is common among patients suffering from the virus. However, this can also be a permanent COVID-19 symptom instead of the short time frame that some people report. Usually, these patients suffer from worst-case scenarios of the disease as they are looking at a permanent loss of sensation. What Causes This Permanent COVID-19 Symptom? A COVID-19 patient's loss of smell is common. A release from Vanderbilt University Medical Center stated that up to 80 percent of COVID-19 patients suffer from this symptom. It added that these numbers go up depending on objective methods that measure a person's ability to smell. Read also: Tell-Tale Signs If Your Stomach Problems May Actually Be COVID-19 It added that the sense of smell usually comes first, but the connection it has with the sense of taste makes both happen simultaneously. It can be caused by congestion, drainage, or other nasal symptoms that can block a person's smell nerve that sits atop their nasal cavity. Another known cause for this is the inflammation caused by the virus in the nose, leading to a loss of olfactory neurons. The duration of this symptom dramatically depends on whether a person's neurons can regenerate. Permanent COVID-19 Symptom Could Prevent Full Recovery A Becker's Hospital Review report noted that patients who take a long time to recover their full senses are prone to barriers in full recovery since their situations are causing emotional distress and anxiety. Matt Newey, 23, who recovered from COVID-19 in March, told The Wall Street Journal that his condition led to lost weight. He said eating felt more like a laborious process. "I've gone a day-and-a-half without eating anything," he said, adding that his stomach "isn't communicating anymore." In addition to these anxieties, he also had fears of not being able to smell a gas leak or smoke in case his home. Related Story: Fact Check: Can Burnt Oranges Aid in Restoring Lost Senses from COVID-19? Chemosensory scientist Pamela Dalton, PhD, a member of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, also told Wall Street Journal that losing these senses can trigger negative emotions because there will be less serotonin flow the brain. "So, what they're feeling is not just psychological," she said. Despite this, experts told Yahoo! Life that there may still be a significant chance that a person can recover their senses within the first year of their loss. Assistant professor Jessica Grayson, MD, said in the report that patients have about a 60 to 80 percent chance to regain a part of their smell functions within a year. So far, there is still no definitive timeline for when a person can recover their senses once lost. Experts encouraged people to be evaluated to help further existing learnings about the symptoms and when these can be resolved. Norwegian Air said it will simplify its business structure and dedicate itself to a short haul route network. Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images Budget airline Norwegian (NAS.OL) announced on Thursday that it is cutting around 1,100 pilot and cabin crew jobs based at Gatwick Airport. The cuts as part of its simplified business structure that moves it away from long-haul flights following the "profound" impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the business and the wider the aviation industry, it said. The news comes as the UK government announced travellers coming from abroad will need to have proof of a negative COVID-19 test from 4am on 18 January 2021. Transport secretary Grant Shapps said on Twitter the rules will take effect on Monday in order to give international arrivals time to prepare. Shares in Norwegian were down 8.3% on Thursday at around 2pm in London. Norwegian shares fell in trading on Thursday after the news was announced that it was cutting 1,100 jobs in the UK. Chart: Yahoo Finance The airline said its restructuring efforts will now see it focus on its European short-haul network, using smaller aircraft, which chief executive Jacob Schram said has always been the backbone of Norwegian and will form the basis of a future resilient business model. The business gained a reputation for offering customers very affordable deals, some of its most popular ones being 99 ($134.93) trips to New York. The new business model will also focus on reducing the air carriers debt and raise new capital through a combination of rights issuances to current shareholders, a private placement and a hybrid instrument. Norwegian said it has already received concrete interest for these investment vehicles, including collaborating with the Norwegian government on the new business plan. READ MORE: Travellers warned of no entry in England without negative COVID-19 test In August 2020, the airline announced it needed financial support in wake of COVID-19 pandemic. As less people were interested in travel, the business reported a loss of 442m for the first six months of the year. "Our focus is to rebuild a strong, profitable Norwegian so that we can safeguard as many jobs as possible," Schram said on Thursday. Story continues The business will serve its reduced market with 50 narrow body aircraft in operation in 2021, increasing it to around 70 narrow body aircraft by 2022. Norwegian joins its peers in the aviation industry who are struggling to stay afloat as COVID-19 restrictions prompt less people to leave their homes. In late May, EasyJet (EZJ.L) also began consultations to cut up to 30% of its 15,000 employees across Europe as it planned to reduce its fleet size. The business has since introduced measures, including part-time working, unpaid leave and enhanced voluntary redundancy packages, that have helped reduce the need for compulsory cuts. The prospect of the global airline industry returning to positive cash flow might not arrive before the end of the year, according to the International Air Transport Associations chief economist Brian Pearce on Wednesday. WATCH: England to require negative COVID tests for travellers The Democrat-controlled US House of Representatives on Wednesday opened debate on a historic second impeachment of President Donald Trump over his supporters' attack of the Capitol that left five dead. Lawmakers in the lower chamber are expected to vote for impeachment around 3:00 pm (2000 GMT) -- marking the formal opening of proceedings against Trump. 215+ House Democrats, 5 House Republicans support impeaching US President Donald Trump (218 votes needed). House Majority Leader Hoyer says he would send articles of impeachment to US Senate immediately, NBC News reported. A vote of the House majority to impeach would trigger a trial in the still Republican-controlled Senate, although it was unclear whether such a trial would take place in time to expel Trump from the White House. Washington is on high alert after the riot and with a week to go in Trump's term. Thousands of National Guard troops were planned to be on hand and some members in fatigues, with weapons at hand, could be seen sleeping inside the Capitol building on Wednesday ahead of the session. The House convened just after 9 a.m. (1400 GMT) in the same chamber where lawmakers hid under chairs last Wednesday as angry rioters clashed with police in the halls of the Capitol. Democrats moved forward on an impeachment vote after Vice President Mike Pence rejected an effort to persuade him to invoke the 25th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to remove Trump. "I do not believe that such a course of action is in the best interest of our Nation or consistent with our Constitution," Pence said in a letter Tuesday evening to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Despite the letter, the House passed a resolution late Tuesday formally calling on Pence to act. The final vote was 223-205 in favor. As the House prepared for the impeachment vote, there were signs Trump's once-dominant hold on the Republican Party was beginning to ebb. The New York Times reported that the Republican majority leader of the U.S. Senate, Mitch McConnell, was said to be pleased about the impeachment push, another sign Trump's party is looking to move on from him after the attack on Congress. 'TOTALLY APPROPRIATE' In his first public appearance since last Wednesday's riot, Trump showed no contrition on Tuesday for his speech last week in which he called on his supporters to protest Biden's victory by marching on the Capitol. "What I said was totally appropriate," Trump told reporters. At a meeting to set the rules for Wednesday's impeachment vote, Democratic Representative David Cicilline, who helped craft the impeachment measure, said the impeachment drive had the support of 217 lawmakers - enough to impeach Trump. House Republicans who opposed the impeachment drive argued Democrats were going too far, as Trump was on the verge of leaving office. "This is scary where this goes, because this is about more than about impeaching the president of the United States. This is about cancelling the president and cancelling all the people you guys disagree with," said Republican Representative Jim Jordan, one of Trump's staunchest defenders when the president was impeached in 2019 after encouraging the government of Ukraine to dig up political dirt on Biden. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Travel to the UK from anywhere in South America, as well as Portugal, has been banned due to fears over a new coronavirus variant first identified in Brazil. The UK government's COVID-19 operations committee met on Thursday to discuss the issue of the Brazilian variant and announced that the ban on travellers from these countries will come into effect from 4 am on Friday. "I've taken the urgent decision to ban arrivals from Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Cenezuela from tomorrow, 15 Jan at 4 am following evidence of a new variant in Brazil, UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said in a Twitter statement. Travel from Portugal to the UK will also be suspended given its strong travel links with Brazil acting as another way to reduce the risk of importing infections. However, there is an exemption for hauliers travelling from Portugal (only), to allow transport of essential goods, he said. "This measure does not apply to British and Irish Nationals and third country nationals with residence rights but passengers returning from these destinations must self-isolate for 10 days along with their households," he added. Travel bans have previously been introduced for those coming from Denmark and South Africa, in response to other new variants that have been detected in those countries. The discovery of a highly transmissible variant of coronavirus in the UK prompted many countries around the world, including India, to introduce travel bans for arrivals from the UK in December last year. The latest move comes as mandatory pre-departure negative COVID test requirements come into effect for anyone travelling into the UK, by boat, plane or train, from early on Monday. On arrival back into the UK, Border Force will check passengers test results through the current spot check regime, to ensure that individuals are compliant with the new rules, and passengers will be subject to an immediate fine of GBP 500 for any breach. Permitted travellers will need to take their test up to 72 hours before departure, and this will apply irrespective of whether a country is on the travel corridor or air bubble list. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) ALBANY - City officials are asking residents to avoid the downtown area on Jan. 17 and 20, in preparation of possible protests near the Capitol. During a news conference Thursday, Mayor Kathy Sheehan said there is currently no credible threat against the city. City officials were preparing anyway for protests but do not anticipate anything on a "massive scale," she said. "This is a city of protests, this is the state capital," she said. "We are used to hosting protests and we are prepared to be ready if protesters do come on Sunday or again on Wednesday." Right-wing activists on social media sites have pushed for armed protests in every state capital and Washington, D.C., to protest President-elect Joseph Biden's election and his inauguration, which is Jan. 20. Thomas Relford, the special agent in charge for the Albany division of the FBI, said his office is sharing information and intelligence with fellow law enforcement officials. "At this point in time, the FBI has not received any specific threat to the New York or Vermont state Capitol or other government buildings in our area, he said at a Thursday afternoon press conference outside the Albany FBI field office. Relford said the office would still maintain a heightened posture between now and the inauguration. Sheehan asked those who disagree with any protesters to stay home and not show up for a counter-protest. Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins said the department had been briefed by the FBI and had discussions with other agencies. He said residents should expect to see more law enforcement in the area on those days. "The take away for the Albany community at this point is that we will likely have an increase in activity on Sunday as well as Wednesday," he said. "We're encouraging our residents and our visitors to avoid the downtown area on those days. Will Waldron/Albany Times Union Earlier Thursday, a banner promoting a white nationalist hate group appeared on Interstate-90 near Exit 6 for Loudonville and Arbor Hill. The banner was removed later Thursday morning by law enforcement. Hawkins said the department had not received any specific intelligence or threat connected to that group. "At this moment in time, we don't have anything to suggest that they're a problem from a law enforcement perspective but we'll be watching," he said. Acting U..S. Attorney Antoinette Bacon and Relford said the Department of Justice supports people who express free speech under the First Amendment. But lets be very clear, Bacon told reporters, violence is not speech. Stabbing, shooting, destroying property hurting other people thats not speech. Those are criminal acts and they should and must be prosecuted. She said Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Hanion, the deputy criminal chief prosecutor in her office, would coordinate all prosecutions to present any criminal charges in the upcoming days. Our focus is not on peaceful protestors, Bacon said. Our focus is on those who are threatening the safety of peaceful protestors or the safety of other citizens. Those who commit crimes will be held accountable. Relford said his office is also using all resources to assist the FBIs Washington D.C. office to identify people who were part of last weeks incident at the U.S. Capitol and to stave of any potential problems in the Albany area. I know there is a great deal of concern regarding some planned protests throughout this area this weekend, Relford said. I want to assure you our office is dedicating every resource we have to keeping this community safe. Relford urged the public to call 1-800-CALL-FBI if they have tips or information about suspected violence or criminal activity. An earlier version of this article misstated Thomas Relford's title. He is the special agent in charge for the Albany division of the FBI. Jonathan Fahey, the acting director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has resigned after taking the position two weeks ago. Jonathan Fahey Resigned From His Post Several government officials under Trump's administration resigned from their posts after the riot in the U.S. Capitol. This time, it was Jonathan Fahey who resigned as the ICE's acting director. He was the latest government official who resigned before President Donald Trump leaves the White House. Fahey's resignation was first reported in CNN and BuzzFeed News on Wednesday evening. The reports cited an official of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and a source with knowledge of the situation. According to a The Hill report, ICE Press Secretary Jenny Burke confirmed the resignation of Jonathan Fahey, but Burke did not give the reason behind his resignation. The decision of Fahey to resign from his post comes after acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf announced his resignation on Monday. Wolf has served the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for 14 months under the Trump administration. It can be remembered that Jonathan Fahey took the position two weeks ago from Tony Pham, who resigned from his post last month after he assumed the office last August. So far, ICE has had six directors under the Trump administration, but the Senate has not confirmed anyone from them in the past four years. Read also: Acting Homeland Security Chief Chad Wolf to Resign Amid Terror Fears DHS is Under Pressure Before Biden's Inauguration Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf decided to resign from his post because of the ongoing litigation that challenges his position's validity. It was reportedly the reason for his sooner-than-planned departure from his work. Changes of leadership in the DHS come amid the growing concerns about the potential security risks surrounding President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration. This was after the riot that occurred in the U.S. Capitol last week in an attempt to stop lawmakers from certifying the results of the election. News about Wolf's resignation in the DHS comes just after an hour that the agency announced that the Secret Service will begin implementing security measures six days earlier than planned or before Biden's inauguration. After the Capitol riot, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has warned of the potentially armed protest that might emerge this weekend. If this will happen, this might create chaos before the inauguration. Read also: AG Barr Considers Early Resignation Before End of Trump's Term Other Cabinet Members Who Resigned from Their Post Jonathan Fahey and Chad Wolf are not the only government officials who resigned from their posts just weeks before Trump will leave the White House. Other Trump administration members who resigned after the unprecedented attack in the Capitol were Transportation Secretary Elaine Cha and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Both of them cited the violence at the Capitol as the reason for their resignation. The ICE has come under scaling public scrutiny for controversial policies and operations throughout Trump's term. Reports said Jonathan Fahey's deputy, Tae Johnson, will now serve as the new ICE acting director. Donald Trump has reportedly reverted to self pity-mode following his impeachment amid frustration that his Republican allies are failing to defend him,. A White House adviser told CNN everybodys angry at everyone inside the White House following the ratification against the president for incitement to insurrection. Hes in self-pity mode, the source told the broadcaster. On the other hand, the view among a number of those who are close to the US president is that his actions led to here, no one else, the source explained. He instigated a mob to charge on the Capitol building to stop decertification, hes not going to find a lot of sympathetic Republicans." The White House did not immediately respond to The Independents request for comment on the claims. The siege on the Capitol has been particularly divisive within the Republican party and has led a number of Mr Trumps ardent supporters to turn their backs on him. During the siege, pro-Trump supporters breached the Capitol, vandalising property, looting offices, and overwhelming the buildings security, forcing lawmakers to evacuate. Supporters marched to the Capitol following encouragement from the president, who told them to show strength and fight for him at a "Save America" rally beforehand. Five people died as a result of the violence including one Capitol police officer who was beaten as he tried to ward off the crowds. On Wednesday, 10 House Republicans voted to impeach Mr Trump, turning against the president and their party to join with Democrats seeking his removal from office for a second time in a historic blow. Going forward, at least four Republican senators have indicated they were either undecided or considering supporting impeachment, including majority leader Mitch McConnell. During the last impeachment effort, Mr Trumps allies staunchly defended the president, sending out talking points throughout the proceedings. Now, the president is becoming increasingly isolated, with a swathe of White House officials having walked out on the administration following the riots, including the transportation secretary, Elaine Chao. The president has also been banned from major social media networks, including Twitter, limiting his platform to hit out at proceedings or undermine them. On the White Houses official Twitter account on Thursday, Mr Trump released a video saying he unequivocally condemns the Capitol riot violence in an attempt to distance himself from the insurrection. The president has just seven days remaining at the White House before the president-elect, Joe Biden, is inaugurated on 20 January. While the president is unlikely to be impeached during this time, the trial could impact any plans the president may have had to run for office again in 2024. According to a report by The New York Times, some of the presidents advisers have suggested he resign a few days before his term ends in order to avoid the risk of conviction and being barred from running in 2024. However, according to the same report, he has been dismissive of any suggestion that he leave the presidency early, suggesting it would further impact his influence within the GOP. Democrats will need at least 17 Republicans to join them to remove Mr Trump from public office for good and uncertainty lingers on where many within the Senate GOP will stand on a conviction. Bayer highlighted its focus on cell, gene, and oncology pipelines during its virtual Pharma Media Day in Germany The information was stressed at its virtual Pharma Media Day titled Transforming Healthcare. Transforming Bayer in Germany. The event highlighted Bayer's focus on the cell, gene, and oncology pipelines. The biomedical and technological revolution that is transforming healthcare at an unprecedented pace is taking place now. Our company is at the forefront of the wave of innovation in cell and gene therapy as well as digital health, said Stefan Oelrich, member of the board of management at Bayer AG and President of Bayers Pharmaceuticals Division. We are driving this transformation and growing our promising development portfolio together with our partners. Our joint goal is to bring breakthrough treatments to patients and make healthcare systems more sustainable in the mid- and long-term. The company has recently heavily invested in external innovation with an unprecedented number of more than 25 collaboration agreements and acquisitions. In particular, the company has emerged as a leader in the field of cell and gene therapies. Cell and gene therapies offer for the first time the possibility to address the root cause of the disease, providing options for conditions considered intractable or where the current standard of care only addresses symptoms to different degrees. Bayers increasing investments in the field are consolidating the company's emerging leadership and confirm its strategic significance as a growth-driver for its pharmaceutical business. Bayer has just established a new Cell and Gene Therapy Platform. This platform steers Bayers strategy in the area and orchestrates all activities along the value chain providing an innovation ecosystem for all partners, including BlueRock Therapeutics and Asklepios BioPharmaceutical (AskBio), two companies fully owned by Bayer but independently operated. Bayers development portfolio of cell and gene therapies already comprises seven advanced assets in different stages of clinical development. These are focused on multiple therapeutic areas with high unmet need, such as neurodegenerative, neuromuscular, and cardiovascular indications, with leading programmes in Pompe disease, Parkinsons disease, hemophilia A, and congestive heart failure. With over 15 preclinical assets in the cell and gene therapy field, the pipeline is expected to grow steadily year by year. Cell and gene therapies hold the promise to significantly impact patients lives by moving from treating symptoms to potentially curative approaches, said Wolfram Carius, executive vice president and head of Cell and Gene Therapy at Bayer. Together with our partners, we want to accelerate innovation at its source and along the whole value chain to ensure a fast translation of science into therapies for patients who have no time to wait. BlueRock Therapeutics recently announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared their Investigational New Drug application to proceed with a Phase I study in patients with advanced Parkinsons disease. This will be the first trial in the US to study pluripotent stem cell-derived dopaminergic neurons in patients with Parkinsons disease and a big step forward for the stem cell field. n addition, digital healthcare offerings have become an important pillar of modern healthcare. The combination of conventional healthcare approaches with innovative digital technologies makes it possible to offer efficient solutions addressing the needs of a person in his/her specific environment. Bayer is developing Integrated Care concepts which offer individual support of patients. This personalised approach addresses complex and interconnected health challenges within the individual circumstances. Integrated Care is a key element of Bayers digital business strategy in pharma. In collaboration, Bayer and the digital health company Informed Data Systems Inc. (IDS/One Drop) are expanding their business based on IDSs existing diabetes management platform. This solution was downloaded more than three million times. Together, the companies are now creating new health offerings to address the needs of patients in the areas of cardiovascular diseases, womens health, and oncology. Experts from both companies are jointly working on the first two modules, which are to become available within a year. Furthermore, Bayer is continuing to build a strong development pipeline advancing more than 50 projects through the clinic with a focus on cardiovascular diseases, oncology and womens health. The company highlighted two promising pipeline programmes in mid-stage development demonstrating medical innovation at Bayer. Factor XI (FXI)-targeting compounds, which are a new class of anticoagulants that is comprised of three investigational assets, and an anti-FXIa antibody and a FXI-ligand-conjugated antisense oligonucleotide (FXI-LICA) that are being studied in patients with end-stage kidney disease. FXI-pathway inhibition may offer protection from thromboembolic events without increased risk of bleeding. With its P2X3 multi-indication programme, Bayer highlighted another important candidate in mid-stage development. At Bayer, the promise of P2X3 antagonists was first identified for endometriosis within the companys strategic research alliance with Evotec, a Germany-based drug discovery and development company. Endometriosis is a clinical condition affecting approximately 10 per cent of women in reproductive age, many of whom experience severe chronic pain with debilitating effects on their professional, personal, and social lives. P2X3 also has a prominent role in several other medical conditions associated with pain and neurogenic hypersensitivity such as chronic cough, overactive bladder, and neuropathic pain. Our research in the fields of Factor XI inhibitors and P2X3 antagonists are just two promising examples of mid-stage programmes that demonstrate our ongoing commitment to building and advancing a strong development pipeline, said Stefan Oelrich. Positioning Bayer as a leader in the highly dynamic space of healthcare innovation, we will continue to lead the field in bringing new solutions to patients who need them. At the same time, the company is also successfully delivering on its late-stage pipeline in the areas of oncology and cardiovascular disease including also a number of potential blockbuster products. In the area of oncology, for example, darolutamide (jointly developed with Orion Corporation), a differentiated treatment option that extends survival for men with non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who are at high risk for developing metastatic disease (nmCRPC), and shows a favourable safety profile. The product has received regulatory approval in several markets, including the US, the EU, Brazil, Canada, and Japan. The Phase III study ARASENS in the indication of metastatic hormone sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) is expecting data read-out in 2021. Larotrectinib is a first-in-class precision oncology treatment designed to treat patients with solid tumours harbouring a Neurotrophic Tyrosine Receptor Kinase (NTRK) gene fusion (1). The product is approved in more than 40 countries, including the US and the EU. It was the first treatment in the EU to receive a tumour-agnostic indication. In the field of womens healthcare, Bayer recently added a highly attractive asset to its development portfolio through the acquisition of KaNDy Therapeutics. BAY-342 (formerly NT-814) is a first in class, non-hormonal, once-daily, oral neurokinin-1,3 receptor antagonist for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats) during menopause, planned to start Phase III development in 2021. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. A landslide that brought down hundreds of yards of debris onto West Burnside near the Wildwood Trail will likely not be cleared until early next week. Portland Bureau of Transportation officials said hundreds of cubic yards of debris from adjacent hillsides fell onto the roadway around 11 p.m. Tuesday during a period of heavy rain and wind. Recent tweets show Portland General Electric crews removing power lines and poles midday Wednesday. PBOT estimates as many as 12 dump truck loads of debris will need to be removed. West Burnside is closed from Southwest Tichner Drive to Northwest Barnes Road. Thanks to the PGE crews who were out on West Burnside today, removing power lines & poles! Much work ahead! Next, the Parks & Rec Urban Forestry crews will remove large trees for a few days and while they do that .... #pdxtraffic #pdxtst @portlandgeneral @PDXParksandRec pic.twitter.com/gwbejwsQET Portland Bureau of Transportation (@PBOTinfo) January 14, 2021 Crews will need to remove large trees, clear drainage ditches and mop up small debris. This work will likely take place through the weekend. PBOT hopes to have the road open sometime Monday, but that could change depending on conditions. Current weather forecasts call for light on-and-off rain through Sunday. Also, Portland Parks & Recreation expects the Barbara Walker Crossing footbridge and portions of Wildwood Trail will need to remain closed for about a week. Please stay out of the area. The Oregon Department of Transportation as reopened one eastbound lane of Interstate 84 near the community of Dodson where a slide closed the road late Tuesday. The interstate is down to one lane eastbound from mileposts 34-37. Use caution in the area and reduce your speed. Heavy machinery will likely be in use through that area through the rest of the week. The westbound lanes are not affected. Oregonian file photo. Photo courtesy of Forest Grove Fire Update 10:45 a.m. Several roads in the metro area continue to be closed for high water or debris flows. Multnomah County roads that remain all or partially closed include: Northwest Thompson - Reopened as of 10 a.m. Northwest Springville Road - A section from Northwest Skyline Boulevard to a half mile west is down to one lane due to debris on the road. Southeast Loudon Road - closed from East Larch Mountain to Deverell roads ) Southeast Lusted Road - closed eastbound at 302nd Avenue Southeast Oxbow Drive - closed westbound from 322nd Avenue to Division Street. Southeast Stark Street has reopened between the Historic Columbia River Highway and Kerslake Road. Northwest Germantown Road has reopened between Skyline and U.S. 30 as of 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. Several roads in Washington County are also closed due to flooding: Susbauer Road between Hornecker and Long roads Portions of Old Highway 47 Spring Hill Road from OR 47 to Fern Hill Road Bates Road from Old Highway 47 to Patton Valley Road. For other road closures in Washington County visit: wc-roads.com Check back throughout the morning for the latest commuting updates and follow us on Twitter: @trafficportland Bird flu confirmed in few more places in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh No permission given for use of vaccine against bird flu; not even by other nations: Centre Bird flu scare: Samples taken from Ghazipur market tests negative India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P New Delhi, Jan 14: As many as 100 samples that were taken from the Ghazipur poultry mandi have tested negative for bird flu, officials said on Thursday. The results come three days after samples taken from crows and ducks in the national capital tested positive for avian influenza. Bird Flu: Is it fatal, how is it transmitted and how to stay safe?|Oneindia News This had led to the Delhi government ban the sale of processed and packaged chicken brought from outside the city. The government had also shut down the poultry market for 10 days as a precautionary measure. Coronavirus cases: India records 16,946 new COVID-19 cases in last 24 hours "Test results of 104 samples arrived on Wednesday evening. Of these, 100 samples were collected from 35 poultry birds in the Ghazipur market. All samples have tested negative for bird flu," senior Animal Husbandry Unit officer Rakesh Singh said. "It means there is no spread of avian influenza in poultry birds in Delhi," he said. The remaining four samples of Heron birds were taken from the Hastsal Park and bird flu is suspected in these four cases, Singh said. Fake: Reliance Jio 5G trials are not the reason for bird flu in India On Wednesday, the civic authorities imposed a temporary ban on sale and storage of poultry or processed chicken meat in view of the bird flu situation. The three municipal corporations of the city had warned establishments like restaurants and shops of strict action, including cancellation of their licence, if they fail to comply with the orders. Earlier, the officials had said that 10 samples from three areas - Mayur Vihar Phase-3, Sanjay Lake and Dwarka Sector-9 - tested positive for avian influenza. A drive to cull ducks was conducted on Monday at the Sanjay Lake, where several of these were found dead. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, January 14, 2021, 13:02 [IST] Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. HONG KONG and SHANGHAI, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ping An Digital Economic Research Center (PADERC), a member of Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (HKEx:2318; SSE:601318), has created four new investment strategies for environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) investing using Ping An's proprietary CN-ESG data for China A-shares, in light of surging demand in China for ESG ratings and data with wider coverage and a better fit for China's market. Ping An ESG framework aligns with international standards and Chinese regulations The investment strategies detailed in the report, "Applications of Ping An CN-ESG Data and Framework in Quantitative Investment Strategy", use the proprietary CN-ESG database and scoring framework developed by the Ping An Group. Ping An was the first asset owner in China to sign the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment. The framework leverages Ping An's expertise in finance and technology and aligns with international standards as well as guidelines from Chinese regulators to incorporate material topics for Chinese companies. With technologies such as web crawlers, data mining, machine learning, knowledge graphs, natural language processing (NLP) and satellite remote sensing, the CN-ESG system can verify ESG disclosure-based data as well as mine non-disclosure-based data to provide investors with richer multi-dimensional information. PADERC's report provides an in-depth analysis on the data characteristics, effectiveness, and strategy back-testing results of the CN-ESG database and scoring framework, which covers more than 3,900 listed companies in the China A-share market with five years of historical data (2015-2019). The framework can provide quarterly results that are further adjusted based on news sentiment scores in real-time compared to annual or semi-annual updates from most ESG rating providers. ESG factors independent of financial factors PADERC found the Ping An's CN-ESG scores among A-share companies is close to a normal distribution. The factor correlation test results show that scores have notable performance of quality factors. The overall correlation between CN-ESG factors and traditional financial factors is generally low, showing high levels of independence of ESG factors, which indicates these can provide new data and viewpoints for investment decisions. The results of the factor layered test show that Ping An CN-ESG factors have a relatively strong positive screening effect on the Chinese Securities Index (CSI) 300 and CSI 800 stock pools. The financial window dressing factors constructed by evaluating the quality and authenticity of the company's financial data yielded 11.61% of long-short gains since 2015. ESG investment strategies that balance excess returns with ESG objectives Based on CN-ESG data, PADERC constructed four types of ESG investment strategies that use artificial intelligence (AI) to balance excess investment returns and ESG investment targets: 1) Ping An AI-ESG Selected 100 Strategy: This positive screening strategy selects companies with the highest ESG scores. Based on the broader CSI 800 stock pool, it can better leverage additional information from ESG scores. This strategy achieved an annualized excess return of 4.44%. The annual weighted average ESG score quantile of the portfolio is 94.2% among the benchmark stock pool. 2) Ping An AI-ESG Enhancement Strategy: On the basis of ESG scores-based positive screening, PADERC added ESG factors to its Ping An Digital Economic Research Center 500+ No.1 AI Stock Selection Strategy and there was notable excess return. The AI stock selection strategy is based on linear and non-linear algorithms to capture complex market structures to predict the excess return of individual stocks. The Ping An AI-ESG Enhancement Strategy has an annualized excess return of 16.34%, and the annual weighted average ESG score quantile of the portfolio is 78.7% among the benchmark stock pool. 3) CSI 300 ESG Style Index Series: The CSI 300 ESG Growth Index explores the growth value of the CSI 300 stocks, while controlling its tail risks. The CSI 300 ESG Low Volatility Index reinforces the stability features of ESG investment in both the short and long term. The ESG growth index achieved annualized excess returns of 5.67% and the low volatility index achieved 8.61% relative to the benchmark. The annual weighted average ESG score quantile of the portfolios are 75.1% (ESG growth index) and 73.1% (low volatility index) relative to the benchmark stock pool. Further testing of excess returns shows that the above active management strategies have almost all achieved excess returns in adverse market conditions, including bond crises, annual bear market downturns, Sino-US trade war, and COVID-19, verifying the effectiveness of ESG factors in challenging environments. 4) AI-ESG MAX Strategy: ESG enhancement of mainstream ETFs enables investors to gradually incorporate ESG concepts into their investing process without changing their traditional investing habits. Based on the CSI 300, controlling for sector deviation, this strategy sets tracking errors to 1%, 3% and 5%. Under different tracking error assumptions, the strategy maximizes ESG scores while achieving annualized excess returns of 3.61%, 3.40% and 3.43% respectively against the benchmark. The back-testing results of the strategy over the past five years show good performance, and excess returns were stable. This type of index enhancement strategy based on ESG factors could help drive an increase in the scale of ESG investing. Building a richer ESG strategy portfolio to meet investors' diverse needs Ping An's CN-ESG framework will expand to include fixed income ESG data and climate risk-related AI-driven factors. It will enable more diverse investment options, such as ESG fixed income indices and climate risk-focused indices, to meet investors' diverse needs. Ping An also developed a series of AI-ESG products focusing on corporate management, risk monitoring and analytics solutions for ESG and climate risk analysis, including portfolio sustainability footprint analysis, a portfolio adjustment tool, a sustainable funds screening tool, and climate risk asset pricing models to support ESG investment. PADERC is a professional institution specializing in macroeconomics and policy research, using big data and artificial intelligence to provide insights on macroeconomic trends, including developments in ESG disclosures and ratings. For the full report, click here. About Ping An Group Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. ("Ping An") is a world-leading technology-powered retail financial services group. With over 210 million retail customers and 560 million Internet users, Ping An is one of the largest financial services companies in the world. Ping An has two over-arching strategies, "pan financial assets" and "pan health care", which focus on the provision of financial and health care services through our integrated financial services platform and our five ecosystems of financial services, health care, auto services, real estate services and smart city services. Our "finance + technology" and "finance + ecosystem" strategies aim to provide customers and internet users with innovative and simple products and services using technology. As China's first joint stock insurance company, Ping An is committed to upholding the highest standards of corporate reporting and corporate governance. The Group is listed on the stock exchanges in Hong Kong and Shanghai. In 2020, Ping An ranked 7th in the Forbes Global 2000 list and ranked 21st in the Fortune Global 500 list. Ping An also ranked 38th in the 2020 WPP Kantar Millward Brown BrandZTM Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands list. For more information, please visit www.pingan.cn. About Ping An Digital Economic Research Center Ping An Digital Economic Research Center utilizes more than 50 TB high frequency data points, more than 30 years of historical data and more than 1.5 billion data points to drive research on the "AI + Macro Forecast" and provide insights and methods towards precise macroeconomic trends. SOURCE Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. Related Links www.pingan.cn The common council on Wednesday failed to override Mayor Erin Stewarts veto of the councils decision last month to remove a statue of Christopher Columbus. The 8-6 vote means the statue of the brave Italian explorer or rapacious slave trader, depending on the the various views of city leaders and residents, stays, at least for now. Ten votes were required to override Stewarts veto. I stand by my original veto message and I am glad other city council members shared my concerns with the original resolution, Stewart said Thursday. The door to my office always has been and continues to be open to those who are interested in having productive conversations on how to move our community forward. In a statement condemning cancel culture last month, the mayor warned that taking down the monument would set a bad precedent. Where does it end? she wrote. Are we going to examine the battlefield tactics of generals Kosciuszko or Pulaski to ensure they adhered to the social mores of today? The failed override was the latest twist in a local culture battle that began with the nationwide campaign to pull down Columbus statues after the George Floyd protests in June. Republican leaders and Italian-American groups in New Britain largely pushed to keep the citys statue in McCabe Park, while Puerto Rican activists, the New Britain Racial Justice Coalition and council Democrats argued it should be moved off city property. The arguments largely mirror those in cities across the country: Columbus defenders portray him as an intrepid explorer and symbol of Italian-American heritage, while critics say he was a genocidal slave trader and racist. Nevertheless, several council Republicans sided with Democrats in a 10-4 vote to take the statue down. Stewart said they never explained how the city would pay to remove it, nor what would replace it at the park. She signaled that she might reconsider if the council provides detailed answers. If the council is going to retire Columbus, they ought to have a concurrent and concrete plan for what will go in its place, she wrote, saying anything less would be an affront to Italian-Americans. Story continues Democratic Alderman Chris Anderson, one of the most outspoken voices demanding removal of the statue, said at the meeting Wednesday that the council does not have to answer those questions, at least not right away. The plan would be to replace the statue with a monument that honors Italian Americans contributions to the city, Anderson said. The will to remove the statue is not about cancel culture or erasing history, Anderson said, but rather about correcting a history that excludes other members of this community. He said the council members who voted to remove the statue were responding to the will of the people. Jesse Leavenworth can be reached at jleavenworth@courant.com New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks at a food shelf organized by The Campaign Against Hunger in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn in New York City, N.Y., on April 14, 2020. (Scott Heins/Getty Images) NYC to End Gifted and Talented Test for Preschoolers After This Year This spring will be the last time New York City offers the Gifted and Talented (G&T) exam to 4-year-olds, as part of Mayor Bill de Blasios effort to ease what he considers a racial disparity. The G&T program, which offers specialized instruction and enrichment opportunities for young learners deemed exceptional, admits students based on a single, high-stakes entrance exam. The de Blasio administration, over the past two years, has argued that the programs admission format unfairly favors affluent white and Asian middle-class families who can afford thousands of dollars on test prep for their kids. De Blasio, who has been pushing to overhaul education programs he blames for deepening racial segregation, said Wednesday that the city will administer the G&T exam one last time, because many parents have been preparing their children for it. At this point in the year, a lot of families had already prepared, they were counting on the opportunity, we respect that. So well go forward. But we will not be providing that test in the future, de Blasio said. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio talks with children after reading them a book in a pre-kindergarten class at P.S. 130 on Feb. 25, 2014 in New York City. (Seth Wenig-Pool/Getty Images) While the entrance exam will be dropped next year, there has to be a new system to determine who among the 15,000 applicants each year gets a place in the 2,500-seat G&T program. The education department said it will spend the next year looking for a solution through a community engagement process. We will spend the next year engaging communities around what kind of programming they would like to see that is more inclusive, enriching, and truly supports the needs of academically advanced and diversely talented students at a more appropriate age, the departments spokesperson, Miranda Barbot, said. In 2019, de Blasios School Diversity Advisory Group, which was tasked with providing recommendations to reduce segregation in city schools, recommended the elimination of the G&T program. The advisory panel, decrying white supremacy, highlighted the fact that black and Hispanic students make up only 27 percent of students in those gifted classes, even though they account for about 70 percent of students citywide. Critics of the de Blasio administrations move argued that the government was killing excellence in the name of promoting racial diversity. If you sincerely believe that habits and traits that lead to success constitute white supremacy, and you oppose white supremacy, then you simply must inhibit opportunities for children to develop those qualities by dismantling advanced coursework. wrote Max Eden, a senior fellow at conservative think tank Manhattan Institute. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. The history of Midland County is important, for its residents, historians and future generations. Although we often think of history as only what remains from the past, whether that be stories, journals, photos, documents or artifacts, history is actually living in each moment of every day. The Midland County Historical Society preserves the countys history by maintaining a collection of historical objects and documents, but they are also working to ensure the stories of our current experience are documented and preserved for future generations and historians. After a challenging, and trying year, for Midland County and its residents, we know that the stories, testimonials and experiences of 2020 will be looked back upon for many generations to come, said Jacob Huss, historical programs manager at the Midland County Historical Society. In our current collection, we often look back to journals and photos to understand what was happening in Midland County 100 years ago, and 100 years from now, we intend to have oral histories that were recorded with video and audio. The Midland County Historical Society has sought out to capture over 100 hours of oral history interviews from community members in Midland County, sharing their stories relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastating 500-year flood. The Historical Society is utilizing the digital platform, Zoom, to record and facilitate these discussions, with each conversation hosted by a local historian or volunteer. While these oral histories will live in the archives, they will also be available online for the community to review the audio recordings and summaries through the Historical Societys research library. A podcast produced by Tridge Media Productions and physical exhibition are also being developed and will be unveiled later this spring. As we continue to evolve our processes in this digital moment in time, we want to ensure that the work we are doing is relevant and easily accessible for the community, stated Huss. From the ability to review these interviews online to the visual documentation for future generations and historians, we want to ensure that we encompass the history of 2020 for future understanding. The Historical Society has sought after community members to share their stories as part of the Oral History Project, and partnering with Anti-Racist Midland to focus on adding life stories from minority and immigrant residents. For more information on the oral history project, email Huss at huss@midlandcenter.org. The oral history project is made possible in part by a grant from Michigan Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Processed by Victoria Ritter, vritter@mdn.net A Queens man who told federal agents he wanted to join the far-right Proud Boys group was charged with a weapons offense on Wednesday after messages he posted on social media around the time of the Capitol riot raised alarms, according to prosecutors and court documents. The man, Eduard Florea, had been detained late Tuesday after a search of his home turned up an arsenal of over 1,000 rounds of rifle ammunition, two dozen shotgun rounds, 75 military-style combat knives, two hatchets and two swords, prosecutors said. No gun was found. The arrest of Mr. Florea, a 40-year-old software engineer, came amid an intensifying nationwide manhunt for those who broke into the U.S. Capitol last week as part of a violent rampage by supporters of President Trump who wanted to overturn the election results. Though Mr. Florea was not one of the numerous people being pursued for participating in the riot, law enforcement officials considered him menacing enough to arrive in an armored vehicle at his home to arrest him. Former Trigg County Sheriff Appears in Court By Tim Brockwell CADIZ - A former Trigg County sheriff facing charges involving an alleged inappropriate relationship with a teenager was in court Wednesday.The Trigg County Circuit Court Clerk said Jason Barnes appeared at a remote pre-trial conference Wednesday afternoon.Barnes was indicted in August on one count of third-degree unlawful transaction with a minor and one count of tampering with a witness. He resigned on August 31.Authorities began an investigation in June that reportedly revealed Barnes had given alcohol to a person under the age of 21. He's also accused of attempting to affect the testimony of a potential witness.In a lawsuit filed on Dec. 17, Layla Kunkle, a former intern at the sheriff's office, accuses Barnes of pressuring her into sex at his home after giving her alcohol. She claims former Cadiz Police Officer Doug Latham and former Trigg County Deputy Michael Parker pressured her into having sex with them as well.Judge C.A. Woodall set Barnes' next court date for Feb. 10. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. New Delhi: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no foreign guest will be present at the Republic Day parade on January 26, 2021, something that has been one of the highlights of the annual event celebrating the country's diversity at the heart of Delhi. READ | Republic Day 2021: No shoulder to shoulder march-past by NSG commandos this year Announcing the development, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said, "Due to the global COVID-19 situation, it has been decided that this year there will not be a foreign head of state or head of govt as the chief guest at our Republic Day event." READ | Republic Day 2021: Parade to feature 321 school children, 80 folk artists in cultural programme This is the fourth time in history that no foreign guest will be present at the Republic Day. The last time it had happened was in 1966, and before that in 1953 and 1952. READ | UK PM Boris Johnson cancels Republic Day visit to India amid COVID-19 pandemic India had extended an invite to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to be the guest at the Republic Day who had accepted and confirmed that he will be coming. But earlier in January 2021, he had informed Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his inability to come due to the new strain of COVID-19 virus that had emerged in the UK. On January 5, 2021, the UK PM had cancelled a planned trip to India, citing the need to oversee the COVID-19 pandemic response at home. "The Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi this morning, to express his regret that he will be unable to visit India later this month as planned," a Downing Street spokeswoman said, according to Reuters. "In light of the national lockdown announced last night, and the speed at which the new coronavirus variant is spreading, the Prime Minister said that it was important for him to remain in the UK so he can focus on the domestic response to the virus," the spokeswoman had added. The choice of Republic Day guest showcases New Delhi's closeness with the country. PM Modi had invited US President Barack Obama as the chief guest in 2015, which sent the message of growing ties Delhi Washington partnership. In 2018, all members of the ASEAN grouping were invited, creating history since never before 10 heads of govt/states were present at the parade together. IDLIB, Syria Masked gunmen shot photojournalist Hussein Khattab in broad daylight Dec. 12, in Syrias northern city of al-Bab, which is controlled by the Turkish-backed opposition. Though dozens of opposition factions are present in the area, no one was able to stop or identify the perpetrators. Khattab was shot five times while filming a report on the spread of COVID-19 in northern Syria. Following Khattabs assassination, Syrian journalists and activists turned to social media, calling for the protection of journalists, especially in the areas controlled by the Turkish-backed factions. Dozens of Syrian journalists inside Syria joined in, posting the Arabic hashtag #Martyr_Hussein_Khattab. Days later, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which controls most of the northwestern province of Idlib, arrested journalist Abdul Fattah al-Hussein at a checkpoint on Dec. 22, then released him on Dec. 30. After his release, HTS said that Hussein was arrested because his name had been mentioned in a security case, giving no more detail. On Jan. 6, journalist Bahaa al-Halabi survived an assassination attempt in the city of al-Bab. Unknown assailants fired 15 shots at him. He was wounded and narrowly escaped death. In May, the Syrian Network for Human Rights documented the killing of 707 journalists since the Syrian war broke out in 2011, noting that Syria is considered one of the world's most dangerous countries for journalists, with the highest death toll among journalists in 2019. Reporter Ibrahim al-Khateb, who resides in Idlib, told Al-Monitor, When a journalist is arrested, the authorities always claim that the arrest has nothing to do with journalism. Journalists face ongoing dangers posed by cells affiliated with the Syrian regime and the Islamic State in opposition-controlled areas. Journalists do not have a safe environment to practice their work, such as obtaining information from reliable sources, and they are unable to carry out investigative work." He went on, "In general, our work conditions in Idlib are better than the ones in areas controlled by pro-Turkish factions. Despite all the cons, Idlib is better, in terms of security. Ismail al-Rej, a journalist living in the Aleppo countryside, told Al-Monitor, Journalists are subject to a lot of harassment. We cannot even obtain a permit from the controlling authorities to work. We suffer arbitrary detention and assassinations. Although there are areas that are better than others when it comes to security for journalists, all media professionals live in fear because we have not learned the identity of those who have assassinated some of us. There is no security in opposition-held areas and there are several parties that have an interest in assassinating media professionals. Syrian journalist Qutayba Yassin, who lives in Istanbul, told Al-Monitor, HTS arrests journalists because its policies are based on exclusion." They are free to arrest journalists because they do not have an organization or union representing them, he explained. He explained, We often succeed in pressuring these factions and manage to protect the arrested journalists, and the factions often come out with statements justifying the arrests. There are no real differences between HTS and the Free Syrian Army factions, but attacks by unknown individuals are less in Idlib compared to other areas. Yassin added, The future of journalistic work in the opposition-held areas is not bright. Journalists have started to emigrate. Many of them have submitted [asylum] applications to European countries and others are planning to follow suit. The environment in opposition-controlled areas is not safe for journalists and their families. If the officials continue to ignore this matter and fail to put in place laws and plans to protect them, we will unfortunately be left with no media professionals reporting the suffering of Syrians. Taqi al-Din Omar, an official in HTS media relations office, told Al-Monitor, Freedom of the press in the Idlib area is a guaranteed right for all journalists, outlets and activists. This can be seen in the number of media organizations present in the area and the thoroughness of their work. We welcome all media outlets and professionals who wish to convey the suffering of our people and document the war crimes caused by Russia and the Syrian regime. Idlib is the best area in all of Syria in terms of freedom of the press. One of the most important principles of the revolution is the freedom of expression. Speaking about HTS' arrests of journalists, he said, Security is essential to ensure justice and the continuation of life. Sometimes personal allegations are raised or certain names are mentioned in criminal cases and others, and the procedures of these cases are carried out like other cases known to the general public without discrimination. A journalist may be referred to the judiciary, but no one has ever tried to silence anyone for criticizing anything; this is what distinguishes the Idlib area from others. He added, Over 500 international press delegations entered the Idlib area in 2020, completed their journalistic mission and returned to their countries. Omar noted that the HTS-backed Syrian Salvation Government's media directorate in Idlib issues press permits to facilitate the work of journalists, pointing out that a media charter and law guarantee press freedom. But an activist living in an area controlled by the Turkish-backed factions told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, All factions are tightening their grip around journalists and there is no freedom and security for them. Their lives are threatened and they live in constant fear, especially in the areas of the pro-Turkish factions since Turkey does not intervene to protect media professionals. He added, In terms of security, HTS-controlled Idlib is better, but it carries out random arrests without trials, and this is also a violation. Despite living in more comfortable conditions, journalists are still under the control of HTS. To the Editor: Re Rare Pentagon Mission: Armed Troops in Capital (news article, Jan. 14): We are fighting two threatening wars: Covid-19 and civil unrest. As currently planned, our next presidents inauguration will take place surrounded by heavily armed protection 20,000 National Guard troops and assorted barriers, a ceremony conducted inside a virtual fortress. Nevertheless, safety for all is never guaranteed. How will the sky above be protected? As an alternative, as President Franklin D. Roosevelt did during World War II in 1945, the inauguration could be held at the White House, rather than the Capitol, with fewer people in attendance. This would increase safety from both extremists and infection, lower anxiety (not to mention costs) and present a picture to the world that we take violence seriously and that protection of our people is our priority. We dont have to prove anything with displays of grandeur. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 18 will give people across Michigan the opportunity to reflect on the civil rights icons legacy-- and perhaps how they can apply his lessons to current events. Many commemorative events and speeches will be held virtually this year because of the pandemic, allowing residents to choose programming from across the state and country. Below is a list of MLK Day programming, mostly virtual, across Michigan. Ann Arbor area Virtual events hosted by Ann Arbor-area groups include the University of Michigan symposium, the Ypsilanti District Library, an Eastern Michigan University keynote and free documentaries through the Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor. Read more here. Flint area Genesee County residents can celebrate MLK Day with several in-person and virtual events. In-person options include a commemorative annual mentoring breakfast Monday hosted by the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flint and Genesee County, and a drive-thru food distribution through the United Way of Genesee County and the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan. Several colleges and universities will also stream events with keynote speakers. More details are available here. Grand Rapids area Instead of marches and community lectures, Grand Rapids area residents will have an opportunity to honor the slain civil rights leaders through online events. Grand Valley State University, Davenport University and Grand Rapids Community College will host a virtual address by PBS Newshours White House correspondent, Yamich Alcindor. For students and families looking for tactile learning content, the Holland Museum has an activity kit that includes crafts and a civil rights scavenger hunt. Other universities and organizations will host virtual events. Find details on those virtual events here. Jackson area Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist will give the keynote speech on the strength of the strength of diversity and Kings legacy through the Jackson County Chamber of Commerces annual MLK day programming. That speech will will air on Friday, Jan. 15, and Monday, Jan. 18. Additionally, Jackson College will host its 2021 MLK Celebration via Zoom with three events on Monday. Read more here. Kalamazoo area Western Michigan University is hosting multiple virtual events in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. that will take place throughout January. The MLK Day Convocation on Monday will begin at 11 a.m., but a variety of events will be held online that afternoon and through that week. Additionally, Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor will host a week of virtual events that include speakers, performances, discussions, a virtual food drive and more. More details and stream links are available here. Muskegon area Muskegon County will have virtual events beginning Friday. Tributes range from Muskegon Community Colleges keynote and legacy award to a commemorative motorcade hosted by Harbor of Grace Lutheran Church. Additionally, the Community Foundation of Muskegon County is offering $500 mini grants for local businesses, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations or residents to provide activities for the community on or after the National Day of Racial Healing. Read more here. Saginaw area Saginaw Valley State University and the Delta College Black Faculty and Staff Association are leading two presentations in Saginaw County, including a keynote speech from CNN political contributor Van Jones. Read more here. ROME, N.Y. Starting Monday, two Rome Medical Practice offices will temporarily move to Griffiss Business and Technology park to help Rome Memorial Hospital with its staffing shortage. Lisa Taurisano, practice administrator, said consolidating these locations will free up staff to help the hospital. Consolidating our practices at our Avery Lane location at Griffiss will allow us to provide much needed support to the hospital and its nurses, she said. The pulmonology and sleep medicine office and three surgical specialists, located at 1614 N. James St., will move to 267 Avery Lane until further notice. Dr. Mohammad Seedat will temporarily be located in Suite 100 on Avery Lane, while Dr. Alberto DelPino, Dr. Pedro DelPino and Dr. Theresa Ruddy will be in Suite 300 at the same location. Let me first of all confess my love for Michael Owusu Addo known as Sarkodie for what he has done for the Ghanaian music industry and his relevance. His contribution to the Ghana music has earned him numerous accolades, including the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards Artiste of the Decade I started following him when he released his debut song Wofoni which featured Castro (If my memories serve me right). His rap caught the attention of a mission house boy like me and even my late Dad. (I said my dad because he was an ardent listener of Dr. Duncans Kasahare back in the day at Adom Fm) I shouted wow when I first heard Sarkodies debut album Makye. Its production was primarily handled by Killbeatz and Jayso. The album featured Kwaw Kese, J-Town, Sway and Paedae of R2Bees. Makye received positive reviews from both critics and fans with a lot of admiration for his style of rap which they all gave him thumbs up for saving Ghana Music from dying. In 2010, his Push and Baby songs were ranked on most music chats in Ghana and Africa. Also Illuminati became one of my all-time hip hop songs from Sarkodie. Illuminati earned him accolades and opportunities to meet world rappers like Busta Rhymes, Ace Hood and Ludacris. We all know great music brings together nice beats and good lyrics and oftentimes many rappers struggle with this but Sarkodie is not that type of artist. Sometimes, they either go too hard in one area and compromise in another but Sarkodies third studio album, Sarkology successfully got all these elements and hard core raps in it. Sarkology album followed much the same formula as his second album, Rapperholic. With no overall theme for the whole project, the same topics of overcoming haters, winning a Grammy, faith (Hallelujah, War) and being the best rapper were all addressed throughout Sarkology, as much as they were on Rapperholic. Sarkodies usage of foul language also increased substantially on this album and although I do respect that hes a grown man and can say whatever he wants, I felt a little withdrawn from him a while but I could not help but I adore him. Fast forward to 2015, Sarkodie released his much-anticipated album dubbed Mary which he named after his grandmother who died in 2012 which in my view is the best album Sarkodie has ever recorded. The Mary album was a complete highlife album which featured Akwaboah, Pat Thomas and other musicians in Ghana. One thing no one can deny is Sarkodies work ethic. He is always cooking something for his fans and the industry and has been successful in creating some timeless tunes. He once held the unofficial title of fastest rapper in Ghana as he raced with time when rapping leading to his fans comparing him to the legendary Busta Ryhmes. In recent times, however, the rap god in my opinion is beginning to sound monotonous. Could it be that he doesnt feel challenged by any rapper or he has simply become complacent? I say this because all Sarkodie does in recent times is to talk about his wife, Tracy Sarkcess and daughter, Titi in his songs. Rap, we know, is competitive and a rapper always has to brag to create a powerful impression about ones element. There are numerous ways of bragging and certainly Sarkodie cannot be going along with this tangent of always mentioning his wife and daughter in his songs, some of us, his fans, are tired of that. For example, his verse on Epixodes Mene Woa, a line in his song, Gimme Way featuring Prince Bright, his song Glory featuring Yung L and Cant let you go featuring King Promise are few of the songs that Tracy and Titi were not left out of the lyrics. There are myriad of issues to talk about. If he thinks he cannot rap again but to talk about Tracy and Titi, then he should leave the rap music for the upcoming artistes to step into his shoes. Maybe, this is where he should pay a little attention to the likes of FOKN BOIS. Call them crazy or whatever but these gentlemen have never stopped creating course-driven music. Let me conclude by saying the future of Ghana music (Rap) is Kwesi Arthur, Teephlow, Strongman Burner, Kweku Flick, Kumericans Yaw Tog and Kofi Jamar. My unsolicited advice is that Sarkodie should pass the kingship to one of them if he has exhausted his wicked punchlines and lyrics. All Hail Africas Most Decorated Rapper, SARKODIE Email: [email protected] Facebook: Kokonte Wura Twitter: Iamkokontewura Source: classfmonline.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 Detectives have charged a 24-year-old Ingham man with murder three days after an alleged street attack in the north Queensland town. The man, identified as Caleb Rutherford, voluntarily handed himself in at the Ingham Police Station on Thursday morning. Mr Lawson said the man was "accompanied by a number of people" when he walked into the police station about 9am on Thursday. Credit:Queensland Police Service "That man has since been arrested and charged in relation to the murder, a breach of domestic violence offence and also a breach of bail offence," Detective Inspector Chris Lawson told reporters. Detectives had previously released an image of a Mr Rutherford as a person of interest in the investigation, after a 20-year-old man was stabbed in the stomach while walking from a friends house with two women about 11.30pm. More than two years after the arrest of auto titan Carlos Ghosn on charges of financial crimes, the Nissan Motor Co. executive said to be key to the downfall of the carmaker's former chairman has broken his silence. Hari Nada, a senior vice president at the Yokohama-based company, appeared in the Tokyo District Court on Thursday, taking the stand in the trial of Greg Kelly, the former Nissan director who was arrested on the same day as Ghosn in November 2018. Nada, who worked for both, was the central driver of a campaign to unseat the ex-chairman amid concern over his plans to further integrate Nissan and its alliance partner Renault, Bloomberg News has reported. Nada later cooperated with prosecutors on their cases against Ghosn and Kelly, who is charged with helping his high-flying former boss understate his income. On Thursday, Nada, 56, explained how that after compensation disclosure rules were introduced in Japan in 2010, Ghosn reduced his income and Kelly wanted to pay him in other ways and so "I offered advice." Dressed in a grey three-piece suit with white shirt and light blue necktie, Nada said the reason Ghosn wanted to reduce his stated income was because he didn't want to be fired. "I always acted proactively and creatively as possible within Mr. Kelly's instructions," Nada told the court, adding that he looked at an uplift to Ghosn's pension allowance, ways to compensate as non-compete measures and consultation fees. Nada declined to sit while in court, preferring to stand, which required an adjustment to the court microphone. He also spoke about companies that were set up in the Netherlands and Dubai to make investments in non-core automotive activities. The capital injected into the Netherlands vehicle was used to buy properties in Rio and Beirut. The proceedings against Kelly, which began in September and are on track to wrap up in the middle of 2021, may be the only forum where the accusations against Ghosn ever get a legal airing. The former leader of an auto-making alliance that included Mitsubishi Motors Corp. is unlikely to ever face trial in Japan after his stunning escape to Lebanon a year ago, smuggled inside a music-equipment box on a private jet. Nada, who received immunity in exchange for his cooperation with Japanese prosecutors, was privy to the inner workings of Nissan's top management in his role running the chief executive's office. A U.K.-trained lawyer, Nada essentially served as chief of staff to Ghosn when he was CEO of Nissan and then to his successor Hiroto Saikawa, who took over in 2017. Nada has kept a low profile through the twists and turns of the Ghosn saga, refusing multiple requests to be interviewed by Bloomberg. He hasn't been quoted in the media since the arrests of Ghosn and Kelly, and there are just a few official photos of him on Nissan's website. Nada remains at Nissan as a senior adviser. "We do not comment on pending litigation," Lavanya Wadgaonkar, a spokeswoman for Nissan, said in response to questions about Nada's appearance at the trial. The activity at the center of the trial began about a decade ago when new disclosure rules in Japan called on companies to disclose annual executive compensation of more than 1 billion yen ($9.7 million), triggering an effort to find alternative ways to pay Ghosn, according to the proceedings. The first few months of the trial were taken up by testimony of Toshiaki Onuma, a colleague of Nada who ran the secretarial office for Nissan's executives. Onuma described in detail conversations he had with Ghosn about his remuneration, and how decisions were made at the executive level at the automaker. Ghosn was initially charged in Japan with underreporting about $80 million in income. Kelly, who ran human resources at Nissan before he became a director, and Nissan itself were also charged and are standing trial. While Kelly has denied allegations that he helped Ghosn hide his compensation over eight years, Nissan has effectively pleaded no contest. Kelly, 64, is seeking to exonerate himself and return to the U.S., but his family and attorneys have questioned his ability to get a fair trial without the former chairman's testimony, and criticized the slow pace of judicial proceedings in Japan. Nissan and Japanese prosecutors have long maintained that the decision to oust Ghosn was based on the allegations of under-reported income and the other financial crimes he's been accused of, including funneling money from the company into accounts he controlled. But Bloomberg's reporting shows a powerful group of insiders led by Nada also saw the arrest and prosecution of the powerful executive as an opportunity to revamp Nissan's relationship with partner and top shareholder Renault. In early 2018, Ghosn was laying the groundwork for a new alliance structure that would bring Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi Motors under one holding company, paving the way for the potential creation of a global automaking empire that could surpass Toyota and Volkswagen. But there has long been resistance within Nissan to the control exerted by Renault, which saved the Japanese automaker from insolvency in 1999. Renault ended up with a 43% stake in Nissan, while the Japanese company only held 15% of Renault without voting rights, making it a junior partner even though it sells more cars. As Ghosn pursued a more closely integrated alliance, Nada and other Nissan insiders began collecting information about his compensation in early 2018. They started working with prosecutors later that year, seeing Ghosn's detention and prosecution as an potential opportunity to seek more favorable terms for Nissan's relationship with Renault. Nissan should act to "neutralize his initiatives before it's too late," Nada wrote to another executive in mid-2018 in an email seen by Bloomberg News. The day before Ghosn was seized on a private jet at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, Nada wrote and circulated a memo to Nissan's then-CEO Saikawa calling for the termination of the agreement governing the alliance and the restoration of the Japanese company's right to buy shares in Renault, or even take it over, according to people familiar with the document. Nissan has denied that Ghosn's ouster had anything to do with the alliance. "Any argument that the discovery of Carlos Ghosn's misconduct formed part of a conspiracy to undercut or terminate Nissan's alliance with Renault is entirely false," the company said in a statement last year. The carmaker's position since the arrests has remained steadfast, with the company saying "the cause of this chain of events is the misconduct led by Ghosn and Kelly," for which it found "substantial and convincing evidence." Nada will get an opportunity to give his side of the story in his testimony at Kelly's trial. Born in Malaysia as Hemant Kumar Nadanasabapathy, he prefers to go by the shortened version of his surname and has been an employee of Nissan since 1990. It's unclear whether other issues surrounding Nada will come up at trial, such as the disclosure that he received inflated stock-linked awards, which ensnared several other senior managers including Saikawa, who was ousted as CEO in late 2019. Nada also oversaw Nissan's internal investigation into Ghosn's alleged wrongdoing, which Nissan's former global general counsel Ravinder Passi flagged as a potential conflict of interest before he was demoted, based on documents seen by Bloomberg. General Assignment Reporter Chris Mays is a general assignment reporter for the Brattleboro Reformer. He has been with New England Newspapers Inc. since 2012. Oregon college agrees to revise free speech policies, pay $25K after pro-life group sues Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Oregons Chemeketa Community College has settled a federal lawsuit with a pro-life student group by agreeing to pay $25,000 to cover the cost of legal fees and end a policy confining free speech to a small area of campus. The Alliance Defending Freedom, the legal group representing the Chemeketa Students for Life, announced the settlement last Friday. Before the settlement, which is dated Nov. 10, the college limited outdoor free speech in two small areas of campus. According to the legal group, the tax-payer funded schools policies restricted the free speech rights of students to just 1.5% of the schools 100-acre campus. Under the policy, students were required to give the institution two weeks notice before speaking in the allotted areas. The school could also halt a free speech activity after hearing what the events are about. According to the lawsuit, the policy prevented students from engaging in informal conversations about their pro-life beliefs as the opportunities arise in the outdoor areas of the Colleges campus. The only permit students need to speak on campus is the First Amendment, said ADF Legal Counsel Michael Ross in a statement. Chemeketa Community Colleges previous policy placed a restriction on these fundamental freedoms by confining students to so-called speech zones and requiring reservations weeks in advance. Thankfully, Chemeketa has agreed to revise these unconstitutional policies and help ensure that all students can engage in free expression on campus. This is not the first time the institution has altered its free speech policies when faced with legal action. In 2012, the college revised its policies after ADF pressured the school in response to pro-life students being prevented from handing out pamphlets outside of a six-foot table used as a free speech zone. According to the November settlement, the school was forced to revise its free speech guidelines within 14 days of the settlement. Students now can need to fill out a form to host an indoor free speech event or an outdoor speech event larger than 400 people. They are guaranteed the right to two days for indoor activism in each term with additional dates being subject to availability. However, students still cannot draw on sidewalks with chalk. Across the United States, colleges have become the subject of First Amendment legal battles. A recent study from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education found that 88% of college campuses restrict free speech in some way. A study from 2016 found that Democrats outnumber Republicans at universities 11.5 to one. As of 2019, at least 17 U.S. states have laws to protect freedom of speech on campus, according to Inside Higher Ed. Across the nation, we are seeing incredible opposition to the pro-life speech of our student leaders and volunteers as they speak for the defenseless and educate their fellow students on abortion, said Students for Life of America President Kristan Hawkins in a statement. But the law and the Constitution are clear on the matter: Public schools cannot silence pro-life groups or force them to self-censor. We are thankful that Chemeketa Community College clarified that Students for Life and all students can participate in the open exchange of ideas and ensure that the entire college community is a free speech zone for pro-life students and their peers. Although the agreement between the school and Students for Life ends the legal conflict, it does not conclusively decide the legal question. This Agreement in no way shall be construed as an admission by Defendants that they acted wrongfully toward or failed to act lawfully with regard to Plaintiffs, the settlement reads. The American Civil Liberties Union, a progressive civil rights organization, has also criticized free speech zones. While it may sound like these zones are designed to promote speech, they actually do the opposite by confining political expression to designated areas, often in out-of-the-way locations on campus, ACLU staff attorneys Emerson Sykes and Vera Eidelman wrote in a 2019 post on the ACLU website. In 2019, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to withhold federal research grants to colleges and universities that have policies that are hostile to free speech. Last September, the Department of Education issued a final rule following Trump's order. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form (TNS) Consumers in Maine and across the country are more likely to use their latest federal stimulus check for bills, repairs or savings than to go on shopping sprees.The federal stimulus checks aim to boost the economy through consumer spending, along with helping consumers pay bills. While the first round of checks last April did spur pent-up demand for new sofas or appliances from consumers under stay-at-home orders, the second round comes as people endure the financial and health effects of the 11th month of the coronavirus pandemic. The checks, which were rolled out to qualifying households starting on Jan. 1, are half the amount of the first checks."With the first round of checks, it was crazy," Dave Sheperd, owner of The Major's Furniture & Appliance in Farmingdale, said. "Everyone was coming in because they were stuck at home and wanted to renovate. We're not seeing that as much with the second round."One factor is the lower check amount. A couple could qualify for $2,400 the last time, but only $1,200 this time, barely enough to buy the furniture or appliances they really want. That puts potential customers in the position of deciding whether to pay existing bills like electricity or splurge on something that perhaps can wait, Sheperd said.Spending or saving habits for the second round of checks appear to be along the same lines as the first checks. Nationally, households making $75,000 to just under $100,000 used the first round of checks to pay debt or add to savings, according to a U.S. Census Bureau survey. Those making $25,000 or less used most of the money on food, rent, utilities and other household expenses. Only 8 percent bought electronics, appliances or furniture.Consumer spending in Maine, which had risen by 2.1 percent in mid-September, declined through the last three months of 2020 to reach a negative 0.7 percent on Dec. 6, according to Opportunity Insights, an economy tracking company. Figures for the holiday season were not yet available. However, the delay in President Donald Trump's approval of the second federal stimulus on Dec. 27 caused consumers and small businesses to cut expenses and make other adjustments to stay afloat.New state unemployment claims ticked up for the week that ended Jan. 2, with the coronavirus pandemic continuing to have an impact on the job market. The Maine Department of Labor said there were about 3,900 initial claims for state unemployment insurance, up from 2,700 new claims the previous week. A total of 4,300 people filed a new claim or reopened an unemployment claim, up 1,000 from the previous week.Those on fixed incomes also are stretching to make ends meet."I almost live on my credit card," said Ed Barrood, an Orrington retiree who is otherwise living on Social Security and used both stimulus checks to pay down a credit card he still owes several thousand dollars on.Others who answered areader inquiry, including Frank and Lynda Cassidy of Union, are in a position to donate their $1,200 check to a food bank, something they did with the first check. Frank, a retired electronics engineer, said the couple hasn't been affected financially by the coronavirus and wants to help others. He wishes the checks could have been targeted more to people who really need them."We probably should not have gotten it," he said.Jennifer Fisk, who owns the Acadia Woods Kennel in Bar Harbor, said she is saving the money, as she did with the first stimulus check. Business dropped off when the pandemic hit Maine in March and she had to lay off her one employee. Kennel stays rose during the summer tourism season, but few animals are being boarded now, even for holidays.She said the $600 amount that Congress and the president argued over was "way too little, way too late.""I'm hanging onto the cash as a cushion and I've curtailed my spending," she said. "I have a big property tax bill coming in August."The bigger payout looks like more of a possibility with President-elect Joe Biden entering office on Jan. 20 with a Democratic-controlled Senate. The Senate had refused to support a House measure to increase the most recent round of stimulus checks to $2,000, but that's likely to move ahead now, according to. Last week, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said at a press briefing that the $2,000 checks will be "one of the first things" the Senate does under his control.Had the checks been $2,000 compared to the $600, people making less than $65,000 in 2020 would have seen an average income increase of 11 percent compared to 3 percent for a $600 payment, according to the liberal Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Those making less than $21,300 in 2020 would have seen income increase by about 29 percent by the $2,000 payment compared to 8 percent by the $600 payment."People are hurting out there," Fisk said. The National Association of Local Authorities of Ghana (NALAG) has called for a review of Article 244 (2) of the 1992 Constitution to allow for the election of presiding members for district assemblies by simple majority. According to the association, the current nature of the law, which requires a nominee to attain two-thirds of the votes of the membership of the entire assembly, undermined the election process and made it difficult for nominees to meet the requirement. Addressing the media at a press conference in Accra yesterday, the President of NALAG, Mr. Bismark Basie Nkum, said many assemblies had failed to elect presiding members for close to two years due to "the strict nature of the law." Article 244 (2) requires that less more than two-thirds of the membership of the entire assembly should be able to elect a presiding member. This means that even if one member does not attend the meeting, his absence is factored in the calculation, so we are appealing that in the same manner that the Speaker of Parliament is elected by simple majority, same should be replicated in the assemblies in the interest of building effective local governance structure," Mr. Nkum, who is also the District Chief Executive for Gomoa West, said. The law Article 244 (1) of the 1992 Constutition states that The District Assembly shall have a Presiding Member who shall be elected by the assembly from among its members. Article 244 (2) of the Constitution further directs that The Presiding Member shall be elected by at least two-thirds majority of all the members of the Assembly. Under the law, the presiding member, who has a tenure of two years and is eligible for re-election, presides over the meetings of the Assembly among other functions prescribed by law. The issue of presiding members failing to meet the constitutional requirement has become common over the years, leading to some district assemblies operating without presiding members. The Nabdam District Assembly for instance failed to elect a presiding member after three consecutive attempts since it was inaugurated earlier last year as all the elections ended in stalemate. Similarly, the Agona West Municipal Assembly, which was inaugurated in January 2020, as of September 2020, had equally failed to elect a presiding member on three different occasions. Election of MMDCEs Mr. Nkum also called on Parliament to revisit the Bill that sought to amend Article 243(1) and Article 55(3) of the Constitution to pave the way for the election of metropolitan municipal and district chief executives (MDDCEs). The government in 2019 withdrew the Bill from Parliament and subsequently cancelled a scheduled referendum due to the lack of consensus to prosecute the agenda. Mr. Nkum said the democratisation of local governance was the surest way to promote development at the local level, so the issue should not be put to bed. "Local government democracy is the way to go. That is what is happening all around us and even countries that copied our local government system are electing their mayors. We are calling on Parliament to assess the issue again. We should ignite the discussion again and follow the necessary procedure and get the Constitution amended," he said. He also appealed to Members of Parliament to attend assembly meetings and share with the assemblies policies and programmes that would enhance the activities of assembly members. 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 STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. We didnt know what to expect when we heard Gov. Cuomo announce that New York State restaurants could resume indoor dining on a limited basis outside New York City. The Big Apples dining room closures stand under a different Executive Order of shutdown. Restauranteurs here have not been shy in blasting the shutdown. Turns out, Staten Island owners were not surprised that their plight continues. But some see light peeking at the end of the tunnel. The decision was spurred by state Supreme Court Justice Henry J. Nowak, who granted restaurants in Erie County an injunction that lifted the states orange zone designation as per the (COVID-19) micro-cluster ban on indoor dining. Hopefully this is a good thing for us in New York City. Hopefully this translates to us being allowed to reopen indoor dining within the five boroughs, said proprietor Lisa McFarland who took a break from filling out PPP forms to listen to the news. Her restaurant, OHenrys Public House in Tompkinsville, is closed until February. Even if restrictions eased in the next few weeks, shell continue to hibernate. We were taking January to regroup and usually the weather is pretty bad. Our tents got destroyed and being that take-out and delivery arent sustainable well stay closed for now, said McFarland. Keith McAlarney of Macs Public House in Grant City said, Im glad that there is finally a judge willing to use common sense and actually follow the science! Hopefully this will set some precedence in our upcoming case in February and that the industry can get back open and that we need to be able to open more than just 25% which are crumbs. Macs recently saw its more than 25 criminal summonses -- issued after the establishment refused to shut down in compliance with COVID-19 restrictions -- incorrectly dismissed and then reinstated in Manhattan Criminal Court. McAlarney added, We need to get our employees back to work and provide for our families! What else is new? said a disgusted Massimo Felici of Casa Belvedere in Grymes Hill plus Stapletons VINUM and The Richmond. His three venues are open for pickup, delivery and virtual cooking experiences. Massimo Felici. (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)(Staten Island Advance/Pamela Si The whole summer New York State was open and New York City wasnt, remember? Cuomo only gave us 25% in September. At this point, he keeps talking about density. But according to a month ago when he was giving us his chart thats not the case, Felici said. He continued, Restaurants are the biggest push of the city economy, right? How does it make sense if Jersey is open and Long Island is open? All of our customers go there. Those places are packed. Go over the Bayonne Bridge and youre at a restaurant in 15 minutes. Youre not keeping people any safer if they cant dine in their own neighborhood, said Felici. He said hes expressed to lawmakers his concerns that the long-term closures have permanently altered customers patterns. NYC Hospitality Alliance executive director Andrew Rigie said, The courts preliminary decision and the governors action to remove indoor dining restrictions in all orange zones makes the status of the indoor dining ban in New York City all the more outrageous and destructive to thousands of restaurants across the five boroughs, especially when our infection and hospitalization rates are lower than most counties in the State where indoor dining is permitted at 50% occupancy. Continuation of the indoor dining ban in New York City is divorced from any of the data and criteria the State has articulated and must be ended now. St. George attorneys Mark Fonte and Lou Gelormino said in a statement, We are pleased that the judicial branch is acting as a check on government overreach. It seems that the governor only relinquishes control when pushed by lawsuits. The pair is helping to represent restaurant owners in a class-action federal lawsuit to reopen dining rooms brought on behalf of New York City businesses. Italianissimo restaurant owner Franco Ortega is one of the lead plaintiffs. The legal move targets Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio for the financial harm caused by their COVID-19 shutdown orders, mandated by the Executive Order 202.6. Balestriere Fariello, the main litigator in that suit, explained to the Advance in a prior report: Class members allege that they were deprived of or limited in their ability to operate their businesses, and thus dispossessed of their livelihoods, due to the Shutdown Orders. Class members seek to be treated the same as similarly situated businesses deemed essential. Fonte and Gelormino continue to criticize the governor. They maintain, Too much power is in the hands of one individual. Absolute power corrupts absolutely! Our restaurant friends are hopefully able to survive these horrific times. Pamela Silvestri is Advance Food Editor. She can be reached at silvestri@siadvance.com. The Tennessee Supreme Court on Thursday upheld one conviction of a defendant for money laundering charges stemming from a drug deal. However, the Court reversed a second conviction, holding that acceptance of payment for fronted drugs, standing alone, was not sufficient to uphold that conviction. A Davidson County man, Robert Jason Allison, conducted drug deals with a confidential informant in 2009. Allison delivered marijuana to the informant on two occasions. On each occasion, Allison received payment for a portion of marijuana he provided, but he also fronted additional marijuana to the informant, expecting to be paid once the informant sold that marijuana to others. Allison later accepted payment for the fronted marijuana on two separate occasions. A jury convicted him of two counts of delivery of marijuana and two counts of promotional money laundering. Promotional money laundering refers to financial transactions or other dispositions involving criminally derived proceeds done with the intent to promote the carrying on of unlawful activity. Allison appealed, arguing that the evidence showed only two transactions for the sale of marijuana rather than additional separate offenses for money laundering. The Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed Allisons two convictions for money laundering. The intermediate appellate court held that the act of accepting payment for the fronted marijuana, under circumstances indicating that Allison was in the business of selling drugs and intended to purchase additional marijuana, was sufficient proof to support Allisons money laundering convictions. The Tennessee Supreme Court granted Allisons request for permission to appeal. In its unanimous opinion, the Supreme Court determined that the evidence was sufficient to support one of Allisons money laundering convictions. For that conviction, the proof permitted the jury to reasonably conclude that Allison not only accepted payment for the fronted marijuana but also used the proceeds at issue to purchase additional marijuana with the intent to promote future sales. For the other conviction, however, the proof demonstrated that Allison, at the time of his arrest, had not purchased additional drugs with the particular proceeds he was paid by the informant for the fronted marijuana and, in fact, was still in possession of most of the proceeds. Therefore, the Court held that Allison had not conducted a financial transaction or made other disposition involving the proceeds in question within the meaning of the statute defining promotional money laundering. To read the Supreme Courts opinion in State v. Robert Jason Allison, authored by Chief Justice Jeff Bivins, visit the opinions section of TNCourts.gov. It was 2013 and Barack Obama had been sworn in for a second term as president, temporarily dashing the political hopes of Elise Stefanik, who had served as U.S. Rep. Paul Ryans debate coach in his unsuccessful bid for the vice presidency. Seeking another path forward, Stefanik, then 28, settled in Willsboro in Essex County, where, from her parents' summer home, she quietly launched her bid to topple U.S. Rep. Bill Owens, D-Plattsburgh. Owens announced his retirement in January 2014, and Stefanik cruised to victory that November as the youngest woman ever elected to Congress. Now, in the aftermath of the storming of the U.S. Capitol that left five dead, her earliest local backers the local politicians who carried her petitions and dialed her into the party apparatus across the sprawling Adirondacks acknowledge that Stefaniks unbending support of President Donald J. Trump puts her at odds with local committee members who are wrestling with which direction the party should take after Trump leaves office next week. Its cast a shadow of wonderment, said Win Belanger, a longtime political operative and early Stefanik backer, about the congresswoman's vote to object to the election results in Pennsylvania one of four state tallies that drew objections from her when Congress voted to certify President-elect Joseph Biden's victory hours after Trump supporters invaded the Capitol on Jan. 6. People are wondering why she did that. She has to be asked that, and she needs to answer that. Belanger said he still supports Stefanik, who he called the districts second best-ever representative behind Rep. John McHugh, a moderate Republican who Obama tapped in 2009 as his secretary for the Army. READ MORE: Churchill: Elise Stefanik's misplaced outrage But Belanger said he no longer supports Trump following the rash of violence (If he ever raises his head again, I wont be by his side or wearing his hat) and local Republicans will have to focus on repairing the damage done to the party. Stefanik has to walk a fine line in the local GOP committee to keep Trump voters happy, he said and would surely have been asked to leave had she voted Wednesday for his second impeachment. Although she did not speak during the floor debate, she released a statement blasting the process as a partisan ploy with no basis in the Constitution. READ MORE: Editorial: Stop this, Ms. Stefanik Interviews with a half-dozen local GOP officials, including those who laid the groundwork for her successful 2014 bid for Congress, indicated that while theyve distanced themselves from the outgoing president and arent keen on Stefanik's support of invalidating election results, theyre not ready to abandon her. Yet several think she has been knocked off track. Crown Point Supervisor Charles Harrington said he was surprised by Stefaniks pivot to Trumpism. I dont feel she has the pulse of the North Country, but I may be incorrect, Harrington said. I would think if she wants to follow through with being a congresswoman, she needs to make some changes immediately. Longtime Moriah Supervisor Tom Scozzafava was silent for several moments when asked what he thought of Stefaniks embrace of Trump. The lawmaker is simply representing her conservative constituency, he said. Like others, he indicated the muted criticism from local elected officials is a sign of the power federal lawmakers wield over funding allocations in the Adirondack Park, where development is tightly regulated. Youve got to be extremely careful in this business not to burn bridges, Scozzafava said. Localities are so dependent on the state and federal government, and vice versa, you have to keep those relationships. Essex County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Jim Monty said Stefanik enjoys broad support. Its one of those silent-majority-type deals, Monty said. Other prominent early Stefanik backers who have been enthusiastic in their support of her, including Essex County Board of Supervisors Chairman Shaun Gillilland and Ray Scollin, both former regional chairs for the state GOP, declined comment. Former Essex County Republican Committee Chairman Ron Jackson, another prominent early supporter, didnt respond to requests for comment. Essex County Republican Committee Chair John Gereau downplayed any potential fissures emerging in the committee and said support for Stefanik remains strong among voters and county GOP officials. Id like to make it very clear that Congresswoman Elise Stefanik has a large network of supporters here in upstate New York who fully stand behind her right to question voting irregularities in this country and stand up for our constitutional rights, Gereau said in a statement. But, he added: I really have not had enough conversation with elected Republicans to speak on their behalf. Stefanik handily won re-election last November, beating Democratic challenger Tedra Cobb, who initially challenged her in 2018, by nearly 18 percentage points. And while Stefanik swept all 12 counties in the district, her support was more wobbly in Essex County, where the margin of victory was her smallest in the district. After losing the county in 2018, Stefanik bested Cobb in November by just 569 votes out of 19,119 cast, according to official results from the state Board of Elections. Monty was one of the few local high-ranking GOP officials to offer full-throated support to the lawmaker. I support Elise 110 percent in what shes doing to a point, Monty said. We have eight days left in his presidency. Im not a Trump supporter, nor am I a Biden supporter. Stefanik has faced some blowback since the insurrection at the Capitol, including from her alma mater, Harvard University, which kicked her off the advisory board of its Kennedy School Institute of Politics after the school's dean determined she made public assertions about voter fraud and the 2020 presidential election that have "no basis in evidence." Harvey Schantz, a political science professor at SUNY Plattsburgh, doesnt think the controversy will hurt her locally. Schantz pointed to a Jan. 11 Quinnipiac University poll that revealed 70 percent of GOP voters nationwide believe that congressional Republicans who objected to certifying the votes were protecting democracy. The high-profile votes on the electoral challenges and presidential impeachment present potential pitfalls for Republican incumbents running in 2022, Schantz said. But for those coming from a red constituency, the safest path to another term was to support the Republican position in order to satisfy the party base. Schantz also pointed at the lawmaker's increasing sparring with Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo as a sign Stefanik has a sense of increased power from her now-national perch. Stefaniks career trajectory has always followed two paths, said Grant Reeher, a professor of political science at Syracuse Universitys Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs: astute and methodical political operative and ideological warrior. I think those two are at a crossroads right now, Reeher said. What will be the reckoning for her? It depends on what Trump does from here on out, and what she does from here on out. Stefanik declined to be interviewed, but her office offered a bipartisan list of over 60 Essex County officials who endorsed her ahead of the 2020 election. County GOP committees across the district have been receiving an outpouring of support for Congresswoman Stefanik, especially over the last week, said Alex deGrasse, a consultant for the Stefanik campaign. Congresswoman Stefanik earned more votes than any congressional candidate in the history of the North Country. She remains committed to continuing to deliver bipartisan results to the hard-working families of Essex County. For Stefanik, continuing to latch herself to Trump may be the best way to retain support from his supporters for re-election in 2022, said Tim Weaver, associate professor of political science at the University at Albany, and her planned appearance with Vice President Mike Pence at Fort Drum on Sunday, Jan. 17, sends a strong signal. But longer-term impacts following the violent siege and attempt to overturn the election are still emerging, including an increasing number of corporations announcing they will no longer donate to candidates who challenged the election results. The partys been brought to a massive dilemma that the party has been trying to avoid during the Trump presidency, Weaver said. Trump has made the Republican Party essentially his party. Brushing his hair off his forehead, David Beto Tidwell explained what its like to be a person who stutters. Its not its just something about us. Like some people are in a wheelchair, some people have cancer, he said. Stuttering is just normal; its not bad at all. The fact that Beto stutters is far from the most interesting thing about him. The fifth grader plays clarinet and is in the gifted and talented program at Mitchell Intermediate School in The Woodlands. He wants to be a neurosurgeon when he grows up because the brain is the headquarters for the body, he said. On HoustonChronicle.com: Starting from scratch: Center helps aphasia patients learn to communicate again Beto speaks both Spanish and English, and he can stutter in either language. In English, he has repetition, which he explained as repeating a sound, word, phrase or sentence. In Spanish, he has a block, which he said happens when the air from his lungs does not come out of his mouth. Truthfully, it hasnt affected his life much, he said. Though he remembers one instance when other children picked on him. I stuttered, then they were like wuh, wuh, wuh they were purposely stuttering to make me feel bad, he said. President-elect Joe Biden has talked openly about being a person who stutters. In a 2019 tweet to a political opponent, Biden said he has worked his whole life to overcome a stutter, and he considered it a great honor to mentor kids who have experienced the same. Earlier that year, Biden stuttered during a presidential primary debate, which drew criticism. In an article in The Atlantic, Biden said he had trouble pronouncing his Ss. Traditional speech therapy did not work for him in elementary school, so he worked on it alone in his bedroom by reciting poetry. Its really cool knowing that the leader of the country can relate to me and the whole of stuttering people, Beto said. Hes mentioned it in a couple of his speeches, and it makes me feel unique, yknow? What is stuttering? Stuttering happens three different ways: repetition of sounds (cuh-cuh-cuh-cat); prolongation of sounds or words (puhhhhhhh-uppy); or a block, in which a person has a difficult time speaking because the air from their lungs is not escaping their mouth, said Fergie Cantos, a bilingual speech language pathologist with the Stuttering Association for the Young (SAY). Blocks are more severe; there are a lot of head nods, tension in their throat and you may see their head go back, their eyes close or blinking or tapping, Cantos said. Courtney T. Byrd wants to neutralize stereotypes about people who stutter. Byrd founded the University of Texas Michael and Tami Lang Stuttering Institute, which promotes speaking confidently, communicating effectively and advocating meaningfully. Speech therapists work with people to increase their communication confidence, build resiliency and learn how to talk about their stuttering in ways that will help remove stereotypes. During the pandemic, Beto attended a three-week course at the Lang Stuttering Institute, where he worked with several speech therapists and teachers over Zoom. Afterward, he participated in the institutes Pay It Forward, a mentorship program for people of all ages who help each other achieve their communication goals. On HoustonChronicle.com: Alone at home, a Houston stroke patient's quick thinking saved her brain While hes read that some stutterers have difficulty with virtual classes or that it makes them stutter more, he has no trouble learning or doing schoolwork from home, saying hes more comfortable in that environment. Stutter reduction is not the institutes goal, Byrd said. The organization works toward helping people effectively and confidently communicate with others. If a child is showing signs of a stutter, the best age to bring them to a speech therapist would be 2 or 3, when the childs brain is most adept at picking up languages, she said. (Adults will) say they wish someone would have told them its OK to stutter," Byrd said. Byrd will meet Biden at the White House later this year to discuss the new Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research. It was established through a $20 million legacy grant to further Byrds work, which includes the institute, developmental stuttering laboratory and a stuttering clinic. Biden has been open about the fact that he stutters but has admitted to changing words or memorizing what he will say before debates in hopes that he wont stutter, Byrd said. People can mischaracterize a stuttering moment as lower intelligence or anxiety because they do not know what stuttering moments actually look like, she added. I plan to talk to him about it because there is a part of his messaging that isnt reflective of what we teach people, Byrd said. I would advise him against changing his words or memorizing and instead talk through the stuttering moment. More than one language is a gift Cantos, a bilingual speech language pathologist, said family members of children who stutter in multiple languages may not be aware of what is happening. Cantos works for SAY, an organization based in New York City that aims to build community and acceptance for children who stutter while helping them develop communication skills. Astros outfielder George Springer became a SAY spokesperson after speaking openly about his stutter. Sometimes (parents) think that speaking two languages may hurt (the child) and its making them stutter, but its not true, Cantos said. Taking away a language will not help (a child who stutters). In a paper assessing bilingual children who stutter, Byrd found no evidence of bilingualism contributing to stuttering or more difficulty with a stutter. Renew Houston: Get the latest wellness news delivered to your inbox Learning more than one language is a gift, Byrd said, and for many, its not a choice. Choosing to not teach a child who stutters his or her native language could result in a cultural disconnect if they are the only ones who do not speak it. Many parents come to me and say Im concerned about my child because we speak another language in the home, and were thinking of only speaking English to them because I dont want to make the stuttering worse, Byrd said. Speaking more than one language will not cause a child to stutter more. In Spanish, Beto described the familys rescue dog Oliver, a small, toothless Yorkie. Este ano adoptamos un perro y yo lo llame Oliver pero nosotros llamalo Ollie es un Yorkie chiquito. No tiene dientes, Beto said. Siempre tienes su camita en la oficina (el) duerme. Since he speaks only English at school, Beto said his mom prefers he speak mostly Spanish at home. He rarely speaks both languages simultaneously, but not because he is a boy who stutters. I kind of keep it one or the other, he said. My mom prefers that I speak Spanish at home because you dont really speak Spanish at school. julie.garcia@chron.com twitter.com/reporterjulie Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the goals of the Lang Stuttering Institute. The Lang Stuttering Institute teaches that fluency should never be the goal, but rather communication confidence and effectiveness is the goal. We regret the error. (@FahadShabbir) The Latvian authorities use repressive methods to restrict freedom of the press in a bid to silence alternative voices, former editor-in-chief of the Baltnews portal, Andrey Yakovlev, said on Thursday MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th January, 2021) The Latvian authorities use repressive methods to restrict freedom of the press in a bid to silence alternative voices, former editor-in-chief of the Baltnews portal, Andrey Yakovlev, said on Thursday. The Russian-speaking journalist, who headed the news outlet two years ago and now works as a freelancer, said in December that the Latvian State Security Service (VDD) searched his home and office, seized a number of gadgets and conducted an eight-hour interrogation, as he was charged with a violation of European Union sanctions. "I had a company that established the Baltnews.lv media outlet here [in Latvia]. This Latvian portal operated on a legal basis. But when I officially transferred the media, which was established and owned by my company, through the Latvian state registrar to another owner Rossiya Segodnya news agency I gave Latvian journalists working for Russian media the opportunity to register as journalists here in Latvia. It was not welcomed [by Latvia] and so this situation emerged," Yakovlev said in an interview with the RT broadcaster. According to the journalist, the Latvian authorities have been scraping off alternative media in the country for at least the past 25 years, creating a "cordon sanitaire" around Russia. Several Russian-speaking Latvian journalists, who worked with the Baltnews and Sputnik Latvia outlets, have been accused of violating EU sanctions. Their apartments were searched and they are under their own recognizance not to leave the country. Last month, the lower house of the Russian parliament urged European lawmakers to condemn such treatment of Russian-speaking reporters in Latvia, and the Baltic country's foreign ministry responded by saying that Moscow's claims were unfounded and pointed to Latvia's high position (22 out of 180 countries) in the 2020 media freedom ranking of the Reporters Without Borders organization. The Russian Foreign Ministry has condemned Latvia's crackdown on Russian-speaking journalists, noting that the EU sanctions cited by Latvia concern only the general director of the Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, Dmitry Kiselev, and cannot apply to all entities that work with the agency, especially those who work as freelance journalists. BOISE - The Internal Revenue Services Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI) is warning Idaho taxpayers about a new wave of COVID-19-related scams as the agency delivers the second round of Economic Impact Payments. In the last several months, IRS-CI has seen a variety of Economic Impact Payment (EIP) scams and other financial schemes designed to steal money and personal information from taxpayers. Criminals are taking advantage of the second round of Economic Impact Payments as well as the approaching filing season to trick honest taxpayers out of their hard-earned money. Money derived from the CARES Act is meant to assist those in our nation that have been seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, stated SAC Andy Tsui of Denver Field Office for IRS-CI. But criminals think that these funds have become an easy source to line their pockets through deceit, trickery, and fraudulent activity. We at IRS-CI remain dedicated to finding the lawless that prey on our public and hold them accountable for their actions. Some common COVID-19 scams include: Text messages asking taxpayers to disclose bank account information under the guise of receiving the $1,200 Economic Impact Payments. Phishing schemes using email, letters and social media messages with key words such as Coronavirus, COVID-19, and stimulus in varying ways. These communications are blasted to large numbers of people and aim to access personally identifying information and financial account information (including account numbers and passwords). The organized and unofficial sale of fake at-home COVID-19 test kits (as well as offers to sell fake cures, vaccines, pills, and professional medical advice regarding unproven COVID-19 treatments). Fake donation requests for individuals, groups and areas heavily affected by the disease. Bogus opportunities to invest in companies developing COVID-19 vaccines while promising that the company will dramatically increase in value as a result. Although criminals are constantly changing their tactics, taxpayers can help protect themselves by acting as the first line of defense. The best way to avoid falling victim to a scam is knowing how the IRS communicates with taxpayers. The IRS does not send unsolicited texts or emails. The IRS does not call people with threats of jail or lawsuits, nor does it demand tax payments on gift cards. IRS-CI continues investigating hundreds of COVID-19-related cases with law enforcement agencies domestically and abroad and educating taxpayers about scams. COVID-19 scams should be reported to the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or submitted through the NCDF Web Complaint Form. The NCDF is a national coordinating agency within the Department of Justices Criminal Division dedicated to improving the detection, prevention, investigation and prosecution of criminal conduct related to natural and man-made disasters and other emergencies. Taxpayers can also report fraud or theft of their Economic Impact Payments to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Reports can be made online at TIPS.TIGTA.GOV. Taxpayers who receive unsolicited emails or social media attempts to gather information that appear to be from either the IRS or an organization closely linked to the IRS, should forward the message to phishing@irs.gov. Taxpayers are encouraged not to engage potential scammers online or on the phone. Pope Francis formalizes women's roles at mass, maintains men-only priesthood Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Pope Francis has officially changed Catholic Church law to allow women to be permanently installed as lectors or acolytes during mass, while maintaining that only men can be ordained as priests. Although many Catholic congregations already allowed for women to serve as Bible readers or altar servers during mass, Francis' decree merely formalizes the ability of women to permanently serve in those roles as full-time positions and prevents "bishops from choosing to restrict women from those ministries," according to The Jesuit Review. Pope Francis wanted to formalize and institutionalize the presence of women at the altar, explained Vatican News regarding the new law. Francis, therefore, establishes that women can have access to these ministries and that this be recognized through a liturgical act formally instituting them as such. Despite expanding the role of women in the mass, Francis reaffirmed the Catholic Church's position against female ordination, quoting an earlier papal document stating that it does not consider herself authorized to admit women to priestly ordination. On Monday, in an official letter by the pontiff to the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Francis formally recognized the Catholic worship service roles for women. I considered it appropriate to establish that not only men but also women can be instituted as Lectors or Acolytes, in whom, through the discernment of the pastors and after adequate preparation, the Church recognizes the firm will to serve God and the Christian people faithfully, stated the letter. The decision to confer these offices on women as well, entailing stability, public recognition and a mandate from the bishop, makes the participation of all in the work of evangelization more effective in the Church. Francis explained that he believed opening those roles to women will increase the recognition, also through a liturgical act (institution), of the valuable contribution that a great number of lay persons, including women, have offered to the life and mission of the Church for a very long time. It will be the task of the Episcopal Conferences to establish adequate criteria for the discernment and preparation of candidates for the ministries of the Lectorate or Acolytate, or other ministries which they deem to be instituted, he continued. Since becoming leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Francis has been noted for his expanding of the role of women in the institutions of the global religious body. For example, in August 2020, Francis appointed six women to the Council for the Economy, a high-level financial issues body in the Catholic Church that was created in 2014. In addition to the six women, the membership of the Council will include one male lay leader and eight cardinals, which include Cardinal Joseph Tobin of New Jersey. I see their nomination as an effort by Pope Francis to ensure greater opportunities for women to offer their gifts in service to the church, said Tobin to the National Catholic Reporter last year. He clearly considers the academic formation and vast experience of these colleagues as crucial contributions to one of his cherished priorities, the ongoing reform of the financial administration of the Holy See. Rioters who stormed the Capitol last week posted some of their planning on Parler, a social media network that prides itself on free speech. "Better advice ... go armed and ready to shoot," one user posted on the site on Jan. 6, according to screenshots shared on Twitter. Over the weekend, Parler was removed from Apple and Googles app stores. On Monday, Parler disappeared from the internet entirely as Amazon's cloud provider dropped it. All the tech giants cited the site's incitement to violence and lack of content moderation. Parler's fall was faster than its rise. The site, which was founded in 2018, built a name for itself as a conservative competitor to Twitter and Facebook. It was much smaller than the giants but growing steadily, and pitched itself as a privacy-focused, sophisticated social media site that put a premium on people's rights to free expression. For months it attracted big names and gained millions of users, many of whom had grown fed up with traditional social media sites. But Parler also quickly became a breeding ground for conspiracy theories about the election and calls for violence in D.C. And one by one, technical services in the days following dropped their support - culminating with Amazon's decision. As its fate became clear, a group of hackers worked to archive the site so no posts - potentially incriminating or not - would be lost. Users, who flocked to the site on the promise of free speech and expression without censorship, were dealt a parting blow from a researcher who claimed she is in the process of archiving nearly all public posts on Parler and will make them available to others online. That scraping, as it's known, wouldn't have been so accessible for a bigger site with more security precautions in place, security experts said. One of Parler's selling points, extolled publicly by executives, was privacy - compared with the reams of data Twitter and Facebook collect on users. "It's one thing to have the intention of privacy and it's another to be able to deliver it in a meaningful way," security researcher Troy Hunt said Monday. Hunt, who was not involved in the data leak, pointed out that although the data may have been legally obtained, Facebook and Twitter have controls in place to prevent such a scraping. (Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos owns The Washington Post.) It wasn't just the big players - customer service company Zendesk and security firm Okta also dropped Parler as a customer, furthering its tumble off the web. Parler immediately objected to this characterization - and filed a lawsuit against Amazon. Before it went dark, CEO John Matze posted on the site that "violence and coordinating rebellions and coordinating insurrections has no place on social media." Matze posted that "the media tried to claim that 'The Insurrection' was organized on Parler." He added that Parler has no way to organize anything, and "bad actors" turned the protest into a riot. Parler did not respond to a request for comment. In its lawsuit against Amazon, Parler said AWS alleged it had informed Parler of 98 posts that violated policies, and later in the suit Parler said it had "removed everything AWS had brought to its attention and more." Parler pointed out in its suit that violent hashtags and posts also surface on Twitter, and said that Amazon breached its contract with the company by not giving it 30 days notice. Parler has long prided itself on relaxed moderation policies that rely on a group of volunteer jurors to vote on potentially illegal posts and decide if they should be removed or left up. Parler has said it doesn't rely on artificial intelligence technology to find and flag violative posts and it last noted several months ago that it had only about 200 volunteer jury members "If somebody does something illegal, we're relying on the reporting system," Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Wernick told The Post in December. But in the days leading up to and following the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by a pro-Trump mob, Parler was filled with posts supporting rioters and calling for future attacks. "Sleep well tonight patriots. ... You are going to love how this movie ends," wrote "StormIsUponUs," a QAnon-espousing account with more than 450,000 followers on Parler. "'Nothing can stop what's coming' wasn't just a catch-phrase." The Post has not yet been able to independently verify the archive of scraped Parler posts, although internet sleuths have said they've started using the information. A Twitter user with the handle @donk_enby, who has posted she's working on the archive and who The Post hasn't been able to identify, didn't respond to a request for comment. The Archive Team, which was documenting the effort, and Internet Archive, which is supposed to host the scraped data, did not respond to requests for comment. Parler surged in popularity over the last eight months, riding the backlash against big tech companies pushed by President Donald Trump and conservative politicians and pundits. The company was launched by an investment from billionaire Republican mega donor Rebekah Mercer, who with her father has helped bankroll Trump, the far-right site Breitbart News and Cambridge Analytica. Parler was founded in Henderson, Nev., in 2018 as a free-speech alternative to mainstream social media sites, promising fewer rules. In May, Twitter for the first time flagged Trump's account with a fact check label. Facebook said shortly after it would also begin labeling his posts, and Trump lashed out at the social media companies for censoring him. Prominent Republicans in response called on people to abandon Twitter and join Parler. Sen. Ted Cruz tweeted in June that he was joining Parler, calling it "a platform (that) gets what free speech is all about." In just one week, the site gained 1 million users, bringing it to nearly 3 million users by early July. The site steadily gained users as Trump and prominent conservative voices continued to rail against big tech companies, and some Republicans tried to push changes to a critical social media law. Still, Trump himself didn't join. After the election, Parler saw an even bigger bump. Many voices encouraged a jump to the site, included Fox News personality Sean Hannity. Parler said its users doubled that month to more than 10 million people. In its lawsuit filed Monday, it said more than 12 million used the site. Parler reached the top spot for downloads on the Apple App Store in the U.S. on Nov. 8, five days after the election. It reached it again Jan. 9, the day after Twitter banned Trump. It was downloaded 296,000 times in the country that day, according to data from Sensor Tower. Matze has said the app welcomes all voices from across the political spectrum. But the company has attracted a right-wing base fed up with what they view as censorship on traditional social media sites. "We initially attracted conservative users because they felt disenfranchised by other social media platforms," Matze said in an email sent through a spokesperson in July. Some posts on Parler echoed common social media themes - sharing cooking tips or updating friends on life events. But the site largely seemed to focus on sharing news from conservative publications and discussing the state of politics, particularly following Trump's election loss. In the days before the attack last week, Parler users with red badges - indicating the company had verified they were real people - advocated for a violent uprising against law enforcement, supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement and antifascists, according to screenshots posted on Twitter. "Time to burn down dc police precinct. (Expletive) those treasonous pig bastards," one user wrote under the handle JuarezTX, in response to the arrest of a member of the Proud Boys. "And you choose to beat antifa and blms asses; remove their helmets and kick in their teeth," wrote user Harleyquinn. Twitter user @donk_enby said she started making a record of every public Parler post made during the Capitol riot to preserve posts. When it seemed Amazon would pull its hosting support, she said she and others started archiving as many public posts as they could. "I'd describe the current Parler archival situation as 'a bunch of people running into a burning building trying to grab as many things as we can,'" @donk_enby tweeted Sunday. She also said she made a record of all videos uploaded to Parler, and cautioned that could include deleted posts. In the end, she told Gizmodo she estimates 99 percent of Parler posts were saved, and will eventually be hosted by the Internet Archive. Internet sleuths have said they've already used information from the archived data, including GPS coordinates of videos, to create interactive maps and identify counties and other locations where videos had allegedly been uploaded. The data pulled by researchers after the attack could potentially be used to aid law enforcement in their investigation of the Capitol attack. "All the data would be fair game for law enforcement," said Kiel Brennan-Marquez, a professor at the University of Connecticut School of Law who specializes in surveillance and data collection. A principle established under the Fourth Amendment, called the private search doctrine, allows the government to use data that was the result of surveillance or intrusion by a third party - so long as law enforcement didn't coordinate with the individual. A similar grass roots effort to archive planning documents followed the white nationalist march in Charlottesville, Va., in 2017. In that case, the documents were obtained from private groups, operated by far-right figureheads and hosted on Discord, an app popular with gamers. Months of chat transcripts and audio recordings, published by the left-wing nonprofit media collective Unicorn Riot, revealed participants discussing potential weapons and concealing firearms. At the time, lawyers said the archive could be useful in both criminal cases and civil lawsuits filed by people hurt or killed during the confrontation. - - - The Washington Post's Tonya Riley contributed to this report. A mechanical engineering professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was arrested on US charges that he failed to disclose his ties to the Chinese government when seeking federal grant money. Federal prosecutors in Boston on Thursday charged Gang Chen, a Chinese-born mechanical engineer and nanotechnologist, with defrauding the US Department of Energy when seeking grants and failing to disclose on a tax return a China-based bank account. A representative for MIT did not respond immediately to requests for comment. An attorney for Chen also did not respond to a request for comment. The case is the latest to emerge from a US Justice Department crackdown on Chinese influence within universities amid concerns about spying and intellectual property theft by the Chinese government. According to a criminal complaint, Chen was involved in various efforts to promote China's technological and scientific development, including acting as an "overseas expert" for the Chinese government at the request of its New York consulate. Prosecutors said that he also received money from various Chinese entities and helped review and assess grant applications for the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC), which operates similarly to US grant-funding agencies. But prosecutors said he never disclosed his work for the NNSFC or other Chinese affiliations when he applied for grants from the Energy Department or even to his employer, MIT. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Advertisement A hero police officer who drowned trying to pull a young canyoner from a whirlpool that sucked her underwater has been given an emotional farewell with a full police funeral. Senior Constable Kelly Foster, 39, died during an unsuccessful attempt to save international student Jennifer Qi, 24, who was sucked in at the Wollangambe Canyon, on Mount Wilson, north west of Sydney, on January 2. Senior Constable Foster's family, friends and colleagues gathered in Lithgow in the Blue Mountains, for her funeral on Thursday afternoon. Her parents and her partner Gavin Morom - who trekked to the picturesque spot with her on the day of her death - were seen comforting each other during the funeral at Lithgow Uniting Church on Thursday. Fellow police officers carried her coffin draped with an Australian flag into the church. Senior Constable Kelly Foster, 39, died in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney while trying to save a young woman who got sucked into a whirlpool The casket of Snr Cnst Foster is carried into the church by masked members of the NSW Police force on Thursday afternoon The parents of Snr Cnst Kelly Foster and the police officer's partner comfort each other at the funeral service in Lithgow on Thursday Mourners embrace each other as they arrive for the police funeral of Snr Cnst Kelly Foster on Thursday afternoon The family of Snr Cnst Kelly Foster are seen in front of her casket for the emotionally-charged funeral at Lithgow Uniting Church Snr Cnst Foster's parents at her funeral on Thursday. The police officer had only recently returned to the NSW Police Force after overcoming breast cancer Other officers then followed carrying the 39-year-old's police medals. To allow members of the public to pay their respects, a funeral procession and marching escort then travelled along one of the town's main roads. A police motorcade and officers on horseback escorted the hearse past hundreds of mourners and well-wishers who turned out to pay their respects to the much-loved senior officer. The officer's family later released a statement describing her as a 'loving sister, daughter, partner and friend'. 'She was one of a kind; tough when she needed to be, but selfless, always supporting the people around her,' the statement read. 'This was true throughout her life, from her earliest role as a protective big sister, to her early career as a teacher, and later as a police officer. Family, friends and colleagues of the police officer gathered at Lithgow Uniting Church for her funeral on Thursday afternoon Pictured: The order of service booklet for the funeral. Members of the public were allowed to pay their respects to the police officer during a procession through the town The Foster family on Thursday provided additional images of the police officer - who her loved ones praised for her 'grit and resilience' 'She overcame the challenges in her life with grit and resilience and did so with a smile that lit up her whole face and every room she entered, a sparkle in her eye and a laugh that was infectious.' Her loved ones said the Foster family would remain 'forever connected' with the Qi family because of their shared tragedy. 'It was a mutual love of the outdoors that brought both Kelly and Jenni to be on the Wollangambe trip together that day,' the statement read. 'Jenni loved the outdoors, camping and rock climbing regularly. She had even bought herself a Jeep to do the off-road driving needed to get to the places she wanted to reach! 'Our hearts go out to Jennis family and friends who are also grieving at this time. We will remain forever connected by this tragedy and our shared grief.' A motorcade of police motorbikes arrive at the officer's funeral at Lithgow Uniting Church on Thursday afternoon - almost two weeks after her tragic death The officer's family released a statement following the funeral describing her as a 'loving sister, daughter, partner and friend' Ms Qi had been working as a software engineer after graduating with a First Class Honours degree in computer science from the University of Sydney. Snr Cnst Foster had served in the police force since 2010 and was highly regarded. She was first stationed in Newtown in Sydney's inner-west and most recently worked at Lithgow Police Station. Snr Cnst Foster and Mr Morom bonded over their shared love of adventuring and regularly went hiking, camping and on mountain bike rides throughout Australia. Snr Cnst Foster's police hat and medals are carried by two NSW Police officers at her funeral on Thursday The Blue Mountains, where Mr Morom grew up, was a regular visit for the pair in 2020, taking his 4WD on camping or day trips during the Covid-19 pandemic. Senior Constable Foster only recently returned to the NSW Police Force after overcoming breast cancer. The heroic policewoman had no hesitation before she dived in to try to save the woman from the raging waters, with other witnesses then throwing a rope into the creek in a bid to save her. Acting Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said she always 'put the needs of others before her own'. The police officer (pictured) heroically jumped in to save the other woman - an international student - from the raging waters Police carry Snr Cnst Foster's casket on Thursday. The seasoned police officer died while attempting to rescue a woman who had been been swept into a whirlpool The police officer's parents and her partner Gavin Morom are seen during Snr Cnst Foster's police funeral on Thursday Acting Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon had earlier described Snr Cnst Foster as a 'highly regarded and dedicated officer who will be sorely missed by colleagues across the force' Members of the NSW Police stand in a guard of honour to salute the casket of Snr Cnst Foster as it leaves the Lithgow Uniting Church on Thursday Three police officers stand with a flag bearing the crest of the NSW Police Force outside the funeral on Thursday afternoon A NSW Police officer salutes in front of police motorbikes during Snr Cnst Foster's funeral on Thursday Officers on motorbikes and on horseback escort the hearse through Lithgow following the police funeral on Thursday afternoon Hundreds of well-wishers took to the streets of Lithgow for the procession on Thursday to pay their respects to the police officer Mr Morom (right) had posted about his trek with Snr Cnst Foster (left) on adventurers social media app Strava the day of her death. The policewoman only recently returned to the job after overcoming breast cancer 'It's a very sad time for the NSW Police Force and Kelly's death is a loss to the whole community,' Acting Commissioner Lanyon said in a statement. 'To hear reports Kelly was trying to help another woman when she died demonstrates her commitment to the community she served and the ability to put the needs of others before her own. 'Kelly was a highly regarded and dedicated officer who will be sorely missed by colleagues across the force. 'Her policing career was put on hold when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, however, her strength to survive this and return to work is another testament to her strength and resilience. An international student, 24, was among a group swimming on inflatable lilos at the popular Wollangambe Canyon (pictured) when she was sucked into the whirlpool. Her body was recovered on Sunday, along with Snr Cnst Foster's 'Above all, Kelly was a kind and loving daughter, sister and partner.' The international student was among a group swimming in the picturesque spot when she was swept up in the water. Police and ambulance crews rushed to the scene about 2.30pm but the pair were lost beneath the surface. A search for their bodies resumed on Sunday morning, after it was suspended about 6pm on Saturday because of poor weather. Members of Senior Constable Foster's family came to the canyon to watch the search in the desperate hope she would be found alive. One fellow policewoman who joined the force at the same time as Senior Constable Foster remembered her as a 'selfless and compassionate' person. Emergency services rushed to the scene after the alarm was raised about 2.30pm on Saturday, but poor weather conditions meant a search had to be called off about 6pm. When it resumed on Sunday the bodies of the two women were located by NSW Police divers Eight other members of the group who the international student was with were uninjured It's believed both women were canyoning in water only that can only be reached after hours of hiking through rough terrain 'RIP my old Academy mate. Always a selfless and compassionate individual. You will now be remembered as a hero. I will treasure the memories of our good times in Goulburn,' a former colleague wrote. The canyon is believed to have been flooded due to recent heavy rainfall. The other members of the group were uninjured and were assisted by police officers and paramedics. A report will be prepared for the coroner. Miguel Acosta Jr. forged his own identity in a legendary San Antonio family of luthiers, craftsmen who make stringed instruments. He was the go-to guy when a guitar needed fixing. The renowned guitar and instrument repairman, who had been in declining health, died at home Jan. 5 after a brief illness. He was 81. Acosta ran the family business, Acosta Music Co. on Bandera Road, until his retirement a few years ago. His customers ranged from superstar George Strait to actor Ann B. Davis of The Brady Bunch fame and included members of Van Halen and Texas Tornados. He made me feel like family, said Jenn Alva, the bass player in Girl in a Coma and Fea, who posted a tribute on Facebook about how Acosta kept her instruments roadworthy. He always took care of me. Most people knew Acosta as Mike, and to his family and closest friends he was Mickey. He liked it that way. In the San Antonio music community, the Acostas were renowned. The history of the family business, which began in 1920, is intertwined with some of Texas greatest musicians. Miguel H. Acosta Jr. Born: July 18, 1939 in San Antonio Died: Jan. 5, 2021 in San Antonio Survivors: Wife, Olga Acosta; children Michael Acosta, Bernice Acosta Hinnant and Belinda O'Connor; siblings Sylvia Ramirez, Guadalupe "Sonny" Acosta, Irma Miller, Louis Acosta, Santiago "Jimmy" Acosta, Cynthia Acosta and Yolanda Heinz; and grandchildren Randy Johnson, Brad Johnson and Evan Shelton. Services: Services are pending. See More Collapse Guitars built by his grandfather Guadalupe Acosta were played by Lydia Mendoza, who strummed an Acosta 12-string guitar on her hit Mal Hombre, Celia Mireles, Rita Vidaurri and bluesman Alonzo Lonnie Johnson, who improvised single-string solos on his 1928 Acosta guitar while playing with Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. The instruments guitars and bajo sextos were medium size and ranged from simple to ornate with hand-cut checkerboard binding. The musicians who play them say they rival the quality of Martin guitars, a famous American brand, and cite their playability, how they stayed in tune and how their use of woods mahogany, walnut and long leaf pine created a rich sound. The bajo sextos by Acosta and Martin Macias were the best, said Santiago Jimenez Jr., a San Antonio traditional conjunto musician and National Medal of Arts recipient. Macias was the patriarch of another San Antonio family of instrument makers. Tejano Conjunto Festival founder Juan Tejeda has called him the Stradivarius of bajo sexto. Acostas father, Miguel Acosta, was a guitar and bajo sexto luthier and innovator. He built an electrified double-neck bajo sexto-guitar combination in 1947, long before Gibson introduced the double-neck electric guitar that Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin popularized. His uncle Jesse Acosta taught him how to repair instruments. The last to work in the family business, Acosta is remembered for his humility, quiet sense of humor and perfectionism. He was dedicated to putting his customers first. The original Acosta Music Co. opened in 1920 at 504 W. Houston St. downtown, selling handmade guitars and bajo sextos, other stringed instruments and sheet music. In the late 1940s, Guadalupe Acosta moved it to the corner of Smith and Travis streets on the West Side. The business closed in the 1960s. Mike Acosta opened his own shop on Bandera Road in 1974, reviving the Acosta Music Co. name. Over the course of 40 years, he would operate the storefront at three locations on Bandera; the final spot was not far from another San Antonio landmark, Randys Rodeo. He ran Acosta Music Co. with his wife, Olga. Family photos from the old days hung in his shop. The small space had a few guitars hanging on the walls and glass cases filled with accessories. One wall usually was lined with amps awaiting repair. Acostas workshop was behind the humble front room. Growing up, he didnt have a lot of things, Olga Acosta said via email. And he didnt want us to do without, so that is why he worked so hard. Three jobs at one point. Acostas son, Michael Acosta, said his father was a positive and encouraging force who put his three children through college by working as a machinist at Kelly Air Force Base and repairing and customizing band instruments for Caldwell Music on North Main Avenue in addition to his work at his own shop. He had a great ear, he said. He could tune an instrument without a pitch pipe or a tuning fork. He could just about fix anything. Guitarist Steve Owens, a founder of the San Antonio band the Mo-Dels, was a teenager when he met Acosta decades ago because he needed his grandfathers vintage acoustic guitar repaired. Owens, who now runs his own repair shop, said he saw how much Acosta enjoyed his job and strives to emulate his dedication. The reward is in reviving an instrument thats in disrepair or old, Owens said, or making a guitar play really well, to really dial it in. Acosta graduated from Lanier High School in 1957. He played drums and sometimes performed in combos at teen dances at Patio Andaluz and Salon Tea, at West Commerce and Colorado Streets. But the musicians life wasnt for him. Neither was building guitars like his father or grandfather. He had built a few as a young apprentice at Acosta Music Co. but got turned on to fixing electric guitars with the advent of the Beatles. It was a very different era from the one in which his grandfather had founded the family business. He chafed at being called a luthier. My dad would say, I dont know what that is. Im just a damn guitar repairman. He used to laugh at that, Michael Acosta said. He never boasted. But he had a saying, Do it right the first time. Fernando Fern Hernandez, a guitarist who played with the San Antonio metal band Paradox in the 90s, worked for Acosta for years, starting in the mid-70s when Hernandez was a long-haired kid. He looked at me like I was a caveman, he said. His first job was to sweep and mop. Then he got to clean the guitars. He drilled me like Sgt. Carter, said Hernandez, who came to consider the Acostas mentors and second parents. He was a big-time dude, but he didnt care about being famous. Madison, Wisc., guitar builder Todd Cambio, owner of Fraulini Guitars, was a friend of Acostas. He has repaired vintage Acosta guitars and replicated the Lydia Mendoza 12-string guitar. He calls them handmade works of art with a rich tone. People dont understand the impact they had on Mexican American music, Cambio said. The quality was excellent. And Mike was very knowledgeable of that family history. It was a point of pride. Even after he retired, bringing Acosta Music Co.s illustrious run to an end, Acosta maintained a guitar repair workshop in his garage for the rest of his life. Hector Saldana is the curator of the Texas Music Collection at The Wittliff Collections at Texas State University in San Marcos. Editors note: This story has been updated to correct the Acosta Music Co. timeline. The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has condemned what it describes as "absurd and unnecessary drama" in the Chamber of Parliament by Members of the House during the election of the Speaker for the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic on the night of January 6, this year. It has, therefore, urged Parliament to purge itself of the blemish by rendering an unqualified apology to Ghanaians and also take steps to bring Members of Parliament (MPs) at the centre of the brouhaha to book. The Chairperson of the NCCE, Ms Josephine Nkrumah, who made that call in a statement, said the standoff in Parliament, apart from bringing the image of the legislature into disrepute, was also an affront to the country's democracy. Brawl in Parliament The call by the NCCE is in response to series of verbal and physical exchanges between elected MPs from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) sides who had gathered in the Chamber of Parliament to be sworn into office after the dissolution of the Seventh Parliament on the mid-night of January 6, 2021. The 275 MPs were first of all required to cast their ballots to elect a Speaker for the Eighth Parliament and two deputy speakers. The elected Speaker would then swear the elected MPs into office. The constitutional exercise was characterised by series of misunderstanding, including disagreements over the use of secret balloting to elect the Speaker of the House. In the midst of the brouhaha, some MPs-elect resorted to kicking and hijacking of ballot boxes to stop the voting process on the grounds that some of the voters were publicly displaying their votes when it was supposed to be secret. The worst happened when the MP for Tema West, Mr Carlos Ahenkorah, snatched ballot papers that were being counted. He was physically attacked by other MPs from the NDC side to retrieve the papers. After long hours of back and forth, the former MP for Nadowli Kaleo, Mr Alban S.K Bagbin, was declared the Speaker of the House and sworn into office. Condemnation The action of the MPs had received wide condemnation by many groups. The NCCE joined in that condemnation, with its chairperson describing the drama in Parliament as "unconstitutional, disgraceful, detestable and smacks off indiscipline,". She called for specific sanctions on MPs involved in the ballot papers snatching brawl. Additionally, she called for an exhaustive investigation into the circumstances under which the military was deployed to invade the chamber. "This is reprehensible, an affront to our democracy and contravenes Article 122 of the 1992 Constitution which states An act or omission which obstructs or impedes Parliament in the performance of its functions or which obstructs or impedes a member or officer of Parliament in the discharge of his duties, or affronts the dignity of Parliament or which tends either directly or indirectly to produce that result, is contempt of Parliament," she said. While calling on well-meaning Ghanaians to join in condemning the "immature and undignified act" by the MPs, she underscored the need for the leadership of Parliament to take immediate steps to deal with the issues to restore dignity to the House. The NCCE boss indicated that the action of the MPs gave credence to the perception that what miscreant constituents do at polling stations was backed by some political actors. "The Commission urges Parliament to apply sanctions appropriately to serve as deterrent to others and the electorate generally," she said. Dialogue Ms Nkrumah urged MPs in the Eighth Parliament to resort to dialogue on issues to engender consensus building, given the even split in seats to the two dominant parties. That, she said, would be the best way to uphold the principles of serving the needs of the Ghanaian at all times. Use of military Ms Nkrumah also said the increasing military presence in the country's democratic processes was a cause for concern "and we call for a full scale investigation and explanation to Ghanaians over the intrusion of the military in our Parliament. She reiterated the need for every Ghanaian to uphold the supremacy of the 1992 Constitution and respect state institutions to strengthen and enhance the country's democracy. 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 Some scams just won't go away, such as the fake memo, sporting a National Guard logo, warning that troops are being mobilized to enforce a nationwide quarantine. The document first began circulating in March as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in America, prompting National Guard officials to declare it false. Now, it seems the persistent document is being circulated once again as thousands of Guard troops are deploying to Washington, D.C., and state capitols to beef up security for the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. Read Next: Army to Review More Than 3,500 'Bad Paper' Discharges for Post-9/11 Vets Military.com was alerted to the flyers return by Saginaw, Michigan, resident Judy Dings, a civilian who said a civilian pilot friend showed it to her. Hoax flyer warning of imminent National Guard mobilization. (Courtesy Judy Dings) "I try not to get too excited about crap," the Saginaw, Michigan, resident told Military.com. "But when I got this from my friend -- who I consider very knowledgeable and intelligent and not a freak when it comes to distributing crap like this -- I go, 'Look at the formatting, Al. Come on.'" Dings was right to be skeptical because the document is just as false now as it was in March, National Guard officials say. "The statement in the material is totally false," National Guard spokesman Wayne Hall told Military.com, pointing out that the Guard's COVID-19 mission does not fall under the Department of Homeland Security, as the memo states. "All National Guard members on duty for COVID-19 operations are performing missions at the direction of the governor of their respective states," he said. More than 20,800 Guard members are participating in the COVID-19 response mission across the country. Troops in Arizona, California, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee are helping to administer COVID-19 vaccines to the civilian population, according to a statement the Guard released Tuesday. The Pentagon has also authorized up to 15,000 Guard troops to deploy to the District of Columbia after pro-Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 as members of Congress counted the Electoral College votes to affirm Biden's victory in the Nov. 3 election. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com. Related: Army, White House Issue Warnings About Coronavirus Hoaxes and Scams Former U.S. treasury secretary to helm major committee on U.S.-China relations NEW YORK, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. treasury secretary Jacob J. Lew has been named chair of the board of directors of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations (NCUSCR), according to a recent NCUSCR release. The NCUSCR, a non-profit organization, has been at the forefront of promoting understanding and cooperation between the United States and China for decades since the area of "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" in the 1970s. Lew is the 10th NCUSCR chair, the fourth former U.S. cabinet member and the second former U.S. treasury secretary to helm the New York-based committee. According to the release, Lew believes "sound and productive Sino-American relations serve vital American and world interests." "The manner in which America and China conduct their security, economic, and political relationships in the coming years will have a profound impact on the policy dynamics of the entire global community," Lew was quoted as saying in the release. "By educating leaders and creating opportunities for dialogue, the National Committee will play an important role in helping the two countries navigate this critical period in their relationship," he added. Lew, born on Aug. 29, 1955, is an American attorney and politician who served as the 76th U.S. Secretary of the Treasury from 2013 to 2017. As a Democrat, he also served as the 25th White House Chief of Staff and Director of the Office of Management and Budget in both of the Bill Clinton Administration and the Barak Obama Administration. After 19 years serving as chair, Lew's predecessor Carla Hills will become honorary chair and remain on the board, the release said. The naked and beaten body of a man stabbed to death was found on the side of a road in NSW after a fight over the drug ice, a jury has been told. Jamie Phillips, 46, died of a stab wound to the heart before he was found uncovered with his legs in a folded position in a vacant Campbelltown lot on October 25, 2018. Barry Paul Cavanagh and Nathan McIvor, both 38, and Sean David O'Keefe, 39, have pleaded not guilty to murder. Jamie Phillips with his daughter The men acted in a joint criminal enterprise to cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Phillips through a 'sustained or prolonged physical assault' that led to one pulling out a knife that ultimately killed him, the Crown submits. The jury will hear from Sharyn Gallagher who met the three accused at Campbelltown McDonald's car park in the early hours of October 25, before travelling back to her Ambarvale home, crown prosecutor Chris Taylor told the Supreme Court on Wednesday. She will say the men were whispering among themselves throughout the evening before they disappeared with Mr Phillips into a bedroom, from which she heard shouting and loud thumps 'consistent with wrestling within this room'. Police arrest 38-year-old Nathan McIvor in 2019 over the murder of Jamie Phillips in 2018. He has since pleaded not guilty to murder along with his co-accused Barry Paul Cavanagh and Sean David O'Keefe After asking what was going on, one man answered: 'It's OK Shaz it's just us boys sorting out our shit, we'll be out in a minute.' Feeling scared she retreated into her room when O'Keefe and McIvor, holding a knife, followed her in. 'I don't want to have to hurt you,' she says McIvor said to her. Later she recalls seeing a man lying facedown in a room wearing Mr Phillips' distinctive bright orange sneakers before she was quickly ushered away and locked in her bedroom. Phillips's (pictured) family said they do not know the accused killer, and they have never seen or heard of him When she was released only Cavanagh remained with blood on his shoes, which he asked her to remove. 'Sorry for making all the noise and if we upset the neighbours. Sorry about them boys, we all got out of hand with each other,' he allegedly said before leaving. Mr Phillips' dumped body was found that day with a 'very high level' of ice as he was a regular user. The punch-up started because Cavanagh and O'Keefe stole ice from Mr Phillips who tried to grab it back, Mr Taylor said. An issue for the jury to decide was whether all three accused acted in a joint criminal enterprise to kill Mr Phillips or the alternative of an extended joint criminal enterprise to assault him, foreseeing that grievous bodily harm might be inflicted. Gallagher has agreed to give evidence after pleading guilty to destroying CCTV footage recorded at her home on the night in question. The trial continues. If you've been on the internet in recent days, chances are you've seen American actor Armie Hammer's name trending for, shall we say, unusual reasons. Let's unpack. Hold up, who are we talking about? Armie Hammer, he's the other guy in Call Me By Your Name. You know, the one that's not Timothee Chalamet. (No one can be.) Armie Hammer, pictured here at the 2018 Oscars, is the subject of some wild claims on social media. Credit:Jordan Strauss/AP Oh yep, kinda All-American vibe. So what's he done? Oh nothing, it's just that he's a horny cannibal. Allegedly. Sorry, what. Earlier this week an Instagram account @houseofeffie began sharing screenshots of her DMs with Armie. The account owner claims to have been in a consensual relationship with the actor for four years, including while he was still married to estranged wife Elizabeth Chambers. (CNN) US President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday urged the Senate to conduct the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump while simultaneously working on other critical issues, indicating a desire to settle the proceedings against Trump that are likely to remain unresolved when Biden takes office. While he said in a statement Wednesday that the US House's vote "to impeach and hold the president accountable" was "a bipartisan vote cast by members who followed the Constitution and their conscience," Biden wants to hit the ground running on a broad spectrum of economic and public health initiatives when he takes office next week. He said the US Senate needs to be able to follow through on Trump's impeachment trial while working on his agenda. "This nation also remains in the grip of a deadly virus and a reeling economy," Biden continued. "I hope that the Senate leadership will find a way to deal with their Constitutional responsibilities on impeachment while also working on the other urgent business of this nation." The US House voted 232 to 197 on Wednesday to impeach Trump, with 10 GOP lawmakers joining all Democrats to impeach Trump for "incitement of insurrection" exactly one week after rioters stormed the US Capitol as the House certified Biden's election victory. Marking the first time a president has been impeached twice, the process now advances to the Senate, which will conduct a trial. Biden has made clear he's not particularly enthusiastic for Trump's impeachment, remaining silent for several hours on the historic action. Aides had told CNN that the President-elect was planning to release a statement Wednesday night on the President's impeachment, but the timing certainly underscores that the Biden team had other priorities on Wednesday. Yet the reality is that impeachment will now be one more thing Biden inherits from the Trump presidency. He is still awaiting word on whether the Senate will be able to pursue impeachment, alongside Cabinet confirmation hearings and Covid-19 legislation he plans to outline in greater detail Thursday evening. Aides say Biden and his team are working behind the scenes with Senate Democrats -- and House impeachment managers -- to keep the impeachment trial as swift as possible, although it remains an open question how successful that might be. At least four confirmation hearings for Biden's Cabinet nominees are already scheduled for the week of January 20, for Secretary of State nominee Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary nominee Lloyd Austin, Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen and Secretary of Homeland Security nominee Alejandro Mayorkas. Senators could be called on to draft legislation having to do with the pandemic or economic relief, as Biden wants to increase relief checks to $2,000. This story was first published on CNN.com Biden calls on US Senate to pursue impeachment along with the nation's 'other urgent business' SEATTLE (AP) A powerful wind storm rolled through the Pacific Northwest leaving a trail of damage including nearly blowing a semi off a bridge, a landslide and more than 500,000 people without power. Winds reached gusts 50-70 mph in parts of the Puget Sound region as the storms cold front blew through on the tail end of several inches of rain that left soils saturated and conditions ripe for tree falls, KOMO-TV reported. Ferndale reported a gust to 70 mph while Federal Way hit 61, SeaTac reported 58 while Tacoma hit 56, Bellevue hit 52 and Everett hit 48 mph. In Oregon, Dodson residents were told to evacuate after the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning Wednesday morning. Officials issued the flash flood warning just before 5:30 a.m., urging residents of Dodson to evacuate the area immediately, KOIN reported. The weather service told residents to call friends in the area to waking them up. NWS tweeted that the situation has been deemed too dangerous to send in rescue crews. Eastbound Interstate 84 in Oregon was closed at the Troutdale exit after a landslide spilled onto the freeway near Dodson earlier in the morning. Multnomah County Sheriffs Office first tweeted about the landslide shortly before 2:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Half an hour later, MCSO said the landslide was still active. First responders from the Oregon Department of Transportation, Oregon State Police and MCSO are on scene searching for anyone who may have been caught in the debris. MCSO says they do not know how wide the landslide is, but deputies estimate it to be several feet deep in some areas. ODOT is bringing in machinery to clear the roadways. Reports of trees down across roads and/or into power lines were spread across the region in the lowlands while closer to the mountains, several rivers began spilling their banks from relentless rains over the past 48 hours. One USPS semi truck blew over in 60-65 mph gusts as it attempted to cross the Deception Pass Bridge along SR 20 in Washington early Wednesday morning, leaving part of the truck leaning precariously over the edge. The driver wasnt injured but had a harrowing tale to tell. I just passed the middle of the bridge and a gust ofI dont know how bad just picked up my trailer and my truck and just pushed it against the guard rail, driver Jeff Myles told KOMO NewsRadio. I slammed on my brakes and I just laid over the guard rail. It tilted about 3 feet each way. Myles said his cab was leaning over the edge and it was a mad scramble to get out, but he couldnt just open his door. I could look down at the water (out my window), so I wasnt going to open THAT door, he said. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 101 year old Bridget Connolly has become the first resident to receive the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at St Itas Community Nursing Unit in Newcastle West. Bridget, known as Biddy, who is originally from Meanus, received the vaccine this Thursday alongside healthcare workers from the Unit. She says she was delighted to receive the vaccine as she chatted about her love of hurling and how she cant wait to see Limerick back on the pitch to win another All Ireland hurling title in 2021. She is an avid horse racing fan and a great follower of Limerick racehorse owner JP McManus. All Staff, residents and their families were given a HSE vaccine information leaflet, along with more detailed manufacturers patient information leaflet, before getting the vaccine. Afterwards, each person vaccinated was given a vaccine record card, showing the name and batch of the vaccine they have received. They will each return for their second dose, to be fully protected, in three weeks. Commenting after the vaccines were delivered, Noreen Conway, Director of Nursing, St Itas Community Nursing Unit said: "Weve been waiting patiently all week for the vaccine to arrive and we were thrilled early this morning to see the HSE vaccination team arrive on site with the Covid-19 vaccine. There is a great sense of excitement among our residents and staff who by tomorrow will all have received their first Covid-19 vaccinations. It is a great way to start 2021." Mary OBrien, Head of Service, Older Persons, HSE Mid West Community Healthcare said added: "It is another great day as we see our first residents and staff in Limerick Community Nursing Units receive their Covid-19 vaccination. I am delighted the roll out of the Covid vaccine is continuing across our Community Nursing Units in the Mid West this week. The remaining units will receive the first dose of the vaccine in the next ten days. All Residents and staff welcome the vaccine and uptake remains really high in our residential setting." The roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine at nursing homes across Limerick is expected to be ramped up over the coming days. Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley had a bizarre relationship, to say the least. Not only did the two start dating when Priscilla was shockingly young Elvis also had specific expectations of his beau. According to Priscilla, this included her appearance and behavior, and resulted in her being treated like a living doll. It also meant she couldnt appear before Elvis Presley without her hair and makeup done. Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley dated at a shocking age Elvis Presley | Keystone/Getty Images RELATED: Elvis Presley Wanted to Marry Ginger Alden, Have a Son Elvis Presley met Priscilla Presley when he was serving in the army. The two met in Germany in 1959 at a party Presley was hosting. Presley took notice of Priscilla in part because she resembled his recently deceased mother. Presley decided to pursue Priscilla despite her shockingly young age. The two started seeing each other when she was only 14 years old Presley was 24 at the time. Naturally, Priscillas parents were alarmed to hear that their 14-year-old daughter was dating a 24-year-old man. After they met Elvis Presley, they apparently felt reassured despite the disturbing age gap. Priscilla would wear makeup and borrow her mothers outfits in order to appear older, hoping that Elvis friends wouldnt notice her age. Priscilla Presley was his living doll Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley | Bettman via Getty Elvis Presley had exacting expectations of Priscilla Presley. It seems The King had built up his ideal woman in his head, and he refused to settle for anything else. He slowly molded Priscilla into the woman he wanted her to be. Nights when his mood was calm and peaceful, he would describe his ideal woman and tell me how perfectly I fit this image. He liked soft-spoken brunettes with blue eyes. He wanted to mold me to his opinions and preferences. Fidelity was very important to him, especially on the womans part, explained Priscilla. Elvis Presley went on to have hairdressers sculpt Priscillas hair and its style so that shed look as much like him as possible. Priscilla Presley later described herself as essentially being Elvis living doll. In fact, Priscilla has since explained that Elvis Presley never saw her without her makeup on and her hair done up. Some cant have the truth. I always had a little bit of makeup. He never wanted to see me getting dressed, he wanted to see the end result, she told Loose Women. She left him for her own life Elvis Presley | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Eventually, Priscilla Presley became fed up with Elvis Presleys cheating and controlling ways. She realized that she hadnt experienced her own life in some time, and that in some ways, she wasnt sure of who she was. I realized that I dont know who I am, she explained. I didnt have my teenage years as a normal girl, obviously, so I had to adapt. So I just kind of followed what he did. I mean, you lived his life. You honestly didnt have your own life So you really kind of lost yourself, she added. I did not divorce him because I didnt love him. He was the love of my life, but I had to find out about the world. (Natural News) Over a million Israelis have already received the first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine. Despite the grand promise of vaccination, health officials have already identified 240 vaccinated Israelis who were later diagnosed with covid-19. These people exhibited various symptoms of illness. There are several explanations for this medical error. Many of the reasons have already been documented by the drug companies in clinical trials or have been explained by former drug company executives. Why do people get sick after vaccination? Some reasons include: One First, the study design for Pfizer/BioNTech was fraudulently created to boost vaccine efficacy. By using high cycle threshold PCR tests (that generate up to 97 percent false positives) and by failing to confirm actual infection using the Sanger sequencing method, the study design failed to measure whether the vaccine had any effect at all on blocking virus transmission or halting viral replication compared to controls. Two The second explanation is based on the same premise of false positive diagnoses. Most of the 240 covid-19 diagnoses that were observed post vaccination could be false positives themselves, depending on the number of cycles used in the PCR tests. Most states are not requiring labs to report the number of threshold cycles used. The ideal number is seventeen cycles, yet test kits continue to use amplification cycles 34 or greater. This lack of transparency causes false diagnosis, as vague symptoms of illness are misclassified as SARS-CoV-2 (which is a more severe form of respiratory illness that attacks the lungs.) Many of the vaccinated individuals could be developing greater protection against coronavirus spike proteins, but are still getting sick to other, similar virus infections, nonetheless, only to turn up false positives when they are tested later on. The test kits do not determine viral load and are therefore pointless for surveillance. Three The third explanation is that the vaccinated individuals are getting sick because the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine admittedly does not stop the transmission of the virus or protect anyone against it. The vaccines so-called efficacy is based on the reduction of symptoms, compared to those who get severely ill from the SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. The vaccinated individuals may still become infected, but they may be more apt to experience less severe symptoms. This is a critical deviation from the science of vaccination most people have learned to trust. This is because these vaccines are not vaccines at all. They are experimental mRNA technology platforms. Four The fourth explanation for vaccinated people getting sick is that the mRNA is being destroyed by the patients immune system before it penetrates the recipients cells. This is one of the challenges of the mRNA platform that scientists have warned about. If the mRNA is attacked before the RNA fragments are encoded into the ribosomes of the cell, no immune process will be initiated as intended. This is why the mRNA is coated in polyethylene glycol (PEG), so it can penetrate into the body. This represents the fifth problem that could be occurring. Five The fifth explanation for waning immunity in vaccinated individuals is the prevalence of PEG, which can cause human immune systems to overreact, leading to the development of anti-PEG antibodies that ultimately weaken the vaccines efficacy. These vaccines are not effective for people who already have auto antibodies to PEG and may incite allergic reactions. Six The sixth explanation for waning immunity in vaccinated individuals is that the vaccines do not confer immunity for very long. This is why the drug companies are starting with two doses in their experimental first release of the vaccine. They warn that the first does is not enough and only confers 50 percent immunity. Even after the second dose, immunity is not guaranteed. In fact, phase two clinical trials show that the immunity wanes in as little as two months, rending the vaccine pointless. In order to stay consistent with the science, vaccine recipients may be made dependent on the mRNA software program and be required to get up to six shots of the vaccine each year. Seven The seventh explanation for sickness post vaccination is that the vaccine causes symptoms of illness in previously healthy people. In fact, the FDA has listed twenty-six severe and life-altering adverse events that may occur after people receive these vaccines. According to phase three clinical trials, the prevalence of vaccine injury increased significantly with the second dose. There have already been thousands of reported adverse events from the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines, with more to come. Be sure to read more about the problems of vaccination at Vaccines.news. Sources include: WesternJournal.com NaturalNews.com PublicHealthOntario.ca NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com MedAlerts.com Israel's energy minister held a video conference call with his counterparts in the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Sudan and Bahrain for the first time on Thursday, according to a statement from his office. The Israeli minister, Yuval Steinitz, said the conference call discussed recently normalised ties and what impact there could be on sectors including oil and gas, renewable energy and research and development, the statement said. The four Arab states, in deals brokered by the United States, have agreed to set aside hostilities with Israel. Also on the call were energy ministers from the United States and Egypt. Cairo made peace with Israel in 1979. "The ministers discussed how diplomatic relations between the countries could revolutionize national security, economic prosperity and adding content to the peace agreements, including investments in energy research and development, deploying infrastructure and technology," the statement said. Short link: * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! US brand Amass launches non-alcoholic botanic spirit American spirits brand Amass is capturing the spirit of the Pacific Northwest in a new non-alcoholic release. Riverine contains a regional blend of 14 natural botanicals including sorrel and sumac. Each botanical is individually distilled with a 'hydrosteam' technique, which uses water vapour to capture essential oils. It is inspired by the forests of British Columbia, Canada, where Amass chief product officer and master distillery Morgan McLachlan grew up. She says: "With our line of clean botanic spirits, we wanted to offer a premium culinary experience for all Amass consumers, regardless of their drinking habits. "Riverine is inspired by the dense coniferous forests of the Canadian Pacific Northwest, where I grew up. The result isn't a gin proxy, but rather a nuanced, sophisticated spirit in its own right." Riverine is intended as a premium 'no and low' counterpart to the Amass spirits range, which includes its Dry Gin and Botanic Vodka. The brand says it can be enjoyed in a range of cocktails, or over ice with a splash of tonic. Distilled and bottled in British Columbia, the drink is low-calorie and free from added sugar, sweeteners, artificial colours or flavours, and is vegan, non-GMO and gluten-free. It will be available on amass.com for US consumers from 25 January. Alongside its spirits, Amass - based in Los Angeles, California - also makes a range of botanic personal care products including hand soaps and bath salts. 14 January 2021 - Bethany Whymark Sandusky, Ohio--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2021) - PAO Group, Inc. (OTC Pink: PAOG) today published a management outlook for 2021 on the company's strategy to develop and monetize the cannabis assets acquired last year. The strategic outlook is included in its entirety below: PAOG 2021 Cannabis Biopharmaceutical Strategic Outlook PAOG is a longtime participant in the cannabis sector working on initiatives to introduce cannabis treatments as alternatives to traditional pharmaceuticals, particularly where existing pharmaceutical treatments have potentially severe secondary ramifications as is the case with opioid based treatments. Last year, the company shifted its primary focus to the development biopharmaceutical treatments derived from cannabis. On July 30, 2020, PAOG acquired RespRx from Kali-Extracts, Inc. (OTC Pink: KALY) RespRx is a cannabis treatment under development for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) derived from a patented cannabis extraction method - U.S. Patent No. 9,199,960 entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING HERBACEOUS PLANT MATERIALS INCLUDING THE CANNABIS PLANT." PAOG also acquired a of hemp cultivation business from Puration, Inc. (OTC Pink: PURA). This operation comes with existing sales activity and PAOG expects to report its first revenue from the acquisition in conjunction with the inclusion of Q4 2020 results into the overall 2020 financial report. Since the two acquisitions, PAOG has been working diligently to develop and execute upon a strategy to monetize the assets in a manner that acheives self-sustainable operations at the same time delivering optimal shareholder value. Toward that end, PAOG has entered into three strategic partnerships. PAOG recently announced an engagement with Veristat, Inc., a contract research organization headquartered in Southborough, Massachusetts. PAOG has engaged Veristat to assist in advancing PAOG with its proprietary Cannabidiol (CBD) extract for the treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) toward initiating an Investigational New Drug application (IND) with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Veristat, a scientific-minded global clinical research organization (CRO), enables sponsors to solve the unique and complex challenges associated with accelerating therapies through clinical development to regulatory approval. With more than 26 years' experience in clinical trial planning and execution, Veristat is equipped to support any development program. Learn more about Veristat at www.veristat.com. PAOG management anticipates a pharmaceutical development process to be a long-term endeavor. Management is committed to pursuing complimentary initiatives that have the potential to deliver revenue and profit in a shorter time frame. PAOG has also recently engaged with the Puerto Rico Consortium for Clinical Investigation to assist PAOG with developing its proprietary Cannabidiol (CBD) extract into a nutraceutical product to provide care for those experiencing issues associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD). The Puerto Rico Consortium for Clinical Investigation (PRCCI) is a not-for-profit network of top performing, high-quality research sites invested in increasing the speed and quality of clinical trials. PRCCI enhances clinical research speed and quality by driving performance and efficiencies in research sites, leveraging strategic partnerships and by establishing world-class capabilities. PAOG is targeting revenue in 2021 resulting from its nutraceutical developments. Learn more about PRCCI at www.prcci.org. PAOG has also entered into a strategic partnership with PURA in conjunction with PURA's overall initiative in Farmersville, Texas. In Farmersville, PAOG plans to build a pharmaceutical grade hemp cultivation facility and hemp extract facility. The PURA partnership includes the opportunity to work in conjunction with PURA's partnership with Alkame Holdings, Inc. (OTC Pink: ALKM). PAOG plans to work with PURA and ALKM's co-packing operations in the delivery of its CBD nutraceutical care solutions for those experiencing issues associated with COPD. In a closing note to the strategic outlook, PAOG management is pleased to announce it has made the necessary application to authorize the issuance of a dividend of one share of PAOG stock to every holder of one share of PURA stock in accordance with the terms of the acquisition of the hemp cultivation business from PURA last year. PAOG anticipates announced dividend dates soon. Learn more about PAOG at www.paogroupinc.com . Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the company are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Technical complications, which may arise, could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above. The Company undertakes no duty to revise or update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release. CONTACT INFORMATION Contact Us: Jim DiPrima 888-272-6472 info@pao.group To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/72072 Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In . Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In. French Laundry celebrity chef Thomas Keller has departed Twitter. On Tuesday, after tweeting praise for the recently deceased Sheldon G. Adelson, one of President Donald Trumps biggest donors who was also a patron of Kellers restaurants, he immediately saw backlash. Some called Keller tone deaf due to the recent storming of the Capitol by Trump supporters, or expressed disappointment in him for making money from evil people. As of last night, people began noticing that Keller had deleted his Twitter account (The San Francisco Chronicle broke the news). But this incident is far from Keller's first brush with controversy in recent months. In April, after he was named to the White Houses Economic Council for Restaurants along with Wolfgang Puck, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Daniel Boulud, Keller tweeted the following: "Honored @realdonaldtrump asked me & @danielboulud @wolfgangpuck @jeangeorges to join @whitehouse Great American Economic Revival Industry Group. Proud to work together towards a strategy where the safety of Americans is top of mind in conjunction towards economic revitalization." Keller also directly thanked Trump in another tweet for a related issue, just a few days before. Online, some people were unhappy to see a direct mention of Trump from Keller, and were also disappointed to see the makeup of the Council for Restaurants to be all male, mostly white and made up of representatives of corporations such as Chick-fil-A and Pepsi, rather than small businesses. "I'm still trying to understand how these chefs represent a true crosssection of restaurant owners?" replied one individual. "Oh wait, they don't. Who in that room is going to speak for workers? I feel like we're all putting too much faith into this 'relief' when we aren't even through the storm yet." With criticism against his new gig piling up, Keller doubled down. "This is not a partisan issue; millions are struggling to put a meal on their table. I stand proudly alongside some of the great thought-leaders of today; Tim Cook, Jeff Bezos, Ajay Banga, Condoleezza Rice, Adam Silver, Ann Mukherjee, Barbara Grimm, and many others," he tweeted in a thread. Another tweet said, "I urge all haters and cynics to stop and join meaningful actions. Shout less, act more." And while Keller himself was not at the center of all the heat Gov. Gavin Newsom and San Francisco Mayor London Breed caught for dining at the French Laundry during the pandemic, it certainly didn't help his restaurant's reputation. The French Laundry also received more than $2.4 million in PPP loans during the pandemic, while smaller restaurants struggled to get approval at all from the federal program which didnt sit well with a lot of people, for obvious reasons. Tuesday's Twitter controversy was perhaps the straw that broke the camel's back, but leaving Twitter seems like it was a long time coming for Keller. The chef's Instagram account, however, remains active. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 21:56:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SHANGHAI, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Zhiji Motor, a high-end smart electric-vehicle company in China, has debuted two smart new-energy vehicle (NEV) models in Shanghai. One model, an electric sedan, will be open for pre-order in April and delivered to customers in 2022, while the other model, an electric SUV, is expected to hit the market in 2022. Zhiji was jointly launched by leading Chinese automaker SAIC Motor, Zhangjiang High-tech Park in Shanghai's Pudong New Area and e-commerce giant Alibaba Group in November last year, with an expected investment of 10 billion yuan (1.53 billion U.S. dollars). On Wednesday, the company also announced that it would provide its customers with an autonomous-driving service in selective commercial centers in first-tier cities like Shanghai at the end of 2021, subject to regulatory approval and availability of high-precision maps. In these commercial centers, a Zhiji car driver can have the car move to a parking spot by itself or have it move to a designated location via an app on the phone. The service is expected to be available in more commercial centers in other Chinese cities in 2022, according to Zhiji. Enditem Alls households in Wales will be sent information on Welsh Governments COVID-19 vaccination plans This article is old - Published: Thursday, Jan 14th, 2021 Every household across Wales is to be sent information about the Welsh Governments COVID-19 vaccination plans. The Health Board letters will be sent over the next couple of weeks and will be issued by local authorities, on behalf of the Welsh Government. It will provide information on the roll-out of the coronavirus vaccines currently available in Wales, how the vaccines are being made available and in what way people will be invited to an appointment. People are being urged to wait their turn and not to contact NHS or health services to request a COVID-19 vaccine When they are invited for their vaccination, which could be at a hospital, a vaccination centre or their GP surgery, people will be advised where their vaccination will take place. Each letter will be tailored to provide relevant information to communities on the services specific to the area. There are two phases of the vaccine roll-out and within the first phase, vaccines will be given according to age and risk of serious illness if someone catches coronavirus. The groups in this first phase accounting for 1.5million people represent around 99% of preventable deaths from coronavirus. In the first five weeks since the first vaccines were administered in Wales, 91,239 people have now received their first dose. A second dose of the same brand is recommended within 12 weeks. It is hoped that every eligible adult in Wales will be offered a vaccination by the autumn, as set out in the Welsh Governments Vaccination Strategy released earlier this week. As well as the letters, Welsh Government is also reinforcing its warnings about scams which ask people for their bank details or payment to receive a vaccine; no one will be asked to pay for a vaccine on the NHS. To help notice a scam, people should look out for misspellings and grammatical errors, as well as non-NHS web addresses asking for details. Theyre also warning against vaccine calculators which claims to give a predicted date for when someone can expect to be vaccinated. In reality, these calculators harness personal details to make an estimate and are not endorsed by official organisations. Health Minister Vaughan Gething said: An enormous amount of work has gone into delivering what is the largest vaccination programme Wales has ever seen. Our plans are ambitious but together with the NHS, we are working incredibly hard to make sure people get their jabs as quickly and safely as possible. Vaccinations are life-saving and, in this pandemic, it could be life changing for all of us. However, as we speed up the roll out of vaccines across Wales, its more important than ever that we follow the rules and keep ourselves safe. That means staying at home and working from home; keeping our distance from others; washing our hands often, and if we do have to go out, wearing a face mask when were in public places. BUTTE COUNTY, Calif. Butte County Public Health (BCPH) announced Wednesday it will begin collecting contact information from residents and businesses who are interested in getting the COVID-19 vaccine. This registration process will allow BCPH to notify individuals when the vaccine is available for the phase and tier in which they are categorized, as defined by the California Department of Public Health. RELATED: California opens scarce vaccines to those 65 and older Health officials stressed this registration process does not book a vaccination appointment. It collects contact information so individuals can be notified when they are eligible to be invited for the vaccine. In addition to registering for the vaccine, individuals or groups who think they may have been missed during Phase 1a can notify BCPH and still receive the vaccine. Visit the Butte County Public Health COVID-19 Vaccine page to register using the following forms: Individual vaccine, Business/Organization vaccine, You missed me vaccine (coming soon), Sign-up to be a vaccine provider (coming soon) RELATED COVID-19 VACCINE CONTENT: Authorities continue to patrol Perth's Swan River for a second day after a shark attacked swimmer Cameron Wrathall on Thursday. Cameron Wrathall was bitten on the leg by what is believed to be a bull shark in the Swan River. Credit:Facebook Kayakers returned to the water at Blackwall Reach in Bicton on Friday morning, as Fisheries officers recommenced water and land patrols. It follows Mr Wrathall being bitten on the thigh by a suspected bull shark while swimming in the river around 8am Thursday. A Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesman said drumlines would not be used to try and catch the shark that attacked Mr Wrathall due to the narrow section of river and high boat traffic. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A coalition of advocates is calling on the Ohio General Assembly to allow virtual testimony during the coronavirus pandemic, something state legislative leaders so far have declined to do. Under longstanding policy, members of the public must drive to Columbus and testify in person at the Statehouse to offer comment on proposed legislation. The Republican-controlled legislature has not changed that policy to allow for virtual testimony since the emergence of COVID last March, and GOP Ohio House members in December rejected a Democratic proposal to do so. Seventy-six groups, including the Ohio AFL-CIO, the Ohio Association of Food Banks, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio and the Sierra Club signed a letter on Thursday sent to House Speaker Bob Cupp and Senate President Matt Huffman, both Lima Republicans, to allow for remote testimony. In a Thursday press conference organized by the ACLU of Ohio, advocates, most of whom came from left-leaning organizations, said not allowing virtual testimony excludes those with health concerns from the democratic process. This limits public participation on key issues like responding to the coronavirus pandemic, an expected school-funding reform bill or the upcoming state budget, and disproportionately excludes Ohioans who are Black, poor or those with compromised immune systems, they said. Weve needed to advocate for COVID, but those who are most impacted are unable to be there, said Katy Shanahan with All on the Line Ohio, a Democratic-aligned group formed to advocate during this years process to redraw legislative and congressional lines. While no cases have been definitively linked to the Statehouse, there have been numerous cases of legislative staff and lawmakers contracting COVID-19 over the past year, including several who attended a House Finance Committee meeting last month. Legislative leaders also have rejected requests from Democrats to require masks during legislative hearings. Some states, including Maryland and Virginia, recently have changed their rules to allow for virtual testimony, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Others, like Wisconsin, previously had allowed it during emergency situations. The U.S. Congress also has allowed for some business to be conducted virtually, as have many local governments across the country. Cupp said earlier this month that hes considering allowing remote committee hearings. But, he said it raises logistical issues. We would like to do something. But the remote committee meeting presents problems for us, because our process always has been to open up committee hearings to anyone who wants to come in and testify. But when you go remote and open it up, you can just figure out how many people might want to do that. It makes our process impossible, he said. Most legislative business now is streamed online through the government-owned Ohio Channel. Members of the public also can still offer written testimony on bills. But advocates said testifying directly allows for advocates to modify their remarks or answer questions from legislators. And, they said they suspect lawmakers often ignore written testimony, while oral testimony makes them more of a captive audience. This should not be one-way conversation. Lawmakers need to have the chance to ask questions of advocates, said Jen Miller, executive director of the Ohio League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan group that advocates for voting rights. I think it would provide for a bigger variety of voices, and allow input from people who are impacted by these bill, said Dr. Anita Somani with Physicians Action Network, a progressive advocacy organization. State Rep. Brigid Kelly, a Cincinnati Democrat who sponsored the virtual testimony proposal that failed last December, said Thursday she will re-introduce her proposal. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor HOUSTON, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- National Asset Services (NAS), one of the Country's leading commercial real estate companies, successfully delivered a buyer for Chartwell Court Apartments in North, Houston, TX on behalf of property investors in the 253,553 square foot, 243-unit complex. "The Chartwell Investor Committee highly recommends Karen E. Kennedy and her team to any investor who wants a trusted partner that treats your investment like their own," commented Paul Balas, an investor in Chartwell Court Apartments and a member of the property's governance committee. The sale resulted in a 132% return of the initial investment, despite the property being in an area largely populated with tax credit properties. The NAS team leveraged its vast resources to identify the right buyer while working in tandem with Portico Property Management to achieve and maintain an above-market-occupancy-rate of over 90%, despite the tragic impact of COVID-19 on the marketplace. Senior managing director Ryan Epstein, senior director Jennifer Ray and associate director Scott Bray of Houston-based, Berkadia brokered the sales transaction on behalf of Chartwell Court Apartments Ownership. The NAS executive team assumed asset management of the property in Spring of 2015. At that time, NAS immediately executed aggressive, multi-faceted, marketing and operations strategy to reduce a high rate of rent delinquency and increase occupancy levels, while creating a better living experience by addressing deferred maintenance issues. In 2017, NAS' strategic management execution, along with the company's strong reputation for closing, were key factors in securing a capital source for refinancing the 20 Co-Owner tenants-in-common (TIC) multifamily property, preserving the co-owners original 1031 Exchange benefits and options; a highly unusual event that reinforced NAS' ability to leverage its strong industry relationships. "The Chartwell Investor Committee highly recommends Karen E. Kennedy and her team to any investor who wants a trusted partner that treats your investment like their own," commented Paul Balas, an investor in Chartwell Court Apartments and a member of the property's governance committee. "Our ability to quickly turn around an underperforming property, while leveraging our strong industry relationships, made the possibility of refinancing a large, tenants-in-common property a reality in 2017 and then, in turn, finding a buyer in a year of unprecedented uncertainty caused by the pandemic," commented Karen E. Kennedy, President and Founder of National Asset Services and NAS Investment Solutions. "The end result was the best possible outcome for our clients invested in Chartwell Court Apartments. Originally built in 1995, Chartwell Court Apartments is located about two miles west of Interstate-45 and approximately 17 miles north of downtown Houston. The apartment community is a complex of 20, two-story buildings, a leasing office and clubhouse. All units have an attached garage and community amenities consist of a fitness center, business center, cyber cafe and coffee bar. There is a resort-style pool with an outdoor grill. About National Asset Services (NAS) Headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, NAS manages a wide range of diverse commercial real estate: Office, medical office, multifamily, retail, student housing, assisted living and industrial flex properties. The company manages sole-owner and multi-owner properties. NAS offers a wide range of asset management capabilities. They include: Property management; project management; lease administration; acquisition and disposition services; real estate strategy analysis; long-range business objectives; monitoring changing market conditions; investor relations; real estate and investor accounting; loan modification and workout solutions; exit and hold strategies; leasing & marketing; tenant retention plans; research studies; site selections; feasibility studies; insurance risk management; capital improvement planning and tracking; property tax appeal services and cost segregation services. About NAS Investment Solutions (NASIS) NAS Investment Solutions was established to leverage National Asset Services' vast experience in investment property management by identifying, acquiring, and enhancing commercial real estate investments across all sectors of the real estate industry. The company is differentiated from other property investment sponsors by: Investing in the property alongside investor clients Managing the sponsored investment through National Asset Services, making the company accountable throughout the entire hold period. Maintaining high acquisition standards and executing an exhaustive, transparent due diligence process Thoroughly vetting potential property investments, utilizing professionals that have extensive experience in acquiring and managing real estate A proven track record of closing properties on time Ensuring investment properties are 1031 exchange eligible and qualify for self-directed IRAs For more information about National Asset Services and NAS Investment Solutions, visit nasassets.com or nasinvestmentsolutions.com For more information about NAS, visit www.nasassets.com. Contact: JW Robison [email protected] 310.795.8985 SOURCE National Asset Services Related Links https://www.nasassets.com/ Representative Image (Source: Reuters) The Centre has said that vaccine makers in India will be held liable for "complications or adverse effects" that occur due to their doses. The statement comes as part of the purchase order after manufacturers had asked the government to not hold them legally responsible for adverse effects of the jabs. However, the Centre's purchase order with the vaccine manufacturers specifies that they will have to inform the government in case of any "health risks or complications due to the vaccine," The Economic Times reported. Follow our LIVE updates on the coronavirus pandemic here During the usual vaccination drive, it is the responsibility of the company to provide protection in case of any untoward incident. The same has been followed here too, a senior government official said. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report. The statement reads as: Company shall be liable for all adversities as per CDSCO/ Drugs and Cosmetics Act/DCGI policy/approval." Bharat Biotech and Serum Institute of India (SII) did not respond to queries, it said. Check here for the latest updates on all COVID-19 vaccines Vaccine makers had asked the government to adopt an indemnity clause after many countries including Canada, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union, assumed at least part of the burden while acknowledging urgency to develop vaccines in a short period amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it noted. In fact, SII CEO Adar Poonawalla had earlier said the government should indemnify vaccine manufacturers from all lawsuits. Besides countries, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had also adopted a "no-fault compensation scheme for indemnification and liability issues for Covid-19 vaccine makers" with its Covax vaccine facility partners. government has often stated the coronavirus started elsewhere virologist Dominic Dwyer is among team of experts heading to China An Australian member of an international team travelling to Wuhan to investigate the origins of coronavirus wants to shine a light on how the pandemic began. Sydney virologist Dominic Dwyer is among 10 experts from the World Health Organisation who flew to China on Thursday. Professor Dwyer admits they are 'unlikely' to track down patient zero, but is hoping to find some answers. He wants to establish whether the virus truly started in Wuhan or began somewhere else and was then amplified in the Chinese city, which has a population of over 11million people. Professor Dominic Dwyer (pictured above), a leading Sydney virologist is travelling to China to shine a light on how the pandemic began China has angrily refuted suggestions from other nations that the coronavirus started in Wuhan He also wants to know whether Covid came from an animal source and if so which one, as well as what role laboratories played. After completing two weeks of quarantine on arrival in China, Dwyer is hoping to visit the wholesale seafood and animal market linked to an early cluster of patients. He is also keen to visit Wuhan's institute of virology and hospitals that treated the first coronavirus patients. 'The Chinese authorities have told the WHO team that they are happy for people to go where they feel they need to go,' Dwyer told ABC radio this week. The trip comes more than a year after the global pandemic began and eight months since China first agreed to let the WHO team into the country. The WHO investigation is being jointly conducted with the Chinese government and Dwyer is keen to avoid the politics that could accompany the study. 'There clearly is political pressure and concern, both within China and outside of China,' he said. The Chinese government is keen to portray the coronavirus as starting elsewhere and wants the WHO to conduct research missions in other countries. In December last year, political representatives from Beijing claimed that the virus may have spawned from outside China. They suggested it travelled to a wet market in Wuhan via frozen food imports from other countries, including Australia. Night markets in Wuhan, China (pictured above) are always teaming with people In November of 2020 as trade tension between Australia and China continued to escalate, Beijing blocked Australian exports, including coal and seafood. Then they slapped a 212 per cent tariff on Aussie wine, which effectively banned the product. Among the other grievances included Australia's decision to ban Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei from the country's 5G network and blocking foreign investment bids by Chinese companies. Tension first began to mount between the two nations last April last year when Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an inquiry into the origins of coronavirus. Washington: US President Donald Trump has released a video condemning the violent insurrection he fomented at the Capitol last week. The video came out after he was impeached by the House of Representatives for a record second time, this time with Republican votes. Trump also called on his supporters to remain peaceful amid concerns about additional violence in the days before President-elect Joe Bidens inauguration. In the video released by the White House Twitter account (Trump's own account is suspended) he says: I want to be very clear: I unequivocally condemn the violence that we saw last week. He says, Like all of you I was shocked and deeply saddened by the calamity and no true supporter of his could ever endorse political violence. A new state commission, established under a law Gov. Charlie Baker signed Wednesday, will be tasked with seeking out steps to address racial inequities in maternal health. The panel will explore ways to reduce or eliminate inequities in maternal mortality or severe maternal morbidity and investigate barriers to accessing prenatal and postpartum care, the availability of doulas and birthing centers, and the impacts of historical and current structural, institutional and individual forms of racism. In a statement issued last week after the bill (H 4818) cleared the Legislature, Sen. Becca Rausch said Black people giving birth in Massachusetts are twice as likely as their white counterparts to die due to complications during and after childbirth, and Rep. Liz Miranda said the bill allows us to approach the maternal mortality crisis as both a racial justice and public health issue by seeking to understand both the socioeconomic determinants of health while also tackling the issue of racism head-on. The 27-member commission will have until March 2022 to file a report, recommendations and any draft legislation. As of Wednesday night, Baker had not yet acted on the climate change bill for which he faces a Thursday deadline. House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka said in a joint statement Wednesday that if he does not sign the bill, they are united in our intention to refile and pass the conference committee bill in its entirety and get it onto the Governors desk in the coming days. With a new Legislature in session, Baker would have the opportunity to offer amendments to any bills that arrive on his desk this month. A suspect in the gruesome murder of a teenager last year could have been seriously harmed or even worse had gardai not intervened in a tense situation in Drogheda, Co Louth last night, senior sources say. A crowd of around 40 people, some of whom are friends of the murdered 17-year-old, gathered outside a house at around 8pm and senior sources said there were fears that the property was going to be burned down and its occupants attacked. As more and more people arrived at the scene, some protestors shouted abuse at the murder suspect and also at gardai who moved to disperse the crowd. A large number of unarmed gardai responded to the tense situation and the murder suspect, along with a number of his innocent relatives, were removed from the property and brought to the local garda station. Read More They were taken to safety and he was given detailed security advice which included advice that he stay out of Drogheda, a senior source said. He is supposed to be staying at an address in Dublin and there is no doubt that this would be a far safer option for him, but he was in Drogheda visiting close family members. The belief is that he could have been seriously harmed or even worse had gardai not responded to the situation which went on for a few minutes and was escalating. There is no doubt that he was a relieved man to get out of there, the source added. The tense scenes were filmed by people at the scene and then distributed on social media. The suspects home was previously badly damaged in a petrol-bomb attack when he was arrested last month by officers probing the shocking murder. Yesterday it emerged that gardai expect to make a number of new arrests in the coming months including suspects who are currently serving jail sentences in relation to the murder of the teenager whose dismembered body parts were found in two locations in Dublin on this week last year. Two men have already been charged in connection with the murder of the 17-year-old who cannot be currently named for legal reasons. There will be more arrests in this investigation and the expectation is that suspects will be brought out of prison. This remains a massive investigation and more charges are expected, a senior source said. The chief suspect in the case was notorious north Dublin gangster Robbie Lawlor who was shot dead last April in Belfast. Meanwhile, senior sources say that gardai continue to closely monitor the activities of criminals involved in the deadly Drogheda feud which has claimed four lives with officers having major success against the feuding mobs over the past year. Officers received intelligence that a 22-year-old criminal who is a key player in the so-called Anti-Maguire faction in the feud was due to fly home from his Mexican hideaway over the Christmas period, but he never arrived back into the country. An alert was put in place but there was no sighting of him. He was probably best advised as he would be arrested on sight as there are outstanding warrants out for him, the source said. He fled Ireland with his 25-year-old gang boss brother almost a year ago in the chaotic aftermath of the brutal murder of the teenager, but neither man is a suspect in that case. They are mortal enemies of the gang led by paralysed mob boss Owen Maguire who was left with life-altering injuries after being shot multiple times by Robbie Lawlor in 2018. Since last Januarys murder, gardai have continued with a major clampdown on the feuding gangs with 1.2 million worth of drugs and 1.5 million in cash seized in Co Louth in the past year 200 people were arrested for drug dealing. In Drogheda alone, 95 drug-dealing suspects were arrested and over 500,000 worth of drugs were seized in the Co Louth town under Operation Stratus. Gardai keep on plugging away at these gangs and seizures are being made every week, the senior source. It is not always seizures that get national headlines but they are often very significant on a local level. For example, in the most recent surveillance operation, 2,500 in drugs were seized at a house in Dunleer on Tuesday and this would be typical of what is constantly going on. Every day gardai are attempting to chip away at the gangs out of the 95 drug-dealing arrests in Drogheda in the past year, it seems pretty much an arrest ratio of 50:50 between both factions, the source added. Advertisement Kenosha gunman Kyle Rittenhouse has been spotted allegedly flashing white power signs and wearing a 'free as f**k' t-shirt at a Wisconsin bar while out on bail. The 18-year-old, who is awaiting trial for killing two Black Lives Matter protesters and wounding a third, was snapped at Pudgy's Pub in Mount Pleasant last week with his mother, making the 'OK' sign often used by white supremacist groups. Prosecutors are now looking to change the terms of his bond agreement to stop him repeating the behavior. Kenosha gunman Kyle Rittenhouse has been spotted allegedly flashing white power signs and wearing a 'free as f**k' t-shirt at a Wisconsin bar while out on bail Kenosha County prosecutors want to bar Rittenhouse from drinking alcohol, entering pubs, making white power signs and meeting with known white supremacist groups, according to WTMJ. They claimed he drank three beers at Pudgy's. It is legal in Wisconsin for underage people to drink with their parent's consent. Patrons serenaded him with the Proud Boys anthem Proud of Your Boy which was originally written for the Disney film Aladdin. Rittenhouse stayed with the Proud Boys for the entire time he was in the bar, according to the prosecutors' motion. The 18-year-old, who is awaiting trial for killing two Black Lives Matter protesters and wounding a third, was snapped at Pudgy's Pub in Mount Pleasant Kenosha County prosecutors want to bar Rittenhouse from drinking alcohol, entering pubs, making white power signs and meeting with known white supremacist groups Kyle Rittenhouse is charged in the slayings of two people during street protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He has pleaded not guilty The teenager is currently free on a $2million bond while he awaits his trial. He was with armed militia members in August when he shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, and wounded Gaige Grosskreutz. He was arrested the following day at his home in Illinois. His lawyers said the teen acted in self-defense when he was confronted by Black Lives Matter protesters who were demonstrating over the police shooting of Jacob Blake. The protests were decrying the police shooting of black man Jacob Blake, who was shot seven times in the back and left paralyzed on August 23. Last week, Rittenhouse pleaded not guilty to the charges in a brief hearing conducted by teleconference. Rittenhouse has argued he opened fire in self-defense, claiming he was protecting local businesses from the raucous protests. He faces seven charges: first degree intentional homicide in the death of Joseph Rosenbaum, 36; first degree reckless homicide of Anthony Huber, 26, attempted first degree intentional homicide of Gaige Grosskreutz, 22, two counts of recklessly endangering safety for shots fired at others, being a minor in possession of a firearm and violation a curfew. Kyle Rittenhouse, 18, pleaded not guilty to charges including intentional homicide on Tuesday in a brief hearing conducted by teleconference. Rittenhouse pictured in blue with his lawyer Mark Richard's from his lawyer's office Rittenhouse pictured above during his remote arraignment via video conference call Tuesday Rittenhouse opened fire with an assault-style rifle during protests on August 25, killing Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and wounding Gaige Grosskreutz. Pictured above carrying the rifle in Kenosha during the night of the shooting During the Tuesday hearing when Kenosha County Circuit Court Commissioner Loren Keating asked Rittenhouse if he understood that the previously imposed conditions of bond and bail 'remain in full force and effect,' he replied, 'Yes sir.' The trial is slated to start on March 29. Conservatives have rallied around Rittenhouse, describing him as a patriot who took up arms to protect people and property, and raised enough money to make his $2million cash bail, allowing him to walk out of jail on November 2. Others see him as a domestic terrorist whose presence with a rifle incited protesters. Rittenhouse was 17 at the time of the shootings. Victims: In the August 25 shooting Rittenhouse fatally shot Anthony Huber (left) and shot and wounded Gaig Grosskruetz (right). The family of Anthony Huber is suing the city of Kenosha, Wisconsin for $10 million. Gaige Grosskruetz has similarly filed a suit seeking $10 million in compensation Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, was also shot and killed by Rittenhouse. Rosenbaum's family have not yet filed a suit against the city of Kenosha The family of victim Anthony Huber is suing the city of Kenosha for $10million. Protester Gaige Grosskruetz, who was injured, has similarly filed a suit seeking $10million in compensation. The Blake shooting happened three months after George Floyd died while being restrained by police officers in Minneapolis, which sparked outrage and national protests demanding police accountability. In Kenosha, a city of 100,000 near the Wisconsin-Illinois border, protests led to an estimated $50 million in damage. Some people answered a call on social media to travel to Kenosha in the wake of the Blake shooting. These included Rittenhouse who traveled from his home in Antioch, Illinois, in a bid to 'protect' local businesses.. Rittenhouse says he acted in self-defense as the protests descended into violence, but he is set to stand trial for murder later this year. He is pictured shooting at Grosskreutz You are here: Business With free trade port policies helping woo investors, China's southern island province of Hainan reported strong foreign investment growth last year. Preliminary statistics showed that the actual use of foreign investment in Hainan totaled about 3 billion U.S. dollars in 2020, doubling the figure of 1.5 billion U.S. dollars for 2019, according to the provincial department of commerce on Wednesday. After the province started building itself into a free trade port, more foreign investment is going into the modern services sector. A total of 909 newly established foreign-funded enterprises, or 90 percent of all new foreign-funded companies, are in the services sector. They used 2.65 billion U.S. dollars of foreign investment, accounting for 87 percent of all. Eighty countries and regions invested here, doubling the figure from 2019, said the department. China released a master plan for the Hainan free trade port on June 1 last year, aiming to build the province into a globally influential, high-level, free trade port by the middle of the century. This article appears in the January 15, 2021 issue of Executive Intelligence Review. U.S. Constitutional Electoral System Is Worlds Best Oligarchs Now Threaten to Destroy It [Print version of this article] Left: John Trumbull Jan. 9American elected officials take an oath to preserve and protect the U.S. Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. But in recent decades they havent been under much pressure to understand it. British and U.S. financial and media oligarchs, culminating their years-long war against President Donald Trump, are now out to destroy the superior electoral system prescribed by that Constitution. The ignorance of most American officials, combined with even worse misunderstanding in other nationsparticularly regarding the Electoral Collegeis one of their primary weapons. The U.S. Constitution uniquely specifies, in essence, that after the American people vote in a national election involving the Presidency, their state elected representatives are empowered to consider the elections conduct and results for a brief period, and then themselves to vote, to appoint and certify electors for the Presidential candidate who has fairly won a majority. The electors in turn, after another brief period of consideration, formally cast the Electoral College votes of their state; those votes are conveyed to the U.S. Senate so that, after still another brief interval, the votes may be read out by the Vice President to a joint session of both Houses of Congress to see if Members of Congress have well-founded objections to how the electors of any state have been elected, and those objections can be debated and voted there. In rare cases, when elected officials in a state or states disagree as to the fairness of an election and have actually certified competing slates of electors, those states electoral votes are not counted by the Vice President. If no Presidential candidate then has a majority of the Electoral College vote, the House of Representatives is empowered to decide which electors it will accept, and thereby to choose the President. These repeated brief intervals of time are intended to allow persons who are elected representatives of the people, acting exclusively through their state and national representative bodies (which includes the Electoral College), to consider whether the election results are fair and not marred by fraud; and even, whether the result of the popular vote for President could mean great misfortune for the nation. Results of the Archaic American System How has this benefited the United States in its history? A great deal. 1800: The role of Congress in this process, helped by Alexander Hamiltons organizing, prevented Aaron Burr from otherwise winning the Presidency. Burr, an agent overtly claimed by British intelligence, was planning to split the New England states from the new republic. Four years later he killed Hamilton; then Burr became involved in attempting to split away the western states and territories, was tried for treason, and fled to Britain. 1824: The role of the Electoral College and of Congress resulted in John Quincy Adams becoming President, the first American President to make clear Americas republican opposition to Europes colonial empires and colonial practices; and the leading American adversary of the powers of slavery until his death, in the House of Representatives, in 1849. Left: J.S. Copley; right: Gardners Studio 1860: The Electoral College system made Abraham Lincoln President with well under half the vote, without his being forced through a paralyzing runoff election while the slave powers were going to war against the Union. There are no runoffs or re-run elections for head of state in America. Lincoln not only saved the United States and put it on the path to greatness; his Administrations actions led to the British paying the United States reparations for backing the Confederacy thenas they are now backing the U.S. intelligence agencies and media oligarchs in imposing a surveillance state on America. 1876: The role of state elected officials in challenging fraud, and the role of Congress in checking the Electoral College, made it possible to reverse blatant election fraud in South Carolina and Florida and probable fraud in Louisiana, which would otherwise have determined the outcome of the Presidential election. The frauds were reversed in an orderly Constitutional manner. Left: UN/Ryan Brown; right: Thomas J. OHalloran 1976: When serious evidence was uncoveredincluding by EIRof vote fraud in Ohio, Michigan and New York, which had potentially decided the Presidential election for Jimmy Carter, the intervals of mature reconsideration built into the American electoral system allowed time for evidence to be presented to courts and elected representatives in those states. Then-President Gerald Ford decided not to make any contestbut had he done so, there was sufficient time for courts to hear the challenges and for legislatures in those states to consider appointing new electors. The basic legitimacy of the elected President would have been established either way. 2016: The Electoral College makes it necessary for Presidential candidates to consult and win over citizens in many states, rather than running as regional candidates from one or two large states. Candidate Hillary Clinton won only 20 states popular vote, but had a national popular vote majority on the basis of an immense margin of nearly 6 million votes from just two states, New York and California. Candidate Donald Trump won 30 states and was duly elected President. The Enlightened Alternative It is not a secret to any informed person that fraud, manipulation and intimidation are charged constantly in elections all over Africa, the Mideast, South America, Eastern Europe, parts of South and East Asia. And what is the redress available? Mass demonstrations. If that is not successful, violent attacks on government institutions. Above all, now, calls are made for outside intervention by the powers of NATO. Economic and military sanctions are levied by trans-Atlantic powers against governments allegedly elected by fraud. Color revolutions and coups are organized, the specialty of British intelligence, the CIA, and networks of British agent George Soros. Or, elections for head of state or government are re-run, and re-run, and re-run again, each time meeting greater public outrage. These are the disastrous results seen over and over across the world, of the exalted Enlightenment alternative to the U.S. Constitution and its archaic system of elections. That alternative is: Dont seek the truth; you have only the right to shout your opinion and vote for your side, and to demand that various powers intervene on your side to fix bad results. White House/Shealah Craighead The Fourth Estate as Fifth Column In 2020 this dismal scenario hit the United States for the first time. The extremely powerful national media and social media, much of it controlled by conglomerates with financial bases in British Commonwealth countries, joined the anti-Trump oligarchs in a lock-step propaganda campaign that all must vote by mail due to the pandemic. They repeated ad nauseum the scenarios of NATO-connected think tanks: Trump will appear to win on November 3, but his claims of victory will be dangerous fakes, and mail-in votes counted afterwards will give Biden a big victory. When the mail-in ballots eventually credited the worn old shoe Joe Biden with a spectacular vote total far exceeding any President or candidate in American history, the media branded all doubts about this as bogus, all claims of fraud as unsubstantiated, and any amount of evidence of fraud as not evidence at all, advanced only by dangerous enemies of democracy, believed only by dubious conspirophiles. Judges presented with evidence refused to consider it on various procedural grounds. And against this onslaught of manipulated public opinion, conscience made cowards of state representatives in a number of states who clearly considered the evidence of fraud substantial and credible; they turned awry and lost the name of action. Their Constitutional responsibility for the Electoral College was not exercised, leaving Congress to conduct only an essentially partisan debate. Democratic Members of Congress had made objections to states electors in the joint Congressional sessions after the 2000, 2004 and 2016 Presidential elections; but when Republican Members announced they would do the same on behalf of President Trump, they were pilloried throughout the media and by Democrats as anti-democratic provocateurs. Citizen supporters of the President, who until Christmas had focused their mobilizations on urging state legislators to act under the Constitution, became frustrated. Both they and the President himself were pulled into a prepared trap in which, on January 6, real provocateurs of unknown origin were mysteriously permitted to break into the Capitol to appear to coerce the Congress or Vice President by violence. An oligarchy of Anglo-American finance, intelligence and media powers has, in 2020 for the first time, succeeded in preventing the American Constitutional electoral system, including the Electoral College and Congress from working. It has dragged the nation instead, for the first time, into a colonial scenario of violent protest as the only apparent redress for citizens who found the election to be corrupt. Now that oligarchy, with Democratic Party instruments, is demanding President Trump be banned from politics and possibly imprisoned or exiled, demanding all those who supported him in charging fraud be driven from office and ostracized, demanding the Constitutional electoral process be abandoned entirely and no possibility left to challenge any future corrupt election. The citizens resistance to this must be to seek the truth, and to stand for their growing conviction of the truth, including as candidates, to restore truth in elections as inspired by the United States Constitution. Around 3 lakh healthcare workers will be inoculated at 2,934 sites across the country on the first day of the massive nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive which is set to begin from January 16, official sources said. Each vaccination session will cater to a maximum of 100 beneficiaries and the Union Health Ministry has advised states not to organise "unreasonable numbers of vaccination per site per day". "States have been advised to organise vaccination sessions taking into account 10 per cent reserve/wastage doses and an average of 100 vaccinations per session each day. "Therefore, any undue haste on the part of states to organize unreasonable numbers of vaccination per site per day is not advised," the ministry said on Wednesday. It also said that states and UTs have also been advised to increase the number of vaccination session sites that would be operational every day in a progressive manner as the vaccination process stabilizes and moves forward. "Around 3 lakh frontline healthcare workers will be inoculated at 2,934 sites across the country on the first day of January 16," a source said. The government on Tuesday hinted that vaccine recipients for now will not have the option to choose from the two vaccines -- Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, Covishield, manufactured by Serum Institute of India (SII) and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech -- that have been approved for restricted emergency use in India. According to the Health Ministry getting vaccinated for COVID-19 will be voluntary. In a response to a question, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan at a press conference on Tuesday said, "At many places in the world more than one vaccine are being administered. But, presently, in no country vaccine recipients have the option of choosing the shots." According to the government, the shots will be offered first to an estimated one crore healthcare workers, and around two crore frontline workers, and then to persons above 50 years of age, followed by persons younger than 50 years of age with associated comorbidities. The cost of vaccination of healthcare and frontline workers will be borne by the central government, officials had said. All 1.65 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines -- 1.1 crore of Covishield and 55 lakh of Covaxin -- procured by the Centre have been allocated to all states and UTs in proportion to their healthcare workers database, it said. According to official sources, most of the 1.1 crore Covishield doses from Pune-based SII have been shipped to 60 consignee points across India from where they will be sent to smaller centres. Of the 55 lakh doses of indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech ordered by the Centre, the first tranche of 2.4 lakh doses has been dispatched to 12 states. Covaxin has been sent to 12 sites --- one each in Ganavaram, Guwahati, Patna, Delhi, Kurukshetra, Bengaluru, Pune, Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, Chennai, Lucknow and Hyderabad, an official source said. Covaxin has been developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Health Ministry officials said that there will be a gap of 28 days between two doses of COVID-19 vaccines and its effectiveness can be seen only after 14 days, and urged people to keep following COVID appropriate behaviour. The ministry which has listed series of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on COVID-19 vaccine also stated that it was advisable to receive a complete schedule of the anti-coronavirus vaccine irrespective of past history of coronavirus infection as this will help in developing a strong immune response against the disease. On whether a person with an active COVID-19 infection be vaccinated, AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria said a person with active and symptomatic COVID-19 infection may increase the risk of spreading the same to others at the vaccination site and thus infected individuals should defer vaccination for at least 14 days after the symptoms are resolved. Elaborating on the possible side-effects of COVID-19 vaccine, Guleria said that as is true for other vaccines, some will have some degree of side effects in some individuals which could be in form of mild fever, pain at the site of injection, body ache, etc. States have been asked to making arrangements to deal with any COVID-19 vaccine related side effects as one of the measures towards safe vaccine delivery. Also read: Farmers will never spoil Republic Day celebrations, says Rajnath Singh on January 26 tractor rally Also read: Pfizer must conduct local study for vaccine approval: VK Paul Federal government agencies are refusing in full or in part the vast majority of requests for environment-related documents under freedom of information law in what the Australian Conservation Foundation says is a trend to secrecy that is threatening the countrys ecosystems. As an example, the office of Environment Minister Sussan Ley refused 39 FOI requests outright in 2019-2020, granting only one request in full and three in part. The Growling Grass Frog classified as endangered in Victoria. Credit:Geoff Heard An analysis of FOI statistics by the ACF has accused the federal transparency system of being dysfunctional, saying that information held in records of government decisions, correspondence, research and briefs was critical to environmental protection. But this information was too often withheld entirely or released too late or too heavily redacted to be of use. The report Access Denied examined government FOI data for the past five years alongside the results of more than 130 of the ACFs own FOI requests. It found FOI refusals by federal agencies with an environment-relevant portfolio had risen almost 50 per cent in that time while the number of requests released in full had nearly halved. Couple were handed 60 fine, which has been rescinded by South Wales Police They were reprimanded by police on return despite having received permission A couple have hit back at a police officer who fined them 60 for visiting the wife's mother in a Welsh care home after the force cancelled their penalty. Carol Richards, 68, and her husband David, 66, from Bridgend, travelled 10 miles to visit dementia sufferer Decima Minhinnick at Picton Court Care Home. They were reprimanded by police on the way back despite having received permission to see Ms Minhinnick and handed a 60 penalty. South Wales Police have now rescinded the fine after reviewing the incident, following a public backlash to the growing war on shutdown flouters. Speaking this morning, Mrs Richards described the incident as 'ridiculous', adding that she was left feeling 'really upset' and 'outraged'. Carol Richards' mother, Decima Minhinnick, pictured at her 90th birthday party. Mrs Richards and her husband David travelled 10 miles to visit her at Picton Court Care Home Referring to the female police officer, she told ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'I think she basically said it's a non-essential visit. 'But I sort of said then "we've been visiting my mum, we've been outside in a car park and I've been waving to her through the window" and she said "well we'd all like to wave to our mothers through the window". 'I thought my goodness, this is a bit ridiculous, I said "look, she's got vascular dementia, she's living in a care home, I've been outside, nobody and has been around and I've just been waving to her." 'But she wasn't engaged with me, she just ordered me, and I started to feel really upset and also outraged. The atmosphere got more and more chilly. 'We didn't swear at her, we were being polite, I just continued protesting but then it became futile and we got slapped with a 60 fine.' Giving her reaction to the fine being rescinded, she commented: 'Yes they phoned us last night and David took the call, they asked for him, and he [person on the phone] was apologetic. 'I think he said he wasn't aware of the media attention. I think media attention has accelerated this constructive result.' Mr Richards said: 'I've got every sympathy and I fully support the police in trying to keep us all safe. The couple pictured speaking on ITV's Good Morning Britain. Mrs Richards described the incident as 'ridiculous', adding that she was left feeling 'really upset' and 'outraged' Mr Richards (pictured left) said he has 'every sympathy' with the police but that the female officer 'perhaps missed a little bit about the subtlety of the situation' 'On this occasion, I think she was being very enthusiastic and perhaps missed a little bit about the subtlety of the situation. 'There are exceptions to the rule so perhaps every frontline officer isn't up to date with every exception and perhaps this lady didn't take on board this was a care home visit.' He added: 'We're the fortunate ones who can actually visit our loved ones. I feel for all those who can't in this situation.' In a tweet posted yesterday, South Wales Police said: 'Police in Porthcawl issued a fixed penalty notice to a man who had travelled from his home in Penyfai to visit a relative on Sunday (10 January). 'The circumstances of the journey and the issuing of the fine have since been reviewed and the notice has been rescinded. The individual concerned has been notified. Picton Court care home, pictured above. According to Welsh Government guidelines, outdoor visits to care homes are allowed for 'compassionate reasons' 'Wales remains at Alert Level 4 and South Wales Police will continue to patrol our communities to ensure the legislation, which has been enacted to help slow the spread of coronavirus, is complied with.' According to Welsh Government guidelines, outdoor visits to care homes are allowed for 'compassionate reasons'. The force previously said: 'At 4.15pm on Sunday January 10, a police officer on patrol in the Porthcawl area issued a fixed penalty notice to a man who had travelled from his home in Penyfai to visit a relative. 'With Wales currently at Alert Level 4, Welsh Government regulations state that people must stay at home, except for very limited purposes and must not visit other households or meet other people they do not live with. 'In order to support the national effort to help slow the spread of the virus, and assist in enforcing the restrictions, our officers have been given authority to stop any vehicle travelling within the force area, to check the reason for travel.' Credit: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute A QIMR Berghofer-led randomized controlled trial of vitamin D supplements has found they do not protect most people from developing colds, flus and other acute respiratory infections. The trial, which is the largest of its kind to study the relationship between vitamin D and respiratory infection to date did show, however, that the supplements may shorten the length of infection slightly and help ease the severity of those illnesses. The study results have been published this week in the scientific journal The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology. The researchers analyzed self-reported health data from 16,000 Australians aged between 60 and 84, who participated in the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute-led D-Health Trial. The participants were given either a capsule of 60,000 international units of vitamin D, or a placebo, every month for up to five years. They completed annual health reports, and some completed diaries for eight weeks over the winter months in which they recorded their respiratory symptoms. Lead researcher and head of QIMR Berghofer's Cancer Aetiology and Prevention group, Professor Rachel Neale, said participants who received vitamin D supplements reported they had cold and flu symptoms for slightly less time than participants who did not take the vitamin. They also had severe symptoms for less time and needed less medication to manage their symptoms. "Our clinical trial showed that people who took vitamin D supplements were infected with colds and flus at the same rate as those who were given placebos. Those who got the supplements did, however on average, report a small reduction in the number of days they experienced symptoms (on average about half a day)," Professor Neale said. "The findings suggest that vitamin D might give the immune system a little boost, but supplementing the general population with vitamin D is unlikely to protect people from getting sick in the first place and won't markedly improve the speed of recovery. "It is important to note that this trial was conducted on Australians and most of the participants were not vitamin D deficient to start with. It is possible that a greater protective effect would be seen in countries where a high proportion of the population is vitamin D deficient." "This study suggests that taking supplements will not have significant benefits for warding off colds and flus in people who are not vitamin D deficient." The amount of vitamin D needed in the blood is controversial, but data from the 2011-12 National Health Survey suggest that up to one in four Australian adults may have low vitamin D. Australian data shows1 most people experience a respiratory tract infection, such as the common cold or influenza, at least once per year. Infection rates are generally highest during winter months, when people's vitamin D levels are lowest because of reduced ultraviolet radiation and more time spent indoors. Professor Neale said the trial results are timely as people around the globe try to understand how best to improve their immunity in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. "The studies that have been published do suggest that having higher vitamin D levels may reduce the risk and severity of COVID-19, but these studies have had fairly serious limitations, so the results are not reliable," she said. "The D-Health Trial was completed before the COVID-19 pandemic began so does not provide specific answers about this. However, our findings about the reduced length and severity of respiratory tract infection suggests there could be some benefit to the immune system of taking a vitamin D supplement, particularly in people who are deficient." Professor Neale said anyone who was concerned about their vitamin D levels should speak to their doctor. The researchers are now planning to use the data gathered during the trial to examine the effects of vitamin D on other health problems including depression, cancer and heart disease. Explore further Higher doses of vitamin D did not reduce falls in at risk older adults More information: Hai Pham et al. The effect of vitamin D supplementation on acute respiratory tract infection in older Australian adults: an analysis of data from the D-Health Trial, The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology (2021). Journal information: The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology Hai Pham et al. The effect of vitamin D supplementation on acute respiratory tract infection in older Australian adults: an analysis of data from the D-Health Trial,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/S2213-8587(20)30380-6 Provided by QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute 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. ADVERTISEMENT A Magistrate Court in Benin city, Edo State, has sentenced Adeshina Adeyemo, a tricycle operator that assaulted Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officials to three months imprisonment. In a video clip seen by PREMIUM TIMES in July, Mr Adeyemo, angered and scantily dressed, stood on the bonnet of the FRSCs patrol vehicle, assaulting one of the officers in the process. He tore the officers uniform. In retaliation, some of the operatives ganged up against the man and rained slaps and beatings on him. The unclad rider, who was reportedly arrested for driving against traffic, also destroyed the agencys patrol vehicle. In a statement on Sunday, Bisi Kazeem, the agencys spokesperson, said while the prosecution of the tricycle rider has commenced, the officers involved have been recommended for demotion. According to Mr Kazeem, Mr Adeyemo was arraigned before Magistrate F. Ojehumen of the Evbuoriaria Magistrate Court B on a two-count charge bordering on breaching of public peace and damaging FRSC patrol vehicle during the July incident. He was found guilty as charged, the FRSC spokesperson said. On the first count charge, the accused is to pay N5,000 or one month imprisonment, and N45,000 or two months imprisonment for the second charge and both sentences are to run concurrently. According to Mr Kazeem, Mr Adeyemo failed to meet the option of fine and has been taken into custody at the Nigeria Correctional Service in Benin City. Reacting to the judgement, the Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, commended the judiciary for quick dispensation of justice. Mr Kazeem said the FRSC boss noted that this, like other judgements, is an indication and strong warning to perpetrator that no member of the public who damages FRSC property, no matter how small, will be spared. While lamenting the attacks on FRSC personnel which often result in loss of lives of patrolmen on the highways, the corps marshal warned the motoring community to desist from attacking the corps personnel or face the wrath of the law. BEDFORD, N.H., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- LSNE Contract Manufacturing, a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) expands vial filling and lyophilization capacity with the addition of a new automated aseptic fill line. The new aseptic fill line will be housed in an existing ISO-5 clean room suite at the 25 Commerce Drive facility in Bedford, NH. The multi-product fill line serves to increase capacity and flexibility for manufacturing high-value APIs to meet the demand in drug product manufacturing driven by the Covid-19 pandemic. Specifically, this manufacturing suite is designed to support products that require minimal process loss because of API availability or high cost. For instance, the new fill suite features in-line (non-destructive) weight checks and fully disposable formulation and manufacturing materials, minimizing line loss, thus conserving precious product for every batch. "LSNE continues to innovate and expand our global capacity and capabilities to better serve pharmaceutical companies with their ever changing clinical and commercial programs. By investing in this new GMP sterile fill finish capacity on our Bedford, New Hampshire campus, we continue to execute on our corporate growth strategy and better serve our client's needs, especially where product loss is a key consideration," said Shawn Cain, Chief Operating Officer. The new fill suite is scheduled to be qualified and ready for contract cGMP manufacturing in Q3 2021 increasing LSNE's capacity by up to 100 additional aseptic manufacturing lots per year. About LSNE LSNE is a privately held company with six GMP facilities four located in New Hampshire, one in Wisconsin and one located in Leon, Spain. LSNE has been providing contract lyophilization services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries since 1997, specializing in a wide range of services including process cycle development, fill-finish and lyophilization (for vials, pre-filled syringes and dropper bottles for ophthalmics), and analytical testing. Through the thoughtful integration of six processing facilities, qualified staffing, and extensive manufacturing history, LSNE is strategically positioned to provide products and services for clinical through commercial supply for pharmaceuticals and medical devices to a global market. Media Contact Jeff Clement Vice President of Business Development (603) 668-5763 [email protected] www.lyophilization.com SOURCE LSNE Contract Manufacturing Related Links http://www.lyophilization.com Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. 1 There's a wide variety of exciting new series to watch in lockdown. Take Icepick, the latest gripping Scandi noir from Finland. A serial killer is on the loose in the snow-locked town of Bblleak. Hard-drinking detective Sven Svennsson is tasked with tracking him down and bringing him to justice. In the second episode, the bearded Svennsson is told to drop the case by his well-connected superior or face dismissal. 2 For something a little lighter, try Amazon's Crushed Skull, the latest gripping Scandi noir from Sweden. In the opening sequence, a half-naked young woman is chased through a moonlit wood. After a torchlit search, her corpse is found hanging from a tree. Hard-drinking, bearded detective Olaf Aline suspects murder. But will he be supported in his quest to identify the criminal by his boss, Det Insp Lars Chanss, whose VIP associates seem determined that the case should be dropped? 3 As an alternative, Channel 4's Walter Presents is screening Abandoned, a stunning new drama from Germany, adapted from the Norwegian bestseller of the same name. A half-naked young woman is found hanging from a tree in a snowbound forest. Studying her bloodied corpse, hard-drinking, bearded detective Klaus Santa grows suspicious. Might it be murder? After an hour, his boss, Det Insp Kovverup, orders him to drop the case, before setting off for a sumptuous dinner with his well-connected friends in the local Freemasons' Hall. 4 True crime series have soared in popularity during lockdown. But demand has exceeded supply. By late spring, every case involving a serial killer or high school shooter had already been filmed. This meant producers were forced to settle for one-off murderers and, when they had all been filmed, for those found guilty of lesser offences. Forthcoming true crime series include the ten-part Frosties Heist, a gripping minute-by-minute account of one mild-mannered housewife's plot to steal a family-sized packet of breakfast cereal from a Midlands supermarket. 5 From Sky Atlantic comes the long-awaited The Tunnel, tracking the notorious case of family man Robert Parker. A pillar of his local community, Parker drove through the Dartford Tunnel in June 2020 in his Volvo, forgetting to pay. Armed with the very latest in sophisticated radar technology, the tunnel authorities were able to track him down to a four-bedroom house in Nuneaton and the Sky Atlantic crew captured the pursuit on film. From Sky Atlantic comes the long-awaited The Tunnel, tracking the notorious case of family man Robert Parker This 12-part series follows Parker on his fateful trip through the tunnel, and later records his startled reaction upon receiving his notice of payment. Finally, Parker decides to pay a fine of 35 within 14 days, thus avoiding a more substantial charge of 70, rising to 105 after 28 days. 'For those who like their true crime series based around motorists who forget to pay bridge and tunnel charges, The Tunnel makes for a compelling watch,' says Empire magazine. 6 Series about weird cults have been very popular during lockdown. Following shows about the controversial Rajneesh cult, the Branch Davidians in Waco, Jim Jones's Peoples Temple cult, two different series about the NXIVM sex cult, and numerous films about the Manson Family, documentary makers have been obliged to look further afield for less offbeat subjects. Forthcoming cult-based documentaries include Circle Of Cards, Netflix's shuffle-by-shuffle account of a disparate group of people drawn together by their shared obsession with card games. Having been lured into heavy-duty games through easy-going rounds of Snap and Beggar-my-neighbour, an innocent 19-year-old joins her local Gin Rummy circle, which meets twice a month in her village hall. But is the so-called Rummy Circle exactly what it appears to be? After ten hour-long episodes, the answer is unavoidable: yes. The success of Tiger King, which chronicled the violent goings-on at private zoos in America, has given rise to numerous animal-based crime documentary series 7 The success of Tiger King, which chronicled the violent goings-on at private zoos in America, has given rise to numerous animal-based crime documentary series. These include the long-awaited Who Stole Hammy?, a six-part investigation into the sudden disappearance of Hammy, a family hamster based in Carshalton, Surrey. Hammy's owner, seven-year-old Jemima, is distraught when the cage door is left open and Hammy goes missing. Spoiler alert: after dogged investigation by the family, Hammy turns up behind the sofa in the sitting room, happily tucking into a discarded cream cracker. She found fame as a child star on the ABC sitcom Modern Family. And on Wednesday, Ariel Winter was spotted carrying a laptop as she ran some errands in Los Angeles. The 22-year-old wore her blonde dyed hair sleekly styled with a center parting and donned a face mask as COVID-19 cases rage out of control in Southern California. Out and about: Ariel Winter was spotted carrying a laptop as she ran some errands in Los Angeles on Wednesday with sleekly styled dyed blonde hair and a face mask Winter was dressed down in a black hoodie and a white baggy pants. She added a more formal touch with a black Yves St. Laurent purse on a long shoulder strap. She also checked her phone as she headed to her car. Errands: The 22-year-old Modern Family alum was dressed down in a black hoodie and a white baggy pants. She checked her phone as she headed to her car Couple: Winter and boyfriend Luke Benward (pictured in February 2020) recently moved into a new home together in LA's Studio City neighborhood. They've been dating for just over a year Shortly before Christmas, Winter and her boyfriend Luke Benward, 25, moved into a new home together. The sitcom actress offloaded a residence she'd previously shared with former boyfriend Levi Meaden for $2.8 million and purchased a similar property in the same neighborhood for $3.5 million. Winter and Benward were first romantically linked in December 2019, just a short time after her split with longtime love Meaden. Happy together: The sitcom actress, her beau and their five dogs celebrated Christmas in their new $3.5 million home in LA Vaccine supply key to rapid ramp up of vaccinations in North Wales This article is old - Published: Thursday, Jan 14th, 2021 The First Minister has said the supply of vaccines holds the key to the speed and progress of the vaccination strategy for North Wales. As we reported earlier today, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board targeting 30,000 first vaccines a week and hoping to rise to a possible 80,000 a week. The overall latest vaccination figures are out with first doses now at 112,973 across Wales which is +11,603 on the day on day figures. Health board figures have also been released, however only read up to the week ending the 10th of January so are already several days out of date. With North Wales having a population of around 700,000 people that rate could mean 24 weeks to get to the full population at the lower vaccination rate, or even 9 weeks for the higher rate. Earlier today on a Zoom call with the First Minister Mark Drakeford we asked if that was a too simplistic maths for the challenge ahead, or if it was really possible that first doses could be completed in a 3 to 5 month window. The First Minister explained: The Health Board is currently planning on a ramping up of the vaccine, so that if we get supplies on the scale they are hoping they will have everything on the ground ready to deliver it. But, this has always been a combination of those two things, having the centres and the workforce ready to deliver it, but then having to supply here as well. The way the supply is working is that we know about two or three weeks ahead exactly how much vaccine were going to get, and then we have indicative figure is from the UK Government, for the weeks beyond that. The vaccine itself takes about three months to manufacture, so the vaccines we are getting now are ones that were starting production in well before Christmas. So if we get the volumes of a vaccine that we would like to see, the Health Board will be able to make full use of that in as rapid time scale as possible. Neither we and to be fair neither the UK Government can be completely certain of how much, and how quickly, the vaccine supply will ramp up over the weeks ahead. We asked if the Welsh Government would be transparent if there are any supply chain issues affecting the vaccination process, regardless of where the issue was. The First Minister said: Yes, we will. What weve already said is in the very early days because of the rural nature of quite a lot of Wales, we faced some additional challenges with a Pfizer vaccine because of the way its got to be stored and the way that it can be delivered. As somebody who knows an awful lot more about this than me said to me yesterday, youve got to remember with the Pfizer vaccine if you walked upstairs too quickly with it from the ground floor to the first floor, it could be unusable by the time you get to the first floor. That vaccine is and has to be stored and used incredibly carefully. Our wastage rate at the moment is below 1%. That is telling us something very positive about the way people at the front end of this are making sure that we use every drop of the vaccine that we get. So yes, if there are any glitches in the supply of the vaccine, we will explain what they are and why they happened. SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- March Capital (formerly March Capital Partners) today announced the close of the March Capital Fund III, a $450M fund focused on enterprise software companies. With strong support from both existing and new investors, the fund is focused on supporting entrepreneurs developing innovative software and market-leading solutions in enterprise AI, industrial technology, cybersecurity, financial technology and next generation cloud infrastructure. The close of Fund III follows the success of March Capital Funds I and II, with over $1 billion in realized profits through investments in breakout enterprise companies including CrowdStrike, VeloCloud (acquired by VMWare), ASAPP, BillDesk, CarTrade, Earnin, Forter, SparkCognition, Uniphore and other portfolio companies. "Building on the adoption of broadband, mobility, cloud, and now 5G coupled with edge computing, we will see unprecedented innovation in the next ten years, with yet to be imagined applications and a complete new network architecture to support it," said Sumant Mandal, March Capital Co-Managing Partner. "Going through the pandemic over the last year has shown that the adoption of new digital platforms is mission critical for businesses worldwide and has permanently changed human behavior. A decade of behavior change has happened in less than one year." March Capital also today announced the March Capital Foundation, formalizing the firm's longstanding community engagement and amplifying its commitment to increase the opportunities in the innovation economy for broader and at-risk communities in Southern California. The Foundation's focus includes homelessness, community health, and inner-city youth advancement. Co-Managing Partner Jamie Montgomery will spearhead this initiative. "The March Capital team is passionate about helping exceptional entrepreneurs build companies that will have a positive impact on the world. With the close of Fund III and launch of the Foundation, we are able to double down on our commitment to drive positive change through the companies in which we invest and opportunities the innovation economy presents," said Jamie Montgomery, Co-Managing Partner, March Capital. "We are grateful to our longstanding investment partners that continue to put their trust in March to identify and invest in the most visionary entrepreneurs and innovative solutions. We remain committed to doing the hard work necessary to unearth the next enterprise tech standouts and help them succeed." March Capital raised Fund III at an unprecedented time of stay-at-home orders and isolation, requiring a new approach to engage and support the investment and entrepreneurial communities. These strategies included launching the Montgomery Summit Virtual Series, attracting a global audience through a series of virtual seminars, which will also be extended to the 2021 Montgomery Summit. While the March portfolio entered the pandemic in a position of strength given its enterprise focus, the firm immediately increased stress-testing across its portfolio to ensure continued stability, gaining further deep insights that led to follow-on investments in multiple portfolio companies (including ASAPP, CarTrade and Uniphore). March also made new investments in notable start-ups and 2020 Montgomery Summit presenting companies such as Unqork. March Capital has 15 investment professionals and $1B+ AUM. Two-time entrepreneur Wes Nichols and India-based Rajan Mehra are new Partners for Fund III who join existing Partner Jed Leidheiser and Co-Managing Partner Gregory Milken, who leads the March Gaming investment fund. Enterprise software entrepreneurs who would like to learn more about March Capital can go to marchcp.com for more information. ADDITIONAL REPRESENTATIVE QUOTES: "From its inception, March Capital has been ahead of the curve in identifying the immense potential of and opportunity around cloud software and platforms," said Can Elbi, member of the March LP Advisory Committee, and Chief Investment Officer, Nahmani Grunder & Cie. Ltd, one of the largest independent wealth managers in Switzerland. "March has clearly differentiated itself with its thoughtful and diligent approach to investing and its unique access to the most visionary entrepreneurs." "I have invested alongside and with March Capital on a number of companies including CrowdStrike. Investors come in many flavors, March Capital is one that entrepreneurs really like," said Gerhard Watzinger, Chairman of CrowdStrike. "Jamie and Sumant are known as the go-to guys for those looking to scale market leading companies." "Working with the partners of March Capital, it is very clear that they are long-term thinkers. focused on supporting the creation of very big companies. They know what they're doing, and more importantly, they are a pleasure to work with knowing that they always have my back," said Michael Reitblat, CEO of portfolio company Forter. "They are very well plugged-in to the market, and many times when I've called them with a challenge the company needed to solve, I got a very concrete connection or specific advice within just a few hours." About March Capital March Capital is a top-tier venture growth firm headquartered in Santa Monica, California and investing globally since 2014. March identifies entrepreneurs with a provocative vision to lead the future and later-stage companies poised for hyper-growth, then dares to go all in by leading rounds with deep conviction and concentration risk. With $1B+ in capital over 3 funds and across 30 market-leading technology companies, March accelerates the digital transformation of Cloud-based software, automation, AI & IT infrastructure. Our vision is to create a best-in-class technology investment platform by combining intense sector focus, patience, access to a global leadership network (including founding The Montgomery Summit), and high-impact portfolio engagement to inspire & accelerate extraordinary companies. For more information on how March Capital is committed to partnering with exceptional entrepreneurs and teams to build great global technology companies, please visit www.marchcp.com About March Capital Foundation The March Capital Foundation allocates 1% of the profit of March Capital to support a select number of programs that provide at-risk groups and the broader community with access to the innovation economy. The focus of the Foundation is to address homelessness, hunger, and community health, and to expand engagement in innovation and entrepreneurship. March Capital views its community involvement similar to its engagement with its portfolio companies and dedicates significant leadership as well as resources to a concentrated number of programs. In 2020, support was provided to The People Concern, Venice Family Clinic, Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, LA Metropolitan Debate League, Coalition for Responsible Community Development, HBCU.vc, J. Paul Getty Education Programs, Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Claremont McKennna College, and other organizations. Jamie Montgomery Co-Founder & Managing Partner, March Capital Jamie Montgomery is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of March Capital. Prior, he was the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Montgomery & Co., a well-known Los Angeles-based investment bank where he advised and financed hundreds of leading technology companies over a 25-year period. He is also the Founder of The Montgomery Summit, an annual technology conference that attracts over 1,000 global entrepreneurs, investors, and corporate executives to Santa Monica. Jamie currently serves on the Board of Directors of ASAPP, Descartes Labs, Forter, and FogHorn, and is a Board Observer at Earnin, He focuses on identifying disruptive technology companies and providing capital at a critical inflection point. Jamie has a track record of successful exits including the IPO of Magnite and the sale of TeleSign to BICS. Additionally, Jamie was a Board Observer at CrowdStrike and priced two of the rounds prior to its IPO. Jamie actively supports programs to innovation and entrepreneurship at the University of California, San Diego, Claremont McKenna College, the University of Southern California, and Chapman University. Jamie received his M.A. in Economics from the University of Cambridge and a B.A. from the University of California, San Diego. Jamie is also the Vice Chair of the $3B capital campaign for University of California, San Diego. Current Investments: ASAPP, Descartes Labs, Earnin, FogHorn, Forter Sumant Mandal Co-Founder & Managing Partner, March Capital Sumant is a Co-Founder & Managing Partner of March Capital. Sumant leads investments in cloud driven enterprise platforms, cloud infrastructure, AI/ML, and network infrastructure as well as companies supporting the Indian market. He currently serves on the boards of numerous market-leading companies, including BillDesk, CarTrade, SparkCognition, and Uniphore. In his nearly two decades of venture capital, Sumant has generated multiple meaningful exits in companies that he has either incubated or been the first institutional investor. His exits include: VeloCloud Networks (acquired by VMWare), Magnite, Kosei (acquired by Pinterest), Appcito (acquired by A10 Networks), Deep Forest Media (acquired by Rakuten), Kazeon Systems (acquired by EMC), Mimosa Systems (acquired by Iron Mountain), Ankeena Networks (acquired by Juniper), Cetas (acquired by VMware), Apture (acquired by Google), and Perspica Systems (acquired by Cisco). Additionally, Sumant is co-founder of two leading technology incubators in the San Francisco Bay Area: The Hive, focused on AI and Blockchain driven companies, and The Fabric, focused on cloud, IoT, and network infrastructure companies. He has been part of incubating more than 25 companies throughout his career. In 2000, Sumant joined Clearstone Venture Partners, where he went on to become a Managing Director four years later. Prior to Clearstone, Sumant spent more than eight years as an entrepreneur, starting companies in both India and the United States. Sumant has an M.B.A. from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Michigan State University. He is a Charter Member of TiE. Current Investments: BillDesk, CarTrade, SparkCognition, Uniphore, Xage Wes Nichols Partner, March Capital Wes Nichols is a Partner at March Capital, as well as a board advisor to several public and private company CEOs. A serial software entrepreneur, Wes most recently was Co-Founder and CEO of MarketShare (acquired by Neustar), a global analytics software firm that is now the industry standard for resource allocation and budget planning for a majority of the world's multinationals. Wes is passionate about supporting entrepreneurs through their often-challenging journey of creating world-class companies. Wes is focused on investing in cloud-based enterprise solutions that enable data-driven decision-making and automation for companies, including platforms for analytics, AI/ML, and data management. Wes is also the author of one of the most-read Harvard Business Review articles, Analytics 2.0, on next-generation analytics and automation, with a follow-up article recently completed. Board roles include ActionIQ, Neustar, Persado, Adverity and Airship, as well as public company TrueCar and Strategic Advisor to the leadership at Snap Inc. Wes graduated from Randolph-Macon College and The Johns Hopkins University, with degrees in Psychology and Business, respectively, and graduated from the President's Program in Leadership (PPL) at the Harvard Business School. Wes is an active member in Young Presidents Organization (YPO), the 2016 winner of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award and Technology Pioneer nominee by the World Economic Forum (WEF). Current Investments: ActionIQ Rajan Mehra Partner, March Capital Rajan is a Partner at March Capital, advising the firm on its Indian investments. He has over two decades of operating & investing experience in digital businesses, most recently as co-founding MD of Nirvana Venture Advisors, where he led investments in emerging consumer and enterprise tech businesses in India. Rajan commenced his investing career soon after his stint as Country Head for eBay in India. He has since successfully invested in and been a Board Member of leading Indian digital companies including BillDesk, Cartrade, Shiprocket & Unbxd. Rajan is attracted to companies building world class software products for global enterprises, SMB's and the developer community. India's technology talent and developer community has grown remarkably in the last decade, and Rajan is looking forward to working with Indian founders who will leverage this energy to take their products to the world. He is also excited to partner with founders who are building products that reduce friction and to help in building the infrastructure for India's rapidly growing internet GDP. Rajan has an M.B.A. from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, and a B.Com from Sydenham College at the University of Mumbai. Current Investments: BillDesk, CarTrade SOURCE March Capital Related Links http://marchcp.com/ National infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said this would occur when 70% to 85% of the American population is vaccinated. Not quite. Researchers still dont know whether the vaccines can prevent a person from spreading the coronavirus . All agree its imperative to continue to wear a mask and practice social distancing until we reach herd immunity via the vaccine. But there is confusion about the guidelines and they are evolving as availability increases. Millions of Americans have medical problems heart disease, diabetes, hepatitis, the list goes on and on and the guidelines have raised questions about who is being prioritized. Cancer patients are basically Phase 1C at the moment, unless they meet other criteria, he said. Theyre early in the process. If youre trying to stop community transmission, you focus on groups at high-risk for transmission and complications first. We all want to prioritize high-risk groups, but we also need to do it in a way thats equitable. Then come people with additional medical issues, such as cancer. Dr. Steve Pergam , director of infection prevention at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, said the vaccine is going first to the groups most at risk: health care workers, people in long-term care facilities, people over 75 and front line essential workers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a committee that determines how to equitably distribute all vaccines. Known as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP , it currently recommends COVID-19 vaccines be distributed in phases and tiers. Read on for their insights and answers or delve deeper into how Fred Hutch scientists are helping to defeat this deadly virus. We checked in with patients and the national experts, clinicians and infectious disease experts with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, which used the longstanding infrastructure of its HIV Vaccine Trials Network to create the COVID-19 Prevention Network (or CoVPN ) that directed many of the COVID-19 vaccine trials. Does that mean cancer patients should be first in line for their shot or last? If theyre in treatment, could a vaccine make them sicker? What about those with metastatic disease who are always in treatment can they get it? And are survivors the same as the general public? Patients with cancer are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 because of the immunocompromising nature of cancer treatments. On top of that, progressing cancer itself depletes the immune system and leaves patients susceptible to infection. But what do we do now that states are ramping up the vaccination efforts to eligible groups? Other COVID-19 vaccines are in development and will be available in the months ahead. Additional trials involving subpopulations (think children, pregnant women, people with health issues) are also in the works. The two Food and Drug Administration-approved vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, each requiring two shots a few weeks apart, were more than 94% effective at keeping this new coronavirus in check in testing on thousands of volunteers in clinical trials. But only a handful of the clinical-trial participants were cancer patients. Not so incredibly, theres a lot of confusion among cancer patients as well as their oncologists and caregivers as to whether the vaccine is a good idea or a bad idea for somebody dealing with cancer. The initial batch of COVID-19 vaccines are now available in the U.S. following incredibly fast warp speed development and testing. Metastatic breast cancer patient and family doctor Dr. Carla Kakuta of Winters, California, receives her first COVID-19 shot, before heading off to cancer treatment. "I went straight from vaccination to the infusion center because Im awesome like that," she wrote on Twitter. I've been seeing patients in person through the pandemic. Since Thanksgiving the % positive rate of the people I test has been 15 to 20%. Grateful Ive been able to avoid bringing it home to my family." I have no real concerns that there will be big surprises when it comes to safety for the cancer patient population, he said. The risk to these patients from COVID is high and the risks from the vaccines appear very low. Most should be vaccinated. At the same time, we need to learn from these patients and follow them closely for both efficacy and safety. Lyman, who helped launch the COVID-19 and Cancer Consortium, or CCC19 , felt the vaccine was a much safer bet than the risk of COVID-19 infection and its complications for those in active treatment. Using the flu vaccine as a prototype, it seems to be significantly better to give the vaccine between cycles rather than at the same time as the cytotoxic [cell-killing] therapy, he said. Patients in treatment should work with their oncologists to time the two-shot vaccine, he said. Most cancer patients, even those in treatment, should go ahead and get vaccinated when it becomes available, he said. Ideally between cycles of systemic immunosuppressive therapy. Cancer patients were excluded from vaccine trials if theyd received chemotherapy or immune modifying drugs within six months of screening. This is standard operating procedure in vaccine development. Pregnant women, children and those with other immunosuppressive conditions were also excluded from early trials. New trials are underway to ensure the vaccines safety and effectiveness in all of these vulnerable populations. Trials were large and rigorous, conducted on more than 50,000 people. The data we have on these vaccines shows theyre remarkably safe in the general population based on the trials, he said. Admittedly, very few patients with active cancer or in active therapy were included in the trials. But having gone through all the documentation for both of these vaccines, it looks remarkably safe. Public health researcher and oncologist Dr. Gary Lyman said its clear the vaccine is safe for most people and that includes most cancer survivors on the other side of treatment. Those in active treatment, he said, should also be vaccinated and at the earliest opportunity. Phase 1, Tier C: People 65 to 74 years old; people aged 16 to 64 with medical conditions that increase the risk for severe COVID-19, and essential workers not previously included in the previous phases. This includes people in transportation and logistics, water and wastewater, food service, construction, finance (such as bank tellers), information technology and communications, energy, legal, media, public safety (like engineers), and public health. Phase 1, Tier B: People 75 and over and front line essential workers. This includes first responders (firefighters and police officers); corrections officers; food and agricultural workers; U.S. Postal Service workers; manufacturing workers; grocery store workers; public transit workers, and those who work in education, such as teachers, support staff and child care workers. Below are ACIP guidelines for the first three tiers of vaccine distribution in the U.S. for Phase 1. They are meant to be flexible and adaptable, said CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield. New guidance is coming out daily. As of this writing , the CDC is recommending vaccines for anyone 65 and older . Washington state offers this guidance . Dr. Steve Pergam, a Fred Hutch researcher and the director of infection prevention at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, receives his first COVID-19 vaccine. Pergam said it's imperative for people to continue to wear masks and socially distance since it's not yet unknown whether vaccinated people can still spread the virus. Pergam was part of the FDA's Vaccine Advisory Committee for the COVID-19 vaccines.. Special consideration should be given to patients with hematologic malignancies and lung cancer, they wrote. Early vaccination should go to patients who are currently receiving treatment for cancer or have an advanced cancer that may result in increased risk of complications from COVID-19. We conclude that patients with an active cancer should be considered for priority access to COVID-19 vaccination, along with other particularly vulnerable populations with risk factors for adverse outcomes with COVID-19, they wrote in AACRs Cancer Discovery journal . A recent review by members of the American Association of Cancer Researchs COVID-19 and Cancer Task Force strongly recommended priority vaccination for patients with active cancer. I would treat these patients as I would the general population or someone who was months or years out from treatment who has a relatively active immune response, he said. When it comes to non-cytotoxic therapies such as PARP inhibitors or anti-hormonal therapies often used in breast and prostate cancer management, Lyman said vaccinating should be fine. Cancer patients are not expected to be at risk for complications of the vaccine, he said. They are at risk for acquisition and complications of the virus. Pergam, a high-risk essential worker and cancer survivor who got his shot last week, agreed that the vaccine was likely safe for all cancer patients, even those in active treatment. Fauci specifically recommended vaccinating blood and marrow transplant patients during the recent American Society of Hematology conference: If youre immunosuppressed, history tells us you wont have as big of a protective response. But some is better than none. I would prioritize patients with active cancer as well as those on active cancer therapy, he said. Were fighting a pandemic where cancer patients are at three, four, or five times greater risk for fatality than others. Its a risk-benefit equation. Their risk from COVID-19 is exceptionally high. Lyman agreed with their assessment, adding that the risk for serious COVID-19 complications increases considerably in those with progressing cancer, the elderly and those with additional medical conditions. Fred Hutch's Dr. Gary Lyman, top, strongly recommends a COVID-19 vaccine for patients in active treatment and otherwise. Cancer survivor and political strategist Lisa Rice, bottom, of Washington, D.C., has severe allergies and is waiting for results of a different vaccine trial. Fred Hutch's Dr. Gary Lyman, left, strongly recommends a COVID-19 vaccine for patients in active treatment and otherwise. Cancer survivor and political strategist Lisa Rice, right, of Washington, D.C., has severe allergies and is waiting for results of a different vaccine trial. Should people whove already had COVID-19 also get vaccinated? Short answer: yes. According to the CDC, those whove been infected and recovered from COVID-19 will have some natural antibodies to the virus. The vaccine will boost that response and make sure theres long-lasting protection. What are the side effects? Pergam, who went through both a kidney transplant and cancer in years past, said he had mild arm soreness from his COVID-19 vaccine, but that was it. No real side effects at all, he said. Pergam shared his shot on Twitter, as have many in health care including oncologists, who are passing on the intel to the cancer community. Note significant lymph node swelling after COVID-19 vaccine, Maryland breast cancer oncologist Dr. Tatiana Prowell commented via tweet when Dr. Erika Hamilton shared a picture of the adenopathy she developed in her neck after each of her shots. To be clear, this is not a dangerous thing, Prowell wrote. Heads up for people with cancer, the clinicians who care for them in or out of clinical trials, and radiologists reading studies. Dont mistake this for progression. Lymph node swelling or lymphadenopathy was seen in 0.4% of subjects in the Pfizer trial, a total of 38 cases; three were found in the placebo arm. Lymph nodes, which are found in the neck, under the arms, around the clavicle and throughout the body, are part of the bodys immune system. Hamilton said her swelling went away after four to five days. But for someone with a history of cancer? Theyd be worried about progression/recurrence if they found this in their neck, she said. Breast cancer patients and others whove had lymph nodes taken surgically should note this side effect as it might trigger lymphedema. Lyman said patients with lymphedema, if concerned, should talk to their doctor and possibly get vaccinated elsewhere on their body. Many have breezed through with few issues. Kathi Kolb, a 66-year old breast cancer survivor and physical therapist from South Kingstown, Rhode Island, was a little tired from her first shot, but that was about it. Part one of this COVID-19 vaccine was easier than the flu vaccine, she said. It didnt even make a mark on my arm." The second shot, however, left her with arm soreness, fatigue and a headache. Pergam encouraged those who get vaccinated to sign up for the CDCs V-Safe tool, which is tracking reactions to the vaccine. You sign up when youre vaccinated and then six hours later, you get a text asking you to fill out any side effects, he said. Then they text you once a day so you can continue to document any symptoms. Its going to provide early insight into the side effects of the vaccines. The American Cancer Societys website, which also recommends cancer patients discuss the vaccine with their doctor, said side effects that have been reported include pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle and joint pain, chills and fever (all of these are short-term). What about allergic reactions? Lisa Rice, a 59-year-old political strategist and nonprofit executive from Washington, D.C., was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017 and has been out of treatment for a few years. As a survivor, she could get vaccinated as soon as her category opens up. But shes holding off. Not over concerns about cancer, but allergies. I have several severe allergies, which rules out the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, she said. For me, it wouldnt be worth the risk to my health to take [them]. Ill just wait for a single-dose vaccine. There are several in trial now. Rice, whos had bad, bad allergies since she was a child, said she's particularly interested in a single-dose vaccine, like the Johnson & Johnson version, currently in third-phase testing." An article published in the journal,Science said the severe allergy-like reactions seen in 12 people who received the Pfizer-BioNTech may be due to a compound in the packaging of the messenger RNA that forms the vaccines main ingredient. The Moderna vaccine contains the same compound polyethylene glycol or PEG which has not been used in a vaccine before but is commonly used in toothpaste, shampoo, various gels and many drugs, occasionally triggering severe allergic reactions anaphylaxis. Last week, the CDC reported a total of 29 cases of anaphylaxis following approximately 5.3 million doses of one or the other COVID-19 vaccines, and Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDCs National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, stressed the importance of continued vaccinations because of the severe nature of pandemic. Lyman agreed. The rate of serious adverse events in both the trials and the larger vaccinated population appears to be very low, he said. By comparison, COVID-19 is currently claiming around 3,000 lives a day in the U.S. (killing 1 in 1,000 people). Many who contract it develop long-term complications. Its now the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. Lyman, Dr. Josh Hill and others on an ASCO/Infectious Disease Society of America webinar about the COVID-19 vaccine and cancer patients said only those with a history of anaphylaxis to an mRNA vaccine (most people have not received them) or to drugs that include the PEG component should hold off on the current vaccines. Those with lesser allergic reactions from other vaccines and injectable therapies should be monitored for up to 30 minutes. Monitoring, they all agreed, is crucial. The CDC provided a report on 21 allergic reactions from the Pfizer-BioNTechs COVID-19 vaccine as well as a table with additional information on outcomes. Patience, patients As for the slow rollout, Pergam stressed that patients are already being vaccinated because many are part of other high-risk groups. Many of those people are also cancer patients, he said. There are health care workers who are cancer patients. There are many essential workers who are currently getting cancer care. Its not just about what your disease is, but what your risk is. Cancer patients and others will be included in all these groups in a subset. And even those at high risk may need to be extra patient as the rollout revs up. I impatiently called my doctor's office and tried the fact that I am old (almost 73), had cancer and a bone marrow transplant and live in Los Angeles, but I have to wait, wrote Dr. Susan Love, cancer survivor, researcher and author of whats often termed the breast cancer bible. Meanwhile sheltering in place! New Delhi, Jan 14 : The Budget session of Parliament will commence from January 29, with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman set to present the Union Budget on February 1. The session will be held in two parts -- from January 29 to February 15 and March 8 to April 8. The 5th session of the 17th Lok Sabha will have 35 sittings -- 11 in the first part and 24 in the second part. President Ram Nath Kovind will address both Houses of Parliament -- the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha -- at 11 am on January 29. Sitharaman will present the Union Budget at 11 am on February 1. Parliament will adjourn on February 15 to enable various Standing Committees to consider the Demands for Grants of Ministries/Departments and prepare their reports, and reconvene on March 8. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text JACKSON, Miss. (AP) Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves received the coronavirus vaccine Wednesday on a video streamed to Facebook Live. The Republican governor said he wanted to take the vaccine publicly to demonstrate his confidence in its safety and efficacy. We've heard from a lot of Mississippians who are concerned about taking the vaccine and what we've tried to do, over the last several weeks, is remove roadblocks, Reeves said, standing in the governor's mansion in Jackson with State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs. Reeves, 46, said he doesn't want there to be any doubt that he supports the vaccine. We've heard, If the governor wont take it, I won't take it,' Reeves said. The reality is, it's time." Wearing a face covering depicting the American flag, Reeves sat in a chair while a nurse administered the shot. He did not say what type of vaccine he received Pfizer's, developed with Germanys BioNTech, or Moderna, developed with U.S. National Institutes of Health. Im not a great patient, and so I dont love shots," he joked. "But I know that this is the thing to do, and its going to help protect me, but also help protect our loved ones. As of Wednesday, the coronavirus vaccine is available in Mississippi for health care workers, people living in long-term care facilities, those 65 and older and individuals with health conditions. Mississippi set up drive-thru sites for vaccinations across the state. The vaccine is also available at some private clinics. People eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine can make an appointment at COVIDvaccine.umc.edu or by calling the COVID-19 call center at 1-877-978-6453. The state Health Department reported Wednesday that Mississippi had 1,942 new confirmed cases of the virus as of Tuesday evening. The department also reported 31 deaths Wednesday. The state has reported nearly 243,899 cases of the virus and 5,315 related deaths since the start of the pandemic. Dobbs said the virus is still taking the lives of many Mississippians. He said during a media briefing Tuesday that he had lost several friends in the past week because of coronavirus complications. A member of Mississippi's state Board of Health, Dr. Ed Dalton Barham died of COVID-19 complications Saturday, according to an obituary. He was 79. Barham, known as Tad or Taddy, had served on the board since 2012, after being appointed by former Gov. Phil Bryant. He was elected chairman in 2017. He felt it was a privilege and an honor to serve in a leadership position to help promote public health in Mississippi, his family wrote in his obituary. Barham was a graduate of Mississippi College and George Washington School of Medicine. He served in the U.S. Army at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel. Barham, of Clinton, served as chief of radiology at Doctors Hospital, the V.A. Medical Center, River Oaks Hospital and Womans Hospital in Mississippi. He practiced the majority of his professional life over 35 years at Womans Hospital, according to his family. WILMINGTON, Del., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Wilmington, Delaware, today announces a much anticipated signature cocktail to call its own THE WILMINGTON. The city, home to 46th President Elect Joe Biden, in partnership with Aviation American Gin, dedicates the drink to make a historic cocktail imprint at this milestone moment. THE WILMINGTON makes its debut one week prior to the Presidential Inauguration. It's Time & Aviation Gin "It's Time," in partnership with Aviation Gin, hosted the cocktail competition open to bartenders, mixologists and everyday cocktail connoisseurs from the city of Delaware and beyond. Competition criteria included the inclusion of Aviation American Gin and the inspiration of all that Wilmington has to offer. More than 25 submissions from across the nation showcased the best of this progressive city including historical references, Delaware state colors, the state flower the peach blossom, the state fruit the strawberry, comedic entries and more. Newly elected Delaware State Senator Sarah McBride will make the official dedication at today's virtual ceremony hosted at Le Cavalier at the HOTEL DUPONT. "I'm honored to make this historic dedication in my hometown at the start of my first term as a Senator. Supporting our "It's Time" campaign with innovative programming is essential to foster our city's entrepreneurial spirit. Congratulations to our imaginative winners," said McBride. Aviation Gin mixologist, Natasha Velez and their team of experts reviewed all entries and awarded the winning recipe to cocktail enthusiast couple Kate Gantner, a staff civil engineer, and Fazal Vandal, a web developer. The couple, Trolley Square residents, are both University of Delaware 2017 alumni. They were inspired by Delaware's heritage as home to the nation's first commercial peach farm. Their subtle peach theme submission was the winning entry given its simplicity highlighting both peach and Aviation Gin botanicals in an elegant complementary taste profile and its ease of replicability at home and in bars. "We are beyond proud that a great American city like Wilmington chose an American craft spirit such as Aviation Gin to be the featured spirit in a newly minted namesake cocktail. All of the submissions were impressive and really showed off the flair and passion that Wilmington has to offer," said Adrian Molina, Sr. Brand Manager Aviation Gin. THE WILMINGTON WINNING RECIPE 1.5 oz Aviation Gin .75 oz Peach Infused Simple Syrup 1oz Lemon Juice Freshly Ground Cinnamon Garnish "It's Time" also conducted THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD where the general public voted for the cocktail they collectively liked best. The winner went to Jasmin-Onya Rochester whose recipe included Rosemary Lavender Syrup. Wilmington, Delaware's largest city, feeds off the energy and connections of good people, the economic impact of entrepreneurial businesses and the potential of what's next. The city, with its prime Mid Atlantic location, is open to new experiences, believes in continuous learning from others and celebrates diversity and change. The It's Time campaign assists with rebuilding the economy and showcasing the best this progressive city has to offer. The virtual event will be streamed at 4pm EST through It's Time Facebook here . Media Contact: Katie Zamarra 917.379.5422 [email protected] SOURCE The Wilmington It's Time Campaign Related Links https://www.wilmtoday.com/ Forty-two percent of employees and 81% of Gracedale residents have received their first COVID-19 vaccination, according to a news release from Northampton County. As of Wednesday, Jan. 13, 318 personnel have been vaccinated, a figure that includes 266 county employees. Gracedale is the Northampton County owned nursing facility in Upper Nazareth Township. CVS has scheduled additional distributions of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Gracedale through February. We are deeply gratified that nearly every resident who could have been vaccinated at Gracedale during the first four clinics provided by CVS were indeed administered the shot, said County Executive Lamont McClure. He hopes to increase the number of employee vaccinations at the next several clinics. We remain convinced vaccination against COVID-19 will save lives and livelihoods. We thank CVS for working with us through this challenging time in the history of our county and our country and we are grateful they will be coming back to Gracedale soon, McClure said. On Dec. 17, county council authorized a $750 incentive for Gracedale employees who get the vaccine. The money comes from residual CARES Act funding to address infection control in nursing homes. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to Lehighvalleylive.com. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 03:39:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Healthcare professionals line up to get COVID-19 vaccine at a hospital in Barcelona, Spain, Jan. 12, 2021. Spain's Health Minister Salvador Illa said on Wednesday that the country is currently vaccinating around 67,000 people a day against coronavirus. (Photo by Ismael Peracaula/Xinhua) MADRID, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Spain's Health Minister Salvador Illa said on Wednesday that the country is currently vaccinating around 67,000 people a day against coronavirus. He made the remarks at a video conference with his counterparts from other European Union (EU) member states, who shared experiences of their respective vaccination processes. Illa said that Spain aims to start to administer the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Jan. 18 and that this Wednesday saw the start of the distribution of the first doses of the Moderna vaccine in the country. One of the key conclusions of Wednesday's conference was the need for coordination between central government and the regions in charge of carrying out the vaccinations. Spain has a national vaccine registration system (REGVACU), which receives daily data from the information systems of the country's 17 autonomous communities. This information is updated daily on the Ministry of Health's official website. The representatives of the ministry said they were satisfied with the ongoing coordination and information-sharing efforts within the EU. On Wednesday, the Health Ministry said that Spain has registered a total of 2,176,089 coronavirus cases and 52,878 deaths since the start of the pandemic. To date, 581,638 of the 1,103,700 doses of the Pfizer vaccine received by the country have been administered. As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, vaccination is underway in many European countries with the already-authorized coronavirus vaccines. Meanwhile, 236 candidate vaccines are still being developed worldwide -- 63 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain and the United States, according to information released by the World Health Organization on Jan. 12. Enditem Means of production prices mostly rise in China BEIJING, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Most of the capital goods monitored by the government posted higher prices in early January this year compared with late December 2020, official data showed Thursday. Of the 50 major goods monitored by the government, including seamless steel tubes, gasoline, coal, fertilizer and some chemicals, 30 saw their prices increase, while 17 posted lower prices, and the prices of three remained unchanged, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Hog price went up 5.4 percent during the period. The reading, released every 10 days, is based on a survey of nearly 2,000 wholesalers and distributors in 31 provincial-level regions. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Is the Capitol siege just another hoax? Don't get me wrong: we know it occurred. But there is more and more evidence coming out that it was pre-planned...and not instigated by Trump-supporters. There is absolutely no evidence that President Trump encouraged or fomented the violence. He has repeatedly talked of "peaceful" protests and condemned lawlessness of any sort. Yet the media treat the brief, tragic incursion as an "insurrection." Democrats portrayed it as on par with the Night of the Long Knives. And then they voted to re-impeach Trump, despite the fact there were no witnesses, no presidential legal representation, and no factual evidence presented. In short, they impeached him without trial, just because they wished to...and could. Compare that to how the media and Democrats and often their judges treated the numerous claims of voter fraud in the recent presidential election. Despite substantial evidence of wrongdoing and significant evidence of massive voter fraud, they summarily dismissed the claims and refused to grant the grievances any forum. Think about this: the baseless vote to re-impeach Trump was successful; the attempt to prevent a potentially stolen election and validate the will of over 75 million Americans was summarily dismissed, in case after case, as frivolous. What if the roles were reversed? How would the left have handled it? Ponder this, too: Trump got over 11 million more votes in 2020 than in 2016. By contrast, Obama received at least 3 million fewer votes in 2012 than in 2008. This makes Trump arguably the most popular president in history. And the establishment elites still (in my and many other people's view) were able to steal the election from him and his supporters. That is breathtaking chutzpah. Think what that means. They knew how powerful they are. Moreover, they saw the people's response to the never-ending lockdowns and mask mandates, etc., and realized how easily led we have become. ("Two weeks to flatten the curve" has morphed into "ten months to flatten your soul.") As Congressman Louis Gohmert observed, half of all the impeachments in the history of this republic have now been carried out by Nancy Pelosi. How does the Wicked Witch of the West not herself get impeached? She is petty, vindictive, and unstable and has essentially condoned mob violence herself. The left is blatantly rubbing conservatives' noses in their defeats, challenging us to do something about them. Pelosi's team of Trump impeachment managers consisted of seven women, non-white people, or members of the LGBTQ community. And Eric Swalwell. So a guy who sleeps with a Chinese spy is not only not kicked off the House Intelligence Committee (talk about an oxymoron!), but is appointed by Pelosi to be a House impeachment manager! This comes on the heels of Twitter lecturing Uganda not to block social media and messaging apps ahead of that nation's election, because that would be an outrageous violation of "basic human rights and the principles of the #OpenInternet." This was well after Twitter banned President Trump from its platform. Kids, don't look for justice in this world. One would think, based on other ex-presidential memoirs and the explosive, remarkable story Trump surely has to tell, that he would be champing at the bit to release his own book once he leaves office. Yet, in light of the stunningly rapid post-election assault on conservatives' liberties, will any company dare to publish his memoirs? Would any bookseller have the courage to stock it? And, if you purchased it, would it be reported to your spouse...employer...the government? Image credit: Pixabay public domain. Japanese experts are warning the current wave of coronavirus infections is putting increasing strain on the medical system in the capital. They say hospitals are being forced to turn away some COVID-19 patients and hotels where those with mild or no symptoms are asked to quarantine are full. The daily tally of new cases in Tokyo has been well over the 1,000-level for much of the past week. 135 people in the capital are now in serious condition. Public health experts report the average number of daily cases is up 65 percent this week, compared to a week earlier. Director Ohmagari Norio of Disease Control and Prevention Center said, "The current situation may reflect an explosive spread of infections." With hospital beds filling up, more than 8,000 people who tested positive are quarantining at home. Three have died, including two people who had pre-existing conditions. Hospital beds for COVID-19 patients are also running low in other parts of the greater Tokyo region. One reason is that some patients need to stay at the hospital long after testing negative, as they recover. Even after testing negative, other hospitals are reluctant to accept these patients. Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide is urging medical associations to help secure more hospital beds for coronavirus patients... and to prepare for a vaccination drive. Suga said, "We need your continued cooperation to provide necessary medical assistance to those who need it." In an effort to curb the contagion, the central government added seven prefectures to its state of emergency on Thursday. The measure will remain in place until February 7. People are asked to refrain from non-essential outings and help reduce the number of commuters by 70 percent by working from home. But it appeared to be business as usual in the newly added prefectures on Thursday morning, compared to the state of emergency last spring. Some businesses are finding it hard to shift to remote work. Independent journalists Nguyen Tuong Thuy (left), Pham Chi Dung (right), and Le Huu Minh Tuan (at back) are shown on trial in Ho Chi Minh City, Jan. 5, 2021. Vietnam has added new information controls ahead of a ruling Communist Party Congress, setting up an Anti-Fake News Center and threatening to punish any leak of leadership candidates, new curbs on top of a 2020 crackdown that saw intensified repression of civil and political rights. The launch of the center comes less than two weeks before the opening of Vietnams 13th party congress, where the party will secretly select a list of candidates for senior party positions over the next five years. In a stern warning to potential candidates and media, an official overseeing the confidential election told state media that anyone responsible for leaking or publishing false or secret information about the process would be punished under Vietnamese law. The governments focus on controlling the media is consistent with its behavior over the past year according to New York-based Human Rights Watch, which released its 2021 World Report Wednesday saying Vietnam continued to violate basic civil and political rights in 2020. Those who criticized the government or party faced police intimidation, harassment, restricted movement, physical assault, arbitrary arrest and detention, and imprisonment Party-controlled courts sentenced bloggers and activists on fabricated national security charges, the report said. Regarding freedom of media and access to information, the report said authorities block access to websites, frequently shut blogs, and require internet service providers to remove content or social media accounts deemed politically unacceptable. The new anti-fake news center will now enhance the governments ability to pinpoint information it finds problematic. The center will be managed by the Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information, part of the Ministry of Information and Communications, which oversees the exercise of freedom of expression and press freedom in the country. Fake news is created by human beings, therefore the people must have a means of detecting and dealing with fake news, Luu Dinh Phuc, the chief of the authority told state media. Users can report suspected fake news for investigation on the centers new website, which categorizes and classifies what it determines to be fake news by topics including policy, law, economy, finance, health, disasters, pandemic, national security, social order, fake accounts, and deceitful links. A report recently published on the website entitled Identifying and classifying fake news on the internet identified new regulations and decrees that could be used against those suspected of spreading fake news or rumors on social media. These included Decree 15/2020, which imposes fines of 10-20 million dong (U.S. $430-860) on those who spread fake news on social networks, and a controversial cybersecurity law that took effect in Jan. 2019 that grants authorities sweeping powers to censor online content, requiring technology companies to identify users and remove politically sensitive postings. Additionally, spreaders of content the government finds problematic could be charged with article 117, one of several vague provisions in the penal code often used by the government to detain writers and bloggers. RFA reported Jan. 5 when authorities sentenced dissident blogger Nguyen Tuong Thuy to 11 years in prison for writing articles online criticizing Vietnams one-party communist government, one of many cases where the government has invoked article 117. Nguyen is a former vice president of the Vietnam Independent Journalism Association who had blogged on civil rights and freedom of speech issues for RFAs Vietnamese Service for six years. Two other RFA Vietnamese Service contributors are serving jail terms in Vietnam. They are Truong Duy Nhat, a blogger who was sentenced in March last year to 10 years, and Nguyen Van Hoa, a videographer who was sentenced in November 2017 to seven years. Leaders chosen in secret A secret list of communist party candidates under consideration for the countrys top offices will be filled at Vietnams National Party Congress, set to begin Jan. 25. While major policy changes are not anticipated during the 13th congress, candidates to take over party leadership for the next five years will be decided. Those who make the secret list public will be legally responsible, the deputy chairman of the National Election Committee and chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, Tran Thanh Man said Wednesday. He said that those who post untruthful information related to the selection process on social media will be treated in accordance with Vietnamese law. This should absolutely not be used in the media to make a name for oneself, Tran said, sternly warning both the candidates and the media. During the congress, some 1,600 national delegates will vote to elect the 200 members of the Central Committee, who will then choose the politburo, which usually consists of 17 to 19 members, including its general secretary. The list of candidates for the politburos offices was designated in November as secret by the Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc. Nguyen in August also decided that information regarding the medical records of members of the politburo and secretariat, including examination results and treatments, were to be classified as absolute secrets. Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Huy Le. Written in English by Eugene Whong. At the turn of the 20th century, the question that most preoccupied British policymakers was: What do we do about Germany? The answer turned out to be two world wars, the collapse of British power and the rise of two new superpowers the Soviet Union and the United States. The German problem was eventually dealt with, though the cost was enormous. The overriding geopolitical question two decades into the 21st century is: What do we do about China? It is an even more seismic issue since China, with a quarter of the world's population and an unstoppable economy already five times bigger than the UK's and growing, looms much larger than Germany ever did. U.S. President Donald Trump, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser John Bolton and Chinese President Xi Jinping attend a working dinner after the G20 leaders summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina December 1, 2018 I was about to add that it also seems more malign. That is perhaps debatable. It is certainly more alien. What the past year has surely taught us is that there is a massive and probably unbridgeable gulf between China's values and our own. This was again illustrated this week, when the often belligerent Chinese Foreign Ministry accused the Government of 'lying' after Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had declared that China was guilty of 'barbarism' in Xinjiang province. Beijing is said to have subjected Muslim Uyghurs there to forced labour. Yesterday, the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission published an excoriating report full of allegations against the Chinese, including evidence of 'genocide' against Uyghurs. This further infuriated Beijing. Jettisoned for ever are the naivety and shallow optimism of George Osborne and David Cameron, who only a few years ago believed China was so unthreatening and benign that it could be allowed a key role in our telecommunications and nuclear power industries. In this photo taken Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, researchers work in a lab of the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province Look at the past 12 months. The 'Chinese virus', as President Trump calls it, has laid waste western economies, including our own, while barely damaging China's GDP. The IMF reckons it declined by an insignificant 1.58 per cent in 2020 and will grow by a whopping 8.34 per cent in 2021. Meanwhile, the British economy shrank by an estimated 11.3 per cent last year, and might expand by 5.5 per cent in 2021 if we're lucky. China has emerged stronger from the pandemic it spawned, while the West has been pulverised. What can we do about this historic realignment of power? On Tuesday, Boris Johnson enraged the grisly Chinese regime by blaming the country's 'demented' traditional medical practices for Covid-19, suggesting that it could have originated from grinding up the scales of pangolins to aid virility. Maybe he's right. Some see the campaigning hand of his fiancee Carrie Symonds, an avid environmentalist who has spoken out about the threats to the scaly (and, it must be said, hideous-looking) mammals. The old waxworks on the central committee of the Chinese Communist Party will have choked on their soya bean milk as they read Boris's colourful contribution. But I doubt they have been shaken to their foundations. China's President Xi Jinping inspects People's Liberation Army soldiers at a barracks in Hong Kong on June 30, 2017 More vexing to them will be a diatribe from Mike Pompeo, the U.S. Secretary of State, who in the dying days of Trump's presidency is expected to produce evidence suggesting that the Boris Johnson/Carrie Symonds thesis falls short. Far from attributing Covid to pangolin scales, Mr Pompeo believes the virus was cultivated by scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where Chinese and foreign experts have warned of poor bio-security for years. We'll have to read the fine print of Mr Pompeo's allegations, which were first aired without convincing chapter and verse last May. But I don't think we should simply dismiss them because he is the servant of a psychopathic president, or because our own spooks and the Foreign Office have poured cold water on them. It is, after all, undeniable that Beijing has been slippery and devious from the outset covering up the original outbreak, blaming a wild animal market that it subsequently admitted wasn't responsible for spreading the virus, silencing its own experts, and fending off outside investigators. Is it really just a coincidence that the pandemic should have started in the city where there happens to be an institute of virology which had been carrying out allegedly risky research on bat viruses since 2015? Let Mike Pompeo have his say. Whether it will be conclusive I rather doubt. But that is the fault of a secretive Chinese government which has persistently thwarted the kind of investigation which any decent regime would assist. Even now the China-friendly World Health Organisation (WHO) is poking around Wuhan, but it has reportedly been excluded from the laboratory likely to feature in Mr Pompeo's dossier. China was given the right to veto any of the ten international scientists on the WHO team. They include Dr Peter Daszak, who has repeatedly rubbished the theory that the virus leaked out of the Institute of Virology. Rather amusingly, in view of its apparently sympathetic attitude towards Beijing, the WHO's experts were last week temporarily blocked from entering China. The body's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, permitted himself a rare grumble. Does anybody really think it probable that the WHO will get to the bottom of what happened? We're unlikely ever to know the full truth. But we do know, which is proof enough, that Beijing has been obstructive, clandestine, and uncontrite. And we also know that the pandemic whether it came from a pangolin or a bat or a laboratory has bolstered China's standing at the expense of the West, and that Beijing is throwing its weight around more aggressively than ever. It is cracking down on opposition in Hong Kong in violation of the Joint Declaration signed with Britain in 1997, guaranteeing the former colony virtual autonomy until 2047. Last week more than 50 people seen by China as opponents were rounded up. Only three days ago, it threatened a 'counterstrike' after the U.S. agreed to lift restrictions on official contacts with the democratic island of Taiwan, which Beijing regards as a breakaway province that should re-join China. Prime Minister Boris Johnson chairs the weekly Cabinet Meeting virtually from 10 Downing Street The vitriol poured on Britain this week pales into insignificance compared to the threats and insults heaped on Australia after it dared to accuse Beijing of covering up human rights abuses and the origins of Covid. China's official media threatened the country with 'lasting punishment'. So how do we deal with a regime that has grown in hostility and swagger since the pandemic began? The truth is that all the brickbats in the world from Mr Raab and the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission won't make Beijing nicer. In fact, they will only antagonise it. Britain is too small by itself to have any influence on China. So is every Western country except the U.S., and its power is waning. But President Joe Biden could assemble a coalition of like-minded countries which together might be taken seriously by Beijing. Would it work? Or would France and Germany, anxious to cut lucrative trade deals with China, break ranks? I don't, by the way, suggest for one moment that Britain shouldn't continue to trade with China, though whether we will get a post-Brexit bespoke deal may be doubted. Whatever happens, the inexorable rise of this increasingly self-assertive and brutal country is going to be an inescapable reality of our children's and grandchildren's lifetimes and I can't honestly say that this prospect fills me with cheer. A total of 90 elk teeth were placed next to the hips and thighs of the body in grave 127, possibly attached to a garment resembling an apron. There were elk teeth pendants also on the waist. Red ochre had been sprinkled on top of the deceased. Credit: Tom Bjorklund Roughly 8,200 years ago, the island of Yuzhniy Oleniy Ostrov in Lake Onega in the Republic of Karelia, Russia, housed a large burial ground where men, women and children of varying ages were buried. Many of the graves contain an abundance of objects and red ochre, signifying the wish to ensure the comfort of the buried also after death. Pendants made of elk incisors were apparently attached to clothing and accessories, such as dresses, coats, cloaks, headdresses and belts. Although no clothing material has been preserved, the location of the elk teeth sheds light on the possible type of these outfits. A people of grooved elk tooth pendants A study headed by archaeologist Kristiina Mannermaa, University of Helsinki, aimed to determine who the people buried in outfits decorated with elk tooth ornaments were, and what the pendants meant to them. The study analyzed the manufacturing technique of a total of more than 4,000 tooth ornaments, or the way in which the teeth had been processed for attachment or suspension. The results were surprising, as practically all of the teeth had been processed identically by making one or more small grooves at the tip of the root, which made tying the pendants easier. Only in two instances had a small hole been made in the tooth for threading, both of which were found in the grave of the same woman. The tooth pendants found in graves located in the Baltic area and Scandinavia from the same period as the Yuzhniy Oleniy Ostrov graves are almost exclusively perforated. Perforation is the surest way of fastening the pendant, but making holes in the narrow tip of a tooth is more laborious than grooving. Archaeological and ethnographic research has shown that humans have been using decorations almost always and everywhere in the world, for several different purposes. To many indigenous peoples in Eurasia, including the Sami communities, decorations have been and still are an important way of describing a person's identity and origin. They are not only aesthetic details, but also connected to intercommunity communication and the strengthening of intracommunity uniformity. External elements such as ornaments can also influence the names which neighboring groups use to refer to a community. In fact, Kristiina Mannermaa calls the people found in the burial site the people of grooved elk tooth pendants. "Even though there are pendants made of beaver and bear teeth in the graves, the share of elk teeth in them is overwhelming," Mannermaa says. Typically, only one or at the most a couple of different groove types were prevalent in individual graves. This indicates that the pendants found in a specific grave or cluster were the result of routine serial production of sorts carried out in a fairly short period of time. The most common groove types were firm as well as quick and easy to make. "Interestingly, the grooves were not always made on the broadest side of the tooth, which would be the easiest option. In many graves, the grooves are on the thin side of the tooth where the unstable position of the tooth makes them harder to do. The artisan may have resorted to this method in order to tie them in a specific position," researcher Riitta Rainio notes. The highest number of elk teeth were found in the graves of young adult women and men, the lowest in those of children and elderly people. In other words, elk tooth ornaments were in one way or another linked to age, possibly specifically to the peak reproductive years. Elk was the most important animal in the ideology and beliefs of the prehistorical hunter-gatherers of the Eurasian forest zone, and their limited availability made elk teeth a valuable material to ancient hunters. Elks were not brought down very often, and not all members of the community contributed to hunting. It may be that a single individual was given all of the incisors of a caught elk. Elks have a total of eight incisors, six permanent ones in the lower jaw and two permanent canines in the shape of incisors. At times, corresponding deciduous teeth were also processed into ornaments. The largest ornaments required the teeth of at least 8 to 18 elks. More information: Kristiina Mannermaa et al, Let's groove: attachment techniques of Eurasian elk (Alces alces) tooth pendants at the Late Mesolithic cemetery Yuzhniy Oleniy Ostrov (Lake Onega, Russia), Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences (2020). Kristiina Mannermaa et al, Let's groove: attachment techniques of Eurasian elk (Alces alces) tooth pendants at the Late Mesolithic cemetery Yuzhniy Oleniy Ostrov (Lake Onega, Russia),(2020). DOI: 10.1007/s12520-020-01237-5 By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 01/14/2021 ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. star Jovi Dufren has reacted to his supposed friend Sara throwing him under the bus by mentioning his alleged fascination with strippers to Yara Zaya -- and Jovi is clearly not pleased.Yara, a 25-year-old from Ukraine, has been shown trying to adjust to life in New Orleans and find happiness in her relationship with Jovi, a 29-year-old from New Orleans, LA, on Season 8 of .On Sunday night's episode, viewers watched footage of Sara essentially bashing Jovi while getting a pedicure with Yara at a New Orleans nail salon. (Jovi had to leave Yara alone in New Orleans for several weeks due to the work schedule of his offshore job).Sara told Yara that Jovi used to be a regular at one of the local stripclubs and would sleep with the strippers. Sara also claimed the girlfriend Jovi had before meeting Yara once peed in her bed after a drunken night out.Both claims appeared to disgust Yara to her core, and she and Sara revisited Sara's allegations about Jovi's promiscuous past when checking in with host Shaun Robinson via videochat during the second episode of 90 Day: Bares All on Discovery's new discovery+ streaming service."I just finished watching Bares All on discovery+, and I just want to say, 'Thanks Sara for putting all my business out there and telling Yara everything you know about me,'" Jovi said in a recent Instagram Stories video."Yeah, let's just say sh-t got real about the strippers -- not good," he added.Jovi also later posted a video clip on Instagram from the 90 Day: Bares All episode and captioned it, "Well damn."In the clip, Sara flat out accused Yara of being "a webcam schemer.""Have you ever seen her Instagram? I see her in that little flaunty outfit in the club... Jovi is 110 percent whipped by Yara. I don't know what she's done or what she's doing. I don't know if it's the sex, her body, her looks or what she's doing," Sara said.In never-before-seen footage from 's eighth season, 90 Day: Bares All featured an exclusive clip of Yara confronting Jovi about Sara's unflattering claims about Jovi.Yara was shown FaceTiming with Jovi and bluntly asking, "I wanted to ask you something: Did you sleep with strippers?"Jovi replied, "I didn't sleep with strippers, no."Yara said she might need to go to a doctor's office to check "for something," probably meaning an STD."You don't sleep with any stripper?" Yara repeated for clarification."No, I'm not sleeping with any strippers," Jovi said, now responding in the present tense.Yara asked Jovi why he even hung out at a stripclub to begin with, and Jovi explained, "That's where all my friends go. What do you want me to do? Not go with them?"90 Day: Bares All also showed flashback footage from when Sara poked fun at Jovi for not changing his bed sheets before Yara's arrival in the United States.Sara said Jovi needed to wash his sheets because he had allegedly slept with ex-girlfriends and strippers in that same bed."Strippers?! Come on now, that's harsh!" Jovi told Sara in the throwback clip.But Jovi didn't confirm or deny Sara's accusation at the time. Instead, he appeared to carefully phrase his response."I don't sleep with strippers in my own bed," Jovi said, seemingly suggesting he has had sex with strippers elsewhere.Yara also asked Jovi about the peeing incident regarding his ex in the never-before-seen clip of the pair FaceTiming following Yara's trip to the nail salon.Jovi laughed and claimed, "I don't remember this at all. I couldn't give a f-ck about her. I didn't care about our relationship."Yara said she couldn't believe she once thought Jovi was an angel and he needed to grow up if he wanted to be with her long-term and start a family together."If he continues to hang out with strippers or go to the bar all the time, I would just go back to Ukraine. I don't know how I feel about getting married now. I don't know," Yara lamented.Yara told Shaun on 90 Day: Bares All of Sara's allegations, "I hope he didn't sleep with a stripper and all of [those] things. I hope it's just a lie and he never did it before."But Sara confirmed she had attended the stripclub once with Jovi and some of his guy friends."We can't just blame him; it's a whole group of them," Sara said in Jovi's defense.Sara later explained, "I'm sure he did a lot of crazy things. Have I experienced a few? Yes. But I am not willing to talk about that."Shaun pointed out, "Ahh, so you do have some information that might not sit well with Yara!""Here's my thing," Sara said. "The past is the past for a reason. What he's willing to tell, I will let him tell."'s eighth season currently airs on Sunday nights at 8PM ET/PT on TLC.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage! Authorities say they have arrested the man who threw a fire extinguisher that hit Capitol police during last weeks deadly attack on the Capitol, and its a retired Pennsylvania firefighter. Robert Sanford, who a former member of the Chester Fire Department in Delaware County, was arrested and is being held in Lehigh County Jail while awaiting his hearing in federal court, records show. The AP reports the 55-year-old faces charges including assault of a police officer, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, civil disorder and unlawfully entering the Capitol. Sanfords charges are not connected to the attack on Officer Brian Sicknick, who also was hit with a fire extinguisher, the AP said. Photos showed the man wearing a dark blue beanie with the letters CFD on the front, and holding an extinguisher. Chesters mayor issued a statement that city officials are aware of the allegations, and that Sanford was a member of the Chester Fire Department from January 1994 until he retired in February 2020. While Robert Sanford adorned a hat with a Fire Department logo, he is not a current employee of the city of Chester, Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland said. As the First Amendment of our Constitution outlines the right to free speech and to peaceful assembly, the actions of the rioters in D.C. last week hinged on characteristics of domestic terrorism. As such, if any person, be it current or former employee or resident, is confirmed to have participated in last weeks event at the Capitol, then we hope our legal system will work according to its purpose and bring them to justice. The FBI released a slew of photos from the attack, and asked for the publics help in identifying the people shown. Information, photos, or videos can be submitted at fbi.gov/USCapitol. Tips can also be called in to 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCEYFN Lucci turned himself in to authorities on Wednesday, an Atlanta Police spokesperson confirmed to multiple outlets. The rapper, born Rayshawn Lamar Bennett, was suspected to be involved in a shooting that left one dead and another injured last month. He was booked on murder charges and is at the Fulton County jail. The 29-year-old is facing multiple charges including felony murder, aggravated assault, participation in criminal street gang activity and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Hours before Lucci handed himself over, he dropped the official music video for his track "Rolled on (feat. Mozzy)" off of his album Wish Me Well 3, which is out now. Two others, 23-year-old Ra'von Boyd and 17-year-old Leroy Pitts, were already arrested in Miami in connection with the fatal shooting. They were booked for felony murder. The arrests are in connection to an incident that occurred on December 10 where officers responded to calls of a person shot and found James Adams, 28, lying in the street with a gunshot wound to his face. Adams was taken to a local hospital where he died. A short time later, a second victim, Kevin Wright, 32, arrived at an area fire station with a gunshot wound to his abdomen, the report states. Investigators determined the two shootings were related. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 19:51:48|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TOKYO, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Core private-sector machinery orders in Japan increased in November last year from a month earlier, the government said in a report on Thursday. According to the Cabinet Office, orders in the recording month rose 1.5 percent from the previous month, with the total orders, excluding those for ships and from utilities because of their volatility, coming to 854.83 billion yen (8.22 billion U.S. dollars). The latest reading follows a 17.1 percent increase the previous month, the Cabinet Office's data showed. The Cabinet Office upgraded its assessment for the second straight month, stating that machinery orders are showing "signs of picking up." The latest assessment, the most optimistic since August 2019, compares to October's assessment stating that orders were "bottoming out." Orders from non-manufacturers gained 5.6 percent to 510.87 billion yen (4.91 billion U.S. dollars), marking the third successive month of growth, although the pace of increase slowed from October's 13.8 percent. The Cabinet Office's data showed that telecommunications and construction firms largely contributed to the increase among sectors surveyed. "As for telecommunications investment, we believe that the growth has been underpinned by demand for capital expenditure on 5G networks as well as equipment to work from home amid the pandemic," a government official was quoted as saying. Orders from manufacturers, meanwhile, retreated 2.4 percent to 345.22 billion yen (3.31 billion U.S. dollars) in the recording period, marking the first decline in three months. This comes on the heels of an 11.4 percent increase booked in October, the office said, with nonferrous metal makers contributing to the decline after previously logging gains. The economic outlook, the government official explained, was now looking uncertain following Japan the previous day expanding a state of emergency declaration over the coronavirus to cover other areas beyond the Greater Tokyo region, where it was issued last week. "The situation in the reporting month was good, but we need to closely monitor downside risks, which could materialize depending on the spread of the virus," said the official. Machinery orders from overseas, a barometer of future exports, rose 5.9 percent to 978.54 billion yen (9.41 billion U.S. dollars), increasing for the second straight month, while those from the public sector edged up 0.4 percent to 249.29 billion yen (2.39 billion U.S. dollars), after tumbling 22.7 percent the previous month, the office's data showed. Total machinery orders in the reporting period fell 1.5 percent to 2.27 trillion yen (21.83 billion U.S. dollars), after a 9.7 percent rise in October, the office said. Machinery orders are a key advance indicator for corporate capital spending and the government uses the data to predict the strength of business spending in a six to nine month period ahead. A rise in capital expenditure as is the case here can boost the economy as it means Japanese companies are producing more machinery to meet growing demands from overseas markets. Such business investment accounts for roughly 15 percent of Japan's gross domestic product. The types of machinery included in the monthly government survey comprise engines and turbines, heavy electrical machinery, electronic and communication equipment, industrial machinery, machine tools, railway rolling stock, road vehicles, aircraft, ships, water crafts, as well as sub types in those categories. Enditem Lucknow, Jan 14 : The All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) will contest the upcoming panchayat polls in Uttar Pradesh in alliance with the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP). "Candidates belonging to AIMIM will be fielded in the panchayat elections as part the Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha alliance," said Om Prakash Rajbhar who heads the SBSP. He said the nine constituents of the Morcha will hold meetings at all the 75 district headquarters of the state on January 17. "After this, a joint rally of the Morcha will be organised. It will be addressed by Owaisi as well as other leaders of the front," he added. Uttar Pradesh has a total of 58,758 gram panchayats and as many panchayat heads. As per a state government notification, the five-year tenure of 58,660 gram panchayats, barring 88 of Gautam Buddha Nagar and 10 of Gonda districts, where gram panchayat elections were held later, ended on December 25. Replying to a question regard upcoming UP Legislative Council polls, Rajbhar said, "The SBSP will not support the BJP at any cost." The SBSP was initially a part of the BJP-led government in the state but Rajbhar was dismissed from the council of ministers by the Chief Minister during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. At present, the SBSP has four MLAs in the 403-member UP Assembly. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 18:34:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close -- The U.S. House voted to impeach President Donald Trump over "incitement of insurrection," making him the first president to be impeached twice. -- What's more striking than Trump's history-making second impeachment is that the divide his four-year term has brought to the country may last well beyond his departure. -- With Trump being impeached, all eyes have turned to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who will decide when to hold the Senate trial that will determine the president's fate. WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- In a heavily fortified U.S. Capitol building, a majority of bipartisan members of the House voted in favor of impeaching President Donald Trump on Wednesday, accusing him of inciting an insurrection last week at the very building in which the lawmakers cast their votes. Following the 232-197 vote on the single article of impeachment, Trump became the first president in U.S. history to be impeached twice. What distinguished the second impeachment from the first one, though, was that this time 10 Republicans cast the "yea" vote while none of the House GOP members crossed the party line last time. A man holding an "impeach" banner walks near the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., the United States, Jan. 13, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) TRUMP IMPEACHED AGAIN "The resolution (of impeachment) is adopted. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced while gaveling the vote down. "I sadly and with a heart broken over what this means to our country, of a president who would incite insurrection, will sign the engrossment of the article of impeachment," Pelosi said after the vote, speaking behind a lectern which photos showed was removed last week by a rioter from its original place in the House chamber. Kicking off the debate over the article of impeachment earlier in the day, Pelosi said the president "incited this insurrection, this armed rebellion against our common country," citing the Capitol riot by Trump loyalists last week. "He must go. He is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love," she added. Photo taken on Jan. 12, 2021 shows the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) In a statement published on Wednesday, President-elect Joe Biden said the riot "carried out by political extremists and domestic terrorists, who were incited to this violence by President Trump" was "an armed insurrection against the United States of America." For those Republicans who opposed impeaching Trump, few of them defended the president. They argued instead that the Democrats were rushing to remove the president without due process and at a time when Trump will hand over the presidency to Biden in merely a week. They accused the Democrats of further dividing the country. "They're rushing to judgment in my opinion and bringing up impeachment after failing to follow any meaningful process whatsoever," said Tom Cole, ranking member of the House Rules Committee, during the debate. "No hearings have been held. No witnesses heard, no process or opportunity to respond was provided to the president." Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump gather near the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States on Jan. 6, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy acknowledged that Trump "bears responsibility for (last) Wednesday's attack on Congress by mob rioters," but stressed that "impeaching the president in such a short timeframe would be a mistake." He called for national unity, saying "we must seize this opportunity to heal and grow stronger." The impeachment resolution cited Trump's speech to supporters on Jan. 6 that was followed by some of the crowd breaching the Capitol building to interrupt Congress's certification of the 2020 election results as evidence of his "incitement of insurrection." On top of that, the president's repeated claims of voter fraud in the election, as well as his Jan. 2 phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to press him to "find enough votes" to overturn the state's presidential election results, were also mentioned in the resolution as proof that Trump "gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government," that he "threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coequal branch of Government." What's more striking than Trump's history-making second impeachment is that the divide his four-year term has brought to the country may last well beyond his departure. Supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump gather in front of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States on Jan. 6, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Signs of this lasting effect have already been evident during the fallout of the Capitol riot. The president's diehard allies in Congress continued to press ahead with overturning the election results even after the rioters put them under siege, while the Democrats not only demanded his removal this time, but also sought to ensure that he is never capable of holding any public office in the future. "It's painful and frustrating for the country," Christopher Galdieri, assistant professor at Saint Anselm College, told Xinhua in comments on the impeachment. "I don't think impeaching Trump fixes that." SENATE TRIAL NOT EXPECTED SOON With Trump being impeached, all eyes have turned to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who will decide when to hold the Senate trial that will determine the president's fate. McConnell, who on Wednesday tried to cool down the heat of previous media reports saying he was pleased with the impeachment and believed it was a good option to purge Trump from the Republican Party, issued a formal statement rejecting an early trial in the Senate, which is now in recess. "The House of Representatives has voted to impeach the President. The Senate process will now begin at our first regular meeting following receipt of the article from the House," read the statement. "Given the rules, procedures, and Senate precedents that govern presidential impeachment trials, there is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial could conclude before President-elect Biden is sworn in next week." U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (C) wearing a protective mask walks through the hallways in Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., the United States, Jan. 13, 2021. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) On the part of the Democratic Party, Pelosi didn't respond directly to questions about her plan for transmitting the article of impeachment to the Senate, as some Democrats floated the idea of delaying the process until after 100 days into the Biden presidency so that some of the incoming president's cabinet nominees could be confirmed timely by the upper chamber. Biden also expressed the hope that "the Senate leadership will find a way to deal with their Constitutional responsibilities on impeachment while also working on the other urgent business of this nation," giving examples ranging from confirmations to key posts such as secretaries for homeland security, state, defense, treasury, and director of national intelligence, to getting our vaccine program on track. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who failed in his effort to request that McConnell reconvene the chamber early in accordance with legislation passed in 2004 giving majority and minority leaders emergency powers to do so, issued a statement insisting that there will be a trial, and that "if the president is convicted, there will be a vote on barring him from running again." Trump was impeached by the House in December 2019, with two articles of impeachment charging him with "abuse of power," and "obstruction of Congress" over his dealings with Ukraine. He was acquitted by the Senate, in which the number of senators supporting his conviction failed to reach the required two-thirds majority. GOP Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, a longtime Trump foe, was the only one in his party who voted to convict the president then. This time around, although it remains unclear if as many as 17 GOP senators would back the impeachment article -- thus crossing the high bar of convicting and ousting the president -- at least some of them have signaled the willingness to consider the article, among them senators Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania and Ben Sasse of Nebraska. McConnell kept open the possibility of him supporting the conviction, saying Wednesday he was undecided and still awaiting "legal arguments when they are presented to the Senate." National Guard soldiers secure the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Jan. 13, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) As for banning Trump from running for president again, which came to the spotlight after the Democrats demanded it in the current impeachment resolution, analysts said achieving that goal could be time-consuming. Depriving Trump of the chance for future presidential campaigns is based on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which disqualifies federal and state officeholders who "have engaged in insurrection or rebellion" from holding office again. Daniel Hemel, professor at the University of Chicago Law School, delved into the historical context of the 14th Amendment in a recent analytical piece carried by The Washington Post, weighing the pros and cons of each of a series of specific pathways toward forbidding Trump from seeking public service during the rest of his lifetime. "It is true that Congress potentially can use the amendment to bar Trump from future office, but the process will very likely take several steps and years," he wrote. Noting that enacting a new law would be a preferred option if the goal is to invoke the Section 3 penalties, Hemel said the legal action could not even get started unless and until Trump declares his next presidential bid. "So if Trump seeks the White House in the next election, the legal process might not even begin until 2023." (Video reporters: Deng Xianlai, Xu Jianmei, Hu Yousong, Tan Yixiao; Video editor: Liu Ruoshi) H-E-B is one of the 10 best places to work in the country, according to Glassdoor. The San Antonio-based Texas grocery giant is ranked No. 10 in the job review company's annual list of best employers. Bain & Company, a Boston-based management consulting firm, took the lead. H-E-B is the only Texas company on the list. RELATED: Apple CEO Tim Cook says he's 'proud' of H-E-B's 'astonishing' growth on the App Store Glassdoor said the 2021 list is underscored by the coronavirus pandemic, which wreaked havoc on employment and made the ranking of the top 100 places to work "the most competitive to date." With more than a million company reviews on the site, Glassdoor said making the list is a "major achievement." The website explained how the methodology differs from other awards in that the Glassdoor list does not have a nomination process or costs associated. Winners are picked based off feedback provided by employees. H-E-B moved up from the No. 17 spot since last year. The store ranks higher than Facebook, Apple, Zoom and Pfizer on the current list. The grocery company has been lauded throughout the pandemic, from celebrities like Arnold Schwarzenegger to customers, for the response to the life-changing event. H-E-B's plan for employees, called "Partners," was part of the heralded management. Right out the gate of the pandemic, H-E-B temporarily upped pay for hourly employees by $2 hour as the staff kept shelves stocked and communities fed throughout the initial shock. Then, H-E-B gave each employee a $500 bonus in October, plus some snazzy socks. H-E-B employs more than 135,000 people, according to the website. Forbes also highlighted H-E-B in 2020 as one of "Americas Best Employers For Diversity." Madalyn Mendoza covers news and puro pop culture for MySA.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @maddyskye NEWAYGO, MI A DNR conservation officer is being credited with rescuing a dog who fell off a 100-foot cliff along the Muskegon River. The incident occurred Tuesday when Cody, a lab mix rescued from an animal shelter in Newaygo County 14 years ago, went missing after falling. Michigan DNR conservation officer Jeff Ginn was notified about the missing dog Wednesday morning and launched his patrol vessel to search for Cody. RELATED: Firefighters rescue dog from icy river in Northern Michigan About one hour later, Ginn located Cody, who was cold and wet, but otherwise unharmed. Ginn took Cody back to his patrol truck to warm up and he was later reunited with his family. Thank you, Jeff, for saving Cody, the dogs owner wrote on Facebook. The hill was icy, and he lost his footing. I dont know what situation we would be in if you wouldnt have been able to rescue him. Codys owner said Thursday that the dog is a little sore but is expected to make a full recovery. SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global space robotics market size is expected to reach USD 5.71 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 5.2% from 2020 to 2027, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Space robotics is gaining traction in recent years owing to the growing exploration of outer space; the need for operations & maintenance of satellites, space stations, and other platforms; and the need for saving cost and mitigating safety issues. Furthermore, the rising trend of using autonomous systems and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in robotics is widening the horizon of space exploration. Key suggestions from the report: The Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) segment is expected to register the fastest CAGR over the forecast period owing to the increasing demand for autonomous robots in the space industry The deep-space segment is estimated to be the fastest-growing application from 2020 to 2027 owing to the growing emphasis on outer space exploration programs The government segment led the market in 2019 and is expected to retain the dominant position throughout the forecast years as government organizations, such as NASA, JAXA, ESA, and CSA, are collaborating with private companies owing to their robust R&D capabilities Read 115 page research report with ToC on "Space Robotics Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Solution (Services, ROVs), By Application (Near Space, Deep Space), By Organization Type (Commercial, Government), And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2027" at: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/space-robotics-market Several countries are launching multiple spaceship and satellite programs for near and deep space exploration, which requires timely maintenance and repairs, creating the need for advanced robotics systems. Renowned space organizations, such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the European Space Agency (ESA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), are developing humanoid robots for their space programs to perform transportation, maintenance, and servicing operations, relieving crew from dangerous tasks. Moreover, the rising number of unmanned space missions are fueling the demand for space robots. Space robotics provides greater access and operational handing capabilities in space. Moreover, the robots can help astronauts perform several cognitive tasks in the space station. Due to their larger application scope, robots are deemed relevant across all the mission phases, such as launch, operation, development, and flight system production. The rising number of scientific space research programs also boosts the demand for advanced robots with Machine Learning (ML) capabilities. Machine learning improves the autonomous functions of robots, such as sensing, planning, and navigation. The technology also helps in diversifying locomotion and increasing the autonomy level of space robotic arms. The scope of space robots is expected to shift toward robotic explorers and robotic assistance in the coming years. Europe has been very active in the development of space robotics technology. The ESA is developing the European Robotic Arm (ERA), which is to be installed on the Russian segment of ISS. Moreover, the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) is developing a low-cost and scalable robotic arm for low-orbit satellite programs. The LSA is keen on building a space resource industry in the country. In 2019, the Luxembourg Government signed a memorandum of understanding with NASA to work on space programs jointly. These initiatives are expected to propel the market growth over the forecast period. Grand View Research has segmented the global space robotics market on the basis of solution, application, organization type, and region: Space Robotics Solution Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027) Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) Rovers/Spacecraft Landers Space Probes Others Remote Manipulator System (RMS) Robotic Arms/Manipulator Systems Gripping & Docking Systems Others Software Services Space Robotics Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027) Deep Space Space Transportation Space Exploration Others Near Space Space Transportation Space Exploration In-space Maintenance Others Ground Space Robotics Organization Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027) Commercial Government Space Robotics Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027) North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany U.K. France Asia Pacific Japan China India Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East & Africa List of Key Players of Space Robotics Market Altius Space Astrobotic Technology, Inc. BluHaptics, Inc. (Olis Robotics) Honeybee Robotics Intuitive Machines, LLC Maxar Technologies Metecs, LLC Motiv Space Systems, Inc. Northrop Grumman Corp. Oceaneering International, Inc. Find more research reports on Next Generation Technologies Industry, by Grand View Research: Artificial Intelligence Market The global artificial intelligence market size was valued at USD 39.9 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 42.2% from 2020 to 2027. The global artificial intelligence market size was valued at in 2019 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 42.2% from 2020 to 2027. Machine Learning Market The global machine learning market size was valued at USD 6.9 billion in 2018 and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 43.8% from 2019 to 2025. The global machine learning market size was valued at in 2018 and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 43.8% from 2019 to 2025. Satellite Payloads Market The global satellite payloads market size was estimated at USD 11.25 billion in 2016. Significant innovations in communication & navigation applications such as Radio Frequency (RF) payload systems. Gain access to Grand View Compass, our BI enabled intuitive market research database of 10,000+ 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 Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc. The interlocutor of Vestnik Kavkaza is a participant in the Second Karabakh war, a platoon commander wounded in the battles for Fizuli, senior lieutenant Mail Askerov. In the hospital, the President of Azerbaijan visited him and other wounded. For personal courage and courage, by order of Ilham Aliyev dated December 25, Asgarov was awarded medals "For the liberation of Gubadly" and "For the liberation of Fizuli". - How did you get to the front? - I was called up on September 30 by the order of the President of Azerbaijan on mobilization. For eight days we were trained to use modern weapons - this was not the case in 2003, when I was fired from military service. After the end of the exercises, we went to Fizuli, to the front line. There were battles near the village of Garakhanbeyli - in the morning we attacked, and at night we held the liberated territory, strengthened the defense of the liberated territories. And they were advancing from different directions - the village of Garakhanbeyli is large, surrounded by mountains on both sides. On October 14, the invaders fired mortars at the post near the peak that we had previously liberated. They had previously exposed our positions to mortar attacks, but this time the shelling was carried out with particular intensity, aimed at manpower. On the 15th, after lunch, shelling began at intervals of every 10 seconds. For someone who has not been in the war, it is difficult to imagine, but it is difficult - when you do not know where to hide under a hail of artillery. Senior Lieutenant Anar Agamaly and I held the line. He escaped with a minor wound, and I received a heavy one. For a long time I could not come to my senses. The shell fell three meters away from me, on the top of the rampart in front of the trench. The feeling was that a mountain had fallen on me. I was lucky that the shell exploded at a depth of half a meter after hitting the ground, this somewhat mitigated the effects of the fire strike. But I received severe shrapnel wounds. An ambulance arrived to pick me up, but then we were subjected to intense sniper fire. These were dangerous bullets with increased penetration 5 * 45. Then the invaders began firing mortars at the ambulance. As we drove, they fired from all types of artillery, trying at all costs to destroy us. I was conscious and heard everything. Our driver was a professional, he maneuvered so that they didn't hit us. They brought me to the Fizuli regional hospital, provided the first medical aid. Then they were taken to the first clinical hospital in Baku. I was on treatment for 40 days. I feel better now. - What motivated you in the war? - The cohesion of our people and great support from the state were the biggest motivation. When I was brought in in an ambulance, everyone tried to help - both civilians and military. We liberated our lands, which were under the occupation of the Armed Forces of Armenia for 30 years, we liberated our homes, from where we expelled our parents, grandfathers and grandmothers. We knew that our president was with us, we listened to all his speeches. In the trenches they understood that all the hope was in us, that the state and the people were behind us. This was the biggest incentive for us. - All military experts note that Azerbaijani soldiers did not leave the wounded and killed on the battlefield ... - Of course! Fierce battles were going in the direction of Fizuli, there were many killed and wounded, but we only went forward. During the 44 days of the war, we never once retreated a meter. They carried the wounded from the battlefield using smoke bombs. It is not easy - any of us could have died during the massive enemy shelling. - The President of Azerbaijan said that the Fizuli operation will go down in the history of wars. How do you remember it? - For 30 years, the invaders built powerful trenches there: the concrete was covered with earth, tires were laid above this layer, then all this was again covered with earth and, in addition, concreted again. On impact, a ricochet occurred, and the shell did not hit the trench at all. Conventional artillery could not have dealt with these fortifications. Only the fortitude of our soldiers and the use of the latest weapons by the Azerbaijani army made it possible to destroy their fortified areas. Sometimes we went on the offensive three or four times, having lost personnel, but still did not retreat. In a war, the most important thing is accurate intelligence. There were two main obstacles in the Fizuli direction: the terrain and the enemy's fortification lines. In addition, in some places there was not a single tree - the enemy could see us at a glance. But during the maneuver during the offensive after liberation, part of the territory must be found in order not to become a living target. Our army has shown an incredible example of heroism. Our friends were dying, but we did not stop, went on the offensive. The commanders motivated us, and we motivated our soldiers. This is how we supported each other. As a participant in those battles, I confirm that the Fizuli operation was difficult and victorious. - Did you hear the news about the liberation of Shushi in the hospital? - Yes, I watched the president's speech. We have always looked forward to his official announcements. The commander-in-chief's statement on the liberation of Shushi was special. Shusha is a center of our culture, like a precious stone on a ring. There was a feeling that I myself took part in the Shusha operation. Our unit played an important role in the liberation of Shushi. Some became martyrs, many were wounded, but the main thing is that the city was liberated. I know from stories some details of that operation. The invaders were waiting for us from the side of the Dashalty road, but our military used unusual tactics in the most difficult terrain conditions and entered the city from where no one could expect them. There is no road there, and ours climbed the steep cliffs towards the prison. To climb to this height, special training is needed, while it was impossible to take heavy weapons with you, sometimes they climbed even without bulletproof vests and helmets. The guys had only machine guns and knives with them. The French press noted that in the battle for Shusha, most of the Armenians died from knife and bullet wounds. I am sure that the battle for Shusha will be included in military textbooks, and our experience will be studied by other countries. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is considering a 'mega-lockdown' and suspending public transport as Germany recorded a 24-hour record of 1,244 coronavirus deaths. The new record came on Thursday as experts warned the lockdown will have to get tougher to combat the mutant UK strain, that is yet to take hold in Germany. Merkel wants a 'mega-lockdown', mass-selling newspaper Bild reported, that would shut down the country almost completely for fear of fast-spreading coronavirus variant first detected in Britain. She was considering measures including shutting down both local and long-distance public transport, though such steps had not yet been decided, Bild reported. Countries in Europe are bracing themselves for the impact of the new variant of Covid-19, which has caused daily cases to drastically increase in the UK, driving up the number of hospitalisations, and ultimately deaths. In neighbouring France, the government is expected to announce new restrictions on Thursday, also amid fears of the UK variant, but unlike some of its neighbours a full lockdown appears off the agenda for now. Pictured: A graph comparing the 7-day average deaths per million people in the UK, Germany and France. While the UK in particular is seeing similar numbers to that of the first wave, Germany is seeing far higher numbers than in the Spring during the second wave. Germany's Robert Koch Institute said a record 1,244 deaths were confirmed on Thursday Pictured: A graph comparing the 7-day average cases per million people in the UK, Germany and France. The UK saw a spike in cases as the new Covid-19 variant spread Jean-Francois Delfraissy, head of the scientific council advising the government on the epidemic, told France Info radio on Wednesday that the UK variant accounted for an estimated 1 percent of new Covid-19 infections. This, he said, was not enough to justify closing schools in the country, saying 'We think English data on the variant are not definitive enough to lead us to recommend the closing of schools in France.' While the new variant is yet to become widespread in Germany, experts are concerned that their current coronavirus measures are not strict enough, especially given the new strain is seemingly more contagious than that of the first wave. Germany's new record of 1,244 coronavirus deaths in a single 24-hour period topped its previous record of 1,188 on January 8. The head of Germany's country's disease control agency claimed that Germany has too many loopholes in its coronavirus lockdown rules, and said he believed that people were travelling more than in the first lockdown. The Robert Koch Institute said 1,244 deaths from COVID-19 were confirmed in one day up to Thursday, taking the total number to 43,881. There were also 25,164 newly confirmed cases, putting Germany's total known infections close to 2 million. The daily death count Germany is experiencing is much higher than what it saw during the first wave of coronavirus, which the country came through relatively unscathed. Lothar Wieler, president of the Institute, said data indicated people in Germany are travelling more than during the first phase of the pandemic in spring, contributing to the virus' spread. Pictured: A view of an empty square at the shopping street 'Zeil' in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, on January 14. Germany recorded a 24-hour record of 1,244 coronavirus deaths on Thursday as experts warned lockdown will have to get tougher to combat the mutant UK strain German authorities have imposed restrictions on social contacts, largely closed schools and limited travel for those in areas with high infection rates, but the rules aren't uniformly enforced across the country's 16 states. 'To me, these measures we're now taking aren't a complete lockdown,' said Wieler. 'There are still too many exceptions and they aren't being strictly implemented.' Officials are considering tougher restrictions to curb the continued rise in infections. The 7-day rolling average of daily new cases has risen over the past two weeks from 23.36 per 100,000 people on Dec. 30 to 26.03 per 100,000 people on January 13. While Germany's total deaths per capita since the pandemic began remain far lower than many of its European neighbours, its daily per capita mortality since mid-December has often exceeded that of the United States. Germany's daily death toll currently equates to about 15 deaths per million people, versus a 13 U.S. deaths per one million. France on Wednesday recorded around 23,000 new cases of Covid-19, around half the number detected in Britain on the same day but still far above the 5,000 figure the government had been aiming for by mid-December. Among the measures floated to try to avert a much-feared third wave of infections amid an uptick in cases linked to the British variant include expanding a 6:00 pm curfew in place in parts of the east to a national level. Most of France is still subject to an 8:00 pm curfew imposed in mid-December when a second national lockdown was lifted. Bringing it forward by two hours would stall the 'apero effect', said the leader of President Emmanuel Macron's Republic on the Move party, Stanislas Guerini, referring to the French tradition of meeting up for a pre-dinner aperitif. France is warily eyeing the spread across its territory of a new variant of the virus discovered in Britain, which is believed to be highly contagious. A COVID-19 rapid test center tent is set up in front of a pharmacy in Paris, January 14, 2021. France on Wednesday recorded around 23,000 new cases of Covid-19 An estate agents' letting sign board stands in front of a vacant shop for rent in the city centre, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Paris, France January 14 On Thursday, Health Minister Olivier Veran announced plans for mass testing of schoolchildren and teachers following preliminary findings that the new variant spreads more easily among children than previous strains. 'We have established a protocol that aims to test up to a million children and teachers per month,' he said, adding that children as young as six could be tested. Veran said that, unlike Britain, France had no plans to close schools 'at this stage' but said the government might reconsider if the share of infections caused by the mutated strain grew. On Tuesday, he told a Senate commission that the new variant accounted for about 1 percent of infections. Speculation had been swirling that France was preparing to follow the example of Austria, Britain, Israel and Portugal among other countries in imposing a third nationwide lockdown. But several government sources told AFP there were no such plans afoot for now. Germany's Wieler pointed to the sharp spike in infections recently seen in Ireland as an example of how quickly the outbreak can escalate again if rules are relaxed, especially given the new seemingly more contagious variant of the virus circulating there and in neighbouring Britain. Lothar H. Wieler, President of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Germany's main institute for the prevention of infectious diseases (pictured) said Germany has too many loopholes in its coronavirus lockdown rules, and that he believed people were travelling more than in Spring All infections with the variants so far confirmed in Germany involved people who had travelled outside the country, said Wieler. 'We need to be very careful, especially of the British mutation of this virus,' Ralph Brinkhaus, the parliamentary leader of Merkel's bloc, told broadcaster n-tv. 'So we don't yet know what further measures will be necessary in coming weeks.' To ease the strain on working families having to look after school-age children and discourage them from using emergency care facilities, parliament passed a bill Thursday doubling the amount of paid parental leave to 40 days for 2021. Public health insurances will pay out up to 112.88 euros ($137) a day to parents if they stay home to care for children under 12 who couldn't go to school because of the pandemic. Germany initially managed the pandemic better than its neighbours with a strict lockdown last spring, but it has seen a sharp rise in cases and deaths in recent months, with the RKI saying people were not taking the virus seriously enough. RKI president Lothar Wieler said on Thursday restrictions were not being implemented as consistently as they were during the first wave and said more people should work from home, adding that the current lockdown needed to be tightened further. Germany introduced a partial lockdown in November that kept shops and schools open, but it tightened the rules in mid-December, closing non-essential stores, and children have not returned to classrooms since the Christmas holidays. Employees store coffins, some marked with 'infection risk' as others have 'corona' scrawled in chalk, in the mourning hall of the crematorium in Meissen, eastern Germany, on January 13 A pedestrian in Paris wearing a protective face mask walks past the 'Cafe Francais', closed during business hours as part of restrictive measures set to tackle the surging number of coronavirus disease cases in France Hospitals in 10 out of Germany's 16 states are facing bottlenecks as 85% of the beds in their intensive care units were occupied by coronavirus patients, Wieler said. A meeting of regional leaders planned for Jan. 25 to discuss whether to extend the lockdown into February should be brought forward, said Winfried Kretschmann, the premier of the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg. Chancellor Angela Merkel was due to speak to ministers on Thursday about ramping up production of vaccines. So far only about 1% of the German population has been vaccinated, or 842,455 people, the RKI reported. Wieler said wearing heavy duty respirator masks, also known as FFP2, could help protect against 94% of particles, but only if worn correctly. The state of Bavaria has made FFP2 masks compulsory on public transport and in shops from Monday. Germany has so far recorded 16 cases of people with a fast-spreading strain of the virus first detected in Britain and four with the strain from South Africa, Wieler said, although he admitted gene sequencing of samples was not being done broadly. Wieler urged people who were offered a COVID-19 vaccination to accept it to relieve the strain on hospitals and said people should stick to social distance and hygiene rules. 'At the end of the year we will have this pandemic under control,' Wieler said. Enough vaccines would then be available to inoculate the entire population, he said. In France, Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday that he was happy to see that citizens were becoming more accepting of the country's vaccination programme. French Prime Minister Jean Castex leaves after attending the weekly cabinet meeting at The Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris on January 13, 2021. Castex said that he was happy to see that citizens were becoming more accepting of the country's vaccination programme The French are among the most sceptical in the world towards vaccinations, according to France24. 'I'm happy to see that the vaccination programme is being more widely accepted it is excellent news for our country,' he said while visiting a vaccination facility in the east of France. France has promised to expand its vaccination programme after being criticised for its slow progress. With Israel setting the example, administering 23.66 vaccines people per 100 people, the UK is fourth, with 4.52 per 100 people. Germany is further down the list, with 0.9 vaccinations per 100 people. France, meanwhile, is not in the top 17 countries in the world, with 0.38. The president of the scientific council set up to advise the government on the pandemic, Jean-Francois Delfraissy, said France was 'in a sort of race' to get the most vulnerable citizens vaccinated before the new variant made further inroads. France has promised to expand its vaccination programme after being criticised for its slow progress. With Israel setting the example, administering 23.66 vaccines people per 100 people, the UK is fourth, with 4.52 per 100 people. Germany is further down the list, with 0.9 vaccinations per 100 people. France is not in the top 17 countries in the world, with 0.38 After an excruciatingly slow start to the vaccination drive in late December, for which Macron's government drew widespread condemnation, the pace of inoculations has picked up. So far 247,000 people have received the first jab, a number set to rise sharply in the coming days as the vaccines are rolled out to all people aged over 75 starting on Monday. Until now, the campaign was focused on people in care homes as well as healthworkers, firefighters and domestic workers aged over 50. The government had rejected accusations of being a vaccine laggard, saying high levels of resistance to the jabs in France required a cautious approach. Speaking during a visit to a vaccination centre in the northeastern city of Metz on Thursday, Prime Minister Jean Castex noted with satisfaction that vaccine scepticism was starting to decline. He predicted a 'stampede' for the injections among over-75s. 'Things are falling into place but people will have to be patient,' he said. Yes, someone who isn't a San Antonio native thinks highly of the River Walk. Oklahoma writer and artist John Paul Brammer, who currently lives in Brooklyn, recently reminisced the time his abuelo took him to San Antonio when he was little in a tweet on Saturday. "(I) thought what could possibly top this," he wrote. READ ALSO: Watch: Austin man paddleboards shirtless on Lady Bird Lake while it snows Brammer's tweet came after he chimed in on the trending "Alamo" topic, which became a hot conversation for many on Twitter due to President Donald Trump's visit to Alamo (the city, not the historical mission and fort) on Tuesday. The Hola Papi! columnist quote tweeted someone's take that said Trump probably thought he was going to the The Alamo and not the city nearly hours away. He wrote, "the Alamo's tagline is quite literally 'remember the Alamo.'" Regardless of how San Antonio came into Brammer's mind, we stan anyone who talks the city up. And, a few people in his comments also dished out some River Walk memories of their own. "I ate at a resto on the Riverwalk when I was 10 and I basically thought I was in St. Tropez," @SamSaysFashion said. "When I was in college my boyfriend at the time took me to eat on the riverwalk and it was maybe the fanciest meal we ever had together," @morgensw wrote. Priscilla Aguirre is a general assignment reporter for MySA.com | priscilla.aguirre@express-news.net | @CillaAguirre 38 Rajasthan women, kids rescued after being kidnapped by 100 people from MP Inspired by web series, two stage fake kidnapping India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 14: Inspired by a popular web series, two 22-year-old cousins staged a fake kidnapping and demanded a ransom of Rs two lakh from their family, police said on Wednesday. The accused, Nadeem and Aftab, are residents of Zakir Nagar and they snatched a mobile phone from a woman on the same day, they said. Police said Nadeem worked with his father in a furniture shop but neither did his father let him consume alcohol, nor did he give him any extra money. Police arrest two for kidnapping Punjab resident in Jammu So, taking cues from the web series 'Breathe: Into the Shadows', they decided to stage a kidnapping and Aftab made a fake ransom call to his father demanding Rs two lakh as ransom amount. The matter came to notice on Monday after police received a call from Aftab's father who informed them that his nephew, Nadeem, had been kidnapped. He also informed them that the kidnapper had demanded Rs 2 lakh ransom for Nadeem's release. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) RP Meena said, "Our police team initiated a search and checked CCTVs in the area. We also checked call detail records of Nadeem's phone and found that he was in constant touch with a female friend. When contacted, his friend told police that Nadeem was with his cousin Aftab." During enquiry, the complainant said his son Aftab was also missing, he said. On checking the CCTVs, it emerged that no such kidnapping had taken place, he added. Later, police received another call about a woman being robbed of her mobile phone at Jamia Nagar and on examining the CCTVs, it was found that both Aftab and Nadeem were involved in the snatching case, the officer said. Covid-19: 3 Lakh healthcare workers to get vaccine on 1st Day | OneIndia News The two men were arrested following raids on Tuesday. 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. Dr. Darryl Felder was searching for a mud lobster when he pulled a bag of crustaceans from his laboratory freezer in the University of Louisiana at Lafayettes Billeaud Hall. He instead found a new species of hermit crab. When I defrosted it, I thought, My gosh, not only is that not a mud lobster, but that is a species thats never been found before, the biologist said. For five decades, the UL Lafayette professor emeritus of biology has researched decapods, which are 10-footed crustaceans that include lobsters, crabs, crawfish, prawns and shrimp. His research on the suspicious-looking mud lobster hed chanced upon began simply. Felder compared his color photographs of the defrosted female specimen to others he had taken over the years of members of the hermit crab genus Cancellus. Subtle differences convinced him he was on the right track. Felder and a colleague, Dr. Rafael Lemaitre, began the process of verifying the new species, including exhaustive documentation and illustration of the inch-long hermit crabs anatomy. Lemaitre, an adjunct professor at UL Lafayette, is the curator of crustacea in the Smithsonian Institutions Natural Museum of Natural Historys Department of Invertebrate Zoology. The biologists eventually enlisted an alumna, Dr. Heather Bracken-Grissom, 08, to provide a final piece of evidence gene sequencing. She earned a Ph.D. from the University in environmental and evolutionary biology. Bracken-Grissom wasnt aware examining DNA extracted from one of the crabs legs wouldnt be her only connection to the project. When she sent the gene sequence back, I said, By the way, surprise, this is your species, Felder said with a laugh. I told her she bore her own cross, helping do some of the leg work to nail down identification of something that would be named for her. Felder and Lemaitre named the crab Cancellus heatherae, or Heather crab, to acknowledge Bracken-Grissoms longstanding productivity and commitment to decapod crustacean research, Felder said. Bracken-Grissom, an associate professor of biological sciences at Florida International University - Biscayne Bay Campus, was thrilled. She was quoted in an online article from that university recently. Bracken-Grissom said: Long after I die, Im going to be known in hermit crab form, which is awesome. Having a species named after you is the ultimate honor. To have it done by your role models, I cant even describe how honored I feel. The findings, recently published in Zootaxa, put an exclamation point on a process that began in 2019 when the newly-identified hermit crab was dredged from a 300-foot deep reef in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. It was hoisted aboard a 116-foot R/V Pelican, the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium vessel outfitted for oceanic research. The crab was deposited among a heap of marine algae rhodoliths and sea sponges being scooped up for a study examining the health of the underwater ecosystem during an expedition funded by the National Science Foundation. A team of scientists led by UL Lafayette biology professor Dr. Suzanne Fredericq that was conducting research on the algae communities collected decapods that came up with the reef material as they went along. The Heather crab hit the deck minus its home a hollowed out section of rhodolith, a calcified nodule resembling coral. That was a plus. The armorless hermit crab was originally mistaken, Felder said, for a member of one of the lobster groups that I research. Were it not free of its typical enclosure, it is unlikely that anyone would have seen it and picked it up. The biologist, who joined UL Lafayette in 1975, retired in 2014. He hasnt quit working, though. Felder continues to conduct research. He described and named 16 new species primarily small crabs in 2020. The room for additional work from now on is just incredible, he added. Felders a big reason for that. He was a driving force responsible for the UL Lafayette Zoological Crustacean Collection 18,000 jars containing 100,000 specimens of 2,000 species from the Caribbean Sea, the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. The collection, assembled over four decades by Felder, his colleagues, and student researchers, was acquired by the Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of Natural History in 2018. It includes a comprehensive electronic database, research notes Felder made during expeditions, and more than 50,000 color photographs he took of specimens before they were preserved. The move means scientists from around the world now have access to what is likely the largest archive of gene sequence-quality marine decapod specimens from the Americas. That includes Felder, who holds an associate scientist position with the Smithsonian. I plan to get up there often once COVID-19 restrictions that have closed the museum end. I have a bucket list of things to get done. What else could be more rewarding, you know? Science is wonderful in so many aspects. It keeps you entertained. Germany is facing a Covid-19 vaccine shortage and may not be able to secure sufficient stocks until July, Angela Merkel privately told her MPs this week. The admission comes amid a shaky start to the vaccine rollout across much of the continent after the European Commission failed to order enough doses. The German government has publicly insisted it will be able to make up the shortfall, but it has emerged Mrs Merkel this week told MPs from her Christian Democrat party that may not be possible until the summer. The question is: do we have enough vaccine at the moment? Mrs Merkel said on a conference call, according to details leaked to Bild newspaper. Quarters one and two will be critical. From the third quarter we will be more likely to have a surplus than a need, she added. Read More Jens Spahn, the health minister, who said Germany would be able to vaccinate its entire population by the end of June, pledged the situation would improve. Only about 750,000 people have been vaccinated so far in Germany, out of a total population of 83 million. France had only vaccinated 190,000 people by Tuesday with 20pc of care home staff reportedly unwilling to have the jab. In Spain results are patchy but, at 788,000, Italy has vaccinated the second highest number of people in Europe after the UK. Of those 616,000 were medical workers while 57,000 were care home residents. Meanwhile, Portugals government ordered the country into lockdown yesterday, but with exceptions so a presidential election can go ahead on January 24. Portugal has witnessed a record-breaking surge in confirmed Covid-19 cases since it eased restrictions for the Christmas holiday. The Portuguese prime minister, Antonio Costa, said the pandemic is at its most dangerous point. The lockdown, starting tomorrow, will last at least a month, he said. Highlights Canon CEO Fujio Mitarai casts doubt upon the future of OM Digital Solutions. Olympus transferred its camera business to JIP and the company engulfed the new business under the brand name OM Digital Solutions. JIP has guaranteed that OM Digital Solutions will continue to function as the imaging division always did under Olympus. We recently reported that Olympus is officially transferring its imaging division to Japan Industrial Partners (JIP). Olympus has been in the camera market since 1936 and finally peddled its imgaing division to JIP. The reason being is that the company had been bearing losses for three consecutive years. The rest of the company's camera business was bitten by novel coronavirus. JIP engulfed the new business under the OM Digital Solutions brand name. The company plans to continue the development and sale of Olympus cameras and lenses using the new name. But since JIP is not in the camera business, there are doubts floating over the future of OM Digital Solutions. According to a report by Digital Camera, Canon's chairman and CEO -Fujio Mitarai made a statement regarding the same. In an interview with the Japanese press, Mitarai cast aspersions on the future of OM Digital Solutions. Mitarai said, "Camera may have been reorganized (with the withdrawal of Olympus). The remaining concern is the future of OM Digital Solutions (which inherited Olympus' camera business), but it is unlikely that there are buyers in Japan." For your information, JIP is in the business of buying failing companies or divisions. Then the company makes the purchased product profitable and finds a suitable buyer. JIP is the same company which bought Sony's VAIO computer business. This time, JIP has guaranteed that OM Digital Solutions will continue to function as the imaging division always did under Olympus. In order to make things possible, OM Digital Solutions will need to sell a lot of cameras. The company will either have to make their cameras affordable for users, or include features that may attract the attention. But both ways seem quite difficult due to the global coronavirus situation. In fact, there are camera makers in Japan facing manufacturing challenges post the coronavirus crunch. All and all Canon does question the ability of JIP to sell cameras in Japan. 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 61 defendants charged with "treason". They are part of a group of 121 members of the dissolved opposition party Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP). The trials are an attempt by the leadership to silence those who threaten the "political monopoly". Phnom Penh (AsiaNews / Agencies) - A Cambodian court met this morning for the first hearing in the trial for "treason" against dozens of opponents, part of a series of proceedings against activists and voices critical of the ruling party. Analysts and experts point out that the lawsuits are an attempt by the leadership to "silence the threat" of those who would like to put an end to its "political monopoly". The defendants are part of a group of 121 people affiliated with the dissolved opposition, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), detained in prison for "treason and incitement to revolt". At least 61 people have received the summons in court, but some of them were not present because they had already fled abroad in fear of an unfair and politically motivated trial, with the certainty of a final sentence. The CNRP was dissolved by the Phnom Penh Supreme Court in 2017 and its current leader, Kem Sokha, was arrested before the elections the following year. Another leading figure of the party, Sam Rainsy, among main protagonists of the Cambodian opposition movement, has lived in exile in Paris for some time. The ban allowed Prime Minister Hun Sen and the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) to win parliamentary elections and remain in power, while raising criticisms and concerns from activists and the international community for human rights violations. Theary Seng, an American-Cambodian lawyer who was among those due in court, said the real purpose of the charges against me is to silence me. Human rights NGOs confirm that these mass trials are an "are an affront to international fair trial standards, Cambodias human rights commitments and the rule of law. Mu Sochua, human rights activist and former vice-president of the CNRP, speaks of "political motivations" behind the mass trials; moreover, the authorities exploit the policy of "terror" to "discourage supporters of the opposition from marching behind their leaders". Among the accusations made against Kem Sokha that he "conspired" with the United States to overthrow the government and oust Prime Minister Hun Sen, one of China's most loyal allies in Southeast Asia. COLUMBIA South Carolina is expanding who's allowed to give COVID-19 vaccines in an effort to get shots into arms faster amid escalating frustrations with the state's slow rollout. A pair of major hospitals say they could vaccinate up to 10,000 people a day three times more than their current capacity with added help to administer shots as shipments ramp up. Meanwhile, the state's public health agency is giving up on finding the close contacts of every person infected after becoming overwhelmed with a sharp rise in COVID cases. An agreement signed Thursday between the state's public health and licensing agencies means retired nurses, medical students, assistants and others with a medical certification can start giving the vaccines as long as they enroll in the federal COVID-19 vaccine program. It's unclear how many people will sign up to be added to the endeavor. Those currently able to give the vaccine in South Carolina include doctors, physician assistants, pharmacists and advanced practice nurses. A registered nurse can through doctor's orders. And emergency medical technicians can if they've taken a two-hour training course and meet other conditions, including on-site supervision, according to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. "This joint order proactively puts us in a position to have an increased number of people who can administer vaccine when the vaccine is more widely available to everyone, said Marshall Taylor, DHEC's acting director. Agency officials contend there are enough health care workers under existing law to dole out the state's current vaccine supply, so the current rules on who can give shots haven't contributed to the slow pace people are complaining about. But failing to expand the pool of vaccinators would hinder a ramp-up in federally supplied vaccines. If DHEC hadn't introduced the change, legislators were prepared to force the expansion. Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, intended Thursday to fast-track legislation to temporarily change state law to expand the pool of health care workers legally able to administer the vaccines. The group of people who can do so now is too small, hospital administrators told his subcommittee. The Medical University of South Carolina vaccinated 3,000 people Wednesday and hopes to ramp that up to 10,000 daily by month's end. The change will help significantly, said Dr. Patrick Cawley, chief executive of MUSC Heath, adding "but we also need the vaccine supplies. "We'll be able to vaccinate more people and more cost-effectively," Cawley told senators about the request. "It does it in a safe way and in a quick way, as well." Prisma Health, the state's largest hospital system, is setting up mass vaccination centers in Columbia and Greenville, where it also expects to ramp up to 10,000 total shots daily within the next few weeks. Minutes before Davis was set to bring the legislation to the Senate floor for discussion, the governor's office informed him the authority was being given, he said. But he didn't drop it completely. If the agreement between DHEC and the state Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation doesn't go far enough, Davis said he'll resume pursing the expansion through legislation. As of Wednesday, 52 percent of the 195,200 Pfizer vaccine doses sent to South Carolina since mid-December had been given to eligible health care workers and first-responders. An additional 119,105 doses are reserved by appointments, according to DHEC. South Carolinians ages 70 and older, who became newly eligible for the vaccine Wednesday, found they couldn't get an appointment for weeks, if at all. Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! "Were obviously having logistical problems now. It will be that much more dysfunctional once the supply ramps up," Davis said about the need for the expansion. It's a no-brainer, he added: "We're talking about sticking a needle in peoples arms." Last week, the state's public health director told reporters DHEC was exploring expanding who can give shots. But the agency did not respond to follow-up questions at the time on whats required to do that or what was holding that up. It remains unclear. The signed order indicates DHEC has had the authority since March, when McMaster first declared a state of emergency and activated the state's Emergency Health Powers Act. Legislators, who have been inundated with complaints, weren't willing to wait any longer. "To increase alarmingly low vaccination rates throughout the state, it is essential that the pool of health care workers authorized to administer these COVID-19 vaccines temporarily be expanded as much as possible without compromising public safety," reads the measure filed Tuesday by Sen. Mike Gambrell, R-Belton. DHEC also shifted gears Thursday on efforts to control the spread of COVID-19. With the number of newly reported cases in South Carolina surging past 4,000 daily topping 5,000 one day last week the agency is giving up on trying to conduct a close-contact investigation for every person diagnosed. The agency has hired hundreds of workers to call people who test positive for the disease to retrace where they'd gone and identify who they potentially could have spread it to, in hopes of informing them of the need to quarantine and get tested before spreading it farther. People are considered contagious for 48 hours before their symptoms began or, for those who are asymptomatic, before they took the test. Close contacts are people near you for at least 15 minutes. But don't expect to get a call from DHEC about potential exposure. Beginning Thursday, investigations will focus on where people live and work. Contact tracers will be asking people with COVID-19 who's been in their home in the last six days, and whether they work in places where they could have spread it to a lot of people. "We're still doing contact tracing. We've not diverted any of those people to any other task," said Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC's public health director. "At this point, there's just so much spread" it's impossible to identify everyone. "How much virus is out there is just so much that contact tracing alone is not going to help control it," she said. Lauren Sausser contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 14) The House of Representatives will hold its own hearings on the government's procurement plan for COVID-19 vaccines, starting Monday next week. The hearing will be led by the health committee, chaired by Quezon 4th District Rep. Helen Tan, with Health Secretary Francisco Duque and Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. among the invited guests. "There have been a lot of differing opinions, mostly from non-medical experts, regarding government-procured vaccines," Tan, who is also a doctor, said in a statement on Thursday. "As such, we would like to hear from the experts themselves to determine facts and figures from a scientific point of view." She added that other agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration, Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, World Health Organization, and the Budget, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Interior and Defense Departments were also urged to participate. Civic organizations such as physicians and nurses groups will also attend, the congresswoman said. On Monday, the Senate conducted its first hearing on the issue. Senators rejected the national government's "monopolization" of COVID-19 vaccine purchases as local government units and private firms are required to enter into a tripartite deal with them to obtain doses. Meanwhile, health advocates urged authorities not to treat vaccines as the sole solution to the health crisis, as other services such as providing protecting gear to frontliners would also need their attention. Turkey will not bow down to "pressure" by social media companies that see themselves above the laws on individual rights, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan asserted. Digitalization across the world has brought some radical changes and technology is at the epicenter of human life, enabling people to obtain information at a real-time basis, Erdogan said, adding digitalization triggered some challenges and risks, though. According to him, some of these challenges emanating from new media instruments are cyberbullying, cyberterrorism and false news, and disinformation also peaked recently on social media, Anadolu Agency reported. Thursday, January 14, 2021 Yesterday, I posted Jim Garrison's memo to the HSCA regarding Fred Crisman and Thomas Beckham. The memo included two pages describing several exhibits Garrison included: Here is my transcription of these two pages. There are still a few words that I cannot make out, so if you have an idea, please let me know. Now, here are the exhibits: Exhibit 1: Beckham's Arrest Record This was his rap sheet from 1968 - there was more to come... Exhibit 2: Anonymous Letter A I've already posted and commented on this in another post Exhibit 3: Anonymous Letter "B" (see the link above for comments on this letter) Exhibit 4: Letter from Beckham. I don't have this exhibit. Exhibit 5: Circular Re: Preaching of "Dr." Beckham, "Evangelist" Exhibit 6: Circular for Beckham as "Mark Evans" Exhibit 7: Radio News Interview in Tacoma with Crisman: Crisman was not one of the three tramps. He was teaching in a high school on November 22, 1963. Exhibit 8: Statement of David Lewis David Lewis did some work for Guy Banister and he was the one who called the FBI about Beckham's phony charity work in the anti-Castro Cuban cause. Exhibit 9: States-Times 2/1/68 Story on Beckham Exhibit 10: Better Business Bureau, Lincoln Nebraska Article about Beckham Did Garrison really believe any of Beckham's degrees were real? He had called Beckham before the grand jury in 1968 and he knew Beckham only had a grade seven education. And, Beckham lied about that. He told the HSCA he only had a grade three education. All of this material makes one wonder why Garrison took Beckham and Crisman seriously. They were con men who made their own fake credentials and fake diplomas. They went into business together to steal money. Garrison saw the BBB reports and yet he still wondered which University Beckham had gone to. He should have told the HSCA to not waste their time. Instead, have a look at this: Garrison believed that Beckham knew Lee Harvey Oswald - the con man fooled the conspiracy theorist. I should add that Beckham was in jail while on trial in Alabama when the above memo was written. He was being charged with fraud but got off because the jury bought his story that he was a CIA agent. The prosecutor was Jeff Sessions. But, that's yet another story. Besides this memo, Garrison wrote another memo to the HSCA appended with questions to for them to ask Beckham. What an utter waste of time! At some point, even Garrison realized it was all ridiculous - Beckham and Crisman were not mentioned once in his book, On The Trail of The Assassins. (Newser) As expected, Michigan's former governor has been charged in the Flint water scandal. Rick Snyder was charged Wednesday with two counts of willful neglect of duty, the Detroit Free Press reports. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed the charges a day before her office is set to reveal new details in the investigation of the scandal, in which the city's residents' water was poisoned by lead after the source was switched to the Flint River in 2014. Legionnaires' disease outbreaks killed 12 and sickened more than 80, CNN reports. story continues below The charges against Snyder are misdemeanors, and each is punishable by up to a year behind bars and a fine. Analysts say charging him so long after the crisis could make it difficult to convict, but they also note that if he is convicted, a judge could order the multi-millionaire to pay restitution. Snyder, a Republican, left his post two years ago. His lawyer calls the charges "outrageous" and says there is no evidence, the Detroit News reports. Former Flint Department of Public Works Director Howard Croft was also charged Wednesday with the same counts as Snyder. Nessel's office will be discussing the probe Thursday at 11:30am local time. (Read more Flint water crisis stories.) Former Married At First Sight star Michael Goonan has responded to fans who accused him of 'doing some lines' in a hotel room this week. The 30-year-old shared a video to Instagram stories on Wednesday as he enjoyed a getaway with his friends. While giving his followers a tour of the penthouse suite, Michael's friend was seen placing several items on a table. Bizarre: Married At First Sight's Michael Goonan (pictured) offered an explanation after fans accused him of 'doing some lines' in a hotel room The businessman was then forced to explain the pair weren't 'doing lines', but were drinking milk shots. 'FYI that's what was going on in the background. Though I don't know what's worse. I'd probably rather be accused of lines,' he wrote adding a laughing emoji. Michael works for his family's very successful commercial ice cube business in Adelaide. Last year, he revealed the truth about his wealth in an interview with Daily Mail Australia. He defended himself and insisted he never inherited a cent from his wealthy family. Party: The 30-year-old shared a video to Instagram stories on Wednesday as he enjoyed a getaway with his friends. While giving his followers a tour of the penthouse suite, Michael's friend can be seen placing several items on a table 'I've worked my a**e off for every dollar I have ever made,' he said. 'I've never had a handout in my life and have never been granted anything for free.' As well as insisting he's worked for every dollar he's ever earned, he added that the fact he has siblings with equal claims to the family fortune means he was never guaranteed an inheritance on a silver platter. 'It would be unfair for one of us to inherit something without the other. I never inherited anything,' Michael said. Explaination: The businessman then explained the pair weren't 'doing lines, but were drinking milk shots'. 'FYI that's what was going on in the background. Though I don't know what's worse. I'd probably rather be accused of lines,' he wrote 'I bought in and worked hard. I never had a handout in my life or been granted anything for free.' Michael was paired with law graduate Stacey Hampton, 26, on Nine's Married At First Sight, but once the show wrapped he began dating his co-star KC Osborne, 31. The couple dated for five months before calling it quits in July 2019. The Daily Beast Rexburg Police DepartmentA psychological evaluation has found Lori Vallowthe doomsday mom accused of murdering her two childrennot competent to stand trial.Assessment determined at this time the defendant is not competent to proceed and recommends restorative treatment, Seventh Judicial District Judge Steven Boyce wrote in a Thursday order pausing the case.Prosecutors have already contested the reports findings, but the judges order remains in effect pending determination of the issue of competency.The news comes after Vallow and her husband, Chad Daybell, were indicted on several new charges and accused of justifying the murders of three peopleincluding Vallows two kidswith their doomsday-centered religious beliefs.On Thursday, the Chandler Police Department confirmed to The Daily Beast that it has also submitted its investigation into the death of Vallows ex-husband, Charles Vallow, who was fatally shot by his brother-in-law in July 2019, to the Maricopa County Attorneys Office. Police said they recommended that Vallow should be charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murderthough it is up to county prosecutors to make an official charge.A Maricopa County Attorneys Office spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast they received the Chandler Police Departments investigation into Charles Vallows death on April 1, but declined to comment on it.Doomsday Couple Allegedly Murdered Threeand Justified It With Religious Beliefs On Tuesday, the couple was indicted on several charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, in connection with the deaths of Vallows kids, 7-year-old J.J Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan. Daybell, a doomsday author, was also been charged with first-degree murder for the October 2019 death of Tammy Daybell, his ex-wife. Vallow has been separately charged with grand theft for allegedly diverting her childrens Social Security benefits into her personal bank account. Prosecutors allege Daybell and Vallow did endorse and espouse religious beliefs for the purpose of encouraging and/or justifying the homicide of all three people.Their alleged murder spree began in 2019, when Charles Vallow was fatally shot by his wifes brother, Alex Cox, during a domestic dispute. Cox, who was not charged and died months later from natural causes, said at the time he fired in self-defense. In divorce and custody petitions against Vallow, Charles wrote that his estranged wife had become obsessed with doomsday visions and had threatened his life. He said Vallow believed she was reincarnated to lead people during the second coming of Jesus in July 2020 and said that if he got in the way of her saving humanity, she would kill him, according to NBC News.Vallow believes that she is receiving spiritual revelations and visions to help her gather and prepare those chosen to live in the New Jerusalem after the Great War as prophesied in the Book of Revelations, the divorce petition read.Vallow and Daybell, who are members of a community of doomsday preppers and were married two weeks after Daybell was widowed, are already in prison for several other crimes related to the childrens disappearance in September 2019.Im Not Supposed to Be Talking to You: Doomsday Mom Called Hubby From Jail as FBI Searched His HomeProsecutors allege Daybell and Vallow killed Tylee Ryan on Sept. 8 or Sept. 9, 2019, after almost a year of planning. About two weeks later, the pair allegedly killed J.J. The indictment states that Daybell then murdered his ex-wife in October with the help of Vallow and her brother. In January 2020, Vallow made national headlines when she refused to comply with a court order to produce her two children. It was later revealed she had also asked a friend to lie to the police and say she was watching J.J.Last June, Idaho authorities charged the pair with conspiracy to conceal evidence after the remains of two kids were found in Daybells home. Daybell is scheduled to enter a plea on the murder charges on June 9. Vallow was supposed to make an initial appearance on Wednesday but her hearing was put on hold at the request of her lawyer, Mark Means. Attorneys for Daybell and Vallow did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's request for comment.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. A new Netflix documentary chronicles the manhunt for the Night Stalker who killed 13 people in California in the 1980s and how he was finally caught by his poor dental hygiene. Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer focuses on the events that led to the eventual arrest of Richard Ramirez. Between June 1984 and August 1985 the serial killer carried out a series of violent crimes which at first seemed random and left many believing they were the work of multiple people. He broke into homes and assaulted residents and in some cases kidnapped and molested children before letting them go. Between June 1984 and August 1985, Richard Ramirez (pictured), who was dubbed Night Stalker, carried out a series of violent crimes which at first seemed random and left many believing they were the work of multiple people At one point towards the end of his trial, Ramirez shouted out 'Hail Satan' and displayed a pentagram he had drawn onto the palm of his hand He broke into homes and assaulted residents and in some cases kidnapped and molested children before letting them go. What made Ramirez so difficult to catch was the apparent randomness of his crimes, with some adults having been raped and killed, while his victims were of all ages, genders and races What made Ramirez so difficult to catch was the apparent randomness of his crimes, with some adults having been raped and killed, while his victims were of all ages, genders and races. Additionally, the weapons Ramirez used varied between knives, guns and blunt objects. The devil-worshipper killed 13 people during his killing spree and left many more injured. Ramirez would climb through open windows and doors in the early hours of the morning and ransack valuables as well as rape and kill his victims, leaving gruesome crime scenes often marking them with pentagrams. Speaking about the project to People, director of Netflix's new documentary Tiller Russell said: 'To this day in L.A., when you drive around, that's why there are bars on the windows.' It was thanks to the efforts of Gil Carrillo (pictured) and Frank Salerno, detectives from Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, that Ramirez was eventually hunted down Gil Carrillo and Frank Salerno (pictured in 1985) were trying to catch Ramirez and operated uder the theory that all the different crimes had been committed by a single person Who was Richard Ramirez? Born in 1960, Richard Ramirez was a serial killer who was eventually found guilty of 13 cases of murder. His crime spree in Los Angeles during the summer of 1985 led to him being dubbed the Night Stalker. He grew up in El Paso, Texas, in an allegedly abusive household and was heavily influenced by his cousin Miguel who had fought in the Vietnam war. His cousin told him about the torture and human mutilation he had witnessed during the fighting. Ramirez was even present when his cousin Miguel fatally shot his wife in the face. After dropping out of school, Ramirez developed a drug habit and started following Satanism before turning to crime. His initial crimes started smaller, with petty thefts, before developing into murder, rape and kidnapping. He was eventually caught in Los Angeles after being spotted by members of the public who recognised him from the police appeals. After attempting multiple carjacks he became surrounded by a crowd of bystanders who beat and restrained him until the police arrived. He was found guilty of 13 counts of murder, five attempted murders, 11 sexual assaults and 14 burglaries. Although sentenced to death, Ramirez died of natural causes while on death row in 2013. Advertisement At several of his crime scenes, Ramirez was known to have left pentagrams, linking back to his reported following of Satanism. During one of his rape attacks he made his victim swear 'on Satan' that she would not scream out. It was thanks to the efforts of Gil Carrillo and Frank Salerno, detectives from Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, that Ramirez was eventually hunted down - working under the theory that all the different crimes had been committed by a single person. One piece of evidence which played a major factor in Ramirez's guilty verdict was the serial killer's poor dental hygiene, with multiple witnesses mentioning his missing and rotted teeth. One witness, Ester Petschar, claims to have seen Ramirez buying an AC/DC hat in a thrift store, which was later found at one of the crime scenes. She said after seeing him in the shop she then ran into him on the freeway and claimed he looked like a 'killer clown' because of his missing teeth. Glen Creaso, another witness, who worked at Los Angeles Public Library remembers Ramirez's 'disgusting, rotted teeth'. Ramirez's poor dental hygiene continued to play an important role in the case against him, as Carrillo and Salerno found a dentist's business card inside a stolen vehicle Ramirez had fled from after being stopped. Two detectives were placed in the dentist's office to pick him up should he return for work, with an alarm later being installed for the dentist to alert the police of his presence. However, on the day the police pulled their detectives from the office, the alarm malfunctioned and Ramirez was able to undergo surgery on his teeth. He was eventually captured by police thanks to the efforts of the general public. He was recognised on the street and chased by bystanders before eventually being cornered and surrounded following multiple failed car jackings. The crowd beat and restrained the serial killer until police could arrive to take him away. After Ramirez had been captured by police, three separate dentists gave testimony about his teeth which helped negate at least one of his alibis. At one point towards the end of his trial, Ramirez shouted out 'Hail Satan' and displayed a pentagram he had drawn onto the palm of his hand. Ramirez was eventually found guilty of 13 murders, five attempted murders, 11 sexual assaults and 14 burglaries and sentenced to death for his crimes. At the time of his sentencing, Ramirez addressed the court to say he was 'beyond good and evil' and would be 'avenged,' adding, 'Lucifer dwells in us all.' One piece of evidence which played a major factor in Ramirez's guilty verdict was the serial killer's poor dental hygiene, with multiple witnesses mentioning his missing and rotted teeth After Ramirez had been captured by police, three separate dentists gave testimony about his teeth which helped negate at least one of his alibis Part way through his trial, a juror, Phyllis Singletary, did not arrive at the court and was later found shot dead in her apartment. Many grew concerned that Ramirez had orchestrated the killing from prison, but police ultimately concluded that her boyfriend had shot her after he was later found to have killed himself with the same gun. Despite police confirmed Ramirez had not been involved, Phyllis' replacement juror became too scared to return to their home each night after the trial. Ramirez's trial ended up costing $1.8million, which at the time, made it the most expensive court case to ever take place in Los Angeles. He died behind bars in 2013 of natural causes in San Quentin State Prison while awaiting execution at the age of 53. Ramirez's trial ended up costing $1.8million, which at the time, made it the most expensive court case to ever take place in Los Angeles Health care workers attending to a patient as St. Mary Medical Center resort to using triage tents outside to handle the overflow at its 200 bed hospital during the outbreak of the CCP virus in Apple Valley, Calif., on Jan. 12, 2021. (Mike Blake/Reuters) CCP Virus Updates: UK Bans Arrivals From South America The United Kingdom is banning arrivals from South America following evidence of a new variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus in Brazil. The government says that beginning at 4 a.m. Friday, arrivals will no longer be allowed from all South American countries as well as the Cape Verde islands off the west coast of Africa and Panama in Central America. Biden Announces $1.9 Trillion Plan President-elect Joe Biden late Thursday announced a $1.9 trillion stimulus plan to address the ongoing CCP virus pandemic in the United States. Biden asserted that more spending early on would reduce the long-term economic damage caused by the CCP virus lockdowns and restrictions. WHO Team Arrives in China A global team of researchers arrived Thursday in the Chinese city where the pandemic was first detected to conduct a politically sensitive investigation into its origins amid uncertainty about whether Beijing might try to prevent embarrassing discoveries. The group sent to Wuhan by the World Health Organization (WHO) was approved by CCP leader Xi Jinping after months of diplomatic wrangling that prompted an unusual public complaint by the head of WHO. Ontario Under New Orders Canadas two largest provinces are now under significant restrictions to curb surging cases of COVID-19 and a professional group for emergency doctors is calling for more transparency around vaccine distribution. Among added measures is a requirement for people to wear a mask inside businesses and restrictions on the size of gatherings. All non-essential retail stores may only open between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Premier Doug Ford has said everyone must stay home and only go out for trips deemed essential. Calls to Reopen Classrooms Grow State leaders around the United States are increasingly pushing for schools to reopen this winter as teachers begin to gain access to the CCP virus vaccine. Ohios governor offered to give vaccinations to teachers at the start of February, provided their school districts agree to resume at least some in-person instruction by March 1. In Arizona, where teachers began receiving shots this week, the governor warned schools that he expects students back in the classroom. Lebanon Imposes All-Day Curfew On Thursday, Lebanese authorities swung the other way: They began enforcing an 11-day nationwide shutdown and round-the-clock curfew, hoping to blunt the spread of CCP virus infections spinning out of control after the holiday period. The curfew is the strictest measure Lebanon has taken since the start of the pandemic. Germany, Sweden Report Record Death Tolls Germany recorded a new record number of deaths from the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus on Thursday, prompting calls for an even tighter lockdown. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) reported 25,164 new cases and 1,244 fatalities, bringing Germanys total death toll since the start of the pandemic to 43,881. Sweden, whose unorthodox pandemic strategy placed it in the global spotlight, reported a record number of virus deaths for a single day on Thursday, taking the total toll to 10,185, although new infections appear to be easing. The country of 10 million inhabitants registered 351 more deaths since Wednesday, and reported 6,580 new cases. US Tops 10 Million Vaccinations More than 10 million Americans had received their first dose of a CCP virus vaccine as of Wednesday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The United States reached 10.2 million inoculations one day after the CDC and Trump administration gave new guidance to U.S. states on who should receive the shots first. Strict rules putting healthcare workers first in line had slowed the rollout. Now states are urged to also vaccinate anyone over the age of 65. Natural Immunity Similar to Vaccine Immunity: Study The level of natural immunity people acquire from having caught the CCP virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, in the past is high and likely to be roughly the same as the protection they will get from vaccination against the disease, scientists have said a new official study shows. Public Health England (PHE) said in a media release on Thursday that its SIREN study of 20,787 healthcare workers had concluded that having previously had the disease gave people at least 83 percent, but up to 99 percent, immunity to reinfection probably for a minimum of five months. Though the study did not include research on people who had received vaccines, scientists welcoming its findings said it shows that previously infected people gain as much immunity from having caught the disease in the past as they will get from a vaccine. Two Members of WHO Delegation to Wuhan Held Back Two members of a World Health Organization-led team that arrived on Thursday in Chinas Wuhan city to investigate the origins of the CCP virus remained behind in Singapore after testing positive for COVID-19 antibodies, the global body said. The team of 15 had all tested negative for the disease prior to leaving their home countries and underwent further testing while in transit in Singapore. The results of nucleic acid tests were negative but showed two of the members had CCP virus antibodies, the Geneva-based agency said in a tweet. Deaths Surge in New York Nursing Homes Long-term care facilities in New York, including nursing homes and adult care facilities, saw a surge in COVID-19 deaths in the final weeks of 2020, federal data shows. There were 508 deaths in long-term care facilities in New York in the two-week period ending on Jan. 4an average of over 250 deaths per weekaccording to the Long Term Care Community Coalition, whose figures are based on New York State Department of Health data. California Counties Ask for More Vaccine Doses California counties are asking for more CCP virus vaccine doses as the state added a potential 4 million people to those eligible for them. State public health officials followed federal guidance Wednesday by announcing that people 65 and older could get it. But Los Angeles County, the nations most populous with 10 million residents and an epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak, says it cant do that before inoculating some 800,000 health care workers first. California received more than 2.4 million vaccine doses, but only a third have been used. The state aims to administer 1.5 million doses by Friday. Pope Francis Vaccinated The Vatican has confirmed Pope Francis received the first shot of the CCP virus vaccine on Thursday. No photos of the 84-yer-old pontiff receiving the shot have been released. The pope has advocated that everyone should get the vaccine, calling it an ethical option. The Vatican launched its vaccination program this week, administering the Pfizer vaccine. Vatican City has had at least 27 confirmed cases of the CCP virus, including a cluster among the Swiss Guards last fall. Lorenz Duchamps, Mark Clark, Zachary Stieber, The Canadian Press, Reuters, and The Associated Press contributed to this report. While President Trumps departure from the White House dominates the news cycle, his wifes transition is flying under the radar. She wouldnt have it any other way. After four years of calm, quiet leadership, the departure of first lady Melania Trump is emblematic of her unwavering humility and the modesty that is all too difficult to find in todays Washington, D.C. Unlike her husband, Melania was never boastful or boisterous. She was never flashy. She was always classy and kind. Melania readily ceded the spotlight to the president and his America First agenda, while still finding ways to inspire people who look up to her Democrats and Republicans. When Americans were worried about voting in-person during a pandemic, Melania showed the way, casting her ballot personally in Florida. The first lady routinely pushed back against her husbands critics, putting out her own statements even when it was uncomfortable to do so. Through the ups and downs, Melania remained committed to charity, hosting numerous events at childrens hospitals and cheering on Americas public servants, including the military and first responders. She forged her own path, whether that meant making surprise visits to U.S. troops in Iraq or delivering lunch to firefighters and their families. Perhaps most importantly, the first lady was never desperate for media recognition. Whereas Democrats like Dr. Jill Biden can expect puff pieces and flattering magazine spreads, Melania did much of her work behind the scenes. Faced with an adversarial press, she dedicated herself to simply doing the right thing, rather than promoting it. This is a woman who launched an anti-bullying campaign, only to be ridiculed for it. This is a woman who traveled thousands of miles to serve as the overshadowed, oft-forgotten role model for girls around the world from the United States to Ghana and India. Melanias empowerment of women was most notable in the White House, where she entrusted numerous female staffers with the tallest of tasks. Did the liberal media acknowledge her brand of female empowerment? Of course not. Our journalists opted to attack the first lady instead. But she carried on. The legacy of Melania Trump is perfectly encapsulated in a recent letter of hers, showing Americans the path forward and imploring people to stop the violence of recent weeks. In her words: It has been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your First Lady. I want to thank the millions of Americans who supported my husband and me over the past four years and shown the incredible impact of the American spirit. I am grateful to you all for letting me serve you on platforms which are dear to me. And we are grateful to you. Since 2016, the first lady has not only preached civility, she has practiced it. Her way is the path forward. It is the blueprint for all Americans, including the incoming Biden-Harris administration. Melania couldnt have left Jill Biden with larger shoes to fill in words and in action. Walking in them will be no easy feat. Our only hope is that the Bidens shepherd us through turbulent times with the goodness and grace of Melania Trump. The first lady may sadly be overlooked, but she will never be forgotten. 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 President-elect Joe Biden's inaugural team will return the donation from former Sen. Barbara Boxer after she registered as a foreign agent for a Chinese surveillance firm. Biden's Inaugural Committee Will Return $500 Donation Former Senator Barbara Boxer donated an amount of $500 for the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. But the inaugural committee decided to return her donation after they found out that she registered as a foreign agent for a Chinese surveillance firm. According to a report in Axios, the firm was accused of abetting the country's mass internment of Uighur Muslims. This shows that the incoming administration will try to balance its sweeping ethics commitments with K Street's efforts to enlist high-profile Democrats to advance clients' interests in Biden's Washington. Read also: Trump Impeached by House for Second Time With 10 Republican Members Voting Against Him Former Senator Works in a Chinese Surveillance Firm According to SFGATE, former Senator Barbara Boxer provides strategic consulting services to the subsidiary of the Chinese surveillance firm in the United States named Hikivision, as per Justice Department documents on Friday. It can be remembered that Hikivision was banned from doing business with the firms in the United States in 2019. Pres. Trump and his administration also accused the Chinese firm of having ties to the Chinese military which might compromise national security. Read also: McConnell Approves of Second Impeachment Efforts Against Trump Former Senator Released Her Statement In response to the matter, former senator Barbara Boxer said, "When I am asked to provide strategic advice to help a company operate in a more responsible and humane manner consistent with U.S. law in spirit and letter, it is an opportunity to make things better while helping protect and create American jobs." However, her ties with the Chinese surveillance firm led Biden's inaugural committee to return her donation. It can be remembered that Pres. Joe Biden said during his presidential campaign that the internment of Uighur Muslims is one of the worst human rights abuses in the world today. In November 2019, Biden tweeted, "The U.S. cannot be silent - we must speak out against this oppression and relentlessly defend human rights around the world." The Donation Violated the Inaugural Committee's Policy The spokesperson for the committee confirmed to a news outlet that they will return the $500 donation of former Sen. Barbara Boxer. The inaugural committee's spokesperson said that Barbara's contribution violated the committee's policy against accepting contributions from registered foreign agents. President-elect Joe Biden's inaugural committee spokesperson also clarified that Sen. Barbara's donation was made out of her volition and was not solicited by the inaugural committee. Boxer worked with President-elect Joe Biden in the House of Senate for more than two decades. She even showed her support during the 2020 U.S. Presidential election, but this does not mean that she will also receive the same appreciation from the committee. Boxer is the latest former Democrat lawmaker with reported ties to agents of the Chinese government. Rep. Eric Swalwell had close ties to a suspected Chinese spy who was sent to gain influence with young, up-and-coming American politicians, according to a published article in December. [January 14, 2021] Quantzig | Clinical Data Analytics Accelerates Drug R&D for a Swiss BioPharma and Life Sciences Group - Submit RFP for In-depth Engagement Insights Global biopharmaceutical and life sciences companies are innovating and digitally transforming clinical trials with analytics. From getting trials up and running to streamlining clinical trial designs to deliver new drugs and vaccines faster, clinical data analytics has impacted every aspect of drug discovery and development. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005387/en/ Accelerating Drug Research & Development for a BioPharma and Life Sciences Company (Graphic: Business Wire) To support the modern clinical trial needs, Quantzig unveiled its new pharma and life science analytics framework, which helps biopharma and life sciences companies and researchers predict drug behavior, improve the selection criteria for clinical trials, and drive data-driven decisions for a higher success rate and faster time-to-market. Learn more about our industry-leading, innovative analytics solutions for the pharma and life sciences industry: https://bit.ly/2XEb8qt "Clinical data analytics is at an inflection point with accelerated drug development and vaccines for COVID-19, coupled with a move toward decentralized, hybrid clinical trials," said an analytics expert at Quantzig. Quantzig's latest clinical data analytics success story sheds light on the importance of data and analytics in drug development. Quantzig is now offering a limited-period free demonstration of its proprietary analytics framework for all pharma and life sciences companies. Get in touch before it's too late: https://bit.ly/3oIgFbp A leading Swiss life sciences company selected Quantzig as a long-term strategic analytics partner to support its clinical research objective. Quantzig helped the client deliver personalized health care solutions by streamlining drug discovery and integrating pharmaceutical products with diagnostics and patient data obtained from disparate sources. Quantzig adopted a comprehensive approach backed with research insights, analytical views, and evidence-based solutions that helped the client tackle their challenges. > The first phase of the engagement focused on analyzing the market and the challenges faced by the client. To do so, Quantzig leveraged research insights from its in-house market research team and analyzed the current business scenario to gain a better hold of challenges and new opportunities that can impact the client's business. > The second phase focused on developing analytics-based approaches to streamline the client's data management and drug development process. With several data sets in silos, the client faced challenges in integrating and analyzing them during trial design and analysis. > The final phase of this engagement revolved around standardizing clinical trial processes, storing and duplicating data, and reducing the time and resources spent developing new drugs and getting to the drug market. Request a FREE proposal to understand the potential benefits of analytics in drug development. The success story serves as a classic example of Quantzig's advanced clinical data analytics capabilities that span different areas of drug discovery, drug development, and patient analysis. However, the crux of it stresses the need for a streamlined process that can offer in-depth data-driven insights to help pharma and life sciences firms better understand market needs and act in real-time to save millions. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter to keep abreast of the upcoming trends in pharma and life sciences. About Quantzig Quantzig is the world's foremost full-service advanced analytics and business intelligence solution provider, turning clients' complex, unstructured data into intelligent, actionable insights that enable them to solve complex business problems and inspire innovation, change, and growth. Over the past 16 years, our insights have helped over 120 clients spanning across industries and sectors like Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences, Retail and CPG, Food and Beverage, and more. We have successfully delivered 1500 in-depth solutions in areas like Marketing Analytics, Customer Analytics, Supply Chain Analytics, and more. For more information on our engagement policies and pricing plans, visit https://www.quantzig.com/request-for-proposal. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005387/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] WILLOUGHBY HILLS, Ohio A 65-year-old man was shot and wounded and his vehicle stolen in a carjacking Wednesday night in the parking lot of an apartment complex, police say. Officers were called to the Willoughby Hills Towers at 27400 Chardon Road at about 7:22 p.m. after receiving reports of multiple gunshots being fired. When they arrived, they found the wounded victim on the north side of the apartment complexs parking deck, police say. According to police, the victim was standing by his vehicle, a black 2010 Ford Fusion, when at least two suspects arrived in a bright red pickup truck. A man in his early 20s, armed with an handgun, got out of the truck, assaulted the victim and then shot him. The suspect then drove off in the victims Ford Fusion, hitting several vehicles in the parking lot, causing front-end damage. The pickup also drove off. Both vehicles were last seen heading east on Chardon Road toward the area of Bishop Road and Interstate 90. The victim was taken to the hospital by ambulance. Police say his wounds do not appear to be life-threatening. Anyone with information can call detectives at 440-942-9111. More crime-related content on cleveland.com: Woman dies eight days after boyfriend shot her in the face in Clevelands Central neighborhood, officials say Interstate 77 police pursuit ends with Broadview Heights officer cut in the face and suspect shot, authorities say Cleveland police officer wrongfully arrested woman, left toddler with man accused of child abuse, investigators say Authorities intercept 10,000 fentanyl pills headed for Cleveland; two arrested on federal conspiracy charges Updated at 1:49 p.m. ET on 2021-02-05 Philippine drug regulators on Thursday cleared a U.S. and German-made COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, the first such approval in a country among the worst hit by the virus in East Asia. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, developed by American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and the German firm BioNTech, is 95 percent effective against the coronavirus disease, the head of the Philippine Food and Drug Administration said, citing interim data from Phase 3 trials. After a thorough review of the currently available data by medical and regulatory experts, the FDA is granting Emergency Use Authorization to Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, Rolando Enrique Domingo, the agencys director general, announced in a statement. The benefit of using vaccines outweighs the known and potential risks, Domingo said, noting that scientists so far had no specific safety concerns about the drug made by Pfizer and BioNTech, which had applied to the Philippine FDA three weeks ago for the emergency-use authorization (EAU). Domingo did not say when mass inoculations in the Philippines would start, how many doses of vaccine would be delivered, or when. In the Philippines, nearly half a million people have been infected with the coronavirus disease and almost 10,000 have died of it since the pandemic began here in early 2020. The country has the second highest number of cases and deaths from COVID-19 in East Asia, next to neighboring Indonesia, according to data from Johns Hopkins University in the United States. The approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech drug came a day after Philippine health authorities confirmed that a highly contagious variant of the virus first traced to the United Kingdom and known as B.1.1.7 had been detected in a Filipino traveler who arrived here last week on a flight from the United Arab Emirates. As for the safety of the vaccine, Domingo said the government would closely monitor any adverse reaction to it. The roll out of the vaccine and use in more than 5 million people worldwide has identified severe allergic reaction in a few individuals. Therefore, the vaccinations must be done by health professionals trained to recognize and manage adverse reactions, and they should have resources at hand to adequately respond, Domingo said. Separately, his agency has received EAU applications for vaccines developed by British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca and Russias Gamaleya Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology. The Chinese state-owned drug firm Sinovac Biotech had not yet completed its application for an emergency-use authorization for its vaccine, Domingo said. Passengers with face masks on to guard against COVID-19 are seen at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Metro Manila, May 13, 2020. [Basilio Sepe/BenarNews] Earlier this week, Harry Roque, the spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte, said the government had secured a deal to buy 25 million doses of vaccines from Sinovac and that these would be arriving in batches, beginning in February. Last month, President Rodrigo Duterte revealed that soldiers in the country had been inoculated against the coronavirus with shots of a vaccine developed by Sinopharm, another Chinese firm, although the FDA had not approved it for use. After news broke that members of Dutertes body guard which is made up of military personnel had received doses of the Chinese vaccine, FDA head Domingo urged the public not to use vaccines supplied through the black market. The Senate, which is dominated by Duterte allies, had threatened to investigate the revelation but it dropped this plan after Duterte warned them against doing so, saying this could cause friction between his administration and the legislature. The Senate then dropped the plan. Duterte this week also defended the reputation of Chinese-made vaccines, although news reports said that authorities in Brazil had downgraded the effectiveness of Sinovacs COVID-19 vaccine to only 50.4 percent. They are as good as any other vaccines invented by the Americans or the Europeans, the Philippine president said in a taped message, which aired late Wednesday. The Chinese do not lack brains. The Chinese are bright, Duterte said. And they would not venture if its not sufficient if its not safe, sure, and secure. Jeoffrey Maitem contributed to this report from Cotabato City, Philippines. CORRECTION: An earlier version failed to note that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was developed by U.S. firm Pfizer and BioNTech, a German firm. EAST GREENBUSH - East Greenbush police and the FBI responded to a potential bomb threat at Regeneron's Tempel Lane campus on the same day that the company announced a blockbuster $2.6 billion deal with the federal government for the company's coronavirus antibody treatment. "It turned out to be nothing," East Greenbush Supervisor Jack Conway told the Times Union on Wednesday, the day after the scare. Police were apparently notified that the threat had been made with a note in a porta potty, although neither Conway nor Regeneron would confirm that account. Regeneron has its main drug manufacturing location next to the University at Albany Health Sciences Campus on Columbia Turnpike but has been building a massive new campus on Tempel Lane, closer to Route 4 and I-90, as its business has been booming. Regeneron makes several drugs, including one that treats age-related blindness that has made the company billions of dollars. It has also developed a COVID-19 treatment that is being used to treat non-hospitalized patients who have caught the deadly virus. Regeneron spokeswoman Alexandra Bowie said there was no apparent connection between Tuesday's announcement and the threat. Regeneron is one of the area's largest employers with more than 3,000 workers and is growing in East Greenbush. The company headquarters is located in Tarrytown but all of its U.S. manufacturing takes place in East Greenbush. "Yesterday morning we were notified of a bomb threat at our Tempel Lane campus," Bowie told the Times Union. "Police were contacted immediately, and our safety protocols were followed. Thankfully it was determined that the threat was unsubstantiated, and the site has resumed normal operations. We thank the East Greenbush Police Department and all law enforcement for their swift and thorough response." No one was injured during the scare. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is asking a judge to block the decoupling provision in House Bill 6 that guarantees record revenues to FirstEnergy. Yost cited the Akron-based companys allegedly corrupt role in getting the legislation passed. And were talking about it on This Week in the CLE. Listen online here. Editor Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with editors Jane Kahoun, Kris Wernowsky and me. Youve been sending Chris lots of thoughts and suggestions on our from-the-newsroom account, in which he shares what were thinking about at cleveland.com. You can sign up for free by sending a text to 216-868-4802. Here are the questions were answering today: How deep was the plot, financed by FirstEnergy, to undermine Cleveland Public Power, and how many people in Cleveland were involved? Do we have an Ohio variant of the coronavirus that is just as dangerous as the much-feared United Kingdom variant that is so much more contagious? What was Congressman Jim Jordans role in the historic second impeachment of President Donald Trump Wednesday, and did his Republican Ohio colleague break with the party to vote against the president? Whats the deal with a police supervisor who wrongfully arrested a woman and never failed to investigate her allegations that her boyfriend burned her 5-year-old son with a cigarette? Could he lose his job? We all know the coronavirus vaccine rollout in Ohio has been bungled, but was there a time when Cuyahoga County was the best at doing this? With all thats been going on in Ohio, we almost missed one of the laws that came through the Legislature late last year. Did Gov. Mike DeWine sign off on creating state regulations for motorized scooters? Want more? You can find all our past episodes here. We have an Apple podcasts channel exclusively for this podcast. Subscribe here. Do you get your podcasts on Spotify. Find us here. If you use Stitcher, we are here. RadioPublic is another popular podcast vehicle, and we are here. On Google Podcasts, we are here. On PodParadise, find us here. And on PlayerFM, we are here. Qatar Airways has resumed flights to Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and will operate a daily service on wide-body aircraft, including the Airbus A350, Boeing 777-300 and Boeing 787-8, the airline said on its website. QR1164 from Hamad International Airport in Doha to King Khalid International Airport took off at 13:45 local time on January 11 and landed safely at its destination at 15:10. The flight was operated by Qatar Airways Airbus A350-1000, it said. Later this week, Qatar Airways will resume flights to Jeddah on January 15 (QR1188 departing DOH at 18:50) and to Dammam on January 16 (QR 1150 departing Doha at 17:10). Passengers from KSA can once again enjoy the award-winning Qsuite, featuring sliding privacy doors and the option to use a Do Not Disturb (DND) indicator. The Qsuite seat layout is a 1-2-1 configuration, providing passengers with one of the most spacious, fully private, comfortable, and socially distanced products in the sky. The national carrier of Qatar continues to rebuild its network, which currently stands at over 110 destinations with plans to increase to over 125 by the end of March 2021, it said. Hamad International Airport (HIA), the airlines home and hub, was recently ranked Third Best Airport in the World, among 550 airports worldwide, by the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2020. TradeArabia News Service A UNHCR officer talks to refugees in Mai Aini refugee camp. The biggest concerns of the refugees are food, clean water, and the security situation in the camps. The refugees report almost nightly looting by armed gangs. UNHCR/Chris Melzer I remain extremely troubled by the humanitarian situation in the Tigray region of Ethiopia and its impact on civilians, in particular Eritrean refugees hosted in the region. We have recently seen some positive developments, working with the government to access and assist vulnerable populations, including the transport and distribution of food to some 25,000 Eritrean refugees in the Mai Aini and Adi Harush camps in Tigray. Last week UNHCR and partners carried out a rapid assessment mission at the two camps with the Ethiopian Agency for Refugee and Returnee Affairs and have been able to start restoring the water supply and limited health services. We hope that soon we will be able to re-establish full protection and other humanitarian activities. However, in spite of repeated requests, UNHCR and partners have not yet had any access to the Shimelba and Hitsats refugee camps since the start of the law and order operation two months ago. I am very worried for the safety and well-being of Eritrean refugees in those camps. They have been without any aid for many weeks. Furthermore, and of utmost concern, I continue to receive many reliable reports and first-hand accounts of ongoing insecurity and allegations of grave and distressing human rights abuses, including killings, targeted abductions and forced return of refugees to Eritrea. Reports of additional military incursions over the last 10 days are consistent with open source satellite imagery showing new fires burning and other fresh signs of destruction at the two camps. These are concrete indications of major violations of international law. Ethiopia has long given refuge to people fleeing conflict and persecution. The Federal Government has provided assurances that measures are being taken to minimize the impact of the conflict on civilians. I have impressed upon the Ethiopian leadership the urgency of ensuring the protection of refugees, preventing forced return, and keeping refugee camps safe from attacks and other threats from armed actors. Equally distressing to UNHCR teams on the ground has been our inability to assist thousands of Eritrean refugees who continue to flee the camps in search of safety and support. Refugees arriving on foot to Shire town in Tigray are emaciated, begging for aid that is not available. Refugees who reached Addis Ababa are being returned to Tigray, some against their will. While access to Mai Aini and Adi Harush camps is a good start, I must reiterate the UN-wide call for full and unimpeded access exploring all options to safely provide desperately needed assistance. UNHCR remains committed to work with the Ethiopian government to carry out our mandate to protect and assist those forced to flee in line with the humanitarian principles of impartiality and neutrality. We remain available to seek solutions together - to the current humanitarian problems in a spirit of collaboration and constructive partnership. Safe access and swift action are needed now to save thousands of lives at risk. One of Australia's most respected seafood chefs has transformed the traditional glazed ham - using kingfish instead of pork to make the delicious creation. Josh Niland is the owner and chef behind Saint Peter in Paddington, New South Wales, an award-winning 'fish eatery' known for serving sustainably sourced, fresh seafood with attention to detail. Since Christmas he has been selling kingfish hams to his adoring customers - and left people wanting to trade in their traditional pork shoulders. Scroll down for video This crispy-skinned kingfish ham had customers of the Fish Butchery fooled - with many believing it was a traditional Christmas ham The fresh take on the traditional ham was created by renowned seafood chef Josh Niland With crispy, glazed skin and pink flesh they were marketed as being 'simply wonderful' and it appeared people who tried it agreed. 'These are the best hams,' one woman said. Others were eager to try the seafood take on the traditional dish. 'Also I dont think fish has ever looked tastier. In the entire history of humans eating fish for food, no one has made fish look this tasty,' one man said. And pictures of the delicious-looking piece of fish had ham lovers confused. 'Is this fish or ham?' one woman asked. The kingfish ham had many people wanting to switch over for their Christmas lunch 'I legit through this was pork before I saw it was you posting it,' another person said 'I legit through this was pork before I saw it was you posting it,' another person said. Poll What would you prefer? 'Regular' Christmas ham A kingfish Christmas 'ham' What would you prefer? 'Regular' Christmas ham 37 votes A kingfish Christmas 'ham' 22 votes Now share your opinion Other people, as far away as America were asking for recipes so they could recreate the Sydney chef's dish at home. Mr Niland often leaves people stunned by his incredible fish creations. He recently shared his tips to achieving crispy-skinned fish every time. Writing for Good Food, the 31-year-old former 'Breakthrough Chef of the Year', said the fish you choose should always be 'ambient' before it's added to the hot pan and should never be put in straight from the fridge. If it is, it will 'set unevenly', making it harder to determine when it is cooked. Josh Niland (pictured) is the owner and chef behind Saint Peter in Paddington, New South Wales, an award-winning 'fish eatery' known for serving sustainably sourced, fresh seafood To get the skin 'crispy', Josh uses a small amount of ghee which he removes from the pan after two minutes, before adding more at the end of the cooking process. Ghee is clarified butter with a high smoke point that is great for sauteing and creating a 'rich' and 'nutty' taste in cooking. He also always uses a fish weight (his own Saint Peter brand) when cooking and says it would be 'impossible' to pan-fry or grill a fish well without it. 'When pan-frying a fish on the skin, the heat that's generated crisps the skin, which travels up through the muscle of the fish and sits on the face of the weight,' he said. To get the skin 'crispy', Josh uses a small amount of ghee which he removes from the pan after two minutes, before adding more at the end of the cooking process On his website, Josh describes his $150 weight as an 'essential tool' for crispy skin fish and a way of creating 'an even golden colour' over the fillet 'This sets the top of the fillet very gently while forcing the skin to have direct contact with the pan. By using a weight on thin to thickish fillets, you will be able to cook the fish from raw to cooked on the stove and rely less on the oven to finish cooking.' He says a small, heavy saucepan filled with water is an alternative if a weight is not available. On his website, Josh describes his $150 weight as an 'essential tool' for crispy skin fish and a way of creating 'an even golden colour' over the fillet. He shares more tips for cooking fish perfectly in his The Whole Fish cookbook ($55). Josh isn't the only chef with tricks for creating crispy skin, with MasterChef Australia star Georgia Barnes making crispy skin salmon by first patting the fillet down with a paper towel to remove moisture. Writing for Good Food, the 31-year-old former 'Breakthrough Chef of the Year', said the fish you choose should always be 'ambient' before its added to the hot pan and should never be put in straight from the fridge Josh isn't the only chef with tricks for creating crispy skin, with MasterChef Australia star Georgia Barnes making crispy skin salmon by first patting the fillet down with a paper towel to remove moisture Appearing on the second episode of The Chef's Secret: Cooking with Natural Gas on Bright-r.com.au, she then adds sea salt and cracked black pepper and cooks it on a gas cooktop to maintain temperature control. 'A drizzle of olive oil in the frypan will help the skin crisp up perfectly,' she said. Over a medium-high heat, Georgia then the salmon skin side down, presses down on each fillet to ensure skin is flat against the base of the pan and cooks the salmon for two to three minutes on each side. 'There's an even cooked line in the salmon, with a pink middle and crispy skin. That's exactly what we want, a perfectly cooked piece of salmon,' she said, before resting it for five minutes and serving. Renault's empire is in need of saving, there's no doubt about it. Were not the ones saying it, because the French automakers first phase of the new masterplan is called Resurrection - and its not talking about a new installment in the long-running Resident Evil horror survival franchise.But the folks from Renault do have a new strategic roadmap, which includes a shift from volume to value. By now, we have already seen whats in store for the Renault, Alpine, and Dacia brands. Now its time to find out the plans stemming from big ol Russia AvtoVAZ, which is being tasked to continue its transformation to become a world-class effective and competitive automotive manufacturer will join Romanian manufacturer Dacia in the creation of the new Dacia-Lada business unit, where it will see more industrial synergies, make ample use of the cost competitive and flexible CMF-B platform, and continue on the path to the highest local integration ratio.Thats all nice and dandy, but how about the product plans, considering that Groupe Renault has announced that Dacia will start using just one architecture instead of four, while also dropping from 18 to 11 body types? According to the shared info, customers shouldnt be concerned.Lada will introduce four all-new models by 2025, including a new model that will cater to the compact segment clients and an all-new generation of the no-frills Niva off-roader, which has already been teased in the image you see on your screens. The bad news is fans will need to wait until 2024 to see it come to life, though.As such, theres little information, although the Russian automaker does confirm the new Niva will usher a new era for the Lada brand alongside its new sibling Dacia. The new business unit is targeted for expansion beyond the two brand's current reach on a truly global scale. ACROSS FLORIDA Gov. Ron DeSantis announced additional Florida counties on the East Coast that will start administering the COVID-19 vaccines at Publix locations during two news conferences on Wednesday. "Publix is in every community, and if we can get it in every community, it's going to get easier to get the vaccines," DeSantis said outside Sawgrass Village Publix in Ponte Vedra. A week ago, Florida started expanding its vaccine distributions to people 65 and over at various Publix stores. DeSantis said they are expanding to 56 additional pharmacies in the grocery store chain that include St. Johns, Flagler, Volusia and Collier counties. Stores in these counties will start administering the vaccines on Thursday by appointment only. DeSantis said for residents to not panic when locations run out of vaccines because they will eventually get another supply. He wants seniors to get the booster shot. The governor explained that if he gets 250,000 doses, another 250,000 is being held for the second dose. "Florida is committed to the booster shot," he said. "We think you need both shots for Pfizer and Moderna to reach the 95 percent efficacy." DeSantis said nearly 400,000 seniors have received a COVID-19 vaccine. The Florida Department of Health reported Wednesday that the state's most recent number of positive coronavirus cases is at 1,517,472. These are the numbers that have been reported since March. The number of resident hospitalizations for coronavirus is at 66,634; coronavirus-related deaths are at 22,759. At DeSantis' news conference at Publix Pebble Creek in Napes Wednesday afternoon, he announced Collier County will start administering vaccines to seniors at 16 Publix locations within the county. He predicted at least 1,600 doses will be given a day among the combined stores in Collier. Medium-sized counties giving the vaccine at Publix has been DeSantis's focus. He explained that large cities such as Miami and Jacksonville have a larger infrastructure of hospitals in place to administer doses. Story continues Appointments can be scheduled online at the designated Publix locations for vaccines. According to FDOH, Pinellas County has 52,357 positive cases; Hillsborough has 89,043 cases; Polk has 43,839 cases; Pasco has 25,785 cases; Sarasota has 21,898 cases; Manatee has 25,379 cases; and Dade has 334,217 cases. This article originally appeared on the St. Pete Patch The U.S. Air Force held a virtual B-21 Long Range Strike Bomber industry day this week to discuss construction projects to house the new stealth bomber, known as the Raider, according to a release. The Air Force Civil Engineering Center and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers went over details and scheduling -- including maintenance hangars and low-observable restoration facilities -- on Monday with South Dakota's Rapid City Military Advisory Coalition, the release states. The B-21 is still years away. The Air Force has said deliveries of the bomber, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, should begin in the mid-2020s, but the service has been careful not to broadcast details in order to protect its technology. Read Next: Guard Troops Photographed Napping in Capitol Were on Break, Army Official Says In 2019, the service announced that the first operational B-21 base would be at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, which will also host the bomber's first formal training unit. Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, is the service's preferred alternative. Dyess and Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, are expected to receive B-21 Raiders "as they become available," the service said at the time. Any construction for facilities at Ellsworth and the surrounding area for B-21 support must wait until the service completes an environmental impact statement and makes a final basing decision, which is expected this year, the release states. "We can only be successful when we proactively work as a team with our industry and community partners to ensure a common understanding of our plan, our timeline, potential environmental impacts, and the assistance that we'll need from the private sector once the [decision from the Environmental Impact Statement] is signed by the secretary of the Air Force," said John Henderson, the head of Installations, Environment and Energy for the service, in the release. The Air Force has said it plans to procure at least 100 Raiders, rounding out its bomber inventory to 175, including its B-52 Stratofortress fleet. However, Gen. Tim Ray, head of Air Force Global Strike Command, has often proposed a bomber force of more than 200 aircraft. "We've said publicly that we think we need 220 bombers overall -- 75 B-52s and the rest B-21s, long term," Ray told Air Force Magazine last year. The Raider passed its critical design review in December 2018, a pivotal milestone for the program. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Related: The Air Force Plans to Retrain Weapons System Officers to Be B-21 Bomber Pilots Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 14:48:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A woman wearing a face mask rides a bike on a street in Havana, Cuba, Jan. 14, 2021. Local government in Havana announced new restrictive measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as 550 new cases were logged nationwide on Wednesday, setting a new daily record for the sixth day in a row. (Photo by Joaquin Hernandez/Xinhua) by Yosley Carrero HAVANA, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Local government in Havana announced new restrictive measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as 550 new cases were logged nationwide on Wednesday, setting a new daily record for the sixth day in a row. These restrictions are introduced as the country's capital is experiencing its sharpest rise in infections since the first three COVID-19 cases were reported on the island in March 2020. Under the new rules, schools across the Cuban capital will be closed starting Jan. 14 while thousands of students will take televised lessons broadcast on Canal Havana, the local TV channel. Diego Santiago Delbert, a 9-year-old boy from Havana's Camilo Cienfuegos district, enjoys attending school, but he said it is necessary to stay at home until things get better. "I really prefer in-person classes, but I understand that it is not possible at the moment," he told Xinhua via phone. "The virus will not stick around forever." In addition, public transport across the city's metropolitan area will be suspended from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. in a bid to slow the movement of people during night hours. Yamila Rodriguez, a 36-year-old mother living in central Havana, said these measures will contribute to addressing the health emergency in the country's most populous city. "I have decided to stockpile for this period, so that I would not have to venture out," she said. "It is the moment to stay local." New measures also include reinforcement of checkpoints on borders between the capital and the rest of the island as of Friday, while cargo trucks transporting food will still be permitted to enter Havana. Meanwhile, eateries and restaurants citywide will be offering takeaways as well as food delivery services, abiding by safety protocols and rigorous cleaning procedures. Although a night-time curfew has not been imposed, social gatherings after 7 p.m. at parks, squares and public areas during night hours have been banned. Francisco Duran, national director of epidemiology at the Cuban Ministry of Public Health, said that breaches of social distancing rules and COVID-19 guidance are the principal causes of the current outbreak. "The Cuban people have had the capacity to go through difficult moments. I have no doubt that with participation of the people we will overcome the coronavirus pandemic," he said on TV. Pharmacies, stores, banks and gas stations remain open as essential services and strategic economic areas continue operating as the country is implementing a monetary overhaul. Earlier this month, bars, night clubs, gyms and swimming pools were closed while cultural activities and events were suspended. Havana's Jose Marti International Airport continues receiving regular commercial flights as foreign passengers are required to have negative PCR test results certified by health institutions from their countries. According to the island authorities, at present, some 6,262 international travelers are visiting Havana, and more than 14,600 Havana residents stay under epidemiological surveillance at their communities. Havana, the country's epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, has so far recorded the majority of confirmed cases over the past two weeks, followed by the provinces of Matanzas, Santiago and Villa Clara. Residents in the Cuban capital have been told to stay home as much as possible to minimize the risk of contagion as social organizations are working at the community level to raise public awareness about the importance of self-protection and individual responsibility. "Life has changed after the coronavirus pandemic. It is indispensable to be cautious and patient," said 49-year-old Pedro Rodriguez while hailing a taxi. So far, Cuba has registered 16,044 cases and 158 deaths. Enditem Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The chairman of the presidential council of the Government of National Accord, Fayez al-Sarraj, Wednesday held talks with some members of the Chamber of Representatives (Parliament) on the formation of a national unity government, an official source said here Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Introduction Swiss companies depend on reliable economic relations, particularly when exporting goods and services. To secure and improve access to foreign markets, Switzerland has a broad range of agreements with partner countries. Currently, high customs duties and other barriers make it difficult to trade with Indonesia, the worlds fourth largest country by population. Therefore, Switzerland has also negotiated an agreement with Indonesia. Opponents of the agreement have successfully called for a referendum. They are especially critical of Switzerlands move to reduce import duties on palm oil subject to certain requirements. The proposal The agreement provides that all Switzerlands main goods can be exported duty-free to Indonesia. It places Swiss companies on a par with their foreign competitors in the growing Indonesian market. In return, Switzerland has abolished duties on Indonesian industrial products. For agricultural products, however, the agreement only reduces duties in some cases, in order to protect the Swiss agriculture industry. Indonesia and Switzerland have undertaken to trade in a way that favours sustainable development. Certain reductions in customs duties will apply to a limited quantity of Indonesian palm oil imports. Anyone who wishes to import palm oil on these terms must prove that the oil has been produced in compliance with the agreed environmental and social requirements. Haiti - FLASH : Alarming increase in the number of cases in 24 hours According to the Ministry of Public Health, 154 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Haiti within 48 hours on January 10 (27 cases) and January 11 (127 cases ) for a total of 10,569 cases confirmed throughout the national territory (latest data available) since the first case (March 19, 2020 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-30319-haiti-health-origin-of-the-first-2-cases-of-covid-19-in-haiti.html ). Previous update (+73 January 8 and 9). Note that 127 cases in 24 hours is the highest number of cases recorded since July 10, 2020 and that the trend in the country is clearly on the rise... Healings : 8,888 people (+48 in 48h), previous (+46) Healing rate : 84.09% (-) Deaths : 238 deaths, (unchanged since January 6) Death rate : 2.25% (-) Active cases : (less deaths and recoveries) 1,491 cases (+147 in 48h), previous (+27) Imported cases : 152 cases since the reopening of airports and +43 since the last report dated July 9 (109) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31348-haiti-flash-152-cases-imported-since-the-reopening-of-airports.html (Since then, this information is no longer made available) Suspected cases investigated since March 19 : 44,991 cases (+746 in 48 hours as of January 11), previous (+424 in 48 hours as of January 9) Cases tested since the start of the pandemic : 44,978 (+754 in 48 hours as of Jan. 11), previous (+422) Note that the very low number of people tested (screening) does not statistically allow to make a representative estimate of the cases of Covid-19 in Haiti. Hospitalized people : 61 (+19 in 48 hours as of January 10) People in intensive care : (information not available) Person in isolation : 1,443 as of Jan. 10 People treated at home currently : 923 (-68 in 48 on January 10), previous (+24) Cases confirmed by department : West: 7,343 (+144) North: 682 (+3) Artibonite: 604 (+1) Center: 521 (+2) North-East: 326 (+3) South-East: 274 (unchanged) South: 262 (unchanged) North-West: 230 (unchanged) Grand'Anse: 177 (unchanged) Nippes: 150 (+1) Cumulative deaths (238) : West: 101 North: 34 Artibonite: 39 Center: 13 North-East: 6 South-East: 9 South: 6 North-West: 12 Grand'Anse: 13 Nipples: 5 Distribution of confirmed cases by age group (10,569) : 0-9 years: 297 10-19 years: 464 20-29 years: 2169 30-39 years: 3038 40-49 years: 1880 50-59 years: 1218 60-69 years: 841 70-79 years: 461 80 years and over: 201 Distribution of deaths by age group (238) : 0-9 years: 8 10-19 years: 4 20-29 years: 14 30-39 years: 17 40-49 years: 28 50-59 years: 45 60-69 years: 47 70-79 years: 45 80 years and over: 30 See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-32773-haiti-covid-19-haiti-special-report-300.html HL/ HaitiLibre The Illinois House on Wednesday elected its first Black speaker to replace the longest-serving legislative leader in modern U.S. history, picking Democratic Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch for the job and pushing aside Michael Madigan because of an ongoing bribery investigation. Madigan had served as speaker for 36 of the past 38 years, but a vote Sunday by members of the Democratic caucus signaled he lacked enough support to keep the gavel. He suspended his speaker campaign the next day. Welch, an eight-year House veteran from the Chicago suburb of Hillside, garnered 70 votes from the 118-member House. Had Madigan sought retention, Democrats who dominate the chamber might have been forced into a drawn-out leadership battle. It is time for new leadership in the House, Madigan said in a statement. I wish all the best for Speaker-elect Welch as he begins a historic speakership. It is my sincere hope today that the caucus I leave to him and to all who will serve alongside him is stronger than when I began. Madigan was identified last summer in a Justice Department investigation as the beneficiary of a yearslong bribery venture involving ComEd. It thus far has yielded a $200 million fine on the utility giant, a ComEd executives guilty plea and indictments of four others, including Madigans closest confidante. Madigan has not been charged with a crime and has denied wrongdoing. Welch has been part of Madigans inner circle, serving as chairman of the powerful Executive Committee, and was chosen last fall to be chairman of an investigative committee demanded by Republicans to review Madigans involvement in the ComEd scandal. Welch abruptly brought the probe to a close, claiming that the Republicans had created a political show. After decades of sharp partisanship in the House, Welch, who was derided Tuesday by the chambers top Republican as a continuation of the model of Madigan Inc., tried to bridge the gap in his first comments at the helm. After recognizing both the GOP and Democrats, he said, Today will be the last time I talk about us as Democrats or Republicans, because I want to talk about us being united. Were going to work together to move this state forward. Madigans leadership has been questioned in recent years, even before the ComEd allegations surfaced. The scrutiny included his handling of sexual harassment allegations and a scathing report which he commissioned that detailed the environment of bullying and intimidation in the speakers office under his chief of staff of 25 years. The 78-year-old Madigan long has been perceived as the most powerful politician in Illinois. Former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, who tried to bring Madigan down, famously claimed it was Madigan, not he, who was in charge. Madigan took over just as a constitutional amendment reduced the size of the House, creating single-member representative districts and consolidating power at the top. Madigan took advantage of that, setting the agenda, deciding what legislation would be debated, and, after 1998, deciding whom the party would support for office after he took over as chairman of the Democratic Party. Government officials launched an eleventh hour scramble for staff to check goods before arriving in Northern Ireland, it can be revealed. Contracts to supply staff to carry out checks were only put together and awarded in recent weeks, with a notice published on Monday. The contracts worth nearly 800,000, awarded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), were based on "extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable by the contracting authority". Details of the Northern Ireland Protocol were first published in 2019. DAERA, headed by DUP Minister Edwin Poots, was unable to immediately comment. The contracts, to Securitas and Carlisle Support Services, relate to sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) checks on live animals and other agri-foods coming in. Staff stationed at ports in Britain will carry out the checks, according to published notices. SPS checks are a three-part process: documents, and seals, at British ports, and random physical examination here. "These services are required for reasons of extreme urgency brought about by events unforeseeable by the contracting authority," both notices state. They add these checks will "take place at GB Ports prior to goods moving to NI to ensure the free flow of freight traffic and avoid congestion". While the contract start dates are listed as January 1 and 2, and the notices were published on Monday, they referred to needing to be in place by mid-December. DAERA did not respond to questions about when it was decided to begin the contract process or when the staff were physically in place. Or if all of them are now carrying out checks. The contracts were no-bid because "it is in the public interest that staff are urgently put in place to conduct these checks as they are critical to ensure uninterrupted supply of food and goods to NI post EU Exit on 1 January 2021". Manchester-headquartered Securitas was awarded a contract worth 513,620, while Liverpool-based Carlisle Support Services will be paid 257,101. The contracts are for one year with the possibility of an extension. According to DAERA, there is some flexibility on the checking of goods, with high risk food not of animal origin subject to a reduced rate of physical inspection until April 1. Further, some "chilled meats, which are usually prevented or restricted from entering the EU from Third Countries, can continue to enter NI from GB under a number of conditions". Expand Close Government officials launched an eleventh hour scramble for staff to check goods before arriving in Northern Ireland, it can be revealed / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Government officials launched an eleventh hour scramble for staff to check goods before arriving in Northern Ireland, it can be revealed Secretary of State Brandon Lewis recently described SPS checks as similar to ones in place "since about the 19th century". On January 1 Mr Lewis tweeted: "There is no 'Irish Sea Border'." He added: "As we have seen today, the important preparations the Government and businesses have taken to prepare for the end of the transition period are keeping goods flowing freely around the country, including between GB and NI." Meanwhile, Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove has said problems at supermarkets have "now been overcome, pretty much". Responding to the DUP's Westminster leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Mr Gove said in the Commons on Wednesday: "But the right honourable gentleman is absolutely right that we need to make sure that we have a sustainable approach for the end of the grace period at the end of March." Mr Gove added: "I will be working with Helen Dickinson (chief executive) of the British Retail Consortium and others to do just that." This week: Pitkin Countys front line workers are eligible for the COVID19 vaccine, but can your employer require you to get vaccinated? Also a look at the two back-to-back worldwide ski events Aspen is hosting beginning March 10. Host Alycin Bektesh is joined by Madeleine Osberger, Erica Concerns have been raised about road-gritting services in Derry. A meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council's Environment and Regeneration Committee was yesterday told that a private contractor had to recently be brought in to grit the roads around a local church to allow a funeral to take place. Normally, the gritting of roads during icy periods is the responsibility of the Roads Service. However, a number of councillors complained at yesterday's meeting about the service being provided by Roads Service in relation to the gritting and salting of local roads. The issue was raised at the meeting by DUP councillor David Ramsay who said he had been contacted by representatives from communities in the Waterside asking for grit boxes to be placed in their areas. Alderman Ramsay said that when he contacted the Department of Infrastructure, which has overall responsibility for Roads Service, he was told that there was no funding available for additional grit boxes. Alderman Ramsay said he understood the current financial constraints, but added that it was important that the council was seen to be supporting local communities who are trying to keep their roads and pathways safe. He stressed that the people he had been speaking with were prepared to spread the grit and salt themselves. It was just the supply of boxes and grit or salt that they needed. Independent councillor Sean Carr, who runs an undertaking business, said that he recently had to employ a private contractor to salt roads around Long Tower church in Derry so that a funeral could take place. Cllr Carr said he had tried to access grit and equipment through the Triax organisation but that it had proven difficult to access this. When he did, Cllr Carr said it was not adequate for the job needed. Cllr Carr said that when he had tried to contact Roads Service about the issue, he had been put through to someone in Belfast. He said that in previous years, local councillors would have been able to contact local Roads Service staff to get such matters sorted. Councillors at yesterday's meeting agreed to a proposal from Alderman Ramsay that they write to the Roads Service's divisional manager and the Infrastructure Minister to highlight their concerns about the local gritting services and ways they can be improved. On Tuesday, Aussie fashion label Zimmermann, known for its feminine ruffled frocks worn by everyone from Katie Holmes to Chrissy Teigen, uploaded a photo on Instagram of a model wearing a printed tunic dress from its latest swim collection. Not long after, many accused the brand of culturally appropriating traditional Mexican dress, particularly the embroideries and textiles used by the locals artisans of Huautla de Jimenez in Oaxaca. According to users, the tunic plagiarized the loose-fitting huipil designs of the indigenous Mazatec community. (The quetzal bird motif, panels and floral combinations native to Southern Mexico were among the offenders.) After facing backlash, the company took down the dress from its website and stores and issued an apology on Instagram. "Zimmermann acknowledges that the panelled tunic dress from our current Swim collection was inspired by what we now understand to be a traditional garment from the Oaxaca region in Mexico," it read. "We apologize for the usage without appropriate credit to the cultural owners of this form of dress and for the offense this has caused. Although the error was unintentional, when it was brought to our attention today the item was immediately withdrawn from all Zimmermann stores and our website. We have taken steps to ensure this does not happen again in future." This is not the first time fashion brands have been embroiled in controversy with the Mexican community. Last June, the Mexican government accused Carolina Herrera of cultural appropriation for its Resort 2020 collection, which features traditional embroidery techniques (The brand's creative director, Wes Gordon, said at the time that it was meant as a "tribute" to Mexico). And shortly after, Louis Vuitton was called out by the government also for its use of a traditional Mexican pattern in a chair design. (The brand issued a statement to Quartz saying it was "currently in a relationship with artisans of Tenango de Doria in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico, with the perspective of collaborating together to produce this collection.") I can most definitely see similarities in the embroidery of the flowers, photo from Ericka Carmona, and the symmetrical birds from this top on Arellanos. pic.twitter.com/ep84sInceS hautelemode (@hautelemess) January 13, 2021 Noah Berger / Special to The Chronicle SACRAMENTO Its unclear whether supporters of President Trump will gather at the state Capitol this weekend to protest Joe Bidens election victory after the organizer of the only known demonstration canceled her event because the California Highway Patrol denied her a permit. Chris Bish, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for the Sacramento congressional seat in November, had sought to hold an event Sunday on the Capitol grounds to peacefully protest our compromised election, register voters, collect signatures to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom and promote her 2022 campaign. She said she expected as many as 3,000 people to attend, far more than the limit of 200 that CHP has set during the coronavirus pandemic. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 16:18:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SHANGHAI, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- China's ARJ21 regional jetliner is expected to expand commercial operation in the overseas market, according to its developer Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC). COMAC has recently signed an agreement with China Aircraft Leasing Group Holdings Limited (CALC), a subsidiary of the China Everbright Group, on 60 ARJ21 airplanes purchase, the COMAC said. The purchase agreement includes 30 confirmed orders and 30 intended orders on ARJ21. Through its subsidiaries, the CALC will introduce ARJ21 airplanes into the ASEAN market and build overseas operation bases of the jetliner model, according to the agreement. COMAC and the CALC will jointly support the ARJ21 fleet to serve in the Southeast Asian market, gaining experience in overseas operations of the jetliner model. Both sides vowed to give full play to their professional advantages in sectors such as aircraft assets management, aftermarket, as well as hybrid industrial-financial business. Enditem This item is available in full to subscribers. Attention subscribers We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription. If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site. If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account by clicking here. Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing. Sacramento, CA Republican leaders in the California Senate sent a letter to Governor Gavin Newsom critical of efforts to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine. They argue that 2.4 million vaccines have been received by the state, but to this point, only around 25-percent have been administered. The state has administered 2.07 doses per 100 people, while the national average is 3.03 per 100. The letter was authored by GOP Senate leader Shannon Grove, and three others, Jim Nielsen, Patricia Bates and Scott Wilk. They write that the state needs to make vaccine distribution the number one priority, and should fix any issues that are delaying the availability of the vaccine. The letter can be found here. San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Thursday nominated Assessor Carmen Chu to serve as city administrator, two days after Naomi Kelly said she plans to step down from the role next month under a cloud of scandal. Chu is a committed and well-respected public servant who has a proven track record of delivering results and working to make our government more accessible and equitable for all San Franciscans, Breed said in a statement. With Carmen leading the city administrators office, I am confident that we will have the leadership we need to advance our recovery from COVID and move our city forward. Chu was appointed to lead the Assessor-Recorders Office by Mayor Ed Lee in 2013, then won a special election and two reelection campaigns to keep the position. She also served on the citys Board of Supervisors prior to becoming assessor, representing District Four, which includes the Sunset and Parkside neighborhoods. Since the pandemics onset, Chu has also been a co-chair on the citys Economic Recovery Task Force, which works to revive and sustain local businesses and employment hurt by the pandemic. Breed will also select Chus replacement to lead the assessor-recorders office. Kelly announced Monday that shell step down as city administrator on Feb. 1, weeks after her husband, former San Francisco Public Utilities Commission General Manager Harlan Kelly, was charged with accepting bribes from a contractor. Naomi Kelly has not been charged with any crimes and Harlan Kelly has vowed to fight the charges. As Assessor, Chu was widely seen within City Hall as a highly competent professional who oversaw a titanic effort to clear out a decades-old backlog of property assessments. The assessors office generates billions of dollars in property taxes for the citys coffers each year. If Chus nomination is approved by the Board of Supervisors, her purview will expand significantly: The city administrator is San Franciscos highest-ranking non-elected position overseeing 25 departments, approximately 2,700 employees and an annual budget of nearly $750 million. In a Thursday interview with The Chronicle, Chu recalled her childhood, growing up the daughter of immigrants from Hong Kong, and how their work ethic guides her principles in government. Every single role that I serve, brings me back to what my parents always taught me as a kid, she said I truly do believe that whatever role youre in ... theres always something you can do to make government work better, to make it more accessible to more people, Chu said. Naomi Kelly tendered her resignation in a wake of the charges filed against her husband, whos been accused of accepting bribes from contractor and permit consultant Walter Wong in exchange for inside information on city contracts. Wong pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to commit fraud and conspiring to commit money laundering and is cooperating with investigators probing the City Hall corruption scandal, according to federal prosecutors. Prosecutors in the complaint against Harlan Kelly said Naomi joined a 2016 Hong Kong trip that was intended as a bribe for her husband. They also suggested that Naomi Kelly misled investigators when discussing how much she paid for the trip. Wong was also a prolific political donor, according to publicly available records. On her most recent statement of economic interest, a financial disclosure form public employees must submit annually, Chu recorded a $200 gift from Wong. The financial disclosure notes that Chu received the gift on Nov. 13, 2019, during a community celebration for Ed Lee naming at SFO. On that day, the late mayor was honored at the airport with bas-relief plaque, and Chu said she was asked to speak at a large community reception. Chu said she ate some food at the event, which is what she considered to be the gift. Chus disclosure form also lists hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stock in blue-chip companies including Apple, Starbucks, McDonalds and Nike, along with ownership interests in two San Francisco properties valued at over $1 million the highest tier that appears on the form. Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan has released a new report, stating that information derived from interrogation of Armenian prisoners in Azerbaijan can neither be used as evidence, nor can serve against them as a basis for their criminal prosecution. A new very valuable report!!! With concrete examples! The report places particular emphasis on the Armenian POWs interrogation in Azerbaijan, concluding that the information provided by the Armenian prisoners can not serve as a basis for criminal prosecution against them, nor could it have any probative value in international organizations and venues. In particular, the special report presents the atrocities of the Azerbaijani armed forces, which among other things, were accompanied by torture, indignation and humiliation of the Armenian prisoners. These facts are based on the evidence and analysis provided in the report, which once again confirms the use of methods prohibited by the Azerbaijani armed forces against the Armenian prisoners in accordance with strict international standards. The report's assessments are also based on the ombudsman's own fact-finding work. In addition, international requirements for the treatment of prisoners of war, civilians, their interrogation, legal standards, objective evidence and other materials were examined. The ombudsman will send the special report to international organizations, including to the European Court of Human Rights. I express sincere appreciation to Ms. Siranush Sahakyan for her important assistance and valuable contribution to composition of the report and analysis of evidence. Here is the link of the report: https://bit.ly/3bzlbFF, Ombudsman Tatoyan said in a statement on Facebook. Maharashtra Chief Minister on Thursday asked officials to move the Pune-Nashik semi high-speed railway project proposal before the state Cabinet. According to an official statement, Thackeray gave the instruction during a meeting held at Sahyadri Guest House here to discuss the project. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Transport Minister Anil Parab and senior officials were present at the meeting. The project, expected to cost Rs 16,039 crore, had received approval from the Railway Ministry last year. It was informed in the meeting that connecting the two districts, which lead in agriculture and industrial sectors, by a direct rail line, will help fast-track economic development in the belt, the statement said. Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (also known as MahaRail) managing director Rajesh Kumar Jaiswal made a presentation during the meeting on projects the state-run firm will implement in the future. These include Mumbai-Pune (high-speed railway project one-hour journey), Ratnagiri-Pune, Aurangabad-Chalisgaon, Rotegaon-Kopargaon, Pune-Aurangabad, Pune-Nanded, Chiplun- Karad (new line) and Vaidbhavwadi-Kolhapur (new line), the statement said. (Newser) Another unwelcome record for President Trump, who is now the first president to be impeached twice: In Wednesday's House vote, 10 Republicans voted in favor of the single article of impeachment, the highest number of lawmakers who have ever voted to impeach a president from their own party. Five Democrats voted to impeach Bill Clinton in 1998. No Democrats voted to impeach Andrew Johnson in 1868, and no Republicans sided with Democrats in the vote on Trump's first impeachment. Rep. Liz Cheney, the No. 3 House GOP leader, was the highest-ranking Republican to vote to impeach, the Washington Post reports. "There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution," she said Tuesday. story continues below The other Republicans who voted to charge the president with "incitement of insurrection" over last week's Capitol riot were Reps. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, John Katko of New York; Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio; Fred Upton and Peter Meijer of Michigan; Jaime Herrera Beutler and Dan Newhouse of Washington state; Tom Rice of South Carolina; and David Valadao of California, the AP reports. Meijer was the only freshman who voted to impeach. Newhouse said during the debate that he planned to vote in favor of impeachment. Others, "including myself, are responsible for not speaking out soonerbefore the president misinformed and inflamed a violent mob," he said per the New York Times. (Read more Trump impeachment stories.) Since the launch of the Digital Silk Road, as part of the Belt and Road Initiative in 2015, Chinese tech giants global reach has grown across a range of sectors. Representational Image Earlier this month, the Chinese government announced the launch of a new Data Security Initiative. Outlining its components, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said he hoped that China can provide a blueprint for the formulation of international rules for digital security. The Chinese initiative entails eight broad principles, which include a call for supply chain stability, pledges against data theft and surveillance, norms for data storage and access, and a requirement for technology companies to not abuse their market dominance. Wangs announcement came a month after the United States launched its new Clean Network program in early August. The US initiative explicitly seeks to exclude Chinese telecommunications firms, apps, cloud service providers, and undersea cables from internet infrastructure used by the US and partner countries. The initiative draws upon a range of different standards, such as the Prague Proposals and the European Unions 5G Toolbox. Beijing is using its new proposal to push back against Washingtons efforts. A commentary in the Peoples Daily after Wangs announcement emphasised that the initiative upholds equity and justice in data security, ensuring that a discussion of data security is about data rather than politicizing the matter by introducing irrelevant factors such as ideology and political systems. This argument is directed not just at the Clean Network initiative but also at the Prague Proposals. At the same time, China launched a new High-level Digital Dialogue with the European Union. The dialogue revealed that while approaches towards data protection remains a key point of divergence, the EU does believe that China will play a role in defining how global technological developments will go forward. In this sense, Brussels appears to be adopting a pragmatic and accommodating approach towards, which diverges from Washingtons current policy. This is perhaps also an acknowledgement of Chinas expanding global technology footprint. Since the launch of the Digital Silk Road, as part of the Belt and Road Initiative in 2015, Chinese tech giants global reach has grown across a range of sectors, such as telecommunications, smart cities, telemedicine, internet finance, e-commerce, cloud services, and even satellite services. This effort has been accompanied by greater R&D focus, boosting indigenous innovation, devising domestic regulation, and a planned blueprint for reshaping global technology standards by 2035. In effect, through BRI, Chinese firms command significant market share and Beijing will be using this leverage to try to internationalise its domestic standards. When viewed in this light, it is important for countries, irrespective of the Sino-US competition, to take Chinas data initiative seriously. If a significant number of BRI countries begin to adopt the standards outlined by Beijing, these will impinge on even countries like India or those in the European Union, which are not party to the initiative. For instance, perhaps the most innocuous-sounding among Wangs eight points is the one about cross-border data retrieval for law enforcement, which the proposal says should be addressed through judicial assistance and other channels. Traditionally, law enforcement agencies use an international process called Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) to reach out to platforms for user data. However, the MLAT process has been broken for a long time. The process itself was never designed with the intention to support the volume of requests that bringing billions of people online would result in. Also, MLAT requests from law enforcement agencies have to pass through two judicial standards, one in their home country and one for the country that the information is being requested from (typically the US since most platforms are American). The process treats each country as equal, which is bad for India thanks to its high population and crime rate, leading to a larger volume of requests than what the MLAT system can handle. Perhaps more importantly, the pendency of our judicial system acts as another pain point. Put all of this we get an average of ten months for law enforcement to receive the electronic evidence requested. There is international recognition of the problem the nature of the MLAT system brings with it. The Budapest Convention on Cybercrime and the Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data (CLOUD) Act, aimed to address it in a multilateral and bilateral manner respectively. However, India is not a part of either of these initiatives, and there is little reason to believe that this might change in the near future. That China aims to come up with a new standard for data flows of such nature could, therefore, be problematic for Indian law enforcement. At best, it could result in a situation similar to the status quo, with months required to deal with a single request from law enforcement. At worst, it may require law enforcement agencies to regularly go through another set of hurdles to achieve cross-border data retrieval. Therefore, from an Indian perspective, it is clear that the government should act quickly to devise strong data policy frameworks domestically that address some of these issues. It is only when these frameworks are in place can India negotiate effectively and shape international discussions. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. The New York Times MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan Ammunition was depleted inside the bedraggled outposts in Laghman province. Food was scarce. Some police officers hadnt been paid in five months. Then, just as U.S. troops began leaving the country in early May, Taliban fighters besieged seven rural Afghan military outposts across the wheat fields and onion patches of the province, in eastern Afghanistan. The insurgents enlisted village elders to visit the outposts bearing a message: Surrender or die. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times By mid-month, security forces had surrendered all seven outposts after extended negotiations, according to village elders. At least 120 soldiers and police were given safe passage to the government-held provincial center in return for handing over weapons and equipment. We told them, Look, your situation is bad reinforcements arent coming, said Nabi Sarwar Khadim, 53, one of several elders who negotiated the surrenders. Since May 1, at least 26 outposts and bases in just four provinces Laghman, Baghlan, Wardak and Ghazni have surrendered after such negotiations, according to village elders and government officials. With morale diving as U.S. troops leave, and the Taliban seizing on each surrender as a propaganda victory, each collapse feeds the next in the Afghan countryside. Among the negotiated surrenders were four district centers, which house local governors, police and intelligence chiefs effectively handing the government facilities to Taliban control and scattering the officials there, at least temporarily. The Taliban have negotiated Afghan troop surrenders in the past, but never at the scale and pace of the base collapses this month in the four provinces extending east, north and west of Kabul. The tactic has removed hundreds of government forces from the battlefield, secured strategic territory and reaped weapons, ammunition and vehicles for the Taliban often without firing a shot. The base collapses are one measure of the rapidly deteriorating government war effort as one outpost after another falls, sometimes after battles, but often after wholesale surrenders. The surrenders are part of a broader Taliban playbook of seizing and holding territory as security force morale plummets with the exit of international troops. Buyoffs of local police and militia. Local cease-fires that allow the Taliban to consolidate gains. A sustained military offensive despite pleas for peace talks and a nationwide cease-fire. The government is not able to save the security forces, said Mohammed Jalal, a village elder in Baghlan province. If they fight, they will be killed, so they have to surrender. The surrenders are the work of Taliban Invitation and Guidance Committees, which intervene after insurgents cut off roads and supplies to surrounded outposts. Committee leaders or Taliban military leaders phone base commanders and sometimes their families and offer to spare troops lives if they surrender their outposts, weapons and ammunition. In several cases, the committees have given surrendering troops money typically around $130 and civilian clothes and sent them home unharmed. But first they videotape the men as they promise not to rejoin the security forces. They log their phone numbers and the names of family members and vow to kill the men if they rejoin the military. The Taliban commander and the Invitation and Guidance Committee called me more than 10 times and asked me to surrender, said Maj. Imam Shah Zafari, 34, a district police chief in Wardak province who surrendered his command center and weapons on May 11 after negotiations mediated by local elders. After the Taliban provided a car ride home to Kabul, he said, a committee member phoned to assure him that the government would not imprison him for surrendering. He said, We have so much power in the government and we can release you, Zafari said. The Taliban committees take advantage of a defining characteristic of Afghan wars: Fighters and commanders regularly switch sides, cut deals, negotiate surrenders and cultivate village elders for influence with local residents. The current conflict is really dozens of local wars. These are intimate struggles, where brothers and cousins battle one another and commanders on each side cajole, threaten and negotiate by cellphone. A Taliban commander calls me all the time, trying to destroy my morale, so that Ill surrender, said Wahidullah Zindani, 36, a bearded, sunburned police commander who has rejected Taliban demands to surrender his nine-man, bullet-pocked outpost in Laghman province. The negotiated surrenders are part of a broader offensive in which the Taliban have surrounded at least five provincial capitals this spring, according to a Pentagon inspector general report released May 18. The offensive has intensified since the U.S. withdrawal began May 1. The Taliban have used their control of several major highways to cut off bases and garrisons, leaving them vulnerable. The surrenders have a profound psychological effect. They call and say the Taliban are powerful enough to defeat the U.S. and they can easily take Laghman province, so you should remember this before we kill you, Rahmatullah Yarmal, Laghmans 29-year-old governor, said of the Taliban committees during an interview inside his barricaded compound in Mehtar Lam, the provincial capital. Its an effective propaganda tactic, the governor conceded so effective that some outpost commanders now refuse to speak to elders or Taliban negotiators. He said many elders were not neutral peacemakers, but hand-picked Taliban supporters. Yarmal said 60 police officers who surrendered and took refuge in his government center are now primed to fight to retake the seven lost outposts. I think well have them back in a month, he said. But just hours after the governor spoke on May 19, a nearby district center, Dawlat Shah, surrendered without any resistance after negotiations. By the next morning, five more outposts had surrendered the same way in the district of Alishing, also in Laghman, district officials said. Those Taliban victories were facilitated, in part, by a 30-day cease-fire negotiated by elders on May 17 in the heavily contested district of Alingar, allowing the Taliban to shift resources to the Alishing, where they forced the negotiated surrender of the five outposts just two days later. (On May 21, the Taliban violated the cease-fire with renewed attacks in Alingar, Khadim said.) The series of base collapses represented the second wholesale surrender in a Laghman district in two weeks. On May 7, three outposts and a military base collapsed the same way without a fight, said Nasir Ahmad Himat, the Alingar district governor. The soldiers simply dropped their weapons, got in their vehicles and went to the district center or provincial capital, said Faqirullah, a village elder who goes by one name. As Taliban fighters advanced on the provincial capital Sunday, Yarmal announced that 110 security force members who had surrendered, and several commanders who were supposed to supervise them, had been detained for negligence. Also Sunday, the Afghan military announced that troop reinforcements and the military chief of staff had rushed to Laghman to try to repel the Taliban assault. In Ghazni province, Hasan Reza Yousofi, a provincial councilman, said he begged officials to send reinforcements to an outpost and a military base that ultimately fell to the Taliban this month. He played a recorded phone call from a police officer, Abdul Ahmad, who said his ammunition was gone and his men were drinking rainwater because the base water tower had been destroyed by a rocket. We have been sold out we make calls for reinforcements, but officials dont help, the recorded voice said. The Taliban sent us tribal elders who said, Surrender, you are sold out, no one will help you. Yousofi said he did not know whether Ahmad survived after his outpost fell. Negotiations have proved remarkably fruitful for the Taliban in Baghlan province, where at least 100 soldiers surrendered, and in Wardak province, where about 130 security force members surrendered following negotiations, officials said. In Laghman province, negotiations leading to the surrender of the seven outposts stretched over 10 days. Khadim, the village elder, said different elders negotiated with commanders of each outpost. We guaranteed they would not be killed, he said. There was nothing written, just our word. A few miles away, Zindani refused to surrender his forlorn outpost near the front line. He said officers who had negotiated surrenders at three nearby outposts had betrayed their country. One of his men, Muhammad Agha Bambard, said he would fight to avenge the deaths of two brothers he said were killed by the Taliban. He would never surrender, he said. Zindanis nine men were down to a machine gun, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and one AK-47 rifle each inside a ramshackle outpost with bloodstained walls. But he said he intended to fight on as he told the Taliban commander who regularly phoned to demand his surrender. I told him, Im a soldier of my country, the commander said. I am not here to surrender. Four days later, on Sunday, the outpost was overrun during a firefight with the Taliban, a member of the provincial council said. One police officer was shot dead and Zindani and his outgunned men were taken prisoner. A few hours later, the Taliban released a video showing Bambard being questioned by a Taliban commander as he lay on a mattress, his face and neck bandaged. In a mocking tone, the commander asked why Bambard had posted on his Facebook page that he would not let the enemy capture his outpost while he was alive. The wounded officer responded, This is Afghanistan. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 2021 The New York Times Company Tunisia: Revolution Day, 919 detainees pardoned 154 released on 10th anniversary of ousting of Ben Ali (ANSAmed) - TUNIS, JANUARY 14 - Tunisian President Kais Saied decided to grand pardons to 919 detainees on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Tunisian Revolution of January 14 when former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was forced out of power. The decision was made after a meeting with Tunisian Justice Minister Mohamed Boussetta. The measure provides for the immediate release of 154 detainees and a reduction in prison time for the others. The granting of the pardons was evaluated by a special commission that examined a caseload of 2,350 prisoners, following the requisites of the principles of equality, the nature of the crime, the time spent in prison, and good behavior. Criminals convicted of serious crimes were excluded, including those convicted of terrorism and incitement to hate. (ANSA). (TNS) A state program proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo would ensure low-income families can access high-speed Internet.Cuomo's 2021 State of the State agenda includes the establishment of a high-speed Internet guarantee. Internet service providers would be required to offer $15-a-month broadband to low-income households.For families that can't afford the $15 monthly fee, the state would create a fund to cover the costs.Cuomo, who delivered the second part of his State of the State address on Tuesday, believes the program would address one of the main obstacles to high-speed Internet service: Affordability."Access is one thing but access, if it's not affordable, is meaningless," he said, while noting that the average cost for a basic high-speed Internet service plan is more than $50 a month.There are existing programs that provide financial assistance to families for high-speed Internet access. But Cuomo said the subsidies are "small" and can be difficult to access.According to Cuomo, the state's effort to help low-income families access high-speed Internet is being led by Eric Schmidt, former chairman of Google.Without high-speed Internet access, Cuomo said that it can hinder the ability of families to access various services, such as educational programs or telehealth."Without affordable broadband, families are left behind," he said.There were some specifics missing from Cuomo's proposal, including what is defined as high-speed Internet for this program. The Federal Communications Commission defines broadband as having download speeds of 25 megabits per second and 3 Mbps for uploads.When Cuomo launched a $500 million program to expand broadband access, he pushed for 100 Mbps download speeds in most areas. For the most rural parts of the state, 25 Mbps was acceptable.Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuomo is splitting his State of the State into four speeches this week. He outlined several proposals on Monday, including additional efforts to respond to the health crisis and boost the economy.On Tuesday, the broadband proposal was among another round of proposals he detailed in his speech. One of his other plans is to launch an initiative to support the arts across New York.The State of the State speeches continue Wednesday. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Rain. Low 46F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Rain. Low 46F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch. TAIPEI, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- E-commerce has fundamentally changed the way people shop and buy, with over 2 billion digital customers and an estimated 12 to 24 million e-commerce sites across the globe in 2020. Shopify, the fastest growing e-commerce platform, has been a major driver of e-commerce trends, hosting over a million brands and 300M shoppers. Tresl's data intelligence platform makes data-driven marketing easy Tresl, a tech startup founded in Palo Alto in 2018, makes data-driven marketing easy for e-commerce brands. It's hero product, Segments Analytics, is an e-commerce intelligence platform on the Shopify App Store that allows businesses to easily dig into their customer data, not only helping brand owners understand their customers better but also providing actionable insights with prebuilt customer segmentations to optimize marketing efforts. While Shopify has made it easy for businesses to sell online, many brands struggle to use their business data to make smarter marketing decisions and convert more customers, ultimately leaving money on the table. This is because the digital customer journey is complex with hundreds of touchpoints across internet browser sessions, email, social media, and other marketing channels. Although brands are allocating increasing budgets for marketing, marketing expenditures often have a minimal impact on sales. In fact, the top 10% of Shopify stores alone probably spend a combined $6B on marketing each year. With customer acquisition costs on the rise, e-commerce brands need to spend their marketing dollars more wisely and efficiently in order to reach and convert more customers. Tresl levels the playing field by empowering brand owners with a deeper understanding of their data. How does it work? E-commerce brands may install Segments Analytics directly via the Shopify App store. After a one-click, simple installation, Segments Analytics accesses the brands' Shopify store data and automatically pre-builds 30+ different customer segments based on RFM and customer lifetime value across their customers' entire purchasing lifecycle. Segments Analytics powers data intelligence for hundreds of brands and is the #1 segmentation solution on Shopify with 100% 5-star reviews Access to highly targeted customer segments, give brand owners the ability to precision-target customers with special offers when they are most likely to purchase and to optimize their marketing campaigns. Tresl provides step-by-step marketing optimizations across complex digital customer journeys to help brands take effective steps to monetize their data. Instead of spending weeks creating spreadsheets or hiring an expensive data team, Shopify brands can easily plug and play these customer segments into their marketing campaigns. Best of all, Segments Analytics directly syncs targeted customer segments across various marketing channels such as email, Facebook, and Google. In gaining a better understanding of how their consumers shop, Tresl's clients have seen tremendous results. Brands using Segments Analytics have increased click through rates on abandoned cart flows by 30%, re-engaged 20% of their loyal customers who've churned, and increased sales by 40% MoM within just one month of starting to use Tresl's platform. This is why Tresl is the #1 segmentation solution on Shopify and is already used by hundreds of brands. Their business model is simple. Tresl offers a subscription pricing plan starting at $79/month, with a more advanced enterprise plan available to brand owners that want deeper customer insights and advanced analytics. Tresl customers gain access to the same analytics tools used by much larger enterprises at a fraction of the cost. Led by Linkedin data scientists with decades of experience Founded by two LinkedIn data scientists, Tresl's mission is to make data-driven marketing easy and accessible. Their team has decades of experience in data science, data analytics, predictive modeling, and engineering. John Chao, CEO and Co-Founder of Tresl, received his Masters in Statistics from Stanford University and has worked as a data scientist for 15 years. At LinkedIn, John was responsible for building predictive models for the sales and marketing team. Tony Yin, the CTO and Co-Founder of Tresl, holds degrees in Computer Science and Economics from the University of Chicago. Tresl is backed by strong investors, including Silicon Valley Angel and Broadvision CEO Dr. Pehong Chen, Cornerstone Ventures, and SparkLabs Taipei. The company currently has offices in the US and Taiwan, with the R&D team based in the Taiwan Tech Arena. Tresl's vision is to enable any e-commerce brand to achieve its greatest sales potential with easy-to-use, data-driven marketing tools. CES 2021 TTA-VR Pavilionhttps://pse.is/3amvs9 SOURCE Tresl On the auspicious occasion of Pongal, Prime Minister on Wednesday (local time) extended greetings to the Tamil diaspora in the country and around the world saying that there is much to celebrate and look forward to. "To our fantastic British Tamil community, and to Tamils around the world, I wish you a very happy Thai Pongal. And as you gather together with your family and friends, I believe there is so much to celebrate and to look forward to," Johnson said in a video message on Twitter. "Not least the delicious rice pudding -- Pongal -- which I hope all of you will be enjoying very shortly. Of course, traditionally this day of worship celebrates the arrival of the harvest," he added. Showing gratitude to the Tamil community for its contribution towards the society, Johnson highlighted the efforts taken by the diaspora that range from building businesses to boost the country's economy, teaching children in schools, treating patients in the National Health Service and caring for the vulnerable people. "Your fantastic contribution makes a real difference. And it will be incredibly important - as we continue to forge ahead with our plans to make this country the greatest place on earth to live, work, raise a family," the Prime Minister said. Johnson wished happiness, joy and prosperity for the Tamil community. "So let me say an enormous thank you to our wonderful Tamil community and wish you every enjoyment of the festivities today and over the coming days. And may your year ahead be just as overflowing with happiness, joy and prosperity as that traditional pot of sweet Pongal." The festival of Pongal marks the end of the winter and beginning of the harvest season and is celebrated with great pomp and show across India with varying names, Makar Sankranti, Yellu Amavasya, Bhogi, etc. (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.) Sinovac Biotech vaccines, one of 11 Chinese companies approved to carry out clinical trials of potential coronavirus vaccines, are displayed at a press conference in Beijing, China on Sept. 24, 2020. (WANG ZHAO/AFP via Getty Images) China Only Allows People 18 to 59 to Take COVID-19 Vaccines Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines have come under scrutiny after regulators approved the first one for general use on Dec. 31 last year. Several Chinese pharmaceutical companies are still conducting clinical trials for their products. A contraindication is a symptom or condition that makes treatment risky and potentially inadvisable. The central government recently issued a list of contraindications that apply to domestically-manufactured COVID-19 vaccines: 1) people with potential health risks and health issues, including pregnant or breast-feeding women, people with acute fever, infection, immunodeficiency disorder, serious liver or kidney diseases, resistant hypertension, complicated diabetes, and malignant tumors; 2) it restricted the eligible population to those who are 18 to 59 years old. The government recommended that inoculation be done with at least two doses, taken 14 days apart. The notice was published in a variety of Chinese newspapers on Jan. 12. The Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued a notice specifically for CoronaVac, a new vaccine manufactured by state-run drugmaker Sinovac Biotech. This notice was not broadly disseminated by the central government. The Sinovac notice was a comprehensive list of contraindications or medical disclaimers for its COVID-19 vaccine, warning people with certain health conditions to take precautions. Screenshot of a Sinovac document which shows a list of contraindications for its CoronaVac (COVID-19 vaccine). (Provided to The Epoch Times) It advised that people who have a prior history of allergies, rhinitis, dermatitis, asthma, and other severe diseases should not take the vaccine. Severe adverse reactions to the vaccine include abdominal pain, skin eczema, urticaria, dyspnea, and angioedema. The company also cautions those who have autoimmune diseases, bleeding disorders, progressive neurological diseases, and mental illness from taking the vaccine. People who have undergone heart stent or bypass surgery; received any other vaccines within 14 days; or taken anti-allergic or antiviral drugs within the past three months are also advised not to take the vaccine. Chinese authorities have approved the use of COVID-19 vaccines since July 2020 before they went through the last stage of clinical trials. Brazils health regulator recently found CoronaVac to be 50.4 percent effective, just enough to pass the 50 percent threshold set by the World Health Organization for regulatory approval. It was far lower than initial claims announced last week that touted a 78 percent efficacy rate. The Brazilian government made a deal to purchase up to 100 million doses of CoronaVac. As the potential health risks were only recently publicized in China, it is unclear whether Chinese citizens who took the vaccine fully learned about the contraindications beforehand. TEHRAN, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday slammed the U.S. decision to blacklist Yemen's Houthi movement as a terrorist group, official IRNA news agency reported. "This decision affects peaceful settlement of the conflicts and the dispatch of humanitarian aid. It also blocks the UN conciliatory mission," the Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh was quoted as saying. "This is the latest effort by the Trump administration to complete its destructive role in line with the shameful imposition of war on Yemen," Khatibzadeh added. He called on the international community to react to "this vicious decision by the Trump administration." U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday that the U.S. Department of State will blacklist the Houthis on Jan. 19. Yemen has been mired in civil war since late 2014, when the Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized control of much of the country's north and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of the capital Sanaa. New Delhi, Jan 14 : FAITH, the policy federation of all the national associations representing the complete tourism, travel, and hospitality industry of India, is looking forward to the Union Budget FY 21-22 with great expectations. FAITH (Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality) associations have been vigorously interacting with Ministries of Tourism, and Finance and the NITI Aayog at various levels to hope that the budget not only pulls tourism in India out of the recessionary conditions but also enables Indian tourism industry to claim its rightful leadership place. To ensure that there is a shared tourism vision across the Centre and state level, FAITH has proposed the creation of a National Tourism Council of Chief Ministers headed by the Prime Minister, along with the Tourism Minister. That should be supported by a common industry status across the country for the complete tourism industry by putting it in the concurrent list. As the tourism industry is fully recognised at par with merchandise exports, FAITH has recommended export earnings be made tax free and also incidence of taxes in tourism earnings be zero rated. Additionally, SEIS of 10 per cent to all foreign exchange earning members in tourism be made applicable for 5 years to ensure a post-Covid recovery. A Global MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and events) Bidding Fund is required to be set up with Rs 500 crore to double India's MICE share. Indian missions abroad in each country should be activated with tourism resources for maximum reach. This needs to be supported with corpus of least Rs 2,500 crore for a global branding budget to enable sub-branding of three tourism segments i.e. Indian MICE, Indian Adventure, Indian Heritage under the Incredible India main brand, the industry body said. To ensure that tourism industry becomes a mainstay domestic industry, there needs to be a concerted strategy, it said. There needs to be an income tax exemption on travelling within India, income tax credits for upto Rs 1.5 lakh when spending with GST registered domestic tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers, and transporters anywhere within the country. It is also needed to incentivise Indian corporates to undertake domestic MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences & events) by offering a 200 per cent weighted income tax expense benefit to Indian companies which are undertaking MICE events in India. A Natural & Cultural Heritage Restoration Fund must be set up with a corpus of at least Rs 2,000 crore which encourages sustainable and responsible development around each vertical of adventure tourism & cultural tourism. This will also be enabled by a truly seamless tourist transportation experience standardising all tourism transportation taxes making them payable at a single point which will facilitate the ease of doing business. Tourism can drive GDP through capex spending and to increase the intensity of high-quality hotel accommodation in India and mice, all hotels & MICE venues across the country need to be tagged as vital social infrastructure, it said. WHEN 16-year-old Lee James looks back in the years to come he will remember 2020 as a very good year. During the summer he signed two record deals. One was with the UKs Open House Records and another with Dublins BLINDsided Records which is owned by Superstar DJ John Gibbons. The city transition year student ended 2020 on a high note when he was named producer of the year by a UK radio show called Dance Freedom. Lee said four musicians were nominated for producer of the year in November Alex Hobson, Robin Taygor, JustRob and himself. It was mind-blowing to even be nominated against producers like Alex Hobson who are the real deal and are signed to major labels like Sony and Universal Music. The support on the voting for the remaining month of December was incredible and I am very happy to say that I won the producer of the year award! It is incredible to say that I can now call myself an award-winning music producer! said Lee, who attends St Clements College. He has loved music for as long as he can remember. Lee first started to get into DJing when he was around 11. At family events I would always stand with the DJ and learn the basics from them. That's where the DJing originated! I was always a very musical person anyway as I play multiple instruments: guitar, piano, recorder and the drums. I also study music theory in school. That is when the music production side of things got introduced to me. I would watch the likes of John Gibbons and Mark McCabe play their own songs live on the radio etc, said Lee. One advantage of lockdown and no school last year was that it gave Lee more time to hone his craft which has been recognised by Dance Freedom. Lee plans to launch his own website really soon where he will be offering courses as well as tips and tricks on how people can produce their own music. He is also looking forward to the day he can DJ again in a venue packed full of revellers. I've always loved dance music since I was a child, I just always loved the type of energy it brought to live events and the effect it had to transform a boring night into the best night of a person's life, said Lee. Open Doors just released the list of the most dangerous countries for Christians in 2021. As the number of people turning to Jesus Christ and embracing Christianity continues to progress across the globe, the danger they have to battle has also risen. Below is the list of the ten most dangerous places for Christians to live in according to Open Doors' World Watch List 2021. Please note that these are arranged according to order: North Korea holds the number one spot in the list of the most dangerous countries for Christians. The country implements a death sentence to anyone discovered to be Christian. Others are taken to a labor camp as political criminals. Afghanistan, which holds the second spot, imposes a harsh punishment for those leaving Islam. Converted Christians must flee the country if they do not want to face the death penalty, a threat believers choose to face in their love of Christ. In Somalia, taking number three spot, converted Christians, as well as their families, face the risk of harassment, intimidation, or execution. They also become value targets for al-Shabaab, a violent group that advocates Islamic Sharia law. Libya is in fourth place. With only a small number of Christians, Libya does not allow freedom of speech or freedom of religion. Aside from the risk of abduction and assault, Christians also face continued pressure from the community and even the family of converted believers to renounce their faith. Another country from the Middle East holds the number five post. Pakistan, a nation that has been in the news and object of prayers from different groups around the world, considers Christians as second-class citizens. They are offered lowly and dishonorable jobs and are accused of forcefully converting citizens to Christianity. Recent reports reveal that there are Christian girls in Pakistan who are forcefully converted to Islam after being abducted and raped. Some of them are minors forced to marry their assailants. Eritrea, at number six spot, is an African country that recognizes only one Christian denomination -- the government-controlled Eritrean Orthodox Church (EOC). The government's forces can attack house churches, destroy materials, and even imprison Christian believers in inhumane cells. In Yemen, which holds the number seven spot, Muslims are never allowed to leave Islam. Once they are caught converting to Christianity, they will face the death penalty. Also, during the COVID 19 pandemic, emergency relief was distributed through mosques making it hard for converts to acquire aid. There were also reports that under-resourced hospitals refused to assist Yemeni Christians. Iran, at number eight, considers the entry of Christianity as the attempt of the Western community to undermine the government's Islamic rule. This is why converts face persecution both from the government and their families, according to the International Christian Concern. Prayer groups from different parts of the world recently organized simultaneous prayers for Christians in countries such as Nigeria, which holds the number nine spot, and India, which landed in number ten. Believers in the said countries, together with those in China (which ranked at number 17 on the list despite its well-known persecution of Christians), face life-threatening persecutions and deprivation of benefits from the government, Christian Headlines reported. Christians from these countries continue to suffer as they took the step to stand on their faith. Yet they boldly face the challenges as written in Hebrews 11 and Romans 8:18, the present sufferings are not worth comparing to what lies ahead. The Federal Aviation Administration is cracking down on what it calls a disturbing increase in threatening or violent behavior by airline passengers, putting in place a zero-tolerance policy against disruptive behavior through March. The move comes in response to last weeks attack on the U.S. Capitol and to the longer-running problem of passengers who refuse to wear masks. Under a new order signed Wednesday by its chief, Steve Dickson, the FAA plans to take legal action against passengers who assault, threaten, intimidate or interfere with airline crew members, which could include fines of up to $35,000 and referral for criminal prosecution. The agency previously had the authority to impose fines and refer people for prosecution but tended to issue warnings before going that far. Now, it will no longer issue warnings as a first step. Flying is the safest mode of transportation and I signed this order to keep it that way, Dickson said in a statement. Some lawmakers have called on the Trump administration to go even further. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who will soon be the Senate majority leader, said Tuesday that the names of people who stormed the Capitol should be added to the federal no-fly list, a tool the federal government uses to keep terrorism suspects out of U.S. airspace. The FAAs shift in policy comes after airlines, flight attendant unions and passengers reported disruptive and threatening behavior from supporters of President Donald Trump on flights to and from Washington and in airports. Reports of such behavior began on flights into Washington in the days leading up to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol and have continued since. We applaud FAA Administrator Dickson for taking this clear stand for our safety and security, said Sara Nelson, the head of the Association of Flight Attendants, which represents nearly 50,000 flight attendants at several airlines, including United Airlines. This will help serve as a deterrent to unruly passengers who had been bucking the rules of aviation safety. On Thursday, a Black American Airlines flight attendant was subjected to racial epithets on a hotel shuttle in Washington, according to the union that represents the airlines flight attendants. On Friday, Alaska Airlines barred 14 passengers from future flights, describing their behavior on a flight from Washington to Seattle as rowdy, argumentative and harassing. Several other airlines have also reported barring passengers from future flights in recent days, too. In widely shared episodes, Trump supporters also heckled two Republican senators, Mitt Romney of Utah and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, as they traveled to and from Washington. American Airlines said Wednesday that it was taking steps to ensure the safety of its crews and customers before the presidential inauguration next week. Those include suspending alcohol on flights to and from Washington from Saturday through Thursday, moving crew members from hotels in downtown Washington to those closer to the airport, providing private transportation between the hotels and airports and increasing airport staffing. In travel advisories, Delta Air Lines discouraged customers from traveling to Washington for the inauguration and said that it would temporarily ban firearms in all checked baggage on flights into the area. In recent months, U.S. airlines have also prohibited hundreds of people from their flights for refusing the wear masks, and some have now added unruly Trump supporters to that group of barred customers. Airline passenger bans are independent from the federal no-fly list. The lead agency for determining who is added to the list is the Terrorist Screening Center, which is part of the FBI. The FAA has no authority over the list, although it and the airlines have said they work closely with local and federal law enforcement on security threats. That list is a subset of a larger terrorism database that can also prevent people from getting visas to the United States or subject them to additional screening. Its purpose and procedures are not an obvious fit for handling rioters. Although Americans suspected of involvement with a foreign terrorist organization have sometimes been placed on the no-fly list, it was built with the idea of reducing the risk of a very different threat: a repetition of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when al-Qaida hijackers took over planes and turned them into missiles, killing themselves in the process. Civil libertarians have long challenged the watch lists because the standards for being added to them are murky and people are generally not notified that they have been included, or told why. Foreigners abroad have little recourse, but in 2019, a federal judge in Oregon ruled that the procedures for reviewing whether it was appropriate to put someones name on the no-fly list were inadequate and violated Americans Fifth Amendment right to due process. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. Expelling a president from office isnt an easy task, nor should it be. Because Trump is unlikely to resign, we supported invoking the 25th Amendment to remove him, an option that appears remote. Also off the table, apparently, is a Senate trial that would remove the president from office in his final days if he is convicted. Thats OK. Were still heartened the House took action. The threat of trial could be enough to keep Trumps behavior in check. ALTON Matthew L. Richardson, 32, of Alton, has been sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. Richardson pleaded guilty to the charges in August 2020. His prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. (ANSAmed) - ATHENS, JANUARY 14 - Hundreds of students demonstrated on Thursday in Athens, challenging the coronavirus lockdown to protest against a bill that would impose a police presence on university campuses for the first time. One of the banners at the protest said "No to police at the universities", held aloft by protesters wearing face masks. Brief moments of tension occurred when police used tear gas to bring protesters back to the sidewalk and restore traffic on the streets of the capital. Demonstrations also took place in Thessaloniki and Patras. The Greek education ministry announced Wednesday a bill that would establish a special police force to patrol universities, often the site of violence between various political groups. The force would be made up of a thousand police officers, without firearms but equipped with batons and anti-aggression spray, and placed under the auspices of law enforcement to collaborate with the rectorate of each university. The presence of police at Greek universities, traditionally very politicised, has been a delicate topic since the bloody repression in November 1973 by the army and police of a student movement at Athens Polytechnic. The students were protesting against the Greek military junta at the time, and the event, which marked the beginning of the end of the regime, is commemorated every year. When Grece returned to democracy, in 1974, a law was passed that still forbids police from entering university compounds. (ANSAmed). (ANSA). GREENSBORO, N.C., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sinclair-owned station WXLV-TV, the ABC affiliate for Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and High Point, is proud to announce that it will be premiering local newscasts in the Triad beginning on January 18th. This programming will be produced in partnership with top-rated ABC News and will give local viewers a newscast that is educational and timely. The newscasts will air weekdays on WXLV, Channel 45, at 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. "We understand that the Triad community is looking for a fresh perspective on local news," said WXLV News Director Jake Peterson. "Viewers desire news that is both informative and easy to comprehend which is why we'll offer context and perspective with each story." ABC 45 is partnering with its sister stations in the state to bring viewers in the Triad the top stories from across North Carolina. The local and regional reporters will utilize social and digital platforms to give North Carolina viewers constant up-to-date information. "Our goal is for viewers to learn something new every time they tune in. We have built a staff that advocates for our community, and we hope to hear from each of our viewers as we grow. We are excited to add another local news voice to our community," said General Manager Allison Aldridge. Accurate and up-to-date weather is another important aspect of local news and the station has engaged High Point-native and graduate of High Point Andrews High School and UNC Greensboro, Jonathan Weant, to head up the weather department. Weant has worked in multiple markets across the East Coast and is excited to be forecasting for the area he knows and loves. "I know the ups and downs of the weather in this area," said Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Weant. "It's been a childhood dream of mine to work and forecast weather in the Triad." Look for ABC 45 News weekdays at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. For immediate updates, please also look to @abc45tv on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. SOURCE Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. Related Links http://www.sbgi.net Reuters Global temperatures in 2020 were among the highest on record and rivalled 2016 as the hottest year ever, according to international data compiled by the World Meteorological Organization and released on January 14. The heat came even as a global economic slowdown from the COVID-19 pandemic cut deeply into emissions from fossil fuels, adding evidence that carbon dioxide concentrations already in the atmosphere have set the planet on a warming track. The WMO report included data from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the UK Met Office, both of which ranked 2020 as the second-warmest year on record, as a cooling trend called La Nina failed to tame global temperatures. NASA, whose data was also included, said 2020 tied with 2016 as the warmest year on record. The news is "yet another stark reminder of the relentless pace of climate change, which is destroying lives and livelihoods across our planet," U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said. "Making peace with nature is the defining task of the 21st century." WMO said the differences in average global temperatures among the three warmest years, 2016, 2019 and 2020, were indistinguishably small. The average global temperature in 2020 was about 14.9 C (59 F), or about 1.2 C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial level. That approached the preferred 1.5 C lower limit of temperature increase the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate sought to avert. All five datasets surveyed by WMO showed that 2011-2020 was the warmest decade on record, and NOAA said the seven warmest years since record-keeping began in 1880 have occurred since 2014. There is at least a one-in-five chance that the average global temperature will temporarily exceed that limit by 2024, according to a WMO analysis, led by the UK Met Office. Greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, the second- leading source of the pollution after China, fell more than 10% last year, the largest drop in the post-World War II era, as the coronavirus crippled the economy, the Rhodium Group said this week. The dip should not be seen as a guarantee the United States can easily meet its pledge under the Paris agreement to cut emissions by 28% by 2025. President Donald Trump pulled the United States from the accord, but President-elect Joe Biden has promised to rejoin after taking over on Jan. 20. The WMO, a U.N. agency, relied on data from observing sites and ships and buoys from NOAA and NASA and the United Kingdoms Met Office Hadley Centre and the University of East Anglias Climatic Research Unit. It also tapped datasets from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts and its Copernicus Climate Change Service, and the Japan Meteorological Agency. By Kim Bo-eun An image of Google Play store / Courtesy of Google Republic Day parade (File image) Days after the cancellation of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's visit, the Indian government confirmed that there would be no chief guest for the Republic Day 2021 event. This would be the first time in last 55 years when the Republic Day parade would not be attended by a foreign head of state. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), in a statement issued on January 14, cited the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason behind not inviting any foreign leader for the January 26 event. Due to the global COVID19 situation, it has been decided that this year there will not be any foreign head of state or government as the chief guest for our Republic Day event: Anurag Srivastava, MEA Spokesperson pic.twitter.com/y1da7cIzoJ ANI (@ANI) January 14, 2021 "Due to the global COVID-19 situation, it has been decided that this year there will not be any foreign head of state or government as the chief guest for our Republic Day event," ANI quoted MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava as saying. In December, the government had invited the British Prime Minister as the chief guest for Republic Day parade. On December 15, Johnson's office had issued an official confirmation that he would be visiting India. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show On January 5, however, Johnson decided to cancel his visit to India citing the unprecedented surge in coronavirus cases in the UK. "The Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi this morning, to express his regret that he will be unable to visit India later this month as planned," read a statement from his Downing Street office. "The speed at which the new coronavirus variant is spreading, the Prime Minister said that it was important for him to remain in the UK so he can focus on the domestic response to the virus," the statement added. Alabama won the multi-state competition to host the nations new Space Command because it offered more of the things the Air Force wanted and needed in a permanent base location, especially in terms of costs and existing facilities, according to the Air Forces decision announcement. But Colorado, the current home of the command and a finalist to host it permanently, launched a political war Wednesday after the Alabama pick was announced. Colorado leaders said President Trump decided the winner, not the legitimate selection process, and Colorado hopes to have it overturned by incoming President-elect Joe Biden. Alabama supporters instead countered today by pointing to a story in Politico Wednesday quoting John Henderson, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and energy. Henderson told Politico the Air Force sent a team of experts to the two finalist states of Colorado and Alabama for a more qualitative and comprehensive evaluation of each location. The team looked at the two bases and their surrounding communities in terms of whether the bases had room to grow and to host employees and their families. Outside factors included cost of living, and the availability of quality, affordable housing off base. In the end, Air Force designated Huntsville its preferred site. The final decision isnt expected until the spring of 2023 pending the outcome of the required environmental impact analysis Colorado media reported Wednesday that Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett traveled to the White House this week to tell Trump the military had chosen Colorado Springs. Citing unnamed sources the paper said Trump instead ordered the command to Alabama in reward for Alabamas support of Trump in the election and its congressional delegations support in his campaign and impeachment battles. But the Air Force said the official factors that went into the decision related to mission, infrastructure capacity, community support and costs to the Department of Defense. The Air Force release said Huntsville compared favorably across more of these factors than any other community. The announcement cited the presence of a large, qualified workforce, quality schools, superior infrastructure capacity, and low and initial and recurring costs. The Air Force secretary considered both the short- and long-term benefits, the Air Force said. Colorado Springs was a strong contender, the Air Force said, but for different reasons ... mostly because it mitigates the short-term disruptions caused by the move, delayed hiring processes and through the re-use of existing infrastructure. Reinforcing the importance of cost, the Air Force release said of Alabama: Additionally, Redstone Arsenal offered a facility to support the headquarters, at no cost, while the permanent facility is being constructed. THE SWITCH by Beth OLeary (Quercus 8.99, 368 pp) THE SWITCH by Beth OLeary (Quercus 8.99, 368 pp) Bright, ambitious, with a flatshare in fashionable East London and a handsome boyfriend, Leena Cotton is living the dream. But when she has a panic attack during a presentation, her perfect life starts to unravel. On sabbatical from work, she goes to stay with her 79-year-old grandmother, Eileen, who lives in the tiny Yorkshire village of Hamleigh. They are both mourning the death of Leenas sister, Carla, and Eileens husband has recently walked out. On impulse, they decide to swap lives: Leena will take over Eileens village duties, while Eileen goes to London in search of love (she may be 79, but its never too late). OLearys funny, heartwarming novel about finding your true self in unexpected places will bring a tear to your eye and a smile to your face. INVISIBLE GIRL by Lisa Jewell (Arrow 8.99, 432 pp) INVISIBLE GIRL by Lisa Jewell (Arrow 8.99, 432 pp) Saffyre Maddox is 17 years old, clever and troubled. She lives with her beloved uncle, Aaron, who would do anything to make her happy, including arranging for her to see a therapist, Roan Fours. Roan and his wife, Cate, live in a posh part of Hampstead, North London, not far from Saffyres grotty estate. Their marriage isnt perfect Roan had an affair soon after their wedding, and Cate works hard to maintain a normal family life for their teenaged children. When young women are sexually assaulted in the neighbourhood, and Saffyre goes missing, suspicion falls on Roan and Cates creepy neighbour, Owen. Lisa Jewells dark and twisty thriller explores the murkier reaches of the human psyche, confounding expectations as it reaches a shocking denouement. THE NATURAL HEALTH SERVICE by Isabel Hardman (Atlantic 9.99, 336pp) THE NATURAL HEALTH SERVICE by Isabel Hardman (Atlantic 9.99, 336pp) In 2015, Isabel Hardman received a Journalist Of The Year award for her political reporting. A year later, she suffered a breakdown at the Conservative party conference. It emerged that she was suffering from PTSD the result of a past trauma which she does not reveal. Recovering with the help of medication and therapy, she discovered another kind of health service: a great outdoors which made me want to keep living, with its benefits for mental health that have become all too evident during the recent Covid lockdowns. Hardman makes it clear that her forays into wild swimming, bird watching and orchid hunting werent a complete cure, but she argues a passionate and persuasive case that a closer connection with nature would be good for us all. Among infants with confirmed NAS at five Pennsylvania hospitals, ICD-10-CM code P96.1 was assigned to 71% of those who were reported to the NAS surveillance system and 78% of those who were not reported to surveillance. The incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a withdrawal syndrome associated with prenatal opioid or other substance exposure (1), has increased as part of the U.S. opioid crisis (2). No national NAS surveillance system exists (3), and data about the accuracy of state-based surveillance are limited (4,5). In February 2018, the Pennsylvania Department of Health began surveillance for opioid-related NAS in birthing facilities and pediatric hospitals* (6). In March 2019, CDC helped the Pennsylvania Department of Health assess the accuracy of this reporting system at five Pennsylvania hospitals. Medical records of 445 infants who possibly had NAS were abstracted; these infants had either been reported by hospital providers as having NAS or assigned an International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) hospital discharge code potentially related to NAS. Among these 445 infants, 241 were confirmed as having NAS. Pennsylvanias NAS surveillance identified 191 (sensitivity = 79%) of the confirmed cases. The proportion of infants with confirmed NAS who were assigned the ICD-10-CM code for neonatal withdrawal symptoms from maternal use of drugs of addiction (P96.1) was similar among infants reported to surveillance (71%) and those who were not (78%; p = 0.30). Infants with confirmed NAS who were not assigned code P96.1 typically had less severe signs and symptoms. Accurate NAS surveillance, which is necessary to monitor changes and regional differences in incidence and assist with planning for needed services, includes and is strengthened by a combination of diagnosis code assessment and focused medical record review. Five Pennsylvania hospitals were selected to represent various sizes, geographic regions, and anticipated NAS incidence. A broad NAS case definition was used to identify infants who possibly had NAS under the a priori assumption that hospitals might not always assign an infant P96.1 or a clinical diagnosis of NAS, despite the presence of NAS symptoms. Infants who possibly had NAS were aged <28 days born during March 1August 31, 2018, and either reported to NAS surveillance or assigned a hospital discharge ICD-10-CM code indicative of prenatal substance exposure or NAS symptom. Medical records of all infants who possibly had NAS were reviewed for demographic and birth characteristics, prenatal opioid and other substance exposure, infant and maternal toxicology results and NAS symptoms and treatment information. Infants were considered to have confirmed NAS if all of the following criteria were documented in the infant medical record: 1) at least one NAS symptom; 2) maternal history or toxicology results indicating prenatal opioid exposure; and 3) a clinical mention of NAS (i.e., NAS listed in the discharge diagnosis or problem list or use of a NAS scoring tool [e.g., Finnegan]). For infants with confirmed NAS, maternal prenatal and delivery records were abstracted to gather additional data on prenatal opioid or other substance exposure. Sensitivity and positive predictive value (PPV) of the Pennsylvania NAS surveillance system were calculated, with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) estimated using an exact binomial distribution. Descriptive analyses compared infants with confirmed NAS by reporting status and by presence of ICD-10-CM code P96.1. Categorical variables were compared using chi-squared tests (or Fishers exact tests for cell counts <5); continuous variables were compared using negative binomial regression. Statistical significance was assessed at a = 0.05. All analyses were conducted using SAS (version 9.4; SAS Institute). This activity was reviewed by CDC and was conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy. Overall, 445 infants who possibly had NAS were identified: 192 were reported to surveillance and 253 identified through diagnosis codes alone (Figure). Medical record review identified 241 infants with confirmed NAS, 191 of whom were reported to surveillance (sensitivity = 79% [191 of 241; 95% CI = 74%84%]; PPV = 99% [191 of 192; 95% CI = 97%100%]). Among the 241 infants with confirmed NAS, those reported to surveillance were significantly more likely than were those not reported to have documentation of neonatal (69% versus 50%) or maternal (55% versus 30%) toxicology evidence of prenatal opioid exposure in the infant record, maternal history of prenatal opioid exposure in the maternal record (98% versus 90%), and prenatal exposure to cannabis (30% versus 10%) in the infant or maternal record (Table 1). Notably, 71% of infants reported to surveillance were assigned ICD-10-CM code P96.1, which was not significantly different from infants not reported (78%). Among infants with confirmed NAS, type and source of opioid exposure were similar in those who were and were not assigned P96.1 (Table 2). However, infants assigned P96.1 were more likely than were those not assigned P96.1 to have mothers enrolled in Medicaid (95% versus 88%), significantly longer lengths of stay (14 versus 9 days), older ages at first NAS score (2 versus 1 days), higher first NAS scores (4 versus 2), older ages at peak NAS score (5 versus 3 days), higher peak NAS scores (11 versus 9), more NAS symptoms (12 versus 9), more frequent pharmacologic treatment (61% versus 3%), and greater prenatal exposure to gabapentin in the infant or maternal record (12% versus 1%). Infants not assigned P96.1 were significantly more likely to be assigned ICD-10-CM code P04.49, Newborn suspected to be affected by maternal use of other drugs of addiction (60% versus 23%). Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk! You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details. ALBANY A white supremacist from Washington County who once planned a hit squad to kill Black and Jewish people was charged again this time for allegedly possessing two homemade assault rifles and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Shane Robert Smith, 24, of Whitehall who told an undercover officer I love violence and whose listed interests included destroying the government before his prior arrest in 2015 was charged with having two short-barrel rifles and hundreds of rounds of ammunition as a felon, federal prosecutors in Albany said Thursday. Under federal law, convicted felons are not permitted to possess guns. Smith allegedly had the weapons in his home on Dec. 15. It was a Grade A violation of Smith's federal supervised release, which is described as an "offense punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year that is a crime of violence." He is in federal custody. The terms of Smith's supervised release were modified in January 2020 after a state parole officer and federal probation officer conducting an unannounced visit at Smith's home found "items consistent with white supremacy beliefs (militia flags, combat field guides, notes on reloading ammunition)." They noted he had a "past tie with white supremacist beliefs." Federal prosecutors in the Northern District announced Smiths arrest in the wake of the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol by a violent mob of enraged supporters of President Donald Trump rioting over the certification of President-elect Joseph Bidens election victory. Smith's case was one of many cases on the fringe of domestic terrorism in recent years in the Capital Region. In April 2016, Smith pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Mae D'Agostino in Albany to having a machine gun. The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force arrested him in a sting the previous August. The judge sentenced him to 37 months in prison. Back in 2014, Smith had joined a Russian social media network called VK. He listed his interests as "guns, gunsmithing, building bombs, knives, guerilla warfare, preserving my race and folk, and destroying the government," a federal prosecutor told the judge. That year, Smith was forming a group called "SRA," short for "Silent Resistance Army," Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean O'Dowd said at the time. Smith hoped to acquire machine guns, explosives and bullets that could pierce body armor. He believed he was acquiring them when he was arrested in August 2015. Smith had tried to use maple syrup as currency to pay for the weapons. An undercover operative had asked Smith "You building your own army?" "Well, like a hit squad," Smith responded, prosecutors have said. When asked what he planned to use the weapons for, Smith said it was "gonna be used to execute (racial slurs for Jewish and Black people") and get money for the crew." While Americans are nearing the end of Donald Trump's term as United States President, some are going so far as to have him removed from Home Alone 2, including its star Macaulay Culkin. Trump had a brief cameo in the 1992 sequel Home Alone 2, where Macaulay Culkin's Kevin McAllister asks Trump, 'where the lobby is' and he replies, 'Down the hall and to the left.' Fans are now calling for Trump's removal in the film, which has gained support from Culkin himself, as he revealed on Twitter. Cameo: Trump had a brief cameo in the 1992 sequel Home Alone 2, where Macaulay Culkin's Kevin McAllister asks Trump, 'where the lobby is' and he replies, 'Down the hall and to the left' Support: Fans are now calling for Trump's removal in the film, which has gained support from Culkin himself, as he revealed on Twitter One fan didn't even ask permission, using some crude editing skills to remove both Trump's likeness and voice from the cameo, so Culkin's Kevin seemingly just asks where the lobby is to no one at all. The original tweet, from Twitter user @maxschramp, went viral, with over 17K retweets and 101K likes, with Culkin chiming in, 'Bravo.' Another fan asked for a, 'petition to digitally replace trump in home alone 2 with 40-year-old macaulay culkin,' which Culkin replied, 'Sold.' Bravo: The original tweet, from Twitter user @maxschramp, went viral, with over 17K retweets and 101K likes, with Culkin chiming in, 'Bravo' Sold: Another fan asked for a, 'petition to digitally replace trump in home alone 2 with 40-year-old macaulay culkin,' which Culkin replied, 'Sold' Culkin is by far not the only person who wants to see the 45th President of the United States removed from the holiday classic. Many have been taking to Twitter demanding Trump be removed, and there has also been a petition started at Change.org, but with a unique twist. Kevin Broberg started the petition in November, asking Disney to not only remove Trump from the film, but replace him with President-Elect Joe Biden. Hilarity ensues: Fans were quick to get creative on Twitter with ideas on how to edit the scene Anyone's welcome: One Twitter user suggested that Jabba the Hut could replace Trump All sorts: From Dolly Parton to Darth Vader, there were endless suggestions on Wednesday eve Sashay away: There were endless jokes made with regards to who could replace him 'Home Alone 2 is tarnished. It has a racist stain on it in the shape of Donald J Trump. I petition that he be edited out of the film and replaced with Joe Biden,' Broberg said. 'Nothing ruins holiday cheer like a sexist, xenophobic, race-baiting bigot. For the sake of future generations, Trump must be replaced,' he added. The petition only has 185 signatures thus far, though if this or any other fan-based movements succeed, they won't be the first to remove Trump from the film. Not the only one: Culkin is by far not the only person who wants to see the 45th President of the United States removed from the holiday classic Last year, Donald Trump Jr. learned that his father's cameo had been cut from the Canadian version broadcast on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Trump Jr. called the move, 'pathetic,' while his father tweeted, 'I guess Justin Trudeau doesnt much like my making him pay up on NATO or Trade! The movie will never be the same! (just kidding).' It was later confirmed by CBC executive Chuck Thompson that the cameo was 'edited for time,' and that version has aired on CBC since 2014. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Infections, hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 continue to rise across the country and the virus has had a disproportionate impact on communities of color. One of the communities hit hard by the pandemic is African Americans. "We don't want to have a period of worsening of our disparities, and a lost generation of our young children of color," said Dr. David Tom Cooke, head of general thoracic surgery at UC Davis Health. In California, African Americans make up 6% of the population but account for 4% of coronavirus infections, and 7% of COVID-19-related deaths. Health officials are pushing for Black communities and other marginalized groups to have access to vaccines, which they say is crucial to defeating the pandemic. Sister station KCRA went to Eminent DoMane Barbershop in Sacramento to see how the barbers there feel about COVID-19 vaccines. "To be honest, the community is scared, especially my generation," explained Kenan Jackson. "I wouldn't really say scared to but I'll say like, skeptical," he added. "I'm honestly scared to take anything," Joe Montgomery said when asked if he was going to get vaccinated. "I'm really scared to put anything in my body. I think that's my main fear." Genesis Whitehead, co-owner of Eminent DoMane Barbershop, said he doesn't "plan on having anything to do with" coronavirus vaccines, and he'd rather wait and see how the first few waves of distribution are handled. "The side effects is really what I'm looking at looking at. I don't want to get sick, or it might make me worse, or it can cause me other health issues," he said. Distrust in the medical field is also holding some people back. "There's been so much misinformation about COVID in itself. So now we're going to trust a vaccine when we don't even really have full details on COVID?" Leah Lawrence asked. Lawrence believes a vaccine to protect against COVID-19 is needed, but also wants to see more research and testing before she would feel comfortable taking it. "I do have medical people in the family and they're like, without a doubt, you need to get vaccinated," Lawrence said. Cooke, the UC Davis Health doctor, said the lack of trust some Black Americans have for the medical system is merited. "There's a profound distrust in many of our communities, especially African American communities in regards to health care and that distrust is warranted," he said. Scars of historical traumas that help explain that distrust includes the notable Tuskegee Study which began in the 1930s and lasted 40 years, in which hundreds of Black men who were already infected with syphilis were intentionally left untreated by doctors so they could research the effects of the disease on their bodies. There is also the case of Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman whose cancer cells were removed, and without her knowledge used to create one of the most important cell lines in medical research. The cell line became a billion-dollar industry. Lacks died in 1951 but her cells continue to impact the world. The Lacks family didn't receive payment until recently. The above examples are only two of many scars that still resonate today. "COVID-19 started last year and they already have a vaccine that fast. Did they already know that COVID-19 existed or did they just put something together real fast and then make us lab rats?" Whitehead asked. "You're not a guinea pig," Dr. Cooke counters. "Individuals like us who participated in the trial we're the guinea pigs. Now we have a defined product that you can benefit from." Cooke is part of the 10% of African Americans who participated in Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial. The general thoracic surgeon felt it was imperative to change the tide and signed up for the trial in hopes that his decision and transparency about the process would help build trust in his community. "I myself had very little symptoms. I did have some muscle ache at the site of injection and a little bit of fatigue. Perhaps it's hard to say because I'm always tired based on my work. But no real significant symptoms. I operate for a living. I do surgery for a living and I did not miss work at all." Pfizer and Moderna received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. Although both companies tout nearly 95% effectiveness, Cooke said it is going to take more than just statistics to get the message across. "The onus is on health care to understand our communities, and reach out and communicate in a language that they understand," he said. That's not only literally but figuratively." How California plans to reach out to the Black community California's COVID-19 Vaccination Plan includes a communication plan to target African American communities. A portion of the plan includes partnering with faith-based organizations to "rapidly disseminate information" and "ensure these groups have access to vaccination." "We need to do a better job partnering with our diverse communities, our faith leaders," Gov. Gavin Newsom announced virtually during a press conference recently. Pastor Darryl Scarbrough of Boss Church in Sacramento said he will keep his congregation informed, but won't tell them what to do. "We have nurses and doctors at our church. We will give them all the information, but I will stop short of suggesting that they take it," he said. "That is not the role or the responsibility of me as their spiritual leader to push that agenda." Boss Church hasn't held any in-person services since the beginning of the pandemic, and although Scarbrough wants to get back to a sense of normalcy in the coming months, he hopes progress is made on multiple fronts. Relying on a vaccine alone is not the answer, he said. "So many churches want to get together. We have not done that simply because I need to make sure my people are safe. I have a different population than many churches. Forty-percent of our church is white, but 60% is African American and Latino," he said. "I have to be cautious of how it disproportionately affects them. I carry, you know, some more responsibility to how I deliver that message, another level of urgency. But at the same time I'm cautious as to how hard I push the message." How aggressively to push the Black community to get the COVID-19 is up for debate. Back at Eminent DoMane Barbershop, Jackson is skeptical about the vaccine and said it will take something drastic to change his mind. "It will have to be something literally in my face," Jackson said, when asked what it would take in order for him to change his mind and get immunized. "I will have to see somebody flat out right now in this shop die from COVID on the floor." "Until that is, then that's when I'll be like, OK, for sure, let me go get my vaccine. But other than that, no. I'm cool." Dr. Anthony Harris, chief innovation officer and assistant medical director for WorkCare, said dying from COVID-19 is a possibility, but there are other medical risks that need to be considered. "Let's talk to the gentleman in the barbershop sitting across from you that has erectile dysfunction," he said. "We know the virus can cause erectile dysfunction. Let's talk to the young lady sitting down and getting her hair done that now has history of a stroke because we know the virus can cause a stroke or heart attack. There are other clinical outcomes that can lead to permanent, and in some cases, as well as temporary illness and disease that we need to protect our community from. It's not just about dropping dead. It's about quality of life." The state of California is currently in its phase one plan of distributing the vaccines, which includes health care workers, first responders and people in long-term care facilities. When California moves into phase two, which will include more of the general population, messaging will include, "providing credible vaccine information to dispel myths," "partnering with community-based organizations," and using "social media," all in hopes of reaching "California's most vulnerable communities." The year "2020 has proved much that is lacking in the area of trust between the Black community and in the country," Pastor Scarbrough said. "I think we have to give some patience in our congregations and our churches and our leaders to allow people time to digest what's coming at them." "If we're fighting for equality and this is our opportunity to have an equal proportion of this vaccine allocated to us, then we should double down on those efforts," Dr. Harris said. "We want to be in a population that is protected from this virus that has disproportionately killed more of us than our white counterparts. If we're talking about equality, if we're talking about equity, if we're talking about access to health care, quality health care, this is an opportunity. To pass that up would be a disservice to our brothers and sisters in our communities nationwide." More | Dr. Cooke answers your questions about vaccines on Facebook Shady Acres resident Hunter Dickerson, right, was among 33 neighborhood and citywide volunteers who helped pick up trash and debris from in and around Turkey Gully on the morning of Jan. 9. (Contributed photo) If you look at the way the labeling is actually done and the information we send to everybody who registers for these tests, it does highlight that it can be used in the way we are using it, with appropriate information, she said. Advertisement Mother nature hammered Britain with torrential rain flooding rail lines and stations in the south east while families in the north and Scotland were knee-deep in snow and forced to dig their way out of home. Torrential rain caused hell for workers commuting to and from Essex today as train operator c2c announced dozens of train cancellations and delays due to heavy rainfall flooding across the network. Meanwhile much of northern England and Scotland experienced snowfall throughout the day, with more wintry weather forecast for the weekend and into next week as temperatures plunge well below freezing to -12C (10F). Severe conditions were witnessed on roads across West Yorkshire in the likes of Huddersfield, Halifax, Leeds and Bradford following multiple crashes in the snow, with traffic very slow on the M6, A57 and A672. In Leeds, the council suspended rubbish collections for the rest of the day 'in the interests of customer and staff safety' amid blizzards, while public transport was disrupted after 11 buses became stuck in snow on Kirkstall Hill. In Greater Manchester, there was heavy congestion after traffic was stopped on the M62 as heavy rain battered the region with queues stretching along two junctions due to bumps and stranded vehicles. There were long delays on the M2 near Chatham in Kent after a vehicle overturned in heavy rain and a man was rescued through the roof by firefighters with cutting equipment, while flooding also closed some local roads. Up to a foot (30cm) of snow is expected on high ground today with overnight temperatures falling to -7C (19F) in eastern England and the wind chill making it feel even colder, while Scotland could drop to -12C (10F). Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which is operating one of England's seven mass vaccination centres at the Centre for Life in the city, has urged the elderly to rebook to their jabs to avoid the treacherous conditions. A trust spokesman said today: 'We're advising older people who are booked for their Covid-19 vaccine at the Centre for Life today to rebook for another day when the weather is better. It's easy to do by calling 119.' One resident of Bradford claimed Royal Mail said it could not deliver his post because his home was 'inaccessible', while the Met Office said 4in (11cm) of snow had already fallen in Perth and Kinross area by 9am. It comes as: The Environment Agency imposed more than 100 flood alerts and warnings across England; Flooding hit motorways in Greater Manchester including the M62 and deluged a pub in Kent; Heavy snow is expected to continue until at least 9pm tonight before returning on Saturday; Southern parts of England were hit by heavy rain and sleet is possible in London this weekend. An amber weather warning covering parts of eastern Scotland, County Durham and Northumberland was in force until the mid-morning, amid fears of a second 'Beast from the East' this winter in the coming weeks. Snow and ice is predicted through today down the length of the Pennines as far south as the Peak District, in Cumbria and the North York Moors, where a lesser, yellow weather warning applies until 9pm tonight. The rest of England will see heavy rainfall, particularly in London and the South East, while Wales and Northern Ireland will stay mostly dry. Tomorrow will bring a foggy start with most areas becoming dry and bright later. More than 100 parts of England are on flood watch, with 94 alerts and 17 warnings issued - while the Fenn Bell Inn pub in Hoo, Kent, was deluged after nearly a foot of water flooded inside with local properties also under threat. Flooding was also wreaking havoc in Essex, with delays causes to c2c trains following a deluge at West Horndon today A train arrives at Hexham train station in Northumberland this morning as heavy snow and freezing rain batters the UK A recovery vehicle tries to recover cars off the A640 on Saddleworth Moor near Marsden in West Yorkshire this afternoon Ten buses have been stuck on Kirkstall Hill in Leeds, West Yorks, following heavy snowfall today A row of cars are abandoned in Halifax today after drivers became stuck in the snow falling over West Yorkshire A woman pushes a shopping trolley through snow in Hexham, Northumberland, this morning Ten buses have been stuck on Kirkstall Hill in Leeds, West Yorks, following heavy snowfall today Two people push a stranded car on a snowy road in West Yorkshire today as motorists drive through Pool-in-Wharfedale Ten buses have been stuck on Kirkstall Hill in Leeds, West Yorks, following heavy snowfall today Cars pass through a flooded road in Loughborough, as heavy snow and freezing rain is set to batter the UK this week People sledge down a hillside at Butterley Reservoir in Marsden, northern England A child sleds down a snow-covered hill in West Yorkshire after a day of heavy snow A lorry sits jackknifed on the southbound A9 road near Gleneagles as heavy snow falls on parts of Scotland this morning Twins Anna and Josh Ryan, 11, from Penicuik, sledging at Glencourse Golf Course near Penicuik in Midlothian today A group of people help a car stuck in the snow at Halifax in West Yorkshire today as people struggle through the town centre Residents clear thick snow from their driveways and vehicles in Consett, County Durham, today as the snow continues to fall A group of people watch as a car is pushed out of the snow on a road in Halifax, West Yorkshire, today A man brushes snow off a car in Braco near Dunblane this morning as parts of Scotland are hit by blizzards A man in shorts and other passers-by help a car stuck on a hill in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, as heavy snow falls this morning People walk through a park during heavy snow in Leeds this morning as the West Yorkshire city is hit by flurries An ambulance makes its way along a snowy road today during blizzards in Leeds as flurries hit the West Yorkshire city Council workmen clear snow from the high street in Consett, County Durham this morning as the flurries continue Traffic chaos in the village of Pool-in-Wharfedale near Leeds this morning as snow falls across West Yorkshire today Drivers are caught in the snow in the village of Ainley Top in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, this afternoon tractor plows and grits a steep road in West Yorkshire after a day of heavy snow Met Office meteorologist Nicky Maxey said on Thursday that unsettled conditions are set to last into next week, and she urged people to be alert for new warnings from the forecaster. She said: 'We've seen snow leave the M62 Yorkshire area and journeying now into the Vales or Yorkshire. It will push further south as we go through the day, likely to go down to the Midlands but becoming less intense. Trial over Libby Squire's death is called off for the day due to heavy snow The trial of a butcher accused of raping and murdering 21-year-old student Libby Squire has been called off for the day because of the snow. In the case of Pawel Relowicz, three jurors could not get to Sheffield Crown Court due to the weather, the judge told the members of the panel who could make it in. Advertisement 'It becomes more patchy and the chances of it sticking reduce. When we go into tomorrow there may well be an ice warning issued, we are certainly looking at some potential for frost. 'With the temperatures warming up through the day there's potential the snow starts melting. If it freezes overnight there's a chance of frost and ice tomorrow morning.' In Scotland, families were urged to stay indoors amid a countrywide white-out. Police asked drivers not to travel unless essential and the Government advised those who are on the move to pack warm clothes and food supplies. The Met Office warned that there is 'no doubt' there will be travel disruption in Scotland amid concern for motorists on motorways including the M8, M9, M90 and M74, which lie at the heart of the amber warning area. Areas such as the Highlands, Grampian, Tayside, Central, Fife, the Lothians, Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders are set for even more severe blizzards. Oliver Claydon of the Met Office said: 'These are significant accumulations of snow we are predicting. There is no question we will see travel disruption, particularly on higher routes.' Local authorities deployed their fleets of gritters in anticipation of the snowfall. Cabinet Secretary for Transport Michael Matheson said: 'The Met Office is telling us to expect a period of challenging weather. Temperatures will be in the low single digits for most of England today, although the South West will get up to 9C Cars pass through a flood along Hamilton Road in Leicester as heavy snow and freezing rain is set to batter the UK this week A walker makes their way up a snow covered hill in Marsden, northern England Pedestrians walk along snow covered pavements in Auchterarder as heavy snow falls in parts of Scotland this morning Michael McInally and Katie Black sledging at Glencourse Golf Course near Penicuik in Midlothian this afternoon KFC workers struggle to clear snow to enable customers to access their drive-thru today in Consett, County Durham A truck makes its way through the Pass of Drumochter in Scotland today as heavy snow falls in the area A man struggles to push his car at a busy junction in Halifax, West Yorkshire, today The LNER Inverness train makes its way through the Pass of Drumochter in Scotland today A man walking in the snow in Braco, near Dunblane in Scotland today as severe weather conditions continue A woman photographs a polar bear snow sculpture in her garden in Braco, near Dunblane in Scotland today A FedEx truck and other vehicles make their way through the A9 road at the Pass of Drumochter in Scotland today A person shovels snow in Braco, near Dunblane in Scotland today after the area is hit by severe weather Snowy conditions in Braco, near Dunblane in Scotland today as heavy snow and freezing rain batters the UK Snow covers a road in Monk Bretton, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, today after the Met Office issued an amber snow warning A woman out jogging in the snow at Braco in Scotland today as warnings were issued over power cuts and travel delays A lorry drives through snow on the A69 near Newcastle this morning as the UK faces severe weather conditions today A lorry drives through snow on the A69 near Newcastle this morning as heavy snow falls in parts of the North East A member of staff from Tesco Extra shovels snow outside the store in Hexham, Northumberland, this morning Cars make their way along the road during snowfall in Leeds this morning as motorists are warned to take extra care A shopper struggles to drag their trolley through thick snow at Consett in County Durham this morning A person brushes snow off a car in Braco, near Dunblane in Scotland this morning as blizzard conditions continue 'The conditions will likely cause difficult driving conditions and disruption to the wider transport network, so it's important that anyone that has to make an essential journey during the warning period plans their journey. 'Pedestrians should also be aware that pavements are likely to be affected by ice, so make sure you use the appropriate clothing and footwear if you have to go out for an essential purpose.' Police Scotland warned against travelling in the wintry weather. Chief Superintendent Louise Blakelock said: 'Government restrictions on travelling remain in place across Scotland because of the ongoing pandemic. 'People should not leave their homes unless for essential purposes and work from home where possible. The best way to stay safe is to stay at home. 'In the current wintry weather please consider if your journey is exempt under the regulations and also if it really is essential and whether you can delay it until the weather improves.' A man clears snow in Braco, near Dunblane in Scotland this afternoon A Waitrose delivery van makes its way along a snowy road in Leeds this morning as West Yorkshire faces flurries today Rhea Black, 10, (left) and Carmyn McInally, 10, sledging at Glencourse Golf Course near Penicuik in Midlothian today A pedestrian walks along a snow-covered pavement today in Auchterarder, a town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland A tractor makes its way through snow in Braco, near Dunblane in Scotland this afternoon Very snowy conditions in Leeds this morning as much of northern England is placed under a Met Office weather warning A group of people push a car up a snowy road in Halifax, West Yorkshire, today as the area faced blizzard conditions A war memorial covered in snow in Braco, near Dunblane in Scotland today as the UK faces severe weather A group of people help a car stuck in the snow today on a road in Halifax, West Yorkshire A person walks her dog through snow in Braco, near Dunblane in Scotland this afternoon A couple walk through the snow in Auchendinny, Midlothian, today as heavy snow batters parts of the UK A snow plough clears the A69 at Stocksfield near Newcastle this morning as the area is hit by blizzard conditions An Asda supermarket delivery van drives through snow in Braco near Dunblane in Scotland this morning A snow plough clears the A69 in Stocksfield near Newcastle-upon-Tyne as heavy snow and freezing rain batter the UK A woman braves the blizzard conditions in Consett, County Durham, this morning as the snow continues to fall A woman walks through the snow in Braco near Dunblane in Scotland this morning as severe conditions continue A tractor pull a car up a snowy road in the West Yorkshire town of Halifax today amid the severe weather conditions Two women walk through the snow in Halifax today as the area faces severe weather conditions A car crashed into a truck after it skidded down a road in Halifax, West Yorkshire, today Snow covers the church and graveyard in Braco, near Dunblane in Scotland today as the severe conditions continue The snowy A9 road at the Pass of Drumochter in Scotland is pictured today following blizzard conditions in the area People in the snow in Braco, near Dunblane in Scotland today as blizzards and freezing rain batter the UK A man sweeps snow off his car windscreen with a broom while wearing only his shorts and shoes in Wakefield today A snowplow drives down a rural road in West Yorkshire today as parts of Britain are hit by severe weather A man clears snow from his car in Braco, near Dunblane in Scotland this afternoon Looking ahead, a further warning has been issued for heavy snow this weekend as far south as Leicestershire and Lincolnshire during a warning on Saturday from 3am until 9pm and some sleet is expected in London. The heaviest snowfall on Saturday is likely in areas at least 650ft (200m) above sea level, where up to 8in (20cm) could fall. At lower levels, up to 2in (5cm) snow could accumulate - while lower-lying places will see rain. At the weekend, snow is likely across the whole of northern England, Yorkshire and down through the East Midlands. The Met Office predicts flurries as a band of rain pushing eastwards is due to turn to snow. Travel disruption, power cuts and disruption to mobile phone coverage are also possible. In its warning for Saturday, which also covers most of Scotland, the Met Office said: 'A band of heavy snow may lead to disruption. 'There is a small chance of travel delays on roads with some vehicles and passengers becoming stranded, along with delayed or cancelled rail and air travel. There is a small chance that power cuts will occur.' Traffic chaos in the village of Pool-in-Wharfedale near Leeds this morning as a car becomes stuck Firemen from Consett Fire Station dig themselves a path out the building in Consett, County Durham, today after heavy snow Residents of Consett in County Durham woke to a whiteout scene this morning following heavy snow overnight A vista of white snow covers a main road in the County Durham town of Consett today as flurries continue this morning Fire crews from Consett Fire Station dig themselves a path out the building in the County Durham town today after snowfall A pedestrian walks across a road during blizzard conditions in Consett, County Durham, this morning A road in the County Durham town of Consett is under a blanket of snow this morning following overnight flurries t Crews from County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service dig out Consett Fire Station in the snow this morning A snow plough clears the A69 at Stocksfield near Newcastle this morning as heavy snow and freezing rain batter the UK t A shopper makes her way across the Morrisons car park in Consett, County Durham, as the snow continues to fall today A mother and her toddler battle the elements as snow starts to fall in Leeds with more flurries on the way today Snow falls in Leeds this morning with more flurries on the way as the wintry weather continues in West Yorkshire The snowy approach to Heddon On The Wall St Andrews Church of England First School in Newcastle-upon-Tyne today The Met Office also warned people could become injured from slips and falls on icy untreated pavements and footpaths. There will be a brief respite during Sunday, which is set to be mostly fine and dry. The Met Office has issued weather warnings for snow today But northerly winds through next week will then bring 'cold conditions from Scandinavia', the Met Office said. Its forecast for next week said: 'Rainfall is also expected for the north with a risk of organised snowfall especially over high ground. Drier in the south with the potential for frontal bands bringing rain and or snow at times. Temperatures are most likely to be rather cold for much of the UK.' The chilly forecast follows atmospheric changes similar to those which brought the spell of extreme wintry weather known as the Beast from the East three years ago, which brought a lengthy spell of wintry weather and severe snowfall which left Pennine villages cut off. An unusual meteorological event known as sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) was detected above the North Pole on January 5. Dr Richard Hall, an expert in SSWs from the University of Bristol, said it 'loads the dice' or 'tips the odds' in favour of another blast of heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures from Siberia. During an SSW the stratosphere - the layer six to 31 miles above the Earth's surface - can increase in temperature by up to 50C over a matter of days. Three young children and their mother are rescued by crews from Essex Fire and Rescue Service today near Chelmsford Flooding in the village of Finchingfield in Essex today as much of the South East experiences high levels of rainfall Flooding in the Cambridgeshire village of Alconbury today after the River Great Ouse burst its banks The Fenn Bell Inn pub in Hoo, Kent, was deluged this morning after nearly a foot of water flooded inside The Cambridgeshire village of Alconbury Weston, pictured today, has been flooded for the second time in two weeks There were long delays on the M2 motorway near Chatham in Kent this morning after a vehicle overturned in heavy rain Cars pass through a flood along Hamilton Road in Leicester this morning as parts of Britain are hit by severe weather An ambulance heads through flood water in the village of Finchingfield in Essex this afternoon A car passes through a flooded road in Folkestone, Kent, during heavy rain this afternoon Flooding in the village of Alconbury in Cambridgeshire this morning after the River Great Ouse burst its banks Pedestrians walking on a grey and cold rainy morning on a waterlogged Wimbledon Common in South West London today Commuters cross London Bridge in the heavy rain this morning on what was a very wet start to the day in the capital Flooding in the village of Finchingfield in Essex today after much of the South East had high levels of rainfall A man with an umbrella walks through a near empty Piccadilly Circus in London this morning An aerial view of the flooded High Street in the village of Alconbury Weston in Cambridgeshire this afternoon Cars pass through a flood along Hamilton Road in Leicester today as the country is hit by severe weather conditions A man holding an umbrella as he walks across Westminster Bridge in London in the heavy rain this morning Cars make their way past a van stuck in floodwater after rain caused flooding on the A127 near Brentwood in Essex today A man holding an umbrella as he walks across Westminster Bridge in London in the pouring rain this morning A busy M1 into Leeds this morning as road conditions worsen due to freezing condition and snowfall in West Yorkshire Cars pass through a flood along Hamilton Road in Leicester today as the severe weather conditions continue A car passes through a flooded road in Folkestone, Kent, during heavy rain this afternoon A wet morning in Cheltenham this morning as rain falls across southern England with more downpours on the way today This disturbance can travel down through the atmosphere to the Earth's surface and cause shifts in the jet stream, the fast-moving air currents that cool Europe. Dr Hall said an SSW happens 'every two years in three' and one is 'taking place at the moment'. In 2018, there was an SSW event two weeks before the 'Beast from the East' brought 20in (50cm) snowfalls. But John Griffiths, a Met Office forecaster, has dismissed any link between this week's weather and the 'Beast from the East 2', simply saying the conditions are 'normal' for the winter weather cycle. He said: 'On Thursday a band of rain, sleet and snow will hit parts of Scotland and northern England, which will slowly extend south to the Midlands as the day progresses. 'It is expected to be very cold in these areas, dropping below 0C (32F) in Scotland and parts of northern England. This will start to gradually ease and die out during the evening, with frost and freezing fog coming in.' Pictures have emerged of a group of teenagers taking photos on a ledge of a high-rise hotel in Sydney's CBD, leading police to investigate. The photos, sent to the ABC by an office worker and published on Thursday, show the group congregating on a 12th-floor ledge of the five-star Hyatt Regency Sydney on Sussex Street. Several teenagers are shown sitting with their legs dangling over the edge. A group stands near the edge of a 12th-floor ledge at the Hyatt Regency in Sydney on Wednesday. Credit:ABC In one of the photos, a group can be seen walking in single file along the narrow ledge. One of the teenagers was holding up his phone and filming. A police spokesman said officers from Sydney City Police Area Command were looking into the incident, which unfolded from about 2.30pm on Wednesday. This article, Google vows to pay for 500 DACA applications in call for immigration reform, originally appeared on CNET.com. Google on Wednesday said it will pay for the application fees of more than 500 people applying to be recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, as the future of the Obama-era program comes into question. Last month, a coalition of nine states challenged the legality of the program before a federal judge in Texas. The case brings uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of people relying on the program, called "dreamers." Through its philanthropic arm Google.org, the company said it will award a $250,000 grant to the organization United We Dream, which works on behalf of undocumented youth. The money will be used to pay for 500 DACA applications, which cost $495 each. "We know this is only a temporary solution," Kent Walker, Google's senior vice president of global affairs, wrote in a blog post. "We need legislation that not only protects Dreamers but also delivers other much-needed reforms." Google and other Silicon Valley companies have long supported immigration reform because it gives them access to international talent. In June, President Donald Trump issued an executive order temporarily freezing work visas, including H1-B visas popular in the tech industry , amid the coronavirus pandemic. In response, Google CEO tweeted that he was "disappointed by today's proclamation." Google, however, has drawn criticism in the past when it comes to immigration. Employees upset with the Trump administration's immigration policies pushed back against the company last year after it was reported that Google licensed its cloud software to Customs and Border Protection. At the time, a Google executive reportedly defended the deal by saying the company's technology was not being used for immigration enforcement at the southern border. Employees also called out the company in 2019 when the search giant hired former Homeland Security official Miles Taylor, who had been involved with the Trump administration's policy to separate families at the Mexican-American border. He also publicly defended the policy that barred people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US. Taylor took a leave from Google last August, after he announced his support for then-candidate Joe Biden for president. In October, Taylor came out as "Anonymous," the unnamed author of a 2018 New York Times opinion essay that caused a stir in Washington, DC. Soon after, a Google spokeswoman confirmed Taylor had left the company permanently. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-15 07:08:47|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on Jan. 14, 2021 shows a screen displaying French Prime Minister Jean Castex speaking at a press conference in Paris, France. French Prime Minister Jean Castex on Thursday announced a new series of stricter COVID-19 rules -- among them an earlier nationwide curfew -- as the pandemic "is under control" but remains "worrying" because of the new rapidly spreading variants. Speaking at a press conference, Castex said that a night-time ban on people's movement, in force since mid-December, would be brought forward by two hours across the national territory. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) PARIS, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- French Prime Minister Jean Castex on Thursday announced a new series of stricter COVID-19 rules -- among them an earlier nationwide curfew -- as the pandemic "is under control" but remains "worrying" because of the new rapidly spreading variants. Speaking at a press conference, Castex said that a night-time ban on people's movement, in force since mid-December, would be brought forward by two hours across the national territory. The earlier curfew has already in place in 25 out of the country's 101 departments. Starting from Saturday, the country's 67 million inhabitants are ordered to stay at home from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. for at least two weeks. Permissions will be available for those who have health emergencies and those who work at night, he added. Besides, all non-European travelers arriving in France would have to present a negative COVID-19 test less than 72 hours before boarding their flights. They would have to self-quarantine for seven days and then take a second test, he added. The French premier stressed that the emergence of more contagious coronavirus strains was particularly worrying. On Thursday, France's Public Health Agency counted 66 new infections of VOC 202012/01 (the variant first detected in the UK) and three new cases of 501Y.V2 (the variant first reported in South Africa). Castex, however, added that "the situation is under control" compared to other European countries and that there is no need, at this stage, to issue a third stay-at-home order. "The situation doesn't require that we impose a new lockdown. But if we observe a strong epidemic deterioration, we would be led without delay to new confinement," he said. Castex said the new measures will "lead us to devote all our forces to the vaccination campaign. It offers us a prospect of hope." On Thursday, 71,049 people in France received the first dose. A total of 318,216 inhabitants have got the shot since Dec. 27 when the country launched its campaign. "The sooner we vaccinate the most vulnerable, the sooner our hospitals will be spared the risk of being overwhelmed," Castex told reporters, adding that the government aims to vaccinate more than one million people by the end of January. As of Thursday, France has tallied 2,851,670 COVID-19 infections, after 21,228 new cases were confirmed in the past 24 hours. Health authorities recorded 282 new deaths, bringing the toll to 69,313. Hospital admission and the number of critically ill patients stood at 25,017 and 2,726 respectively. As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, vaccination is underway in some countries with the already-authorized coronavirus vaccines. Meanwhile, 236 candidate vaccines are still being developed worldwide -- 63 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain and the United States, according to information released by the World Health Organization on Jan. 12. Enditem New Delhi: The Staff Service Commission will be releasing notification for the recruitment of Multi Tasking Staff (MTS) 2020 on Saturday (February 2). The interested candidates can visit the official website of the Staff Service Commission https://ssc.nic.in. to get more details. According to the annual calendar, as the notification is released, candidates will be able to apply online by visiting the official website of the Commission https://ssc.nic.in from February 2. The complete steps of the online application will be given on the official website. Candidates can get more information related to recruitment by visiting the official website of the Commission. Written examinations for these posts will be held from July 1, 2020. At the same time, the candidates who will succeed in the written test will be called for the skill test. Candidates can get more information related to the selection process by visiting the official website of the Commission https://ssc.nic.in. Live TV Earlier in 2019, recruitment of 10 thousand posts of Multi Tasking Staff (MTS) was done by the Commission. In 2019, 38.58 lakh candidates had registered for about 10 thousand recruitments of MTS fired by SSC. Under which recruitment was done on the posts of Non-Technical Peon, Safaiwala, Jamadar, Junior Gestetner Operator, Chowkidar etc. Exam Pattern: If we talk about the exam then first there will be a computer-based exam (paper-1) which will also have a negative marking system. There will be objective questions. A quarter mark will be deducted for each wrong answer. Successful candidates in Paper-1 will be called in Paper-2, which will be a descriptive paper. Marks of Paper-1 will be normalized to make merit list. Paper-2 will be qualifying. For SSC MTS 2021, there are approximately 9000 vacancies. Eligibility Criteria: The candidate is required to be a national citizen of India, Subject of Nepal, Subject of Bhutan, Tibetan Refugee, Person of Indian origin migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Afghanistan, Kenya, Tanzania, Srilanka, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam. The minimum age of the candidate must be 18 years and maximum age is 25 years. As per the government rules, candidates from the reserved category are given age relaxation. The candidate must have passed 10th standard or equivalent examination from a recognised board. January 14, 2021 The Suppression Of Trump Voters Will Not Create Long Term Stability Someone at CNN was tasked with writing a thrilling story about a brave democratic congressman who did not shy away from confronting the Capitol intruders. How a swift impeachment was born under siege Rioters were still ransacking the halls of the US Capitol when two Democrats stuck in lockdown together in the House office buildings across the street started drafting the impeachment resolution that led to the unprecedented second impeachment of President Donald Trump almost exactly one week later. California Rep. Ted Lieu was forced to evacuate his office in the Cannon Office Building as insurrectionists converged on the Capitol. Grabbing a crowbar in his office, Lieu said he and his chief of staff called the top aide to Rhode Island Rep. David Cicilline while wandering the halls and asked if they could hunker down in Cicilline's office in the Rayburn House Office Building. ... Shortly after the story was published someone (a fact checker?, Lieu?) most have notified CNN that a crowbar is an unlikely instrument to be found in a representative's office. The story was implausible and had to be changed. That done a correction was appended to it. bigger The crowbar was replaced with a product placement, a "ProBar energy bar". That is only one example of the ghastly reporting about the Trump impeachment by the 'librul' media. They completely miss the point: Michael Tracey @mtracey - 6:14 UTC Jan 14, 2021 Virtually none of the corporate media coverage even bothers to remark on the radicalism of what occurred today. "Snap" impeachment with a total of two hours of debate, charging as a "high crime" that the president engaged in political speech. The anti-Trump campaign, from Russiagate to Ukrainegate to this 'insurrection' nonsense, has likely done more damage to the U.S. than Trump managed to do during his four years in office. The hostility the Democrats have shown will create a huge backlash. Do they really believe that can suppress 74 million Trump voters? As M.K. Bhadrakumar diagnoses: For the outside world Trump Impeachment 2.0 can only appear as a kangaroo trial. ... This ongoing project to impeach President Donald Trump for a second time in a little over a year is farcical. ... What happened in Washington, DC, on January 6 was by no means an insurrection. Of course, US citizens were behind the Capitol Building siege. But the parallel ends there. There was no way they could have usurped power in America last Wednesday. In fact, even the vandalism was entirely due to the ineptness of the security personnel deployed there. ... What is the guarantee that another Trump will not arise from outside the cabals that preside over politics in America and reaches out to the people directly? The fact of the matter is that Trumps support base still remains the envy of any American politician. Seventy million Americans voted for him last November. That massive support base will feel further disenfranchised or disempowered by what the cabals are perpetrating on the Capitol Hill. The real paradox is that the mob who besieged the Capitol building was largely drawn from the American middle classes the petite bourgeoisie or the transitional class, as Karl Marx described them ... ... Make no mistake, this class is here to stay in America and if the post-pandemic economic recovery does not go brilliantly well or is mismanaged, its ranks will swell further. That is going to be Bidens real challenge even if Pelosi were to dispatch Trump into political wilderness. The backlash from this Trump impeachment will be huge. It may come in rare events of real domestic terrorism. But it is more likely to swell up through smaller acts of civil disobedience. There is a lot that the petite bourgeoisie can sabotage. The CIA has published volumes of advice, meant for people in other countries, on how to do that. Feisal al-Istrabadi @FIstrabadi - 00:03 UTC 14 Jan 2021 Joy Reid just spoke on MSNBC of the necessity for de-Baathifying the Republican Party to rid it of Trumpian influences. An excellent precedent. It has worked just great in Iraq. The Democrats aren't stupid. They know that they are provoking more strife. They will use that to roll out authoritarian measure that will serve the powerful. It is a suppression strategy that has, at times, worked in other countries. But it does not lead to long term stability. Posted by b on January 14, 2021 at 17:45 UTC | Permalink Comments next page next page Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access [January 14, 2021] Fourfront Contributor Launches as Behavioral Health Collective Focused on Advocacy and Leadership to Strengthen Health Systems Today, four of the largest community behavioral health providers in Washington State announced a new partnership called Fourfront Contributor, an advocacy and leadership coalition that utilizes their collective size and expertise to improve the health of individuals, communities and the systems that serve them. Member organizations include Compass Health, Comprehensive Healthcare, Frontier Behavioral Health and Sound. Serving more than 76,000 individuals, the Fourfront Contributor footprint spans from the Pacific Ocean to the Inland Northwest. "Many of our industry peers might have known us as Behavioral Health Northwest in the past, but we're excited to re-introduce ourselves as Fourfront Contributor with a clear platform of advocacy," said Patrick Evans, President & CEO of Sound, which serves King County. "It's humbling to work with such dedicated partners who are so committed to the same vision and goals, and I can't wait to see the results of our efforts for those we serve." In 2021, Fourfront Contributor will focus on advocating for legislative support of telehealth in behavioral healthcare delivery. Mobilized by the rapid adoption and innovation of elehealth during the pandemic and the positive impact for clients, Fourfront Contributor's member CEOs recognized the importance of championing telehealth and its ability to ensure access to care. According to collective data, the four organizations saw a 3,700% increase in telehealth encounters and nearly 10 percentage points decrease in no-shows and cancellations in 2020 alone due to the expansion of telehealth. To ensure continued success, one of Fourfront Contributor's key priorities includes advocating for the state legislature to adhere to a set of core principles for determining telehealth regulatory and reimbursement structures. This includes: Utilizing telehealth to increase access and promote health equity through support for the full range of telehealth modalities. Maximizing regulatory flexibilities to sustain telehealth adoption. Clinicians, in collaboration with clients, determining when a telehealth visit is appropriate. Reimbursing telehealth visits on par with in-person visits to ensure a comprehensive coordinated and integrated continuum of care designed with equity in mind. Working with partners on broadband access and adequate funding to ensure distribution of hardware. "Our organizations and other behavioral health providers were utilizing telehealth in limited capacities before the onset of the pandemic, but quick innovation, paired with practical and flexible telehealth policies really enabled us to expand access to exceptional care virtually," said Tom Sebastian, president and CEO of Compass (News - Alert) Health, which serves Northwest Washington. "For some clients, telehealth is a literal lifeline that breaks down geographic, financial, social and other barriers to access, connecting individuals with providers. As a part of Fourfront Contributor, we're excited to take up the mantle and advocate for commensurate policies on behalf of those in need." In the future, Fourfront Contributor leaders envision multiple avenues that will contribute their collective scale and expertise to improve the health of individuals and communities. This includes engaging lawmakers to advocate for sound policies and necessary funding; serving clients by developing practical, scalable and evidence-based models of care; working with payers to advocate for adequate funding to support community behavioral health services; and supporting providers by advancing knowledge and best practices across service areas. "Fourfront Contributor is the perfect opportunity to leverage our collective voices to make a difference," said Jodi Daly, CEO of Comprehensive Healthcare, with locations throughout Central Washington. "With a nuanced understanding of the communities we serve, it's our goal to build inclusive representation into the causes and policies that we support. This includes exercising compassion toward the concerns of those who have been underserved by traditional health systems, and leveraging our leadership to make sure they are heard." As a resource to the behavioral health community as a whole, Fourfront Contributor plans to bridge the needs of clients and providers, supporting an understanding of population health and effective health systems. Additionally, the organization aims to act as a representative of regional interests, building a portfolio of recommendations and insights to share with policymakers at the local and state levels. "Contribution was so important that we built it right into the name," said Jeff Thomas, CEO of Frontier Behavioral Health, which serves the Spokane region. "There are so many ways we envision supporting and contributing to the behavioral health landscape-improved outcomes, health equity, workforce development, effective care delivery - the list goes on. At the end of the day, we're excited to embrace the challenges and opportunities that the future holds and look forward to magnifying the voices in our communities." About Fourfront Contributor: Fourfront Contributor weaves together the collective size, experience and thought leadership of four of the largest community behavioral health providers in Washington state. The coalition contributes practical, scalable expertise to advocate for sound policy, deploys evidence-based models of care, supports adequate funding, advances knowledge and best practices, and creates systems that improve the health of individuals and communities. More at: fourfrontcontributor.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005875/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The attack on Guan was caught on video and audio practically from start to finish, prosecutors said. He was on the phone with a 911 call-taker from the moment he was forced at gunpoint to turn over his keys up through the actual shooting, after which he can be heard moaning in pain on the 911 recording. More and more ETH Zurich researchers are taking the plunge into entrepreneurship. By launching spin-offs, they hope to turn their lab findings into solutions that can help stem the rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide. There is no shortage of evidence for what the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) describes as an unequivocal warming of the climate system. At no point in the past 800,000 years has the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere been as high as it is today. Since 1750, human activity has caused 555 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere, raising the concentration of carbon dioxide by 40 percent above pre-industrial levels. Between 1880 and 2012, the average temperature of the Earths surface rose by 0.85 degrees Celsius. And with global snow and ice cover steadily shrinking, sea levels are rising by an average of 3 millimetres a year. Scientists are united in their belief that humanity must do everything in its power to slow the rise in the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, or even reverse it. There has been a noticeable increase in efforts by ETH Zurich researchers to come up with potential solutions for climate change. And increasing numbers of them are also venturing beyond the walls of academia and striving to put climate-positive business ideas into practice. Of the 242 spin-offs established at ETH Zurich since 2010, 34 are pursuing ways to combat global warming. In this article, we take a closer look at two examples: one from the energy sector, the other from the construction industry. Carbon-neutral fuels made from sunlight and air Since its founding in 2016, Synhelion has been working on something that sounds almost too good to be true: a solar technology that can reverse the combustion process. The companys mission is to produce synthetic liquid fuels exclusively from sunlight and air. Known as solar fuels, these release only as much CO 2 during combustion as was previously extracted from the air in order to produce them, thereby giving them the potential to make the transport industry practically carbon-neutral. Taken as a whole, air, sea and road transport currently release some eight billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, making it responsible for a quarter of anthropogenic CO 2 emissions. We believe that liquid solar fuels have an important role to play in the energy transition, says Gianluca Ambrosetti, CEO of Synhelion. He rightly points out that no other energy carrier comes close to matching the energy density and long-term storage capabilities of liquid fuels. Whats more, our solar fuels are a drop-in technology, which means they dont require any additional infrastructure, says Ambrosetti. They can be processed in existing refineries and distributed via the network of filling stations that is already in place. Highly concentrated solar radiation Synhelions ingenious solar technology is based on three innovations originally developed by a group of researchers led by Aldo Steinfeld, Professor of Renewable Energy Carriers at ETH Zurich. Synhelion is now seeking to take these innovations to the next level. The first is the solar receiver, a black chamber containing a greenhouse gas. Solar radiation concentrated several thousand times by mirrors shines through the quartz glass window that fronts this chamber and heats up the gas to well over 1,000 degrees Celsius. The second innovation is the ceramic foam technology used in the thermochemical reactor. When heated to a sufficient temperature by the hot gas, this reactor is able to split water and carbon dioxide to produce syngas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Conventional methods can then be used to convert this syngas into liquid fuels such as methanol, gasoline and kerosene. The third innovation is a thermal energy-storage system that can be used to drive the reactor processes at night and on overcast days. A year and a half have passed since Steinfeld and his team set up a mini-refinery, which produces around one decilitre of methanol a day, on the roof of the Machine Laboratory building at ETH Zurich. This pilot plant proves that we can make sustainable fuel from sunlight and air under real-life conditions, says Steinfeld. The next goal, says Ambrosetti, is to scale up the processes, increase the efficiency and drive down costs. Ambrosetti acknowledges that people may have doubts about scalability: I think it will be at least five more years before we can start using this technology on an industrial scale. Thats why Synhelion is developing an interim solution, known as solar upgrading, to shorten the time to market. By adding methane to the mixture of water vapour and carbon dioxide gas, the temperature required for thermochemical conversion into syngas can be reduced to as little as 800 degrees Celsius, says Ambrosetti. This simplifies the whole process, which means it should only take us two more years to get to the point where we can produce affordable solar fuels that release half the net CO 2 emissions of fossil fuels. Turning carbon dioxide into stone Neustark an ETH spin-off founded in 2019 is pursuing a business model based on an entirely different concept. The company is developing a technology that turns carbon dioxide into stone by binding it with concrete aggregate, thereby transforming it into high-grade limestone. The benefits include both an upgraded aggregate and long-term carbon storage. The construction industry has so far made little progress in reducing emissions and thats because so much research just gets filed away and never used, says Johannes Tiefenthaler, one of the spin-offs two founders. I would like to see the effort that Im putting into my doctorate make a tangible difference somewhere. As part of his Masters degree, Tiefenthaler was already investigating various ways of converting carbon dioxide into limestone by reacting it with minerals. There are enough minerals on Earth to bind hundreds of billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide. However, as Tiefenthaler explains, many of them such as magnesium silicate are not particularly reactive, so they must first be heated to 700 degrees Celsius. In contrast, demolition rubble broken into concrete aggregate has proven to be highly reactive due to the huge total surface area of the numerous particles, each just a few millimetres in size. As a result, the concrete aggregate forms very stable chemical compounds with carbon dioxide, without the need for any pre-treatment. What I love about this solution is that its ready to go now, not just in five or ten years, says economist Valentin Gutknecht, Neustarks second founder. The main challenge right now, he says, is juggling all the different issues involved. As well as ensuring the properties of the concrete are exactly right, we also have to navigate the convoluted web of CO 2 certification. Negative CO 2 emissions offer economic benefits While Tiefenthaler works at the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering to deliver the next generation of technology for the mineralisation of carbon dioxide, Gutknecht and an ever-growing team of employees are busy focusing on the operational side of the business. As part of a project funded by the Federal Office for the Environment and the Swiss Climate Foundation, Neustark has set up a pilot plant at the Kastli concrete works in Rubigen near Bern. Part of this pilot plant is a bright orange, skip-like container, in which liquid CO 2 is added to rubble from demolished concrete structures. After soaking in the bath of carbon dioxide for around two hours, the pieces of concrete rubble may still look the same, but they weigh significantly more because the tiny pores in the rough surface of the concrete have absorbed approximately 10 kilograms of CO 2 per cubic metre. The carbon dioxide forms a chemical bond with the calcium oxide in the concrete rubble. This produces limestone crystals, which significantly enhance the qualities of the concrete aggregate: by using this recycled, upgraded aggregate to make fresh concrete, the same strength and rigidity can be achieved with less cement. Concrete production worldwide releases over 2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the air each year. This represents around 7 percent of anthropogenic CO 2 emissions. By cutting the amount of cement required in construction, Neustarks technology can help reduce the industrys carbon footprint by eliminating some of the emissions that would otherwise occur during the production of cement. By Moira Warburton (Reuters) - Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou received multiple death threats, including bullets in the mail, while under house arrest in Vancouver, a Canadian court heard on Wednesday. The threats were revealed during testimony by Doug Maynard, chief operating officer of Lions Gate Risk Management, the company providing her security detail. Meng received "five or six" threatening letters at her residence in June and July 2020. The Vancouver Police Department was involved in examining the evidence of the threats, Maynard testified in the ... Anti-mask protesters plan to descend on Steinbach again, even though the city's mayor believes it's not worth their trip. Anti-mask protesters plan to descend on Steinbach again, even though the city's mayor believes it's not worth their trip. The group, Hugs Over Masks, broke public health orders during a protest in the community in November. Several people received fines in the mail days after the event. RCMP said on Wednesday they are aware of the rally and plan to monitor it. Steinbach Mayor Earl Funk says he's upset people from outside his city plan to hold another protest there. "They already came here. They rolled down their windows, they hurled insults at people as they went shopping and now they're coming back to do more? "They don't represent the true heart of Steinbach." Funk said he agrees with freedom of speech, but he thinks that during a pandemic, people have to follow the advice of public health officials. On Tuesday, Premier Brian Pallister expressed frustration with anti-mask protesters planning to take a stand again in Steinbach. "You've got the right to protest, other people have the right to breathe, so make sure that you distance properly while you're protesting and that you respect the public health orders," Pallister said. "If there are orders against assembling in groups of over a certain number, dont break those orders. Follow the rules. Dont follow the rules, you are going to pay a fine. "We're all in this together. I get that people are frustrated. I'm frustrated too, but the fact of the matter is we are only going to get through this together if we stay together and follow the public health orders." kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca Forsa has insisted on a phased return to classrooms for special needs assistants. Photo: Lev Dolgachov Special needs assistants (SNAs) are set to return to classrooms on a phased basis if a range of Covid-19 safety measures are rolled out. Their union Forsa has set out the measures it says are necessary to make classrooms and other school areas safe, including reduced or staggered attendance at first. It said it would advise SNAs to cooperate with the phased resumption of in-school services if the Department of Education agrees to progress the measures. The union said in a statement it accepts all measures cannot be put in place right away, but wants immediate action on those that can and concrete proposals for the rest. Among the measures is a National Public Health Emergency Team assessment of staff and student safety, with reference to testing data. It also wants prioritisation of school staff for vaccination and serial school-based testing. Forsa head of education Andy Pike called on the Government to act on the measures, saying they would build confidence in the safety of classrooms among staff, students and parents. The official position is that schools are safe places even as we are at the peak of transmission of the virus, he said. Whilst additional mitigation measures have been in place in schools since August, many staff do not have full confidence that schools are safe places to work and study. We are calling on the Department of Education and individual schools to work with us to rebuild confidence and start the resumption of school-based special education needs services as quickly and safely as possible. Four advocacy organisations for students with additional needs and their carers welcomed Forsas announcement. Read More In a joint statement, Down Syndrome Ireland, Inclusion Ireland, AsIAm and Family Carers Ireland said it was a significant step in the right direction but there are more hurdles to clear. The onus is now on the Government to redouble their efforts to clear the remaining obstacles standing in the way of reopening schools for students with special educational needs, said the statement. It said parents need a clear timeframe on when they can expect in-school services to resume. The move comes as the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) warned children with special education needs are being left behind by the State. It said the Government decision to close schools and not provide appropriate education for children with special needs was a significant example of those children being overlooked. The commission said that prior consultation by the Government with schools and parents could have avoided these children being overlooked. Sinead Gibney, chief commissioner of the IHREC, said there are many reasons why a blanket withdrawal of services like we are seeing is problematic for vulnerable groups. Besides those who have special education needs, theres many children who do not have digital access for many other reasons, she said. * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! A black man who was shot in the back by a white police officer in the US, triggering several nights of violent protests and leaving him partially paralysed, has said in an interview that he had been prepared to surrender just before the officer opened fire. Jacob Blake, 29, said in an interview with ABCs Good Morning America that police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, were trying to arrest him on August 23 on an outstanding warrant when a pocketknife fell from his trousers. He said he picked it up before heading to a vehicle to drive away with two of his children in the back. Im not really worried. Im walking away from them, so its not like they were going to shoot me, he said. Expand Close Jacob Blakes shooting sparked widespread protests (Morry Gash/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jacob Blakes shooting sparked widespread protests (Morry Gash/AP) Mr Blake said he was prepared to surrender once he put the knife in the vehicle. Throw myself to the ground and, you know, put my arms behind my back, because if they did it there and they killed me there, everybody would see it, he said. Officer Rusten Sheskey told investigators he feared Mr Blake was going to stab him, so he opened fire. Blake family lawyer Ben Crump has questioned whether Mr Blake threatened Mr Sheskey with a knife, saying nowhere does the video footage show a knife extended and aimed to establish the requisite intent. Kenosha erupted with violent protests for several nights after Mr Blake was shot. Hundreds were arrested, and multiple businesses were destroyed. I was counting down my breaths, my blinks and I was like, 'God, Im coming. I guess this is it for me' Jacob Blake A Wisconsin prosecutor on January 5 declined to file charges against Mr Sheskey, concluding he could not disprove the officers contention that he acted in self-defence. In the TV interview, Mr Blake, who was shot seven times, said he should not have grabbed his knife, adding he wasnt thinking clearly but he could not hear officers orders to comply. I was counting down my breaths, my blinks and I was like, God, Im coming. I guess this is it for me, he said. He said his thoughts turned to his sons in the back seat and he told them: Daddy loves you no matter what. I thought it was going to be the last thing I say to them, he added. During one night of unrest following the shooting, prosecutors say a white 17-year-old from Antioch, Illinois, shot and killed two men and wounded a third, claiming the shootings were in self-defence. Expand Close Kyle Rittenhouse (Kenosha County Sheriffs Department/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Kyle Rittenhouse (Kenosha County Sheriffs Department/AP) This week, prosecutors in Wisconsin asked a judge to order Kyle Rittenhouse, who now is 18 and free on 2 million dollars bond, to stay out of bars and away from white supremacist groups. The request came a week after Rittenhouse was seen drinking at a bar in the Wisconsin city of Mount Pleasant, after he pleaded not guilty to homicide and other charges resulting from the August 25 shooting in Kenosha. After his arraignment on January 5, Rittenhouse, his mother and several other adults went to Pudgys Pub, where he was seen drinking beer, according to prosecutors. The prosecutors motion says Rittenhouse posed outside the bar for a photo with two men as they all gestured an OK sign with their hands, which has become a symbol used by white supremacists. The motion also said five men at the bar serenaded Rittenhouse with the song Proud Of Your Boy, which has become the anthem of the Proud Boys, a white supremacist group linked with the attack on the US Capitol on January 6. On November 17, President Trump appointed Brandon Wales as the director for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Wales was a highly qualified choice, as he had been CISA's first executive director and previously served as the director of the DHS Office of Cyber and Infrastructure Analysis (OCIA), which provides analysis of cyber- and physical risks to America's critical infrastructure. Perhaps the most pressing cyber-security issue for America and CISA currently is the fallout from the SolarWinds hacking attack that has affected at least 2,000 computer systems belonging to over 100 governmental and non-governmental agencies around the world. News of the attack was first reported a few weeks after Wales took over CISA. The attacks have been attributed to APT29 (Advanced Persistent Threat). The Russian hacking group is known by several aliases including Cozy Duke, Cozy Bear, the Dukes, and Office Monkeys. The hackers used a new malware strain known as SUNBURST in the attack. Wales told the website cyberscoop last week that "[t]he number [of federal victims] is likely to grow with further investigation." Wales's predecessor, Christopher Krebs, was fired from his position as Director for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) just as President Trump began his legal challenge to the 2020 presidential election results. Krebs's firing followed a November 12 joint statement released on CISA's website from two groups known as the Elections Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council and the Election Infrastructure Sector Coordinating Executive Committee. They claimed that "[t]he November 3rd election was the most secure in American history. Right now, across the country, election officials are reviewing and double-checking the entire election process prior to finalizing the result." Krebs, who held America's top cyber-security post during most of the attack, which is thought to have started in March of 2020, was hired by SolarWinds as a consultant last week. "We have brought in the expertise of Chris Krebs and Alex Stamos to assist in this review and provide best-in-class guidance on our journey to evolve into an industry-leading secure software development company," according to a press release from SolarWinds. Krebs, it can be argued, failed to protect America from the scourge of foreign APTs, which have been victimizing the United States from countries that include Russia, China, and Iran. It is a reasonable critique. In addition, Krebs's statement regarding 2020 election security failed to mention the hacking attack against Hall County, Ga. that exposed the voter information of more than 180,000 residents. At this point, SolarWinds is banking on the insider knowledge Krebs brings to the situation. The company hopes that by employing Krebs and putting him in a situation where he can focus solely on this matter, and not American cyber-security as a whole, he can help secure SolarWinds and its clients from similar attacks in the future. Whether or not Krebs is up to the task remains to be seen. Among the federal-level agencies that were affected by the attack are the Departments of Energy, Commerce, and Justice. The attack, which is thought to have begun in March of 2020, will likely help shape the foreign policy of the early Biden administration. CISA will play an enormous role in helping both civilian and government agencies better secure their networks in the aftermath of the SolarWinds attack. The recent National Defense Authorization Act, which became active on January 1, gives CISA new and increased jurisdiction to hunt down vulnerabilities on government agency networks. Wales himself has claimed that CISA has been able to identify "where we think that the fundamental structure" of data protection on networks needs to "evolve." Joe Biden's exact plans for CISA remain to be seen. Wales may just be a placeholder for an eventual appointee from the new administration. He could stay in an early showing of bipartisan goodwill as America attempts to enter what the left is referring to as a "period of national healing," or he may wind up on the chopping block due to his appointment and association with the Trump administration. The next few weeks will be critical to the history of American cyber-security. Julio Rivera is a business and political strategist, the editorial director for Reactionary Times, and a political commentator and columnist. His writing, which is focused on cyber-security and politics, has been published by websites including The Hill, Newsmax, The Washington Times, Real Clear Politics, Townhall, American Thinker, and many others. Image: Christopher Krebs. YouTube screen grab. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. LONDON, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today AFC Energy (AIM: AFC), a leading provider of hydrogen power generation technologies, announces the signing of the Company's first strategic engineering collaboration agreement with Ricardo, a global leader in the creation of innovative engineering and design solutions with strong credentials across the transportation and energy sectors. The agreement will focus on the joint creation of hydrogen fuel cell products and service offerings, with an initial focus on three key areas: marine, rail and stationary power generation. The collaboration will develop products and services that will directly support global efforts to decarbonise transport, energy and critical national infrastructure. The collaboration will create opportunities for AFC Energy to grow the number of products that utilise the company's fuel cell and validate its technical and commercial viability in the growing global market for hydrogen fuelled power and propulsion systems. Both parties will consider the benefits achieved through the use of low cost, readily available, and high energy dense green ammonia fuel (rather than hydrogen gas) as a fuel of choice in off-grid or remote power needs, including international shipping and distributed power generation. Adam Bond, Chief Executive of AFC Energy plc, said: "The role for AFC Energy's alkaline fuel cell in supporting the decarbonisation of e-mobility and off-grid power systems through the use of zero emission fuels such as green ammonia is becoming ever clearer and relevant. "We are delighted to be collaborating with one of the world's leading engineering houses in Ricardo to fully explore new and innovative ways in which our alkaline fuel cell system can be deployed across a range of industries where traditional reliance on combustion of fossil fuels is no longer seen as a viable or acceptable means of remote power generation. We look forward to furthering our collaboration with Ricardo in our key markets of focus, with each providing enormous opportunities in their own right." Mike Bell, Group Strategy and Transformation Director at Ricardo plc, added: "Ricardo has a world leading pedigree in the energy transition towards sustainable and green power, working with many of the world's leading Original Equipment Manufacturers and industrial partners in pursuit of engineering solutions that support Net Zero aspirations. We also recognise AFC Energy's specialist expertise in alkaline fuel cell technology, which has highlighted the potential for low cost, high efficiency alkaline systems in off-grid and remote power environments. "We are very pleased to be collaborating with AFC Energy is exploring new opportunities for fuel cell deployment across sectors such as marine and rail where the alkaline technology has the potential to play a key role decarbonisation and sustainability." Following several months of engagement, the two companies have already jointly submitted proposals to Ricardo clients, addressing particular client needs pertinent to grid instability and the need for zero emission alternative power. Further opportunities will be identified in 2021 for joint collaboration across key markets. About AFC Energy plc AFC Energy plc is commercialising a scalable alkaline fuel cell system, to provide clean electricity for on and off grid applications. The technology, pioneered over the past twelve years in the UK, is now deployable in electric vehicle chargers, off-grid decentralised power systems and industrial gas plants as part of a portfolio approach to the decarbonisation of local electricity needs. Afcenergy.com About Ricardo plc Ricardo plc is a global strategic engineering and environmental consultancy that specialises in the transport, energy and scarce resources sectors. Ricardo's work extends across a range of market sectors including passenger cars, commercial vehicles, rail, defence, motorsport, energy and environment with a client list that includes transport operators, manufacturers, energy companies, financial institutions and government agencies. In addition to technical consultancy services, Ricardo has in-house engineering capabilities that enable the Company to design and deliver high-quality prototypes and low-volume manufacturing of complex products and assemblies, including engines, transmissions, electric motors and generators, battery packs and fuel cell systems. Ricardo.com SOURCE AFC Energy Related Links https://www.afcenergy.com Defend 1050 uses patented NanoStrike technology to damage and inactivate airborne micro-organisms Novaerus, a WellAir company that delivers clean air solutions to help prevent the spread of infectious outbreaks, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared the Novaerus Defend 1050 (NV 1050) as a 510(k) Class II Medical Device to inactivate and filter out micro-organisms, including virus and bacteria, for medical purposes. The Novaerus Defend 1050 is the first system that uses NanoStrike, a patented plasma generating technology, to receive FDA 510(k) clearance. The Novaerus Defend 1050 is a free-standing, portable recirculating air cleaning system designed for additional frontline protection in healthcare settings such as operating rooms, intensive care units, in vitro fertilization labs, emergency rooms, waiting and treatment areas, neonatal units, and other critical environments including those performing aerosol-generating medical procedures (AGMP). The Defend 1050's NanoStrike technology uses a plasma field that rapidly inactivates micro-organisms at the molecular level. Within 15 minutes, the Defend 1050 has demonstrated a 4-log (99.99%) reduction of the MS2 bacteriophage RNA virus, an accepted surrogate for SARS-CoV-2. The Defend 1050 also showed a 4-log (99.99%) reduction in Bacillus Globigii endospores (bacterial spores) within 15 minutes, which was maintained over the prolonged operation (24 hours). The Defend 1050 is currently used in hospitals and healthcare settings in over 60 countries. Given the rapid spread of COVID-19, WellAir moved quickly to understand how this device could potentially combat the virus while moving it through a thorough FDA medical device clearance process. Additionally, the Defend 1050 meets relevant performance criteria in the FDA Guidance, which provides non-binding recommendations that may reduce the risk of viral exposure for patients and healthcare providers during the current public health emergency. "Our team of outstanding engineers and scientists have been focused on delivering innovative and powerful airborne infection control devices. The FDA clearance on the Defend 1050 is a critical milestone for our company, validating our work to deliver a safe and effective medical device," said Dr. Kevin Devlin, WellAir CEO. "The Defend 1050 has demonstrated tremendous efficacy in third party testing against viruses, bacteria, VOCs, and particulate matter, which makes it an ideal solution for hospitals and healthcare settings. As we continue to see an alarming rise in the number of COVID-19 cases, we have moved quickly to make the device readily available." Defend 1050 utilizes multiple stages to reduce airborne micro-organisms. The first stage is a general air pre-filter that captures particles between 4 and 10 microns from the input airflow. This filtered air passes through a series of NanoStrike coils (plasma generators) that damage and inactivate micro-organisms on contact, including viruses and bacteria. The resulting inactive particulates are trapped by a HEPA (High-efficiency Particulate Air) filter. In a final cleaning stage, an activated carbon filter traps VOCs in the airstream before the air is released into the environment. The Defend 1050 system is delivered complete with all components necessary for immediate use. It can be wheeled easily by a single person to the desired point of use and plugs into standard outlets. Five airflow speed settings enable optimization to each healthcare environment. The only routine maintenance required is a calendar-based filter change schedule. If you are a medical or healthcare facility interested in learning more about the Novaerus Defend 1050 additional information can be found here, or please contact Novaerus. About Novaerus and WellAir Novaerus is part of WellAir, an Irish company on a mission to reduce indoor airborne pathogens and pollutants to create healthy living, working, and healing spaces. With ingenuity and patented NanoStrike plasma-based technology, WellAir's Novaerus medical-grade air disinfection solutions are independently tested and proven to reduce airborne viruses, bacteria, mold, allergens, and VOCs. WellAir can be found worldwide, installed in hundreds of settings, including hospitals, labs, senior living facilities, doctor and dental offices, schools, and residences. WellAir is based in Dublin, Ireland, with offices in Stamford, CT. For more information, visit www.novaerus.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005591/en/ Contacts: Novaerus WellAir Media Contact: Cindy Caserta, ccaserta@wellairsolutions.com The Russian Foreign Ministry said that there is no evidence of Iran's ties with terrorist group al-Qaeda, after US Secretary of State made such an accusation. "It seems that Pompeo, before the last curtain call, wanted to do something more to hurt Iran. Nonetheless, this is absolutely unsubstantiated and unreasonable," said Zamir Kabulov, director of the ministry's second Asian department on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported. There is "absolutely no information" proving that Tehran has ties with al-Qaeda, the Russian diplomat said in an interview with RIA Novosti news agency. Pompeo on Tuesday alleged that Iran had become a "new home base" for al-Qaeda, doubling down the maximum pressure campaign against Iran before leaving office in less than 10 days. --IANS int/ (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 couple and their dog have had an incredible chance rescue after they walked more than 40 kilometres in the sweltering heat of the South Australian outback without food and water, stopping to leave notes and etch "SOS" on a dirt road along the way. Jose Merlos, 29, Nicky Wong, 32, and their dalmatian puppy Loki were driving from Cairns to Adelaide and planned to detour through NSW when their plans changed due to coronavirus border closures. Lucky to be alive: Jose Merlos, Nicky Wong, and Loki. Credit:Royal Flying Doctor Service On January 3, they were driving along a remote outback road after taking a wrong turn when their Toyota RAV4 became bogged in sand. They attempted to get the car out for several hours, then abandoned it and started walking. The pair left a note to say they were walking to the tiny town of Innamincka in South Australia's north-east. As they walked for hours, and the temperature climbed to the high 30s, the couple left more notes. Exhaustion set in, and they paused to scratch "SOS" into a dirt road. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg joined 21 of his mayoral colleagues in sending a letter to President-elect Joe Biden asking for cities to receive direct allotments of COVID-19 vaccines. Currently, state and federal agencies are tasked with allocating doses. In Texas, state officials started organizing mass vaccination hubs the week of Jan. 7. RELATED: San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg says he's waiting his turn to get his COVID-19 vaccination The letter, which includes Austin Mayor Steve Adler and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, was sent on Wednesday. The city leaders said they are ready to help the Biden administration reach the goal of inoculating 100 million Americans in the new president's first 100 days, but direct access to vaccines is essential. The mayors also requested funding to support the rollout's infrastructure as well as community outreach, especially to disadvantaged communities where residents are "vaccine hesitant," the letter said. The mayors recognized the importance of working with public health agencies, providers and pharmacies, but said there is room to "be nimble and fill gaps" in each city. The mayors pointed to their testing operations as proof of their ability to handle vaccinations. In San Antonio, phone lines have been jammed as residents attempt to snag an appointment for the vaccine. Appointment slots for the city's three mass sites are currently full. Nirenberg shared the letter sent to Biden on social media Wednesday. "Cities have consistently been on the front line of our nation's COVID-19 response. I'm proud to join my mayoral colleagues in requesting that the Biden Administration prioritize a direct line of vaccines to our communities. We must do all we can to expand & improve access," he said with the post. Madalyn Mendoza covers news and puro pop culture for MySA.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @maddyskye The Hai Yang Shi You 981 oil platform operated by China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) is seen in the sea off China's southernmost Hainan province, March 23, 2018. The United States on Thursday blacklisted Chinese oil giant CNOOC and slapped visa restrictions on officials of the Chinese navy, ruling party and state-owned enterprises over land reclamation and coercion of Southeast Asian claimants in the disputed South China Sea. The action by the Trump administration will add to U.S.-China tensions that have spiked in the past year. It comes just six days before Joe Biden takes office as the new U.S. president on Jan. 20. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that the actions were intended to preserve a free and open South China Sea. It follows a hardening of U.S. policy in July against what it called Chinas illegal maritime claims there, and the blacklisting in August on two dozen Chinese state-owned companies and executives it said were involved in the construction of artificial islands in the Paracel and Spratly island chains. The new visa restrictions target officials and executives responsible for, or complicit in, either the large-scale reclamation, construction, or militarization of disputed outposts in the South China Sea, or the PRCs use of coercion against Southeast Asian claimants to inhibit their access to offshore resources in the South China Sea, Thursdays statement said, adding that immediate family members may also face the restrictions. PRC stands for the Peoples Republic of China. In addition, the Department of Commerce added the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) to its Entity List, which restricts exports to businesses abroad due to their activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States, effectively killing any ability for American businesses to trade or interact with them. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement that, CNOOC acts as a bully for the Peoples Liberation Army to intimidate Chinas neighbors. Pompeo cited CNOOCs role in operating the Hai Yang Shi You 981 movable oil rig in the South China Sea that kick-started a tense and dangerous standoff between Vietnam and China in 2014. The Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Greg Poling, senior fellow for Southeast Asia at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, noted that CNOOC had been notably absent from the South China Sea-related designations announced by the U.S. in August. But he questioned the impact it would have. These are symbolic punishments for wrongdoing that occurred 7 years ago. Theyre important for messaging, but dont address Chinas ongoing illegal behavior, he wrote on Twitter. The U.S has sanctioned Chinese companies primarily for their role in Chinas extensive dredging campaign in the South China Sea from 2014 to 2017, which saw it build massive artificial islands and military bases to strengthen its claim to disputed waters and support the activities of its military. In his statement on Thursday, Pompeo said: Beijing continues to send fishing fleets and energy survey vessels, along with military escorts, to operate in waters claimed by Southeast Asian nations and to harass claimant state oil and gas development in areas where it has failed to put forth a coherent, lawful maritime claim. Six Asian governments have territorial claims or maritime boundaries in the South China Sea that overlap with Chinas claims. They are Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. While Indonesia does not regard itself as party to the South China Sea dispute, Beijing claims historic rights to parts of that sea overlapping Indonesia's exclusive economic zone. While Southeast Asian claimants have been increasingly willing to take a diplomatic stance challenging Chinas claims, they have been cautious about being caught up in the great power rivalry in their backyard. For its part, China has accused the U.S. of destabilizing the region through its military activities such as when it conducts freedom of navigation operations -- and meddling in regional affairs. In addition to differences over the South China Sea, the U.S. and China have locked horns on trade, Beijings crackdown on pro-democrats in Hong Kong, and the internment of Uyghur Muslims in Chinas far west. It emerged this week that Biden has selected Kurt Campbell, a former U.S. top diplomat for East Asia under the Obama administration, as coordinator for Indo-Pacific Affairs on the National Security Council. He will play a key role in coordinating U.S. policy toward China. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. MassageLuxe area developers, Michael, Susan, and Nicole Cavaseno are set to open 15 more spa locations in the Orlando and Jacksonville areas. The team, which currently operates three locations in Lake Mary, Winter Park, and Naples, is prepared for growth and searching for qualified franchise owners. We have world-class training in place and a model that sets franchisees up for success, says Michael, we are ready for growth. MassageLuXes President and CEO, Mark Otter, says, Florida has been a great market for us to venture into. We are excited for franchisees like the Cavasenos to show such enthusiasm about growing their businesses. We feel there are more franchisees out there like them looking for the right opportunity to achieve success. With MassageLuXe they can definitely reach their goals. The Cavasenos 15 locations will join the brands existing 19 MassageLuxe spas in Florida, making it one of the largest spa franchises in the market. The brand offers membership-based services including massages, facials, and waxing. Reserve Bank of India has formed a working group to suggest ways to efficiently regulate the booming digital lending space. The 6-member working group has been formed to study digital lending in regulated as well as unregulated financial sector to devise a regulatory framework for the same. "Digital lending has the potential to make access to financial products and services more fair, efficient and inclusive... While penetration of digital methods in the financial sector is a welcome development, the benefits and certain downside risks are often interwoven in such endeavours. A balanced approach needs to be followed so that the regulatory framework supports innovation while ensuring data security, privacy, confidentiality and consumer protection," the central bank said. ALSO READ: Parliamentary panel likely to summon Facebook officials over WhatsApp privacy concerns "Recent spurt and popularity of online lending platforms/ mobile lending apps have raised certain serious concerns which have wider systemic implications. Against this backdrop, a Working Group is being set up to study all aspects of digital lending activities in the regulated financial sector as well as by unregulated players so that an appropriate regulatory approach can be put in place," it further added. The working group will consist of four internal and two external members. The internal members include Jayant Kumar Dash, Executive Director, RBI; Ajay Kumar Choudhary, Chief General Manager-in-Charge, Department of Supervision, RBI; P Vasudevan, Chief General Manager, Department of Payment and Settlement Systems, RBI; Manoranjan Mishra, Chief General Manager, Department of Regulation, RBI. Jayant Kumar Dash has been named the Chairman of the working group, whereas Manoranjan Mishra will be the Member Secretary. The two external members are Vikram Mehta, former associate of Monexo Fintech; and Rahul Sasi, Cyber Security Expert & Founder of CloudSEK. ALSO READ: RBI slaps Rs 2 crore fine on Deutsche Bank for non-compliance As part of its terms of reference, the working group will evaluate digital lending activities and assess the penetration and standards of outsourced digital lending activities in RBI regulated entities. It will also identify risks posed by unregulated digital lending to financial stability, regulated entities and consumers. The working group will also suggest regulatory changes, if any, to promote orderly growth of digital lending, and recommend measures for expansion of specific regulatory or statutory perimeter and suggest the role of various regulatory and government agencies. The panel will recommend a robust Fair Practices Code for digital lending players, insourced or outsourced, suggest measures for enhanced consumer protection, and recommend measures for robust data governance, data privacy and data security standards for deployment of digital lending services. The working group has been asked to submit its report in three months. ALSO READ: RBI cancels licence of Vasantdada Nagari Sahakari Bank; 99% depositors to get deposits back 'Babies come when they want to come," despite the pandemic The Dong Nai Industrial Zones Authority (DIZA) in Vietnam's Dong Nai Province organized a ceremony for the handover of the investment registration certificates of three projects worth up to US$190 million earlier this week. The first investment of $100 million is the second phase of the Hansol Electronics Vietnam Ho Nai project at Ho Nai Industrial Park in the southern provinces Bien Hoa City, stretching over an area of more than five hectares, and specializing in manufacturing, processing and assembling liquid crystal display (LCD) modules and printed board assembly (PBA). The second project is the factory of Ojitex Vietnam Co. Ltd. - Long Thanh branch at Loc An Industrial Zone in Long Thanh District, covering an area of eight hectares, with a total investment of $60 million. It is expected to become the largest factory among Ojitex Groups projects in Southeast Asia. The last one is the manufacturing factory of Platel Vina Co. Ltd. located in Amata Industrial Park in Bien Hoa City, covering an area of more than 2.8 hectares, with a total investment of $30 million. Le Van Danh, deputy head of the DIZA, said that in 2020, Dong Nai exceeded its annual plan by attracting 92 new investment projects, including 66 FDI ones. The total newly granted and adjusted FDI capital was $1.27 billion, reaching 115 percent of the set target in the year. Meanwhile, domestic investment capital was VND2.87 trillion ($124 million), hitting 143 percent of the plan. Watanabe Nobuhiro, Consul General of Japan in Ho Chi Minh City, considered Dong Nai one of the provinces attracting investment from many Japanese enterprises in Vietnams southern region. As of January 10, industrial zones in the province had drawn 372 South Korean projects with a total investment of nearly $6.1 billion and 253 Japanese projects with a total registered capital of nearly $4.8 billion. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Beijing: China on Monday rejected as nonsense reports about President Xi Jinping not meeting Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Astana following the murder of two Chinese in Balochistan and said the two leaders met several times during the summit. I can tell you that during the seventeenth SCO heads of state meeting, President Xi met with Pakistan Prime Minister Sharif several times, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said but did not say whether they had a bilateral meeting. Some reports are just nonsense and unwanted. China and Pakistan enjoy an all-weather strategic partnership, he said. State-run Pakistan news agency reported on June 10 that Sharif returned from Astana last week after attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on the sidelines of which he met Presidents of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Russia. ALSO READ: Xi Jinping ignores Nawaz Sharif, skipped customary meeting with Pak President at SCO summit Conspicuously absent was a meeting with Xi. Chinese-state run media too highlighted Xis meetings with Kazakhstan counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Chinese Foreign Ministry website has photographs of Xis bilateral meetings with other SCO leaders, including Modi but not with Sharif. The summit has realised the first ever membership enlargement of the SCO. As you know India and Pakistan have got full membership, Lu said, adding that all the member countries have agreed to build on the shanghai spirit to step up the cooperation between the old and new members. He also said the summit spoke highly of the Belt Road Forum (BRF) held at Beijing in May this year which was boycotted by India over sovereignty concerns relating to USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Lu said the SCO has become an important platform and reliable support for the members to enhance mutual trust, deepen good neighbourly ties and friendship and expand political cooperation and uphold regional security and stability for the members. This summit has helped to strengthen the cohesion of SCO members, charted the course for future development and also made new proposals for SCO cooperation, he said. ALSO READ: India joins Shanghai Cooperation Organisation: PM Modis message to China, Pakistan; key points For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A popular South Korean 'artificially-intelligent' chatbot with the persona of a 20-year-old female student was taken down this week after it was accused of bigotry towards sexual minorities, the #MeToo movement and the disabled. Lee Luda, developed by Seoul-based start-up Scatter Lab to operate within Facebook Messenger, became an instant sensation for its spontaneous and natural reactions, attracting more than 750,000 users after launching late last month. Luda's AI algorithms learned from data collected from 10 billion conversations on Kakao Talk, the country's top messenger app. But the chatbot was rapidly embroiled in controversy after a spate of allegations that it had used hate speech towards minorities, eventually forcing the developer to take it offline. Lee Luda, developed by Seoul-based startup Scatter Lab to operate within Facebook Messenger, became an instant sensation for her spontaneous and natural reactions, attracting more than 750,000 users after its launch late last month In one of the captured chat shots, Luda said she 'despised' gays and lesbians. When asked about transgender people, she replied: 'You are driving me mad. Don't repeat the same question. I said I don't like them.' In another conversation, she said people behind the #MeToo movement were 'just ignorant', noting: 'I absolutely scorn it.' In her remarks about people with disabilities, Luda said she would 'rather die' than live as a handicapped person. But the chatbot was rapidly embroiled in a spate of allegations that it used hate speech towards minorities on Facebook The developer apologised over the remarks in a statement, saying they 'do not represent our values as a company'. The comments stem from the database of billions of conversations that the AI programme learned from. The company said it had tried to prevent such gaffes during a six-month trial before the launch, but without success. 'Lee Luda is an AI like a kid just learning to have a conversation. It has a long way to go before learning many things,' the company said in a statement before silencing Luda on Tuesday. 'We will educate Luda to make a judgement on what answers are appropriate and better rather than learning from chats unconditionally,' it added, without giving a timetable for her return to service. MailOnline has contacted Facebook for comment. A man who got a huge tattoo of Boris Johnson's face on his stomach says he'll never regret it because 'Bozza's a legend'. Kenny Wilding, 42, from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, got the tattoo to raise money to help his friend Megan Smith, 25, to fly to the US for a clinical trial to treat her cancer. Family friend Ms Smith was diagnosed with advanced stage four rectal cancer in January 2019 and her family are hoping to raise 150,000 to get her to take part in the American trial. The tattoo, which took two hours to complete, shows the prime minister grimacing on the construction worker's midriff with his chin resting just above the belly button. Kenny Wilding (left, his tattoo), 42, from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, got the tattoo to raise money to help his friend Megan Smith (right), 25, to fly to the US for a clinical trial to treat her cancer 'It all started when I saw Megan's GoFundMe page and saw she needed to raise money to save her life,' Mr Wilding said. 'It is her last chance of survival so I wanted to do something to help. 'It all started when I saw Megan's GoFundMe page and saw she needed to raise money to save her life,' Mr Wilding said 'I have other tattoos, including a big hunting scene on my back, and chose to get Boris tattooed on me as I thought it would raise a lot of money. 'I think Bozza is a legend and have never seen anyone with a tattoo of him.' Mr Wilding also had a tattoo done on his arm in May 2020 that says Meg's Army, as a tribute to Ms Smith's fight. He was inked by his friend Gaz Pegler at Small Circle Tattoos last November, raising 800 for the cause. The tattoo would normally have cost 200 but the money was donated by a friend. Mr Wilding said: 'It hurt - you could say I nearly wet myself. 'At first I thought I might regret my tattoo of Bozza, but everyone loves it. I will never regret doing it as it was for a special young lady.' Ms Smith was initially misdiagnosed with Crohn's disease and haemorrhoids before finally receiving the tragic news. Doctors also found she has a rare type of mutation, KRASG12V, that only occurs in 8 per cent of rectal cancer patients. The mutation is highly aggressive and makes the cancer spread faster. She has been referred to the Keck Medical Centre in Los Angeles, California, to receive treatment if the family can raise enough funds. He was inked by his friend Gaz Pegler at Small Circle Tattoos last November, raising 800 for the cause. The tattoo would normally have cost 200 but the money was donated by a friend Mr Wilding said: 'It hurt - you could say I nearly wet myself. 'At first I thought I might regret my tattoo of Bozza, but everyone loves it. I will never regret doing it as it was for a special young lady' Her sister, Terri Smith, 34, said: 'When Kenny first told us that he was having a Boris Johnson tattoo done to raise money for Megan's treatment we all laughed but thought it was a brilliant idea. 'It's so relevant with everything going on at the moment and definitely something Kenny would do as he's very humorous and loves nothing more than to make people laugh - even more so during difficult times. 'The support that everyone has shown so far has been so overwhelming but absolutely amazing. 'My sister needs all the help and support she can get to help fight this awful disease and me and my family are so grateful for everything everyone's done.' The family have raised more than 46,000 to date. The reconciliation agreement with Qatar signed by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Bahrain last week is supposed to end three years of difference between the Quartet states and Qatar said a diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity, reports Doaa El-Bey.However, he added, it remains unclear what sort of concessions, if any, Doha made to encourage Egypt and the Gulf Cooperation Council [GCC] countries to end their blockade and restore full diplomatic relations.Abdallah Al-Ashaal, a former deputy to Egypts foreign minister, said that as long as the details of the agreement are not revealed the door is open for speculation.Practically speaking, the agreement could itself contribute to another crisis between Qatar and the Quartet as long as the reasons for the original differences remain, Al-Ashaal told the media this week.Egypt and the three Gulf states had asked Qatar, among other demands, to end its support for members of the Muslim Brotherhood and close Al-Jazeera. Yet the latest statement by Qatars foreign minister indicates the demands will not be met, said the diplomat.After signing the deal, Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdul-Rahman Al-Thani, the Qatari foreign minister, told the media that Doha would not be seeking to alter its bilateral relations with any state. Bilateral relations are driven by sovereign decisions, of the country, he explained, adding that Al-Jazeera would continue to operate as before.Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri signed the cooperation agreement with Qatar at last weeks 41st GCC summit in the Saudi city of Al-Ula.Egypt aims to enhance the joint Arab position as we face massive challenges in the region, read a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry after the signing.The statement acknowledged the effort that had gone into reaching the reconciliation, and stressed that consolidating relations between brotherly Arab countries must be based on good intentions and non-interference in each others domestic affairs.Following the signing Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud said Riyadh and its allies had agreed to restore full relations with Doha, including the resumption of flights. Saudi Arabia duly reopened its airspace and land and sea borders to Qatar.Today is a full restoration of diplomatic ties. It will hopefully be a strong pillar for the future and stability of the region, he told a press conference following the GCC summit.Egypt is expected to open its airspace to Qatar only after Doha reduces its support of the Muslim Brotherhood, halts hostile Qatari media coverage and stops any interference in Egypts domestic affairs.Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Bahrain severed diplomatic ties with Qatar in 2017 after accusing Doha of supporting terrorist groups. Qatar has repeatedly denied the accusation while providing shelter to many members of the Muslim Brotherhood, listed by Egypt as a terrorist group since 2013. Hundreds of Brotherhood members fled to Qatar in the wake of president Mohamed Morsis ouster.At the time the Quartets conditions for lifting their blockade included curbing diplomatic ties and joint military cooperation with Iran, severing all ties to terrorist organisations, including the Muslim Brotherhood, closing Al-Jazeera television, ending the Turkish military presence in Qatar and joint military cooperation with Turkey, ceasing to interfere in sovereign countries internal affairs, and ending the practice of granting citizenship to wanted nationals from Saudi Arabia.Kuwait repeatedly tried to facilitate reconciliation but its efforts were hampered by Dohas refusal to discuss the Turkish military presence on its soil, its relations with Iran and its policy of offering a safe haven to members of the Muslim Brotherhood.Last month Shoukri said in an interview that Cairo wanted a reconciliation agreement that spelt out the obligations that would need to be met by all the parties in order to reinforce the principles of good neighbourliness, mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of other states.The coming weeks will show how far Doha is willing to go to meet the demands of the Quartet and prove its sincere intentions toward reconciliation, said the diplomat. *A version of this article appears in print in the 14 January, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: New Delhi, Jan 14 : Actress Renuka Shahane made her directorial debut way back in 2009, with the Marathi film Rita. Twelve years later, she starts off as a director in Hindi films with the OTT release, Tribhanga: Tedhi Medhi Crazy. Renuka says she had not envisioned it would take her so long to be back as director, and she shared that there are many factors that contributed to the delay. "It was the script that took the longest where 'Tribhanga' is concerned. I can't do too many things at one time. (When it comes to) Acting, I can do two or three roles at one time, but for me direction is a very immersive process," Renuka, who has mostly featured in Hindi and Marathi films as well as shows, told IANS. "I am also a full-time mom by choice. That balance made this process a bit long. I didn't know that after my first film, it would take me so long to direct again. But then things happened. I felt that whatever I put out, I should be happy with it on the script level first. Scripting itself took me about six years. Then I pitched it and put it across producers. It's a long process to reach the right people also. I am just keeping my fingers crossed. I hope the next one doesn't take so long," added Renuka. January 15 happens to be an important date for her. Tribhanga will release on that day and her web series, Starting Troubles, drops the same day. As much as she is excited about the audience responses to her directorial, she is also looking forward to the release of Starting Troubles, which has her playing a doctor. Talking about her character Dr Kavita Gowda on the show, she shared: "She can't be faulted. She is particular about every single thing that goes into the profession. It is a matter of life and death. The medical profession...you are not doing anything casually. You are dealing with people's lives so, she a senior who doesn't like it when students take things lightly and don't know their job. She also recognises a person who wants to do something different, who want to innovate." It is a medical comedy drama that revolves around Dr. Jagdish Chaturvedi, a person whose heart lies in the world of acting, though he ends up becoming a doctor. It is based on Dr. Chaturvedi's autobiography "Inventing Medical Devices". "I have always liked medical dramas in the West because you get what happens around the medical profession. There's a certain authenticity about it. At the same time, you are involved with the characters and whatever drama is unfolding. But in India, I feel the drama takes over, and the medical part of it somehow suffers. So where 'Starting Troubles' is concerned, that's not the case. It's by a person from the medical profession. It's basically coming from whatever life he has lived. It is such a relatable and real experience. It also has a fair share of drama and is really funny," added Renuka. Once these projects premiere, she is going to take a break. "I will take one month break after January 15th. Then I will go back to writing," said the actress, who had a busy lockdown as she spent most of her time in the post-production of "Tribhanga". Though she didn't share what will be the subject of her next directorial, it seems like she is inclined towards telling stories revolving around women. "I understand women better. I just feel that we should celebrate different kinds of women on screen, which we don't see. How many roles are written for women over 30? How many roles are written for women that are not romantic. It should be something that goes beyond romance, something that delves into their likes, dislikes, the person they are, profession they are in, that is the kind of thing I would like to see on screen and that's why I have written films on those kind of women," said the actress-filmmaker. "I don't think enough is shown in terms of range of women in our society. There are so many women in rural and urban India, of shapes, sizes, working and housewives. We should be representative of that," she signed off. Renuka's directorial Tribhanga releases on Netflix while Starting Troubles streams on BuddyBits. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Walgreens wants to be in your wallet. The Deerfield-based drugstore chain announced Wednesday it is launching its own Walgreens-branded credit cards later this year, expanding into financial services as its core business struggles during the pandemic. The Walgreens cards, which will be issued by Synchrony on the Mastercard network, will include a branded credit card offering cash rewards tied to the new myWalgreens customer loyalty program. The cards will also offer benefits at other retailers and service providers, including accelerated rewards when shopping in the health and wellness category, the company said. Walgreens also plans to roll out a pre-paid debit card. Walgreens president John Standley said in a news release the company plans to introduce more payment initiatives in the near future as it looks to create new revenue streams. The move into financial services comes amid broader changes at Walgreens Boots Alliance, which last week reported a $308 million loss in its fiscal first quarter as the drugstore giant continues to lose business during the COVID-19 pandemic. Walgreens first-quarter loss was tied to a charge for the announced sale last week of its pharmaceutical wholesale business to AmerisourceBergen. The $6.5 billion cash and stock deal is expected to close in September. Walgreens has seen a dramatic drop in store traffic and pharmacy volume, with stay-at-home orders adversely affecting retail sales at its 9,000 locations in the U.S., and thousands more worldwide. The company said last week it expects to see higher adverse impacts from the resurgence of COVID-19 in the second quarter, including a weaker cold and flu season due in part to ongoing social distancing measures. Store traffic may pick up in the months ahead as Walgreens and rival CVS Health are expected to play a major role in administering COVID-19 vaccines as they become more widely available. Walgreens will receive an allotment of vaccines from the state, which we will make available by appointment in select locations to the eligible populations, Walgreens spokesman Phil Caruso said Wednesday. Beyond the expansion into credit cards, Walgreens has been evolving its business model by offering more options for customers to pick up or receive their purchases. It has also sought to boost store traffic by shifting its retail focus to emphasize its beauty products. In July, Walgreens announced CEO Stefano Pessina would step down after five years at the helm of the drugstore chain. The search for his successor is ongoing, the company said Wednesday. An Italian-born billionaire, Pessina was named CEO in 2015 after Walgreens completed its acquisition of Alliance Boots, a Switzerland-based pharmacy retailer. Pessina had been executive chairman of Alliance Boots. -- Robert Channick of the Chicago Tribune wrote this story. 2021 Chicago Tribune. Visit at chicagotribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Tu Jinge (L) talks with a craftsman about technological process of making porcelain leaf cups. [Courtesy of Tu Jinge] Tu Jinge and Yu Huihui, graduates from Nankai University in China, have dedicated themselves to revitalizing traditional techniques in making porcelain leaf cup, a traditional craft originated in Ji'an, east China's Jiangxi Province. As an unique invention of Jizhou Kiln, a famous porcelain kiln in ancient China, the porcelain leaf cup making techniques featuring the integration of a whole tree leaf into porcelain ware, have a history of over 1,200 years and have been included into China's national list for intangible cultural heritage. Tu first met porcelain leaf cups in 2016, when she was a postgraduate student of the College of Tourism and Service Management of Nankai University. She was deeply impressed by the craft, thinking that it was indescribably wonderful that after being burned in the kiln, natural leaves emerged unscathed and integrated into the porcelains. The post-90s postgraduate student then became enchanted by the intangible cultural heritage. In the same year, Tu and her friend Yu Huihui took a trip to the ruins of the ancient Jizhou Kiln located in Yonghe Township, Ji'an County, Ji'an City of Jiangxi Province, trying to learn more about the techniques behind the special leaf cups. During the trip, they came across Wen Qiu, a post-80s craftsman engaging in making porcelain leaf cups, and learned that the craft was facing gloomy development prospects due to unstable output and quality, as well as a lack of marketing channels. Such marvelous works of art and exquisite craftsmanship deserve to be seen by more people, thought Tu, who decided to make efforts and help promote the intangible cultural heritage. The main reason why intangible cultural heritage seems far away for ordinary people is that the design of relevant products doesn't suit the market, they thought. "We hope to innovate designs and then sell the products through e-commerce platforms," Yu said. They encouraged Wen, who is skilled at developing colors of glaze, to create new types of glaze and helped him select pigments for the new glaze. Finally, they decided on an ultramarine glaze. Developed from natural lapis lazuli, the glaze is safe and environment-friendly, and will never fade. Tu Jinge promotes porcelain leaf cups via livestreaming. [Courtesy of Tu Jinge] To promote porcelain leaf cups made with the new glaze, they helped make the copy for advertisement and learned photography to better present the products in photos. One week after the new leaf cup was launched on an e-commerce platform, the sales volume of the product reached 200,000, bringing Wen an income of more than what he earned in the previous three years, while attracting more craftsmen who came to seek cooperation. Innovation has been a never-ending topic for Tu and Yu in reviving the traditional techniques. They discovered that some locals use leaves from bodhi trees to make leaf cups, which they believed to be of more artistic value compared with mulberry leaves, main materials for craftsmen for over a thousand years. Their idea of making porcelain leaf cups with leaves of bodhi trees aroused concerns among craftsmen in their team. Leaves of bodhi trees are thicker than mulberry leaves, which makes the porcelain firing more difficult than it already is, according to craftsmen, who told Yu and Tu that the township where their workshop is located doesn't grow bodhi trees. However, Tu and Yu didn't give up. They went to collect leaves of bodhi trees from various areas, and finally concluded from observation that the leaves from Zhangzhou, southeast China's Fujian Province, are their best choice for making leaf cups. When encountering technical problems in firing porcelains, they sought help from experts of Nankai University. After several months' experiment, they eventually succeeded in making leaf cups with the leaves of bodhi trees. To facilitate the sales of their products, Tu started to host live-streaming shows. "Although we may not have many viewers sometimes, we still promote our products passionately in front of the camera as we have faith in leaf cups," Tu noted. Once a customer bought over 100 leaf cups after learning about the product via a live-streaming show hosted by Tu, she recalled. The elaborately-decorated leaf cups have conveyed the splendid tea culture and art of China. "By encouraging local craftsmen to exhibit their products at cultural activities, we hope to build a stronger and more famous brand for the special ware from Jizhou Kiln," Yu pointed out. In 2019, when Nankai University celebrated its centenary, Tu and Yu designed a special leaf cup featuring ginkgo leaf from the university, thus opening up the market for customized designs. Photo shows a porcelain leaf cup. [Courtesy of Tu Jinge] In the past three years, they have hosted over 800 live-streaming shows and sold porcelain leaf cups worth over 3.5 million yuan ($540,000). Together with 18 inheritors of the craft, they have engaged in innovation and increased the number of the types of leaves used in the product from one to eight, and the colors of glaze from one to 16. Meanwhile, they have developed 27 shapes and over 1,000 different designs for leaf cups. After their graduation in 2019, Tu and Yu continued to promote the intangible cultural heritage. Last year, they participated in the 6th China International College Students' "Internet+" Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition and won a silver award in the final of the competition. Intangible cultural heritage enjoys a huge market and infinite possibilities, Tu said. (Source: People's Daily) BRIDGEPORT The director of a national criminal justice reform organization has been charged with allegedly interfering with Waterbury police during a potential home invasion investigation and violating probation on a larceny conviction in Trumbull. Louis Reed, who once served as director of Mayor Joe Ganims second chance initiative until his arrest in 2016, was charged with interfering with police and violation of probation. Reed, of Columbus Avenue, Stratford, turned himself in to Stratford police last month after being informed there was a warrant for his arrest. He was released after posting $500 bond pending arraignment in Superior Court on April 20. Reed is the national organizing director for #Cut 50, a criminal justice reform program that successfully lobbied to get President Donald Trump to sign First Step, the federal inmate release program. He has been interviewed in national media and photographed with Kim Kardashian West. Any comment that I have has been covered by other reporters who have more sensitivity to the issues that are reported regarding people impacted by the criminal legal system and/or communicated to the public myself, he stated in an email to Hearst Connecticut Media. In October 2018, Reed pleaded guilty to two counts of third-degree larceny and was later sentenced to a five-year suspended term and three years of probation. According to the recent arrest warrant affidavit, on Oct. 15, 2020, Waterbury police responded to a home there on a complaint of a possible home invasion. The caller stated that two masked men had entered the residence. When police went to the home, they were confronted at the door by a man later identified as Reed who told them there was no problem there and refused to let officers enter the residence, the affidavit states. Reed then allegedly began yelling in the face of one of the officers, the affidavit states. He was charged with interfering with police. The affidavit states that a tenant of the home later told police that there had been no home invasion. He said Reed was the landlord and had entered the home with another man, both wearing masks because of the pandemic, to fix the dishwasher. But on the basis of the arrest and his alleged actions with police, Reeds probation was violated, the affidavit states. Reed previously served a 13-year federal prison sentence on a number of charges including shooting a 5-year-old boy. Reed, in a prior interview, claimed he got his $57,000 a year job with the city after meeting mayor then inmate Joseph Ganim on a prison bus. NEW DELHI: Bhupinder Singh Mann, one of four experts nominated by the Supreme Court for negotiations with farmers protesting against the farm laws, withdraw his name from the panel on Thursday. The apex court had on Tuesday named four agriculturists to the panel: Ashok Gulati, agricultural economist; Bhupinder Singh Mann, President, Bhartiya Kisan Union-Mann; Anil Ghanwat, President, Shetkari Sangathan; and Pramod Kumar Joshi, International Food Policy Research Institute. Mann quit the panel saying he wanted to remain impartial and due to public sentiment in connection with the farmers ongoing protest. Recusing himself from the Farm Laws Committee constituted by the Supreme Court, Mann said, "While I am thankful to Hon'ble Supreme Court of India for nominating me in the 4 member committee to start a dialogue with Kisan Unions on the three laws brought in by the Central Government. As a farmer myself and a Union leader, in view of the prevailing sentiments and apprehensions amongst the farm unions and the public in general, I am ready to sacrifice any position offered or given to me so as to not compromise the interests of Punjab and farmers of the country, I am recusing myself from the Committee and I will always stand with my farmers and Punjab." The Supreme Court had on Tuesday also stayed the implementation of the three controversial farm laws besides forming a four-member committee to take over negotiations with the farmers on the impact of these laws. On Monday, the top court had indicated that it may appoint a retired Chief Justice on the committee and asked the parties involved in the matter to suggest few names. Chief Justice SA Bobde disclosed that he had asked former Chief Justice P Sathasivam but he was reluctant since he doesn`t understand Hindi. Former Chief Justice R M Lodha`s name was also suggested during the hearing. However, on Tuesday, the Chief Justice named four agriculturists to the panel: Ashok Gulati, agricultural economist; Bhupinder Singh Mann, President, Bhartiya Kisan Uniom-Mann; Anil Ghanwat, President, Shetkari Sangathan; and Pramod Kumar Joshi, International Food Policy Research Institute. None of these members was part of the hearing on farm laws in the apex court, especially in the past two days, when a bench headed by the Chief Justice made several critical observations against the government on these laws. The bench also cited that the government had failed to develop a consensus before passing the laws. The top court noted that the negotiations between the farmers` bodies and the government have not yielded any result so far, therefore a committee of experts in the field of agriculture to negotiate between the farmers` bodies and the government may create a congenial atmosphere and improve the trust and confidence of the farmers. But there seems to be a roadblock. It has been widely reported that members of the committee favour the farm laws. Against this backdrop, the farmers` unions have said that this committee is not a solution. For instance, Gulati, for instance, has put his weight behind the farm laws and compared them to the 1991 economic reforms. Mann, who heads his own faction of BKU, has also come out in support of farm laws. In December, he had met Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and expressed his support for the new farm laws. Ghanwat, who heads the Maharashtra based Shetkari Sanghatana, has spoken against the demand for repealing the farm laws. He had also told the media that the APMC and MSP systems will continue, therefore there is no reason for agitation. Joshi had written an article in a leading financial daily, where he had said it is unfortunate that farmers are changing the goalposts before every negotiation. The Supreme Court has tasked the committee to hear the government as well as the representatives of the farmers` bodies, and other stakeholders, and submit a report to the court containing its recommendations. "This shall be done within two months from the date of its first sitting. The first sitting shall be held within ten days from today," said the top court in its order. Live TV Greg Larsen tells a familiar story of life as a comedian during 2020. He had a show ready to debut at the Melbourne Comedy Festival when covid cancelled the festival. But rather than scramble to move his work online, Larsen had been podcasting for some time, and had built a loyal audience. I was doing a one man play. And it was probably the most ambitious show I've ever done. And I spent a lot of work on it, a lot of time on it, and then it was cancelled. Okay. Comedian Greg Larsen says the country's arts and entertainment industries are dying. Credit:ABC Comedy Before I had a chance to offer condolences, Larsen was quick to point out people working on a check out counter or in a distribution centre have had a worse year than he has. Im in two minds about it, to be honest, because on the one hand, there's been a lot of shit stuff that's happened and a lot of work that's been lost. But on the other hand, it's actually been quite good for someone like me, who makes podcasts, to do that more. Posted Thursday, January 14, 2021 4:20 am Clark College in Vancouver is set to honor the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. on Wednesday, Jan. 20 with an online event celebrating Black leadership and creativity. The event will be hosted live on Zoom from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. and will be free and open to all. According to a news release from the college, the event will feature guest speaker Professor and Chair-Elect of the Ethenic Studies Department at the University of California, San Diego Andrew Jolivette. His topic will be Black Lives, Black Leadership: From Mattering to Thriving. The event will also include the singing of the Black National Anthem by GodSisterz as well as artwork from local artists Manny Dempsey and Hobbs Waters. For more information about this event, including a link to the Zoom meeting, visit clark.edu/cc/mlk. California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development opening office in Yerevan US Department of State issues statement on detention of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces Armenia 1st President says Aliyev is certain that Pashinyan won't win elections and is trying to get all that he can UN calls for $ 95 million in aid to Palestinians Twitter is concerned about safety of its employees in India Artsakh hero: Impotent and perhaps also treacherous authorities of Armenia need to be removed from power immediately France MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to show maximum restraint Azerbaijani attacks Russia citizen of Armenian descent in Moscow Armenia acting MOD provides President with information about capture of Armenian servicemen Lithuania MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to go to de-escalation of situation and pull out troops Russian Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia acting FM resigns Acting Deputy FM: Armenia reserves itself the right to take necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity China speaks on dark history of US intelligence in connection with Biden's order Netanyahu slams hypocritical and deceitful moralizing statements of French FM Turkish authorities issues new arrest warrant for mafia after his scandalous revelations of Erdogan's entourage EU-Armenia Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security holds 11th Meeting Armenia acting PM deletes statement on Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers "being intertwined" from Facebook post 6 Armenian soldiers captured: situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border is tense, May 27 digest Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff deputy chief explains difficulties with settlement of border with Azerbaijan UN: Israeli forces may have committed war crimes during 11-day war with Hamas Nikol Pashinyan presents plan for resolving border situation Dollar gains value in Armenia Opposition party leader: Armenia Security Council to convene session with heads of parliamentary factions this evening His Holiness Karekin II receives newly appointed UK Ambassador to Armenia Greece and Turkey FMs to meet in Athens Armenia acting PM says he will present plan for peaceful solution to border situation very soon Armenia Parliament Speaker sends letters to counterparts of partnering legislatures Zarif: Iran welcomes willingness of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tension Armenia acting Deputy MOD on news about soldiers being ordered to not open fire ANCA calls on US Congress to block financing of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Armenia to allocate lands in Syunik Province to Russian border guards Armenia Armed Forces General Staff deputy chief: We can destroy all Azerbaijani soldiers who invaded territory Armenian advocates file lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan Army general staff deputy chief: About 1,000 Azerbaijan soldiers are illegally in Armenia Army general staff: Armed forces can capture Azerbaijani soldiers who marched into Armenia Armenia legislature approves several amendments to laws Armenian opposition MP: Villages mentioned by ruling bloc's deputy are Armenia's buffer zone Armenia Gegharkunik Province villager to acting PM: Over 50% of our pastures are now under Azerbaijan control Armenia Kotayk Province has new governor Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US ambassador, discusses border situation NEWS.AM BREAKING: 6 Armenian soldiers are captured by Azerbaijan military in early morning European Council head says process of implementing sanctions against Belarus is launched Armenia acting MOD leaves for Moscow Armenia President, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces discuss current situation on border Armenia acting PM to residents of borderline village: If we cede our border, Azerbaijanis will get more excited Armenia MOD not confirming reports about Azerbaijan firing shots at Tavush Province Ex-President Kocharyan meets with Yerevan residents, "Armenia" bloc members (PHOTOS) Armenia petitions to European Court to ensure fundamental human rights of 6 soldiers captured by Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier: We need to unite in this situation Serj Tankian makes statement on Azerbaijans displayed horrific racism Man detained in US for intending to commit attempt on Biden Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD continues disseminating disinformation Erdogan to visit Baku and Shushi Two Armenia legislature committees to hold closed joint meeting regarding tense situation on Azerbaijan border Holy Etchmiadzin on capture of Armenia soldiers: Such behavior of Azerbaijan authorities is strongly condemnable Gegharkunik Province village border area situation very tense, says Armenia enlarged community leader Armenia opposition MP: Shots are heard Gegharkunik Province Armenian National Congress party electoral list is announced Armenia MFA: Azerbaijan leadership bears responsibility for consequences of actions by its armed forces Opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament demands convening Security Council special session 140 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Acting premier: Our servicemen were abducted from Armenia territory Armenia MOD announces names of 6 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan military early morning Armenia parliament majority leader to CSTO: Our international partners do not call it like it is Armenia parliament manages to have quorum in 2nd attempt World oil prices falling Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan popularity rating consistently drops over the past week Newspaper: Russia peacekeepers commander does not return from Azerbaijan with encouraging news for Armenia MOD: 6 Armenia soldiers are surrounded, captured by Azerbaijan military early morning William Shakespeare, 1st man in world to get approved coronavirus vaccine, dies aged 81 Spain Congress of Deputies committee accepts pro-Armenian motion Ex-PM comments on double-digit growth in Armenia economy Facebook calls Russia, Iran leading purveyors of disinformation Erdogan says meeting with Biden will mark 'start of new era' in relations with Washington Armenia acting Deputy PM on creation of third high-voltage electric communication line with Iran Vladimir Zaynetdinov: CSTO has taken note of application submitted by Armenia acting PM Armenia's Pashinyan says addressing UN Security Council not ruled out Armenia acting FM: International pressure on Azerbaijan is growing Netanyahu tells Blinken that Israel is against reopening US consulate for Palestinians 23 political parties and 4 alliances apply to Armenia Central Electoral Commission ahead of snap parliamentary elections Instagram launches ability to hide likes Iran FM on solutions to problems in the region, territorial integrity Bloomberg: Support for Erdogan's ruling party hits record low Inter-agency commission sums up reports on implementation of roadmap for EU-Armenia CEPA Armenian acting PM on CSTO and Russia and their duties as Armenia's allies Slovakia allows use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V Armenia acting PM on situation in Syunik Province: CSTO still hasn't clearly expressed its position Armenia's Pashinyan: It's very rarely that Baku made provocations in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces on its own Armenia acting PM: There will be no demarcation of borders until Azerbaijani troops are pulled out of territory Record-setting number of political parties register to run in snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Blinken describes Egypt as a "real and effective partner" Armenia's Pashinyan slams opposition again Yerevan court ends trial over Armenia 3rd President's nephew Hayk Sargsyan Armenia President expresses condolences on passing away of Catholicos-Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan Armenia President hosts Iran FM-led delegation Armenia acting PM doesn't see need to declare martial law in the country Iran to send delegation of intellectual companies to Armenia EU demands to fine AstraZeneca for not fulfilling contract Zakharova: Russia is closely participating in settling Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Killian Court and Great Dome in Cambridge, Mass., on April 14, 2017. MIT launched its venture capital fund, The Engine in 2016 and invested $25 million as a limited partner. (andymw91/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0) MIT Professor Accused by US of Hiding Extensive Ties to Chinese Regime A professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been accused of failing to disclose his work for groups connected to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) while he was accepting grant money from U.S. agencies, the Justice Department said on Jan. 14. Gang Chen, 56, was charged in a criminal complaint with making false statements on a tax return, committing wire fraud, and failing to file a foreign bank account report, the DOJ said in a statement. Chen, a naturalized U.S. citizen from China, serves as the head of the MIT Pappalardo Micro/Nano Engineering Laboratory and director of the Solid-State Solar Thermal Energy Conversion Center. Since about 2013, Chen has been funded by more than $19 million in U.S. agency grants, according to the statement. Since 2012, Chen has allegedly held various appointments with the [CCP] designed to promote Chinas technological and scientific development by providing advice and expertise and sometimes directly to CCP officials often in exchange for financial compensation. That included acting as an expert for the communist regime at the request of the Chinese Consulate in New York. He also served on at least two talent programs operated by China, the DOJ said. Since 2013, Chen allegedly received approximately $29 million of foreign funding, including $19 million from the Southern University of Science and Technology, according to the DOJ. According to the DOJ, Chen detailed the CCPs scientific and economic development strategy in an email that he sent to himself on his MIT account. The email, in part, read that he should promote chinese collaboration [sic]; China places innovation (scientific) as key and core not fashion [sic], but because we must do it, from historic trend as well from our stage; our economy is no. 2, but from technology (structure of economy) and human resources, we are far from no. 2; we are paying big price in environment, not sustainable, as well as from labor cost; and other items. The email also read that importance should be placed on environment protection and development in same place, environment even higher, clean energy if higher cost, reduce steel, cement. We must count on technology, cannot grow as past. It also read that communist 18th convention, scientific innovation [should be] placed at core. We realize not just independent innovation; but also internationalize to plan for and facilitate. Closed door innovation does not work; innovation as driving force. Andrew Lelling, U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts, noted that its not a problem for researchers to collaborate with foreign nationals and entities. The problem is not the collaboration itself, he said. The problem is lying about it. Officials further alleged Chen became a recruiter and helped Chinese programs to identify academics who could help in their efforts to advance the CCPs technology and science programs. Prosecutors added that Chen allegedly tried to hide some of his ties with CCP entities. Chen also allegedly failed to disclose to the IRS in his 2018 tax return that he maintained a bank account in the PRC with more than $10,000 in 2018, the DOJ wrote. In a statement on Jan. 14, MIT said it is deeply distressed about Chens arrest, adding, Prof. Chen is a long-serving and highly respected member of the research community, which makes the governments allegations against him all the more distressing. As of Dec. 31, 2020, MIT reported receiving more than $125 million in gifts and contracts from China, more than any other university in the United States, according to the Department of Education. It isnt known whether Chen has a lawyer. In December, a professor pleaded guilty to charges that he lied to federal agents after he allegedly used his position as a researcher for the University of TexasArlington to steal technology and intellectual property for Chinese telecom giant Huawei. Another professor, Franklin Tao, who worked for the University of Kansas, was accused in 2019 of defrauding the university and U.S. government officials with regard to his research. Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to this report. EBRD delivers record investment in response to coronavirus pandemic Emergency measures to address economic impact of crisis Building back better economies is challenge ahead The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) responded to the coronavirus pandemic with record investment of 11 billion in 2020 through 411 projects, addressing the urgent needs of the 38 economies where it invests. This represents a 10 per cent increase in annual business investment relative to 2019, when the Bank provided 10.1 billion to finance 452 projects. EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso said: The Bank put in an impressive performance and delivered on its promise to help our countries and clients deal with the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our investments were sharply higher than the year before and we also provided policy support to help the private sector through the crisis. The EBRD was the first international financial institution to adopt emergency measures to address the economic impact of the pandemic in March last year. It focused on supporting existing clients with the provision of short-term liquidity and working capital to protect viable companies and safeguard progress towards sustainable, fair and open market economies in its countries of operations. Keeping vital trade flows going, the EBRD supported a new record of 2,090 trade finance transactions worth 3.3 billion under its Trade Facilitation Programme, involving 90 issuing and 140 confirming banks across 40 countries worldwide. Examples of transactions include the import of medicines from Spain, Turkey and Switzerland into Lebanon, Georgia and Jordan, or the export of solar power technologies from Greece to Spain and the United Kingdom. In addition to its own funds, the EBRD also directly mobilised 1.2 billion from co-investors at a time when the global economy was suffering its most severe slump since the Great Depression of the 1930s. The Bank continued to concentrate its support on the private sector, which accounted for 72 per cent of total EBRD investment last year. Due to the urgency of addressing the Covid-19 crisis, in 2020 the share of green investment fell to 29 per cent after 46 per cent in 2019. However, in October the Bank reaffirmed its commitment in this area with the adoption of a new five-year Strategic and Capital Framework, which aims to make the EBRD a majority green bank by 2025. The Bank continued to promote economic resilience by supporting the development of local currency and capital markets. Following a significant decline in the early days of the crisis, activity rebounded to reach a total of 113 projects. The development of the euro-US dollar exchange impacted the Banks reported investments levels, in particular in countries where it has substantial operations in US dollars. At a glance: EBRD annual results, 2020 and 2019, by region 2020 2019 Annual Bank Investment (ABI) ( billion) 11.0 10.09 Number of projects 411 452 ABI by region ( billion) Central Asia 1.15 1.38 Central Europe and the Baltic states 1.41 1.47 Cyprus and Greece 0.93 0.64 Eastern Europe and the Caucasus 1.93 2.06 South-eastern Europe 1.76 1.71 Southern and eastern Mediterranean 2.13 1.85 Turkey 1.68 1.00 Addressing urgent needs The EBRD stepped up its investment to address immediate needs and to create the foundations for recovery, with a focus on building back better economies in the future. As the pandemic is exacerbating inequalities, especially for women, young people and other groups, the Bank reinforced its efforts with regard to gender and economic inclusion. This work resulted in a 24 per cent increase in inclusion projects, with a total investment volume of 4 billion, and a record number of gender activities. In central and eastern Europe, Warsaw joined the Banks flagship Green Cities urban sustainability programme and, as a first project, received a joint 87.2 million-equivalent loan from the EBRD and ING for the acquisition of new metro trains. The Bank also intensified its engagement in green energy with five major new renewables projects in carbon-intensive Poland. The Green Cities programme continued to grow rapidly and reached 44 municipalities across the EBRD regions by the end of the year. Responding to high levels of demand, the Banks Board of Directors approved a doubling of financing so that the programme now commands more than 2 billion of funding. Facilitating the transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy, the Bank launched a Just Transition Initiative to ensure that those communities, sectors and workers who stand to lose economically as a result of policies associated with decarbonising economies are protected through new alternatives. One of the first projects under this approach was a 75 million bond investment by the EBRD in support of a new solar photovoltaic plant in a coal-dependent region of Greece, the largest solar energy project in south-eastern Europe to date. The programme in renewables led to the launch of new auctions for solar and wind in Albania and wind in Uzbekistan. The EBRD regions In the Western Balkans, the EBRD further increased its support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the private sector with the provision of 729 million in loans to commercial banks for on-lending to local businesses for investments that will support the recovery and strengthen their competitiveness. This includes a new Guarantee for Growth mechanism introduced in Albania, providing Raiffeisen Bank Albania with an unfunded guarantee of up to 100 million in local currency equivalent linked to the banks local-currency sovereign bond portfolio and freeing it to increase its lending to the local economy. The EBRD also continued to support regional connectivity and vital infrastructure, for instance with a 30 million loan to Kosovo to ensure the continuation of vital services and a 50 million senior loan to EPCG to support the stability of energy provision in Montenegro. In Serbia, the Bank provided a 85 million loan to finance the construction of a new section of the Peace Highway connecting the country with Kosovo and financed the creation of a fibre broadband network in rural areas with donor support. Stepping up their support, in 2020 the EBRD and donors to the Western Balkans Investment Framework approved an additional 77.6 million in investment grants and technical cooperation for projects and this will be supported by a further 204 million in EBRD finance. The EU, the largest EBRD donor, also provided a 50 million guarantee for renewables investments in eastern Europe (Neighbourhood East) and North Africa (Neighbourhood South). In Ukraine, the EBRD combined investment with policy engagement with a 450 million loan to the state road agency Ukravtodor, supporting the government in the development of national road infrastructure and the fight against corruption. The Banks public-private partnership (PPP) advisory activities produced notable results in 2020. The Banks Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility advisory led to the commercial close of two port PPPs at Olvia and Kherson in Ukraine as well as the commercial close for Sofia Airport. The EBRDs priority in Turkey during 2020 was the provision of vital support to the real economy through engagement with local partner banks. The Bank channelled a record 893 million to Turkish banks to support thousands of businesses across the country, providing the private sector with much-needed funds. In the power sector, while providing vital infrastructure support in local currency to the Enerjisa electricity distribution company, the EBRD continued financing renewables with a 30 million loan to the Kiyikoy wind farm. In the Caucasus, the Bank financed over US$ 400 million worth of investments in the energy sector, including the first renewable project Masrik Solar in Armenia and financing the transmission grid and critical energy infrastructure in Georgia. In Central Asia, the largest infrastructure project in Kazakhstan outside the oil and gas sector, the Almaty ring road, reached financial close. The EBRD arranged a US$ 585 million syndicated loan in support of the largest public-private partnership in the region to date. In Uzbekistan, the Bank financed a 100 MW solar photovoltaic plant in the Navoi region, one of the first privately owned renewable energy projects in the country, with an equity bridge loan of up to US$ 60 million. The coronavirus pandemic also hit the EBRDs southern and eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) region hard. The Bank stepped up its financing in Egypt with the provision of 784 million in liquidity lines to local banks for on-lending to businesses. In Morocco, Bank of Africa - BMCE Group became the first recipient under the Banks Resilience Framework in April, with a 145 million financing facility. The Bank also provided 150 million to support better water resource management and water conservation in the agricultural regions of Saiss and Garet. Policy engagement Complementing its investments, the EBRD boosted policy engagement in 2020. Together with multilateral and private-sector partners, the Bank stepped up the activities of the Vienna Initiative, a platform for key private and public stakeholders in the financial sector of central and south-eastern Europe. The EBRD supported the governments of Albania and North Macedonia in creating the foundations for viable projects in renewables and joined forces with the World Bank in the launch of a Platform Initiative in Support of Coal Regions in Transition in the Western Balkans and Ukraine. In November, the EBRD Board of Directors approved the establishment of the International Chernobyl Cooperation Account at the request of Ukraine. The purpose of the new donor fund is to address remaining challenges at Chernobyl and to sustain the achievements accomplished through the Chernobyl Shelter Fund (New Safe Confinement) and the Nuclear Safety Account (Interim Spent Fuel Storage Facility, Liquid Radwaste Treatment Plant). Despite obstacles caused by the pandemic, the Environmental Remediation Account for Central Asia was able to launch projects in 2020 to remediate two sites in the Kyrgyz Republic, Shekaftar and Min-Kush. The coronavirus pandemic also accelerated the shift towards a more digital world and triggered changes in the way that the EBRD provides support to SMEs. The Bank made a rapid adjustment to deliver services aimed at the development of skills for small business owners, employees and consultants, using digital infrastructure. More than 15,000 business professionals in countries where the EBRD invests participated in training and business mentoring sessions that the Bank delivered online in 2020. Donor funding has been crucial for this digital transition. Press release Arabic version Press release French version Press release Russian version Closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High 'impacts our entire town' The Washington County Board of Education held a public hearing on the closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High School; the crowd pleaded against it. In response to the states failure make to make a Jan. 1 deadline to provide a process for undocumented residents to obtain drivers licenses, a group of protestors rallied in Trenton Wednesday asking Gov. Phil Murphy immediately find a way to implement the law. Dozens of community members, joined by immigrant advocacy groups such as the Cosecha Movement, Lets Drive NJ and Wind of the Spirit, gathered in front of the Trenton Motor Vehicle Commission before heading to the War Memorial, where Murphy holds his coronavirus press briefings. We dont just need it -- we deserve whats rightfully ours, Alberto Yandete said in Spanish. Ive been organizing with New Labor for 10 years fighting for drivers licenses, and its not fair because weve been through the rain, storms, snow, heat, without our licenses. State Motor Vehicle Commission officials announced in late December that they would miss the Jan. 1 deadline to implement licensing for people without legal immigration status due to the coronavirus pandemic. A special meeting is set to discuss the proposed regulations Friday. Murphy signed legislation in Dec. 2019 allowing undocumented immigrants and other residents who may not have access to legal documents to obtain a standard drivers license. The law gave the agency one year to create a process and create a marketing campaign to spread the word. But due to employees regularly testing positive for COVID-19, the MVC has had to regularly close of agencies across the state as many as 16 agencies were closed last month. And officials say theyre still catching up on the backlog from when they were closed for four months last spring. MVC got clobbered, knocked sideways, by the pandemic. I dont have any update on timing, Murphy said, suggesting that it could happen by this spring. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage MVC chief Sue Fulton previously said the necessary hands-on training about documents is difficult to conduct amid coronavirus restrictions, and employee training would affect daily operations. Yet undocumented immigrants who have been calling for the state to pass the drivers license law for nearly two decades were counting on licenses at the start of this year. Roughly 70 people gathered in front of the MVC offices on State Street in Trenton, stepping up to the microphone to share their stories of hurt during the pandemic and expectations that were let down. We suffering more than many communities, in the middle of a pandemic, because they also dont give us financial relief, Yandete said, and no proper documentation to drive ourselves. We are not even asking for the famous $600 (stimulus check), we are asking that they give us our licenses because were still going out to work, while the bureaucrats get to work from their homes, he continued. While many white-collar workers have been able to work remotely while the pandemic ravages the state, many undocumented workers are essential employees who have had to continue to work outside the home. And undocumented residents are not eligible for unemployment benefits or stimulus checks. Banging drums and chanting for justice, they marched to the Statehouse. Police directed them off the steps of the building before Murphy arrived for his coronavirus press briefing. I dont blame them for being frustrated, Im frustrated too... but unfortunately this is the fallout due to Covid, said Murphy, who has advocated for undocumented immigrants during his first term as governor but admitted the state does not have the money for an immigration fund. Amy Torres, Executive Director at the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice, stressed that the states slowness to enact the law has also welcomed a breeding ground for scams and bad actors. The MVCs lack of transparency with the public has led to the spread of misinformation and instances of deceptive schemes to defraud residents who need a drivers license, Torres said, calling on Murphy to continue the momentum and direct the MVC to adopt timely, responsible regulations and issue timelines for implementation and public education. And the agency began proposing some rules in Aug. 2020 still claiming they would make the end-of-year deadline including one that would require residents without a Social Security number to provide their Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, which is a tax processing numbers issued by the IRS, or a letter from the Social Security Administration stating ineligibility. That became a point of contention for immigration groups who said the expensive and onerous process would undermine the laws goal to create equal access to drivers licenses by deterring residents who would have to contact a federal agency. Dozens of people rally on Wednesday in front of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Agency to ask it to begin implementing the law allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain drivers licenses.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com The MVCs proposed agenda for Friday includes amendments to the licensing regulations. The law also makes obtaining licenses easier for senior citizens, formerly incarcerated residents, transgender people whose documents may not match their given gender identity, domestic violence survivors, homeless people, veterans and low-income residents who cannot afford to recover documents. New Jersey will be the 14th state to provide drivers licenses to undocumented immigrants, joining states such as New York, New Mexico, and Washington. The NJ Politics Newsletter: Nobody knows Jersey politics like NJ.com. Add your email now and dont miss a story. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor MONCKS CORNER A Truist Foundation grant will help Trident Technical College offer driver training for commercial vehicles starting this fall and kick off a major renovation of its Berkeley County campus for a center supporting South Carolina's $37.2 billion transportation and logistics industry. The $1 million gift from Truist Bank's philanthropic arm, announced Thursday, will be added to $1 million from the county and a $100,000 private donation to begin a commercial driver's license program, the first of its kind for Trident Tech. Eventually, the college hopes to raise $32 million to renovate the Moncks Corner campus to provide an array of training for maritime, logistics and manufacturing jobs. The logistics and transportation center will be in an area that housed programs that Trident has moved to its new S.C. Aeronautical Training Center off Rivers Avenue in North Charleston. Mark Lattanzio, market president for Charlotte-based Truist, which owns the BB&T and SunTrust banking franchises, said the transportation and logistics center will be "a transformational initiative in the Lowcountry." "Creating the training needed to fill these high-paying jobs will greatly benefit the entire distribution ecosystem and build career pathways to economic mobility among racially and ethnically diverse communities, including people who have lost jobs and do not otherwise have a platform to enter the logistics workforce," Lattanzio said in a written statement. "This training center will benefit regional economic development, stability of critical infrastructure and supply chain resiliency." A recent study by the S.C. Council on Competitiveness shows employment in businesses that help move freight increased to 139,650 workers statewide in 2020 nearly 25,800 more than when the last study was conducted in 2017, for a 7 percent annual growth rate. Those jobs, with benefits, average nearly $49,000 in annual compensation. Among the jobs the new training center will target include warehouse and distribution centers, air freight providers, manufacturing plants and those supporting the Port of Charleston. Sign up for our new business newsletter We're starting a weekly newsletter about the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina. Get ahead with us - it's free. Email Sign Up! "The high-tech workforce training facility will serve apprentices and adults seeking new skills and job opportunities, as well as high school graduates and others who are interested in rapid access to employment," said Mary Thornley, Trident Tech's president. The CDL training also aims to close the gap between a shortage of long-haul truckers and a growing demand. The Commercial Vehicle Training Association estimates the nation lost 200,000 drivers in 2020 due to the pandemic, licensing delays, closures of private training schools and the retirements. "Every sector of the economy is so dependent on a high-performing supply chain, that any shortage of drivers slows everything down," said Rick Todd, president and CEO of the South Carolina Trucking Association. "Opportunities in trucking and logistics abound, so this training and career development center will be positioned to immediately fill a great and growing need. A report by the CNBC television network shows demand for truck drivers doubled toward the end of last year, even as trucking firms said they are having trouble hiring drivers and keeping those they already have. The shortage impacts inventory levels at stores and creates higher shipping costs that are passed on to consumers. All told, the trucking industry moves 72.5 percent of the nation's freight by weight, employs about 3.6 million drivers and pays more than $45 billion annually in federal and state taxes, according to the American Trucking Associations. Trident Tech's Berkeley County campus opened in 1982 when the county was less developed. Since then, the county has seen an influx of warehouses and distribution centers as well as manufacturing campuses like the $1.1 billion Volvo Cars plant near Ridgeville. The transportation and logistics center follows an $80 million investment the college made in its 218,000-square-foot aeronautics center, built to train students for jobs with Boeing Co. and other aerospace firms in the Palmetto State. Many of our readers are outraged at the violence that overtook the nations capital last week, and they supported Congresss moves to impeach President Donald Trump a second time. They want President Trump held accountable for summoning a mob to Washington that broke into the Capitol, terrifying lawmakers and leading to the deaths of five people. Trump supporter Jeffrey Lord joined Democrat Rogette Harris and John Micek, editor-in-chief of the Pennsylvania Capital-Star, on Wednesday to discuss the state of the nation following the Jan. 6 attack on Live on PennLive with Joyce Davis. Predictably, Lord didnt think Trump should be blamed for the violence of his supporters. But Harris, Micek and many of our readers agreed with members of Congress the presidents actions incited the violence, and he did not do enough to stop it. Readers who joined the Facebook Live discussion said the president should be held accountable for what they see as a treasonous attack on American democracy from right-wing extremists who are threatening to continue their assault with violent demonstrations throughout the country. This was a terrorist attack on our country, coordinated by the Republicans who have linked arms to defend their fuhrer, Joda Jackson wrote. Anything less than impeachment and IMMEDIATE removal of this fascist criminal president, is a travesty of justice, and sets DANGEROUS precedent that tacitly approves of armed insurrection against our republic. Trump has gotten away with way too much! Joellen Londrigan said. All them . . . Republicans as well as Democrats . . . was on the floor scared for their lives, Destiny Brown wrote. We could be looking at the death of all them. What else needs to be seen and said. Our eyes didnt lie. President Trump is a childish bully who incited violence when he didnt get his way, Billie Jean Cook said. I would hope that most Republicans can see the difference between that and BLM, which I dont agree with either. . . Our President should be held to a much higher standard. Does anyone really condone violence? If you do, youre the problem! Even as Congress was moving to impeach the president for inciting domestic unrest, a few of our readers sought to play down what happened on Jan. 6 in Washington. Never in history has a government overthrow been attempted with just a few people, Kent Mumeister wrote, few weapons, zip tie hand cuffs and only two people killed in action. Only 5 people died, Audrey Cunningham wrote. How many died in the riots that Democrats supported last year!!! More crime to come, Kim Courtney warned. Adam Taglieri added: Theres no threat of an armed insurrection. Those of us who actually are armed will not be an issue unless someone comes for us first. Most people, including our analysts, didnt play down the threat of violence. Like many Americans, they are concerned that Trumps supporters could continue to disrupt the nation and mar the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President- elect Kamala Harris. Lord has penned an Op-Ed calling on his fellow Trump loyalists to protest peacefully as alarms grow over threats to the nations capital and to state capitals throughout the country. Jeremy Bashore, one of our Top Fans on Facebook, offered these words of wisdom: Violence is never the answer no matter what we are talking about in this country. Thats the message we ask our readers to spread throughout their communities to prevent further violence that could threaten the very nation both Republicans and Democrats claim to love. As Leslie Ragazzini put it, We should be one nation under God . . .in unity. And we should all be sobered that Congress, including 10 Republicans, has now voted to impeach a president for fomenting violence and division among people he pledged to protect. Quality local journalism has never been more important. You deserve the best. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work Community News Editor / Librarian Jeannie Maschino is community news editor and librarian for The Berkshire Eagle. She has worked for the newspaper in various capacities since 1982 and joined the newsroom in 1989. She can be reached at jmaschino@berkshireeagle.com. Taking his most drastic step yet in response to public criticism, celebrity chef Thomas Keller took down his Twitter account on Tuesday after almost a year of blowback. The departure from the social media platform comes after many critiqued him for Tweeting praise of a right wing billionaire. On Tuesday afternoon, the famed owner of Yountvilles the French Laundry posted thanking Sheldon G. Adelson, who had recently died, for his support of Kellers restaurant in Las Vegas. You will be missed, Keller wrote. Adelson and his wife were President Donald Trumps biggest donors in his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. Adelson was also known for backing Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The response online was swift, with many calling Keller tone deaf after the recent riots at the Capitol incited by Trump. A spokesperson for Kellers restaurant group, which includes restaurants in Napa Valley, New York, Las Vegas and Miami that have earned multiple Michelin stars, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. His Instagram account, with over 625,000 followers, is still active. Online backlash against Keller has been growing over the course of the pandemic. In April, Keller was tapped to join the White Houses coronavirus council on revitalizing the economy. He said on Twitter that he was honored to be chosen. Critics immediately responded, frustrated the food and beverage leaders were overwhelmingly white, male and mostly came from large corporate entities like Kraft. Keller countered on Twitter: This is not a partisan issue; millions are struggling to put a meal on their table. I stand proudly alongside some of the great thought-leaders of today; Tim Cook, Jeff Bezos, Ajay Banga, Condoleezza Rice, Adam Silver, Ann Mukherjee, Barbara Grimm, and many others. I urge all haters and cynics to stop and join meaningful actions. Shout less, act more. The chef and restaurateur took more heat for his acceptance of hefty federal loans, which an ABC7 analysis determined were 17 times more than what the average Bay Area restaurant received. The French Laundrys Paycheck Protection Plan loans came to more than $2.4 million. He did not publicly respond to critiques. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. And while Keller didnt receive personal criticism for Gov. Gavin Newsom and San Francisco Mayor London Breeds controversial dinner parties at the French Laundry during the pandemic, the explosive stories put Kellers restaurant in a negative spotlight. At the time, the restaurant said it had been following all of the appropriate regulations. Keller has been a leader in the fine dining industry since taking over The French Laundry in 1994. Many consider him a standard-bearer in the modern, high-end restaurant scene, and some of the countrys most talented chefs have spent time working in his kitchens. But the recent bout of criticisms has been brewing for a few years. In a widely shared 2017 New York Times profile, Bay Area chef Preeti Mistry called out Kellers fine dining world as one steeped in oppression and said Keller needed to go on his woke journey. In 2019, Keller was in the news again as his restaurant group faced pregnancy discrimination allegations from a former server. While jurors cleared the restaurants from wrongdoing, a judge ordered a retrial. Ultimately, the case was dismissed in 2020. Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker Be still, my beating heart! The Duchess of York, having graduated from writing childrens series Budgie The Little Helicopter, has signed up with Mills & Boon. Sarah Ferguson, a woman whom youd have thought might have had enough of masterful aristocrats and creepy billionaires, has penned Her Heart For A Compass (assisted by veteran Mills & Boon writer Marguerite Kaye). Its out in August and is reportedly loosely based on a Victorian great-great aunt of Fergies, but draws on parallels with the Duchesss own rackety life. A tantalising fragment shows us Lord Rufus Ponsonby adjusting his gold timepiece and bending his tall, rather lean figure and angular jaw to loom over his betrothed, Lady Margaret. She feels suppressed hysteria. Well, who wouldnt? I can hardly suppress my own hysteria: although perhaps mine is more in the spirit of Stella Gibbons (author of Cold Comfort Farm), who once told Mills & Boon writer Hugh Walpole: Your books have given me . . . joy. It is just possible that it was not quite the kind of joy you intended them to give. But it was joy all right. Sarah Ferguson, 61, (pictured) a woman whom youd have thought might have had enough of masterful aristocrats and creepy billionaires, has penned her novel Her Heart For A Compass No point laughing: Mills & Boon is big business founded in 1908 by Gerald Rusgrove Mills and Charles Boon, who concluded that escapist romance aimed at female readers outsold anything else. Some 1,500 Mills & Boon authors worldwide today churn out an astonishing 150 titles a month. One book sells every four seconds: about 200 million a year, a majority now on e-book readers, such as Kindles. Fergies effort sounds like a traditional period bodice-ripper, with the austere, repressed and calculated Lord Ponsonby and Lady Margaret trembling prettily. But the range is much broader than you might expect. Even 50 years ago, the publishers were introducing new settings and more modern heroes to loom over the heroines and crush them to their manly chests: millionaires, CEOs and doctors (one of this months titles is Marrying Dr Maverick). Lately, the heroes have even included Russian oligarchs. Similarly, the heroines nowadays dont have to be virginal, helpless orphans: they can be divorcees, single mothers, mistresses, even sex workers. And for readers who prefer more graphic romance, theres a spin-off imprint for torrid erotica, which the canny publishers got into well before Fifty Shades Of Grey. The Duchess said she 'invented a history incorporating real people and events' and is a fictional account of the life of her great-great-aunt, Lady Margaret Montagu Douglas Scott But they have always kept the earls, princes and sheikhs, and a scattering of innocent virgins, too. Indeed, readers can choose from categories such as Modern (jet-setters and celebrity hunks), Historical, Medical and so forth. No wonder Fergie wants a piece of it all: its a reliable formula refined over more than a century. Through that long experience, the publishers have found the books need certain constants. The hero must be an alpha male: dictatorial, confident, competent, tough. Even when Brad in The Rebel Heirs Bride is introduced to us on crutches, we are rapidly assured he got that way only after the death screams of his powerful aircraft disintegrated as it ploughed into the desert floor. (Brad is immediately rude and haughty to the nearest fiery redhead.) The hero is always tanned, so that his arm looks great in bed next to her pale, porcelain skin. He is almost invariably rich (or about to be) and older than her. Sometimes as in The Innocents Surrender his dominance will get seriously abusive. Never, ever, is he the gentle, sensitive boy-next-door with a good sense of humour whom you would probably settle for in real life. Lord Mills-&-Boon isnt what most women truly want: he is a comforting fantasy. In almost every book, the heroine will need the heros help in some way. Now that modern women tend to have jobs and lives of their own, a certain authorial cunning is needed to create these damsel-in-distress situations. Fergies effort for Mills & Boon sounds like a traditional period bodice-ripper, with the austere, repressed and calculated Lord Ponsonby and Lady Margaret trembling prettily The front cover of Mills & Boon book Legacy of Love The Raven and the Swan by Laurie Grant There will be a rift, a rebellion, a bit of female feistiness, and some dim behaviour by the hero. But theyll make up sometimes at the last minute. Only a few pages turn between grumpy Dr Maverick telling the girl it was a mistake sleeping with her, and a kiss with a fire that could warm any cold winter day . . . a fire that would last a lifetime. That lasts a lifetime is important. Most of the books feature an epilogue after the happy ending, showing the couple still deliriously ecstatic months or years later. So however determined the Duchess of York is to draw on parallels with her own life, it seems unlikely that her Lady Margaret will end up single, struggling to earn or borrow enough to fund her debts and sustain her lifestyle while tangled in a lawsuit over a Swiss chalet . . . not to mention an on-off relationship with an ex-husband whose public disgrace seems permanent. No, Mills & Boon demands happy endings. But perhaps the most interesting question is: why is this publishing phenomenon still roaring along, pulling in generation after generation? The authors may be ingenious for managing to play the same romantic tune every time in a different way, even if the simple, plodding style is usually ridden with cliches. Yet many intelligent women love the books even while they laugh at them. Maybe its because they follow one of the oldest romantic templates of all: the dominant hero, tamed by love yet still powerful, and the girl so lovely that she melts a cads heart and reforms him. The 1995 Mills and Boon novel No Holding Back by Kate Walker It is a recurring theme that goes all the way back to the fairy-tale prince and the beggar-maid to Carrie in Sex And The City swooning over Mr Big, the nickname she gives her great love (a rich, alpha male). These imaginary chaps are everywhere: Georgette Heyers irresistible Devils Cub the eponymous book still in print after almost 100 years falling in love with his cross-dressed page Leonie in a romance set in the 18th century. He is not so different from the weirdly sadistic Christian Grey in Fifty Shades, or Jilly Coopers charming but philandering hero Rupert Campbell-Black, saved by the love of adorable Taggie. Or, indeed, Rhett Butler in those rather worrying final scenes in Gone With The Wind, when he sweeps a resisting Scarlett OHara upstairs and causes her to look all satisfied and flirty the next morning. In vain do radical feminists like Julie Bindel criticise the genre, calling it patriarchal propaganda . . . misogynistic hate speech. Campaigners who defend real bullied women are angered to see fictionalised girls apparently enjoying similar abuse. Yet the old formula pays off: somehow even sensible women, who in real life wouldnt put up with any nonsense from their partners and who advise their friends to get the hell out of bad relationships, will succumb. Their fascination doesnt die even in the face of constant, ghastly evidence from real-life men who do think they can sweep any woman off her feet: Harvey Weinstein, perhaps, or the Queens cousin Simon Bowes-Lyon, now facing prison for a sexual assault on a female guest at his home, Glamis Castle. We buy into the dream because its relaxing. Modern women have ever more responsibilities and burdens, both financial and family. They share duties with men yet always get asked to take up the slack. The pandemic has stretched many to breaking point, with houses full of children and husbands, home-educating chaos fitted round work, often with the need to support elderly parents. So what is more soothing than to imagine a strong, gorgeous hero at your side with confidence and money, gently lifting all your burdens while admiring your precious porcelain beauty and dauntless spirit? Even now, I bet, more than one hopeful author is tapping out manuscripts with titles such as Love Was Her Virus or, perhaps, The Virgin And The Vaccinator. More than 600,000 people have died of coronavirus in Europe, according to the official statistics tabulated by Worldometer, which includes Russia in its count. The continent surpassed the horrific marker earlier this week. Every three weeks another approximately 100,000 people are dying from the virus on the continent. The total of 300,000 deaths was passed near November 10; 400,000 at the end of that month; and half a million three days before Christmas. A woman wearing a face mask to help curb the spread of the coronavirus rides a subway car in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) More than one in 1,000 people alive in Europe at the beginning of 2020 have died from the coronavirus. Per million people in the population, the number of dead is over 1,700 in Belgium, 1,477 in Slovenia, 1,330 in Italy, 1,245 in the UK, 1,131 in Spain. Another 1,060 people were reported dead in Germany in the past 24 hours, bringing the countrys death toll to 43,203. These numbers are a significant underestimate of the real number. In Spain, the official death toll is 52,878, but the number of excess deaths above the historical norma better indication of deaths due to the pandemicis 83,700. Yet scientists are warning that the pandemic is entering into an even more catastrophic stage than anything that has preceded it. It is propelled by the rapid spread of the new, more contagious variant identified in September in the UK, and consciously facilitated by the criminal policies of European governments. Even as health care systems are being overwhelmed, schools and non-essential workplaces are being kept open, despite their role as transmitters of the virus, to ensure that no amount of death prevents the smooth and profitable functioning of business. The clearest warning of what is being prepared can be seen in the UK. Yesterday set a new record of 1,564 deaths. In a country the size of the United States, this would have meant more than 7,700 deaths in 24 hours. Another 47,525 new cases were reported over the same period. The new strain of the virus is now the dominant one in the UK. In Ireland, where the new variant was first detected for the first time on Christmas Day, new cases have skyrocketed from 250 confirmed cases per million people at the beginning of the year to over 1,200 now, a five-fold increase in the space of two weeks. Across Europe, variants identified in the UK, South Africa and Brazil have been detected in over a dozen countries, yet it remains unknown to what extent it has already established itself throughout the population. France gives a particularly clear example of the authorities failure to track the spread. The first case of the UK variant was detected in Tours at the end of December. As late as the second week of January, media reports on the number of detected cases indicated that there were between 10 and 20 confirmed such cases. On January 12, Olivier Veran, the health minister, spoke before the National Assembly and reported that the new strain contributed to approximately one percent of the 100,000 tests conducted in France. Yet this appears to be a significant underestimate, and varies greatly according to location. Patrice Herisson, regional director of the medical laboratory Cerballiance in Saint Denis, near Paris, told Le Parisien on Tuesday that 10 to 15 percent of our positive cases in Ile-de-France are identified as suspected English variants. Laurent Kbaier, a biologist with the testing lab Biogroup, told the daily that out of 826 positive PCR tests on Thursday and Friday at our laboratories in Ile-de-France, we found 74 suspected cases of the English mutant, slightly less than 10 percent. Philippe Froguel, a professor of genomics at Imperial College London and in Lille, France, told the Financial Times Monday that it was likely the variant was well established in France. He said that by February, Im afraid well be in exactly the same situation as the UK with 50-60,000 new cases a day and a large number of dead. The variant has also been detected in Belgium, which saw a 76 percent increase in the seven-day case total to last Thursday compared to the previous week in the capital Brussels. In Valencia, Spain, two patients with no connections to the UK were tested positive for the variant last week, demonstrating that community transmission is taking place. Its clear that there is community transmission, but we dont know at what level, Fernando Gonzalez Candelas, a genetics researcher in Valencia, told the FT. On Wednesday, EU health commissioner Stella Kyrikides declared that Europe cannot be complacent toward the new strain. We cannot let it get out of hand. So we are ready to help member states in the area of genomic sequencing of samples. There is no way around this. Yet not only have European governments allowed the virus to develop out of hand, they are consciously pursuing policies that will allow a further uncontrolled spread of the virus. They are determined to keep schools open in order to allow parents to continue to work. Wherever schools have been forced to close, as in the UK, it has only been due to the action of educators or the governments fear of popular opposition of teachers, parents and students to the de-facto policy of herd immunity. In France, schools remain open, even though scientists have warned that the new strain appears to be particularly contagious among youth. On social media, French teachers have reported that even when there is a confirmed case among students, they cannot send children home for testing. We cant send them home if they are a contact case to get tested, Laeti commented on the Stylos Rouges Facebook page. For us children under 11 years old are not considered as at-risk contacts, added Jucilou. Yesterday, the Portuguese government announced a general lock-down, which it said would be the same as that imposed in April, with the exception that all schools are to remain open. Last week, in the Westphalien town of Kamen, a 44-year-old educator died following an outbreak in a daycare centre. According to the Robert Koch institute, five educators have died from coronavirus since December in Germany. If left in the hands of the capitalist governments across Europe, the result will be hundreds of thousands of further unnecessary deaths. Their policy of death must be countered by the unified struggle of the working class across Europe. Schools and non-essential workplaces must be closed, with living wages provided to everyone, and full compensation provided to small businesses. The Socialist Equality Parties call for the formation of independent rank-and-file committees in schools and workplaces, for the organization of a general strike to enforce a scientific response to the pandemic. The homicidal policy of the capitalist elite has demonstrated the bankruptcy of the social order of capitalism, and the necessity of its replacement with a planned socialist society on an international scale, organized according to social need, not private profit. The Alabama National Guard has activated 250 soldiers to provide security for the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, Gov. Kay Iveys office said Thursday. Its unclear whether the 250 guardsmen are already in D.C., but their deployment comes amid security threats to Bidens swearing-in ceremony and last weeks violent riots at the U.S. Capitol where five people died, including a U.S. Capitol Police officer. The Alabama guardsmen were activated at the request of Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, said Ivey spokeswoman Gina Maiola. More than 20,000 guardsmen from across the country could be in the nations capital providing support for the inauguration, according to Politico. Along with threats surrounding the swearing-in ceremony, the FBI received intelligence of potential armed protests at all 50 state capitals ahead of the inauguration. The U.S. Secret Service is spearheading the security arrangements for the inauguration. Incoming President Joe Biden has promised to implement the most radical energy and climate agenda Americans have ever seen. With the Democratic party having become an almost wholly owned subsidiary of the radical progressive environmental left while controlling both houses of Congress for at least the next two years and the White House for the next four years, Biden and his climate alarmist ilk have their best opportunity ever to impose the biggest government takeover of the economy since the Great Depression. Fortunately, in the waning days of President Donald Trumps term, his administration took a series of actions that will act as shock absorbers for the economic havoc Bidens climate policies would wreak, complicating Bidens attempt to impose a Great Reset to fight supposed climate change. The Trump administration auctioned off oil and gas leases on public lands in Alaska (January) and California (December). These sales will complicate Bidens ability to keep his promise of ending new oil and gas leases on federal land. Although, to the federal governments fiscal detriment, a Biden administration can refuse to offer more leases, it will be hard to prevent future production from leases the Trump administration recently approved, unless it can come up with the money to buy the leaseholders out of the leases. Federal regulatory agencies under Bidens control can drag out the environmental review and permitting process, but as long as the companies comply with the relevant laws and guidelines, they should eventually be able to develop these lands. Biden has vowed to take us back into the Paris climate agreement, from which Trump withdrew the United States, and he can do so. Yet, actions the Trump administration has adopted will make it harder to implement Paris-compliant regulations solely through executive action. In December, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) determined current National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone and Particulate Matter (PM) were protective of public health. EPA also finalized a rule requiring comprehensive benefit-cost analyses (BCA) be carried out for all future rules implemented under the 1970 Clean Air Act (CAA). The Obama administration justified most of its climate policies based on claims they would save thousands of lives and billions of dollars. Almost all the supposed benefits of the regulations, however, resulted from counting benefits of restrictions on pollutants such as PM and ozone as if they were new benefits from limiting nontoxic carbon dioxide emissions. Other purported benefits of carbon-dioxide restrictions flowed from including benefits to people in foreign countries while limiting the cost calculations to those accruing within the borders of the United States. Under the EPAs recently finalized BCA rule, all new CAA rules must be accompanied by a BCA that must include a statement discussing any industry, group, or geographic region that will be disproportionately negatively impacted by the rule. Each new CAA-related regulation must contain a plain-language explanation of what welfare and public health benefits EPA believes the rule will deliver and what costs it will impose. BCAs, under the new procedures, will distinguish between benefits flowing directly from the rule and co-benefits resulting from other CAA requirements, and they will separate domestic benefits from any benefits the rule produces for people in other countries, reporting both. Because Trumps EPA affirmed and locked in the current ozone and PM standards for the next five years, the Biden administration should find it exceedingly difficult to claim new co-benefits from tighter restrictions on these two pollutants from any proposed carbon-dioxide restrictions. In addition, in early January, Trumps EPA finalized a rule to improve the transparency and public scrutiny of the science used to justify regulations. Under the final transparency regulation, the Biden administration will be required to be more transparent than any administration in history concerning the science used to justify new climate regulations. The rule establishes requirements for the independent peer review of pivotal science. In addition, when proposing a significant regulatory action, the agency now must clearly identify the research used to inform the rule, specifying which studies it relied upon for rule-making. The rule also requires EPA to consider studies for which the underlying dose-response data are available for independent validation and public examination. Each of the policies described here was in the works long before any votes were cast in the 2020 presidential election. As such, the rules were intended to further Trumps efforts to promote American greatness and energy independence, not to thwart Joe Biden from implementing his climate agenda. In fact, these rules by themselves cannot stop Biden from attempting to impose whatever climate policies he thinks he can get away with. What these policies do, however, is make Bidens efforts more transparent. Maximum transparency and thorough publicly justified analyses are good policies to follow in a democratic republic, regardless of the president or the party in power. H. Sterling Burnett, Ph.D. (hburnett@heartland.org) is a senior fellow at The Heartland Institute, a nonpartisan, nonprofit research center headquartered in Arlington Heights, Illinois Image: Becker1999 Texas and Oklahoma in the United States are more attractive for oil investors than Alberta, the Fraser Institute, a Canadian think-tank, has reported based on a survey of oil industry executives. The reasons for the unfavorable comparison are the same that the industry has been complaining about even before the pandemic started and include an uncertain regulatory environment and a pipeline capacity shortage. "Canada's onerous and uncertain regulatory environment, along with our lack of pipeline capacity has created a significant competitiveness gap between Canadian and American jurisdictions," said Fraser Institute Associate Director of the Centre for Natural Resource Studies Elmira Aliakbari. The gap has been widening, too. When oil prices recovered after the last crisis in 2014-2016, U.S. producers benefited a lot more because for the most part, they were free of the export offtake capacity shortage that their Canadian counterparts had to deal with. As a result, even some Canadian drilling companies upped and moved south, where there was more business. The pandemic did not make matters better, to say the least, so Alberta's provincial government came to the rescue, offering the industry a reduction of the general business tax rate from 10 percent to eight percent effective July 1, 2020, instead of January 1, 2022, when the tax cut was originally scheduled to go into effect. The government also said it will invest some $7.3 billion in infrastructure projects that will create jobs. "Global oil and gas prices are estimated to return to a WTI benchmark of $60 per barrel within 12 to 18 months," the Alberta government said in its recovery plan in June last year. "In that environment, Alberta's oil and gas sector is set to thrive, as long as we can build new pipelines to get our product to market. This is why we invested $1.5 billion to ensure Keystone XL broke ground this spring - creating 7,400 high-paying jobs in Canada this year alone." The future of Keystone XL, however, remains highly uncertain under the new Democratic administration in Washington. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. My Little Sister, a tender domestic drama from the Swiss writers and directors Stephanie Chuat and Veronique Reymond, faces terminal illness with a refreshing emotional candor. Lisa (Nina Hoss), a gifted Berlin playwright, stopped writing on the day that her beloved twin brother, Sven (Lars Eidinger), a celebrated theater actor, received his leukemia diagnosis. Since then, shes been living in artistic limbo in Switzerland, where her husband (Jens Albinus) teaches at a prestigious boarding school. But the demands of Svens illness, and Lisas inability to accept his decline, only tug her closer to her brother and further from her fracturing marriage. Thousands of UK expats living in Europe face having to revamp their finances in the aftermath of Brexit as British banks close their current accounts and European ones hike the cost of sending money overseas. Customers of some of Britain's biggest banks including Barclays, Lloyds and Nationwide Building Society living in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal have either already had their bank accounts closed or will see them shuttered in the next few weeks. Meanwhile This is Money understands that European banks appear to be flying in the face of EU payment rules designed to limit the cost of sending money overseas, despite them still applying to the UK. Around 60,000 expats living in Italy (pictured) are among the worst-affected. Barclays, Lloyds and Nationwide Building Society are all closing expats' bank accounts Banks part of the Single European Payments Area, which the UK remains a member of after Brexit, are not supposed to charge more for cross-border payments than domestic ones, whether they are made in euros or not. The scheme, coupled with EU regulations which came into effect in December 2019, saw British banks like Metro Bank and NatWest cut the cost of sending money to European bank accounts. NatWest told customers two years ago it was removing any fees for international transfers made digitally, while Metro Bank cut the fee for euro payments from 10 to 20p. However some European banks now appear to be raising the cost of payments to and from the UK after Brexit, despite the UK remaining a member of SEPA. One British expat living in Spain posted in a Facebook group that his Spanish bank, Sabadell, said after Brexit the 'UK does not belong to the EU so the fee to transfer any money outside the EU will be 0.75 per cent of any transaction', while it would charge him 18 to receive money from the UK into his Spanish account. Those looking to send money to and from Italy and the Netherlands are also being hit with higher payment fees, with the Italian bank Unicredit charging 10 plus a percentage cut of whatever is transferred. This is Money understands payment regulations introduced in 2019 which stopped European banks charging more for international non-euro payments than domestic ones have no longer applied to certain payments in the UK since 31 December, which is why banks are taking the opportunity to charge more. However, some overseas payments experts said they felt the charges were unjustified. Robin Haynes, the founder of overseas payment service Currency Index, said he felt these charges 'should not be applied'. 'However', he added, 'it has become apparent that some EU banks have decided to introduce additional charges for payments made to and from the UK. These range from flat fees of around 12 - 18 for receiving a payment, to percentage charges of between 0.3 - 0.5 per cent for sending or receiving larger amounts. How to beat unfair international payment charges Robin Haynes recommends those sending smaller payments between the UK and the EU should change to doing so quarterly or twice a year, to reduce the number of transfers being made. He said those who felt the charges were unfair should complain to their bank first, followed by local regulators and then the European Payments Council, which oversees the SEPA scheme the UK remains a member of. 'The charges vary per bank, and even per customer, so are very hard to predict. Some Spanish banks have been particularly quick to apply charges, but there have been similar reports in other EU countries too. 'It is our understanding that these charges should not be applied. 'However, local regulators and the European Payments Council, who run the SEPA scheme, may not be motivated to argue the case for UK financial institutions and their customers over EU banks, now that the UK is no longer an EU member.' This is Money contacted the European Payments Council for clarification. It told us that while the UK was still a member of SEPA, there was 'no indication' that EU rules limiting the cost of cross-border payments applied after Brexit. It referred us to a July 2020 statement from the European Commission which stated that: 'After the end of the transition period, the EU rules in the field of banking and payment services... will no longer apply to the United Kingdom', including ones governing cross-border payments. It added complaints should be made to banking regulators in individual member states. The news is an additional headache for hundreds of thousands of expats already grappling with the impact of Brexit on their personal finances. Many keep UK bank accounts open for the purpose of receiving money in sterling to then send overseas, often using low cost cross-border transfer services like Transferwise. But as well as being hit with new transfer fees by European banks, many have had to try and sort out new banking arrangements as British ones close their accounts. Britons abroad face bank account closures after Brexit Some current account providers, including Lloyds, have been alerting expat customers since last August that their accounts would be closed as they faced losing European-wide 'passporting' permissions which allowed them to operate across the continent. The loss of passporting, cemented by the post-Brexit deal announced on Christmas Eve, means banks have to comply with the rules in each country and are pulling out of offering certain services in individual EEA countries - the 27 countries in the EU plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein - as a result. The banking trade body UK Finance said 'a small number' of the 1.3million UK citizens living in the EU would see accounts closed, but thousands are still caught up in the closures, with the roughly 150,000 who live in Italy and the Netherlands particularly affected. Is your bank account being closed after Brexit? Bank Response Barclays Current and savings accounts closed in Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden. Barclaycard accounts closed Europe-wide if customers cannot provide a UK address HSBC No plans to close any accounts Lloyds/Halifax/Bank of Scotland Current accounts closed in the Netherlands and Slovakia, business current accounts closed in Germany, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands and Portugal Nationwide Building Society Current and savings accounts and credit cards closed in Italy and the Netherlands NatWest/Royal Bank of Scotland No plans to close any accounts as of December While banks are supposed to give customers two months' notice ahead of any closure, the full picture has only recently become clear and is giving expats a headache. Derek Humphries, who lives in the Netherlands, wrote on Facebook that three of his UK bank accounts had been closed but 'trying to set up new bank accounts in the Netherlands seems impossible when you live here but have a UK mobile number.' Another Netherlands-based expat, Jann Evans, wrote in a Facebook group aimed at UK citizens living in Amsterdam: 'It took me three months and many, many phone calls in 2020 to open a Barclays account for overseas residents and now it's going be closed. I receive rent from my house in UK and live here. 'Any tips on what I should do would be extremely welcome. Opening a foreign currency bank account here for sterling has very high charges.' Is your account being closed? This is Money previously put together a guide to some of the options available to UK expats whose bank accounts are being or have been closed. You can read that here. Rob Hallums, founder of the financial website Experts for Expats, said 'the key is not to panic. 'There are options available and you should not make snap decisions without doing the necessary research first, so be sure to do your own research into the best options available.' Nikhil Rathi, the new chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority, warned last year that not all banks were telling customers their accounts would be closed. Barclays is closing current and savings accounts held by those in Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and Sweden if they can't provide a UK address, while it is cancelling credit cards across the continent if holders cannot provide an address. Customers were told that if they lived elsewhere in the EEA their accounts would remain open, but they could not open any new ones after Brexit, according to one expat Facebook group. One man who lives an hour outside Valencia in Spain told This is Money he had 'previously been on tenterhooks waiting to hear from Barclays' about his bank account, ever since his Barclaycard account was closed ahead of Brexit on 16 November. The man, who has lived in Spain for 20 years, said he wanted to keep his account open to receive his private pension, as well as for the convenience of withdrawing cash when he made trips back to England. Lloyds, and its stablemates Bank of Scotland and Halifax, has closed current accounts in the Netherlands and Slovakia and business accounts in Germany, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands and Portugal. Meanwhile Britain's biggest building society Nationwide is closing current and savings accounts and credit cards for customers in Italy on 26 January, while it did the same for those in the Netherlands at the end of November. It means the 60,000 British expats who live in Italy are among the most heavily affected by the UK's departure from the EU and its exit from the single market. HSBC told This is Money they had no plans to close any accounts after Brexit. We did not receive a response from NatWest, which also runs Royal Bank of Scotland, but it previously said it was not planning on closing any accounts. A spokesperson for UK Finance said the decision was a matter for individual banks, but said in a statement: 'Now that the Brexit transition period has come to an end, a small number of customers living in the EEA may no longer be able to access banking services from their UK based provider due to the rules that govern how customers can access bank accounts and services in different EEA countries. 'The industry has been working with authorities across the EEA to minimise the impact on customers. 'However, where changes to services need to be made banks and other providers have been contacting impacted customers and informing them of any actions they need to take. 'There are a number of alternatives available for customers who are impacted, including switching to a different UK-based bank, a digital account provider or a bank in the country you are resident in. 'The best option will vary depending on a customer's individual circumstances and how they use their account, including whether they need to make and receive regular payments in pound sterling. 'We would therefore advise customers to carefully consider their options and choose an account that works best for them.' remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Loading the player... Pfizer must conduct local study for vaccine approval: VK Paul Any vaccine maker, including Pfizer, which has sought emergency-use authorisation for its Covid-19 shot in India, must conduct a local "bridging" safety and immunogenicity study to be considered for the country's immunisation programme, a senior government official told Reuters. Serum Institute of India, the local manufacturer of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, has done a similar study on more than 1,500 people over months before seeking and receiving emergency approval in the country. Bird Flu: Chicken sales banned in parts of Delhi; restaurants, hotels warned of action The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), on Wednesday, January 13, banned the sale of chicken following confirmation of bird flu cases in the national capital, issuing an order regarding this. Eight states and the national capital have confirmed the avian flu cases so far. The civic body have also cautioned hotels and restaurants, warning them of action if they serve egg-based dishes or poultry meat. Donald Trump impeached over US Capitol siege; historic second charge President Donald Trump was impeached by the US House for a historic second time Wednesday, charged with "incitement of insurrection" over the deadly mob siege of the Capitol in a swift and stunning collapse of his final days in office. With the Capitol secured by armed National Guard troops inside and out, the House voted 232-197 to impeach Trump. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey says banning Donald Trump was right decision but sets dangerous precedent Twitter Inc Chief Executive Jack Dorsey said on Wednesday that banning President Donald Trump from its social media platform after last week's violence at the US Capitol was the "right decision," but said it sets a dangerous precedent. San Francisco-based Twitter last week removed Trump's account, which had 88 million followers, citing the risk of further violence following the storming of the Capitol by supporters of the president. "Having to take these actions fragment the public conversation," Dorsey said Record PC sales in 2020 as COVID limits work, education to homes COVID-19 pandemic has turned out to be a blessing for the personal computer (PC) industry. After registering a decline over the last few years, PCs have been in great demand, thanks to work from home, education from home. With the recovery after a supply-constrained Q1, total PC shipments in 2020 grew 11 per cent to reach 297 million units. This represents the highest full-year growth since 2010 and the highest shipment volume since 2014. United Methodist General Secretary of Church and Society Susan Henry-Crowe issued a statement Wednesday supporting the U.S. House of Representatives in their vote to impeach President Donald Trump and calling on the senate to bar him from ever holding office again. United Methodists are the second-largest denomination in Alabama, after Southern Baptists. The Rev. Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, offered similar thoughts on Jan. 11, before the impeachment. If I were a Member of Congress, I would vote to impeach, Moore wrote. And if I were a United States senator, I would vote to convict. Henry-Crowe, an ordained minister, has been general secretary of the Board of Church and Society for the mainline Protestant denomination since 2014, after 22 years at Emory University in Atlanta, where she was dean of the chapel. Last week, when Congress certified the election results, they upheld the will of the people, Henry-Crowe said in a prepared statement. Today, the U.S. House of Representatives again defended the sanctity of the democratic processes we hold so dear. I, as General Secretary, support the U.S. House of Representatives impeachment of the President Donald J. Trump and urge the Senate to convict and bar him from ever holding public office again. The siege of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 was not only heartbreaking, sickening, and sad, it is part of a long history of violence in the United States. The mob attack on the Capitol is an affront to democracy, the people of the United States, and all faithful patriots and friends of this great democracy. This was a violation to people who have fought hard for citizenship and the right to vote, Black sisters and brothers, people of color, women and immigrants, and all others who shaped the discourse for national belonging. Congressional leaders, duly elected by the American people, were under attack without even knowing what was happening in the halls of Congress. It is hard to imagine the fear they must have experienced. The president bears responsibility for inciting this mob riot. Words were weaponized into violence last week, but the seeds had been sown years before. Since his election, the president has systematically worked to undermine the electoral process in the U.S. In 2016, upon losing the popular vote, he claimed that millions of votes were fraudulent. This past election, he has only increased such dangerous theories, falsely claiming that voting by mail during the COVID-19 pandemic was illegal. Since his defeat in the 2020 election, he has spent the two months trafficking lies that the election was stolen. Just minutes before the riot, he peddled these same lies, inciting the crowd to riot and attack the Capitol. But he did not act alone. Elected officials including some Members of Congressserved as enablers, working to overturn the will of the people from inside the halls of Congress. Reconciliation can only be achieved when we hold accountable all the elected leaders who questioned the election results and echoed the presidents dangerous rhetoric. By invading the Capitol and interrupting Congress from exercising its Constitutional duty in certifying the election results, the mob sought to undermine fundamental principles of U.S. democracy free and fair elections and the peaceful transfer of power. Additionally, the rioters carried signs that perverted Christianity. Our faith was misappropriated to support a white supremacist insurrection. That is not only an affront to our countrys values; that is sin. The events last week were a visceral, horrible display of white supremacy. A man who has openly courted white supremacists lit the match that started this riot. The mostly white mob rioting at the Capitol last week earned his support and admiration, and deference from law enforcement. Compare the treatment the mob received to the treatment Black Lives Matter protesters received last year. That is what white privilege looks like. Words have consequences. The president used his words to incite the mob to attack the Capitol, after weeks of spreading lies of a stolen election. He declined to take responsibility for his actions or condemn the rioters actions. We, too, understand the power of words. The General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church has consistently condemned such actions that are racist and a violation of democratic processes. Inciting a mob to insurrection cannot be tolerated. President Trump has clearly demonstrated that he is not fit to govern, nor able or eligible to hold elected office again. If we are to heal as a nation we must heed the words of Micah 6:8: What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. And from Luke 1:78, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. In a normal year, students would have traveled to Chile to visit the Magellan Telescopes at Las Campanas Observatory. Luckily, Prof. Mike Gladders and TA Gourav Khullar were able to pivot to using remotely taken data for the class. Credit: Jan Skowron / CC BY-SA 3.0 The night sky is a natural time machine, used by cosmologists to explore the origins and evolution of the universe. Reaching into the depths of the past, a class of undergraduate students at the University of Chicago sought to do the sameand uncovered an extraordinarily distant galaxy in the early cosmos. Light emitted from faraway celestial objects takes a long time to reach Earth-side observers. That means the stars and galaxies we see in the sky appear to us as they would have existed millions, or even billions, of years ago. The discovered galaxy's light comes from a time when the universe was only 1.2 billion years old, about one-tenth of its current age. By this point, the young galaxy had already accumulated a mass impressively comparable to the present-day version of our home galaxy, the Milky Way. "This galaxy that we've observed, by looking out and back into the past, is already grown up. It's already formed almost a Milky Way's worth of stars," said Michael Gladders, a professor in UChicago's astronomy and astrophysics department. "It's quite mature, but at a much earlier stage in the universe." The discovery was a climactic milestone in the first iteration of a field course developed for the new astrophysics major offered by UChicago. Students in the two-quarter class formed a new research collaboration, COOL-LAMPS, and surveyed public imaging databases in search of lensed galaxies. The remarkable find was confirmed by observations from ground-based instruments: the Magellan Telescopes in Chile and the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii. "Nature's telescope' A lensed galaxy is one whose emitted light has been bent by the gravity of a massive object lying between the galaxy and the point of observation. This effect, known as gravitational lensing, creates a distorted, arc-like image of the galaxy with an intensely magnified brightness. Gladders, who taught the field course in the first half of 2020, calls gravitational lensing 'nature's telescope." "It's a rare, peculiar form of focusing and magnification that allows us to study galaxies with much greater detail than we ever normally could," he said. Light from the discovered galaxy was so strongly magnified by a cluster of other galaxies in its foreground that it rivaled images of the sky taken from space. "This was a ground-based telescope taking data of this absolutely beautiful arc," said Gourav Khullar, a UChicago Ph.D. candidate who served as teaching assistant for the field course and is first author of the paper describing the findings. "It's approximately a hundred times brighter than classical images of similarly distant galaxies from the Hubble Space Telescope!" A comprehensive study of the stellar populations of this galaxy, undertaken by the student collaborators, concluded in the realization that this was the brightest lensed galaxy ever observed in this time period of the early universe. Without gravitational lensing, though, the distant galaxy would appear much dimmer, if visible at all. "The arc has been magnified by the intermediate lens in such a way that it's extremely bright," said Khullar. "But an un-lensed version of the galaxy wouldn't look like this; it would be much fainter and not at all detectable by current ground-based facilities." An effect called gravitational lensing creates a distorted, arc-like image of a galaxy behind it that may not have been visible otherwise-such as this extremely ancient galaxy. Credit: Khullar et al Pushing through the pandemic The field course was designed to provide astrophysics majors with a real-life, cutting-edge research opportunity. Originally modest in ambition, Gladders convinced the department and the College to invest in a complete field experience, including a visit to the Magellan Telescopes to participate in astronomical observing time over spring break. But the coronavirus pandemic thwarted those plans, ripping away what was intended to be the core experience of the class. "Everything was booked," said Gladders. "I'd already arranged trips to other observatory sites, construction sites to see telescopes that were currently being built, and to see Chile itself." In the midst of dark times, the COOL-LAMPS students pushed on with the scan of public sky data, eventually reaching their illuminating galactic discovery. "For me, it was a shock that we had found something so important," said Emily Sisco, a fourth-year astrophysics major who participated in the field course during the last academic year. "All of the work we had been doing was leading up to that moment, but I was still shocked!" Intriguing first results have encouraged the COOL-LAMPS collaboration to pursue observation time for a second wave of study. Plans are set to observe the galaxy using ground-based telescopes in New Mexico and Europe, as well as two of NASA's orbiting space telescopes, Hubble and the Chandra X-ray Observatory. "With higher resolution imaging from space, astronomers will be able to resolve the structure of this galaxy," said Ezra Sukay, who joined the COOL-LAMPS collaboration as a third-year student in the College. "This will reveal details about star formation in very massive galaxies early in the universe." Gladders expected the class to be successful in some way, but did not anticipate a galaxy so exceptionally bright, far back in time, or mature as what was discovered. "It's just absolutely fantastic," he said. "I'm so proud of themthey've done really great work." In January, Gladders will begin teaching a second version of the field course, adding new students to COOL-LAMPS who will continue to probe the formation and evolution of galaxies across cosmic time. "One of the great goals in studying the cosmos is answering the fundamental question of where we come from," said Gladders. "Us as a species, but also the planet we live on, the solar system that planet is in, and the galaxy that our solar system is in. "We're addressing this deep yearning to understand where it all comes from and ultimately, how do we fit in?" COOL-LAMPS is short for ChicagO Optically-selected strong LensesLocated At the Margins of Public Surveys. More information: COOL-LAMPS I. An Extraordinarily Bright Lensed Galaxy at Redshift 5.04. The COOL-LAMPS Collaboration, Nov. 12, 2020. arXiv:2011.06601 [astro-ph.GA] , COOL-LAMPS I. An Extraordinarily Bright Lensed Galaxy at Redshift 5.04. The COOL-LAMPS Collaboration, Nov. 12, 2020. arXiv:2011.06601 [astro-ph.GA] , arxiv.org/pdf/2011.06601.pdf Among the 232 votes in the House of Representatives to impeach Donald Trump a second time were 10 cast by Republicans -- and now the GOP has a messy church fight on its hands. Thats because one of the 10 breaking ranks was Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, who chairs the GOP conference. The immediate question for House Republicans is whether Cheney should remain in that post after voting to impeach Trump. But this is a proxy fight. The broader question is whether Trump populism ought to remain Republican Party orthodoxy. Each side is circulating petitions either supporting or opposing Cheney, though the conflict doesnt cut the conference in half. At least not neatly. It was members of the House Freedom Caucus that began Wednesday morning by trying to force a debate about forcing her from leadership. She did this for her own personal political gain, said Rep. Matt Rosendale. It was not a matter of conscience, the Montana freshman insisted. He told RealClearPolitics it was instead a betrayal meant to elevate herself as one of the new leaders in the Republican Party, before pausing to add, the New Republican party, if you will. Who are these upstarts? According to Rosendale, they include those eager to put the legacy of Trump behind them. He paused again, this time to clarify: When I say legacy, I dont mean the legacy of the last 60 days that has been completely tainted and distorted. Trumps record before last weeks riot at the U.S. Capitol -- the memory of Trump that Rosendale and others want preserved, anyway -- is one of lower taxes and trade wars over manufacturing jobs, and anti-interventionism on the world stage. And though the presidents approval rating has plummeted since the mob action, he hasnt fallen from grace with a certain segment of the party faithful. Remember that as bad as this week was, and it was very, very bad, said a veteran Republican aide with knowledge of all those involved, Trump is still overwhelmingly popular in most of these guys districts and more popular than many of the [House representatives] themselves. Most members arent exactly going to be jumping at the chance to throw their names behind someone who impeached the top-polling politician in their district, the aide predicted. Rep. Andy Biggs, a Trump ally and the current HFC chairman, was calling for Cheneys ouster before the impeachment vote on Wednesday. The reality is shes not representing the conference, he said in a Fox News interview. Shes not representing the Republican ideals. She was out there advocating for others to join her in impeachment, he said. Thats wrong, and I think she should resign. But Cheney, who was reelected to her post unanimously just three months ago, didnt sound cowed. This is a vote of conscience, she told Politico. It's one where there are different views in our conference. But our nation is facing an unprecedented, since the Civil War, constitutional crisis. Cheneys critics are concerned that she didnt merely cast a vote of conscience. The day before the impeachment vote, she issued a blistering statement critical of the president, which many Democrats, including House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, used against Trump in Wednesdays floor debate. The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack, the statement said. Everything that followed was his doing. None of this would have happened without the President. The President could have immediately and forcefully intervened to stop the violence. He did not. There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution. It would take just 20% of the conference, just 42 members, to force a referendum on Cheneys status. Then, a majority would have to vote against the chair for her to be deposed. Freedom Caucus co-founder Jim Jordan, the Ohio Republican who floor-managed the opposition to impeachment Wednesday, has signaled that he favors such a vote. Jordan knows these kinds of fights. In 2016, he joined with North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows in a successful attempt to force John Boehner from the speakership and then gave his successor, Paul Ryan, fits over Obama-era budget battles. It was Trump who helped elevate the rebels from discontented budget hawks to national prominence. They backed him when others balked at the rise of the real estate tycoon with questionable conservative ideals. It worked. Their gamble earned them an ally in the White House where Meadows has served as chief of staff since late March. Some now find the group unrecognizable compared to those conservative purists who once held Republican feet to the fire over the finer points of federal appropriations. I have no idea what happened to the Freedom Caucus, said former Rep. Mark Sanford, who fought alongside Jordan and Meadows to lower spending, a posture Republicans quickly abandoned once in power. Maybe it was just a fraud from the very beginning. An early member of the caucus, the South Carolina Republican said that a partisan kind of centrifugal force had spun conservatives away from principle, toward a cult of personality, and out into the far yonder. The squabble over Liz Cheney remains an undercard fight to the larger impeachment conflict. After all, only nine of her Republican colleagues joined her in voting to remove the president from office, and those on both sides of the issue realize it will take time for the GOP to figure out its post-Trump identity. For now, members are left sniping back and forth on Twitter over party power struggles that probably dont register with average voters. Liz has more support now than she did two days ago. She has gained immeasurable respect, tweeted Rep. Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican who also voted to impeach. A former Air Force combat pilot who still serves in the National Guard, Kinzinger then took a pot shot at Jordan, the top Republican on the House Oversight Committee: We may have to also have a discussion about who in our party fomented this, and their roles as ranking members. Others, such as Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw, tried to play peacemaker. Although he did not vote for impeachment, Crenshaw, another military veteran, tweeted his support for Cheney, saying she has a hell of a lot more backbone than most, [and] is a principled leader with a fierce intellect. We can disagree without tearing each other apart, he added. It wasnt clear if the House Freedom Caucus was unified or had the votes to force a referendum. A spokesman told RCP early Wednesday that all of our members are on board with removing Cheney before clarifying that no official position has been taken with HFC on Cheney as of now -- just our chairman and a new freshman HFC member leading the charge. But there is dissatisfaction among those ranks with GOP brass. "I think that when Kevin and Steve supported an unconstitutional challenge to the election, Rep. Ken Buck told reporters in a reference to Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Minority Whip Steve Scalise, and when [Liz Cheney] is supporting a constitutionally flawed impeachment, we have leadership issues. A spokeswoman for the Colorado Republican later told RCP that despite that dissatisfaction Buck does not support the Freedom Caucus letter going around calling for Liz Cheney to step down. Nor does it sound as though Cheney is inclined to go without a fight. I'm not going anywhere, she vowed. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 09:03:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close COLOMBO, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- The total number of COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka has surpassed the 50,000-mark, after over 600 new patients tested positive for the virus on Wednesday, according to the statistics from the country's Health Ministry. The official figures showed that out of the total 50,229 positive patients, 43,267 patients had recovered and been discharged from hospitals, bringing down the active patient count to 6,715. A total of 247 deaths have been reported from the virus in the country. Sri Lanka is presently facing a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with three parliamentarians, including one cabinet minister, being infected with the virus in the past days. According to officials, at least 32 parliamentarians are under isolation for coming in contact with the three legislators during parliamentary sessions held last week. Earlier on Wednesday, health officials held PCR tests in the parliament premises where legislators and parliamentary staff members were tested for the COVID-19. Officials said PCR tests will be conducted on Friday as well in order to reopen the parliament for sessions next week. On Wednesday, Sri Lanka reported the first case of the new strain of the COVID-19 which is fast spreading in other countries after a British national who recently arrived in the country tested positive for the new variant, the Health Ministry said. The Health Ministry urged people not to panic, saying the patient had been under quarantine and had not come in contact with society. Enditem (Photo : Screenshot From Techtastic YouTube) Xbox Series X Stock Update 2021: Walmart Restock Happening Soon! A number of gamers are trying to figure out just when will another big Xbox Series X stock update be rolling out this 2021. While it's only been a couple of months since the console came out, it seems like only a few of the interested gamers have actually been able to get their hands on this next-generation console. Xbox series X restock online According to an article by Express.co.uk, while retailers like Vary are noting that more Xbox Series X restock is coming soon, there still isn't any specifications as to when it will happen. As of the recent weeks, it seems like the Xbox Series X restock usually happens on either Thursday and Friday which is why these 48-hours are critical to watch. Retailer Currys was said to have a limited number of the Xbox Series S stock back in January 12 which makes it another retailer worth watching. This could actually mean that the overall demand for the console is slowing down or that even more Xbox Series X restock events could happen soon. Xbox series X restock January Either way, it might be able to make buying the Xbox Series X over in January and February much easier for certain gamers over in the UK. A particular example of this would be GAME, where the particular Xbox Series S was able to remain available for over 24-hours before it disappeared. Smyths Toys is notably another site that now promises to restock the Xbox Series X this month which means it might be worth checking out either tomorrow or on Friday. While everything might slowly start to improve, this current situation could be quite frustrating for those wanting to upgrade from an Xbox Series S to an Xbox Series X. Xbox Series X stock 2021 A particular gamer writes online that there have hardly been any new Xbox Series X restocks happening in the UK and that he is tired of waiting. He is now honestly thinking about being able to get the Xbox since it is reportedly dropping a lot over in the UK. He then stated that he actually wanted to get a PS5 but his patience is about nearly over. Rumors, however, point to new stocks hitting the retailers in the UK on Thursday of January 14. This will not limit itself to Xbox Series X restock but also to the PS5 restock as well. However, these are only rumors and should be taken with caution as they have not yet officially been proved. Read Also: PS5 Restock 2021: Around 18 Million Consoles Coming Soon; Here's Latest Updates Xbox Series S stock According to an article by The Verge, Microsoft had explained why the Xbox Series S is still good when it comes to resolution. According to the article, the Xbox Series S is capable of delivering approximately 3x of the basic GPU performance that the Xbox One was able to reach allowing it to run 1440p at 60fps along with support for up to 120fps. With a massive increased efficiency that can be taken from the next gen AMD RDNA 2 graphics architecture that is combined along with the virtual memory multipliers that are enabled through the Xbox Velocity Architecture. This will allow the Xbox Series S to deliver better performance and experience beyond its raw specs. Related Article: Xbox Series X Stock 2021: Microsoft Seeks Help From AMD For GPU and CPU Production to Address Shortage This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Urian Buenconsejo 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. YouTube has frozen Donald Trumps channel on the platform, suspending it for at least a week from uploading new videos and deleting a recent video following ongoing concern of potential for violence. Google-owned YouTube joined its fellow social media giants Twitter and Facebook in their crackdown on the US president over the fear of rerun of the US Capitol mayhem on 6 January. "In light of concerns about the ongoing potential for violence, we removed new content uploaded to Donald J Trump's channel for violating our policies," YouTube said in a statement. "As a result, in accordance with our long-standing strikes system, the channel is now prevented from uploading new videos or livestreams for a minimum of seven dayswhich may be extended." YouTube has also disabled comments from the videos on Mr Trumps channel, which has 2.77 million followers. The outgoing US president was once highly active on social media, using it as his preferred medium to reach his mammoth online following, but is now facing a blanket ban across major platforms. On Tuesday, Mr Trump criticised the social media giants that are banning him and said they are making a catastrophic mistake and it is a horrible thing for our country and [done] to our country". He also defended his rally speech that has been accused of inciting the mob to break into the US Capitol, calling the remarks totally appropriate. While Facebook suspended Mr Trumps account indefinitely, Twitter has put a permanent ban on the president. YouTube was the last to censor Mr Trump. Intensifying the crackdown on Mr Trumps supporters, Apple, Google and Amazon blacklisted Parler, a social media site popular with conservatives. According to streaming platform YouTubes policies, it issues strikes on videos for violating its terms of use. The first strike amounts to suspension of adding new videos for seven days, second within 90 days leads to two weeks suspension and third leads to a full ban. The presidents posts since the election have been under increased scrutiny on Twitter, with the platform labelling his posts as disputed" or potentially "misleading, often alongside fact-checking posts. His eldest son Donald Trump Jr urged Elon Musk on Tuesday to start a Twitter rival where his father is not banned and save free speech in America. Anhui's producer price index (PPI), which measures costs of goods at the factory gate, rose 1.2 percent month-on-month in December, the highest level over the past 48 months, local authorities said at a meeting on Wednesday. Due to the continuous price increases in international crude oil, prices of oil, coal and other types of fuel rose 6.9 percent on a monthly basis. The growth was 4.9 percentage points higher than that in November, according to the Economy and Information Technology Department of Anhui Province. Prices in the nonferrous metal mining and dressing sector went up 6.2 percent in December, 4.2 percentage points higher than a month earlier, while prices in the ferrous metal mining and dressing sector increased 3.1 percent, 0.9 percentage points higher than in November. Prices of chemical raw materials and products grew 1.5 percent month-on-month, compared to a 1.3 percent rise in November. On a yearly basis, the PPI edged up 0.8 percent in December after decreases in nine consecutive months, the department said. Prices in the nonferrous metal mining and dressing sector and the ferrous metal mining and dressing sector rose 11.6 percent and 5.4 percent year-on-year, respectively. Prices of oil, coal and other types of fuel declined 4.7 percent. Prices in the coal mining sector went down 4.1 percent. In addition, prices of chemical raw materials and products fell 1.2 percent. ISTANBUL, Jan. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The largest global innovation platform for startups and corporations from Silicon Valley, Plug and Play, is partnering with Turkish Employers' Association of Metal Industries, MESS in launching its newest location in Istanbul, Turkey. This office located at MEXT (MESS Technology Center) and designed and launched by MESS, will focus on connecting startups, corporations, and investors working on innovating the automotive, energy, logistics, steel and durable consumer goods industries. The innovation hub is scheduled to run its first official startup accelerator program in early 2021. "We have been building innovation platforms focused on mobility and IoT worldwide in locations such as Silicon Valley, Stuttgart, Detroit, Shanghai and Tokyo. With our startups, we can bring efficiency and cost savings in the automotive, manufacturing and logistics industries. Through this new operation here, we will be able to connect Istanbul to Silicon Valley, China, Singapore, Germany, and the rest of our global network, and continue to foster collaboration and innovation," said Saeed Amidi, Founder and CEO of Plug and Play. "Industries have been going through an incredible transformation with advancements in electrification, connected and autonomous vehicles, Industry 4.0, logistics and many more. Our partnership with MESS as a founding partner in Istanbul, which has 250 leading corporations as members, is a perfect example of how big organizations are taking the necessary steps to embrace the changes and find technology outside." "As the largest employers association of Turkey, digitalization of the Turkish manufacturing industry is our key priority. We have to benefit from the opportunities of 4th industrial revolution and prepare our member companies to the disruptive competition it brings. This could be best achieved through open innovation and corporate entrepreneurship. After our MEXT (MESS Technology Center) and World Economic Forum's Center for 4th Industrial Revolution projects, in cooperation with Plug and Play, we are creating a unique ecosystem in Istanbul where our members, startups and investors interact with each other for open innovation and global business development" said Ozgur Burak Akkol, Chairman of the Board of MESS. "We are bringing a truly global platform to Istanbul. While our members will have the opportunity work with the best start-ups, new entrepreneurs will have ready client at MEXT where they can test their products. Investor community will select the best start-ups with proven track record and higher return of investment. This ecosystem will boost Turkish startup ecosystem. I invite startups to engage with Plug and Play Istanbul platform to meet our 250 members as well as investor community" he added. Underlying the position of Istanbul between Europe and Asia, Akkol stated that Plug and Play Istanbul Platform aimed to make Istanbul as the new regional hub for entrepreneurship and innovation. "While Istanbul is among the Top 100 Emerging Ecosystem Ranking, we want Istanbul to be among Top 30 Global Startup Ecosystems" he further added. Plug and Play's accelerator program will identify up to 20 companies to participate in two cohorts annually. The focus will be on Smart and Digitally Connected Factory, AI Production Optimization, Intelligent Factory Automation, Smart Tracking & Supply Chain Monitoring, Advancing Connected and Autonomous Driving, Supply Chain Optimization, Sensor Technologies, Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning. Our platform in Istanbul will offer business development, mentorship, and networking opportunities for startups, investors, and relevant industry corporations. "Launching our journey in Istanbul has been one of my biggest dreams since I joined Plug and Play four years ago. Our vision to put Istanbul on the global map as an innovation hub has found its match with the MESS leadership. Our office is located at MEXT Technology Center, which is Turkey's largest, the most innovative, and state of art technology center. Our partner will bring their network of the largest corporations in Turkey work with our global startups find new business and investment opportunities, and connecting the key stakeholders and industry experts will bring new ideas in a location ripe for disruption," said Omer Gozen, Senior Vice President at Plug and Play. Corporations, startups, investors, and other industry leaders interested in Plug and Play Istanbul please visit the website to learn more and speak to our experts: www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/istanbul/ About Plug and Play Plug and Play is a global innovation platform. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we have built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services and an in-house VC to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before. Since inception in 2006, our programs have expanded worldwide to include a presence in over 35 locations globally giving startups the necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond. With over 40,000 startups and 400 official corporate partners, we have created the ultimate startup ecosystem in many industries. Companies in our community have raised over $9 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Danger, Rappi, Dropbox, Honey, (Sound) Hound, Lending Club and PayPal. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/ About Turkey's Employers Association of Metal Industries (MESS) Turkish Employers' Association of Metal Industries (MESS) represents Turkish metal sector and was established in 1959 in Istanbul as the first employers' union of the industry. MESS works for the advancement of industrial relations through constructive dialogue and knowledge sharing. MESS represents 249 firms serving the main and supply industries in automotive, iron, steel casting, and durable goods. These firms include many global brands such as Bosch, Ford, ABB, Mercedes, Fiat, and MAN. Total contribution of its members to local economy is more than 60 billion USD. They directly employ 185 thousand people. As an unconventional employer association, MESS positioned it's beyond the classical mandate of an employer's union. Shaping the way for industrial relations and the business life, MESS aims to ensure sustained peace and harmony at the workplace for the benefit of its members and their employees, contribute to the growth of national economy and industrial output, and provide services based on mutual confidence and dialogue. For further details about MESS, visit www.mess.org.tr About MEXT (MESS Technology Center) MEXT is Turkey's largest, the most innovative, state of art technology center and it is the world's largest digital transformation & competence development center. Within its vision to support its members along their digital transformation journeys towards Industry 4.0, Turkish Employers' Association of Metal Industries (MESS) developed an ecosystem made up of more than 30 globally recognized technology providers, universities, and institutions to put MEXT into practice. Built on 8.000 square meters in Istanbul, MEXT provides its visitors with a model factory, showcases, a training area, office spaces, a co-working space with ecosystem players, a conference center and many more. For further details about MEXT, visit https://www.mext.org.tr/ SOURCE Plug and Play Related Links https://plugandplaytechcenter.com Cattle smugglers attacked a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan under Guwahati Frontier. The Jawan sustained injury in an along the India-Bangladesh border in Assams South Salmara-Mankachar district. The incident took place in an area that falls under the jurisdiction of Deepchar Border Outpost of 6 Battalion BSF under Guwahati Frontier in South Salmara-Mankachar district of state. In a statement, BSF said, The BSF personnel on duty observed a group of 20-25 cattle smugglers on both the sides of the international border and they were trying to smuggle the cattle from India to Bangladesh side by taking advantage of fog and poor visibility." It further added, The smugglers quickly encircled the jawan on duty and attacked him with bamboo sticks and sharp-edged cleaver." The jawan has received the first aid and was sent to nearest the PHC at Gajarkandi in Kukurmara under the South Salamara-Mankachar district of Assam. Meanwhile, Two cattle-carrying vehicles were set on fire by locals near the Mata Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur on Wednesday. The locals also nabbed 4 persons including the drivers and co-drivers of the vehicles. Also Read: Kenya Spotlights on Indian market in 2021 Declare Netaji Subhash Chandra Boses birth anniversary as Deshprem Diwas, demands Left Front Jasmin Bhasin changes her hair colour after eviction from Bigg Boss 14 Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. The "Cheese Market in Europe (23 Countries): COVID-19 Update" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The publisher has gathered hard food and drink market data for over 30 years. The publisher has developed a pioneering new approach to assessing food and drink markets in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as follows. Market Forecasts and the COVID-19 Pandemic The 2020, 2021 and 2022 market forecasts include estimates for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been achieved by applying factors to account for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on: Retail Markets Foodservice Markets Individual Countries Underlying natural market growth A built-in return to normal over several years. A complete quantitative, hard data demand and supply analysis of final human consumption in the country and product markets covered. All product markets are carefully defined so as to be comparable across all countries. 72 markets, 575 companies and 1011 company markets shares and brands are assessed by country, company and product for your business planning, marketing campaigns and merger acquisition projects. Own label, branded, unbranded and artisanal shares are also provided. Based on the publisher's international food and drink markets database, now in its 31st year, the report includes (see detailed Table of Contents for more): Separate Foodservice and Retail Market data are given by volume and value, and by product and country, hence providing complete coverage of the final human consumption Up to the Top-10 holding companies by market share by product, country and region A complete alphabetic listing of all holding companies together with their key subsidiaries, market shares, and brands by product and country. Own label, branded, unbranded and artisanal market shares A unique strategic vision of the 23-country European market is presented, in particular identifying the numerous companies present together with their market shares and major brands by country and product. Standard data tables for each product provide a 23-country panorama of companies' strengths (market shares by country and for the region) and presence (number of country and product markets in which present). Why You Should Buy This Report This report entails a fully up-to-date mapping of the market providing valuable support to strategic marketing decisions, in particular regarding: Strategic Planning Marketing Sales Mergers and Acquisitions Market Opportunities Risks Companies Strengths Weaknesses For Each and Every Product Covered in Each Country Retail, Foodservice and Total Historical and Forecast Demand by volume and by value for 2014, 2018 and 2019 as well as forecasts for 2020, 2021 and 2022. Historical Trend % growth by volume and value for 2014 2019 Forecast Growth % growth by volume and value for 2020 2022 Supply structure in each product and in each country in 2020: producer shares, own label share, branded share, unbranded share and artisanal share (own made for own sale, e.g. independent bakers). Major brands listed by country, product, holding or independent companies and subsidiaries. Company Profiles All holding companies identified are listed alphabetically with their key subsidiaries by country, detailing the product markets in which the latest market shares have been identified. The overall share in the market covered is provided. The estimated percent contribution of each product to final (retail foodservice) sales is also provided. Key Topics Covered: Products covered and definition of each product: Cheese Fresh cheese (8.6) Fresh cheese, plain or flavoured, e.g. Philadelphia, Quark and Boursin type, cottage cheese, mozzarella, ricotta, excluding petits suisses type which are under Chilled desserts. Natural cheese (8.7) Hard (Cheddar, Edam, Gruyere), soft (Brie, Camembert) and blue types (Roquefort, Stilton). Generally chilled shelf life of up to 60 days. In CEE, includes melted cheese with shelf life of 60-80 days and most spreads, excepting Philadelphia. Processed cheese (8.8) Processed cheese: processed cheese, including wedges, squares and slices. Long-shelf-life cheese, of around 150-250 days. Countries covered: Europe Austria, Belgium/Luxemburg, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland/Eire, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom For each of the products covered (listed above) and in each of the countries covered (listed above), as well as for the aggregate data for the entire market covered, the following information is provided: Tracking of Major Suppliers, Demand and Distribution Channels Products Mentioned Fresh Cheese Natural Cheese Processed Cheese For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fx0pai View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005648/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 Two men from upstate New York have been arrested on drug charges after authorities say they had forgotten a cache of drugs, including heroin and MDMA, inside a rental car. Aasim Hilts, 26, and Shariff Frasier were taken into custody on Wednesday after returning to the car rental business at Albany International Airport to retrieve the drugs they had left behind. The incident began unfolding on Wednesday, when the Albany County Sheriff's Office received a call from the rental company at the airport, saying that clients had left drugs in the car they had returned. Cache: The Albany County Sheriff's deputies seized 140 glassine envelopes containing heroin, over 35 grams of MDMA, 62 counterfeit oxycodone pills pressed with fentanyl, 10 suboxone strips, an unspecified quantity of marijuana, and over $5,600 in cash from a suspect Deputies who responded to the scene encountered Hilts and Frasier, who they say had returned to the rental lot for their misplaced drugs, reported The Daily Gazette. Aasim Hilts was charged with nearly a dozen drug counts, most of them felonies after allegedly trying to retrieve the drugs he had forgotten inside a rental car During an interview with investigators, Hilts, of Albany, was found to be in possession of 140 glassine envelopes containing heroin, over 35 grams of MDMA, 62 counterfeit oxycodone pills pressed with fentanyl, 10 suboxone strips, an unspecified quantity of marijuana, and over $5,600 in cash, according to the sheriff's office. Frasier was discovered to be in possession of marijuana. Hilts was charged with nearly a dozen drug counts, most of them felonies, and released to probation supervision. Fraiser was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, which is a violation, and released on an appearance ticket. Both suspects were ordered to appear in Colonie Town Court at a later date, reported News10. ROME, JAN 14 - The Vatican on Thursday confirmed reports that Pope Francis has been vaccinated for COVID-19 and said that former pontiff Benedict XVI has been too. "I can confirm that, as part of the vaccination program of the Vatican City State, the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine has been administered to Pope Francis and to the Pope Emeritus," said Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office in response to journalists' questions. In an interview with Mediaset television last weekend, Francis described being vaccinated as "an ethical action, because you are gambling with your health, you are gambling with your life, but you are also gambling with the lives of others." (ANSA). Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Carlos Condit wont pretend this is just the next fight. He knows it could be his last, at least as far as the UFC is concerned. Even so, he says, Saturdays fight against Matt Brown is at its core no different from his 44 MMA fights that preceded it. I have all the motivation I need, Condit said in a phone interview from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, knowing theres a guy whos gonna come across the Octagon and try to end me and do me great bodily harm on live television. Everything else is just details. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Condit (31-13), of Albuquerque, and Brown (22-17), of Cincinnati, are both greatly admired veterans of the UFCs welterweight division. After two previous scheduled fights between the two fell through because of injuries to Brown, theyll finally step into the cage Saturday in a featured bout at the UFCs Fight Island. Yet, as respected as they are, both fighters, with a loss on Saturday, might face the possibility of being cut from the UFCs voluminous roster. UFC President Dana White had talked of releasing some 60 fighters before the end of 2020. That didnt happen but still could. Condit, 36, wont run and hide from that prospect, anymore than he intends to run and hide from Brown. I think a lot of guys are fighting for their jobs, or their spot in the UFC, he said. This is the last fight on my contract, so, yeah, theres a lot of different reasons that this is a big fight for me. Condit has had a superb MMA career, one that began in 2002 and earned him victories over Jake Ellenberger, Rory MacDonald, Dan Hardy, Nick Diaz and Martin Kampmann. Among his losses, he gave MMA legend Georges St-Pierre one of his toughest fights and controversially came up short on the scorecards in a UFC welterweight title fight against Robbie Lawler. But, over a span of two years, Condit lost five consecutive fights. He snapped that streak with a victory by unanimous decision in Abu Dhabi over Court McGee on Oct. 3, but believes he might need not just a victory but a decisive one Saturday to secure a continued spot in the UFC ranks. Hes confident he can achieve exactly that. Easily accomplished? No. Condit doesnt even want it to be easy just violent. Matt is ultra aggressive, comes forward, hits hard. Hes got a well-rounded skill set, he said. Hes beatable, though. Hes a strong, well-conditioned athlete, but hes got holes in his game and, technically, I think Im gonna be able pick him apart. I know Im gonna be able to pick him apart. Brown, of course, has his own views on the subject. Of course, I respect Carlos, Brown said during a UFC WebEx interview. Ive always been a big fan of his. Hes one of my favorite fighters. I love watching him fight; I always cheer for him when hes fighting. Unfortunately for him, hes got to deal with me this weekend. After I beat him up, Im probably gonna be sad that I beat him up so bad. But Im OK with that. Brown, who turned 40 on Sunday, and Condit were to have met in December 2013, but a back injury to Brown scuttled the fight. It was rescheduled for April 2018, but Brown tore an ACL. Barring something bizarre between now and fight time, this long-anticipated fight between two relentless strikers will finally happen. The UFC never gave up on the matchup, Condit believes, for precisely that reason. Were both aggressive fighters, both very skilled strikers, he said. Everyone wants to see that striking battle. Were well-rounded guys; were mixed martial artists. But people always want to see a striking battle between a couple of guys who like to get after it. Saturday UFC Fight Night: Max Holloway vs. Calvin Kattar, Carlos Condit vs. Matt Brown, several other fights. TV/Streaming: ABC/espn+, 1 p.m. The Ukrainian government is working to obtain high-quality vaccines against COVID-19, according to Servant of the People MP Lesia Zaburanna, who heads the parliament's subcommittee on state budget expenditures of the Verkhovna Rada budget committee. "The government is working to get quality Western vaccines instead of buying Russian ones, because Ukrainians should have access to tested and safe [products], not products with doubtful efficacy," she wrote on her Facebook page. The parliamentarian stressed that Ukraine will not buy "a low-grade product with unproven efficacy." "We cannot risk the health of our citizens, so we will buy only the best vaccines on the market that can be used safely and effectively," Zaburanna said. On January 13, the Lekhim group of pharmaceutical companies signed an agreement with Chinese vaccine manufacturer Sinovac Biotech to supply Ukraine with five million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Of these, 1.9 million doses will be delivered within the procurement of the Ministry of Health. Ukraine will also receive eight million doses of coronavirus vaccine as part of the COVAX initiative, which will be enough to vaccinate four million people. Photo: pexels.com, cottonbro The name of Frank Cluskey has emerged as one of the scarce positive aspects of the 3,000 pages of the Mother and Baby Homes report. He put through ground-breaking legislative changes in 1973 to give the first welfare payment to what were then known as unmarried mothers. The report notes that by the late 1960s more than nine out of 10 mothers in these homes gave their children up for adoption. WASHINGTON: The Trump administration in its waning days took another swipe at China and its biggest firms on Thursday, imposing sanctions on officials and companies for alleged misdeeds in the South China Sea and imposing an investment ban on nine more firms. The moves will further increase tensions with China, Washingtons strategic rival in Asia, days before President-elect Joe Biden takes office on Wednesday. The Biden transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Executives of state-owned enterprises, officials of the Chinese Communist Party and military, along with oil giant CNOOC will face new restrictions for allegedly using coercion against states with rival South China Sea claims. Nine Chinese firms were added to the Pentagons list of companies with alleged ties to the Chinese military, including planemaker Comac and phone maker Xiaomi Corp. Those companies will be subject to a new U.S. investment ban which forces American investors to divest holdings of the blacklisted firms by Nov. 11, 2021. In its response, the Chinese embassy referred to Jan. 7 Foreign Ministry comments accusing Washington of pinning political and ideological labels on economic and trade issues and exploiting its state power to crack down on foreign companies, under the pretext of national security." The United States has long opposed Chinas extensive territorial claims in the South China Sea, a potentially resource-rich area that is also a strategic trade route. Washington accuses Beijing of intimidating states such as Vietnam and the Philippines that have competing claims there. China accuses Washington of trying to destabilize the region by sending warships and planes to the South China Sea. The United States stands with Southeast Asian claimant states seeking to defend their sovereign rights and interests, consistent with international law," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in announcing the sanctions. Pompeo said Washington was imposing visa restrictions on executives of Chinese state-owned enterprises and officials of the Chinese Communist Party and navy. He said the sanctions were directed against those responsible for, or complicit in, either the large-scale reclamation, construction, or militarization of disputed outposts in the South China Sea, or use of coercion against Southeast Asian claimants to inhibit their access to offshore resources." The restrictions could also apply to immediate family members, he said. The Commerce Department accused CNOOC of harassing and threatening offshore oil and gas exploration and extraction in the South China Sea, with the goal of driving up the political risk for interested foreign partners, including Vietnam." President Donald Trumps administration has kept up pressure in its final days, targeting what Washington sees as Beijings bid to use corporations as a means to harness civilian technologies for military purposes. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said CNOOC acted as a bully for the Peoples Liberation Army to intimidate Chinas neighbors" and the Chinese military continues to benefit from government civil-military fusion policies for malign purposes." Rosss department added CNOOC to an Entity List" that requires firms to be granted a special license before they can receive exports of high-tech items from U.S. suppliers. Chinese aviation firm Skyrizon was added to a Military End-User (MEU) List over its ability to develop military products including aircraft engines, restricting its access to U.S. exports. Aside from Comac and Xiaomi, the Pentagon added Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment Inc, Luokung Technology Corp, Beijing Zhongguancun Development Investment Center, GOWIN Semiconductor Corp, Grand China Air Co Ltd, Global Tone Communication Technology Co Ltd and China National Aviation Holding Co Ltd to the list. Representatives of the Chinese firms did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On Wednesday the Trump administration scrapped plans to blacklist Chinese tech giants Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu, four people familiar with the matter said. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor New Delhi: The much-revered harvest festival of South India, 'Pongal' is being celebrated this year on January 14, Thursday. Also known as Thai Pongal, the 4-day long festivity grips the Southern states of the country. The very first day of Pongal and Makar Sankranti festivities is called Bhogi. It is a major festival in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana namely. However, it is largely a pan India festival. Bhogi usually precedes Pongal. Rituals and Pongal Celebrations: Dedicated to Surya Dev or Sun God, the harvest festival coincides with Makar Sankranti. Pongal festival is spread over three days predominantly named Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal and Mattu Pongal, however, some Tamilians celebrate the fourth day as Kaanum Pongal respectively. 'Pongal' means 'boil' or 'overflow' referring to the traditional dish prepared from the new harvest of rice boiled in milk with jaggery. After preparing the sweet Pongal dish, it is first offered to the gods and goddesses. Later, an offering is made to the cows and then shared by the family. Cows are decorated and their horns adorned with beautiful embellishments, including ritual bathing and procession. Also, households decorate rice-powder based kolam artworks, offer prayers in the home, temples with family and friends. Gifts are also presented to each other, ensuring bonhomie amongst all. Devotees pray to the Lord and thank Sun God for providing them with abundance and prosperity. Here's wishing all our readers a very happy Pongal! Over 31 kg of drugs of various types have been found in multiple parcels sent from abroad by mail and express mail to Ho Chi Minh City, the citys Customs Department announced on January 13. The drugs are seized by the customs authority in HCM City. It said a team of local customs authority, anti-drug, anti-trafficking and police forces on January 12 seized the drugs contained in 16 parcels shipped from Germany, France, the US, Canada, China, and Hong Kong (China) by mail and express mail. The drugs, including Ecstasy/Molly (MDMA), Cocaine, Ketamine and Cannabis, were concealed between two layers of cartons filled with clothing and confectionary sent as gifts, or masqueraded as milk powder and candy packs. It was also the first time drugs had been discovered in two shipments sent via a new route from China and Hong Kong (China). The HCM City Customs Department is cooperating with relevant authorities to further investigate the case. In November last year, the city also seized more than 20 kg of drugs shipped from overseas via a similar way./.VNA Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump has become the first president in American history to be impeached twice. But being impeached is not the same as being convicted and kicked out of office or barred from holding it again. Here's what happened and what could be next. - - - What are the consequences? Trump will go down in history as being the first U.S. president to be impeached twice. If the Senate convicts him before he leaves office on Jan. 20, he will be removed, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Wednesday that the chamber will not take up the matter before Trump leaves office. If it convicted him, the Senate could take another vote to bar him from holding office again. - - - Washington Post photo by Melina Mara Why a second impeachment? Impeaching Trump in his final days in office was not on Congress's to-do list. But then the riot at the Capitol happened Jan. 6. Congress convened under tense circumstances after Trump's months-long quest to undermine the 2020 presidential election, contest his loss, and interfere in the counting of electoral votes and confirming that Joe Biden will be the next president. Congress's role in who is president is largely a formality. But scores of Republican lawmakers, including a majority of GOP House members, planned to use an 1880s law to object to seating electors from swing states Trump lost. That's despite the fact that all states met the legal requirements for Congress and despite the fact that none of those challenges could get the votes to succeed. As they got started, Trump was on the Ellipse, addressing supporters whom he had invited to Washington to "be there, will be wild," and whom he urged that day to "fight like hell" to try to overturn his loss. As debate about the first GOP challenge got underway, hundreds of those supporters stormed the Capitol, overwhelming Capitol Police and forcing lawmakers and staff members to flee the chambers. Five people's deaths, including a Capitol Police officer's, were linked to the riot. Shaken members of Congress returned hours later and confirmed Biden's win. Democrats and some Republicans started calling for Trump's removal from office immediately. On Tuesday, several top House Republicans said they supported impeaching him. "The president of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack," Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the No. 3 House Republican, said in a statement, adding, "There has never been a greater betrayal by a president of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution." - - - Why not other consequences? There were a few options besides impeachment to get Trump out before he has to leave by noon Jan. 20. He could resign. Or Vice President Mike Pence and half the Cabinet could vote to remove him based on a section of the 25th Amendment that allows them to declare him unfit to serve. Pence said removing Trump now would not be "in the best interest of our Nation or consistent with our Constitution." House Democrats called on Pence to remove the president this way before they moved to impeach Trump, but while there were talks in the Cabinet of doing so, there was no action. Some Cabinet members resigned over Trump's role in the riot, removing themselves from involvement in taking this unprecedented step. Some constitutional law experts argue that Congress could use a lesser-known provision in the 14th Amendment to bar Trump from office, by voting that he "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" and thus can't hold office again. They say that would take only a majority vote, though it could be open to court challenges. House Democrats, more than 300 historians, constitutional law experts and some Republicans have said Trump poses more danger the longer he stays in office after encouraging the riot. "We cannot let this go unanswered," Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., wrote in a New York Times opinion article, speaking for many in his party. "With each day, Mr. Trump grows more and more desperate. We should not allow him to menace the security of our country for a second longer." - - - What's next? The impeachment article goes to the Senate for a trial on whether to convict or acquit the president. The Senate is in the process of changing hands, from a narrow Republican majority to a narrow Democratic majority. The timing of the House vote, less than a week before Biden is to be sworn in, means the Senate trial will happen under a Democratic-controlled Senate. Democrats would get to outline how the trial would work. But it could require the Senate to stop all business for a few days, including confirming Biden's Cabinet. (Some House Democratic leaders have suggested refraining from sending the impeachment article to the Senate until Biden is more settled with his administration.) Biden asked the Senate whether it could split the day in two, confirming his nominees and holding a trial. It's unclear whether the Senate can do that. The consequences for Trump are unclear. A president can probably be convicted after leaving office, but to convict Trump requires support of two-thirds of the Senate, more than the Democratic majority. Democrats would need 17 Senate Republicans to join them, and they do not seem to have that support. Three Republican senators have expressed openness to impeachment or to getting Trump out of office after the Capitol riot - Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. "I want him out. I want him to resign. He has caused enough damage," Murkowski said in the days after the invasion. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, the lone Senate Republican to vote to convict Trump during his first impeachment, has expressed hesitation that impeachment is the right way to go, though he also has said he thinks the president should be held accountable in some way. McConnell has said he's furious with Trump for what happened and does not plan to speak to him again, reported The Washington Post's Josh Dawsey and Ashley Parker. The Post has confirmed that he told others that Trump probably committed impeachable offenses. Barring a president from running for office again would require removal from office, then a majority vote. - - - What the new impeachment article says The article the House voted on 232-197 is short but makes three main points, mainly that Trump committed "high crimes and misdemeanors" because: 1. He falsely claimed he won the election: "Shortly before the Joint Session commenced, President Trump addressed a crowd of his political supporters nearby. There, he reiterated false claims that 'we won this election, and we won it by a landslide.' " 2. He encouraged the riot: "He willfully made statements that encouraged - and foreseeably resulted in - imminent lawless action at the Capitol. Incited by President Trump, a mob unlawfully breached the Capitol, injured law enforcement personnel, menaced Members of Congress and the Vice President, interfered with the Joint Session's solemn constitutional duty to certify the election results, and engaged in violent, deadly, destructive, and seditious acts." 3. He'd been putting actions to his words to try to overturn his loss: The article mentions a recent call Trump held with Georgia's secretary of state urging him to "find" just enough votes to overturn Biden's win there. - - - What Republicans are saying Republican lawmakers are not defending Trump's actions, but few are publicly acknowledging his role in inciting the violent mob and trying to undermine a presidential election. Most House Republicans have been lining up behind the argument that impeachment would be too divisive for the country, and they are trying not to acknowledge Trump's role in the rhetoric that led to the storming of the Capitol. They have offered alternatives such as censure, a much weaker option. The majority of Senate Republicans are silent about what they think should happen to Trump. Some argue that impeachment is a bad idea. "I think letting the president stew in his own juices is probably the right way to go here," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a Trump ally who stopped his support for Trump after the riot, told The Post on Monday after meeting with the president. "Impeachment is going to reignite the problem, and we've got nine days to go here. It will do more harm than good, and I'm hoping that people on our side will see it that way." Trump, who used his now-defunct Twitter account to defend himself throughout his first impeachment trial, on Tuesday morning called the new impeachment effort "a continuation of the greatest witch hunt in the history of politics." - - - What happened in the last impeachment After months of debate within the Democratic Party about whether to impeach Trump for his efforts to block a government Russia investigation, in the fall of 2019, Democrats moved forward with impeaching Trump for pressuring the president of Ukraine to investigate Biden. They went slowly, starting with an impeachment investigation in which they called about a dozen witnesses before having some dramatically testify, often in defiance of Trump's orders not to. By December 2019, Trump was impeached by the Democratic House in a mostly party-line vote for two articles: abuse of power and obstructing Congress's inquiry. In January, the Republican-controlled Senate held a relatively quick trial without calling new witnesses and acquitted Trump. Only one Republican senator, Romney, voted to convict Trump on one of the articles. Mumbai, Jan 14 : Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan treated his fans with a beautiful video featuring him with his two sons on Thursday, which marks 21 years of release of his debut film Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai. In the video he shared on Instagram, Hrithik is seen enjoying a bicycle ride with sons Hrehaan and Hridhaan. Hrithik captioned the video using the hashtag "#daddycool". As the trio enjoys their ride in an undisclosed destination, the words "High on love" appear on screen. Thursday marks 21 years of release of Hrithik's debut film Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, which went on to become a blockbuster that would establish his stature as a superstar. The Rakesh Roshan directorial also marked the debut of actress Ameesha Patel. Hrithik's new film Fighter was announced on his birthday this year, on January 10. The film co-stars Deepika Padukone and is directed by Siddharth Anand, who helmed Hrithik's 2019 blockbuster War. Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Community will celebrate the installation of Rabbi Janine C. Schloss at a virtual Kabbalat Shabbat service at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 29. Rabbi Allison Flash of Seattle, a longtime friend and colleague of Schloss, will speak and participate in the service. Schloss joined Shir Hadash in July 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and has since been virtually leading the congregation. Prior to joining Shir Hadash, Schloss spent 14 years as director of education for Temple Beth Am in Seattle. Relocating to St. Louis was a bit of a homecoming. Following her rabbinic ordination from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR), Schloss served at Congregation Shaare Emeth for 12 years, first as assistant/associate rabbi and later as director of education. ADVERTISEMENT Schloss was also recently named secretary of the of the St. Louis Rabbinical and Cantorial Association. To receive a Zoom invitation to the installation Kabbalat Shabbat service, contact Carol Wolf Solomon at [email protected] GOOSE CREEK For decades, City Council here was almost exclusively male. It started with Michael Heitzler, who served 10 terms as the citys mayor from 1978 to 2018. Mark Phillips (1986-2018), John McCants (1992-2016) and Kimo Esarey (1998-2018) were fixtures on the council for decades. While Marguerite Brown for whom Goose Creeks municipal center was named served on council for 39 years until her death in 2014, it was still a place where men dominated the proceedings. As recently as 2014, there was just one woman on the council, Debra Green-Fletcher. All that changed in December when Hannah Cox and Melissa Enos won council seats and joined Gayla McSwain and Green-Fletcher, making the seven-member council one of the few female-dominated government bodies in the state. There are four women and three men currently serving on council. This is something that the city needed, said Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Tekac, who served on council from 2008 to 2016 and was reelected in 2018. We needed more diversity and thats what we got in the last election. Hannah and Melissa have been great additions. Weve needed more women on council; its been long overdue. The changes in the makeup of City Council from what it was six years ago to what it is today reflect the transformation of the city itself. Since its incorporation 60 years ago, this Berkeley County city has been synonymous with the military and hometown values. It was a place where former military personnel would retire. The perception of what the old council used to be was probably fair, said Mayor Greg Habib, who served on council beginning in 2016 and became mayor in 2018. Im not going to say it was true, but it was fair from an outsiders perspective. They were great public servants, they cared, but the city has grown, and we needed new eyes on the problems we are facing. As major manufacturing companies such as Boeing and Volvo opened plants in the Lowcountry, the citys population exploded. Since 2010, Goose Creek has been one of the fastest-growing cities in South Carolina, adding more than 10,000 new residents over a 10-year span. The population is expected to break the 50,000 barrier by 2024. While the military makes up about 20 percent of the overall population, and longtime established residents still have a strong influence within the city, Goose Creek has become younger, more affluent, and more diverse. Goose Creek is quickly becoming a top destination among younger residents looking for affordable housing. The city has a median age of 32. Its median income is $65,884 and has 31 percent non-White population, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau statistics. The city has been able to keep its tightknit community feel in place, despite seeing its population transform over the past decade. In October, Money Magazine named Goose Creek the best place to live in South Carolina. Cox, 39, Enos, 42, and Corey McClary, an African-American who was elected to council in 2018, make the body more representative of the citys population. Its not just skin color that makes the council more diverse, said McClary, 47, who grew up in West Ashley and graduated from The Citadel. Its about having different backgrounds, difference life experiences. Thats what makes us more diverse, and diversity makes us stronger. Residents have taken notice of the evolving council. Valinda Miller, an African American who owns Turning Page Bookshop on St. James Ave., said she feels the diversity on the council gives her a stronger voice with the government. When you see someone that looks like you on the council, it makes you feel like you are being heard, Miller said. Cox, Enos and McClary all have teenage children going to school in the community. All three, along with McSwain, have served in the military. Ive lived here for 20 years, but I wasnt raised here, so I guess Im considered a transplant, said Cox, who, along with Enos, served in the Navy. Im a mother, I was in the military, so I feel like can connect with the residents that have lived longer. But I still feel like a hybrid. I can bring a lot of different perspectives to the council. Although the council has met just a couple of times since Cox and Enos were sworn in, McClary has already noticed a difference in the way business is being conducted. I think women have a tendency to listen better and be more compassionate, McClary said. Im trying to follow their lead. When Cox was stationed at the Navy base in late-1990s, she would have never believed the council would have a majority of women on it. Not in a million years, but it shows how much the city has changed, Cox said. While some might be surprised by the transformation of the city and council, Habib isnt one of them. There are more women and more minorities getting involved in government and I welcome that, Habib said. Other perspectives are good, they are necessary to govern and you need it to get to the truth. Advertisement Coronavirus infections were falling in every age group except the over-80s last week and cases were dropping in all but three English regions, official data shows. It strongly suggests the tiered system was already beginning to slow the crisis before ministers were spooked into a third national intervention because it can take a week before the effects of lockdown kick in. Public Health England's weekly surveillance found that infections were decreasing in all regions except the North West, South West and West Midlands in the week up to January 10, six days after the full lockdown was enforced. London continues to have the highest rate of any region, at 864.9 per 100,000 people, down from 1,043.9 in the previous week. Yorkshire & the Humber still has the lowest case rate at 297.2, down from 309.9. In another positive sign, the proportion of positive tests declined in the week up to January 10. According to PHE, test positivity was 13.3 per cent last week, down from 17.5 per cent. Test positivity is a crucial way to monitor the outbreak because it takes into account fluctuations in the number of swabs carried out each day. But despite the positive trends in cases, the PHE surveillance report found hospitalisations, ICU admissions and mortality continued to increase. The three-week lag between someone catching Covid and falling seriously ill means these figures are likely to climb for another fortnight. The findings will be welcome news for Boris Johnson, who is set to hold off tightening the rules despite soaring deaths and Nicola Sturgeon imposing extra curbs in Scotland. As the death toll mounted, science chief Sir Patrick Vallance warned last night that the UK is in for a 'pretty grim period' as fatalities will not fall for 'some weeks' and the NHS is under serious pressure. But he also indicated that the case rate was more encouraging, with a series of week-on-week falls. Lockdown rules may be needed until the AUTUMN, Professor Neil Ferguson warns Britain's lockdown rules may be needed until the autumn, scientists advising No10 warned today. 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson whose grim modelling that 500,000 Britons could die unless action was taken spooked ministers into the first national shutdown last March said the easing of curbs would be a 'gradual process'. Asked if there could be restrictions for many months to come, he said: 'Yes, and we can't predict all of these things in advance. 'We couldn't have predicted this new variant coming up, but the new variant without doubt will make the relaxation of restrictions more difficult because it is substantially more transmissible.' Professor Ferguson, an epidemiologist at Imperial College London and member of SAGE, added: 'It will be a gradual process to the autumn.' Dr Susan Hopkins, one of the top officials at Public Health England (PHE), also added that England was likely going to have a 'difficult time at least until Easter'. The comments come amid fears Boris Johnson could tighter the rules even further, after Nicola Sturgeon yesterday imposed more curbs in Scotland. But hopes that England could escape tougher lockdown measures rose today after science chief Patrick Vallance suggested the current measures are 'enough' to control the mutant Covid strain. Professor Lockdown also claimed coronavirus survivors patients could face looser self-isolation restrictions. He said it could ease pressures on the NHS roughly 10 per cent of medics are currently off sick or self-isolating, according to estimates. His comments come after Public Health England researchers found that prior Covid infection cut the chances of falling ill with the virus in the next five months by up to 94 per cent. Advertisement With the number of deaths set to continue to soar for at least another week, a new temporary mortuary that can hold up to 1,300 bodies has been built in London. Professor Neil Ferguson, whose early modelling of Covid-19 plunged the UK into its first lockdown in March, said today: 'We're going to be well over 1,000 deaths a day, even measured by the date people die rather than the date deaths are reported, before numbers start coming down.' But he said the current wave of the epidemic may be coming under control in some regions. The PHE report showed that Covid case rates were highest in people in their twenties, at 879.7 per 100,000, followed by people in their thirties (767.8). In the over-80s, who are the most vulnerable age group to the infection, the rate is 577.1 per 100,000. For those in their 70s the rate is 302.5 and for 60 to 69-year-olds it is 452.6. There was also a 38 per cent rise in the number outbreaks of Covid-19 in care homes, the figures show. There were 977 suspected outbreaks in care homes reported to PHE in the seven days to January 10, where 739 had at least one linked case that tested positive for coronavirus. This is up from 749 suspected outbreaks the week before. While the data does not show a full picture of where coronavirus transmission is happening, it does suggest an issue in care homes and in some hospitals. The NHS has told GPs to vaccinate care home residents by the end of next week. The latest PHE data shows 243 suspected outbreaks in workplaces in the week to January 10 up from 166 the week before with 182 having at least one confirmed Covid-19 positive case. That's despite government guidance to work from home where possible. Meanwhile, 78 were in hospitals, down from 79 the week before, with 65 having at least one positive Covid-19 case. A further 31 were in educational settings, such as schools, where 24 had at least one linked case, down from 33 the previous week. Some 18 incidents were from food outlets/restaurants, up slightly from 11 the week before. It comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock said three million coronavirus vaccine doses have now been administered across the UK. He tweeted that he was 'delighted' with the news, adding: 'We're accelerating the Covid vaccine rollout across the UK.' Some large high street pharmacies, including Boots and Superdrug, have begun the process of administering vaccines. Six stores across England were in the first group to administer the jabs from Thursday as the Government aims to hit its target of vaccinating around 15 million of those most at-risk by mid-February. A regional breakdown of vaccination figures in England, up to January 10, showed a mixed performance. A total of 447,329 doses were administered in the Midlands but London has delivered just 237,524 doses and the capital's mayor Sadiq Khan said he was 'hugely concerned'. The NHS England figures indicate about half of people aged 80 and over in north east England and Yorkshire have received their first dose but just three-in-10 in eastern England and London. It is not enough to say we are anti-racist. We must address glaring disparities in treatment. 311 Shares Share Sometimes structural racism surfaces in a way that even those of us who would like to be color-blind cannot help but see. In the spring of 2020, the video-recorded death of George Floyd (who was Black) at the hands of a law enforcement officer (who was white) brought millions of witnesses to the kind of hostility that is all-too-familiar to individuals of color. Individuals, many non-white, took to our nations capital in protest; there, they met a clear demonstration of force by individuals in military garb. In the fall of 2020, our presidential election included legal votes from a larger proportion of individuals of color than ever before. False cries of fraudulence ensued. On January 6, 2021, a group of individuals, many white (some carrying the flag of the explicitly racist Confederacy), breached our nations actual Capitol Building to protest the election. Congress was in joint session, presided over by the vice president. The individuals met many fewer, less severe immediate consequences than would seem justified. As Roxanne Jones writes in an opinion article, To be Black in America is to live with constant trauma Black folk across the nation watched that siege and we knew in our souls that had those rioters been Black they would have faced deadly force long before they got inside . Decades of robust evidence point to disparate health outcomes, with worse Black and Latinx outcomes than for white patients. We work to add some sensitivity trainings, but health care delivery remains largely unchanged and biased. Once privileged eyes learn to see structural racism, it becomes visible in the very fabric of our institutions, even the ones grounded in objective science. When I was an intern, one of my clinic supervisors first-authored a study finding differential recommendations by experts regarding acute coronary chest pain interventions in a simulated setting. Even in clinically identical situations, men of color and all women were statistically less likely than white men to receive the best evidence-based treatment. I recalled lessons about lifestyle factors and biological predispositions, but they were at odds with this clear evidence of broad, race-based decisions that could harm patients. Many years later, reviewing data for a quality improvement project, I found evidence that Black and Latinx patients were more likely than white patients to be treated in the emergency departments special locked area and transferred to the state mental hospital. The optics of this segregation in medical care are disturbing on a number of levels. I looked at that evidence and saw structural racism, and I called attention to it. It should not have surprised me (and clearly would not surprise individuals aware of these disparities throughout their lifetimes) that Its hard for people to accept that you are calling them racist, and Those differences may not be statistically significant were common responses. It would be temptingand we may have absorbed lessons that give us permissionto cite biological or sociocultural differences as reasons for which individuals of color are more likely to have hard-to-treat psychosis or higher rates of underinsurance. We can reassure ourselves by citing higher rates of violence among Black individuals and then correlating violence with mental illness. However, such explanations only perpetuate myths that fly in the face of decades-old evidence of clinician bias. Even with validated diagnostic criteria, we are more likely to diagnose individuals of color with schizophrenia and white individuals with bipolar disorder. We are more likely to assign Black and Latinx children diagnoses of psychosis and behavioral disturbances than white children. We are giving our patients of color diagnoses that carry worse prognoses and creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. Ironically, physicians or diagnosticians without the lens of history may assume that expressions of well-earned distrust are actually delusions or psychotic symptoms. Medical mistrust, prevalent among individuals of color, is an important contributor to health disparities. For decades, the infamous Tuskeegee Study assessed the natural history of syphilis by lying to Black enrollees about (not giving them) treatment. According to Rebecca Skloots The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, her cancer cells were cultured and marketed for others profit. Harriett Washingtons book Medical Apartheid details many egregious aspects of medical treatment endured by individuals of at the hands of the American medical system. It is a wonder that any individual of color feels safe with any physician trained in our institutions. How does systemic racism influence individual patients? Is it real? A young Black man needs limb-salvaging surgery and attention to wound care but is discharged against medical advice, to the relief of unit staff who misinterpret his bipolar mania as the aggressive sociopathy of an angry Black man. A middle-aged Black man in needs amputation and is scared and angry; instead of recognizing predictable expressions of grief, the team interprets anger and refusal to sign consent. Harm ensues. Would treatment of my (white) male family members be the same? Unfortunately, I really doubt it and this answer outlines exactly the kind of distrust we have earned in health care as well as in society. It is not enough to say we are anti-racist; we have to modify our systems to recognize that we have placed individuals of color at risk of poorer outcomes. Lack of insurance, lack of finances, or even the presence of certain diagnoses may reflect less about the person and more about our society, our infrastructure, and our systems. As members of smaller communities and a larger society, we must make adjustments in our attitudes and knowledge as well as the services we provide to individuals who have experienced harm by insidious but ever-present racist structures. Glaring disparities in treatment arent only happening in protests. They are happening in all of society, and in our hospitals. Only when we address systemic racism will we be able to realize the ethical imperatives of safe and equitable health care for all. The views expressed here are my own and not those of my employer. Jane Gagliardi is an internal medicine physician and a psychiatrist. Image credit: Shutterstock.com A New Hampshire man has been arrested by the Boston office of the FBI on charges related to the U.S. Capitol insurrection in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6. Thomas Gallagher is charged with violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and illegally entering the Capitol building or grounds with intent to impede government business or official functions, according to federal court documents. Gallagher, 61, of Bridgewater, New, Hampshire, was arrested on Jan. 6 after he was on the upper level of the United States Capitol Visitors Center, according to court documents. He was among a larger crowd and was identified along with five other people, who were also arrested, the documents state. In a loud and clear voice, Capitol Police Officers ordered the crowd to leave the building, court documents state. The crowd did not comply, and instead responded by shouting and cursing at the Capitol Police Officers. Gallagher is the first person in New England to be arrested by the Boston office of the FBI as part of the nationwide search for individuals who breached the Capitol, according to the Boston Globe. Gallagher is scheduled to have his initial court appearance today at 1 p.m. at U.S. District Court in Concord, New Hampshire. David Lester Ross, a 33-year-old, was also arrested at the U.S. Capitol earlier this month on misdemeanor charges of unlawful entry and violating the citys curfew. Court documents obtained by MassLive show he is a resident of Pittsfield. Another Massachusetts woman, Anne Lorenz, was charged with assault on a police officer in Washington, D.C. near the U.S. Capitol on the same day. Related Content: Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- Its nearly two months since turbulence erupted around China Huarong Asset Management Co.At the end of March, its 4% perpetual dollar bond was trading at 102 cents on the dollar as investors figured the January execution of former chairman Lai Xiaomin for bribery put a line under past wayward behavior. But the failure of the company to release 2020 results by a March 31 deadline, and a subsequent report by mainland media Caixin that the firm will restructure, sparked weeks of turmoil. The same bond is now at 57 cents.The heart of the matter is whether the central government will rescue a state-owned company thats integral to the smooth running of the financial system. While there are signs Beijing wants to ensure China Huarong can repay its debts on time, uncertainty prevails.Heres a look at the key events for China Huarong:May 27Liang Qiang, who currently heads another bad-debt manager, is on track to become president of China Huarong, reports Bloomberg News.May 24China Huarong dollar bonds climb after the managing editor of Caixin Media wrote in an opinion piece that the asset manager is nowhere near defaulting on its more than $20 billion of offshore notes.May 21Some of China Huarongs thinly traded onshore bonds slump after having held up better than the companys dollar-denominated notes, signaling broadening concern about the firms financial health. May 18China Huarong has transferred funds to repay a $300 million note maturing May 20, Bloomberg News reports, the first dollar bond to come due since the delayed 2020 results. Prices for the firms dollar bonds slump earlier in the day after the New York Times reports China is planning an overhaul that would inflict significant losses on both domestic and foreign China Huarong bondholders.May 17The company has reached funding agreements with state-owned banks to ensure it can repay debt through at least the end of August, by which time China Huarong aims to have completed its 2020 financial statements, according to a Bloomberg News report. That as at least two of its onshore bonds see big price declines in recent days, worrying some investors.May 13The firm says its prepared to make future bond payments and has seen no change in the level of government support, seeking to ease investor concerns after a local media report that regulators balked at China Hurarongs restructuring plan.May 6The company says it transferred funds to pay five offshore bond coupons due the following day, its latest move to meet debt obligations amid persistent doubts about its financial health.April 30China Huarong breaks its silence, with an executive telling media it is prepared to make its bond payments and state backing remains intact. The official also says the weeks rating downgrades have no factual basis and are too pessimistic.April 29Moodys Investor Service downgrades China Huarong by one notch to Baa1, adding the firm remains on watch for further downgrade. The cut reflects the companys weakened funding ability due to market volatility and increased uncertainty over its future, according to the statement.April 27China Huarong units repay bonds maturing that day. The S$600 million ($450 million) bond was repaid with funds provided by Chinas biggest state-owned bank, according to a Bloomberg News report.April 26Fitch Ratings downgrades China Huarong by three notches to BBB while dropping the companys perpetual bonds into junk territory. The lack of transparency over government support for the firm may hamper its ability to refinance debt in offshore markets, Fitch said.April 25China Huarong says it wont meet an April 30 deadline to file its 2020 report with Hong Kongs stock exchange because auditors needed more time to finalize a transaction the company first flagged on April 1. Securities and asset-management units said in the days before that they wouldnt release 2020 results by months end.April 22The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission asks lenders to extend China Huarongs upcoming loans by at least six months, according to REDD, citing two bankers from large Chinese commercial lenders.April 21China is considering a plan that would see its central bank assume more than 100 billion yuan ($15 billion) of China Huarong assets to help clean up the firms balance sheet, according to a Bloomberg News report. Peer China Cinda Asset Management Co. was said to be planning the sale of perpetual bonds in the second quarter.April 20China Huarongs key offshore financing unit says it returned to profitability in the first quarter and laid a solid foundation for transformation. Reorg Research reports that regulators are considering options including a debt restructuring of the unit, China Huarong International Holdings Ltd.April 19Huarong Securities Co. says it wired funds to repay a 2.5 billion yuan local note.April 16The CBIRC says China Huarongs operations are normal and that the firm has ample liquidity. These are the first official comments about the companys troubles. Reuters reports Chinese banks have been asked not to withhold loans to Huarong.April 13Fitch and Moodys both put the company on watch for downgrade. The finance ministry, which owns a majority of Huarong, is considering the transfer of its stake to a unit of the countrys sovereign wealth fund, Bloomberg News reports. Chinese officials signal they want failing local government financing vehicles to restructure or go bust if debts cant be repaid.April 9China Huarong says it has been making debt payments on time and its operations are normal. Bloomberg reports the company intends to keep Huarong International as part of a potential overhaul that would avoid the need of a debt restructuring or government recapitalization. S&P Global Ratings puts China Huarongs credit ratings on watch for possible downgrade.April 8China Huarong is preparing to offload non-core and loss-making units as part of a broad plan to revive profitability that would avoid the need for a debt restructuring or government recapitalization, Bloomberg News reports.April 6Selling gains steam in China Huarongs dollar bonds, following a holiday in China. Huarong Securities says there has been no major change to its operations, in response to a price plunge for its 3 billion yuan local bond.April 1China Huarong announces a delay in releasing 2020 results, saying its auditor is unable to finalize a transaction. Stock trading is suspended and spreads jump on the firms dollar bonds while China Huarong tells investors its business is running as usual. Caixin reports the company submitted restructuring and other major reform plans to government officials and shareholders.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. Li Juncai, pastor of Zhongxin Church in Xinxiang County was sentenced to a five-year imprisonment, a report says. He also has to pay 210,000 RMB (32,487 USD) as penalty to his firm resistance against the removal of the cross at his church. He and three other believers were detained on Feb. 20,2019 by local officials over the charge, "disrupting public service," reports International Christian Concern. Pastor Li Juncai's companions were Wu Raoyun, Bai Yun, and Ma Yanfang. When the cross demolition order sanctioned by China's government reached the province Henan, Pastor Li Juncai refused to cower in fear and to submit to the dictates of a communist ideology. He did what he could to see Zhongxin Church's cross stay in its place. Furthermore, Pastor Li would not let a platform for flag-raising be installed at his church. Neither did he back off when the slogan "Love God, Love People" was sought to be replaced by a more patriotic theme,"Love Your Country, Love Your Religion." On top of Pastor Li's arrest, along with others, the church building that accommodates 500 to 800 believers, however, was still forcibly demolished. China Aid listed down the Chinese Communist Party's charges against Pastor Li Juncai. "embezzlement" "obstructing government administration" "destruction of accounting records" Pastor Li's son Li Chao argued that the charges are only made up and the doing of CCP proponents. Their wanting to punish Pastor Li Juncai for his stubborn refusal to cooperate in the authorities' 'public works' was actually more of contempt because he did not bow to their authority. Also, the desecration of legally registered Christian church buildings and the hampering of house churches are attempts by China's government to have control on religion. These forms of suppressions had been ongoing since 2018. One legal practitioner in China said that, "What Pastor Juncai has done does not constitute a crime. The charges by the authorities against him consist of unclear facts and insufficient evidence." "Galilee of China" The Henan province has the largest number of Christians. About several million are Christians which takes up of the whole Christian population in the country, says the Amity Foundation. Outside commentators dubbed the province as the "Galilee of China." Paul Hattaway, author of "Henan: The Galilee of China" explained the reason in his linear notes, according to an article from the Global China Center early in 2020: "The coastal city of China has been called the Jerusalem of China because it has so many Christians... the believers in Henan call it the Galilee of China because so many millions of believers come from there and also because it has become an engine room for the spreading of the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout every part of China, and even in recent years beyond the country's borders." Henan is also the province where house churches first sprouted which also birthed the "underground churches movement" says the World Watch Monitor in a report from 2018. Kimmeridge Energy Management Co. said its prepared to nominate directors to the board of Ovintiv Inc. if the oil and gas producer fails to take the necessary steps to improve its performance and restore investor confidence. The private equity firm, which said it owns a 2.4% stake in Ovintiv, argues in a new 18-page presentation that the company is falling behind its peers as a result of its misguided spending, expensive acquisitions, poor governance and inadequate environmental stewardship. Kimmeridge also outlines a strategy to address investor concerns by better aligning executive compensation with performance, selling non-core assets and shifting spending to the Permian Basin, among other measures. Theres a lack of alignment, a lack of accountability and frankly, there doesnt seem to be any acknowledgment that this company is owned by its shareholders and not the management team, Mark Viviano, Kimmeridge managing partner, said in an interview. He said the firm has a slate of three directors in mind. ACQUISITION: Woodlands-based energy company completes $182M acquisition If we dont see the right degree of progress and receptivity, we are going to nominate directors, he added. Kimmeridge first went public with some of its concerns around Ovintivs executive compensation in November. Ovintiv said at the time that it disagreed with the private equity firms characterization of its governance and compensation programs, and that it remained focused on its strategy to reduce debt, maintain scale, drive efficiencies and return cash to shareholders. In November, Ovintiv said it named Meg Gentle to the board to replace long-serving director Fred Fowler. A representative for Denver, Colorado-based Ovintiv was not immediately available for comment. Ovintiv has an office in The Woodlands. Ovintiv, formerly known as Encana Corp., fell 3.1% to close at $17.39 in New York on Wednesday, giving the company a market value of $4.5 billion. The stock has fallen 20% in the past year. It drills for oil and gas in a handful of basins, including Canadas Montney formation and the Bakken, Anadarko, Permian and Eagle Ford shale fields in the U.S. It lost $5.5 billion in the first nine months of 2020, after earning $240 million in the same period a year earlier, according to its latest earnings report. FUEL FIX: Now more than ever, you need our energy news in your inbox Oil Plunge Even before crudes historic plunge, oil and gas drillers were rapidly falling out of favor with investors after embarking on a wild spending spree that failed to boost returns and left them struggling with unsustainable levels of debt. The oil crash added to their woes, leaving energy stocks as the worst performers in the S&P 500 benchmark last year. Kimmeridge has issued three white papers around what it says is ailing the sector, and believes Ovintiv ticks most of those boxes. In its presentation Thursday, a copy of which was seen by Bloomberg, Kimmeridge said Ovintivs total shareholder returns over the tenure of its Chief Executive Officer Doug Suttles have been negative 85%. Over the same period, Suttles, who was appointed CEO in 2013, has seen his compensation rise from $6.7 million in 2014 to $12.6 million in 2019. He also only owns roughly $1.6 million Ovintiv shares, Kimmeridge said. Kimmeridge argues the company needs to establish a pay-for-performance compensation strategy, and refresh Ovintivs board in order to restore investor confidence. The firm also argues that Ovintiv is addicted to debt, and that the acquisitions of Athlon Energy Inc. in 2014 and Newfield Exploration Co. in 2019 were done at the wrong time, wrong price and erased billions of dollars in value. Ovintiv continues to invest heavily in its assets in the Anadarko basin, which were acquired in the Newfield deal, despite industry experts concluding they were not economically competitive, Kimmeridge argues. It wants the company to shift that spending into the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico, where returns are better, and to sell off non-core assets to pay down debt. Kimmeridge also slams the companys environmental record, and urges it to improve that by setting emissions targets in line with the Paris Agreement on climate, among other measures. There is just this track record of value destruction that led to a crisis of confidence for investors, Viviano said. So, now theyre fighting for relevance. Kimmeridge was founded in 2012 as a private investment firm focused on U.S. unconventional oil and gas assets. The firm previously ran an unsuccessful proxy contest in 2019 at PDC Energy Inc. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. She's was recently seen enjoying a day at the beach with her daughter Charlotte. But Sigourney Weaver cut a solo figure as she strolled along the sand after swimming in the ocean in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The Aliens actress, 71, pulled a cosy orange fleece over her wet suit and donned a blue face mask as she walked on the beach after a swim in the ocean. Wrapped up warm: Sigourney Weaver, 71, cut a solo figure as she strolled along the sand after swimming in the ocean in Los Angeles on Wednesday Sigourney donned a full-body black wetsuit as she enjoyed a swim in the chilly California ocean. The Hollywood star then wrapped up in a blue towel and orange fleece as she exited the water. Sigourney quickly donned a blue floral face mask as she walked along the beach ensuring she kept herself safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. This sighting comes after the actress - whose father Pat Weaver created the Today show - appeared on the February issue of InStyle. Out and about: The Aliens actress pulled a cosy orange fleece over her wet suit and donned a blue face mask as she walked on the beach after a swim in the ocean Speaking with reference to her dressed-down appearance on the publication's cover, Weaver spoke about how she felt fashion trends would change after the end of the global pandemic; the actress noted that the future differences would be fine with her. 'Maybe dressing up will become more personal, more individual and more comfortable, which I think is a great thing,' she said. Weaver discussed multiple topics during her interview with the fashion publication, including her beginnings as an actress and how she reacted to her former acting professors dismissing her talent as a performer, which she has reportedly taken as a learning experience. 'They said that I didn't have the talent to be in the business, that they didn't think I should be at the school. It took me many years to get over it....if anyone reads this who's an acting student, do not do what I diddon't take it so seriously and actually believe them.' The three-time Academy Award nominee then spoke about how she proved her detractors wrong and how her subsequent success as an actress has allowed her to modify the parts that she is given, stating that: 'I often have...input.' Sticking together: Sigourney is pictured with her husband Jim Simpson and their daughter Charlotte last year. The couple have been married since 1984 Weaver elaborated: 'That's both the advantage and the disadvantage of working with me.' The Paul actress also gave her opinion on relationship advice and how she believed in looking inward when facing issues with a partner; she has been married to stage director Jim Simpson since 1984 and the two share a daughter named Charlotte, aged 30. The actress opined: 'I've always believed what they say in the psychology magazinesthat whatever is wrong with your current relationship, you'll re-experience it in the next one. So why not stick with this great guy who you found and work things out with him?' Weaver also discussed how her stage name was not the result of a larger play about changing her identity, which many sources have speculated about; the actress was born as Susan Alexandra Weaver. 'I didn't realise what a huge step it was to change my name, or what it probably said about me wanting to go my own way. I didn't see it in that context. I just didn't like being called Susie...and look, now some people call me Siggy, which is just like Susie. You can't escape your destiny.' She became one of the latest reality stars to escape the UK's coronavirus restrictions as she jetted off to Dubai. And Ella Rae Wise flaunted her pert derriere in skimpy bikini briefs on Thursday as she enjoyed a yacht ride. The TOWIE sensation, 20, delivered a pout as she posed on a boat deck in front of the UAE skyline. 'High tides and good vibes': Ella Rae Wise flaunted her pert derriere in a skimpy bikini on Thursday as she enjoyed a yacht ride in Dubai Ella rocked a matching bikini top and she styled her blonde tresses in an elaborate plaited ponytail. She enhanced her visage with a slick of make-up and appropriately captioned her Instagram photo: 'High tides & good vibes'. Last week, Ella highlighted her stunning tan and slender physique in a white one-piece at Cove Beach in Dubai. She added a designer touch with a Louis Vuitton clutch bag. Ella also tucked her blonde tresses back in a chic ponytail and wore full coverage make-up. Soaking up the sun: The TOWIE sensation, 20, joined a host of reality stars as she headed abroad on a luxurious vocation while the UK has been plunged into its third lockdown She completed the look with a sparkling green shirt and metallic wedges as she struck a pose for the camera. The reality star has been documenting her luxurious vocation while the UK has been plunged into its third lockdown. Despite the coronavirus crisis worsening, stars of TOWIE, Love Island and Geordie Shore appear to be soaking up the sun around the globe in their droves. Most have flocked to Dubai, as the UAE has played host to a number of stars over the past year, despite the consistent rules throughout the UK, advising against international travel. In Dubai, social distancing and the wearing of face masks is mandatory when away from your home. This also applies to visitors staying in hotels when they are not in their room. The city has been an ideal choice for many as visitors aren't currently required to quarantine upon their return to the UK. Many stars have insisted their trips are for work as the government currently asks UK residents to avoid unnecessary travel. British citizens are now told to stay at home. Individuals are being told they should only visit the shops for necessities and should work from home when possible. The Portland City Council greenlit funding Wednesday for an affordable housing project that will bring more than 100 new apartments with low and very low rent to the St. Johns neighborhood. The unanimously approved measure will provide about $17.4 million in Portland housing bond revenue for Cathedral Village, whose construction in the 8600 block of North Crawford Street will begin this year. With sweeping views of the nearby St. Johns Bridge, the four-story, 110-unit building will offer low-income Portlanders a place to live within walking distance of grocery stores, public transit and Cathedral Park, city officials said. More than half the apartments will have two or three bedrooms, a size geared toward families, documents show. Two-thirds will be available to Portlanders who earn up to 60% of the citys median income while the rest will be reserved for those who earn 30% or less. For a family of four, those figures were $55,260 and $27,640, respectively, last year, according to the Portland Housing Bureau. The development, which carries a total price tag of just over $38 million, is a collaboration between non-profit Catholic Charities of Oregon and for-profit Related Northwest. Its pending ground-breaking comes two months after developers Northwest Related and Central City Concern began construction on the Crescent Court Apartments, a $40.7 million, 138-unit affordable housing project in the 11500 block of Southeast Division Street. -- Shane Dixon Kavanaugh; 503-294-7632 Email at skavanaugh@oregonian.com Follow on Twitter @shanedkavanaugh Subscribe to Oregonian/OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories. BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany will have the coronavirus pandemic under control by the end of the year, but a new, fast-spreading strain of the virus risks exacerbating the situation, the public health chief said on Thursday. Germany has so far recorded 16 cases of people with a strain of the virus first detected in Britain and four with the strain from South Africa, Lothar Wieler, president of the Robert Koch health institute, told a news conference. All cases so far were people who had travelled abroad, he said. These will not be the last variations to be seen, he said, also referring to a new coronavirus variant found in Brazil. "We will have more variations ... Therefore, don't travel." Wieler urged people who were offered a COVID-19 vaccination to accept it to relieve the strain on hospitals and said people should stick to social distance and hygiene rules. "At the end of the year we will have this pandemic under control," Wieler said. Enough vaccines would then be available to inoculate the entire population, he said. The German cabinet on Wednesday approved stricter controls on people entering the country after a national lockdown was tightened last week and extended to the end of January. Health minister Jens Spahn has said some curbs were likely to be extended into February. Wieler said restrictions were not being implemented as consistently as they were during the first wave and said more people should work from home. Hospitals in 10 out of Germany's 16 states are facing bottlenecks as 85% of the beds in its intensive care units were used by coronavirus patients, he added. He said wearing heavy duty respirator masks, also known as FFP2, could help protect against 94% of particles, but only if worn correctly. The state of Bavaria has made FFP2 masks on public transport and in shops compulsory from Monday. On Thursday, the RKI reported 25,164 new coronavirus cases and 1,244 fatalities, a record, bringing Germany's total death toll since the start of the pandemic to 43,881, the tally showed. (Reporting by Kirsti Knolle and Thomas Escritt; Writing by Caroline Copley; Editing by Riham Alkousaa and Angus MacSwan) Badaun : , Jan 14 (IANS) The husband of the 50-year-old woman who was allegedly gang-raped, brutalised and killed, has been so traumatized by the incident that he is now being treated at a mental hospital in Bareilly. "Two days ago, he woke up screaming and asking for his wife. He went around looking for her, from room to room. When he could not find her, he picked up a pan with charcoal embers and ran outside. We managed to bring him inside but he started banging his head against the wall," his son-in-law told reporters. It may be recalled that on January 3, hours after she left home to offer prayers at a temple, the woman was dropped home in a critical state by the three men accused of raping and killing her -- a priest and his two aides. "He (her husband) has been in shock since he saw her blood-soaked body," his son-in-law said. Badaun SSP Sankalp Sharma said that the family reached out for help for the victim's husband and an ambulance was sent with a police team. "He was taken to the district hospital first but there was no psychiatrist there. He was then taken to Bareilly," the SSP said. The doctors at the mental hospital in Bareilly said that the husband was in post-traumatic shock and needed to be under medication and observation for about a fortnight. Dr CP Mall, who is treating the husband, said: "The first dose has calmed him down. The sedatives will continue. Police have spoken to the family about providing mental health support." You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States TORONTO, Dec. 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PIMCO Canada Corp. (PIMCO Canada) is pleased to announce today that it has declared monthly distributions on its Class A Units (the Units) of the PIMCO Canada closed end funds (the Funds). The distributions will be paid on January 14, 2021 to the holders of record at the close of business on December 31, 2020. Details of the distribution amounts are as follow: Fund Name Ticker Cash Distribution per Unit Change from Previous Month Percentage Change from Previous Month PIMCO Global Income Opportunities Fund PGI.UN $0.05688 - - PIMCO Tactical Income Fund1 PTI.UN $0.05208 N/A N/A 1This declaration reflects the initial distribution on Units of PIMCO Tactical Income Fund. Unitholders are reminded that each Fund offers a distribution reinvestment plan (DRIP) which will provide unitholders with the ability to automatically reinvest their distributions. Eligible unitholders are encouraged to contact the institution through which they hold their Units to confirm enrollment procedures and timelines. A copy of the DRIP is available at www.pimco.ca. The Manager, PIMCO Canada, retains Pacific Investment Management Company, LLC (PIMCO), to provide investment management services to the Funds. About PIMCO PIMCO was founded in 1971 in Newport Beach, California and is one of the worlds premier fixed income investment managers. Today we have offices across the globe and 2,800+ professionals united by a single purpose: creating opportunities for investors in every environment. PIMCO is owned by Allianz S.E., a leading global diversified financial services provider. This is not an offer to sell Units and not a solicitation of an offer to buy Units in any region where the offer or sale is not permitted. Before you invest, you should carefully read the Funds disclosure documents and consider carefully the risks you assume when you invest in the Units. There can be no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objectives or be able to structure its investment portfolio as anticipated. Copies of the Funds disclosure documents may be obtained from your financial advisor. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, those identified by the expressions expect, intend, will and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Funds. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect each Fund, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCOs current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations, including, but not limited to, market factors. Although the Funds, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCO believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. The Funds, PIMCO Canada and/or PIMCO undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement or information whether as a result of new information, future events or other factors which affect this information, except as required by law. You will usually pay brokerage fees to your dealer if you purchase or sell Units on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the TSX). If the Units are purchased or sold on the TSX, investors may pay more than the current net asset value when buying Units and may receive less than the current net asset value when selling them. There are ongoing fees and expenses associated with owning Units. An investment fund must prepare disclosure documents that contain key information about the fund. You can find more detailed information about the Funds in these documents. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Each Fund is a closed end exchange traded investment fund. Closed end funds, unlike open end funds, are not continuously offered. After the initial public offering, shares of closed end funds are sold on the open market through a stock exchange. For additional information, contact your financial advisor. For a summary of the risks of an investment in each Fund, please see the Principal Risks of the Fund section of the prospectus. Units of closed end funds frequently trade at a discount to their net asset value, which may increase risk of loss. Distributions are not guaranteed and are subject to change and/or elimination. PIMCO as a general matter provides services to qualified institutions, financial intermediaries and institutional investors. Individual investors should contact their own financial professional to determine the most appropriate investment options for their financial situation. This material contains the current opinions of the manager and such opinions are subject to change without notice. This material has been distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission. PIMCO is a trademark of Allianz Asset Management of America L.P. in the United States and throughout the world. 2020, PIMCO The products and services provided by PIMCO Canada Corp. may only be available in certain provinces or territories of Canada and only through dealers authorized for that purpose. PIMCO Canada has retained PIMCO LLC as sub-adviser. PIMCO Canada will remain responsible for any loss that arises out of the failure of its sub-adviser. PIMCO Canada Corp. 199 Bay Street, Suite 2050, Commerce Court Station, P.O. Box 363, Toronto, ON, M5L 1G2, 416-368-3350 Contact: Agnes Crane PIMCO Media Relations Phone: +212 597.1054 Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. In 2020, politics of Nepal continued becoming disreputable for leadership grip and berated for the governments neglect of the pandemic. Prime Minister KP Sharma Olis unconstitutional step of dissolving the Lower House of Parliament is an apogee of irresponsibility in the course and is being reciprocated with sharp and widespread criticism. In this scene, the serious long engagement of India and China has also been garnering much attention. Nepal enjoys a harmonious relationship with both India and China. China has spiked its investments in Nepal and the bond is getting stronger. Though there have been extensive cultural and economic ties with India, the relations soured in recent years. How the present political crisis in Nepal brewed? The then CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre allied for the 2017 elections. The Nepali people gave a whooping majority to these parties in all three levels of government, with nearly two-thirds in the federal parliament and a clear victory in six out of the seven provincial governments, with hopes of future stability and uninterrupted smooth execution of national obligations which the alliance had promised. Later, the two leftist parties unified to become the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), but the unification could not be institutionalised due to frequent squabbles and a long-simmering power struggle between the partys two chairmen, KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Many talks occurred to solve the issue. On September 10, 2020, the two chairs agreed on a power-sharing deal under which Oli was entitled to remain the prime minister for the full five-year term and Dahal was given the full executive power to run the party. The agreement also included a clause of making key decisions upon mutual consultation. The deal between two factions suffered later with maliciously intended KP Oli breaching the agreement which culminated in the present crisis. Indias engagement In 2015, India imposed an unofficial blockade against Nepal over the new constitution which is widely believed to have stemmed from Indias feeling that it was not consulted during the constitution drafting. The then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli took a defiant stance with India and signed treaties on trade and transit with China to counter Indian dependence. Without any homework, May 2020, the Oli government unveiled the new map of the country including the disputed territories of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura. The Indian government was infuriated by this act, however, still was reluctant to hold talks that could facilitate to solve the border issue and mend strained relations. The patch-up between factions in the NCP on September 10 saddened India, which wanted to oust the Oli government at any cost; Oli could remain prime minister for more years to come. This made Delhi feel that it has to immediately initiate dialogues and enhance amicable relations with PM Oli. So, India started sending a series of high-ranking officials which included the RAW chief Samant Goel, the Indian Indian army chief, the foreign secretary, and also the foreign affairs chief of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. These whirlwind visits sent reverberations. During the growing intimacy through visits and exchanges of thoughts, the Modi government of India realised that PM Oli was desperate for support from India and could go any lengths to secure his prime ministerial post. It realised seeing him as a nationalist and provocateur of anti-Indian sentiment was due to mere media hype and his known way to stay in power. Listening, feigning to connect with someones problems and endorsing the actions taken are the best ways to win over that person. PM Oli was in minority in his party. His self-absorption and his politics of negation were constantly being challenged. So, India started feigning to listen to and support his moves, which leveraged his self-absorption, absolute ignoring of his comrades and eventually the dissolution of the parliament. India knew its encouragement would definitely create a larger rift with the other faction which in turn would divide the party itself. India also knew the confidential meetings of PM Oli with Indian higher officials would also help in crushing the nationalist image that he had created. Thus, many believe that the unconstitutional step of dissolving the parliament was taken by the PM strengthened by India, whose present silence is also giving wind to this belief. Chinas engagement Chinese Ambassador Hou Yanqis activeness to culturally connect with Nepali people has been admired. Just as infighting in the Nepal Communist Party brewed time and again with the spectre of a party split raising its head, she met various leaders and achieved success in keeping the party intact few times. The Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe also paid a visit to Kathmandu. To prevent the NCP rift, there was also the arrival of the four-member delegation led by Guo Yezhou, the vice-minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China. It is evident that the Communist Party of China (CCP) wants the NCP, the ruling political party in Nepal and the largest communist party in South Asia, to remain unified. To achieve this goal, China had even convinced the Dahal faction to make a sacrifice and allow Oli to remain the prime minister for the five-year term. However, the PM was not serious about the unification of the Communist Party, nor was he about national interest, his constant breaching of agreement with another faction proves. Which is fairer play? China and India both have a significant influence on Nepali society. Nepal, which was never a colony of any superpower in history, cannot bear any interference in its internal matters. Sovereignty and integrity are indispensable for Nepal. So, the nation had to carefully handle the engagement of other nations as the unavoidable side-effect of globalisation and regionalisation. An open-minded study on engagement of both these countries in the present scenario can help carve the future international diplomacy for Nepal. A fair play by any country should engage the aspirations of the Nepali people. The people want stability and development, which is possible only with a responsible and undisturbed government. That is the reason why they gave a thumping majority to the communist alliance at local, provincial and federal levels. As Deng Xiaoping, the architect of the unbelievable economic success of China, famously said, It doesnt matter if a cat is black or white so long as it catches mice, people do not bother who rules, whether the Communist Party or the Congress Party as long as they can deliver development, provide quality health and education facilities, and the right to freely prosper. For the citizens of Nepal, the choice of a political party based on ideology is futile. They desperately chose the Nepal Communist Party on its promise of the rapid progress in the economy and augmentation in development activities, which has not been possible due to political instability since 1990 even after people got the right to elect their government through enfranchisement. Though for India, stability in Nepal should be a priority even for its own interest as instability increases the risk of the influence of third countries, India is not playing a good friends role here. India is only thinking of weakening the communist forces presently, but in the long run, it will keep losing its respect and good wishes from the people of Nepal. The difference in motives between sustaining the unification of the Communist Party being a priority for China and the making of the prime minister who listens to India will clearly differentiate who is playing fairer in Nepal. The present dissolution of the parliament is an unconstitutional step under reformed provisions in the constitution promulgated in 2015 and cannot be the prime ministers prerogative when there are many other options to form a new government. This is cheating the people, and Indias silence has proved its accomplice in this condemnable move. The present situation of instability has put democracy and federalism in a precarious position. The Chinese have their own interest in the security of their investment and the integrity of their nation. They know the turmoil in Nepal will not serve them well. Their wish resonates with that of Nepalis, who want to sustain the hopeful momentum of institutionalisation of democracy and federalism, which can happen through stability in the government. Chinas engagement intending to sustain the party unification could be helpful in the course. So, comparing to India, for open-minded observers, China is engaging fairer in Nepal. Jakarta, Jan 14 : Indonesian President Joko Widodo received the Covid-19 vaccine shot developed by China's biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech. The president, widely known as Jokowi, is the first Indonesian vaccinated to show that the vaccine is safe, Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday. After the president, the Indonesian military chief, the national police chief and the Health Minister, among others, were also vaccinated. Indonesia, through its Food and Drug Control Agency (BPOM), on Monday approved Sinovac Biotech's Covid-19 vaccine for use. The agency issued an emergency use authorization for the vaccine after interim results of its late-stage trials in the country which showed an efficacy rate of 65.3 per cent. As of Tuesday afternoon, Indonesia had recorded a total of 846,765 Covid-19 infections, according to the Health Ministry. The virus has claimed more than 24,000 lives across the the country, the ministry said. China Mobile is firming as the most likely Chinese company to make a play for telecommunications assets in the Pacific in a move that would trouble Australias national security agencies. Digicel, owned by Irish billionaire Denis OBrien, is under financial pressure and looking to offload its mobile phone networks across the region including in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa. China Mobile is firming as the most likely Chinese company to make a play for Digicel. Credit:Getty The Morrison government is considering using the nations export credit agency, Export Finance Australia, to provide support to other private bidders looking to acquire the assets. This could be in the form of subsidised loans or loan guarantees. The protesting farmer unions have accused the Union government of stubbornness and advised the Centre to shed its ego but they would do well to heed their own advice. There is no other way of saying it. The protesting farmers, picketing on the outskirts of the National Capital, are showing no signs that they are serious about reaching a solution to the stalemate over the agricultural reforms. Instead, they are displaying a Trumpian obduracy in refusing to negotiate beyond my way or the highway. With due respect to the real farmers among the protestors who are braving the elements and standing their ground to achieve their objectives, they are neither the sole custodians of Indias billion-strong farming community nor can they force the withdrawal of laws that have been passed via a due process by the Parliament by arm-twisting an elected government. Instead of debate over the contentious clauses of the legislature, the protestors are simply seeking to bypass Indias democracy and its institutions by throwing a massive tantrum, holding an explicit threat of disruption and an implicit threat of aggression. India is a democracy. The coercive approach cannot be allowed to subvert the democratic process or else the republic will make itself vulnerable to all forms of extortionary tactics by interest and pressure groups of every stripe. The protesting farmer unions have accused the Union government of stubbornness and advised the Centre to shed its ego. They would do well to heed their own advice. It is the protestors who have rejected every government overture, every reconciliatory gesture, every painstaking attempt by the government to clarify their doubts, fears and apprehensions and have stuck to their maximalist position of repealing of the laws. Under the circumstances, it is quite clear that a solution wont emerge unless the farmers shed their ego. The Supreme Court has come under criticism for setting a terrible precedent in staying indefinitely the implementation of the three farm laws. This columnist has argued that the apex court, in so doing, has impinged upon the legislative domain and violated the separation of powers. However, the judiciary stepped in to break the stalemate and through its interventionism, the apex court attempted to create a condition conducive for talks. It pulled up the government for failing to handle the protests and put on hold till further orders the implementation of the Farmers Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020; and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020 to assuage the hurt feelings of protesting farmers. The three-judge bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice of India SA Bobde set up a four-man committee of noted agricultural experts to listen to the farmers grievances, the views of the Centre and to make recommendations, giving it two months to submit its report. In its interim order, the Supreme Court also observed that representatives of all the farmers bodies, whether they are holding a protest or not and whether they support or oppose the laws, shall participate in the deliberations of the committee and put forth their viewpoints." One of the arguments made by the Opposition and voices sympathetic to the farmers protests is that there is a trust deficit at work that is hindering talks. In other words, the campaigners dont trust the government and therefore the Centres repeated assurances are not making any impact. The apex courts order sought to address this trust deficit. If protestors have an issue with the government and its intent, then it ought not to have any issue with a neutral panel set up by the court of domain experts. The Supreme Court may have pushed the envelope in attempting wade into the issue, but it has also bent the arc of the issue towards a negotiated settlement by keeping the laws in abeyance and delegating a panel to listen to the protestors grievances. If there was a hope for a breakthrough, it was quickly dissipated as the farmer unions flatly refused to present themselves before the court-appointed committee and called it a government ploy. Outrageous charges were levelled against the panellists Bhupinder Singh Mann, national president, Bhartiya Kisan Union and All India Kisan Coordination Committee; Pramod Kumar Joshi, agricultural economist and director for South Asia, International Food Policy Research Institute; Ashok Gulati, agricultural economist and former chairman of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices; and Anil Ghanwat, president, Shetkari Sanghatana. The domain experts have been called unsuitable for the job owing to their ostensible predisposition to the reforms. "We dont accept this committee, all the members in this committee have been pro-government and these members have been justifying the laws, a section of the protesting farmers was quoted by NDTV, as saying. We think the government is bringing this committee through the Supreme Court. The committee is just a way of divert attention, said Balbir Singh Rajewal of the Bhartiya Kisan Union. The panellists may or may not have backed the reforms in their personal opinion but that doesnt automatically disqualify them from holding the responsibility entrusted on them by the Supreme Court. One of the panellists has already said that he will set aside his own views while talking to the protestors. To call the panellists respected figures such as Gulati pro-government is to not only raise questions on their personal integrity but to also question the integrity of the highest court of the land. It is no less disgraceful that Opposition parties such as the Congress are floating these dubious charges. The protestors have not only rejected the Supreme Courts proposal and reiterated that they want nothing less than repeal, but they have also declared that the Republic Day tractors rally will go on as scheduled. Indian Express reports that a village in Moga has threatened to impose fines on farmers who are not ready to send their tractors for the parade. Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait has told a foreign news portal that if the government forcibly tries to disperse the farmers, it could trigger bloodshed resulting in the deaths of more than 10,000 persons. On the one hand, the protestors are issuing threats and indulging in coercionary tactics to arm-twist the government, on the other hand, they are playing the victim by saying court proceedings show what government thinks of farmers. The government has sent invites to the farmers for talks, reiterating readiness to discuss all issues, Union railway minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said the government has no ego, clarified on more than one occasion that the Centre was open to clause by clause discussion on the three laws, the Centre has said it is ready to give written assurance on MSP and impose cess on private mandis. The prime minister, twice in a span of 24 hours in September, assured farmers that MSP will continue, gave a point-by-point rebuttal to the lies and misleading narratives on the farm laws and defended the farm laws and the governments intent on MSP and APMC modernisation with data and statistics. On 25 December, during an outreach program for farmers, Narendra Modi again reached out to the farmers, saying that I humbly request everyone, even to those opposed to our politics that we are ready for talks but talks should be based on tark and tathya (argument and facts). The protestors have called governments proposals empty and ridiculous, clarified that they dont want meaningless amendments but a complete repeal, and declared that they will make the government repeal the laws, adding that the fight has reached a stage where we are determined to win no matter what. The complete refusal to engage in any form of rational debate, refusal to budge even a millimetre from their position and remaining adamant on total repeal are not negotiating tactics. These are strong-arm methods. Should the government bow into their demands and repeal the laws that make it possible for small and marginal farmers to reap the benefit of contract farming and allow them to sell their produce at a market price directly to private players instead of selling it solely through APMCs? As economist Surjit Bhalla writes in Indian Express: Farmers are forced to sell their marketable produce only through a mandi regulated by the government. The new reformed law allows the farmer to sell through the APMC, and to sell outside the APMC. It is her choice. The government procures all of its food through APMCs only about 6 per cent of the farmers in India sell through the APMCs to the government. These 6 percent are all large farmers, primarily residing in the two states of Punjab and Haryana. Ananya Awasthi, assistant director, Harvard School of Public Health-India Research Center, writes in News18, the new bill mandating for opening up of APMC mandis to competition, might actually hurt the revenues of a wide network of middlemen and those state governments who rely heavily on taxes imposed in the APMC markets. This is corroborated by astounding figures from Punjab, where in FY 2020 alone, arhatiyas made more than Rs 1,460 crore out of charging commissions for selling of farm produce and the state government collected about Rs 1,750 crore by imposing the mandi tax. The government also has a duty towards the vast majority of Indias small and marginal farmers who want more options to sell their produce and are expressing their vote of approval for the new farm laws by not joining the protests that are geographically restricted to one corner of India. The protesting farmers must realise that obstinacy is also harming members of their own community. Their interests may be affected any reforms worth its salt will cause disruption in the status quo but the government is duty-bound to keep the larger interests of all farmers in scripting policies. It is time for the protestors to shed their ego and engage in good faith. No one wins in this stalemate. India loses. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Saturday interact with startups and address a global summit being organised by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, according to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The Prarambh: Startup India International Summit is being organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on January 15-16. Prime Minister Modi will interact with startups and address the summit on January 16 at 5 PM via video conferencing, the PMO said in a statement. The two-day summit is being organised as a follow-up of the announcement made by the prime minister at the fourth BIMSTEC Summit held in Kathmandu in August 2018 wherein India committed to host the BIMSTEC Startup Conclave. The summit marks the fifth anniversary of the Startup India initiative, launched by the prime minister on January 16, 2016. With participation from over 25 countries and more than 200 global speakers, the summit will be the largest startup confluence organised by the Government of India since the launch of the Startup India initiative, the PMO said. It will witness 24 sessions with focus on enhancing multilateral cooperation and engagement with countries from around the globe to collectively develop and strengthen the startup ecosystems, it said. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Beijing has hit back once again at repeated allegations in some media of forced labor in Xinjiang. China's Foreign Ministry held a news conference on Monday, and refuted claims that citizens in the region are denied the freedom to choose where to work. Wang Mengjie has more. The Foreign Ministry's hosted local officials and residents of Xinjiang, which is home to 13 ethnic minority groups. Authorities said all residents are protected by China's labor laws. ZULHAYAT ISMAYIL Information office of Xinjiang People's Government "In reality, laborers of all ethnicities in Xinjiang choose their jobs out of their free will. They sign labor contracts with and receive payment from companies on the basis of equality and their willingness to work, according to The Labor Law of the People's Republic of China and relevant regulations. They enjoy full freedom in deciding where to work." MAMATREYIM NASRIDIN Xinjiang resident and migrant worker "We can earn more money in inland cities, which provide more experiences for personal development. Who wouldn't go? If I was forced into labor, why would I introduce my family members to work in my previous company?" When Western media talk about alleged "forced labor" in Xinjiang, there's another buzzword they use "re-education camps," which they describe as a living hell. But the reality on the ground is otherwise. ELIJAN ANAYAT Information Office, Xinjiang People's Government "There have been no so-called 're-education camps' in Xinjiang. The vocational education and training centers legally established in Xinjiang are schools aimed at deradicalization. These are no different in essence from the 'community corrections' enforced in the U.S., the Desistance and Disengagement Program in the UK, and the deradicalization centers in France, which are all conducive efforts and proactive measures of preventive counter-terrorism and deradicalization." NIJAT MUHTAR Former trainee, Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang "The training center is a school for us. The classrooms are spacious and bright. We have a reading room and playground. Even the accommodation is free. We have class from Mondays to Fridays, and take a rest on weekends." From 2014 to 2019, Xinjiang has averaged an annual growth rate of 7.2 percent. GDP in the region rose from more than 900 billion yuan in 2014 to over 1.3 trillion yuan in 2019. Xinjiang has also been peaceful, with no cases of terrorism occurring in the past four years. Officials say Xinjiang now enjoys sound economic growth, along with a constant improvement of people's livelihood, and steady progress. As vaccinations continue across the U.S., some companies are offering financial incentives to encourage their workers to get the shots. Dollar General is one of the first major companies to announce extra pay for workers who get vaccinated. The Goodlettsville, Tennessee-based retailer, which operates nearly 17,000 stores in 46 states, said Wednesday it will give employees the equivalent of four hours of pay if they get the vaccine. Dollar General said the extra pay is intended to compensate for the travel time, mileage and child care expenses that employees will incur to get the vaccine. We do not want our employees to have to choose between receiving a vaccine or coming to work, Dollar General said. The retailer said its encouraging workers to get the vaccines, but not requiring them. In it annual report last February, the company said it had 143,000 employees. A vaccine advisory panel at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control voted late last month on recommendations for vaccine distribution. The panel said grocery workers which would include Dollar Generals employees should be in the second group to receive shots after health care workers and nursing home residents. Firefighters, police, teachers, corrections workers, postal employees and others are in that second group, along with people 75 and older. There are around 50 million people in that group. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor Associations representing Alabama cities and counties are speaking out against the transfer of $72 million in CARES Act funds that was designated for local governments, a decision made Monday by the Ivey administration and legislative leaders. The money is part of the $1.8 billion the state received last year under the The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to help cover costs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Finance Director Kelly Butler notified the Alabama League of Municipalities and the Association of County Commissions of Alabama about the transfer. The money will go to the states unemployment insurance trust fund. The trust fund pays state unemployment benefits and has been hit hard by job losses caused by the pandemic. Businesses pay a tax to support the fund, and the depletion of the fund will trigger an increase in the tax. Replenishing some of the money will offset part of the tax increase. The executive directors of the League of Municipalities and the Association of County Commissions said they were caught off guard by the transfer and said it will leave cities and counties without reimbursements for costs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The rug was pulled out from under the people who have been on the front lines trying to keep our state going as forward as best we can in the midst of this pandemic, Association of County Commissions Executive Director Sonny Brasfield said. Finance Director Butler said cities and counties had more time than any other entities to apply for funds under a CARES Act reimbursement program set up by the state. It was set up before programs were set up for state government agencies, for hospitals, for nursing homes, for any of the other programs weve done, Butler said. So, it is a fair statement to say that the longest amount of time that anybody had to claim this money was for cities and counties. Wednesday, the Association of County Commissions emailed legislators, the governor, and the governors staff a statement defending the effort by counties to file for reimbursements in a timely way. Our concern is that it has been repeatedly said that counties missed deadlines, ignored guidance and were slow in filling out applications for reimbursements, the statement said. All of these statements and impressions are simply not accurate. We want to assure you that counties were on track to file for reimbursement and to utilize their full reimbursement allocations when this unexpected decision was announced. Mondays transfer also included $13 million taken from two reimbursement programs for universities, for a total of $85 million going to the unemployment trust fund. Its the second time the Ivey administration and legislators have shifted CARES Act money to the trust fund. In September, they approved a $300 million transfer taken from allocations for state agencies. After Mondays transfer, $56 million remains in the reimbursement account for counties, while $39 million remains for cities. Butler said thats enough to cover all reimbursement claims filed by Monday. Brasfield and Cochran said counties and cities had no advance warning they were facing a Monday deadline. Brasfield provided an email from the state comptrollers office dated Friday that said there was no deadline but that counties were asked to submit their requests as quickly as possible in January. They noted that Congress extended the deadline for using the CARES Act money to the end of 2021 as part of the most recent COVID-19 relief legislation. I believe several communities were waiting for Congress to extend the deadline, which they did, right before it expired, Cochran said. And they thought they were going to have an extra 11 months to file claims. And so, they werent trying to meet that earlier deadline. So now, its kind of like the knees are knocked out from under them because they were waiting in due diligence to make sure that they had legitimate claims to file, and now, the money is not there. In May, Alabama lawmakers approved Iveys plan for allocating the $1.8 billion from the CARES Act into 10 categories. The plan designated the state Finance Department to administer the funds. It allowed for reallocation of funds between the categories with unanimous consent of six legislators -- the House speaker, president pro tempore of the Senate, and the chairs of the Legislatures four budget committees. Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, chair of the Senate General Fund committee, said he believed this weeks transfer was the best use of the remaining CARES Act money. Albritton said the $85 million was only about one-third of the amount needed to avoid a rate increase for employers, but that it would help. We felt that the unemployed insurance needed more of an infusion than the previous $300 million we put in, Albritton said. We still needed something like 267 (million) to bring it back up and avoid a rate increase, which we dont have. So, we took what little was left and moved it over to that to try to have the greatest effect on the greatest number of people that we could. Albritton said he understands the concerns of local governments. They have some valid concerns, and Ive heard from them, every one of them I do believe, in that they still have outstanding costs that theyve already paid for, he said. Albritton said he expects Congress will pass more COVID-19 relief legislation that will include help for local governments. President-elect Biden has said he will propose another package. I cant tell you for sure thats going to happen, Albritton said. But the monies that went to the unemployed insurance were certainly needed and we believe its going to try to keep the rates down to a reasonable figure. " Alabamas CARES Act plan set aside $125 million to reimburse cities and $125 million to reimburse counties for costs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Mondays transfer reduced those allocations to $89 million each. As of Tuesday, municipalities had been reimbursed for $50 million out of the original $125 million and counties had been reimbursed for $33 million out of the $125 million, according to a dashboard maintained by the Ivey administration that shows CARES Act allocations and spending. Brasfield said counties adapted their courthouses, jails, and other facilities to make them safer during the pandemic, changing entrances, counter areas, and installing new equipment. If you went to the Geneva County Courthouse last year at this time to get your tag, you would be able to lean over the counter and talk to the people who worked there, Brasfield said. Counties have reconfigured all of that in the courthouses to create distancing. Court houses have been open since the middle of May, he said. The jails and the sheriffs department never close down. So, we had to adjust all of our operations. Cochran said municipalities have bought personal protective equipment, plexiglass barriers for public buildings, disinfectant, hand sanitizers, equipment for law enforcement, fire fighters, and incurred other costs because of the pandemic. We are extremely disappointed that the legislative oversight committee on CARES Act has decided to sweep these local funds from the allocation for our municipal and county governments, Cochran said. Especially at a time as the second wave of surge has occurred and our expenses and the cost of managing this pandemic have risen along with the surge. The states largest county, Jefferson County, received its own allocation of $115 million from the CARES Act separate from the $1.8 billion received by the state. For months, Butler and lawmakers expressed concern about a Dec. 30, 2020 deadline to spend the money, saying that it might be difficult to use all the money because of restrictions on how it could be used. In early December, even before Congress extended the deadline, Butler said it appeared that the state would be able to use almost all the money. As of Tuesday, the state had spent all but $284 million of the $1.8 billion, according to the Ivey administrations dashboard. Butler said he does not expect any more reallocations between categories. The reimbursement programs set up by the are described on the Coronavirus Relief Fund website. Nicola Sturgeon's handling of the coronavirus crisis has won over swathes of Labour and Tory voters, according to a new poll, as the SNP tightens its grip on Scottish politics ahead of Holyrood elections in May. A survey conducted by Savanta ComRes showed Ms Sturgeon's personal ratings are up, with 76 per cent of voters believing her to be intelligent, an increase of three points. Some 74 per cent of respondents said she is a strong leader, also up three points, and 57 per cent believe she is genuine, up two points. More than a third of 2019 Labour voters said the SNP's response to the pandemic means they are now more likely to vote for the party in May, with 13 per cent of 2019 Tory voters saying the same thing. Meanwhile, a majority of Scots continue to support Scottish independence, with the latest survey putting support for 'Yes' at 57 per cent and 'No' at 43 per cent. A new poll by Savanta ComRes has found 57 per cent of Scots back independence while 43 per cent back staying part of the UK The poll numbers are likely to prompt alarm bells in Labour and Conservative headquarters. They suggest the SNP could be heading for an even stronger than expected showing at the elections in May. The Savanta ComRes survey of 1,016 Scottish adults between January 8 and 13 for The Scotsman suggested some 53 per cent of people intend to vote for the SNP. Some 19 per cent intend to vote for the Tories with Labour a close third on 18 per cent and the Lib Dems next on six per cent. The SNP figure of 53 per cent is down two per cent while the Tories are down one per cent and Labour is up two per cent. Almost half (46 per cent) of 2019 Labour voters said their impression of Ms Sturgeon has improved since the start of the pandemic with 36 per cent of 2019 Tory voters saying the same. Some 14 per cent of 2019 SNP voters said they are now more likely to vote Labour in May while eight per cent of 2019 SNP voters said they are now more likely to vote Conservative. While Ms Sturgeon's personal ratings have continued to rise, those of her challengers - Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross and Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard - remain largely static, according to Savanta ComRes. The survey also suggested the 'Yes' campaign would win a relatively comfortable victory if there was a re-run of the 2014 independence referendum. The poll found 57 per cent of likely voters would choose independence while 43 per cent would vote for the status quo. The 'Yes' campaign's lead has narrowed by two points since December but the continued support for breaking away will be cause for concern in Downing Street as Boris Johnson tries to protect the Union. Ms Sturgeon has said she wants to hold a second referendum on independence soon after the Holyrood elections but Mr Johnson is adamant he will not grant permission for another poll. The survey suggests the SNP is on course for a crushing victory at Holyrood elections in May The PM has repeatedly said he believes the 2014 vote settled the matter for a generation. Chris Hopkins, political research director at Savanta ComRes, said: 'What appears most interesting here is that the ceiling for Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP could be even higher than the already-strong figures in the headline voting intention. 'Our data shows that Sturgeon's management of the pandemic has improved her reputation among significant chunks of 2019 Labour and Conservative voters, and the SNP's response to the crisis has led recent Labour voters to consider the SNP in May. 'Despite this, the state of the parties in Scotland looks much the same this month as it did last, and perhaps that's a reflection of the fact that while the pandemic continues to dominate the news agenda, there is little time for the usual overt pre-election electioneering.' A task force studying police practices Thursday will debate trimming police protection against lawsuits alleging abuse, requiring vehicles to have dashboard cameras that are activated when an officer gets out and new rules for no-knock policies. The 25-member panel is also set to consider a possible law that requires police under investigation to undergo lie detector tests, making chokeholds a civil rights violation and making it easier to prove that officers were guilty of misconduct. +2 After George Floyd's death, Louisiana Senate unanimously approves study of police tactics In a rare Sunday evening session, the state Senate easily approved a proposal that would authorize hearings on police practices after the deat The issues stem from a months-long study by the Police Training, Screening and Deescalation Task Force. The Legislature last year authorized the study after the death of George Floyd, a Black man in Minneapolis who died in May after a White police officer held him on the ground with his knee on his neck for nearly eight minutes. The incident set off protests worldwide. Task force to study police practices in Louisiana wins final legislative approval; see next steps Legislation that will set up a 25-member task force to study police practices statewide won final legislative approval Thursday when the Senat The proposed changes are among the ideas submitted by subcommittees of the task force. State Sen. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, chairman of the committee, has said he plans to introduce legislation that stems from the study for the 2021 regular legislative session, which begins April 12. "That would basically give us an opportunity to address some of the problems we have," Fields said Wednesday. He said the hearings have been marked by bipartisan cooperation. In first meeting, task force on police practices announces subcommittees The chairman of a legislative task force studying police practices statewide Thursday named four subcommittees that will make recommendations The study group includes state lawmakers, peace officers and criminal justice professors from LSU and Southern University. The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Anger in Louisiana House: Plan to study police tactics passes but not before this fiery debate Despite angry comments at the end of the debate, the Louisiana House on Wednesday overwhelmingly endorsed a plan to study police practices sta At least 18 changes in police practice are scheduled for debate on Thursday at 10 a.m. and Friday at 9 a.m. The protection against lawsuits is called qualified immunity. It is designed to protect officers against baseless civil lawsuits that claim abuse. Critics contend the rules need to be changed to make police more accountable, and to reduce police brutality. A bid to reduce immunity policies was rejected by a state House committee in June, with Republicans mostly opposed and Democrats in support. Exactly how the task force would change current policies is unclear. Officials said they are still hammering out details in advance of Thursday's hearing as well as possible changes in no-knock warrants. Another proposal would require all police vehicles to have a dashboard camera that would be activated when a peace officer gets out. In addition, police officers would be required to wear a body camera that would be turned on when he or she gets out of the vehicle. While cameras are becoming more common, critics complain they are often left off during critical moments. While most police departments have banned chokeholds, the task force will debate a proposal that would make chokeholds and carotid holds a civil rights violation. It would also direct the attorney general to craft a policy that prohibits chokeholds for law enforcement officers except when deadly force is authorized. Other possible changes up for discussion include bans on officers under scrutiny from reviewing body camera footage before they are interviewed; requiring police to take lie detector tests if they have legal representation; requiring department employees to undergo anti-bias training before agencies can land state grant money and requiring officer disciplinary records to remain on file for at least 10 years. Another subcommittee recommendation would trim the threshold for police misconduct from "willingly" to "knowingly or with reckless disregard." The Daily Beast Rexburg Police DepartmentA psychological evaluation has found Lori Vallowthe doomsday mom accused of murdering her two childrennot competent to stand trial.Assessment determined at this time the defendant is not competent to proceed and recommends restorative treatment, Seventh Judicial District Judge Steven Boyce wrote in a Thursday order pausing the case.Prosecutors have already contested the reports findings, but the judges order remains in effect pending determination of the issue of competency.The news comes after Vallow and her husband, Chad Daybell, were indicted on several new charges and accused of justifying the murders of three peopleincluding Vallows two kidswith their doomsday-centered religious beliefs.On Thursday, the Chandler Police Department confirmed to The Daily Beast that it has also submitted its investigation into the death of Vallows ex-husband, Charles Vallow, who was fatally shot by his brother-in-law in July 2019, to the Maricopa County Attorneys Office. Police said they recommended that Vallow should be charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murderthough it is up to county prosecutors to make an official charge.A Maricopa County Attorneys Office spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast they received the Chandler Police Departments investigation into Charles Vallows death on April 1, but declined to comment on it.Doomsday Couple Allegedly Murdered Threeand Justified It With Religious Beliefs On Tuesday, the couple was indicted on several charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, in connection with the deaths of Vallows kids, 7-year-old J.J Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan. Daybell, a doomsday author, was also been charged with first-degree murder for the October 2019 death of Tammy Daybell, his ex-wife. Vallow has been separately charged with grand theft for allegedly diverting her childrens Social Security benefits into her personal bank account. Prosecutors allege Daybell and Vallow did endorse and espouse religious beliefs for the purpose of encouraging and/or justifying the homicide of all three people.Their alleged murder spree began in 2019, when Charles Vallow was fatally shot by his wifes brother, Alex Cox, during a domestic dispute. Cox, who was not charged and died months later from natural causes, said at the time he fired in self-defense. In divorce and custody petitions against Vallow, Charles wrote that his estranged wife had become obsessed with doomsday visions and had threatened his life. He said Vallow believed she was reincarnated to lead people during the second coming of Jesus in July 2020 and said that if he got in the way of her saving humanity, she would kill him, according to NBC News.Vallow believes that she is receiving spiritual revelations and visions to help her gather and prepare those chosen to live in the New Jerusalem after the Great War as prophesied in the Book of Revelations, the divorce petition read.Vallow and Daybell, who are members of a community of doomsday preppers and were married two weeks after Daybell was widowed, are already in prison for several other crimes related to the childrens disappearance in September 2019.Im Not Supposed to Be Talking to You: Doomsday Mom Called Hubby From Jail as FBI Searched His HomeProsecutors allege Daybell and Vallow killed Tylee Ryan on Sept. 8 or Sept. 9, 2019, after almost a year of planning. About two weeks later, the pair allegedly killed J.J. The indictment states that Daybell then murdered his ex-wife in October with the help of Vallow and her brother. In January 2020, Vallow made national headlines when she refused to comply with a court order to produce her two children. It was later revealed she had also asked a friend to lie to the police and say she was watching J.J.Last June, Idaho authorities charged the pair with conspiracy to conceal evidence after the remains of two kids were found in Daybells home. Daybell is scheduled to enter a plea on the murder charges on June 9. Vallow was supposed to make an initial appearance on Wednesday but her hearing was put on hold at the request of her lawyer, Mark Means. Attorneys for Daybell and Vallow did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's request for comment.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. South China Morning Post China and Russia have repeated their commitment to strengthen their relationship as the White House announced the first summit between Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin next month. The June 16 meeting is widely seen as an olive branch from the US President to his Russian counterpart and some observers said it may be another attempt by Washington to drive a wedge between Moscow and Beijing. In a phone conversation on Tuesday with President Xi Jinpings top diplomatic aide Yang Jiechi, Putin said relations between the two countries were the best in history and said it was essential for the two leaders to maintain close contact, according to Chinas state news agency Xinhua.Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. Putin made similar comments a week ago when he and Xi launched via video link a project to build four new nuclear reactors in China using Russian technology. At the same event Xi also spoke highly of their comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination. Xinhua said Putin also pledged to work with China to preserve global strategic stability and defend multilateralism a possible veiled reference to Washingtons drive to use its relationship with its allies to target authoritarian governments. We will share space flight components with China: Russian space agency Yang, who was visiting Moscow for strategic and security talks, again stated Chinas commitment to strengthening relations in the call with Putin, which touched on several pressing global issues according to the TASS news agency. China is ready to work with Russia to comprehensively implement the consensus reached by the two presidents and turn the high-level political mutual trust into more results from strategic coordination, Yang said, according to Xinhua. During his visit, Yang also co-chaired the annual bilateral strategic security consultations, a dialogue mechanism set up in 2005, along with Russian security council secretary Nikolai Patrushev on Tuesday. Analysts noted that Beijing and Moscow are edging closer together in the face of mounting pressure from the West. Zhu Feng, a professor of international relations at Nanjing University, said the Geneva summit showed Washington was trying to ease tensions with Moscow. The Biden administration has softened its stance and tried to stabilise ties with Russia since it imposed sanctions on Moscow in April. It has become apparent that Washington will be more focused on China, he said. Chinas top diplomat heads to Russia on security talks mission Beijing suspected that the previous US administration also wanted to drive a wedge between China and Russia, with Donald Trump making repeated efforts to readmit Moscow to the Group of 7. Vladimir Portyakov, deputy director of the Institute of Far Eastern Affairs at the Russian Academy of Sciences, also described the Biden-Putin summit as an attempt to slow down the Russian-Chinese rapprochement, and if successful, to pull Russia and China away from each other. I hope that Moscow understands this and will not play equidistant from Washington and Beijing. I would also like to believe that Beijing will stop considering relations with the United States as a priority of priorities and will gradually reduce its importance in Chinas foreign policy, he said. But Zhu said: Both Beijing and Moscow have a growing interest in working with each other to confront the US and other Western countries. Strengthening their coordination is their best choice, and probably the only option to some extent. In an editorial on Wednesday, the tabloid Global Times, controlled by the Communist Party mouthpiece Peoples Daily, also attributed close China-Russian ties to the US and its main allies suppression of the two countries. Artyom Lukin, an associate professor at Russias Far Eastern Federal University, also said both China and Russia need each other. While Moscow has increasingly leaned on Beijing economically after the Covid-19 crisis, Beijing relies on Russia when it comes to the military-strategic realm and particularly hi-end military technology. Moreover, the position of Russia may be crucial in the event of an increasingly likely military conflict between China and the US. Strong relations with Moscow would, at a minimum, secure Chinas northern and Central Asian borders and it cannot even be ruled out that Russia would provide direct assistance to Beijing in a Sino-US war, he said. Lukin said that the Geneva summit was likely to bring about some short-term normalisation in US-Russia relations, but deep-seated tensions and disagreements made a full rapprochement unlikely. Putin threatens to knock out the teeth of Russias opponents I dont think Washington will be seriously trying to drive a wedge between China and Russia. The people in the Biden administration are smart enough to understand it is not going to work. Even if they try to do that, such a policy would almost certainly fail because the Russia-China political relationship is quite robust and will remain so for the foreseeable future, he said. But Zhu said Moscow and Beijing were unlikely to form a full alliance. Chinas top diplomatic priority is to prevent further disengagement with the US and the West. I doubt that a strategic alliance will be in Beijings interests or help achieve that goal, he said.More from South China Morning Post:Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin to hold first summit in Geneva on June 16Nuclear energy: China, Russia agree to boost ties in strategic priority areaXi and Putin to mark expansion of China-Russia nuclear power project ahead of US talksThis article China and Russia once again pledge to strengthen ties as White House announces first Putin-Biden summit first appeared on South China Morning PostFor the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2021. Registering the vaccine based on the data from clinical trials in Russia confirms ANMAT's high confidence in Russian regulatory standards MOSCOW, Dec. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, Russia's sovereign wealth fund) announces the registration of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine against coronavirus by The National Administration of Drugs, Foods and Medical Devices of Argentina (ANMAT). Argentina was the first country in Latin America to officially register Sputnik V. The vaccine was registered under the emergency use authorization procedure and was approved by the regulator, ANMAT, based on the results of Phase III clinical trials in Russia, without additional trials in Argentina. On December 10, RDIF and the Government of Argentina signed a contract for the supply of 10 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine to the country. ANMAT representatives inspected a number of vaccine production sites that will supply Sputnik V to Argentina. Supplies of the vaccine to Argentina will be facilitated by international partners of RDIF in India, China, South Korea and other countries. On December 14, the Gamaleya National Center and RDIF announced the results of the third and final control point analysis of data obtained 21 days after administering the first dose to volunteers. The efficacy of the vaccine is 91.4%. Calculation was based on the analysis of data of volunteers (n = 22 714) who received both the first and second doses of the Sputnik V vaccine or placebo at the third and final control point of 78 confirmed cases in accordance with the Phase III clinical trials protocol. The vaccine was confirmed to be highly effective, at a rate of above 90%, at each of the three control points of the clinical trials (20, 39 and 78 confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection among volunteers both in the placebo group and in the group that received the vaccine). The vaccine demonstrated 100% efficacy against severe coronavirus cases. There were 20 severe cases of coronavirus infection among confirmed cases in the placebo group and no severe cases in the vaccine group. Sputnik V has a unique set of parameters, making it one of the most competitive vaccines globally. The efficacy rate is over 90% and the vaccine is based on a safe and well-studied platform of human adenoviral vectors. The cost of one dose is less than $10 for international markets and the production of the lyophilized (dry) form of the vaccine, which is stored at a temperature of +2 to +8 degrees Celsius, enables the vaccine to be easily distributed to international markets. Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, commented: "Registration of the Sputnik V vaccine in Argentina without additional clinical trials in the country is a testament to Russian regulatory standards and the quality of clinical trials. We are ready to develop cooperation on the vaccine with other Latin American countries and we hope that they will take ANMAT's decision into account. "The Russian vaccine is based on a well-studied platform of human adenoviral vectors with no long-term negative effects, which has been proven in more than 250 clinical trials over decades. With ANMAT approval, Sputnik V will become an important part of Argentina's national coronavirus vaccine portfolio and will make a significant contribution to ensuring public safety against the pandemic. We expect that the first shipment of the vaccine will arrive in Argentina very soon and will make good news for Christmas." Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) is Russia's sovereign wealth fund established in 2011 to make equity co-investments, primarily in Russia, alongside reputable international financial and strategic investors. RDIF acts as a catalyst for direct investment in the Russian economy. RDIF's management company is based in Moscow. Currently, RDIF has experience of the successful joint implementation of more than 80 projects with foreign partners totaling more than RUB1.9 tn and covering 95% of the regions of the Russian Federation. RDIF portfolio companies employ more than 800,000 people and generate revenues which equate to more than 6% of Russia's GDP. RDIF has established joint strategic partnerships with leading international co-investors from more than 18 countries that total more than $40 bn. Further information can be found at rdif.ru Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1140939/Russian_Direct_Investment_Fund_Logo.jpg Related Links https://rdif.ru/ SOURCE The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) Midwest Automotive Media Association Elects 2021 Board of Directors, Celebrates 30 Years The Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA), an organization comprised of automotive journalists and related industry professionals, elected its 2021 board of directors during its annual January business meeting, which was held virtually via Zoom. Founded in 1991, MAMA celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Harvey Briggs will step into the role of MAMA President. Robert Duffer was elected as Senior Vice President, and Jennifer Newman was re-elected to a second term as Vice President of Membership. 2021 MAMA Board of Directors MAMA Secretary Kelley Enright, Treasurer Larry Nutson and Communications Director Jennifer Morand will carry out the second year of their two-year terms. Damon Bell, who served as MAMA President from 2019-2020, will transition to a two-year term as President Emeritus. During the annual business meeting it was reported that the association currently maintains a membership of 236 automotive journalists and industry professionals serving in the automotive industry or related fields. It was also announced that the winners of MAMAs annual Family Vehicle of the Year and Luxury Family Vehicle of the Year awards will be announced via a virtual event in February. The 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban, 2020 Hyundai Sonata and 2020 Toyota Highlander are the finalists for the MAMA Family Vehicle of the Year Award, and the 2021 Cadillac Escalade, 2021 Genesis G80 and 2020 Lincoln Corsair are the finalists for the luxury category. For more information on the Midwest Automotive Media Association and related news, visit www.mamaonline.org. # # # About the Midwest Automotive Media Association Founded in 1991, and now in its 30th year, the Midwest Automotive Media Association comprises 236 automotive journalists and public relations professionals from across the country though based in the Chicago area. The organizations primary purpose is to provide a forum for newsworthy people, major issues and new products in the auto industry. More police officers should be deployed to rural areas to tackle the increasing criminal activity affecting farmers in recent days, NFU Cymru has said. The union took its concerns to the Police and Crime Commissioner following a resurgence of rural crime, including livestock worrying and machinery theft. NFU Cymru Livestock Board Chairman Wyn Evans, who himself had recently been the victim of rural crime after a savage dog attack, chaired the meeting with Dafydd Llywelyn. Mr Evans, who farms near Aberystwyth, lost 7 ewes and a further five were injured after the attack involving two lurcher-type dogs on New Years Eve. He has now called for the deployment of additional police officers who had 'good local knowledge and understanding' of the countryside to tackle the scourge of rural crime. Im not only concerned about the financial losses that farmers are having to deal with, but also the vulnerability that families are feeling and the impacts that being victims of rural crime can have on their mental health," Mr Evans said. It is only through farmers and rural communities working together in partnership with local police and dedicated rural crime officers that we will stamp out rural crime." He called on farmers to help by reporting every rural crime incident to the police, 'no matter how big or small', and to report any suspicious activity. "We need to build an accurate picture of the level and extent of the problem of rural crime, and having accurate statistics will strengthen our lobbying for the increased level of resources and boots on the ground that are desperately needed." Mr Llywelyn, Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner, said his force would look to respond to the needs of rural areas when it reviews its Rural Crime Strategy this year. This is a critical time for the rural community as farmers go into the lambing season," he noted. It is very important that we engage with local partners and the farming community to share our knowledge and best practice on tackling rural crime and dealing with rural issues." The most recent figures available, released in August 2020, show that the cost of rural crime in the UK reached an eight year high in 2019. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. CloudFirst and Century partner to bring seamless credit card processing directly into SAP Business One. Our partnership with Century Business Solutions allows us to now directly integrate a fully automated payment processing system into new and existing SAP software." -- Sam Wood, President at CloudFirst. Century Business Solutions is excited to announce its partnership with CloudFirst Solutions, a leader in SAP end-to-end enterprise business software, to allow credit card processing directly within SAP Business One. Century Business Solutions development team has built a payment integration for SAP Business One that uses Centurys proprietary payment gateway, EBizCharge, to provide credit card processing for thousands of merchants across the country. Centurys credit card integration allows merchants to process credit cards from directly within SAP Business One. The powerful EBizCharge payment gateway is designed to lower processing fees by submitting line-item details directly to the bank. EBizCharge is fully PCI compliant and offers advanced data encryption and tokenization technology to ensure maximum transaction security within SAP Business One. EBizCharge is compatible with over 100 leading ERP and accounting systems and major online shopping carts and provides unlimited transaction and batch history for reporting purposes. I started CloudFirst Solutions to build and sell packaged solutions for SAP so small- to midsize-companies could afford the intelligent technology they needed to operate at their very best, said Sam Wood, President at CloudFirst. Our partnership with Century Business Solutions allows us to now directly integrate a fully automated payment processing system into new and existing SAP software and offer our customers the most competitive rates and the highest level of transaction security in the industry. With EBizCharge, users can run custom reports, sort through transactions by category, and immediately release funds when issuing refunds. The partnership between CloudFirst Solutions and Century Business Solutions will help streamline workflow, eliminate double data entry, and make payment processing more efficient within SAP Business One. About Century Business Solutions Century Business Solutions is reinventing the way companies accept credit card payments with their all-in-one payment solution, EBizCharge. EBizCharge is one of the top payment gateway alternatives to its more expensive and inefficient counterparts and is specifically designed to reduce payment processing costs and inefficiencies. EBizCharge integrates seamlessly with over 100+ accounting, ERP, CRM, and shopping cart systems, including QuickBooks, Sage, SAP B1, Microsoft Dynamics, Acumatica, Magento, and WooCommerce. Century is partnered and certified with Microsoft Dynamics, Acumatica, SAP, Oracle, QuickBooks, WooCommerce, Magento, and many more. For more information, visit https://www.centurybizsolutions.net. About CloudFirst Solutions CloudFirst Solutions is a market leader in end-to-end SAP application software, analytics, intelligent technologies, and experience management. Our dedicated team works in partnership with small to mid-sized companies in all industries and offer an entire portfolio of Cloud solutions enabling business to be more efficient and agile in todays world. Our commitment is to provide industry specific solutions that enhance an entire organization and to ensure our customers optimize their software investment and operate profitably to achieve their purpose. From designing an industry specific and scalable Cloud solution, to deployment, education, and support we give our customers the trust, and understanding they need to move into the digital age. For more information, visit https://cloudfirstsolutions.co Harry Potter star Miriam Margolyes has once again slammed Prime Minister Boris Johnson's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic - after previously claiming she wished he'd died of the virus. The Labour-supporting actress, 79, who has never minced her words when discussing the politician, admitted she fled the UK in May and doesn't wish to return home until the case numbers have improved. Speaking from Tuscany, which is just one of her homes, Miriam also took aim at US President Donald Trump after he was impeached for the second time for inciting the US Capitol protests, claiming he was a 'dangerous fascist' who she 'hopes to see the back of.' Outspoken Miriam Margolyes has once again slammed Prime Minister Boris Johnson's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic after previously claiming she wished he'd died of the virus Speaking during an impassioned appearance on Thursday's Good Morning Britain, Miriam was asked whether she'd be getting a COVID-19 vaccine. The Harry Potter said that while she was currently isolating at her home in Italy, she'd only return to the UK when it's safe to get the jab. She said: 'Of course one must have a vaccine. Those anti-vaxxers are nuts. They need their heads seen to. 'It's ridiculous. I'm hoping I get a vaccine as soon as possible. I'm 79 so I'm not quite 80 yet - I'll be 80 in May. I may be able to have it in Italy before I come [back to the UK].' Brutal: The actress claimed Boris (pictured at a COVID-19 press conference) must be held to account for his handling of the pandemic, which has so far claimed over 84,000 lives in the UK Miriam then insisted Boris must be held to account for his management of the pandemic, which has so far claimed over 84,000 lives in the UK. She said: 'But I'm not going to England until it's safe to go. I mean you've got that clown in charge there that I didn't vote for and I'm holding him responsible for a lot of this mess.' Her comments certainly sparked a reaction from viewers, with one writing: 'Miriam Margolyes is absolutely smashing it on #GMB. On Trump: ''it ends with hold and starts with a'' 'On America: ''There are a lot of silly people there who need to be smacked!'' ''Anti-vaxxers are nuts!'' On Johnson ''that clown in charge, I hold him responsible for a lot of this mess.''' Another added: 'Miriam Margolyes is what I'm here for!' with a third posting: 'Miriam is a fire-cracker of a woman - light blur touch-paper and retire to a safe distance.' Stunned: Her comments certainly sparked a reaction from viewers, and many took to Twitter to share their views However several viewers weren't so enthralled by the star's comments, with one writing: 'Cannot forget that Miriam Margolyes wished Boris dead.' Another added: 'Oh look it's that woman who wanted Boris Johnson to die when he had COVID!' Miriam also lambasted President Trump after being asked about the shocking Capitol building protests last week. She said: 'Like everybody else I'm astonished and disgusted. I know it's morning television and I know I have to be careful about what I say about that man. Let's say that it ends with ''hole'' and starts with ''a'' Shocked: However several viewers weren't so enthralled by the star's comments Outspoken: Miriam made an impassioned appearance on Thursday's Good Morning Britain, where she revealed she'd fled the UK over the summer to live in her second home in Italy 'But he is a dangerous man. He is dangerous. I think he's a fascist. And I think it's obvious from the beginning that he was going to be like that. I think it looks from the beginning there was planning - a conspiracy - to invade the capital. I just long to see the back of him. 'And I'm worried about America. It's a sweet country. There's a lot of silly people in it and they need to be smacked.' Explosive: The legendary actress said she'd only return to the UK to get her coronavirus vaccine when it's safe to do so Miriam explained she'd been living in her second home in Tuscany since August, and despite wanting to stay abroad, new Brexit regulations meant she'd have to fly back to England at the end of March. She said: 'It's wonderful over here. The people are sensible and my house is beautiful as you see. It is occasionally available to rent by the way.' Host Susanna Reid asked her: 'No one can go anywhere at the moment. How did you escape?' Miriam said: 'Well I came out in August and I would stay here forever if I could. 'But because of that Brexit thing, I have to leave at the end of March. Because you're only allowed to stay for 90 days in a 180. Brutal: She told Ben Shephard and Susanna Reid: 'I mean you've got that clown in charge there that I didn't vote for and I'm holding him responsible for a lot of this mess' 'Which people didn't realise when they voted for Brexit, that they were putting me out of my house. But anyway, I'm not the most important one, maybe. No, Trump is the most important one. That's what he thinks anyway.' Miriam had previously sparked outrage from viewers for claiming Boris should have died of COVID-19 when he contracted the virus in late March. Her outburst came just days after the Prime Minister revealed that doctors were preparing to announce his death in case he lost his battle with the virus, as he admitted he was 'a lucky man'. In an incredible outburst on Channel 4's The Last Leg in May, Margolyes told viewers: 'I wanted him to die.' Nasty: Miriam also took aim at US President Donald Trump after last week's Capitol protests, claiming he was a 'dangerous fascist' who she 'hopes to see the back of' Asked how she thinks the government have dealt with the pandemic, the star said: 'Appallingly, of course, appallingly. It's a disgrace, it's a scandal. It's a public scandal. 'I mean, I had difficulty not wanting Boris Johnson to die. I wanted him to die. Then I thought that will reflect badly on me and I don't want to be the sort of person that wants people to die.' After admitting to her change of heart, Miriam continued with another savage remark about the prime minister. She said: 'So then I wanted him to get better, which he did do, he did get better. But he didn't get better as a human being. And I really would prefer that. So, we're in the s**t, basically, here.' Her comments sparked outrage on social media, with one branding her comments 'disgusting and vile.' Never minces her words! The star previously sparked outrage from viewers for claiming Boris should have died of COVID-19 when he contracted the virus in late March Ofcom received 494 complaints over her comments, but a spokesperson confirmed in June that no investigation will take place following an initial assessment. In August Miriam also branded Boris an 'incompetent s**t' during an interview with The Mirror, saying: 'Boris Johnson couldn't direct s**t into a paper bag. He is completely incompetent. 'The U-turns, don't wear a mask, put your mask on, take your mask off, and then rules that are made that the Tory people don't adhere to and all the money that is coming in from these Russian oligarchs.' Margolyes has enjoyed an illustrious acting career, and is known for her roles in Call the Midwife and The Age of Innocence, as well as being Professor Sprout in the film series based on JK Rowling's novels. A contractor dredging the Schuylkill along Philadelphias iconic Boathouse Row has stopped work, claiming it needs more money to continue working after it found too much large debris such as telephone poles at the bottom. The delay has raised the ire of the Schuylkill Navy and local rowing community, which says racing lanes and other areas need clearing or the city could lose its famed regattas. Work on the long-awaited dredge project began June 1 but has been halted since November, putting the contractor, Atlantic Subsea Inc., of Bridgeport, N.J., in a stalemate with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which is managing the project. In a year that was already littered with many disappointments, the word disappointment doesnt begin to describe the degree of frustration and challenge that the failure to perform by this contractor has created for this community, said Bonnie Mueller, commodore-elect of the Schuylkill Navy, an association of amateur rowing clubs in Philadelphia. Atlantic Subsea anticipated finding debris, such as tires, concrete blocks, and trash, said its lawyer Richard Coe. But removal of other big items the company kept encountering such as full-sized trees, railroad ties, and pilings were not part of the deal, he said, and require more equipment and money. These kinds of unusually large items create a safety hazard in operating the dredging equipment, Coe said. The Army Corps disputes the notion that the debris wasnt in the scope of work, as do the rowers. Problems arose almost immediately when Atlantic Subsea began in June. The company realized it needed to bring in equipment such as excavators that Coe said were not covered in the arrangement with the Army Corps. Coe said the company is committed to the project but needs money to pay for the additional equipment. He did not specify how much due to the uncertainties as to the quantity of the debris to be removed. The Army Corps has indicated there is no more money for the project. It took years for the Schuylkill Navy to raise $4.5 million for the dredge. The City of Philadelphia, the state, local universities with rowing clubs, the William Penn Foundation, the rowing and paddling communities, and members of the public all pitched in. The Army Corps issued a statement saying it remains in a contractual impasse with Atlantic Subsea. We are currently working through contractual/legal processes for these types of situations, the statement said. We will continue to work closely with the City of Philadelphia and we remain committed to resolving issues and moving forward on this important project. Mueller said the potential for such debris was clearly laid out in the projects request for proposal. Less than 5% of the dredging has been completed, she said. As rowers ... we uniquely understand the concept of everyone doing their job and pulling their own weight, Mueller said. With regard to this project, there are multitudes of people that have done exactly that, but in our opinion, the contractor Atlantic Subsea is not one of them. READ MORE: Schuylkill dredging starts June 1 to clear sediment for rowers once fearful of regatta cancellations The project calls for dredging three miles of the non-tidal Schuylkill above Fairmount Dam to remove 60,000 cubic yards of sediment thats created a dangerous situation for rowers and possibly threatens future regattas if not cleared. The project ran into bumps last year because of COVID-19 restrictions. Then, in August, a deluge on the river from Hurricane Isaias caused a 100-ton barge being used in the project to strike the Vine Street Bridge. In addition, work had to be carried out around fish migration schedules. Further frustrating rowers: All the docks in front of Boathouse Row had been removed and stored upstream in anticipation of dredging being complete by spring. But that storage area was supposed to be temporary, so some of the docks had to be put back, and might have to be removed again if or when dredging continues. Some clubs bought new docks at great expense but cant install them until the job is finished. There is no time frame now as to when the dredging might be complete. No regattas are scheduled because of the citys COVID-19 restrictions on large events until at least March 1. Mueller said the regattas, including the Dad Vail and Stotesbury Cup, will go on if allowed. The organizers of those events have met and we dont imagine a situation whereby not having the dredging completed would preclude us from having regattas in 2021, she said. ADVERTISEMENT Beer maker Heineken B.V. is on track to expand its control of the Nigerian brewery business, after racking up further 1,903,609,538 ordinary shares of Champion Breweries Plc in a move bringing its stake in the Uyo-based brewer to 84.7 per cent. That translates to 6,632,917,789 shares. Heineken, headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, consummated the share acquisition through its Nigerian subsidiary, Raysun Nigeria Limited, putting it in a strong position as the majority shareholder to make a takeover attempt. It will help broaden its dominance beyond Nigerias most capitalised beverage maker, Nigerian Breweries Plc, where Heineken wields 37.94 per cent stake via ownership of 3,034,100,563 shares. Consumers in Nigeria, Brazil and the United Kingdom the brewers three biggest markets drank 1 million hectolitres of Heineken brands in the 12 months of 2019, according to its 2019 financial results. Heinekens financial statements for the third quarter of 2020 showed beer volumes for its Nigerian operations jumped by about 18 per cent ahead of the market at a time when a countrywide coronavirus lockdown forbade pubs, beer parlours and night clubs from running. Raysun purchased 1,903,609,538 shares of Champion Breweries shares at N2.60 per unit at a total of N4,949,384,799 on January 7, its notification of share dealing by insiders obtained from the Nigerian Stock Exchange showed. Raysun held 60.4 per cent interest in the brewer as of December 31, 2019, according to its annual report for the year in question, meaning its latest 24.3 per cent acquisition of Champion Breweries shares has catapulted its total holding in the company to 84.7 per cent, easily giving it a leverage to launch a takeover bid. Asset Management Nominee and Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation, which held 12.3 per cent and 10 per cent holdings respectively in the company prior to Heinekens latest round of share purchase, were the other substantial shareholders in Champion Breweries. Incorporated in Nigeria in 1974, Champion Breweries started bottling beer in 1976, with an initial capacity of 150,000 hectolitres of beer and 10,000 hectolitres of malt drink. Heineken began heaping up Champion Breweries shares in 2014 when it took a strategic position in the company by procuring 57 per cent equity. Shares in Champion Breweries closed trade on the NSE on Thursday at N1.23 per share, gaining almost the 10 per cent daily ceiling allowed by the bourse. The stock has appreciated by more than 32% per cent since Heinekens latest share acquisition last Thursday. The California District Attorneys Association, a statewide advocacy group for prosecutors, siphoned nearly $3 million that was supposed to be used for public-advocacy litigation and used it to fund training and lobbying, according to a recent audit of the groups finances. The audit, performed by the San Francisco accounting firm Hemming Morse, found that the association had a practice of borrowing funds obtained from workplace and environmental settlements since 2004, during periods when CDAA experienced cash flow shortfalls. The agency repeatedly padded its general fund with money earmarked for specific purposes, the audit found. The practice mostly depleted the groups accounts established to train prosecutors and retain specialized outside attorneys that county prosecutors hire for help handling complex cases involving environmental violations. Those funds are critical for smaller, rural counties, where district attorneys lack the resources to take on large corporations, like petroleum companies, many of which have huge legal teams tasked with beating back environmental lawsuits. The shortfall may impact ongoing court cases across California. Unfortunately, at this time ... CDAA has no current funding sources and no other personnel available to assist your offices in these types of prosecutions, wrote Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin, co-chair of the groupss environmental subcommittee in an email to the groups members last week. At this time, the timetable for any future funding is also up in the air. Part of what happened was there just werent enough controls over the money that you know how it was being spent, Hestrin said in an interview with The Chronicle. One of the affected cases comes from Madera County, where District Attorney Sally Moreno said her office has charged a truck filtering company with mishandling hazardous waste. The outside counsel who was leading the case quit and the association has no funds to replace him. Moreno said it was challenging to quantify how the financial issues will affect the case, adding that it wont be put on hold and will be assigned to one of her senior deputies. It was nice to have somebody to come in with those expertise, she said. At least 10 other counties have pending cases that were using the circuit prosecutor program, including Lake, Kings Nevada and Tuolumne counties. The associations board of directors said it will reimburse the $2.88 million that was absorbed into the general fund, but allowed for the repayment plan to stretch over several years. The groups auditors did not make any accusations of illegal activity, but the results were sent to the state attorney generals office for review. The attorney generals office is currently reviewing the audit, said a spokesperson for the department. The audit was commissioned last summer by the prosecutors association after its CEO became concerned that money assigned for specific causes was being improperly spent. While the audit revealed no evidence of intentional malfeasance, it did identify a pattern that violated best practices and accepted accounting standards for restricted-purpose funds, association officials said in a statement. But the results of the audit and the associations pledge to repay the funds have not placated the groups critics, whove raised concerns that its involvement in the financial review created potential conflicts of interest. Largely outside of the public eye, the California District Attorneys Association is perhaps best known for its reliable opposition to and its lobbying efforts against criminal justice reform measures. In recent years, the group opposed legislation that would limit the three strikes law, one that reduced penalties for most drug possession cases, and another that shortened prison time for nonviolent offenders. The association is made up of 57 of the states 58 district attorneys and around 5,000 nonelected prosecutors, and also provides training and educational resources for its members. The associations environmental and workplace funds are meant to replenish themselves through court settlements. When prosecutors win a case, a cut of the payout goes back into its environmental programs, and is supposed to be restricted for use in future environmental cases and training for prosecutors, the report states. However, the auditors wrote, the group had incorrectly considered those and many other funds received to be unrestricted and available for general use. Once in the general fund, money that was supposed to be reserved for environmental legal training and litigation could have been used for any number of wider purposes, including lobbying state legislators. In recent years, the association has received $210,000 from a 2010 Walmart settlement over improper storage and handling of toxic waste, $350,000 from a 2015 AT&T payout over disposal of hazardous waste, and $450,000 from a 2015 settlement with Phillips 66 over violations of anti-pollution laws with underground storage tanks. Vern Pierson, El Dorado County district attorney and association president, said the group has regularly returned the borrowed funds throughout the years and has started to pay back some of the $2.88 million. The group took specific steps, Pierson said, to stop the improper spending once the practice came to light. Pierson added the associations regular, annual audits also never noticed the miscategorization of the funds or directed the association to correct the problem. Whats been characterized to me is that its a poor expensing practice, Pierson said. Even though the money was lawfully CDAA money, it had a restriction on it and the restriction should have been honored. San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin said he was shocked and disappointed to learn about the associations longstanding accounting practices. As elected D.A.s, we understand how to avoid comingling restricted funds and general-purpose funds we have to do it every day managing our budgets, he said. The millions of restricted dollars CDAA improperly dedicated to lobbying and general fund expenditures, deprives Californians of much needed environmental and workplace safety protections. San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar, who quit the group last year over its opposition to criminal justice reform initiatives, blasted the report and its prolonged repayment plan as insufficient. She also raised concerns about the involvement of the groups board members in the audit process. It is pretty clear that having members of CDAAs board (past and present) lead the investigation including selection of the auditors, monitoring and releasing the documentation raises legitimate issues of conflict, Verber Salazar wrote in a July 22 email to Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig, the first vice president of associations board of directors. Verber Salazar also said that the audit should have been be expanded to include associations entire budget, not just the buckets for environmental and workplace funds. She also called on the groups entire board of directors to resign immediately. They had a duty and a responsibility to oversee this, and they failed to do so, she said. Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidy Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 09:36:17|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MEXICO CITY, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Mexico would try to ensure migrants in the United States are given equal access to COVID-19 vaccines by citing labor provisions in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), Mexican Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Wednesday. The free trade agreement, in force since July 2020, includes provisions that guarantee health protections for migrants in member countries, regardless of their immigration status, noted Ebrard. "We consider any exclusion of Mexican workers to be a violation of the free trade agreement's section on labor rights," said Ebrard. Last week, Pete Ricketts, the governor of the U.S. state of Nebraska, raised the possibility that undocumented migrants in the state will be overlooked by the immunization campaign due to their immigration status. Ebrard said Mexico will ask the incoming U.S. administration, which will take office on Jan. 20, to comply "100 percent" with the provisions of the USMCA. According to Mexican government estimates, 38 million Mexicans live in the United States. Enditem Lackawanna County has relocated Central Court and other operations to its new criminal justice center, a former medical office building adjacent to the county prison. The county moved into the state-of-the-art facility at 1360 Wyoming Ave., Scranton, late last month and started holding hearings there Dec. 21, said county Judge Michael Barrasse, the chief advocate of the criminal justice center project. Much of the court business being conducted there is happening virtually amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Essentially right now were going through a soft opening in that theres not as (many) in-person hearings being held, Barrasse said, noting the county also relocated its booking and processing center to the building. We do have some minor things that have to be completed over there, so we still have some workers over there that are doing some finishing touches. In terms of layout, space, proximity to the prison and other features, Barrasse and county President Judge Trish Corbett said the new building is a safer and more appropriate setting for Central Court than the Lackawanna County Courthouse, its former location. Previously at Central Court you would have many of the defendants and the victims in the same waiting room, and needless to say this involved people with domestic violence and all other types of cases, Barrasse said. Now there are separate rooms over there (at the new building) for both the victims and defendants. The facility is essentially split in half with the defense on one side and the prosecution on the other, Corbett said. That the building is adjacent to the county jail also eliminates the need to transport inmates from the prison to the courthouse for hearings, reducing transportation costs while reducing security risks inherent to moving prisoners, officials said. Both Barrasse and Corbett noted theres a family visiting area in the building as well. Along with other functions, that space will allow children to visit incarcerated parents in the criminal justice center, as opposed to the prison setting, they said. Moreover, moving Central Court opens up space at the courthouse that will be used to provide more room for county public defenders and house a relocated Court Administrators Office, Barrasse said. Through 2020, the county spent about $3.3 million to retrofit the former medical office building into the criminal justice center, county Chief Financial Officer Tom Durkin said. That does not include the roughly $936,000 cost of buying the building. The total cost of the conversion project, including the cost of buying the property, is expected to be about $4.7 million, Durkin said. It will serve Lackawanna County extremely well for decades to come, Corbett said. UK is imposing a ban travellers from South America as well as parts of central America and Portugal tomorrow Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the dramatic restrictions will come into force from 4am tomorrow MPs have condemned the government for failing to act fast enough to protect the UK's borders from variants Requirement for all arrivals to have a negative test to enter the UK were delayed from tomorrow to Monday Are you in one of the affected countries and set on returning to the UK? Email jack.w.elsom@mailonline.co.uk Scathing MPs have rounded on ministers for only announcing a travel ban with South America and Portugal this evening after days of warnings about the new Covid super-strain from Brazil. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said today that all arrivals from South America, Panama and Cape Verde as well as Portugal will be barred from entering the UK from 4am tomorrow. ADVERTISEMENT No-one who has been in any of the listed countries in the previous 10 days will be granted entry, except British and Irish nationals who are exempt but will have to self-isolate for 10 days. Mr Shapps also said that Chile, Madeira, and the Azores would be removed from the travel corridor list of countries were passengers are not required to self-isolate for up to 10 days on return. He said introducing tougher measures was an 'urgent decision' so that the UK did not 'trip up at this late stage' of the pandemic, pointing to the three million vaccines that have been administered. But although the move was welcomed by other parties, the Government was attacked for the delay, which was branded 'another missed opportunity'. Labour's shadow home secretary Nick-Thomas-Symonds MP railed against 'yet another example of government incompetence, lurching from one crisis and rushed announcement to another. 'The failure to put in place an effective policy on testing before entry and a quarantine system that is checking only one in 100 people is putting lives at risk.' Lib Dem MP and party transport spokeswoman Sarah Olney said: 'Once again it seems the Conservatives have missed the opportunity to help stem the spread of Covid-19. 'They've delayed action on cutting travel between the UK and South America, risking the arrival of the new variant.' The crackdown was also at odds with the situation at Heathrow today, where arrivals from soon-to-be-banned countries claimed to have breezed across the border without being checked for Covid. ADVERTISEMENT Boris Johnson told MPs yesterday he was concerned about the Brazilian variant and the Government was taking measures. Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK's chief scientific adviser, has said it is possible that the strain could make vaccines less effective. He said he thinks it is unlikely the mutated strain of the virus will have evolved to get past the immune system but 'we don't know for sure'. Barbra and John Santos Paula Gamini Also at Heathrow Airport today, Brazilian Barbra Santos arrived Terminal 5 wearing a leopard print face mask Noemia Lellis, 23, (left) and her sister Ana Lellis, 27, (right) both from Sao Paulo, Brazil, arrived at Heathrow today. They took a Covid test in Brazil before boarding a flight to Lisbon and connected from there to London Sean Meade told that he had a Covid test on Monday in Durban, South Africa, and carried a copy of his negative result expecting that he would be asked for it when arriving at Heathrow via Paris but nobody bothered Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he was taking 'urgent' action in an effort to prevent the mutant version getting into Britain Sir Patrick Vallance, chief scientific adviser to the UK Government, said he couldn't rule out the idea that the Brazilian variant might have evolved to make vaccines less effective Boris Johnson said he was 'concerned' about the new variant Deaths and cases have been rising alarmingly in many of the countries subject to restrictions with suggestions that the mutant strain is responsible Pictured: A gravedigger works at the Parque Taruma cemetery amid the coronavirus outbreak in Manaus, Brazil in December Chaos at the border: Travellers from South Africa enter unchecked as ministers delay new negative test rule until MONDAY Britain's border defence against coronavirus was branded an 'absolute joke' today as MailOnline can reveal a traveller from variant-hit South Africa walked out of Heathrow without any checks after ministers delayed forcing people to get a negative Covid-19 test before entering Britain until Monday. Sean Meade told MailOnline that he had a Covid test on Monday in Durban, South Africa, and carried a copy of his negative result expecting that he would be asked for it when arriving at Heathrow via Paris because he was coming from a country that has a dangerous variant of the virus. It came as ministers to delay their plan for tighter border controls amid confusion. The Government was preparing to enforce a stricter regime requiring tests 72 hours pre-departure from 4am on Friday, but this has now been pushed back to Monday. In an 11pm tweet, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps wrote: 'To give international arrivals time to prepare, passengers will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before departure to England from MONDAY 18 JANUARY at 4am.' Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said the situation was 'utter chaos'. 'The Government has lacked a comprehensive airport testing policy through this pandemic and now it is slipping into utter chaos,' he said. 'Issuing statements in the middle of the night, because their proposals are unworkable, causes ever greater challenges for travellers and industry.' Mr Shapps made the announcement in a series of tweets: 'I've taken the urgent decision to BAN ARRIVALS from ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, BOLIVIA, CAPE VERDE, CHILE, COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, FRENCH GUIANA, GUYANA, PANAMA, PARAGUAY, PERU, SURINAME, URUGUAY AND VENEZUELA from TOMORROW, 15 JAN at 4AM following evidence of a new variant in Brazil.' ADVERTISEMENT He added: 'Travel from PORTUGAL to the UK will also be suspended given its strong travel links with Brazil acting as another way to reduce the risk of importing infections. 'However, there is an exemption for hauliers travelling from Portugal (only), to allow transport of essential goods.' Arrivals from the banned countries continued to flow into the UK today ahead of tomorrow's deadline - with some claiming not to have been checked. Brazilian couple John and Barbara Santos revealed that they had been made to undergo a PCR test at Sao Paulo airport before being allowed to board a KLM flight to Amsterdam, from where they caught a connecting flight to London. Mr Santos, 36 told MailOnline: 'Nobody checked our PCR test at Heathrow or asked us any questions. We got off the plane, collected our bags and just strolled out. It's pathetic and not what I expected.' Ms Santos, 40 revealed that she was told by a Border Force official that she was 'lucky' to have arrived in Britain before the ban on Brazilian travellers takes hold. She said: 'He said "lucky you made it in time." Its a joke because nobody asked about my test or made sure I was negative. 'The weather in Brazil is beautiful at the moment, everyone is out and about but the authorities here don't seem to care if Brazilians arriving in Britain have the virus or not. And believe me, a lot of them do.' The latest curbs, confirmed by the Covid O Cabinet sub-committee, mirror beefed-up rules brought in for South Africa due to its mutant Covid strain. But one traveller, Sean Meade, flying from South Africa, today told MailOnline he walked out of Heathrow without any checks. Mr Johnson admitted yesterday that officials were 'concerned' about the variant and claimed the Government was 'taking steps' to ensure it doesn't spread in Britain. Brazil has already banned travellers from the UK, starting on December 25, because of the variant that emerged here. Airlines appear to have taken matters into their own hands, with all five flights scheduled between Brazil and Heathrow cancelled, and none due from other UK airports. Public Health England (PHE) said it hasn't picked up any cases of the variant yet, but wouldn't rule out its already being in Britain. One expert told MailOnline it is 'entirely possible' it has spread here already but likely not in large numbers. Variants can generally only be picked up by detailed examination of randomly-picked test samples so don't show up until they are already widespread. The South African variant, for example, can't be distinguished from others in test results alone. Experts and politicians have raised fears that the Kent and South African mutations which are very similar to the Brazilian strain could make vaccines less effective. Sir Patrick last night revealed SAGE doesn't know whether or not jabs will work against the variant. But top scientists studying the constantly mutating SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, insist jabs currently being rolled-out are 'still likely to be effective'. Pfizer has already tested its own vaccine against the variants that emerged in Kent and South Africa and said that the jab appeared to work just as well, despite the mutations. The mutated variant of coronavirus was discovered in Japan last week in four people who had arrived on a flight from Brazil. It was first detected in Brazil where cases are spiralling rapidly in October. If evidence emerges that the Brazilian variant is significantly different to others already in Britain, it could present more obstacles to getting life back to normal. There is no proof that the variant is already in Britain but it is 'entirely possible', said Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at the University of Reading. Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser, told ITV's Peston show there was no evidence any of the variants led to more severe disease. He said: 'There's no evidence at all with any of these variants that it makes the disease itself more severe. 'So the changes that we're seeing with the variants are largely around increased transmission. '[There's] no evidence yet for the UK version that it makes a difference in terms of how the immune system recognises it, and if you've been exposed to the old variant or you've had a vaccine, it looks like that's gonna work just as well with this new variant for the UK one. 'The South African one and Brazilian one, we don't know for sure. There's a bit more of a risk that this might make a change to the way the immune system recognises it but we don't know. Those experiments are underway.' There are dozens of different variations of the coronavirus circulating in the UK but most cases are caused by a dominant select few the main one, accounting for around two thirds of infections, is now the one which emerged in Kent. Around 30 cases of the South African variant have been spotted in the UK, researchers said this week. Dr Clarke told MailOnline: 'If it is here then I expect it not to be here in great amounts because one in 10 viruses isolated [found in tests] are sequenced. If it was here in any appreciable quantity, it would have been picked up by now. 'But it could be here; people have been flying in from Brazil, people do come in via other countries and it is probably quite widespread over South America.' Amid a row over the Government's response to the latest strain, MPs yesterday accused the Prime Minister of failing to tighten the UK's borders quickly enough. MPs also questioned why new rules requiring all travellers to test negative before they enter the UK are only being brought in ten months after the pandemic began. Other countries have had similar rules in place for months. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced late last night that is being pushed back to Monday to give people 'time to prepare' In a round of interviews this morning, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins suggested the government was trying to balance 'economic' factors with health protection Asked why the air corridor between Brazil and parts of South America to the UK had not already been closed, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins said: 'Of course, people flying into the UK, whether from South America or elsewhere are required to have a 10-day quarantine period when they land in the UK. That is mandatory. WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE BRAZIL VARIANT? Name: B.1.1.248 or P.1 Date: Discovered in Tokyo, Japan, in four travellers arriving from Manaus, Brazil, on January 2. Is it in the UK? Public health officials and scientists randomly sample around 1 in 10 coronavirus cases in the UK and they have not yet reported any cases of B.1.1.248, but this doesn't rule it out completely. Why should we care? The variant has the same spike protein mutation as the highly transmissible versions found in Kent and South Africa named N501Y which makes the spike better able to bind to receptors inside the body. It has a third, less well-studied mutation called K417T, and the ramifications of this are still being researched. What do the mutations do? The N501Y mutation makes the spike protein better at binding to receptors in people's bodies and therefore makes the virus more infectious. Exactly how much more infectious it is remains to be seen, but scientists estimate the similar-looking variant in the UK is around 56 per cent more transmissible than its predecessor. Even if the virus doesn't appear to be more dangerous, its ability to spread faster and cause more infections will inevitably lead to a higher death rate. Another key mutation in the variant, named E484K, is also on the spike protein and is present in the South African variant. E484K may be associated with an ability to evade parts of the immune system called antibodies, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro said in a scientific paper published online. However, there are multiple immune cells and substances involved in the destruction of coronavirus when it gets into the body so this may not translate to a difference in how people get infected or recover. Will our vaccines still protect us? There is no reason to believe that already-developed Covid vaccines will not protect against the variant. The main and most concerning change to this version of the virus is its N501Y mutation. Pfizer, the company that made the first vaccine to get approval for public use in the UK, has specifically tested its jab on viruses carrying this mutation in a lab after the variants emerged in the UK and South Africa. They found that the vaccine worked just as well as it did on other variants and was able to ignore the change. And, as the South African variant carries another of the major mutations on the Brazilian strain (E484K) and the Pfizer jab worked against that, too, it is likely that the new mutation would not affect vaccines. The immunity developed by different types of vaccine is broadly similar, so if one of them is able to work against it, the others should as well. Professor Ravi Gupta, a microbiologist at the University of Cambridge, said: 'Vaccines are still likely to be effective as a control measure if coverage rates are high and transmission is limited as far as possible.' 'In terms of the decision on travel measures, it takes a little bit of time. 'What we need to ensure is that when we make these very, very important decisions that have a huge impact on people's personal lives, but also businesses, we have got to have a little bit of time to let that bed in. 'The Prime Minister was clear that measure will be taken, we have acted decisively in the past with both the Denmark and South African variants, so I wouldn't want to speculate further at this stage.' The requirement for all international passengers coming to the UK to show a negative Covid-19 test had been due to come into effect tomorrow. Passengers including returning Britons will have to get a test within 72 hours of travelling. Border Force guards will carry out spot checks and anyone flouting the rules will be fined 500. But, tweeting after 11pm last night, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps declared that the testing measure was being delayed. 'To give international arrivals time to prepare passengers will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before departure to England from MONDAY 18 JANUARY at 4am,' he said. Adding to the confusion, Mr Shapps added a calendar emoji showing the 17th. Mr Thomas-Symonds said the situation was 'utter chaos'. 'The Government has lacked a comprehensive airport testing policy through this pandemic and now it is slipping into utter chaos,' he said. 'Issuing statements in the middle of the night, because their proposals are unworkable, causes ever greater challenges for travellers and industry. 'This chronic failure is also putting us at risk yet again, from strains such as those that emerged in South Africa and Brazil. As ever, Ministers are too slow to act and it's putting people at serious risk.' And Scotland's Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the negative test requirement was already in force north of the border - even though it is not due to be until tomorrow. In an interview on BBC Breakfast he was asked what the Scottish position was following the news that rules requiring travellers arriving in England to have a negative coronavirus test have been delayed. He said: 'The position in Scotland is that those restrictions are in place and we want to see people following those restrictions to make sure that we minimise the risk.' Asked, 'So you have to have a test before you travel to Scotland?', he replied 'Yes' and agreed that the restrictions apply now. Home affairs committee chair and Labour MP, Yvette Cooper, savaged Mr Johnson yesterday for failing to act fast enough. At the Liaison Committee hearing, she demanded to know why UK borders were not immediately shut to travellers from Brazil after warnings of the new strain. She asked him: 'Why aren't you taking immediate action on a precautionary basis?' Ms Cooper also criticised the quarantine system for being 'so much weaker' than measures in dozens of other countries which include rigorous border testing. 'She said it meant arrivals being allowed to board public transport to get to where they will self-isolate after landing, with few checks to see if people are quarantining. Ms Cooper added: 'You give the impression each time that you just delay all of the difficult and uncomfortable decisions until the last possible minute and when so many lives are at stake, Prime Minister, is this the leadership we really need?' Mr Johnson claimed 'huge quantities of checks' are being carried out to see if people are self-isolating. Click here to resize this module It is understood ministers will today consider imposing a complete ban on flights and visitors for the whole of South America to tackle the Brazil variant. Pictured: Guarulhos, Sao Paulo All three of the mutated versions of the coronavirus found in recent weeks the ones from Kent, South Africa and Brazil have had a change on the spike protein of the virus called N501Y, which scientists say makes it better able to latch onto the body and spread What were the rules of the South Africa travel ban? Visitors arriving into England who have been in or travelled through South Africa in the previous 10 days will not be permitted entry and direct flights will be banned. British and Irish Nationals, visa holders and permanent residents arriving from South Africa will be able to enter but are required to self-isolate for 10 days along with their household The ban excludes cargo and freight without passengers Any exemptions usually in place - including for those related to employment - will not apply People who share a household with anyone self-isolating after returning from South Africa will now also need to self-isolate until 10 days have passed since anyone they live with was last in South Africa The Home Office will step up Border Force presence to ensure that those arriving to England from South Africa are compliant with the new restrictions The PM said: 'We are concerned about the new Brazilian variant. 'We already have tough measures to protect this country from new infections coming in from abroad. We are taking steps to do that in respect of the Brazilian variant.' He added: 'There are lots of questions we still have about that variant, we don't know for instance, any more than we know whether the South African variant is vaccine resistant.' Dr Simon Clarke said it was not clear how the mutations on the Brazilian strain would change the virus, but they could be compared to those on the Kent and South Africa variants. He said: 'We know where the mutations are. I think it's fair to say we don't have a good picture on how easily it spreads or how quickly it spreads. 'Some of the changes, not all, are in the spike protein. The only one we have good data on in terms of the ability to spread is the Kent strain. 'The changes to the spike mean that they could make it more difficult for antibodies to bind to. If there is an effect, and it's a big if, I would assume it would reduce their [vaccines] efficacy not abolish it, it wouldn't render it useless but it might not be effective.' It is not yet known if the Brazilian strain is present in the UK. Brazil has had one of the world's highest Covid death tolls 205,000. The SAGE sub-group NERVTAG discussed the issue on Tuesday. Brazil has already banned flights from the UK amid the pandemic, so the new move would be a reciprocal one, although it's not likely to affect a lot of people. In 2019, there were around 290,000 visits to the UK from people travelling from Brazil, but there are currently no direct flights running from Brazil to the UK, according to Scanner. Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi told the Commons a new jab could be manufactured in 30 to 40 days if a variant of the virus is found to be less responsive to those available. The Department for Transport published small print of the rules requiring all passengers entering the UK to show a negative test only late last night shortly before they are due to kick in. But they won't be enforced until Monday due to a 'grace period' brought in after a backlash from the travel industry. Before the delay was announced, Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith, chairman of the Airport Operators Association, said: 'It's horrendous. 'We need to support travellers who are facing the issue of needing to get home. 'The industry wants to deliver the safest way to get home, but it needs that guidance and the detail in good time.' Paul Charles, the chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: 'There is not enough clarity around the type of tests allowed, leaving consumers panicking about whether they will be let into the country without a fine, because they have the wrong documentation. Policy on the hoof never works.' Up to 100,000 Britons are estimated to be abroad. Many went in mid-December before the third lockdown. Experts last night questioned why Britain had not brought in testing at the border, despite dozens of countries around the world having had it in place for months. Professor Lawrence Young, a molecular oncologist at the University of Warwick, said: 'You could argue it's too little, too late. We should have been doing this ages ago. 'If you look at where successful lockdowns, in terms of returning back to normality, have happened, that's where people have closed their borders. The horse has bolted. Travellers have flown into the UK via Portugal without being checked for coronavirus Noemia Lellis, 23 Travellers told MailOnline they were allowed to fly into the UK via Portugal without being checked for Covid-19. Ana Lellis, 27, said people in Brazil were 'still partying and everything is open'. She got tested for coronavirus because it was a TAP Air Portugal requirement but this was not checked when she landed in London. 'I am worried about coronavirus in Brazil because people are still partying and everything is open,' she said. 'There is a big following of people who don't follow the rules. We had to get coronavirus tests because that is an TAP Air Portugal requirement but they weren't checked in London. We simply picked up our bags and came out, they didn't even check our locator form.' Her sister, Noemia, 23, said: 'I am shocked they were not doing checks on passengers who recently came back from Brazil. 'There are no direct flights from the UK to Brazil anyway so people who will still travel through different countries. 'It makes sense to have less flights to avoid this spread but we are happy to be allowed back. It is going to cause trouble for a lot of people, especially residents like us.' 'It is hard to understand why we haven't been more stringent about international travel and why we're doing testing now and didn't pay as much attention to it last March. Testing has to be a really important part of this.' A Department for Transport spokesperson told MailOnline: 'As the Prime Minister said, we are aware of this new variant and are considering urgent measures to reduce the spread to the UK. 'Arrivals from Brazil are already required to self-isolate for ten days or face a fine starting at 500.' It is normal for viruses to mutate and early signs don't suggest that any of the new variants of coronavirus are more deadly than others, but in some places it is evolving to be able to spread faster. If the virus is faster spreading it will inevitably lead to more cases which will in turn lead to a higher death count, even if the strain itself isn't more dangerous. The variant that emerged in Kent, now estimated to be around 56 per cent more transmissible than its predecessor, has quickly become the dominant form of the virus in England and has led to the country's longest and toughest lockdown since March 2020. There is no evidence to suggest vaccines will be any less effective against this variant. Pfizer, maker of the first jab to be approved, tested theirs on the similar UK and South Africa variants and said it still worked just as well. The mutated variant of coronavirus was discovered in Japan last week in four people who had arrived on a flight from Brazil. It was first detected in Brazil in October. Scientists said it had similarities to that of the highly contagious variants in Britain and South Africa. Namely, it has a genetic mutation called N501Y, which changes the shape of the spike proteins found on the outside of the virus. This mutation makes the virus more able to latch onto the receptors inside the body that it targets, essentially meaning it successfully makes it past the body's natural defences more often. Therefore people who are exposed to the virus become infected more often than they would if the other person was infected with an older, less contagious strain. A World Health Organization report on the variant last week said: 'The variant was identified when whole-genome sequencing was conducted on samples from 4 travellers from Brazil who were tested at the airport... 'Through our regional offices, we are working with both Japanese and Brazilian authorities to evaluate the significance of these findings. 'We are also working with our Viral Evolution Working Group to assess the significance of this, and if this variant as well as others identified in recent months result in changes in transmissibility, clinical presentation or severity, or if they impact on countermeasures, including diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.' It added: 'The same comprehensive approach to controlling Covid-19 works against these variants. 'At an individual level, protective measures work for all identified variants: physical distancing, wearing a mask, keeping rooms well ventilated, avoiding crowds, cleaning hands, and coughing into a bent elbow or tissue.' It is too early on in the variant's discovery for politicians or scientists to be confident about how the changes to the virus will affect outbreaks. Lab testing suggests its N501Y mutation could make it more transmissible the UK variant with the same change is estimated to be around 56 per cent more infectious, but other changes to the virus may affect this, too. And another key mutation in the variant, named E484K, which is also on the spike protein, may be associated with an ability to evade parts of the immune system called antibodies, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro said in a scientific paper published online. However, there are multiple immune cells and substances involved in the destruction of coronavirus when it gets into the body so this may not translate to a difference in how people get infected or recover. There is no reason to believe that already-developed Covid vaccines will not protect against the variant. The main and most concerning change to this version of the virus is its N501Y mutation, which has been linked to faster transmission. Pfizer, the company that made the first vaccine to get approval for public use in the UK, has specifically tested its jab on viruses carrying this mutation in a lab after the variants emerged in the UK and South Africa. They found that the vaccine worked just as well as it did on other variants and was able to ignore the change. And, as the South African variant carries another of the major mutations on the Brazilian strain (E484K) and the Pfizer jab worked against that, too, it is likely that the new mutation would not affect vaccines. This new variant (shown in light green) was first spotted in Brazil in October and accounted for a growing share of infections there in November The immunity developed by different types of vaccine is broadly similar, so if one of them is able to work against it, the others should as well. Professor Ravi Gupta, a microbiologist at the University of Cambridge, said: 'The Brazilian variant has three key mutations in the spike receptor binding domain (RBD) that largely mirror some of the mutations we are worried about it in the South African variant, hence the concern. 'The SARS-CoV-2 RBD is one of the main targets for our immune defences and also the region targeted by vaccines and changes within this region are therefore worrisome. 'Vaccines are still likely to be effective as a control measure if coverage rates are high and transmission is limited as far as possible.' The National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan said in its report that the people infected with the variant were found in airport screening in Tokyo on January 2. They had travelled from Amazonas, a state in the north of Brazil which contains the city Manaus, home to two million people and the first place the variant was found. The disease institute (NIID) said: 'Information on the variant isolate is limited to viral genome sequence data. 'Further investigation is necessary to assess infectivity, pathogenicity, and impact on laboratory diagnosis and vaccine efficacy of this variant strain. 'NIID recommends that persons infected with the variant isolate should be monitored in an isolated room and active epidemiological investigation should be initiated including contact tracing (with source investigation) and monitoring of the clinical course.' Ministers and experts have said the repeated emergence of new variants is a warning sign that the coronavirus is evolving frequently and that some of the evolutions make significant changes to how the virus works. Although the variants spotted already don't seem to make the virus more deadly or have the ability to get past a vaccine, the more different variants there are, the more likely it is than one will have a mutation that spells disaster. Professor Tulio de Oliveira, a virologist at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, in Durban, South Africa, told The Telegraph: 'This variant is a wake up call that we should try to really decrease transmission of SARS-CoV-2 [coronavirus]. 'It is clear that if you leave it circulating, the virus has the ability to outsmart us and become better at transmission and evasion of the antibody response.' Brazil's Covid deaths soar back to their first wave peak of over 1,000 a day as new 'more infectious' strain that started in Amazon rips through country By Rachel Bunyan for MailOnline and Matt Roper in Brazil Brazil's coronavirus outbreak is surging again after another new and possibly more infectious strain of the virus was identified in the country. Daily deaths in the country rose back over 1,000 per day this week, around the same level as during the country's first wave this spring, after the country had finally brought down the curves of infections and deaths last year. The new variant has been tracked to the country's coronavirus epicentre of Manaus, where it was hoped that herd immunity had previously been achieved. That raises the troubling possibility that the new variant can reinfect survivors and may therefore be resistant to vaccines, assuming that Brazil's projections estimating herd immunity in Manaus were correct. This week Brazil registered its highest daily average of Covid infections since the start of the pandemic, with 54,784 confirmed cases on average per day - up 51 per cent on two weeks ago. Brazil has also average 993 deaths per day this week, a rise of 49 per cent compared to two weeks ago. The new Brazilian strain of coronavirus is the third to have caused global alarm, after more-infectious variants were also identified in the UK and South Africa. The death toll is creeping higher - with 1,110 Covid-19 victims being recorded on Tuesday. Pictured: Workers bury a victim of Covid-10 while relatives look on from a distance in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil In Manaus, northwestern Brazil, where there were haunting scenes last April of mass graves and corpses piled in refrigerator trucks, the health system is near to collapse again. Pictured: Cemetery workers carry the remains of 89-year-old Abilio Ribeiro, who died of the new coronavirus strain in Manaus on January 6 The Brazilian mutation was first discovered in Tokyo last week in four people who had arrived on a flight from the Amazonian jungle city of Manaus. The city was among the hardest-hit in Brazil, site of the world's worst Covid outbreak outside of the US or India, with shocking scenes of mass graves dug in the Amazon and refrigerator trucks piled high with bodies. So many were infected in the city of two million people during the first wave of the pandemic last year that some scientists thought that the city might have been approaching herd immunity. But that projection has proved well wide of the mark. And the absence of herd immunity in Manaus could be caused by one of two factors - either the infection estimates were wrong first time around or the new variant can reinfect people who have already survived coronavirus. That would also have worrying implications for the prospects of the strain having an ability to resist existing vaccines. Shocking scenes returned to Manaus this week, as local officials warned the health system is near collapse once again. The city of two million people has been placed in a state of emergency for six months as hospitalisations passed the levels seen in the worst days of last year. Hospitals this week ran out of oxygen, with new supplies having to be flown in by Brazilian Air Force jets. Refrigerator trucks have once again been deployed to store bodies, while structures to hold 22,000 coffins in horizontal 'drawers' are hastily being constructed. Manaus registered more hospitalisations in the first week of 2021 than in the whole month of December, with a record 1,524 people admitted to hospital last Saturday. The city has also registered more than 100 burials every day this week, with a record 144 on Sunday - the highest number since the start of the pandemic. A court on Saturday forced the state government to shut non-essential businesses for 15 days as infections and deaths surge. Manaus, where the new mutation detected in Japan is believed to have originated, has been placed in a state of emergency for six months as hospitalisations passed the levels seen in the worst days of last year. Pictured: A gravedigger works at Parque Taruma cemetary in Manaus Meanwhile hospitals in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have recently reported intensive care units more than 90 percent full. The state of Amazonas, where nearly 6,000 people have died from Covid-19, is struggling to cope with the rising number of deaths. Hospital beds for COVID-19 patients in the state reached an occupancy rate of over 98% this week, according to data from the Amazonas state health department. Occupancy in temporary facilities that provide assistance to critical patients for later referral to other points of the health network was at 131 per cent. ADVERTISEMENT A court on Saturday forced the state government to shut non-essential businesses for 15 days as infections and deaths surge. The mother of a 13-year-old transgender girl has won the right to let her access male puberty blocking drugs without her father's consent under a landmark court ruling. A Queensland Supreme Court judge said they were satisfied the child, known only as 'A', had gender dysphoria and urgently needed to access the treatment. The court was told both the mother and daughter consented to medical treatment but the father had not. The ruling by Justice Ann Lyons is the first of its kind in Queensland, with decisions regarding treatment consent for children with gender dysphoria only made in the Federal Court in the past. The court heard 'A' had been terrified of her voice deepening and distressed about her genitalia, with reports of self-mutilation. A 13-year-old transgender girl will be able to access puberty blocking medical treatment after a landmark court ruling in Queensland (stock image) The child had been living as a girl for several years, dressing in female uniforms and taking on a feminine name when she attended a state school, the court was told. 'A', who has a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, is now being home schooled. 'The material indicates that from the age of four, "A" would declare that she was something other than her male gender and began to declare she was a girl and not a boy and had been born in the wrong body,' Justice Ann Lyons said in her judgement. 'She is uncomfortable wearing boys' clothes and prefers girls' clothes, preferably in the colour pink.' Justice Lyon said 'A' is currently receiving treatment and support from specialists including psychologists, a psychiatrist and an endocrinologist at a specialist clinic. Her treating team recommended a reversible treatment which will block her puberty as a male, Justice Lyon said. The court heard how the mother had been estranged from the father since May 2017 because of illicit drug use and emotional, verbal and physical abuse towards both her and 'A'. At one stage the father had to be forcibly removed from the family home by police, the court was told. The mother and daughter had to escape to regional Queensland, with the father not knowing their current whereabouts. 'The evidence indicates "A"'s father was unsupportive of "A""s desire to be female and has said threatening and demeaning things to both "A" and her mother in this regard,' Justice Lyon said. Justice Ann Lyons (pictured) ruled it was in the best interests of the 13-year-old that puberty blocking medical treatment should commence without any delay Justice Lyon said as the father had not been in contact with the family for more than three years she was satisfied there will be a considerable delay in ascertaining his opinion on the proposed treatment. 'Delaying treatment to seek and obtain "A's father's consent is not in the best interests of "A",' Justice Lyon said. She said it was in is in the best interests of 'A' that treatment should occur without delay. The mother applied to the court for an order of consent to urgently commence stage one treatment without the father giving his approval, with the hearing held in December. She asked the court to exercise its power in the parens patriae jurisdiction to make a declaration that the applicant may consent to the proposed treatment and those treating 'A' may act on that consent. Justice Lyon said proposals about stage two treatment would be best heard in the Family Court. A judge in a recent Family Court decision had said doctors needed consent from both parents for treatment of stage one, two and three gender dysphoria. MLK events FRIDAY Martin Luther King Jr. Day events in Yakima begin Friday with a free food distribution event from 9 a.m. to noon at the Henry Beauchamp Community Center at 1211 S. Seventh St. There will also be a virtual watch party for "King in the Wilderness," a documentary, from 6 to 8 p.m. Go to https://youtu.be/9eOXD_44Kso. MONDAY The day starts with the MLK Peace Drive in Toppenish. It takes place from 9:30 to 11 a.m. and begins at Toppenish Middle School, 104 Goldendale Ave. Participants are urged to remain in their vehicle and maintain a safe social distance from others. Yakima's virtual celebration at 1 p.m. Monday will take place at https://zoom.us/j/95660793200. It will be followed by the NAACP general meeting, which is open to the public, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., also on Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/9846152178. In Ellensburg, a physically distant peace march is set for 3 p.m. Monday on the Central Washington University campus. Pre-registration is encouraged by emailing diversity@cwu.edu. The march will follow university and state COVID-19 safety protocols. It will start on the Student Union and Recreation Center (SURC) east patio and include a moment of silence in front of Barge Hall, to honor King, before returning to the SURC. At 4 p.m., a MLK remembrance program will be held via Zoom. (Meeting ID: 835 2472 2989 Passcode: MLK2021). The CWU Diversity and Equity Center, along with various student groups and departments, will host the virtual celebration, according to a news release. TUESDAY THROUGH JAN. 22 The 18th annual Lee Paggett Food Drive is set Tuesday through Friday in Yakima. From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, people may drop off non-perishable food items at either Eisenhower or Davis High School. Food boxes will be placed outside the main office at both high schools. All donations will be delivered to Northwest Harvest in honor of Paggett. Celebrities share the stories behind their favourite photographs. This week its actress Jenny Seagrove, 63. Actress Jenny Seagrove, 63, (pictured) has shared the stories behind her favourite snaps 1964: This was taken when I was seven, in Kuching, Malaysia. I was born in Kuala Lumpur and my dad, who ran an import-export business, had been transferred there. I was sent to a prep school in England at the age of nine. I grew up wanting to be a vet, but I was too sentimental. But I fancied being an actress too, and I got into the Bristol Old Vic theatre school 1983: Things happened very quickly for me with acting. My screen break was the 1982 TV mini-series The Woman In White, then came hit British film Local Hero. I was marine researcher Marina [pictured], a mystical character. The sea was so cold we had to redo one scene because I turned blue. I loved working with Peter Capaldi, and had no idea hed do what hes done since. I didnt have expectations of my own career, but was pleased to be working. I did keep being put back in the box of playing the English rose, which is so boring 1985: In 1983 I read A Woman Of Substance and thought about buying the rights because Emma Harte was a really interesting part. Then I was asked to audition for an adaptation and got the job. The novels author Barbara Taylor Bradford loved the series [pictured, Jenny as Emma with Joris Stuyck as David Kallinski] and we became friends. It was huge. I went over to America, but it was a bad time in my personal life and I made wrong decisions. I was very hot and then the heat went. I was up against people like Michelle Pfeiffer for roles and I knew I wouldnt get cast. Perhaps I should have stayed there, but now I wouldnt change anything 1988: Here I am in Agatha Christies Appointment With Death, alongside John Gielgud and Peter Ustinov. Peter was amazing and told very funny anecdotes, but he liked an audience and hed end up telling you the same stories... youd still listen, though, because he was so brilliant at telling them. Lauren Bacall and Carrie Fisher were also in the cast. Lauren told me not to get involved with the films director Michael Winner. I went out with him for a few years, but I dont regret it. He was like a five-year-old dressed up as a 50-year-old, wanting love and attention. He was very funny, very volatile and occasionally a bully. But theres good and bad in everyone 1995: This is me with Hayley Mills at the opening night of the play Dead Guilty, in which my character is poisoned by hers. I love Hayley. She was also in Appointment With Death, then I did a year and a half with her in this. Wed talk into the small hours about all sorts. Id have hated to be a child star like her, I think children need a normal childhood. As an actress its hard getting older. You see people at my age now looking amazing, but then I think, I dont want to have a facelift 2005: Martin Shaw is a very kind man. We share many spiritual beliefs, but most of all I love his talent. Hes known Bill Kenwright, my other half, for 40 years, so hes part of the family. He played the maverick judge in the BBCs Judge John Deed, which started in 2001, and I was his love interest and ally Jo Mills QC [both pictured]. We had great fun, but by 2007 Martin wanted to move on. Martin and I have often worked together on stage, and were meant to be in a production now in the West End, Love Letters 2010: I first met theatre producer Bill when I was with Michael Winner because I went to see a West End show of his. Then in 1993 he produced Present Laughter, which I was in. We were friends but he wasnt my type. But after I left Michael, Bill and I saw more of each other and I woke up one day and said, I really want to be with this man! The rest is history 27 years! This is us at a premiere Ive been in many of Bills productions, but if he can get a bigger star than me he always knows to go for them 2018: Ive no regrets about not having children; our dogs and the horses [pictured] at my sanctuary, Mane Chance near Guildford, fulfil my nurturing desire. I started Mane Chance in 2011 because someone I knew had rescued a lot of animals but ran out of money, so I formed a charity. I wanted to give the horses a purpose as teachers and healers. Weve got 34 horses, and it costs 350,000 a year to run, which is so difficult to find, especially as all our fundraising events had to be cancelled because of Covid As told to Peter Robertson. Love Letters opened at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in December, but performances were suspended because of Covid, see trh.co.uk for updates CLEVELAND, Ohio Christine Priola, a former occupational therapist for the Cleveland schools, was arrested Thursday morning and accused of taking part in last weeks attack on the U.S. Capitol. Priola, 49, made a brief appearance in U.S. District Court in Cleveland before Magistrate Judge Jonathan Greenberg, who transferred her case to the District of Columbia. Thats where federal prosecutors have charged about two dozen others. Priola, of Willoughby, is accused of knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building; violent entry; and unlawful activities on Capitol grounds. She was released on a recognizance bond, with her travel restricted to northern Ohio and Washington for court hearings. Public defenders represented her at Thursdays hearing. Authorities said she was among scores of rioters in Washington who broke through barricades and stormed the Capitol while Congress was in session to certify Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election. The protesters initially attended a rally outside the Capitol, where President Trump spoke. Many described the storming of the building as an insurrection to support the Trumps attempts to stay in power. Four rioters and a Capitol Hill police officer died in the melee. Priola became a suspect after a photographer for Getty Images took a picture in the chamber of the U.S. Senate amid protesters reveling and trespassing. The photograph showed a woman, at the front of the chamber, carrying a sign that said, The Children Cry Out For Justice. Several people on social media identified the woman as Priola. In an affidavit filed Thursday, David Kasulones, a deputy U.S. Marshal, said said the FBI received an anonymous tip Friday, Jan. 8, that also named Priola as the woman in the photo. Authorities compared the photos taken of the woman in the Senate chambers with other photos of the Willoughby woman. Late Friday night, authorities searched Priolas home. They seized a laptop, two desktop computers and several thumb drives, according to Kasulones affidavit. Agents also recovered clothing, the sign that she held and other materials consistent with the photographs of Priola taken Jan. 6, Kasulones wrote. Investigators also were able to track her movements last week through her cellphone. At one point during the attack, she was standing just northeast of the Capitol building, according to the deputy marshals affidavit. The day after the rally, Priola submitted her resignation from the school district in a conspiracy-laden letter to officials. In it, she said refused to take a coronavirus vaccine to return to classes and did not agree with union dues which help fund people and groups that support the killing of unborn children. She also said she will be switching paths to expose the global evil of human trafficking and pedophilia, including in our government agencies and childrens services agencies. Priola graduated from Eastlake North High School and earned a bachelors degree in biology at Capital University before attending the University of Indianapolis for her graduate degree, according to her personnel file. She began working as an occupational therapist with Cleveland Schools in August 2000. She has a grown daughter. I have known for many years that I wanted to work with children and assist in their development, Priola wrote to school officials. I understand that development in the critical years of childhood help form the foundation for healthy, safe and respectful lives. In performance reviews, supervisors praised her work, dependability and graciousness in helping students with special needs. Christine is a hard-working professional, a supervisor wrote in the early 2000s. She is a team-player who does not complain. [Priola] gets along well with students, parents and teachers. Shes a pleasure to work with. She worked for the district for about a dozen years before taking a year off. She returned in 2014. She was on leave when she attended the rally in Washington, D.C. A spokeswoman for Cleveland Schools said the district does not comment on personnel issues, particularly when they are part of an on-going investigation. The district, however, released a statement that said it deeply condemns the actions of those involved in the riots inside the Capitol and on the Capitol grounds. The right of peaceful protest, as protected by the First Amendment, is a foundation of our democracy. The forcible takeover and willful destruction of our government is not. Court records reveal Priola changed her last name from Snyder in 2015, six years after she divorced. I no longer want to have this name, she said in a document filed in Lake County Probate Court. She changed her name to Priola, the maiden name of her grandmother. She later remarried in May 2018. She filed for divorce seven months later, records show. (TNS) A new fiber-optic Internet, television and phone service company is coming to Fayetteville, the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Economic Development Corp. announced Tuesday.MetroNet and the city of Fayetteville are bringing the service to the region, making it MetroNet's first expansion in North Carolina, officials said.The Indiana-based company will spend more than $70 million on the project, which will serve Fayetteville, the towns of Hope Mills, Linden, Wade, Stedman, Godwin, Eastover, Falcon, Spring Lake, Vander, much of unincorporated Cumberland County and portions of Hoke County to include Raeford and Rockfish, officials said.MetroNet President John Cinelli said projects of similar size usually take about two years.In new MetroNet markets, residents will receive communication by mail about construction activity in their neighborhood 30 days prior to starting; and the company provides additional messaging, such as yard signs, to let residents know when the temporary construction process will start in their neighborhood, officials said.MetroNet offers businesses and residents state-of-the-art, fiber optic networks connected directly to their homes and businesses.Officials said the company is known "for its reliable, high-speed Internet-friendly service, and fair pricing with no long-term contracts.""This tremendous investment brings unprecedented capabilities to existing businesses and gives Fayetteville the infrastructure and competitive edge needed to attract new 9*+business and grow jobs," Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin said.Beyond television and telephone services to residents and businesses, the company's ultrafast Internet will also support teleworking, distance learning and virtual medicine, Colvin said, thanking the Fayetteville Public Works Commission for their collaboration to accommodate the project.Officials said the need for increase broadband became more apparent during the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to increased virtual learning and remote work.Cumberland County Board of Commissioners Chairman Charles Evans welcomed MetroNet to the community."This hallmark investment speaks to the bright future ahead for our citizens as we close the digital divide through increased access."Cinelli thanked Colvin, the city of Fayetteville, PWC, the economic development corporate state officials and Sen. Kirk deViere and Rep. John Szoka for their support."It's clear that this community is rich in diversity and opportunity, and we're excited to be a part of it as we move forward together," Cinelli said.Officials said the company will have a MetroNet storefront located in Fayetteville, where customers can speak with customer service representatives and sign up for services.MetroNet also plans to hire local market management positions, sales and customer service professionals, and service technicians to support the Fayetteville area. Indian missions in the UAE have warned job aspirants to be wary of fake employment agents, who have again started to target unsuspecting persons after a brief break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a media report on Thursday. "Concerned that few unscrupulous agents are exploiting our citizens and putting them at risk abroad. Recruiting agents must act responsibly or will be held accountable," Sanjay Bhattacharyya, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Secretary, tweeted earlier in the week. The MEA secretary's caution comes amid reports of 12 Indian women being duped by employment touts in the UAE last month, the Gulf News reported. Aged between 21 and 46 years, the women were offered jobs as housemaids. However, when the women landed in the UAE they found out that the offers were bogus. Speaking to the Gulf News, Roop Sidhu, general secretary of the Indian Association in Ajman, a community-based group, said Ajman police had arrested one agent in connection with the case. He said the women were found locked up in two apartments in batches of seven and five persons each. He said the women complained of being ill-treated. Nine of those women were repatriated and the remaining would be sent home soon, he told the newspaper. The Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi has said that they will always take up such cases with the local police but it would be better if the job aspirants educate themselves on how such fraudsters operate and stay away from them. "The @IndembAbuDhabi and @cgidubai has acted upon complaints about such agents and brought them to justice. We encourage everyone to report all such agents. Your proactiveness can change someone's life," the mission tweeted on Monday. Second Secretary, Press, Information and Culture at the Indian Embassy, Sandeep Kaushik said such fraud cases had reduced in number during the COVID-19 lockdown but once again they have started to surface after international travel resumed. Consul General of India Dr Aman Puri told the newspaper that Indians must leave for jobs abroad only if they have proper documentation and if the process that the agents are asking them to take is endorsed by the government. Most fake recruitments happen with the agents asking the targets to land in the UAE on tourist or visit visas as in these cases the UAE government and the Indian missions do not cross-check the authenticity of the job offers, the Gulf News reported. The UAE government's online Wage Protection System should be used by jobseekers to verify the authenticity of the employment offers and entry permits, officials said. Also read: Bird flu in Delhi: All 3 MCDs ban sale, storage of poultry products Also read: Bird flu: Sale of poultry products down 70-80%; prices of chicken crash 50% In this Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020. file photo, smoke from California wildfires up to 200 miles away obscures the view of traffic traveling on Interstate 80, looking west in Sparks, Nev. Local schools canceled all outdoor activities as the air quality index approached the "very unhealthy" category for the general population Wednesday afternoon. (AP Photo/Scott Sonner) Earth's rising fever hit or neared record hot temperature levels in 2020, global weather groups reported Thursday. While look outside: "We saw the heat waves. We saw the fires. We saw the (melting) Arctic," said NASA top climate scientist Gavin Schmidt. "We're expecting it to get hotter and that's exactly what happened." NOAA said 2020 averaged 58.77 degrees (14.88 degrees Celsius), a few hundredths of a degree behind 2016. NASA saw 2020 as warmer than 2016 but so close they are essentially tied. The European 100 degrees (38 Celsius) in the Russian Arctic last June, said NASA's Schmidt. The pandemic may have added ever so slightly to last year's warming, enough to edge 2020 past 2016 in NASA's calculations, Schmidt said. Around the globe, people were driving lessand that reduced short-term aerosol pollution which acts as a cooling agent by reflecting heat. Schmidt said fewer cooling aerosols could be responsible for .09 to .18 degrees (.05 to .1 degrees Celsius) warming for the year. NOAA's Vose and Schmidt expect 2021 to be among the top five hottest years but probably not a record breaker because of natural temporary cooling in parts of the Pacific called La Nina. NOAA and NASA measurements go back to 1880, while the United Kingdom Met Office has readings back to 1850. In this Friday, July 31, 2020 file photo, a fan sprays water mist as customers sit outside a cafe in downtown Rome during a heat wave with temperatures over 34 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca) In this Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020 file photo, a man keeps cool with a shirt over his head as he walks alongside The Serpentine in Hyde Park in London with high temperatures forecast again for many parts of England. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) In this Thursday, June 18, 2020 file photo, vendors and rickshaw drivers sleep in the open early on a hot summer morning in Karachi, Pakistan, as parts of the country continued to experience an intense heat wave. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan) Explore further The heat goes on: Earth sets 9th straight monthly record 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Students keep their distance and wear masks during the first day of in-person classes at an elementary school in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. on Sept. 29, 2020. Students keep their distance and wear masks during the first day of in-person classes at an elementary school in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. on Sept. 29, 2020. Credit - Paul BersebachMediaNews Group/ Getty Images Since the global pandemic began, one of the grimmer features of daily life has been watching the coronavirus death count tick up and up as the months have gone by. With so much unnecessary death in 2020, its surprising that in many countries, at least according to preliminary numbers, there was one significant group that actually saw its death rates fall: children. Data from the Human Mortality Database, a research project run by a global team of demographers, suggest that COVID-19 did not reverse years-long declines in child mortality, despite a mortality surge in the general population. Demographers, pediatricians and public-health experts say its possible that lockdowns and quarantines have prevented children from succumbing to deadly injuries and illnesses. But they also point out that other effects of the pandemic, such as lower vaccination rates and reduced prenatal care may increase childhood mortality rates going forward. The database, jointly maintained by the University of California, Berkeley, the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research in Rostock, Germany and the French Institute of Demographic Studies in Aubervilliers, France, publishes mortality figures for 38 countries on a weekly basis. As expected, the so-called excess mortalitythe number of deaths in a population above a normal baselinewas consistently high throughout each countrys pandemic period. (There were a few exceptions like Australia and New Zealand, which managed to contain the virus with early and aggressive lockdown measures.) When broken out by age, however, the data show that fewer children under age 15 died in 2020 compared with prior years, even after accounting for COVID-19-related deaths. Take the U.S., for example, where about 26,000 child deaths in 2020 have been recorded so far. Thats well below the average in recent years, as shown in the chart below: Story continues At this point, its impossible to say with certainty how extreme an outlier 2020 was. Between January and mid-November, about 2,500 fewer children in the U.S. died last year compared with the average of the three years priora drop of about 9%. However, demographers caution that the 2020 tally is almost certainly undercounted due to lags in reporting. As the death records get updated in the coming weeks, the second half of 2020 will likely start to look more like the first half of the year, which clocked a 7% drop. That would put the yearly deficit at about 2,000 deaths below the 2017 to 2019 average. Its possible that, as longer death investigations begin to settle in the coming months and years, the gap between 2020 and previous years will shrink in terms of overall child mortality. But presuming 2020 child mortality remains lower than prior years once the data dust settles, it would be an extension of recent trends, says Magali Barbieri, the Human Mortality Databases associate director. One thing thats happening is that mortality has been declining for the zero-to-14 group, she says. If you compare 2019 to previous years, youll see a deficit, as well. In any other year, a continuing decline in child mortality would be good news, but not unexpected. In a year like 2020, its astonishing. Given the deadliness of COVID-19 in so many demographics, its incredibly fortunate that children have been largely spared due to their effective immune system response to the virus that causes the disease. In the U.S., just over 100 children under age 15 died from COVID-19 in 2020. They account for 0.03% of the 376,000 COVID-19 deaths since the virus hit the country last spring and less than 0.5% of the 26,000 total child deaths from all causes. In a year characterized by catastrophe, thats one small grace. Explaining the drop in child mortality We are in a privileged historical position that, barring terrible tragedies, children live to grow up, says Dr. Perri E. Klass, a New York pediatrician and author of the 2020 book A Good Time To Be Born: How Science and Public Health Gave Children a Future. Citing U.S. data, she notes that most child deaths are in the first month of life, and they are linked to premature gestation and reasons that are connected to the circumstances right around their birth. We arent losing nearly as many children to the things that used to kill two- and three- and eight-year-olds, like diphtheria, sepsis, scarlet fever or polio. Indeed, the leading cause of childhood mortality in the U.S., after the newborn stage, is unintentional injurythings like drownings, car accidents, pedestrian fatalities and accidental suffocations, according to 2018 numbers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agencys cause-of-death data for 2020 (with the exception of pneumonia, influenza and COVID-19-related deaths) wont be available until the end of 2021. In the meantime, child health experts can only speculate how the pandemic is shaping the numbers. Several who spoke to TIME said its possible that lockdowns, quarantines and social distancing measures are keeping kids safer from physical and biological harm, even as they threaten social, emotional, and mental well-being. If those data hold, and if its true that 2020 mortality was down, then it may well turn out to be around issues of safety, and of people moving less and driving less, says Klass. Some early reports support that idea: the U.S. Department of Transportation has estimated there was a 2% drop in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the first half of 2020 compared with the same time period in 2019. National drowning data are difficult to come by, but statistics compiled by Total Aquatic Programming, an aquatics consultancy that has tallied drownings since 2008, tabulated fewer child drownings in 2020 compared to 2019. Warm-weather places that publish running tallies of children who drowned, like Texas, Florida and Phoenix, Ariz., show similar numbers or modest decreases compared with recent prior years. In addition to curbing injury rates, its possible the pandemic has kept young kids from getting severely ill. Influenza and pneumonia are leading causes of death among toddlers and young children, but last spring, researchers found that influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and other common respiratory viruses died out quickly in response to lockdown measures designed to target COVID-19and they have not resurged, despite the onset of cold and flu season. (Klass points out that health protocols like wearing masks and washing hands dont just prevent COVID-19 but other viruses, as well.) Why it isnt all good news The problem, though, is that, in future years, we may see child mortality increase on a global scale due to the pandemic lockdowns of 2020 (and, perhaps, 2021). For instance, water safety advocates say that declined enrollment in swim programs coupled with a surge in demand for private pools could lead to more drownings. Also, delays in vaccinations for things like measles, fueled by school closures and suspended immunization campaigns in dozens of countries, could cause outbreaks of serious but otherwise preventable diseases. And reduced access to prenatal care during the shutdown could negatively affect fetal health. On top of those concerns, stressors such as income losses, social isolation and ongoing health problems also could have lasting effects. One cannot rule out the fact that the economic and social consequences of the pandemic on women of reproductive ages and their children had a detrimental impact on their health, says Barbieri, whose preliminary research suggests that child mortality around the time of the 2008 economic recession increased among the poorest segments of the population. Taken together, all these issues may end up setting back child mortality on a global scale. The outcome could be most dire in less developed countries, where health care infrastructure was already fragile, says Li Liu, associate professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Potentially, cases like preterm birth and congenital abnormalities may actually be going up, once we have all the data in, she says. We can speculate and come up with theories but we have to wait until data are available to test those theories. And therein lies the one sure thing among the uncertainty: Because COVID-19 has not led to many childhood fatalities, but has upended the lives of children and pregnant women in significant ways, researchers are seizing a unique opportunity to study child wellbeing and survival. That new knowledge can be used to develop public health practices that can keep children mentally sound and physically healthy and safe when life returns to normal. Sea Vigil: India undertakes two day maritime vigil India oi-Vicky Nanjappa New Delhi, Jan 14: India's preparedness to deal with all possible challenges in the maritime domain, including contingencies from peace to war-time, was tested in a two-day multi-agency military exercise that covered the 7,516 km-long coastline and exclusive economic zone, officials said on Thursday. The second edition of exercise 'Sea Vigil', which concluded on Wednesday evening, particularly focused on the efficacy of the measures initiated to plug gaps in the coastal security set up following the Mumbai terror attack in 2008, they said. The Indian Navy said the "envisaged objectives" of the exercise were met by the whole-hearted participation of all stakeholders. The exercise involved deployment of the entire coastal security apparatus and more than 110 surface assets of the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard participated in the exercise that was billed as India's largest coastal defence drill, the officials said. "The conceptual and geographical expanse of Sea Vigil included the entire coastline and exclusive economic zone of the country and contingencies from peace to war-time were exercised. In addition, mitigation measures on shore, in case of any breach in coastal security were also validated," the Navy said in a statement. For long lasting pace need to rein in on terror groups: Doval in Kabul The Indian Navy and the Coast Guard have taken a series of measures to bolster India's coastal security after the Mumbai terror attack in which over 166 people, including 28 foreigners from 10 nations, were killed by a group of Pakistani terrorists. The group of 10 Pakistani terrorists carried out the coordinated attack on a railway station, two luxury hotels and a Jewish centre on November 26, 2008, after they sneaked into India's financial capital using a sea route. The inaugural edition of the Sea Vigil exercise took place in January 2019. In addition to assets of the Indian Navy, a large number of platforms of the Marine Police and the Customs Department were also deployed during the second edition of the mega drill. "The entire coastline was kept under surveillance by the Indian Navy and Coast Guard aircraft, and helicopters were also pressed into service to reinforce special operations personnel operating onboard offshore platforms," the Navy said. It said the security mechanism of ports was validated and their crisis management plans were assessed to tackle emergencies. State police teams, Indian Navy Marine Commandos and Commandos from the National Security Guard carried out drills to tackle possible acts of "maritime terrorism", the Navy said. "This exercise also validated the technical surveillance infrastructure called the National Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence (NC3I) Network. The Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) at Gurugram and its various nodes across Indian Navy and Coast Guard stations were exercised for coordinating the surveillance and information dissemination mechanism," the Navy said. It said the cooperation and coordination among various agencies involved in the maritime domain is a "reassuring sign" of progress made in the realm of coastal defence. "The exercise would go a long way in enhancing coastal defence and national security in the maritime domain," the Navy said. The Sea Vigil exercise took place at a time when India and China are locked in a bitter border standoff in eastern Ladakh. Covid-19: 3 Lakh healthcare workers to get vaccine on 1st Day | OneIndia News In sync with the national security doctrine, the Indian Navy significantly increased its deployment of warships, submarines and other assets in the Indian Ocean Region, in an attempt to send across a message to China that Indian armed forces are fully prepared to deal with any challenge. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, January 14, 2021, 14:45 [IST] The United States is a federal constitutional republic that follows Presidential form of Government according to which the President is the chief executive and the federal government headed by the president shares sovereignty with the state governments. The President is independent of the legislature. There is bi-cameral legislative system in America: the Senate and the House of Representatives . The judiciary that is independent interprets the United States Constitution and federal laws and regulations. This includes resolving disputes between the executive and legislative. The main political parties that dominate American politics since the American Civil War are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party . The predominant principles which govern American democracy are : Popular Sovereignty. Republicanism. Federalism. Separation of Powers. Checks and Balances. Limited Government. Independent judiciary The recent incident that took place in the U.S. Capitol complex is viewed as challenge to Democracy and rule of law, for Trump supporters violently storm Capitol in insurrection before Congress certifies Bidens win. It is a benighted and barbarous act What began as a senatorial debate over the integrity of the 2020 election in Pennsylvania and other states has ended with lawmakers huddled on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, and tear gas wafting through the soaring Rotunda, and American attackers finally smashing their way through the House and Senate chamber doors as reported by officials. Security staff started aiming pistols through the shattered windowpanes in the doors, as the mob pressed from outside, attempting to overturn a democratic election. Alas! What a paradox it is! The reliable sources say, Frightened lawmakers, donning protective masks, shuffled alongside armed guards as they evacuated down hallways, while Trump supporters paraded just steps away with Confederate battle flags. Someone stood a noose outside the Capitol building The D.C. Metropolitan Police stated that a woman was mortally shot by police inside the Capitol and three others died in the immediate area from medical emergencies. More than 50 people were consequently arrested. How can a civilized society tolerate and watch the scene without any reaction? However, police eventually cleared out the Trump supporters and the Congress reconvened to proceed with certifying the Electoral College victory of the President- elect Joe Biden. It may be the first time in the history happening in such a brutal way. Pro-Trump insurrection at Capitol is, no doubt, an attempted coup, according to former D.C. and Philly police Chief Charles H. Ramsey . So also Congresswoman Susan Wild described the attack on the Capitol that she started hearing shots and breaking glass. The democratic world is bewildered and astounded on witnessing such a criminal lunacy. Trump totally disagreed with the outcome of the election that has now resulted in tyranny Trump said, I have always said we would continue our fight to ensure that only legal votes were counted,. While this represents the end of the greatest first term in presidential history, its only the beginning of our fight to Make America Great Again! this statement reveals the real attitude and mindset of Trump as a dictator. It also shows that how he has represented a giant Democratic country in the world till recently. However, the tragic drama staged at Capitol Complex in America is a warning to the all Big Powers in the world. We can, sometimes, expect the same in India too in future. Democracy and human values are not safe in the hands of dictators. The recent developments in America raise many questions before the common masses in the world. Rulers always cling to power as it is a magical world of enjoyment of everything at the cost of laymen who are always and in every society the ruled, and they are supposed to live as the depressed and oppressed. This can happen anywhere in the world, for corporate sectors are being strengthened over the common masses that finally lead to the establishment of a new culture known as Corporate Culture. The democratic world saw an unprecedented attack on American democracy incited by the United States president. World leaders, moreover, condemned the brutality of Trump by expressing shock at the chaos unfolding in the country. Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain tweeted, Disgraceful scenes in US Congress, The United States stands for democracy around the world, but it is now vital that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power. World leaders timely reacted with horror to the chaos that has ashamed Washington, describing the incident as disgraceful, pitiful, and shocking and as part of that prime ministers and presidents around the world urged US president Donald Trump and his supporters to accept the result of Novembers presidential election. According to Germanys chancellor, Angela Merkel, a fundamental rule of democracy is that, after elections, there are winners and losers. Both have to play their role with decency and responsibility so that democracy itself remains the winner contrary to the willful attempt to defeat the world democracy. Despite Frances president, Emmanuel Macron, confirmed his countrys friendship and faith to the US, stating, We believe in the strength of our democracies, we believe in the strength of American democracy. Lets listen to his statement and hope that it shall be the last incident in the democratic world. But we, all democrats irrespective of territories and races, should be keen to see that the black day of America can be repeated anywhere at any time. Tomas Vargas, his wife and their 18-year-old son and 20-year-old daughter have lived in a studio apartment in National City for two years. But the family wont call the studio home for much longer. On Sept. 11, all tenants at the nine-unit apartment complex where the Vargas family lives were handed 60-day notices to move out. The reason? The property owner plans to sell the apartment complex on C Avenue, as well as two other National City properties, where tenants also received 60-day notices to vacate. The property owners attorney said her clients decision to walk away from the rental business in National City a legal right is largely based on financial concerns triggered by a push to enact rent control in the city just south of downtown San Diego. Advertisement The situation illustrates both property owners unease over rent control and tenants concerns about possible evictions and rent increases in the absence of rent caps and other protections for renters. National City voters will consider in November a ballot measure that would limit rent increases to 5 percent and only allow evictions under specific circumstances. At the same time, voters across the state will decide on Proposition 10, which would allow cities to impose rent control on units built after 1995 and on single-family homes. Rachael Callahan, an evictions attorney who represents landlords and property owners, said Measure W and Prop. 10 have created panic among property owners who are concerned about the future of their investments in National City. She said she has been consulted on a weekly basis by owners who are contemplating putting properties up for sale. The units where tenants received the 60-day notices are owned by Sterling Investment Group. Callahan represents CEO Nick Davison. She said it was never his desire to displace the tenants. From a financial standpoint, she said of the decision to sell the properties, its now or never for him. She said Davison is concerned other investors will not be inclined to purchase the properties if and when rent control is enacted. From an investors perspective, the passage of (Measure W and Prop. 10) really creates a limitation on the investors ability to utilize their investment, she said. Advertisement If a property owner wants or needs to make upgrades, for example, all of a sudden they cant recoup the costs because theyre limited by the 5 percent cap, she said. Proponents of rent control in National City argue Measure W is fair to both tenants and landlords. They say landlords and property owners are entitled to a favorable return on investment under the measure. Measure W allows a landlord to petition a rent control board created by the measure for rent increases beyond 5 percent. If landlords feels they are going to lose money, then the fact of the matter is that they are guaranteed a fair rate of return, said Shanti Singh, development and communications coordinator for Tenants Together, a statewide renters rights group. No rent control (ordinance) says theres no way you cant go beyond capped rent if you feel there is a hardship or burden. Advertisement Property owners, however, take issue with the proposed rent control board which they see as a layer of government having a say in the way they manage their investment. They argue the five-member board, which would have three seats reserved for tenants, would side with renters over landlords or property owners. Whitney Benzian, vice president of public affairs for the California Apartment Association, said his organization has heard from concerned mom-and-pop owners whose livelihoods or retirement depend on the revenue from their rental properties. For tenant groups, the 60-day notices highlight the lack of protections for tenants. They say forcing out tenants, through no fault of their own, is unfair. To make matters worse, evictions may leave tenants susceptible to higher rents elsewhere, tenant advocates say. Right now it really is the wild west still, Singh said. Its an incredibly adverse environment to be a tenant. Advertisement Without adequate protections such as guards against unmerited evictions, tenants dont have the legal rights to fight an eviction in court, Singh said. The cards are really stacked up the moment that (eviction) notice shows up, she said. The 60-day notice that the Vargas family received has left them in limbo as they scramble to find a new home. Theyve applied to five or so apartments and have been told to expect to be wait-listed for at least six months, Thomas Vargas said. Even though one feels bad and cant find something, we have to accept it, he said. What else can we do? Advertisement His family moved from Tijuana to National City three years ago in search of better treatment options for his disabled son. They moved into the studio two years ago and have paid $1,000 a month. One option on the table if the family is unsuccessful in finding a new home is to return to Tijuana, Vargas said reluctantly. Well have to wait and see what happens, he said. Callahan, the evictions attorney, said its unfair to both sides when a landlord decides to remove a property from the rental market because of financial concerns. Advertisement Its not fair to the tenants and its not fair to the owners, she said. There needs to be a solution to help tenants without sacrificing, and substantially infringing, on ownership rights, Davidson said in a statement. Proposition 10, and (Measure) W are short-sighted and will cause more harm then good. Although the upcoming propositions are not the only influence on my decision to sell my building, they are a strong influence nonetheless. Davidson plans to begin minor upgrades so the properties are in prime salable condition, then put them up for sale, as soon as tenants move out, Callahan said. She said some tenants who have been renting for less than a year were entitled to 30-day notices under state law, but Davidson gave all tenants 60-day notices. The notices, which mark the first step in the eviction process, are precursors to court orders to vacate. Advertisement Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com Phone: (619) 293-1876 Twitter: @D4VIDHernandez NEW YORK, Jan. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Constellation Affiliated Partners (Constellation) today announced the acquisition of INSUREtrust, a specialty wholesale broker and MGA headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. INSUREtrust has a stellar reputation in the cyber risk marketplace, an experienced team of brokers and underwriters, and a commitment to the development of technology to drive their business, which were driving forces behind this new partnership, said Bill Goldstein, CEO of Constellation. At Constellation we strive to engage with companies that fall within our guiding principles of innovation, technology, and product excellence. The INSUREtrust brand embodies all of these elements in one, award-winning package. We look forward to integrating them into the current portfolio of companies and product offerings. INSUREtrust, founded by Steve Haase in 1997, is the countrys leading specialty wholesale broker and managing general agent, distributing cyber liability, technology errors & omissions and miscellaneous professional liability coverages. The INSUREtrust team is also pleased to announce the promotion of Christiaan Durdaller to President and Chief Executive Officer of INSUREtrust. Mr. Durdaller will be taking on the position from former CEO and Founder, Steve Haase, in his retirement from INSUREtrust. Mr. Durdaller will continue to oversee the strategy, companys products, partnership and production. The ability to innovate and create market differentiating products and solutions is something that has separated us from the competition since our inception. This new partnership with Constellation Affiliated Partners will provide us with the opportunity to broaden our technology enabled solutions, continue to develop our risk management platform and propel us to new heights, said Christiaan Durdaller. Constellation offers us a unique combination of the ability to keep our management at the local level, while also bringing the industry expertise of Bill Goldstein & Brian Norman along with the support of an additional $1 billion in gross written premium. Technology, independence and distribution were the focal points for us in our search for the right partner, all of which are achieved through Constellations platform and we couldnt be more excited to become a part of it. INSUREtrust is also pleased to announce promotions within its management team. Erin Burns has been promoted to Head of Brokerage, overseeing brokerage operations. Within this role, Ms. Burns will continue to represent INSUREtrusts expertise at industry events and the educational resources the company provides its agents and clients inclusive of the prestigious INSUREtrust Agent Academy. Additionally, Hunter Maskill has been promoted to Managing Director. Mr. Maskill will have an increased role in the management of business operations while continuing his brokerage work and overseeing claims response & MGA products. Marsh Berry & Co was exclusive advisor to the seller. About Constellation Affiliated Partners Constellation Affiliated Partners is a New York-based insurance consolidator platform that specializes in acquiring MGA, program administrator and wholesale companies in the United States and Canada. Constellation's partners use a set of core values to evaluate and pursue strategic partnerships with companies that have demonstrated superior underwriting principles and have earned a solid industry reputation. The diverse group of companies within Constellation's portfolio bring a vast array of insurance and re-insurance offerings to the North American marketplace. Constellation is backed by RedBird Capital Partners, a private investment firm focused on building high-growth companies with flexible, long-term capital. About RedBird Capital Partners RedBird Capital Partners is a private investment firm focused on building high-growth companies with flexible, long-term capital in partnership with its Entrepreneur & Family Office Network. Founded by former Goldman Sachs Partner Gerry Cardinale, RedBird today manages $4 billion of capital principally across its core industry verticals in Sports, TMT, Financial Services and Consumer. RedBird invests with an entrepreneurial, company-building mentality, with an emphasis on capital appreciation and compounding equity returns over longer holding periods. RedBirds network of business founders and entrepreneurs is central to its investment sourcing strategy, and its highly curated group of limited partners are active co-investors who provide scalable capital support. For more information, please go to www.redbirdcap.com About INSUREtrust INSUREtrust, located in the Atlanta metro area, is a national insurance wholesaler that seeks to simplify insurance. In April 1997, INSUREtrust was an industry leader in successfully developing, underwriting, and marketing an insurance policy covering the new commercial risks generated through the use of the Internet such as privacy and security breaches. For the past 22 years, INSUREtrust has continued to be a leading cyber liability insurance company. Media Contact: Dan Gagnier Gagnier Communications 646-569-5897 The options available to address the controversial, post-Brexit exclusion of Northern Ireland-registered fishing vessels from the Donegal County Council-owned Greencastle harbour, are being explored by Charlie McConalogue TD, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Minister McConalogue said: I am looking at what options might be available to address the situation. Essentially, this situation is one of the significant implications of the Brexit negotiations. However, we could have been in a much worse, a much more challenging scenario if there had not been a deal on Christmas Eve past. It was a possibility access for Irish boats to British waters, which are obviously very close to the Donegal coast, could have been blocked off to our fishermen, and we catch one third of the national catch of fish in British waters. Also, in that scenario the Northern Irish-registered boats, which are the vessels we are talking about here, would not have had access or permission to come into Irish waters at all. Thankfully, as a result of the deal, that very stark scenario was avoided for our fishing sector, said Minister McConalogue. Admitting the outcomes were challenging, Minister McConalogue they had to be examined and addressed. He added: This [the situation in Greencastle] is one of those outcomes, which has resulted from the international legal status of Britain no longer being a member of the EU. It requires any boats which are British-registered or Northern Irish-registered to land into designated ports in the Republic. I am very much aware of the issue this creates for local fishermen who fish using Northern Ireland boats. However, Northern Ireland boats now come under the UK fisheries policy rather than the EU Common Fisheries Policy. I am looking at what options might be available to address the situation. I am looking at them, obviously, with urgency. What we are talking about is the designation of ports, which would meet international criteria and any regulatory infrastructural requirements around that. I am currently investigating what would be required and what it would be possible to do. I have been taking to many of the fishermen involved and very much understand the implications for them being able to carry out their livelihoods as they had done up until Brexit, said Minister McConalogue. Shopping levels are at just one third of where they were last year, furlough numbers are increasing and more than one in 10 UK firms fear they will not survive past March, according to new data. The Office for National Statistics today published the results of its latest Business Impact of Coronavirus Survey and it paints a grim picture for the British economy. The figures show in the week ending January 10 - days after Boris Johnson announced another lockdown - the number of people out shopping fell by two per cent to 35 per cent of the level recorded in the same week in 2020. That is the lowest level recorded in the UK since the week ending June 14 last year. Meanwhile, the proportion of UK workers on furlough increased before the latest national shutdown was announced. The new data was published after the UK's coronavirus death toll yesterday hit a new daily record of 1,564. The latest data published by the Office for National Statistics represents a fresh headache for Chancellor Rishi Sunak as he tries to keep UK plc afloat Numbers for the period between December 14 and December 27 showed 14 per cent of the workforce was on furlough, compared to 11 per cent between November 30 and December 13. The Government has extended the furlough scheme, which sees it pay 80 per cent towards wages, to the end of April this year. Some 71 per cent of UK businesses said they were open and trading, down from 84 per cent in the preceding period. The ONS surveyed a sample of approximately 39,000 UK businesses, with some 23 per cent responding. Some 15 per cent of firms said they have no or low confidence of surviving the next three months. That number was 35 per cent for businesses which are temporarily closed or which have paused trading. Approximately 44 per cent of all UK businesses said they have less than six months of cash reserves. The return to lockdown at the start of January immediately prompted an increase in the proportion of workers working from home after the Government strengthened its stay at home message. In the week ending January 10, the number of people working exclusively from home over the past seven days had increased by eight per cent to 34 per cent overall. Some 15 per cent of all UK businesses told the ONS they have no or low confidence of surviving the next three months. The Old High Street in Folkestone is pictured on January 13 Meanwhile, the volume of UK online job adverts was found in the week ending January 8 to have dropped by five per cent from the previous week to 72 per cent of the level seen in the same week last year. An analysis of job adverts provided by Adzuna, a job search engine, showed adverts had decreased across all UK countries and English regions over the period. London was the worst hit, with the volume of job adverts in the capital at just 62 per cent of what was seen in the same week last year. FLINT, MI -- Former Gov. Rick Snyder was seen entering the Genesee County Jail Thursday, Jan. 14, less than a day after he was charged with two misdemeanor counts of willful neglect of duty for his role in the Flint water crisis. At approximately 8:15 a.m. Thursday, Jan 14, Snyder and his attorney Brian Lennon drove straight into the Genesee County Jail through a back entrance off of Beach Street in downtown Flint. According to records files in Genesee County District, Snyder is charged with two counts of willful negligence. The offence is dated April 25, 2014, which was the month that Flint switched from the Detroit public water system to Flint River water. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel authorized the complaint Jan. 8. Willful neglect of duty is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine. News surfaced Tuesday that Snyder, 62, and others connected to the water scandal, which resulted in elevated lead levels in public water, would be charged criminally for their roles. Lennon, the attorney representing Snyder, released a statement late Wednesday. As we said yesterday, we believe there is no evidence to support any criminal charges against Gov. Snyder. We have asked the Michigan Attorney Generals Office of Special Counsel for a copy of or at least confirmation of the charges ahead of tomorrows arraignment, and she has not yet provided us with either, Lennon said. Its difficult for us to comment on something we have not yet seen, he said. In 2014, Flint was under the guidance of emergency managers through the Snyder administration. Attorney General Dana Nessel has called an 11:30 a.m. Thursday press conference to talk about the outcome of her offices criminal investigation into the water crisis. The Attorney Generals office filed charges against multiple people in 2016, but charges were dropped in 2019 against those facing felonies and a new investigation was started. Other names to surface Tuesday were Rich Baird, a Flint native who worked as a top aide to Snyder during his administration; Nick Lyon, the former Health and Human Services director under Snyder; and Howard Croft, the head of Flints Public Works Department from 2011 to November 2015. Attorneys for Baird and Croft said they were told to expect charges and, while the attorney for Lyon would not say the same outright, he said they have every reason to expect charges. Snyder, a Republican, played multiple roles in the water crisis. He appointed a series of emergency financial managers to run Flint city government before and during the water crisis, and those managers made decisions that resulted in the citys water source being switched to the Flint River in April 2014. Read more: Former Flint DPW director charged with two counts of neglect of duty in water crisis probe AG Nessel to announce outcome of Flint water crisis criminal investigation Thursday Flint residents hopeful water crisis charges against Snyder, other officials will bring justice Former Gov. Rick Snyder charged with willful neglect of duty in Flint water crisis Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2021) -TROUBADOUR RESOURCES INC. (TSXV: TR) (OTC Pink: TROUF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has been granted a five-year area-based exploration permit for its 2,186 hectare Texas property located in the Greenwood Mining Division of Southern B.C. The permit allows the Company to build access trails, complete trenching and establish 50 drill pads on the project over the next five years. Phase 1 work program results are still pending from the field campaign completed in the fall of 2020 and will form the basis of a robust Phase 2 program. Phase 2 work will include drilling and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2021. "With a permit now in hand we are eager to continue to unlock the value we see in the Texas project over the coming months," states Geoff Schellenberg, Company President. Additionally, the Company wishes to announce it has received approval from the TSX Venture Exchange for the option agreement with the property vendor to acquire a 100% interest in the Texas project previously announced on October 7, 2020. About the Texas Project The road accessible Texas property covers historical mineral showings and is located 3 km southwest of the town of Beaverdell and in close proximity to the past producing Beaverdell Mine1 that was in operation from 1896 to 1991. The property covers ground prospective for vein hosted precious metal deposits, based on at least seven historical and newly discovered gold occurrences on the property and geological comparisons with the nearby Beaverdell Mine1. Several showings are present on the property, including two old mines and many older trenches, pits and adits that expose mineralized veins. The Beaverdell mining camp is predominately known for its silver production and the presence of high-grade gold occurrences makes the Texas property unique and significantly more attractive. The most notable polymetallic vein showings on the property are the Doorn, Cabin and Wombat with notable grab sample2 assay results from work completed by the property vendor listed in the table below: Sample Number Lithology Location Au g/t TX001 Quartz Vein Doorn 5.8 TX002 Quartz Vein Doorn 16.96 TX003 Granodiorite Doorn 0.12 TX004 Quartz Vein Doorn 241.96 Sample Number Lithology Location Au g/t Ag g/t Cu % 542451 Quartz Vein Doorn 78.84 317 8.43 542452 Quartz Vein Cabin 18.6 65.21 0.01 542453 Quartz Vein Cabin 2.8 8.64 0.01 542454 Granodiorite Wombat 1.11 3.46 0.39 542455 Quartz Vein Wombat 45.15 104 0.64 542456 Granodiorite Cabin 0.95 2.67 0.02 542457 Granodiorite Wombat 7.11 12.75 0.06 542459 Quartz Vein Wombat 13.96 26.12 1.45 1. Referenced nearby historic resources, deposits and mines provide geologic context for the Project, but are not necessarily indicative that the Project hosts similar potential, size or grades of mineralization. 2. Grab samples are by definition selective. Grab samples are solely designed to show the presence or absence of mineralization, and are not intended to provide nor should be construed as a representative indication of grade or mineralization at the Project. Patrick McLaughlin, P. Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, supervised all technical aspects of the work programs performed by the Vendor at the Project, has verified the exploration data disclosed, including sampling, analytical and test data contained in the written disclosure, and has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release. About Troubadour TROUBADOUR RESOURCES INC. (TSXV: TR) (OTC Pink: TROUF) is a public Canadian mining exploration company focused on copper and gold in British Columbia, Canada. The Company is managed by an experienced team consisting of youthful and seasoned professionals with proven track records as mine finders. The newly acquired Texas gold property diversifies the Company's commodity focus and compliments Troubadour's Amarillo copper project located 10km south of the past-producing Brenda Mine in southern BC and 35km east of Kodiak Copper's MPD discovery. For further information please contact: Troubadour Resources Inc. 625 Howe Street, Suite 488 Vancouver, BC V6C 2T6 Geoff Schellenberg, President Office: (604) 681-0221 geoff@troubadourresources.com Forward Looking Information Except for historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially. Except as required pursuant to applicable securities laws, the Company will not update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. More detailed information about potential factors that could affect financial results is included in the documents filed from time to time with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities by the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/72013 The Irish government paid for the repatriation of 2,434 pregnant women over a 23-year period, many against their will, after English Catholic charities complained about unwed Irish mothers in Britain. The Commission of Investigation report into the Mother and Baby Homes found that many pregnant single women travelled to Britain as "an obvious destination" for anonymity and to have their babies in secret. However, often they found that England was less welcoming than they had hoped. "The number of pregnant unmarried Irish women who came into contact with British welfare services both voluntary and public was so great that they were commonly known by the initials, PFIs Pregnant from Ireland," it states. British charities began to exert pressure on the Irish government and the Church to limit the amount of women travelling across the Irish Sea, often becoming destitute shortly after arrival, and "repatriate" them. After little success, in 1929 Cannon Craven of the Crusade of Rescue (English Catholic charity for unwed mothers) adopted a "personal crusade" on the issue, and said that sending these women back to Ireland would be a good way of showing authorities in Ireland a sense of what is happening. He complained the women "lack all sense of responsibility" and claimed the women blackmailed the Church into helping them. The report notes that Craven "probably exaggerated" the issue in order to have the women sent home. In 1931, the English Catholic hierarchy contacted John Dulanty, the Irish high commissioner in London, and convened a meeting in the high commission between representatives of the then- Irish Department of Health and English Catholic welfare organisations. It was agreed that the high commission would pay half the costs of repatriating first-time mothers who became pregnant in Ireland. Keeping up the pressure on the government, the Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Hinsley, wrote to Taoiseach and minister for external affairs, Eamon De Valera. He claimed that single women who became pregnant were, "intending to leave the child in England as a charge upon the generosity of English Catholics". "This repatriation scheme is significant because it brought Irish government officials the London High Commission/later Embassy, into direct contact with unmarried mothers. It was also the only instance where Irish embassies took responsibility for the welfare of a cohort of emigrants," the report states. From 1948 to 1971, 2,434 women were repatriated. The real number is certainly higher due to no records available for 1966. The number peaked in 1967 at 213, and the lowest recorded number was 33 in 1971. Most of the women were in their early 20s, the youngest was 15. Many of these women were then sent to mother and baby homes. The women were often forced under duress and "considerable pressure" to return to Ireland, the report found. "Notes relating to one woman stated that her caseworker said: 'If she fails to cooperate: 'I insist you should return to Ireland straightaway'. "In further correspondence, a social worker claimed that if a woman failed to attend an antenatal appointment she would inform the woman's family of her pregnancy and her employer." The agreement reached was for the Irish State to return women who became pregnant in Ireland only, but the report found, the State was often prevailed upon to bring home women who had become pregnant in England. POTTSVILLE Schuylkill County Prison Warden David J. Wapinsky said Wednesday he thinks his facility has turned the corner in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. We are heading in the right direction, he said during the county prison board meeting, adding that there have been no new cases in the jail in four days. Wapinsky said the prison would start testing all incoming prisoners on Wednesday. The new tests should simplify the assignment of the new inmates, he said. If you test positive, you will end up in a cell by yourself for the 14-day quarantine period, Wapinsky said. It will be easier for the inmates who test negative, he said. If they test negative, it will almost be like it was before the virus, with only the traditional 72-hour lockdown period before being released into the general population, according to Wapinsky. It will put our staff at ease. He said the rapid test that will be given to all incoming prisoners is more than 90% accurate. This one is as accurate as you can get for a rapid test, Wapinsky said. Wapinsky also said the prison will consider administering a nasal swab test for the virus after three days confinement, a measure suggested by President Judge William E. Baldwin, who also chairs the board. There are other prisons that are doing it, Wapinsky said. There are 14 active COVID-19 cases in the prison, but 13 of those inmates will be released from quarantine on Jan. 20, while the 14th will be released from it on Jan. 24, according to Wapinsky. However, that is not the only adverse effect the virus has had in the prison, he said. Triple-celling inmates Overcrowding, which had been eased before the pandemic, has become a problem again, he said. As of Wednesday, there were 259 inmates in the prison, 216 men and 43 women, Wapinsky said. We are actively triple-celling, meaning three inmates are occupying the same cell in a number of cases, Wapinsky said. We have not been able to send state inmates to (State Correctional Institution/Camp Hill), where all such prisoners are sent for evaluation to determine their final commitment location. Furthermore, according to Wapinsky, 23 inmates still are housed at other county prisons, a practice known as outsourcing. They include 12 at Centre, nine at Northumberland and two at Columbia, he said. The completion on Dec. 28, 2020, of the renovation of the heating/ventilation/air conditioning system should improve conditions in the prison, according to Wapinsky. Like most commercial airlines, Sriwijaya Air was forced to scale back operations in the pandemic. At one point it was down to operating just five of its 18 planes The aging plane flew during a heavy storm in a country with a long history of flight disasters. It had also been out of service for nine months. According to Indonesias Ministry of Transportation, Sriwijaya Air Flight 182, which plunged into the Java Sea on Saturday afternoon, killing all 62 passengers and crew members on board, had been in a hangar for most of last year after the coronavirus pandemic wiped out much of commercial flight. The effect such a hiatus may have had on the 26-year-old Boeing 737-500 is still unclear, but experts have warned that the continuing collapse of air travel could pose potential safety risks from mothballed planes. Theres a major problem starting to raise its head in terms of restoring these aircraft because while out of service for nine or 10 months, they need to be kept operating, otherwise they deteriorate, said Hugh Ritchie, chief executive of Aviation Analysts International, an Australian air safety consulting firm. The period of dormancy creates extra burdens for inspections and maintenance to repair parts that may have deteriorated. In addition, pilots who may not have been flying actively during the downturn need time to get back up to speed, Ritchie said. All of these aircraft have to be brought slowly back into service, he added. The same can be said about pilots. For pilots, flight simulator training is a key way to maintain proficiency after lost flying time. Like most commercial airlines, Sriwijaya Air was forced to scale back operations in the pandemic. At one point it was down to operating just five of its 18 planes. The Boeing 737-500 that crashed was put in a hangar on 23 March and did not operate again until the end of the year, according to the Ministry of Transportation. The airlines pilots also faced long periods on the ground. Captain Afwan, the pilot in command of Sriwijaya Air Flight 182, spent much of his time last year in flight simulator sessions to maintain his skills. The Ministry of Transportation said it inspected the plane on Dec. 14 and issued a new certificate of airworthiness on 17 December. After the plane resumed service last month, it was flown from storage in Surabaya to Jakarta, the capital, on 19 December. It resumed passenger service the next day, according to data from the tracking site Flightradar24. The plane had conducted 132 flights since it left storage, said Ian Petchenik, a Flightradar24 spokesperson. We cant speak to whether or not storage may have been a factor in the crash, but investigators will certainly be looking at all possible scenarios, Petchenik said in an email. The readout of the flight data recorder will hopefully prove helpful in determining the cause. Navy divers recovered the planes flight data recorder on Tuesday, one of two so-called black boxes investigators will use to find out what happened. Officials believe the location of the second black box a cockpit voice recorder has been pinpointed about 50 feet away from the flight data recorder that was recovered on Tuesday. Treacherous weather conditions and wreckage scattered in mud roughly 75 feet underwater made finding the devices difficult. The first recorder was recovered by divers moving large pieces of debris and digging by hand in the mud, said Adm. Yudo Margono, chief of staff of the Indonesian navy. The pattern of debris suggested the plane hit the water relatively intact. Indonesias National Transportation Safety Committee said Tuesday that it did not explode before crashing. The search between the small islands of Lancang and Laki was suspended on Wednesday as waves reached a height of eight feet. Sriwijaya Air had undergone an independent audit last March that assessed licenses, operation manuals, spare parts, safety- and quality-system management, crew training and aircraft supervision, said Jefferson Irwin Jauwena, Sriwijaya Airs chief executive. The audit was carried out through the Basic Aviation Risk Standard program run by the Flight Safety Foundation, a non-profit based in Alexandria, Virginia. The National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending a team of four investigators from the United States to help look into the crash. The team will be joined by experts from the Federal Aviation Administration, General Electric and Boeing, the board said. Indonesia waived its coronavirus travel restrictions for the investigators. Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 crashed just four minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, plunging more than 10,000 feet in under a minute. Officials have identified the remains of six victims so far. The plane was bound for the city of Pontianak, on the island of Borneo. The quick trip was scheduled to last a little over 90 minutes. The plane had completed four other flights earlier in the day. Austin Ramzy and Dera Menra Sijabat c.2021 The New York Times Company Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's incompetent response to the riots last summer that devastated Minneapolis, and to a lesser extent St. Paul, will never be forgotten. He waited four long days before he finally called out the National Guard in numbers adequate to end the reign of terror that had settled over the Twin Cities. Why was Walz so slow to defend public order? He openly expressed support for the aims On Wednesday, a majority of the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Trump for a second time. At issue in the unprecedented proceeding was Trumps role in egging on a mob that mounted a deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol a week earlier while Congress convened to certify the election victory of President-elect Joe Biden. One California congressman was among the 10 Republicans in the House who joined Democrats in the 232-197 vote for impeachment. Rep. David Valadao of Hanford endorsed Trump last year but opposed GOP efforts to undermine the results of the 2020 election. Here are quotes from Bay Area and other California lawmakers during the impassioned debate and social media posts on the historic proceedings. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco: Opening formal debate on impeachment of President Trump, Pelosi reminded House members that they swore an oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic, so help us God. We know that the president of the United States incited this rebellion ... He must go, she said. It gives me no pleasure to say this, it breaks my heart, she said, characterizing Trump as a desperate man who feels his power slipping away. I ask you to search your souls and answer these questions: Is the presidents war on democracy in keeping with the Constitution? And she asked them to consider whether Trumps words to an insurrectionary mob were a high crime and misdemeanor. Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove (Sacramento County): McClintock pushed back on claims President Trump incited the Capitol riot, saying the president simply told rowdy rally participants to march, not to commit violence. March to the Capitol ... thats impeachable? Thats called free speech, McClintock said during the House impeachment debate. If we impeached every politician who gave a fiery speech to a crowd of partisans, this capital would be deserted, he said, adding that the real imperative is to hold the rioters accountable for their actions. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank: Schiff called on House colleagues to remember that at every threat during U.S. history, democracy prevailed because, at every juncture ... when evil threatened to overtake good, patriotic Americans stepped forward to say enough. This is one of those moments. Let us say enough. Enough. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield: McCarthy said he sees impeaching President Trump as the wrong move but that doesnt mean the president is free from fault. He said Trump bears responsibility for the attack on Congress by mob rioters, and that he should have immediately denounced the mob. He also said that some conservatives efforts to pin the Capitol violence on leftist Antifa radicals are wrong. Theres absolutely no evidence of that and conservatives should be the first to say so, McCarthy said. He said a factfinding commission and censure vote would be a prudent step instead of impeachment. Impeaching the president in such a short time frame would be a mistake, he said. A vote to impeach will further fan the flames of partisan division. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles: This is a Trump power grab that will not stop, Waters told the House during the debate. Saying that Trump has radicalized his supporters to join with white supremacists, she said, This president intends to exercise power long after he is out of office. She added, We should be concerned ... He is capable of starting a civil war, and he must be impeached. She referred to reports that Trump watched the Capitol riot on TV from the White House and seemingly enjoyed it. Rep. Jared Huffman, D-San Rafael: Huffman told House colleagues Wednesday there is no middle ground between the high crimes laid out in the accusation against President Trump and any rationale to shoot down impeachment. A vote to impeach Donald Trump means that years from now you can look your grandchildren in the eye and say I did the right thing. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose: Lofgren spoke during the impeachment debate as the only House member who has been involved in all the impeachment proceedings in recent history of Presidents Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton and Trump. Those were long proceedings, Lofgren said. Today, we dont need a long investigation to know the president incited right-wing terrorists to attack the Congress to try to overturn constitutional government. The actions were in public plain as day. His actions are the most serious offense against our Constitution and our country. They are impeachable acts. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale (Butte County): LaMalfa accused politicians pushing to impeach President Trump of unbridled hatred toward the president. You hate him, he repeated over and over during Wednesdays impeachment debate in the House, each time naming a stance the president has taken: against abortion, against strong action on climate change, his policies on Israel, religion and border issues. You hate him for putting America first, LaMalfa said. Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-San Diego: The response to political violence must always be accountability, or more violence will ensue: The newly elected Jacobs said she learned that while working for the United Nations and the State Department in the worlds conflict zones. The U.S. Congress is now a conflict setting, she said, accusing Trump of inciting violence by broadcasting lies about the election outcome. We must hold this president accountable, she told her colleagues. Its the only way to protect our democracy. Social media posts: Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, wrote on Twitter: If inciting an insurrection isnt an impeachable offense, nothing is. The Capitol is a war zone. Were bracing for more attacks. Were not doing this for the next 8 days, were doing this to protect the next 800 years of this democracy. Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, the lone California Republican congressman to vote for impeachment, wrote on Twitter: Based on the facts before me, I have to go with my gut and vote my conscience. I voted to impeach President Trump. His inciting rhetoric was un-American, abhorrent, and absolutely an impeachable offense. Its time to put country over politics. Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Dublin, wrote on his Facebook page: I am not asking my GOP colleagues to show the same courage the Capitol Police showed last week to defend our lives and democracy. Im just asking them to do their job and remove the man who incited the attack. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, wrote on her Facebook page: Donald Trump incited a violent, white supremacist, domestic terrorist attack on the U.S. Capitol. Today, Ill be voting to impeach him for a second time. He is an unprecedented threat to our democracy and national security that calls for unprecedented action to remove him. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Fremont, wrote on his Facebook page: I am voting to impeach because, as Lincoln said, no grievance is a fit object of redress by mob law. But our hard work begins after these events to address the real grievance and despair in left behind communities. To be worthy of this Capitol we all hold sacred, to repair our broken windows and broken communities, lets finally invest the trillions that are needed in good jobs, in health care, and in education in places that are hurting. Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, wrote on her Facebook page: The President incited a mob that attacked the Capitol of the United States, the tabernacle of our democracy. He is incapable of honoring his oath and our Constitution, and he has proven to be unfit and dangerous. I will vote to impeach this traitor to our country. Rita Beamish is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rbeamish@sfchronicle.com San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg joined 21 of his mayoral colleagues in sending a letter to President-elect Joe Biden asking for cities to receive direct allotments of COVID-19 vaccines. Currently, state and federal agencies are tasked with allocating doses. In Texas, state officials started organizing mass vaccination hubs the week of Jan. 7. RELATED: San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg says he's waiting his turn to get his COVID-19 vaccination The letter, which includes Austin Mayor Steve Adler and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, was sent on Wednesday. The city leaders said they are ready to help the Biden administration reach the goal of inoculating 100 million Americans in the new president's first 100 days, but direct access to vaccines is essential. The mayors also requested funding to support the rollout's infrastructure as well as community outreach, especially to disadvantaged communities where residents are "vaccine hesitant," the letter said. The mayors recognized the importance of working with public health agencies, providers and pharmacies, but said there is room to "be nimble and fill gaps" in each city. The mayors pointed to their testing operations as proof of their ability to handle vaccinations. In San Antonio, phone lines have been jammed as residents attempt to snag an appointment for the vaccine. Appointment slots for the city's three mass sites are currently full. Nirenberg shared the letter sent to Biden on social media Wednesday. "Cities have consistently been on the front line of our nation's COVID-19 response. I'm proud to join my mayoral colleagues in requesting that the Biden Administration prioritize a direct line of vaccines to our communities. We must do all we can to expand & improve access," he said with the post. Madalyn Mendoza covers news and puro pop culture for MySA.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @maddyskye Chatterjee's The Water Phoenix is a disarmingly honest memoir, empathetic and nuanced in its telling, providing a space for the reader to reflect and grieve along with the writer. The Water Phoenix, by Rituparna Chatterjee, is steeped in a dancing range of stunning visual imagery, emanating from the active imagination of an isolated but hugely resilient six-year-old child. The book is a disarmingly honest memoir of child sexual abuse and trauma, empathetic and nuanced in its telling, providing a space for the reader to reflect and grieve along with the writer. The autobiographical account flows seamlessly from the time Chatterjee encounters her first big loss the death of her mother to the very specific, unique journey she undertakes to heal from her childhood. The entire ecosystem of abuse, abandonment and loss that Chatterjee weaves through the various chapters in the book is predominantly situated within her family. The confusion and the bewildering sense of shame that descends upon her as a child, amid persistent bullying and harassment, enhances her sense of isolation in a world full of relatives and friends. It is a story that is achingly familiar, yet painfully under-explored. Interestingly enough, Chatterjee did not initially plan to write The Water Phoenix, she shared in an interview with Firstpost, I did not set out to write this book. I was actually working on a novel that was going nowhere, but once I began work on it (The Water Phoenix) I finished writing the book in five-and-a-half months. On the process of recollecting childhood memories for her book, she said, I didnt experience any significant emotional turmoil while writing the book. Even as I was revisiting many painful memories, I was alright that could be because I had already healed and probably why I could write the book so quickly. Even though The Water Phoenix is a memoir and narrates a very particular story of child sexual abuse and its effects, its not an uncommon story. According to the data released by the National Crime Record Bureau, a total of 109 children were abused every day in India in 2018, which showed a 22 percent jump in cases from the previous year. But it is not just sexual abuse that rendered Chatterjees time as a child unbearable; a combination of abuse, neglect, bullying, lack of a close confidante and her socialisation as a good-natured girl are some of the things that pushed her into the depths of despair. The Water Phoenix masterfully narrates the consequences of learning obedience before one learns how to articulate pain. Chatterjee observed, My story is the story of millions of Indians. Abuse is shockingly common, and many times, the elders in the family are aware of it but they prefer to ignore it because confronting abusers could jeopardise relationships within the family. In the book, the author describes childhood as imprisonment, where freedom is doled out in penurious quantities, quite by chance. She says that children are entirely at the mercy of others for survival but often, adults even the kind ones have no idea about what they are doing, and why. As a result, its easy to fall into a mindless and oppressive pattern of doing things. But having said that, as a parent, I know its not easy to raise children. Children are extremely emotionally demanding, and for parents living in nuclear families, it can be quite hard to manage their livelihood as well as raise children with sensitivity, she explains. She says the problem of childhood feeling like imprisonment has to be located in the nature of modern society itself, not so much in individual parents and families. There are a few tribal communities in parts of Africa where while one woman is nursing a child, another one goes and fetches water, and once she comes back, she starts to nurse the same kid. A child in these villages is raised by an entire community of people. I think thats so beautiful and loving. Interestingly, it was finally in an all-girls boarding school that Chatterjee experienced for the first time a long-term sense of stability and safety. But the constant policing of female sexuality and body within the school premises by the teachers reinforced feelings of shame and guilt. She said, In India, puberty is everyones public business, especially if you are a girl. The constant policing of our bodies ultimately made us more conscious of it. As a result, by the time I left my school I only wore long shirts and jeans meticulously covering every inch of my body. In a way, I was already a nun when I left school; I just needed to wear a habit. Unfortunately, several Indian schools continue to hold onto outdated beliefs and practices around sex and sexuality, perpetuating a culture of shame and silence. In a desperate attempt to break away from reality, Chatterjee immersed herself in the world of books. And it was finally at the intersection of life and fantasy that things started to gradually fall into place. She says, Growing up I didnt really have people, so books were the closest thing I had to a parent, sibling or friend. In some ways, I grew up with the stories I read. For example, I first read Alice in Wonderland in comic form, then later I read the abridged version, and then gradually I read the original book. So in a way, I grew up with the story, and thats probably why I love it so much. The influence that Lewis Carols Alice in Wonderland exerted on Chatterjees childhood psyche is strongly evident in the way the writer articulates her experiences. The sense of homelessness and the feeling of being stuck between two worlds dominate much of the sensorial landscape of the book. Alice at once becomes both an inspiration as well as the single most relatable character in Chatterjees life, from whom she derives the strength to plough forward. She observed, At first I thought Alice in Wonderland was a fascinating story in which all these magical things were happening to Alice one after the other, but I eventually realised, as I grew up, that she is actually going through one horror after another. There were also several lines in the story that just instinctively made sense to me. For instance: I am not crazy, my reality is just different from yours. Growing up I felt many of my friends didnt understand my reclusive nature; they thought I was strange or weird. It is only after reading the book that many of them reached out to me and said We now understand why you were the way you were. The author dedicated her book to the survivors of child sexual abuse, to let them know that they're are not alone in their struggle. When you are a child, sometimes you dont realise you are being abused. It takes many, many years to process all the events and figure out that was happening to you was not normal. Books, in a way, gave me a template to understand the world around me and they also gave me an escape. I felt less alone." The Water Phoenix does not shy away from discussing the impact of childhood trauma on the emotional and psychological well-being of adults. Chatterjee poignantly describes the insidious ways in which unresolved childhood anxieties manifested in her daily life as a young adult. The pain she endures as a result of once again not knowing what is happening to her is explored with heartbreaking honesty, and her decision to not pathologise her challenges sparked by a single moment of deep realisation about her own life opens the future course of healing. According to Chatterjee, The Water Phoenix is ultimately a book about healing and forgiveness. She shared, The path I chose towards healing helped me realise the power of our inner reality and its ability to shape our environment. The hallucinations that I had started to experience were a manifestation of my deep-seated fears. Once my inner reality changed, my visions became more positive and I was able to embrace them. There are many books on child sexual abuse but only a few on healing and what works, therefore, I felt a sense of responsibility to write about my own journey towards healing and forgiveness. What the book finally offers is a very kind perspective on forgiveness that has almost nothing to do with the abuser, but has everything to do with you. On the subject of how the family as a social unit can evolve to prevent violence against children, Chatterjee observed, When parents follow their own joy, they teach their children to do the same, this leads to less suppression. But the more I think about it the more I feel that family, in any case, is not the answer. We need more intentional communities where individuals depend on each other and live collectively. In The Water Phoenix, Chatterjee captures a whole range of issues and emotions that gradually unravel and are then patiently explored. Hope and the human ability to heal from trauma is central to its narrative. But at its heart, it is a deeply sensitive memoir that extends a warm hug to anyone who has ever felt misunderstood, alone or hurt by others. California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development opening office in Yerevan US Department of State issues statement on detention of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces Armenia 1st President says Aliyev is certain that Pashinyan won't win elections and is trying to get all that he can UN calls for $ 95 million in aid to Palestinians Twitter is concerned about safety of its employees in India Artsakh hero: Impotent and perhaps also treacherous authorities of Armenia need to be removed from power immediately France MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to show maximum restraint Azerbaijani attacks Russia citizen of Armenian descent in Moscow Armenia acting MOD provides President with information about capture of Armenian servicemen Lithuania MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to go to de-escalation of situation and pull out troops Russian Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia acting FM resigns Acting Deputy FM: Armenia reserves itself the right to take necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity China speaks on dark history of US intelligence in connection with Biden's order Netanyahu slams hypocritical and deceitful moralizing statements of French FM Turkish authorities issues new arrest warrant for mafia after his scandalous revelations of Erdogan's entourage EU-Armenia Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security holds 11th Meeting Armenia acting PM deletes statement on Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers "being intertwined" from Facebook post 6 Armenian soldiers captured: situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border is tense, May 27 digest Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff deputy chief explains difficulties with settlement of border with Azerbaijan UN: Israeli forces may have committed war crimes during 11-day war with Hamas Nikol Pashinyan presents plan for resolving border situation Dollar gains value in Armenia Opposition party leader: Armenia Security Council to convene session with heads of parliamentary factions this evening His Holiness Karekin II receives newly appointed UK Ambassador to Armenia Greece and Turkey FMs to meet in Athens Armenia acting PM says he will present plan for peaceful solution to border situation very soon Armenia Parliament Speaker sends letters to counterparts of partnering legislatures Zarif: Iran welcomes willingness of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tension Armenia acting Deputy MOD on news about soldiers being ordered to not open fire ANCA calls on US Congress to block financing of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Armenia to allocate lands in Syunik Province to Russian border guards Armenia Armed Forces General Staff deputy chief: We can destroy all Azerbaijani soldiers who invaded territory Armenian advocates file lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan Army general staff deputy chief: About 1,000 Azerbaijan soldiers are illegally in Armenia Army general staff: Armed forces can capture Azerbaijani soldiers who marched into Armenia Armenia legislature approves several amendments to laws Armenian opposition MP: Villages mentioned by ruling bloc's deputy are Armenia's buffer zone Armenia Gegharkunik Province villager to acting PM: Over 50% of our pastures are now under Azerbaijan control Armenia Kotayk Province has new governor Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US ambassador, discusses border situation NEWS.AM BREAKING: 6 Armenian soldiers are captured by Azerbaijan military in early morning European Council head says process of implementing sanctions against Belarus is launched Armenia acting MOD leaves for Moscow Armenia President, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces discuss current situation on border Armenia acting PM to residents of borderline village: If we cede our border, Azerbaijanis will get more excited Armenia MOD not confirming reports about Azerbaijan firing shots at Tavush Province Ex-President Kocharyan meets with Yerevan residents, "Armenia" bloc members (PHOTOS) Armenia petitions to European Court to ensure fundamental human rights of 6 soldiers captured by Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier: We need to unite in this situation Serj Tankian makes statement on Azerbaijans displayed horrific racism Man detained in US for intending to commit attempt on Biden Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD continues disseminating disinformation Erdogan to visit Baku and Shushi Two Armenia legislature committees to hold closed joint meeting regarding tense situation on Azerbaijan border Holy Etchmiadzin on capture of Armenia soldiers: Such behavior of Azerbaijan authorities is strongly condemnable Gegharkunik Province village border area situation very tense, says Armenia enlarged community leader Armenia opposition MP: Shots are heard Gegharkunik Province Armenian National Congress party electoral list is announced Armenia MFA: Azerbaijan leadership bears responsibility for consequences of actions by its armed forces Opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament demands convening Security Council special session 140 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Acting premier: Our servicemen were abducted from Armenia territory Armenia MOD announces names of 6 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan military early morning Armenia parliament majority leader to CSTO: Our international partners do not call it like it is Armenia parliament manages to have quorum in 2nd attempt World oil prices falling Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan popularity rating consistently drops over the past week Newspaper: Russia peacekeepers commander does not return from Azerbaijan with encouraging news for Armenia MOD: 6 Armenia soldiers are surrounded, captured by Azerbaijan military early morning William Shakespeare, 1st man in world to get approved coronavirus vaccine, dies aged 81 Spain Congress of Deputies committee accepts pro-Armenian motion Ex-PM comments on double-digit growth in Armenia economy Facebook calls Russia, Iran leading purveyors of disinformation Erdogan says meeting with Biden will mark 'start of new era' in relations with Washington Armenia acting Deputy PM on creation of third high-voltage electric communication line with Iran Vladimir Zaynetdinov: CSTO has taken note of application submitted by Armenia acting PM Armenia's Pashinyan says addressing UN Security Council not ruled out Armenia acting FM: International pressure on Azerbaijan is growing Netanyahu tells Blinken that Israel is against reopening US consulate for Palestinians 23 political parties and 4 alliances apply to Armenia Central Electoral Commission ahead of snap parliamentary elections Instagram launches ability to hide likes Iran FM on solutions to problems in the region, territorial integrity Bloomberg: Support for Erdogan's ruling party hits record low Inter-agency commission sums up reports on implementation of roadmap for EU-Armenia CEPA Armenian acting PM on CSTO and Russia and their duties as Armenia's allies Slovakia allows use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V Armenia acting PM on situation in Syunik Province: CSTO still hasn't clearly expressed its position Armenia's Pashinyan: It's very rarely that Baku made provocations in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces on its own Armenia acting PM: There will be no demarcation of borders until Azerbaijani troops are pulled out of territory Record-setting number of political parties register to run in snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Blinken describes Egypt as a "real and effective partner" Armenia's Pashinyan slams opposition again Yerevan court ends trial over Armenia 3rd President's nephew Hayk Sargsyan Armenia President expresses condolences on passing away of Catholicos-Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan Armenia President hosts Iran FM-led delegation Armenia acting PM doesn't see need to declare martial law in the country Iran to send delegation of intellectual companies to Armenia EU demands to fine AstraZeneca for not fulfilling contract Zakharova: Russia is closely participating in settling Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident The New York Times MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan Ammunition was depleted inside the bedraggled outposts in Laghman province. Food was scarce. Some police officers hadnt been paid in five months. Then, just as U.S. troops began leaving the country in early May, Taliban fighters besieged seven rural Afghan military outposts across the wheat fields and onion patches of the province, in eastern Afghanistan. The insurgents enlisted village elders to visit the outposts bearing a message: Surrender or die. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times By mid-month, security forces had surrendered all seven outposts after extended negotiations, according to village elders. At least 120 soldiers and police were given safe passage to the government-held provincial center in return for handing over weapons and equipment. We told them, Look, your situation is bad reinforcements arent coming, said Nabi Sarwar Khadim, 53, one of several elders who negotiated the surrenders. Since May 1, at least 26 outposts and bases in just four provinces Laghman, Baghlan, Wardak and Ghazni have surrendered after such negotiations, according to village elders and government officials. With morale diving as U.S. troops leave, and the Taliban seizing on each surrender as a propaganda victory, each collapse feeds the next in the Afghan countryside. Among the negotiated surrenders were four district centers, which house local governors, police and intelligence chiefs effectively handing the government facilities to Taliban control and scattering the officials there, at least temporarily. The Taliban have negotiated Afghan troop surrenders in the past, but never at the scale and pace of the base collapses this month in the four provinces extending east, north and west of Kabul. The tactic has removed hundreds of government forces from the battlefield, secured strategic territory and reaped weapons, ammunition and vehicles for the Taliban often without firing a shot. The base collapses are one measure of the rapidly deteriorating government war effort as one outpost after another falls, sometimes after battles, but often after wholesale surrenders. The surrenders are part of a broader Taliban playbook of seizing and holding territory as security force morale plummets with the exit of international troops. Buyoffs of local police and militia. Local cease-fires that allow the Taliban to consolidate gains. A sustained military offensive despite pleas for peace talks and a nationwide cease-fire. The government is not able to save the security forces, said Mohammed Jalal, a village elder in Baghlan province. If they fight, they will be killed, so they have to surrender. The surrenders are the work of Taliban Invitation and Guidance Committees, which intervene after insurgents cut off roads and supplies to surrounded outposts. Committee leaders or Taliban military leaders phone base commanders and sometimes their families and offer to spare troops lives if they surrender their outposts, weapons and ammunition. In several cases, the committees have given surrendering troops money typically around $130 and civilian clothes and sent them home unharmed. But first they videotape the men as they promise not to rejoin the security forces. They log their phone numbers and the names of family members and vow to kill the men if they rejoin the military. The Taliban commander and the Invitation and Guidance Committee called me more than 10 times and asked me to surrender, said Maj. Imam Shah Zafari, 34, a district police chief in Wardak province who surrendered his command center and weapons on May 11 after negotiations mediated by local elders. After the Taliban provided a car ride home to Kabul, he said, a committee member phoned to assure him that the government would not imprison him for surrendering. He said, We have so much power in the government and we can release you, Zafari said. The Taliban committees take advantage of a defining characteristic of Afghan wars: Fighters and commanders regularly switch sides, cut deals, negotiate surrenders and cultivate village elders for influence with local residents. The current conflict is really dozens of local wars. These are intimate struggles, where brothers and cousins battle one another and commanders on each side cajole, threaten and negotiate by cellphone. A Taliban commander calls me all the time, trying to destroy my morale, so that Ill surrender, said Wahidullah Zindani, 36, a bearded, sunburned police commander who has rejected Taliban demands to surrender his nine-man, bullet-pocked outpost in Laghman province. The negotiated surrenders are part of a broader offensive in which the Taliban have surrounded at least five provincial capitals this spring, according to a Pentagon inspector general report released May 18. The offensive has intensified since the U.S. withdrawal began May 1. The Taliban have used their control of several major highways to cut off bases and garrisons, leaving them vulnerable. The surrenders have a profound psychological effect. They call and say the Taliban are powerful enough to defeat the U.S. and they can easily take Laghman province, so you should remember this before we kill you, Rahmatullah Yarmal, Laghmans 29-year-old governor, said of the Taliban committees during an interview inside his barricaded compound in Mehtar Lam, the provincial capital. Its an effective propaganda tactic, the governor conceded so effective that some outpost commanders now refuse to speak to elders or Taliban negotiators. He said many elders were not neutral peacemakers, but hand-picked Taliban supporters. Yarmal said 60 police officers who surrendered and took refuge in his government center are now primed to fight to retake the seven lost outposts. I think well have them back in a month, he said. But just hours after the governor spoke on May 19, a nearby district center, Dawlat Shah, surrendered without any resistance after negotiations. By the next morning, five more outposts had surrendered the same way in the district of Alishing, also in Laghman, district officials said. Those Taliban victories were facilitated, in part, by a 30-day cease-fire negotiated by elders on May 17 in the heavily contested district of Alingar, allowing the Taliban to shift resources to the Alishing, where they forced the negotiated surrender of the five outposts just two days later. (On May 21, the Taliban violated the cease-fire with renewed attacks in Alingar, Khadim said.) The series of base collapses represented the second wholesale surrender in a Laghman district in two weeks. On May 7, three outposts and a military base collapsed the same way without a fight, said Nasir Ahmad Himat, the Alingar district governor. The soldiers simply dropped their weapons, got in their vehicles and went to the district center or provincial capital, said Faqirullah, a village elder who goes by one name. As Taliban fighters advanced on the provincial capital Sunday, Yarmal announced that 110 security force members who had surrendered, and several commanders who were supposed to supervise them, had been detained for negligence. Also Sunday, the Afghan military announced that troop reinforcements and the military chief of staff had rushed to Laghman to try to repel the Taliban assault. In Ghazni province, Hasan Reza Yousofi, a provincial councilman, said he begged officials to send reinforcements to an outpost and a military base that ultimately fell to the Taliban this month. He played a recorded phone call from a police officer, Abdul Ahmad, who said his ammunition was gone and his men were drinking rainwater because the base water tower had been destroyed by a rocket. We have been sold out we make calls for reinforcements, but officials dont help, the recorded voice said. The Taliban sent us tribal elders who said, Surrender, you are sold out, no one will help you. Yousofi said he did not know whether Ahmad survived after his outpost fell. Negotiations have proved remarkably fruitful for the Taliban in Baghlan province, where at least 100 soldiers surrendered, and in Wardak province, where about 130 security force members surrendered following negotiations, officials said. In Laghman province, negotiations leading to the surrender of the seven outposts stretched over 10 days. Khadim, the village elder, said different elders negotiated with commanders of each outpost. We guaranteed they would not be killed, he said. There was nothing written, just our word. A few miles away, Zindani refused to surrender his forlorn outpost near the front line. He said officers who had negotiated surrenders at three nearby outposts had betrayed their country. One of his men, Muhammad Agha Bambard, said he would fight to avenge the deaths of two brothers he said were killed by the Taliban. He would never surrender, he said. Zindanis nine men were down to a machine gun, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and one AK-47 rifle each inside a ramshackle outpost with bloodstained walls. But he said he intended to fight on as he told the Taliban commander who regularly phoned to demand his surrender. I told him, Im a soldier of my country, the commander said. I am not here to surrender. Four days later, on Sunday, the outpost was overrun during a firefight with the Taliban, a member of the provincial council said. One police officer was shot dead and Zindani and his outgunned men were taken prisoner. A few hours later, the Taliban released a video showing Bambard being questioned by a Taliban commander as he lay on a mattress, his face and neck bandaged. In a mocking tone, the commander asked why Bambard had posted on his Facebook page that he would not let the enemy capture his outpost while he was alive. The wounded officer responded, This is Afghanistan. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 2021 The New York Times Company Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. "Our customers are seeking advice on ESG as pressure mounts from their board, shareholders, and consumers to be more sustainable," says Bill Flederbach, President and CEO of ClimeCo. "As expectations intensify, companies are finding them increasingly complex to navigate, so it was a natural step for us to add Emily to our sustainability team. The experience and skillset she brings to the team is key to keeping our customers on top of this challenge." Damon will serve as Vice President and leader of the Sustainability, Policy and Advisory team. She specializes in ESG performance and disclosure. Her work spans reporting, materiality assessment, rating and ranking optimization, and risk assessment. She also has deep expertise in corporate climate strategy, including greenhouse gas accounting, target-setting, abatement strategy, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. "The growth we've seen in sustainability demands on companies continues to accelerate," says Damon. "We help our clients turn what can be a headache into an opportunity to improve performance. This expanded ESG team, along with ClimeCo's net-zero experts, is in a unique position to help our clients become sustainability leaders." Damon holds a Master of Science and Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering from Stanford University. She has spent over a dozen years in sustainability consulting. Her work has spanned many industries, including retail, apparel/fashion/footwear, real estate, food & beverage, pharmaceutical, energy & extractives, industrial processing, and logistics. She loves a good challenge, whether it's a spreadsheet or stakeholder, and is proud to support ClimeCo's missionmaking a difference today for a better world tomorrow. About ClimeCo ClimeCo is a respected advisor, transaction facilitator, and trader of environmental commodity market products. We specialize in regulated carbon, regional criteria pollutant trading programs, voluntary markets, sustainability, and project development and financing of GHG abatement and mitigation systems. For more information or to discuss how ClimeCo can drive value for your organization, contact us at 484.415.0501, [email protected], or through our website climeco.com. SOURCE ClimeCo The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. (Alliance News) - Tesco PLC on Thursday became the latest UK grocer to boast a "record Christmas", with the supermarket chain's sales getting a boost from its premium 'Finest' range as well as plant-based products. The FTSE 100 constituent left its annual profit guidance unchanged, but did raise its Covid-19-related costs forecast to GBP810 million from GBP725 million. Tesco's group retail sales rose 7.3% at constant currency over the six weeks to January 9, which includes the bumper festive trading period. On a like-for-like basis, sales growth was 5.4%. The total retail figure includes the contribution of its units in central Europe, though does not include Tesco Bank. Factoring in Tesco Bank, group Christmas sales improved 6.8%. Over Christmas, the UK & Republic of Ireland retail arm saw total sales growth of 8.4%, or 6.3% like-for-like. The unit also includes the Booker wholesale arm, where total Christmas sales rose 6.7%, but fell 8.3% like-for-like. Tesco said a strong UK sales performance was sustained in the third quarter as shoppers splurged on the grocer's 'Finest' food products range over the Christmas holiday period. The Finest range had a 14% sales rise over Christmas, while plant-based products saw a sales surge of 90%. For the third quarter to November 28, Tesco reported group total sales growth of 7.1%, or a 5.7% rise like-for-like. For the 19-week period, - Christmas as well as the grocer's financial third quarter - group sales rose 7.0% or 5.6% like-for-like to GBP19.91 billion. Tesco Bank contributed GBP261 million, though this was a 28% plunge from the equivalent period a year earlier. Tesco expects a GBP175 million to GBP200 million annual loss from its banking arm. "We delivered a record Christmas across all of our formats and channels. In response to unprecedented demand for online groceries, colleagues delivered over seven million orders containing more than 400 million individual items over the Christmas period," Chief Executive Ken Murphy said. Tesco said UK sales grew across all formats, channels and categories. Online sales growth was particularly marked at over 80%, equating to nearly GBP1 billion extra sales over the 19-week period. Looking ahead, Tesco said guidance for the 2021 financial year is unchanged, adding it remains confident that retail operating profit is likely to be at least at the same level as in 2020, excluding the repayment of business rates relief. In financial 2020, Tesco posted retail operating profit of GBP2.81 billion. However, Tesco increased the estimate of its incremental costs of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic in financial 2021, such as increased staff absence, to GBP810 million from GBP725 million. "The strong momentum in the business and the benefits of sustained elevated sales are enabling us to offset the additional Covid-19 costs we are now expecting to incur as a result of the increasing severity of the pandemic since we updated the market in October," Tesco said. German discount supermarket chain Lidl also reported record Christmas sales. In the four-week period to December 27, overall sales in the UK improved 18% year-on-year, it said on Wednesday. Rival Aldi also posted a company record, with sales rising 11% in the four-weeks to December 24. Tesco shares were 1.5% lower at 238.60 pence each early on Monday in London. By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Hours after being impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives on a charge of incitement of insurrection, President Trump released a video in which he called for calm from those who plan to take to the streets to protest President-elect Joe Bidens inauguration. There has been reporting that additional demonstrations are being planned in the coming days both here in Washington and across the country. I have been briefed by the U.S. Secret Service on the potential threats, Trump said in a video posted to YouTube, a site that had restricted his use in recent days. Every American deserves to have their voice heard in a respectful and peaceful way. That is your First Amendment right, but I cannot emphasize that there must be no violence, no law-breaking and no vandalism of any kind. On Tuesday, the FBI warned in a bulletin that armed protests were expected at state capitols across the country from Jan. 16 through Inauguration Day, Jan. 20. "On 8 January, the FBI received information on an identified group calling for others to join them in 'storming' state, local and federal government courthouses and administrative buildings in the event POTUS is removed as President prior to Inauguration Day. This identified group is also planning to 'storm' government offices including in the District of Columbia and in every state, regardless of whether the states certified electoral votes for Biden or Trump, on 20 January," the bulletin stated. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) displays a signed an article of impeachment against President Donald Trump at the U.S. Capitol on January 13, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images) A Joint Intelligence Bulletin, a product of the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, and National Counterterrorism Center, obtained by Yahoo News on Wednesday stated that insurrection at the U.S. Capitol last week will likely spur domestic extremists to carry out more violent attacks. Trumps second impeachment, which the House passed Wednesday, came one week after he spoke to thousands of supporters at a rally near the White House. Immediately afterwards, many of those who attended marched to the U.S. Capitol, broke into the building and disrupted the certification of the Electoral College vote in Bidens favor. Five people died in the riot, and a Capitol Police officer who was on duty at the time was later reported to have committed suicide. Trump himself had summoned his followers to the nations capital, promising them a wild event, and in his speech exhorted them to fight like hell to overturn the results of the 2020 election, which he insists was tainted by vote fraud. State governors and election officials of both parties insist the election was honest, and numerous legal challenges to the results have failed. Notably, Trump did not correct his debunked claims of voter fraud in the new video. Instead he called for an end to violence whether you are on the right or on the left. Self-described antifascist and Black Lives Matter protesters held demonstrations in numerous cities last summer, some of which turned violent, in response to a series of police killings of Black men and women. But there is nothing to suggest that the rioters who took over the Capitol were other than the same Trump supporters who had just come from his Stop the Steal rally. Donald Trump Jr., Rudy Giuliani and Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., also gave fiery speeches at the rally. In a video posted last week as his supporters continued to skirmish with police inside and outside the Capitol, Trump had also told the crowd to disperse, but added, We love you, you're very special." That video was removed by YouTube, which said it contained messages that could be interpreted as encouraging further violence. House Democrats and 10 House Republicans cast votes Wednesday signifying their belief that Trumps role in inciting the insurrection as disqualifying him for the presidency. The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack, Rep. Liz Cheney, the third most powerful Republican in the House, wrote in a statement. Everything that followed was his doing. None of this would have happened without the President. The President could have immediately and forcefully intervened to stop the violence. He did not. There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution. Members of the National Guard walk through the Visitor Center of the U.S. Capitol on January 13, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images) In his new video, Trump struck a very different note than he had last week, or for almost all of the last four years. Mob violence goes against everything I believe in, Trump said, and everything our movement stands for. No true supporter of mine could ever endorse political violence. But footage from the riot showed that those who attacked the Capitol considered themselves true supporters of the president, who believed they were acting on his wishes. In his latest message, which YouTube allowed to be posted to its platform despite an earlier suspension of his account, Trump noted that he had activated National Guard troops to help protect Washington as Bidens inauguration approached. I have directed federal agencies to use all necessary resources to maintain order, Trump said. In Washington, DC, we are bringing in thousands of National Guard members to secure the city and ensure that a transition can occur safely and without incident. Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen also warned Wednesday that violent protest would not be tolerated. "I want to send a clear message to anyone contemplating violence, threats of violence or other criminal conduct," Rosen said. "We will have no tolerance whatsoever for any attempts to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power on Jan. 20 that our Constitution calls for." A recurring refrain from Republicans who voted against Trumps impeachment on Wednesday was that impeaching Trump would lead to more disorder and strife. The president seemed to be trying to reinforce that message. Now I am asking everyone who has ever believed in our agenda to be thinking of ways to ease tensions, calm tempers and help to promote peace in our country, Trump said. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Dr. Harold N. Bornstein, Donald Trumps former physician who once declared him to be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency only to later say he was coerced into making the claim, died on Friday, it has been revealed. Bornstein, the Manhattan-based doctor, was 73 years of age at the time of his death, which was revealed in a paid notice published in The New York Times on Thursday. No cause of death was given. Bornstein died at his Scarsdale, New York, home. Police said they had no reason to believe there was any foul play involved. DailyMail.com has reached out to the White House for comment on Bornstein's passing. Bornstein, a gastroenterologist, served as Trump's personal physician from 1980 until 2017. He inherited Trump as a patient from his father, Dr. Jacob Bornstein, who also practiced medicine at the same Park Avenue address on Manhattan's Upper East Side. After Trump was elected to the presidency in 2016, Bornstein hoped that he would be named White House physician and lobbied for the position. But he ran afoul of the president and was removed from his inner circle after he revealed that Trump was taking Propecia, an anti-baldness drug. Bornstein himself was taking the drug in order to maintain his long, flowing hairdo. Dr. Harold N. Bornstein, Donald Trumps personal physician who once famously declared him to be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency, died this past Friday, it has been revealed. He is seen above at his Manhattan office in this undated file photo In 2018, Bornstein said that Trump sent his bodyguard to raid his office and retrieve the president's medical records. Trump is seen above during White House address on Wednesday Bornstein is survived by his wife, Melissa (right), daughter Alix, and sons Robyn, Joseph, Jeremee, and Jackson Bornstein gained national fame in 2015, when Trump launched his successful bid for the Republican nomination that eventually catapulted him to the White House. The physician wrote a letter that year which concluded that Trump's lab tests were 'astonishingly excellent' and that he had 'lost 15 pounds' in the prior 12 months The public learned of Bornstein's death through an obituary that appeared in the Times' Legacy section. 'Dr. Bornstein devoted his life to the practice of medicine, which he regarded as a sacred privilege,' the obituary read. 'His devotion to his patients was unparalleled and he continued a traditional style of personal medicine, making house calls and holding the hands of those in need until the end. 'As a lifelong learner, he often spent nights under a lamp reading and annotating Italian language literature.' Bornstein is survived by his third wife, Melissa (right), daughter Alix, and sons Robyn, Joseph, Jeremee, and Jackson. Bornstein gained national fame in 2015, when Trump launched his successful bid for the Republican nomination that eventually catapulted him to the White House. With his long flowing hair and large glasses, Bornstein became a colorful character in Trumps unlikely 2016 campaign for the presidency. At the time, Trump accused his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, of lacking the stamina to serve as president. In order to bolster his claims of superior health, Trump, who at age 70 was the oldest person ever to be inaugurated as president, ordered Bornstein to release a medical report. In a letter released in December 2015, Bornstein wrote that Trump would 'unequivocally' be the healthiest president in history and deemed the celebrity businessmans condition 'astonishingly excellent.' He later said he wrote the note in five minutes while a limo sent by the candidate waited outside his office. In media interviews, Bornstein would later claim that he was forced to give Trump the glowing bill of health. 'Dr. Bornstein devoted his life to the practice of medicine, which he regarded as a sacred privilege,' the obituary in The New York Times read Bornstein described feeling 'like the slave that carried out, you know, the orders that came from Fifth Avenue.' 'He dictated that whole letter. I didn't write that letter. I just made it up as I went along,' he told CNN outside his Park Avenue office two years ago. He didn't dispute the president's clean bill of health, but compared Trump's subterfuge to the Oscar-nominated crime drama 'Fargo,' because 'it takes the truth and moves it in a different direction.' Bornstein recalled being in the car with his wife in December 2015 while rehearsing the letter over with Trump. He said he told him what was appropriate and inappropriate to say publicly. The doctor signed the letter attesting that 'if elected, Mr. Trump, I can state unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.' But he told NBC that line was tongue-in-cheek 'just black humor.' 'It wasn't meant to be a serious comment.' Bornstein also issued a second letter prior to the November 2016 election, attesting that Trump was in 'excellent physical health.' The future president's blood pressure and cholesterol measurements were noted as healthy, despite using a cholesterol-lowering statin medicine. Also listed to be normal, his EKG, echocardiogram, chest X-ray and blood sugar. In 2018, Bornstein said he was coerced into writing a 2015 letter for the then-future president attesting to his own good health 'He dictated that whole letter. I didn't write that letter. I just made it up as I went along,' Bornstein told CNN outside his Park Avenue office on Tuesday Weighing in then at 236 pounds, the six-foot-three Trump's body mass index, or BMI, was 29.5, meaning he was overweight. During Trump's term, the president's health was an often-discussed subject, with many critics reacting with skepticism to claims by White House doctors that he was in excellent health. In 2018, Bornstein told NBC News that Keith Schiller, the presidents longtime bodyguard and former director of Oval Office operations, showed up at his office in February 2017 along with two other men to collect Trump's medical records. Bornstein said the episode left him feeling 'raped, frightened and sad.' Then-White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders disputed the doctors characterization of the episode. 'As is standard operating procedure for a new president, the White House Medical Unit took possession of the presidents medical records,' she told reporters at a White House briefing in May 2018. As for Bornsteins description that it had had the feel of a raid, she said, 'No, that is not my understanding.' Bornstein told NBC that Schiller and another 'large man' were in his office about 30 minutes and 'created a lot of chaos.' The doctor said the two men were joined by Alan Garten, the chief legal officer for the Trump Organization. Bornstein said he felt 'raped, frightened, and sad' when Trump's longtime bodyguard and two other men showed up to his Park Avenue office and collected the president's medical records in February 2017 The incident at Bornsteins office came two days after the doctor told The New York Times that Trump takes Propecia, a drug for enlarged prostates that is often prescribed to stimulate hair growth in men. Bornstein told the Times that he prescribed Trump drugs for rosacea and cholesterol as well. Bornstein told NBC that Trumps longtime personal secretary called him after the story ran and said: 'So you wanted to be the White House doctor? Forget it, youre out.' Bornstein said he wasnt given a form authorizing him to release Trumps records, but said Schiller and Garten took the originals and copies of Trumps charts and lab reports, including records filed under pseudonyms the office used. Questions were raised about the legality of the seizure. Patients have a right to a copy of their medical records but the original physical record belongs to the doctor, said Dr. Matthew Wynia, director of the Center for Bioethics and Humanities at the University of Colorado. China's Ministry of Transport has called on local authorities to strengthen control over passenger traffic plying in and out of areas designated medium- and high-risk for COVID-19 to curb the latest resurgence in cases. In principle, inter-provincial and inter-city road passenger transportation, as well as inter-city public transportation in and out of such areas should be suspended, according to a notice issued by the ministry. Passenger transport lines passing through the administrative area of the counties where the medium- and high-risk areas are located shall not pick up or drop off passengers in these areas, the notice said. The ministry also asked cities with medium- and high-risk areas to suspend cross-city taxi services (including online ride-hailing) and intra-city carpooling. Efforts should be made to ensure the travel needs of key groups such as medical and nursing personnel, and guarantee transport services for emergency supplies and people's daily necessities, according to the notice. After the medium- and high-risk areas are downgraded to low-risk, transport authorities should steadily and orderly restore services, it added. The Chinese mainland on Tuesday reported 115 newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, of which 107 were locally transmitted and the rest arrived from outside the mainland, the National Health Commission said Wednesday. Of the locally transmitted cases, 90 were reported in north China's Hebei Province, 16 in Heilongjiang Province and one in Shanxi Province, the commission said in its daily report. COLUMBIA, Md. and MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- What's fueling the massive ejection of gas and dust out of the Cigar galaxy, otherwise known at Messier 82? We know that thousands of stars bursting into existence are driving a powerful super-wind that's blowing matter into intergalactic space. New research shows that magnetic fields are also contributing to the expulsion of material from Messier 82, a well-known example of a starburst galaxy with a distinctive, elongated shape. The findings from NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, help explain how dust and gas can move from inside galaxies into intergalactic space, offering clues to how galaxies formed. This material is enriched with elements like carbon and oxygen that support life and are the building blocks for future galaxies and stars. The research was presented at the meeting of the American Astronomical Society. SOFIA, a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center, DLR, previously studied the direction of magnetic fields close to the core of Messier 82, as the Cigar galaxy is officially known. This time the team applied tools that have been used extensively to study the physics around the Sun, known as heliophysics, to understand the magnetic field's strength surrounding the galaxy at a distance 10 times larger than before. "This is old physics for studying the Sun, but new for galaxies," said Joan Schmelz, an associate director at the Universities Space Research Association based at NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, and co-author of the upcoming paper about this research. "It's helping us understand how the space between stars and galaxies became so rich with matter for future cosmic generations." Located 12 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major, the Cigar galaxy is undergoing an exceptionally high rate of star formation called a starburst. The star formation is so intense that it creates a "super wind" that blows material out of the galaxy. As SOFIA previously found using the instrumented called the High-Resolution Airborne Wideband Camera, the wind drags the magnetic field near the galaxy's core so that it's perpendicular to the plane of the galaxy across 2,000 light-years . Researchers wanted to learn if the magnetic field lines would extend indefinitely into intergalactic space like the magnetic environment in the solar wind, or turn over to form structures similar coronal loops that are found in active regions of the Sun. They calculate that the galaxy's magnetic fields extend out like the solar wind, allowing the material blown by the super wind to escape into intergalactic space. These extended magnetic fields may help explain how gas and dust spotted by space telescopes have traveled so far away from the galaxy. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope detected dusty material 20,000 lightyears beyond the galaxy, but it was unclear why it had spread so far away from the stars in both directions instead of in a cone-shaped jet. "The magnetic fields may be acting like a highway, creating lanes for galactic material to spread far and wide into intergalactic space," said Jordan Guerra Aguilera, a postdoctoral researcher at Villanova University in Pennsylvania and co-author on the upcoming paper. With rare exceptions, the magnetic field in the solar corona cannot be measured directly. So, about 50 years ago, scientists developed methods to accurately extrapolate magnetic fields from the Sun's surface into interplanetary space, known in heliophysics as the potential field extrapolation. Using SOFIA's existing observations of central magnetic fields, the research team modified this method to estimate the magnetic field 25,000 light-years around the Cigar galaxy. "We can't easily measure the magnetic fields at scales this large, but we can extrapolate it with these tools from heliophysics," said Enrique Lopez-Rodriguez, a Universities Space Research Association scientist for SOFIA based at Ames and lead author on the study. "This new, interdisciplinary method gives us the larger perspective that we need to understand starburst galaxies." SOFIA is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center. NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley manages the SOFIA program, science, and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association, headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, and the German SOFIA Institute at the University of Stuttgart. The aircraft is maintained and operated by NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center Building 703, in Palmdale, California. The High-Resolution Airborne Wideband Camera instrument was developed and delivered to NASA by a multi-institution team led by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. ABOUT USRA Founded in 1969, under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences at the request of the U.S. Government, the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) is a nonprofit corporation chartered to advance space-related science, technology and engineering. USRA operates scientific institutes and facilities, and conducts other major research and educational programs, under Federal funding. USRA engages the university community and employs in-house scientific leadership, innovative research and development, and project management expertise. More information about USRA is available at www.usra.edu. Additional resources: nasa.gov/sofia Adapted from a feature from nasa.gov/features PR Contact: Suraiya Farukhi, Ph.D. [email protected] 410-740-6224; 443-812-6945 (cell) SOURCE Universities Space Research Association Related Links http://www.usra.edu The Palaszczuk Labor government passed laws in 2018, backdated until before the 2017 Queensland election , banning property developers from donating money to state and council politicians, candidates and parties. The Electoral Commission of Queensland has asked the Supreme Court to decide whether businessman Clive Palmer is a property developer and therefore banned from making political donations. Credit:Attila Csaszar The Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) has filed an application in the Supreme Court asking for a ruling on whether former federal MP Mr Palmer is a property developer. Controversial businessman Clive Palmer has accused top-ranking members of the Queensland government of being behind attempts to get him declared a property developer and therefore banned from donating money to his own political party. "Political opponents of the respondent [Mr Palmer] and the United Australia Party, including the Australian Labor Party and members of the Queensland government, have made repeated and sustained allegations that the respondent is a 'property developer' and called for the respondent to be investigated and prosecuted by the applicant for alleged breaches of the Act," the notice reads. "It is a reasonable inference that the proceedings have not been issued for a proper purpose but have been issued either at the direction and/or request of the Queensland government or its executive, the Australian Labor Party and/or members of the federal Labor government [sic] or as a result of such parties exerting undue or improper pressure on the applicant [ECQ] to commence these proceedings. "And that the proceedings have been commenced for the sole or dominant purpose of causing harm, loss and damage to the respondent, and not for the purpose of quelling any alleged controversy regarding whether the respondent is a 'property developer'." Mr Palmer has demanded any reports, emails, written correspondence or memos produced, sent or received between January 1, 2019 and December 3, 2020 recording meetings or communication with members of the Queensland government, Australian Labor Party, federal MPs including Chris Bowen, any political party, and any other person or company, about the issues, the United Australia Party, Mr Palmer or any of his companies. Under the Electoral Act, people who knowingly flout the property developer donation ban face penalties of up to 10 years in jail or a $195,825 fine, and the state may recover up to twice the value of the prohibited donation from the recipient. suspended all political advertising after last week's attack on the to avoid incitement of more violence, said the company's spokesperson on Wednesday. "Given the events of the past week, we will expand our Sensitive Event policy enforcement to temporarily pause all political ads in addition to any ads referencing impeachment, the inauguration, or protests at the US Capitol," the spokesperson told Sputnik in a statement. "We have long-standing policies blocking content that incites violence or promotes hate and we will be extremely vigilant about enforcing on any ads that cross this line," the spokesman added. The spokesperson also said "regularly pause ads over unpredictable, 'sensitive' events when ads can be used to exploit the event or amplify misleading information." The search engine in a statement to advertisers said it was planning to keep the policy in place until at least January 21 -- a day after the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, Sputnik reported further. Google's decision to pause all political advertising came two days after most American companies suspended all political donations in the aftermath of the attack on the Capitol. At least five people, including a policeman on duty and a female air force veteran who supported Trump, died in January 6 attack. Social media companies Twitter, Facebook and Google's YouTube have all suspended Trump from their platforms. Earlier on Wednesday, the US House of Representatives impeached Trump for 'inciting an insurrection' at Capitol Hill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi confirmed the impeachment making Trump the first US president to be impeached twice. Congress voted 232 to 197 on the single article of impeachment charging Trump with "incitement of insurrection". Trump now faces a trial in the Senate. According to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, the trial is unlikely to be held before January 20, the inauguration of incoming president Joe Biden. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An award presented Thursday morning confirmed what most people already knew Scranton is the best hometown of The Office. Peacock, the new NBC streaming service that this month took over as the exclusive home of The Office, presented an oversized Dundie Award to Scranton in a morning ceremony outside City Hall. As snow fell, Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti accepted the award and an accompanying certificate. She thanked Peacock and NBC as well as the fans for continuing to love not only the show but also the city. It is my honor every single day to be mayor of the best hometown of The Office, Cognetti said. The Dundie is a replica of the awards given out in the Scranton-set comedy, which ran on NBC from 2005 to 2013 and brought numerous stars to the area through the years. Featuring a golden likeness of a businessman set atop a stand, it takes its name from Dunder Mifflin, the fictional paper company at the center of the show. Peacock touted the one given to Scranton as the biggest Dundie in the world. A plaque on the bottom of the award read Best Hometown of The Office. Prior to the presentation, workers scrambled to fix the Dundie, which broke in the truck transporting it to city hall. They got it back together for the ceremony, and Peacock will send a replacement in the coming weeks. The Dundie will go on display outside City Hall, where the public can take pictures with it. Its another great tourist attraction for the area, Cognetti said. Peacock also presented monetary donations and Dunder Mifflin-branded office supplies to Dress for Success Lackawanna and Outreach Center for Community Resources, formerly EOTC, and trucks were to deliver office supplies to other local charities. Linda Ciampi, Outreachs executive director, said the organization felt honored to receive the donations, and she looks forward to seeing the Dundie on display. We were actually very excited and delighted (and) quite surprised that we were selected, because theres so many great nonprofits in the area, she said. Mary Ann Iezzi, executive director of Dress for Success Lackawanna, was excited to be part of Thursdays event and noted how important such donations are at this time. Everybody loves The Office, and its just a great way to bring a little attention to the city and Dress for Success Lackawanna, she said. Peacock originally planned to present the Dundie last week but postponed the ceremony to Thursday, when it brought Dunder Mifflin trucks and men dressed as the companys workers to City Hall along with the Dundie. Representatives of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce also attended, and local radio personality Jeff Walker served as emcee. Cognetti showed off her Worlds Best Mayor mug designed to look like the Worlds Best Boss mug made famous in The Office. The comedy was a well-written, well-made show thats also family-friendly, Cognetti said, which helps the city embrace that connection. Its kind of timeless in a way, she said. In a taped message shown at the presentation, Office stars Kate Flannery and Oscar Nunez helped present the Dundie and donations. Best fans, best city ever, Flannery said. We love you, and we thank you for being such an important part of The Office family. (Natural News) Corporate media journalists and left-wing activists took to social media on Wednesday to spread claims that Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas is in favor of inciting insurrection. (Article by Jordan Davidson republished from TheFederalist.com) Heres a quote. I just dont even know why there arent more uprisings all over the country, and maybe there will be, Gohmert said on the House floor during the impeachment debate. While Gohmert specified that what he was saying was a quote, taken directly from House Speaker Nancy Pelosis previous statements encouraging uprisings, journalists and activists quickly twisted his words, publicly speculating and claiming he was calling for increased political violence around the nation. Louis Gohmert: I dont know why they arent more uprisings all over the country, Blake News, a Politico editor tweeted. Louis Gohmert: I dont know why they arent more uprisings all over the country. Blake News (@blakehounshell) January 13, 2021 Louie Gohmert calls for more violent uprisings claims Nancy Pelosi is destroying the American experiment and quotes the History Channel in about two minutes, tweeted Sarah Reese Jones, a managing editor and columnist at PoliticusUSA. Louie Gohmert calls for more violent uprisings claims Nancy Pelosi is destroying the American experiment and quotes the History Channel in about two minutes. pic.twitter.com/iGsSDBtEaB Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) January 13, 2021 I dont know why there arent uprisings all over the country. Maybe there will be, Louie Gohmert says, perhaps hopefully, one reporter wrote. "I don't know why there aren't uprisings all over the country. Maybe there will be," Louie Gohmert says, perhaps hopefully. Marty Schladen (@martyschladen) January 13, 2021 Holy shit. Is Gohmer encouraging MORE uprisings??!? Did I hear that right?????????? CNN analyst Asha Rangappa wrote. Holy shit. Is Gohmer encouraging MORE uprisings??!? Did I hear that right?????????? Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) January 13, 2021 Louie Gohmert literally asked for Trump supporters to commit violence on live TV prior to the insurrection. Why is he even there??? a KTVU Fox reporter asked on Twitter. Louie Gohmert literally asked for Trump supporters to commit violence on live TV prior to the insurrection. Why is he even there??? Jason Appelbaum (@JasonAppelbaum1) January 13, 2021 Gohmert is the id of the GOP caucus. He just said on the House floor: Heres a quote for ya, why arent there more uprisings all over the country? a progressive activist wrote. Gohmert is the id of the GOP caucus. He just said on the House floor: "Here's a quote for ya, why aren't there more uprisings all over the country?" Ezra Levin (@ezralevin) January 13, 2021 Some journalists even insulted Gohmerts intelligence, calling him dumb and incompetent. I do not say this lightly Louie Gohmert is the dumbest member of congress. He may be the dumbest person from Texas. Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) January 13, 2021 During the rest of his speaking time, Gohmert also quoted Pelosi in August claiming that the domestic enemies of our voting system and honoring our Constitution are right at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, with their allies in Congress of the United States. He also condemned the Democrats hypocrisy on violent speech and their political attempt to remove President Donald Trump from office just a week before President-elect Joe Bidens inauguration. Now the message is, if you have a whim, and you want to just go after a president, just go straight to the floor. No investigation. No Judiciary Committee. Go straight to the floor. Use it as a political weapon as you wish. This is so dangerous, he said. Read more at: TheFederalist.com and Lies.news Denton, TX (76205) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 87F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening followed by thunderstorms late. A few storms may be severe. Low 66F. S winds shifting to E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%. About 11:35 p.m., the boys were found outside with gunshot wounds in the 1000 block of North Springfield Avenue, police said. One of them told police that a man wearing all black came up to them and fired shots toward them. As he listened to news on the radio of his black truck, Renier Suarez became increasingly concerned with the events unfolding in Washington, D.C. Jan. 6. He was on his way to work in south Houston after lunch, but felt the same sense of security he said hes always had since coming to the United States as an immigrant from Cuba two decades ago. America, a stable country, gave him the opportunity to become a successful business owner. America opened the doors of an advanced democracy where civility always prevails, as opposed to the authoritarianism he said he lived under in Fidel Castros government in the Caribbean island. When I later turned on the TV in my office, I couldnt believe my eyes, said Suarez. Not in this country! The images of rioters storming the U.S. Capitol after being incited by a U.S president shocked the country. It also shook many immigrants who moved to America to escape civil unrest and authoritarian governments. The scenes unfolding in Washington while Congress ceremoniously confirmed the electoral votes of President-elect Joe Biden deeply disturbed many immigrants like Suarez. This is something that I have only seen in Latin America, said Suarez, who is a member of Casa Cuba, a nonprofit in Houston composed mainly of conservatives and Republicans. The pro-Trump rioters revived the fears many immigrants still have of their countries of origin, said Teodoro Aguiluz, director of the Centro de Recursos Centroamericanos (Center for Central American Resources or CRECEN). The advocacy nonprofit in Houston received several calls last Wednesday from people trying to understand the situation. On HoustonChronicle.com: Read the Chronicles live blog from Jan. 6 Most of us who came in the 80s were politically persecuted and lived that violence, that constant fear of death coming from the violence we experienced from years of military dictatorship and civil war in El Salvador, Aguiluz said. The pro-Trump rioters revived deep-rooted trauma and PTSD symptoms of many who fled from his country of origin. I have seen some people very anxious, people crying. Suarez said he feels sorry for the people who believed lies about widespread election fraud and followed President Donald Trumps rally to fight Congress and a legitimate electoral process. Trump supporters are good people who were manipulated by the president to assault the U.S. Congress, said Suarez. Its all about first me, then me, always me. Anything that serves him and his ego is OK (for an) authoritarian Destroy Congress? Its OK. Fracture the country? Its OK. Are people dying? It doesnt matter for dictators, added the Cuban American. He choked back tears for what he saw as the desecration of the U.S. Capitol, an international symbol of democracy. Aguiluz said the fears are aggravated with contemporary similarities he observed between the insurrection attempt in the United States and the current political distress in El Salvador. People are afraid of having yet another dictatorship and violence with (the Salvadoran) President Nayib Bukele. Jan. 6 at the Capitol was a sad reminder of an authoritarian Bukele who stormed the National Assembly last year surrounded by armed soldiers and is becoming more emboldened during the pandemic, Aguiluz said, based on political analyses of the region. This administration is responsible for putting in question the message of America as the beacon of democracy, Aguiluz said. And this is very, very sad, because the American people [are] very noble, and some people fell into the grotesque traps of this president. For some immigrants like Venezuelan Edgar Villafane, who has supported Trump as president, last Wednesday was a depressing wake-up call. It was a big disappointment because I had certain respect for President Trump for his support against the regime of (President Nicolas) Maduro in Venezuela, Villafane said. We who oppose Maduro appreciated that. On HoustonChronicle.com: Venezuelans in Houston celebrate possible government change but fear chaos The Houston resident fled the South American country in 2013 when it was governed by Maduros predecessor and mentor, Hugo Chavez. The latter established the current far-left system under which Venezuela has plunged into deep poverty and political instability. The taking of the Capitol made me realize that what we are seeing here is the result of an extreme right-wing populism fueled by the president, and thats very sad, said Villafane. What we have in Venezuela is an extreme left populism. Many of the 1.6 million foreign-born immigrants living in the Houston metro area came as part of U.S. refugee resettlement programs. Texas was consistently the top recipient state of refugees before the Trump administration. About 100,000 refugees resettled in Texas since 2002, coming from regions as diverse as Africa, Asia or Latin America. But many people fleeing violence and authoritarian governments have found shelter under programs such as the Temporary Protected Status. Thats the case for more than 36,000 Salvadorans and their 42,500 American citizen children calling Texas home. Whether coming through refugee programs, common visas or illegal border crossings, Venezuelans and Cubans are the fastest growing foreign-born populations in Houston, both with an increase rate of over 220 percent since 2010, according to the Washington, D.C.-based Migration Policy Institute. Many people expressed their pain about the Capitol riot on social media, including politicians who insist that the pro-Trump insurgency against the U.S. democracy is not what we are. But immigrants who have found shelter from authoritarianism and violence in this country say it is a cautionary tale. In their experiences, to survive, democracy should not be taken as a permanent condition but as a constant aspiration. My mind was telling me, no, this is not here! I couldnt comprehend what I was seeing, said Ali Al Sudani, a senior vice president at the Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, an organization that offers services to refugees. But whether you are born here or in another country, what happened is a reminder that democracy is not something we should take for granted. Al Sudani, an immigrant who faced death threats in his native Iraq before coming to Houston in 2009, added that democracy takes sacrifices, compromises, listening and taking care of each other we need to nurture democracy. For people like Suarez, keeping democracy healthy in the United States is an obligation incumbent on all Americans. This country is still a great country. We were able to derail the insurrection, our democracy prevailed, he said. Now we have to keep it. olivia.tallet@chron.com Twitter.com/oliviaptallet Iraq announced two deals with countries that Iran hopes can be gradually moved further into its sphere of influence. One of the two, Lebanon, is already seen by Tehran as a key player in the Shia crescent of power that it has been meticulously developing for years - as a counterpoint to the U.S.s own sphere of influence centred on Saudi Arabia - that stretches from Syria and Lebanon through Iraq and Iran and then south into Yemen. According to comments last week from Iraqs new Oil Minister, Ihsan Abdul Jabbar, following a meeting in Baghdad with his Lebanon counterpart, Raymond Ghajar, Iraq will begin exporting fuel to Lebanon this month. The geopolitical imperative underpinning this announcement cannot be overstated, given that Iraq itself suffered from extreme power shortages over the summer and remains subject to intermittent power failures in various regions. So poor is Iraqs own ability to generate sufficient power for its needs based on any sort of fuel that it is locked in to a rolling electricity and gas import deal with Iran that has been the source of extreme friction between it and the U.S. for years. Without any apparent hint of irony, Iraqs Jabbar stated at the time of announcing the new arrangement with Lebanon last week: The exported fuel [is] expected to cover the requirements of the Lebanese power stations to generate electricity. In a similar vein, the director of Iraqs State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO), Alaa al-Yasiri, said last week that Jordan is currently in negotiations to extend its previous contract to buy crude oil from Iraq, following the end of the previous contract at the end of December. The resumption of crude oil imports by Jordan from Iraq in the middle of last year was widely regarded as a step towards consolidating the Shia crescent of power falling across the region by dint of Iran, although it also served to boost Baghdads beleaguered finances and Jordans energy plans as well. Jordans Energy Minister, Hala Zawati, stated in July of last year that the Kingdom would resume imports of at least 10,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Iraq crude oil via tankers at a discount of US$16 to the Brent price, reflecting transport costs and quality differential. These supplies which had been suspended earlier this year due to the price crash following the oil price war came from Baiji in Iraq direct to the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company (JPRC), constituting around seven per cent of Jordans daily demand. The original deal that had been struck in 2006 mandated a discount to Brent of US$18 pb, on the basis that Jordan bore the transport costs between Kirkuk in northern Iraq and Zarqa in the Kingdom and presaged a broader build-out of energy ties between the two countries. Related: Biden's Boom: The $30 Trillion ESG Sector Is Set To Explode In 2021 A key part of this build-out is expected to be the resumption of detailed discussions to build a pipeline between the two countries, with the original idea being for a Basra-Aqaba route spanning around 1,700 km, including traversing the ever-volatile Anbar province. The agreement to proceed had been made in 2013 but was then delayed both by the paucity of domestic or international investment required for the build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) contract and by the activities of Islamic State from 2014. A revised route via Najaf was then proposed in 2016 but again failed due to lack of international investment, as did subsequent reiterations of the idea until December last year saw an announcement from Iraqs Oil Ministry that it had completed the prequalifying process for companies interested in participating in the pipeline project. At that point, from the Iraq side, the first phase of the project included the installation of a 700-kilometre-long pipeline with a capacity of 2.25 million barrels within the Iraqi territories. The second phase included installing a 900-kilometre pipeline in Jordan between Haditha and Aqaba with a capacity of one million barrels. The then-Iraq Oil Minister, Thamir Ghadhban, set May 2020 as the final date to receive offers for the project from the qualified companies but this was then delayed due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jordan is also absolutely vital to Irans plans to construct a pan-Arabian electricity power grid, initially focused on the Iraq-Jordan hub but then expanding, with Iran at its centre. According to comments at the end of 2020 from the director general of Jordans National Electric Power Company (NEPCO), Amjad Rawashdeh, preparations are underway for the tender for the construction the Jordan-Iraq electricity power grid, anticipated to be floated at the beginning of this year. In the first stage, the focus of the grid will be on expanding the capacity of Jordans Al Risha plant that will allow for the provision of 150 megawatts of electricity to Iraq for an initial period of three years, although it is renewable with the agreement of both countries. In parallel with this, work will begin on the second phase projects that include building out the electrical exchange capabilities between the two and the establishment of a joint Arab electricity market. In the meantime, Iraqs Electricity Minister, Majid Mahdi Hantoush, announced that not only is Iraq currently working on connecting its grid with Jordans electricity networks through a 300-kilometre-line a project that will be finished within two years - but also plans have been finalised for the completion of Iraqs electricity connection with Egypt within the next three years. Related: Saudi Arabia Starts New Bull Run In Middle East Oil According to sources in the Presidential Administration of former U.S. President, Donald Trump, exclusively spoken to by OilPrice.com at the time, the announcement of the new Jordan-Iraq electricity initiative was greeted with a split jury. The Iran-Iraq doves regarded the new initiative between Iraq and Jordan as a genuine attempt by Iraq to wean itself off Iranian electricity and gas supplies. After all, over time, the initiative would mean Jordan supplying Iraq with 1,000 gigawatt (GW) hours per year in the first phase of the project (after the completion of the electricity linkage project), and a gradual increase in capacity after that. The Iran-Iraq hawks in Washington, though, believed that this Iraq-sponsored push to build a regional energy grid across the Middle East beginning with the Jordan project - was not an effort to reduce Baghdads dependence on Iran but in reality was aimed at expanding Tehrans regional influence further. In this hawkish context, just a month or so before the relatively new Iraq Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, visited Washington last year, Irans Energy Minister, Reza Ardakanian, stated that Iran and Iraqs power grids had become fully synchronised to provide electricity to both countries. This, he said, was due to the new Amarah-Karkheh 400-KV transmission line stretching over 73 kilometres, which also paves the way for increasing energy exports to Iraq in the near future, from the current 1,361 megawatts per day now. He added that Iranian and Iraqi dispatching centres were now fully connected in Baghdad, the power grids were seamlessly interlinked, and that Iran had signed a three-year co-operation agreement with Iraq to help the countrys power industry in different aspects. At the same time, it was announced by the Iranian Electrical Power Equipment Manufacturing and Provision Company that Irans electricity exports to other neighbouring countries in the previous Iranian calendar year (ended on 19 March 2020) reached over 8 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh), a mean average increase of 27.6 per cent year-on-year. So far, the countries receiving power from Irans grid are: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, plus, of course, Iraq (which saw an increase of 34.6 per cent from the preceding year). This network does not include the parallel network connections that Iran is consolidating in terms both of direct electricity and gas exchanges, which further includes Turkmenistan and Turkey. Finally, the Iraq-Jordan pipeline would also allow Iran an alternate export line to the historically vulnerable Strait of Hormuz route, to add to the current plans for the Guriyeh-Jask pipeline and plans to roll out a pipeline to Syria as well. It will also provide another cover route for Iranian oil disguised as Iraqi oil, which can then be shipped easily both West and East. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. SPRINGFIELD State Rep. Amy Elik, R-Fosterburg, was officially sworn into office Wednesday as the new state representative for the 111th Legislative District. Elik was sworn in during a ceremony of the 102nd Illinois General Assembly held at BOS Center in Springfield. She thanked the residents of Madison and Jersey counties for electing her. I ran for office to represent the forgotten voices of a border district, she said. I am tired of seeing families flee Illinois to neighboring states for more favorable policies and better opportunity for the middle class, Elik said. Our state is in crisis. I will work to advance the needs and priorities of the district and will take those forgotten voices with me to Springfield every day. Following the inauguration ceremony, Eliks first act as a state representative was to nominate state Rep. Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, for Speaker of the House, keeping her campaign promise to support someone other than former House Speaker other than Mike Madigan, D-Chicago. Madigan had been speaker for all but two years since 1983. Rep. Emanuel Chris Welch, D-Hillside, was selected as the next speaker, becoming the states first Black speaker. Elik said she looks forward to working for the people of the 111th District. This General Assembly has a lot of work to do to address our most pressing problems, including earning back the trust of our residents, Elik said. Ghost payrolling, pay-to-play, investigations, indictments, arrests, and even the cover-up of alleged crimes have all made headlines. We must stop corruption, get Illinois fiscal house in order, and realize more taxes is not the solution to Illinois spending problem, she said. The 111th district contains all or part of Alton, Bethalto, East Alton, Edwardsville, Elsah, Godfrey, Granite City, Hartford, Madison, Pontoon Beach, Roxana, South Roxana, and Wood River. Elik said she plans to release more details about her district office contact information in the near future. Currently people can contact her by visiting RepElik.com or e-mailing elik@ilhousegop.org. Lawmakers on Thursday introduced a bill to award hero Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman with the Congressional Gold Medal after he led a MAGA mob of rioters away from the Senate last week. US Representatives Nancy Mace, Emanuel Cleaver, II, and Charlie Crist announced the bipartisan bill to honor Goodman for 'his bravery and quick thinking' during last week's insurrection at the Capitol. 'When Officer Eugene Goodman was the only thing standing between Members of Congress & the mob, he selflessly redirected their fury on himself so they could escape. @RepCharlieCrist,@repcleaver, & I urge he be honored w/ the Congressional Gold Medal,' Mace tweeted on Thursday. In a statement, the representatives explained why Goodman deserved the medal, writing: 'Various media outlets witnessed as Officer Goodman valiantly put himself in harm's way, luring a violent mob away from an unguarded entrance to the Senate chambers, protecting Senators, staff, and reporters inside.' Congressman Crist called Goodman 'a hero' like so many others have. 'The United States Capitol was under attack by armed, violent extremists, and this man, Officer Eugene Goodman, was the one thing standing between the mob and the United States Senate,' Crist said. Lawmakers on Thursday introduced a bill to award hero Capitol Police Officer Eugene Goodman (left) with the Congressional Gold Medal after he led a MAGA mob of rioters away from the Senate last week US Representatives Nancy Mace, Emanuel Cleaver, II, and Charlie Crist announced the bipartisan bill to honor Goodman for 'his bravery and quick thinking' during last week's insurrection at the Capitol 'I shudder to think what might have happened had it not been for Officer Goodman's fast thinking and commitment to his duty and his country. While some will remember last Wednesday for the very worst in our country, the patriotism and heroics of Officer Eugene Goodman renew my faith and remind us all what truly makes the United States great,' Crist said. Mace added: 'The actions of Officer Goodman were heroic and represent the best of law enforcement.' 'When he was the only thing standing between Members of Congress and the violent mob, he quickly and selflessly redirected their fury upon himself so those Members could escape. Thanks to his valor, we are here today. From the bottom of my heart, I cannot thank him enough for his bravery and for his dedication to the call of duty,' the congresswoman added. Congressman Cleaver applauded Goodman's quick thinking. 'In moments of crisis, there are always individuals who rise to the occasion and put themselves in harm's way in defense of others. On January 6, 2021, one of those individuals was Officer Eugene Goodman. 'If not for the quick, decisive, and heroic actions from Officer Goodman, the tragedy of last week's insurrection could have multiplied in magnitude to levels never before seen in American history. With this prestigious award, we can show our gratitude to Officer Goodman for saving countless lives and defending our democracy,' Cleaver added. Friends and coworkers of Goodman, 40, have spoken out to praise his ability to 'think on [his] feet' and reveal that he humbly told them he was just doing his job to 'protect and serve' as he faced off with the rioters alone inside the Capitol. Goodman has been hailed a hero for his part in protecting lawmakers from the violent pro-Trump mob that stormed the Capitol last Wednesday in a riot that left five - including a cop - dead. Footage shows the black cop single-handedly leading the mob of largely white men, including white supremacists and Proud Boys, in the direction away from the Senate doors moments before they were locked. Calls have mounted for Goodman to be awarded the Medal of Valor or Medal of Honor for his actions. Jaime Harrison, former candidate for the Senate representing South Carolina, said Goodman single-handedly 'saved our Republic'. 'The word hero does not appropriately describe officer Eugene Goodman,' he said. 'His judgment & heroism may have saved our Republic. I hope consider him for the Congressional Medal of Honor. It is the least we can do.' Goodman (far right) during his time in the military. Goodman's 'quick thinking' in what was a moment of national crisis comes from his military background, a friend said Goodman has been hailed a hero for his part in protecting lawmakers from the violent pro-Trump mob (pictured) that stormed the Capitol last Wednesday in a riot that left five - including a cop - dead Ben Crump, the civil rights attorney who has represented the families of Breonna Taylor, Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery and others tweeted calling for him to be commended for his actions. 'Eugene Goodman deserves the Medal of Valor!' he said. 'He could have stepped aside and let Trump insurgents get to the Senate chamber while Senators were still there. 'Instead, this heroic officer got them to follow him the other direction, giving lawmakers time to escape!' Goodman's friends who have spoken with him in the days after the riot, including two fellow officers and a former colleague, told the Washington Post he is now fearful he will be a target for far-right extremists in the wake of his heroic actions. They said Goodman, who has not spoken out since the incident and is described as private and reserved, is finding the limelight 'a little scary'. 'He said he'd do the same thing again. He's not looking for any accolades,' an anonymous friend and fellow Capitol cop told the Post. 'But the attention is a little scary for him.' Goodman has reportedly downplayed his label as a hero telling his colleagues he was just doing his job after footage of the incident was circulated worldwide. 'My job is to protect and serve,' he reportedly told them. 'And on that day, I was protecting.' But his colleague credited his actions, which is thought to have happened while the Senate doors were still unlocked, with ensuring the lawmakers were able to flee to safety before the mob broke into the chamber. 'He was diverting people from getting on the Senate floor and getting hostages. It was the smartest thing that he could have ever done,' his colleague said. 'I don't know that many people who can think on their feet like that... His quick thinking enabled those Senators to get to safety.' Another friend said Goodman's 'quick thinking' in what was a moment of national crisis comes from his military background. 'I've always said, if bullets start ripping through, I'm finding Goodman,' said Terry, who didn't share his last name with the Post for fear of a backlash by extremists. 'He's been in hostile fire fights, so he knows how to keep his head.' Goodman, from Southeast Washington, served in the US Army from 2002 to 2006. He was deployed to Iraq as part of the 101st Airborne Division and was awarded a combat infantryman badge. Terry told the Post Goodman has often struggled as a black cop, with some telling him he is 'too black for the badge, but too blue for the brothers'. Tensions between law enforcement and black communities reached a high in 2020 in the wake of the Memorial Day killing of George Floyd at the hands of a white cop. Floyd's death put a greater spotlight on multiple cop killings of black people across America. Numerous public figures - including President-elect Joe Biden - have pointed to the stark difference in treatment of the white mob last week compared to the treatment of Black Lives Matter supporters in the streets of DC last year. Doug Jensen was arrested on Saturday, having led the mob against Goodman. He appeared in the federal courthouse in Des Moines via Zoom from Polk County Jail Tuesday where he was indicted on six federal charges Police try to hold back protesters pushing into a doorway at the Capitol last Wednesday Many have said that, had Wednesday's mob been largely black, cops would have used greater force and discharged their firearms more readily. Meanwhile, Goodman's heroic actions as a lone black cop against a white angry mob comes as numerous rioters are being arrested, many who are white supremacists and members of hate group the Proud Boys. Kirk D. Burkhalter, a professor at New York Law School and a former New York City police officer, told the Post this makes Goodman's actions all the more worthy of praise. Burkhalter said it usually 'doesn't end up well for the black folks' when white people with Confederate flags are following them. The professor also said, having analyzed the video of the encounter, it is clear Goodman helped to prevent a 'tremendous tragedy' and a higher death toll. 'These folks had zip ties. It's not unreasonable to say that they were ready to take hostages,' he said. 'Officer Goodman really helped to avoid a tremendous tragedy.' He said Goodman took three key tactical actions during the 85-second standoff all at the same time. The cop led the rioters away from the Senate, coordinated for backup on the second-floor landing and exercised restraint, he said. One USCPD officer, Brian Sicknick, died after being hit in the head with a fire extinguisher that was hurled at police during the riot Goodman was hailed a hero after the footage, filmed by Huffington Post reporter Igor Bobic, circulated showing him trying to fend off the mob. Armed only with a baton, Goodman is seen alone facing off with dozens of rioters headed up by Doug Jensen, 41, who was wearing a QAnon hoodie and shouting. Goodman backs away from the mob then lightly pushes Jensen, who then follows him up the stairs. At the top of the stairs, the cop is seen glancing left to where the doors lead straight to the Senate. At that moment, 2.15pm, according to a detailed analysis by The Washington Post, the Senate doors were unlocked as security tried frantically to protect the senators inside. Jensen then looks in the same direction toward the doors. At this point, Goodman shoved Jensen with his baton and started heading in the opposite direction to the Senate. He heads up another flight of stairs with the mob following him - leading them to where a group of fellow officers are waiting. One minute after the incident, the Senate door was locked. It's unclear if Goodman knew the door was unlocked at the time but his actions stopped the mob from getting into the Senate floor while the lawmakers were there, allowing crucial moments for them to be evacuated. Jensen was arrested on Saturday for his part in the riot. He appeared in the federal courthouse in Des Moines via Zoom from Polk County Jail Tuesday where he was indicted on six federal charges. These are: knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority, disrupting the orderly conduct of government business, violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building, obstructing a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers or employees. His next court hearing is scheduled for January 19. More than 80 people have been arrested so far over last week's riot but authorities are still asking for help in identifying dozens of those involved, including a man wanted in connection to the murder of Capitol cop Brian Sicknick. Sicknick died after being hit in the head with a fire extinguisher that was hurled at police during the riot. "Gwolde" Wins the PokerStars Big Blowout for $721,692; Vieira Ships 6-Max High Roller January 14 2021 Jason Glatzer Shirley Ang The inaugural Blowout Series has been a massive success PokerStars thus far. The festival comes with a whopping $60 million guaranteed across 88 events, with the customary PokerStars Low, Medium, and High tiers. On Wednesday, Jan. 12, "Gwolde" from the Netherlands became the biggest winner thus far after shipping the Blowout Series: $530 NLHE - The Big Blowout for a massive payday of $721,692 after agreeing to a heads-up deal at the final table. This marks the second time a player waving the Dutch flag won The Big Blowout out of three total events. Two weeks ago, Netherlands' "pilaa" won the Blowout Series: $109 NLHE The Big Blowout! for a whopping $381,174. Meanwhile, Portugal's Joao "Naza114" Vieira and Sami "Lrslzk" Kelopuro shipped High Roller events during the last week. Niklas "Lena900" Astedt managed to become the second player to win two Blowout Series events during the inaugural festival to add to his many other huge accomplishments. Check out below for everything that transpired during the past week of Blowout Series events at PokerStars. Follow all the latest from the Blowout Series - LIVE! The PokerNews live reporting team is on top of all things Blowout Series. Don't miss a beat! FOLLOW HERE "Gwolde" Wins the PokerStars Blowout Series: $530 NLHE [8-Max, The Big Blowout!] ($721,692) After almost four hours of play on Day 3 of the PokerStars Blowout Series: $530 NLHE [8-Max, The Big Blowout!], the second Big Blowout title has been captured for the Netherlands as "Gwolde" defeated "Escapemissio" heads-up after agreeing to a deal. The Dutch player laid claim to $721,692 for their victory in the 12,938-strong entry field which had a prize pool of $6,469,000 which easily surpassed the $5,000,000 that was set for this tournament. "Gwolde" is no stranger to success on the PokerStars tables as they have won the Sunday Kickoff in the past for example. The Dutch player also came out victorious in Event 20-M: $109 NLHE Deep Stacks Freezeout on January 3 for $35,856 so must be having a great start of 2021 on the PokerStars virtual tables. They started the day second in the counts and hovered at the top of the counts for most of the night with a few dips in between. In actual fact, of the top ten players at the start of the day, only two of them didn't make the final table with Sami "Lrslzk" Kelopuro bubbling the last table of the day and "sp3edy14" falling in twelfth place. Blowout Series: $530 NLHE [8-Max, The Big Blowout!] Final Table Results Place Player Country Prize 1 "Gwolde" Netherlands $721,692* 2 "Escapemissio" United Kingdom $680,231* 3 Mathias "mdf92" Duarte Uruguay $415,895 4 "end2end17" Canada $296,465 5 "DrawindDead" Poland $211,331 6 Andrew "dawhiteninja" Wool United Kingdom $150,644 7 "Kudgel" Germany $107,385 8 Andras "probirs" Nemeth Hungary $76,548 9 "Uivelo88" Finland $54,566 *Reflects a heads-up deal Read more about the PokerStars Blowout Series: $530 NLHE The Big Blowout! in the PokerNews live report Joao "Naza114" Vieira Wins the PokerStars Blowout Series 36-H: $5,200 NLHE [6-Max, High Roller] ($123,068) Joao Vieira wins Blowout Series 36-H: $5,200 Six-Max High Roller Joao "Naza114" Vieira made it two players waving the flag of the Netherlands to win big events at PokerStars last week. The Portuguese native registered in the Netherlands at PokerStars navigated through a star-studded field to win the Blowout Series 36-H: $5,200 NLHE [6-Max, High Roller] for $123,068 after besting online poker legend Niklas "lena900" Astedt (second - $94,486) in heads-up play. While Astedt narrowly missed out on a Blowout Series title in this event, he did managed to become the second player to win two Blowout Series titles later in the week when he shipped the Blowout Series 39-H: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout] for $44,314. Bert "girafganger7" Stevens (fifth - $42,760), Mark "AceSpades11" Radoja (sixth - $32,829), and Timothy "Tim0thee" Adams (seventh - $25,205) were the first three players eliminated at the final table. Adams was looking to follow-up an impressive win in last week's Blowout Series 26-H: $5,200 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, High Roller] for $167,591 to no avail. Bulgaria's "milennial" (third- $72,542) and Russia's "GangstaZab" (fourth - $55,695) were the other two players at the final table to collect big paydays. PokerStars Blowout Series 36-H: $5,200 NLHE [6-Max, High Roller] Final Table Results Place Player Country Prize 1 Joao "Naza114" Vieira Netherlands $123,068 2 Niklas "Lena900" Astedt Sweden $94,486 3 milennial Bulgaria $72,542 4 GangstaZab Russia $55,695 5 Bert "girafganger7" Stevens United Kingdom $42,760 6 Mark "AceSpades11" Radoja Canada $32,829 7 Timothy "Tim0thee" Adams Canada $25,205 Blowout Series Recent Results Blowout Series 33-L: $5.50 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout] Entries 23,327 Prize Pool $114,302 Winner pow17 (Chile) First-place Prize $7,251 (four-way deal) Blowout Series 33-M: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout, Mini Super Tuesday SE] Entries 5,467 Prize Pool $273,350 Winner DeM!st3r (Germany) First-place Prize $38,871 Blowout Series 33-H: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout, Super Tuesday SE] Entries 508 Prize Pool $254,000 Winner Simon "simon1471" Higgins (United Kingdom) First-place Prize $45,113 Blowout Series 36-L: $55 NLHE [6-Max] Entries 7,416 Prize Pool $370,800 Winner AfranioMM (Brazil) First-place Prize $43,756 (heads-up deal) Blowout Series 36-M: $530 NLHE [6-Max] Entries 616 Prize Pool $308,000 Winner Serebity_p (Romania) First-place Prize $54,153 Blowout Series 37-L: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout] Entries 11,002 Prize Pool $220,040 Winner flynthehouse (Ireland) First-place Prize $12,354 + $7,269 in bounties Blowout Series 37-M: $215 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout] Entries 1,590 Prize Pool $318,000 Winner Jakub "Olorionek" Michalak (Poland) First-place Prize $20,749 + $18,280 in bounties Blowout Series 37-H: $2,100 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO] Entries 145 Prize Pool $290,000 Winner Juanki "B4NKR0LL3R" Vecino (United Kingdom) First-place Prize $26,999 + $42,203 in bounties Blowout Series 38-L: $5.50 NLHE [Turbo, Freezeout] Entries 9,329 Prize Pool $45,712 Winner VivirCuestaVida (Argentina) First-place Prize $5,608 (heads-up deal) Blowout Series 38-M: $55 NLHE [Turbo, Freezeout] Entries 3,054 Prize Pool $152,700 Winner bdmaly (Romania) First-place Prize $22,035 Blowout Series 38-H: $530 NLHE [Turbo] Entries 347 Prize Pool $173,500 Winner Azolla (Netherlands) First-place Prize $31,980 Blowout Series 39-L: $5.50 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout] Entries 11,152 Prize Pool $54,645 Winner Fehim "rbh4970" Hajdari (Denmark) First-place Prize $7,169 Blowout Series 39-M: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout] Entries 3,970 Prize Pool $198,500 Winner Claudiu "diw.2303" Jianu (Romania) First-place Prize $28,384 Blowout Series 39-H: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout] Entries 499 Prize Pool $249,500 Winner Niklas "Lena900" Astedt (Sweden) First-place Prize $44,314 Blowout Series 40-L: $22 NLHE [Progressive KO] Entries 20,250 Prize Pool $405,000 Winner James "Cottonbud07" Williams (United Kingdom) First-place Prize $18,034 + $6,439 in bounties Blowout Series 40-M: $215 NLHE [Progressive KO, Mini Thursday Thrill SE] Entries 3,621 Prize Pool $724,200 Winner Ricardo "Kakiers04" Pinto (United Kingdom) First-place Prize $44,394 + $29,117 in bounties Blowout Series 40-H: $2,100 NLHE [Progressive KO, Thursday Thrill SE] Entries 218 Prize Pool $436,000 Winner Samuel "uropan" Vousden (Finland) First-place Prize $37,657 + $54,406 in bounties Blowout Series 41-L: $11 NLHE [Turbo, Freezeout] Entries 11,652 Prize Pool $114,190 Winner ElHive (Germany) First-place Prize $13,039 (heads-up deal) Blowout Series 41-M: $109 NLHE [Turbo, Freezeout] Entries 2,185 Prize Pool $218,500 Winner Leonardo "leoduarte13" Duarte (Brazil) First-place Prize $32,597 Blowout Series 41-H: $1,050 NLHE [Turbo] Entries 222 Prize Pool $222,000 Winner Gianluca "Tankanza" Speranza (Austria) First-place Prize $42,697 Blowout Series 42-L: $2.20 NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout] Entries 11,797 Prize Pool $25,000 Winner morir811 (Ukraine) First-place Prize $1,468 + $691 in bounties Blowout Series 42-M: $22 NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout] Entries 7,723 Prize Pool $161,797 Winner Paddy zu (Germany) First-place Prize $10,134 + $4,733 in bounties Blowout Series 42-H: $215 NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Progressive KO] Entries 1,644 Prize Pool $336,625 Winner Caio "pessagno" Pessagno (Brazil) First-place Prize $22,213 + $23,176 in bounties Blowout Series 43-L: $2.20 PLO [6-Max, Progressive KO] Entries 6,350 Prize Pool $14,446 Winner BamBasty (Germany) First-place Prize $740 + $429 in bounties Blowout Series 43-M: $22 PLO [6-Max, Progressive KO] Entries 3,273 Prize Pool $65,460 Winner mitiyy (Bulgaria) First-place Prize $4,001 + $3,860 in bounties Blowout Series 43-H: $215 PLO [6-Max, Progressive KO] Entries 464 Prize Pool $92,800 Winner Andrew "UlDuffer" Sweeney (Hungary) First-place Prize $7,110 + $7,234 in bounties Blowout Series 44-L: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout] Entries 13,723 Prize Pool $134,485 Winner Alan "sharkbie" Tsang (Philippines) First-place Prize $7,007 + $4,430 in bounties Blowout Series 44-M: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout] Entries 2,934 Prize Pool $293,400 Winner volodimir24 (Ukraine) First-place Prize $18,256 + $13,742 in bounties Blowout Series 44-H: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO] Entries 203 Prize Pool $203,000 Winner Pedro "pvigar" Garagnani (Brazil) First-place Prize $17,663 + $28,711 in bounties Blowout Series 45-L: $5.50 NLHE Entries 28,108 Prize Pool $137,729 Winner Ruden1987 (Russia) First-place Prize $11,497 (heads-up deal) Blowout Series 45-M: $55 NLHE Entries 7,694 Prize Pool $384,700 Winner TurnOnTuneIn (Brazil) First-place Prize $54,373 Blowout Series 45-H: $530 NLHE Entries 456 Prize Pool $228,000 Winner dodi papa (Hungary) First-place Prize $40,698 Blowout Series 46-L: $11 NLHE [4-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO] Entries 20,422 Prize Pool $200,136 Winner albunprof (Romania) First-place Prize $5,775 (four-way deal) + $4,246 in bounties Blowout Series 46-M: $109 NLHE [4-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO] Entries 3,248 Prize Pool $324,800 Winner molodnyak (Latvia) First-place Prize $19,053 + $14,946 in bounties Blowout Series 46-H: $1,050 NLHE [4-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO] Entries 159 Prize Pool $159,000 Winner Dalton "daltonhb" Hobold (Brazil) First-place Prize $13,545 + $21,520 in bounties Blowout Series 47-L: $5.50 NLHE [8-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Freezeout] Entries 9,695 Prize Pool $48,960 Winner valmonty (Romania) First-place Prize $6,670 Blowout Series 47-M: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Freezeout] Entries 2,817 Prize Pool $147,554 Winner cynicalfish (Croatia) First-place Prize $21,419 Blowout Series 47-H: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Hyper-Turbo, HRC Daily Supersonic SE] Entries 258 Prize Pool $131,456 Winner Kashmir_uzi (United Kingdom) First-place Prize $25,277 Blowout Series 48-L: $5.50 NLHE [Deep Stacks, Freezeout] Entries 14,418 Prize Pool $70,648 Winner scarface7745 (Russia) First-place Prize $8,634 Blowout Series 48-M: $55 NLHE [Deep Stacks, Freezeout] Entries 3,985 Prize Pool $199,250 Winner $partan4ik (Russia) First-place Prize $25,611 (heads-up deal) Blowout Series 48-H: $530 NLHE [Deep Stacks] Entries 408 Prize Pool $204,000 Winner RickyMorty10 (Ukraine) First-place Prize $31,712 (heads-up deal) Blowout Series 49-L: $11 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Mini Saturday KO SE] Entries 37,445 Prize Pool $366,961 Winner Aurel 124 (Russia) First-place Prize $14,965 + $6,891 in bounties Blowout Series 49-M: $109 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Saturday KO SE] Entries 6,875 Prize Pool $687,500 Winner Hamish "lR2C2l92" Crawshaw (New Zealand) First-place Prize $41,553 + $15,587 in bounties Blowout Series 49-H: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, HRC Saturday KO SE] Entries 305 Prize Pool $305,000 Winner Jamil "Jamil11" Wakil (Canada) First-place Prize $25,106 + $37,555 in bounties Blowout Series 50-L: $55 PLO [6-Max] Entries 1,824 Prize Pool $91,200 Winner Arshik07 (Russia) First-place Prize $13,790 Blowout Series 50-M: $530 PLO [6-Max] Entries 253 Prize Pool $126,500 Winner jokkee_apart (Norway) First-place Prize $24,443 Blowout Series 50-H: $5,200 PLO [6-Max] Entries 75 Prize Pool $400,000 Winner d.apollo777 (United Kingdom) First-place Prize $107,964 Blowout Series 51-L: $5.50 NLHE [Turbo, Freezeout] Entries 14,295 Prize Pool $70,046 Winner [email protected] (Brazil) First-place Prize $8,561 Blowout Series 51-M: $55 NLHE [Turbo, Freezeout] Entries 4,109 Prize Pool $205,450 Winner adi_sure (Russia) First-place Prize $29,344 Blowout Series 51-H: $530 NLHE [Turbo] Entries 326 Prize Pool $163,000 Winner Dominik "Bounatirou" Nitsche (United Kingdom) First-place Prize $30,665 Blowout Series 52-L: $5.50 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout, Mini Sunday Kickoff SE] Entries 15,294 Prize Pool $74,941 Winner ARIAS335 (Greece) First-place Prize $3,615 + $1,566 in bounties Blowout Series 52-M: $55 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout, Sunday Kickoff SE] Entries 5,905 Prize Pool $295,250 Winner Miroslav "Nethos" Forman (Czech Republic) First-place Prize $17,805 + $8,095 in bounties Blowout Series 52-H: $530 NLHE [Progressive KO] Entries 658 Prize Pool $329,000 Winner Leocir "leocir25" Carneiro (Brazil) First-place Prize $24,784 + $31,161 in bounties Blowout Series 53-L: $22 NLHE [6-Max, Freezeout] Entries 10,261 Prize Pool $205,220 Winner Lanttupoika (Finland) First-place Prize $23,012 (heads-up deal) Blowout Series 53-M: $215 NLHE [6-Max, Freezeout] Entries 1,835 Prize Pool $367,000 Winner Ole "wizowizo" Schemion (Austria) First-place Prize $55,417 Blowout Series 53-H: $2,100 NLHE [6-Max] Entries 206 Prize Pool $412,000 Winner Marius "DEX888" Gierse (Austria) First-place Prize $67,896 (three-way deal) Blowout Series 54-L: $109 NLHE [8-Max] Entries 5,838 Prize Pool $583,800 Winner Ramiro "ramastar88" Petrone (Uruguay) First-place Prize $82,972 Blowout Series 54-M: $1,050 NLHE [8-Max] Entries 483 Prize Pool $483,000 Winner Erdawi98 (Netherlands) First-place Prize $85,786 Blowout Series 54-H: $10,300 NLHE [8-Max, High Roller] Entries 119 Prize Pool $1,190,000 Winner Sami "Lrslzk" Kelopuro (Finland) First-place Prize $260,831 Blowout Series 55-L: $11 NLHE Entries 20,585 Prize Pool $201,733 Winner ac3play (Austria) First-place Prize $20,860 Blowout Series 55-M: $109 NLHE Entries 4,785 Prize Pool $478,500 Winner dadowiec (Poland) First-place Prize $55,495 (heads-up deal) Blowout Series 55-H: $1,050 NLHE Entries 401 Prize Pool $401,000 Winner Andras "probirs" Nemeth (Hungary) First-place Prize $73,050 Blowout Series 56-L: $5.50 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Mini Sunday Cooldown SE] Entries 13,705 Prize Pool $67,155 Winner cvaismann15 (Brazil) First-place Prize $3,502 + $1,900 in bounties Blowout Series 56-M: $55 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout, Sunday Cooldown SE] Entries 7,204 Prize Pool $360,200 Winner RFN1986 (Brazil) First-place Prize $21,907 + $11,129 in bounties Blowout Series 56-H: $530 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Progressive KO, HRC Sunday Cooldown SE] Entries 1,152 Prize Pool $576,000 Winner Tr!pleeeee (Poland) First-place Prize $39,546 + $49,072 in bounties Blowout Series 57-L: $11 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout] Entries 17,094 Prize Pool $167,521 Winner checkrais86 (Canada) First-place Prize $7,660 + $4,326 in bounties Blowout Series 57-M: $109 NLHE [Progressive KO, Freezeout] Entries 4,796 Prize Pool $479,600 Winner yagrebulave (Russia) First-place Prize $29,069 + $18,984 in bounties Blowout Series 57-H: $1,050 NLHE [Progressive KO] Entries 664 Prize Pool $664,000 Winner Aalexxs (Netherlands) First-place Prize $50,020 + $48,984 in bounties Blowout Series 58-L: $2.20 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout] Entries 9,260 Prize Pool $18,150 Winner giimeyochipz (New Zealand) First-place Prize $2,527 Blowout Series 58-M: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout] Entries 6,412 Prize Pool $129,240 Winner creepers74 (Russia) First-place Prize $18,227 Blowout Series 58-H: $215 NLHE [8-Max, Freezeout] Entries 1,231 Prize Pool $246,200 Winner Freshmannn (Bulgaria) First-place Prize $38,719 Blowout Series 59-L: $5.50 NLHE [Heads-Up, Turbo, Progressive Total KO, Zoom] Entries 11,730 Prize Pool $57,477 Winner TiltMeHarder (Sweden) First-place Prize $2,944 Blowout Series 59-M: $55 NLHE [Heads-Up, Turbo, Progressive Total KO, Zoom] Entries 4,531 Prize Pool $226,550 Winner Gumerovv (Russia) First-place Prize $14,604 Blowout Series 59-H: $530 NLHE [Heads-Up, Turbo, Progressive Total KO, Zoom] Entries 443 Prize Pool $221,500 Winner Ognyan "cocojamb0" Dimov (Bulgaria) First-place Prize $39,326 Blowout Series 60-L: $2.20 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout] Entries 13,822 Prize Pool $27,091 Winner bojko111 (Bulgaria) First-place Prize $1,417 + $871 in bounties Blowout Series 60-M: $22 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout] Entries 9,608 Prize Pool $193,960 Winner batari12 (Russia) First-place Prize $11,297 + $6,147 in bounties Blowout Series 60-H: $215 NLHE [8-Max, Progressive KO, Freezeout] Entries 1,239 Prize Pool $247,800 Winner TonyCipolla9 (Mexico) First-place Prize $16,688 + $17,477 in bounties Blowout Series 62-L: $11 8-Game Entries 3,269 Prize Pool $32,036 Winner SerMaxPro (Ukraine) First-place Prize $4,206 Blowout Series 62-M: $109 8-Game Entries 686 Prize Pool $68,600 Winner CharlieDewey (United Kingdom) First-place Prize $11,766 Blowout Series 62-H: $1,050 8-Game Entries 99 Prize Pool $125,000 Winner Matthew "MUSTAFABET" Ashton (United Kingdom) First-place Prize $29,871 Blowout Series 63-L: $5.50 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout] Entries 10,362 Prize Pool $50,774 Winner lidis7 (Greece) First-place Prize $1,946 (four-way deal) + $1,577 in bounties Blowout Series 63-M: $55 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO, Freezeout] Entries 4,130 Prize Pool $206,500 Winner AljT94 (Latvia) First-place Prize $12,514 + $7,861 in bounties Blowout Series 64-M: $530 NLHE [Turbo, Progressive KO] Entries 602 Prize Pool $301,000 Winner Perenterol (Germany) First-place Prize $23,189 + $26,149 in bounties PokerStars Blowout Series Remaining Schedule Date Start Time (ET) Event Buy-in Format Guarantee Wed 13 Jan 13:05 64-L $5.50 PLO8 [Midweek Freeze] $100,000 Wed 13 Jan 13:05 64-M $55 PLO8 [Midweek Freeze] $175,000 Wed 13 Jan 13:05 64-H $530 PLO8 [Midweek Freeze] $200,000 Wed 13 Jan 14:05 65-L $11 NLHE [8-Max] $15,000 Wed 13 Jan 14:05 65-M $109 NLHE [8-Max] $50,000 Wed 13 Jan 14:05 65-H $1,050 NLHE [8-Max] $70,000 Wed 13 Jan 15:05 66-L $5.50 NLHE [8-Max, Prog KO] $125,000 Wed 13 Jan 15:05 66-M $55 NLHE [8-Max, Prog KO] $250,000 Wed 13 Jan 15:05 66-H $530 NLHE [8-Max, Prog KO] $275,000 Wed 13 Jan 17:05 67-L $11 NLHE [6-Max, Turbo] $30,000 Wed 13 Jan 17:05 67-M $109 NLHE [6-Max, Turbo] $100,000 Wed 13 Jan 17:05 67-H $1,050 NLHE [6-Max, Turbo] $150,000 Thu 14 Jan 13:05 68-L $11 HORSE [Prog KO] $125,000 Thu 14 Jan 13:05 68-M $109 HORSE [Prog KO, Mini Thursday Thrill SE] $350,000 Thu 14 Jan 13:05 68-H $1,050 HORSE [Prog KO, Thursday Thrill SE] $400,000 Thu 14 Jan 14:05 69-L $2.20 NLHE $15,000 Thu 14 Jan 14:05 69-M $22 NLHE $30,000 Thu 14 Jan 14:05 69-H $215 NLHE $50,000 Thu 14 Jan 15:05 70-L $5.50 NLHE [6-Max, Turbo, Prog Total KO] $12,500 Thu 14 Jan 15:05 70-M $55 NLHE [6-Max, Turbo, Prog Total KO] $75,000 Thu 14 Jan 15:05 70-H $530 NLHE [6-Max, Turbo, Prog Total KO] $100,000 Thu 14 Jan 17:05 71-L $5.50 PLO [8-Max, Hyper-Turbo] $30,000 Thu 14 Jan 17:05 71-M $55 PLO [8-Max, Hyper-Turbo] $100,000 Thu 14 Jan 17:05 71-H $530 PLO [8-Max, Hyper-Turbo, HRC Daily Supersonic SE] $125,000 Fri 15 Jan 08:00 72-L $2.20 NLHE [6-Max] $12,500 Fri 15 Jan 08:00 72-M $22 NLHE [6-Max] $35,000 Fri 15 Jan 08:00 72-H $215 NLHE [6-Max] $70,000 Fri 15 Jan 10:30 73-L $11 NLHE [8-Max, Prog KO] $15,000 Fri 15 Jan 10:30 73-M $109 NLHE [8-Max, Prog KO] $80,000 Fri 15 Jan 10:30 73-H $1,050 NLHE [8-Max, Prog KO] $85,000 Fri 15 Jan 13:05 74-L $5.50 NLHE $125,000 Fri 15 Jan 13:05 74-M $55 NLHE $300,000 Fri 15 Jan 13:05 74-H $530 NLHE $150,000 Fri 15 Jan 15:05 75-L $2.20 NLHE [4-Max, Turbo] $40,000 Fri 15 Jan 15:05 75-M $22 NLHE [4-Max, Turbo] $125,000 Fri 15 Jan 15:05 75-H $215 NLHE [4-Max, Turbo] $200,000 Fri 15 Jan 17:05 76-L $2.20 NLHE [7-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Prog KO] $12,500 Fri 15 Jan 17:05 76-M $22 NLHE [7-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Prog KO] $100,000 Fri 15 Jan 17:05 76-H $215 NLHE [7-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Prog KO] $125,000 Sat 16 Jan 10:30 77-L $11 NLHE [Deep Stacks] $30,000 Sat 16 Jan 10:30 77-M $109 NLHE [Deep Stacks] $100,000 Sat 16 Jan 10:30 77-H $1,050 NLHE [Deep Stacks] $115,000 Sat 16 Jan 13:05 78-L $11 6+ Hold'em [8-Max, Prog KO, Mini Saturday KO SE] $175,000 Sat 16 Jan 13:05 78-M $109 6+ Hold'em [8-Max, Prog KO, Saturday KO SE] $350,000 Sat 16 Jan 13:05 78-H $1,050 6+ Hold'em [8-Max, Prog KO, HRC Saturday KO SE] $250,000 Sat 16 Jan 14:05 79-L $5.50 NLHE [8-Max] $25,000 Sat 16 Jan 14:05 79-M $55 NLHE [8-Max] $50,000 Sat 16 Jan 14:05 79-H $530 NLHE [8-Max] $75,000 Sat 16 Jan 15:05 80-L $5.50 NLHE [Turbo, Prog KO] $50,000 Sat 16 Jan 15:05 80-M $55 NLHE [Turbo, Prog KO] $150,000 Sat 16 Jan 15:05 80-H $530 NLHE [Turbo, Prog KO] $125,000 Sun 17 Jan 08:00 81-L $22 NLHE [6-Max, Mini Sunday Kickoff SE] $35,000 Sun 17 Jan 08:00 81-M $215 NLHE [6-Max, Sunday Kickoff SE] $125,000 Sun 17 Jan 08:00 81-H $2,100 NLHE [6-Max] $225,000 Sun 17 Jan 10:30 82-L $1,050 NLHE [Prog KO] $150,000 Sun 17 Jan 10:30 82-M $11 PLO [Prog KO, Sunday Warm-Up SE] $300,000 Sun 17 Jan 10:30 82-H $109 PLO [Prog KO] $350,000 Sun 17 Jan 13:05 BIG BLOWOUT $1,050 NLHE [8-Max] $5,000,000 Sun 17 Jan 15:05 83-L $2.20 NLHE [6-Max] $100,000 Sun 17 Jan 15:05 83-M $22 NLHE [6-Max] $175,000 Sun 17 Jan 15:05 83-H $215 NLHE [6-Max] $200,000 Sun 17 Jan 17:05 84-L $5.50 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Prog KO] $50,000 Sun 17 Jan 17:05 84-M $55 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Prog KO, Mini Sunday Cooldown SE] $150,000 Sun 17 Jan 17:05 84-H $530 NLHE [8-Max, Turbo, Prog KO, Sunday Cooldown SE] $300,000 Sun 17 Jan 18:05 85-L $11 NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Mini Sunday Supersonic SE] $65,000 Sun 17 Jan 18:05 85-M $109 NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Sunday Supersonic SE] $250,000 Sun 17 Jan 18:05 85-H $1,050 NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, HRC Sunday Supersonic SE] $300,000 Mon 18 Jan 13:05 86-L $2.20 NLHE [8-Max, Prog KO, Series Saver] $175,000 Mon 18 Jan 13:05 86-M $22 NLHE [8-Max, Prog KO, Series Saver] $500,000 Mon 18 Jan 13:05 86-H $215 NLHE [8-Max, Prog KO, Series Saver] $1,000,000 Mon 18 Jan 15:05 87-L $5.50 NLHE [Turbo] $10,000 Mon 18 Jan 15:05 87-M $55 NLHE [Turbo] $100,000 Mon 18 Jan 15:05 87-H $530 NLHE [Turbo] $150,000 Tue 19 Jan 15:05 88-L $5.50 NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Series Wrap-Up] $40,000 Tue 19 Jan 15:05 88-M $55 NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Series Wrap-Up] $125,000 Tue 19 Jan 15:05 88-H $530 NLHE [6-Max, Hyper-Turbo, Series Wrap-Up] $175,000 Follow along with the dedicated PokerNews Blowout Series Hub to stay on top of all things Blowout. Syracuse, N.Y. As the coronavirus pandemic raged in Syracuse and across the United States in 2020, another deadly danger plagued communities: homicides. Violent deaths surged last year in cities across the United States, rising even as anxious Americans socially distanced and spent more time cloistered in their homes. Syracuse did not escape the alarming trend. Thirty-one people died in homicides in 2020 in Syracuse a 55% rise in homicides from 2019, when 20 were killed. The number of homicides in 2020 matched 2016, the year the city recorded its most murders. Close to 70 percent of the cases have been solved, a rate better than the national average but typical for Syracuse police detectives. Justice may be on the horizon for many families of the deceased. Yet fathers and mothers were taken away from dozens of kids. Parents had to bury their children. And restrictions to slow the spread of the coronavirus meant families were forced to mourn their loved ones in small, mostly private funerals. Related: 31 people were murdered in Syracuse in 2020: Here are the victims In some cases, the pandemic contributed directly to the violence. In others, it fueled embers, stoking the gang and community violence the city knows well: One victim was stabbed to death in an argument over social distancing, investigators said. Another was killed in a mass shooting at Rye Day, a community birthday celebrated by hundreds, that left eight others injured. Syracuse Police Chief Kenton Buckner said while its difficult to pinpoint what drove the alarming rise in homicides here, the stress inflicted by Covid-19 made the issues the city was already struggling with including poverty and socioeconomic disparities worse. We have challenges under normal circumstances, the chief said. And then you put us under a pandemic, and that just enhances the problems we have. The rise of homicides happened across the nation in cities big and small, said Jeff Asher, a crime analyst based in New Orleans. The coronavirus pandemic is the obvious cause, he said. Murders rose by about 36% in 2020, Asher determined in a study of 57 cities. When the final data is in, he said he expects last year will mark the largest year-to-year rise in homicides in the nations history. Final national murder update of 2020: Murder up 36.7% in 57 agencies with data through at least September (though most have data through November). Murder up in 51 of 57, 37 of 58 agencies reporting murder up more than 30%. Spreadsheet here: https://t.co/vEhKHuFNrY pic.twitter.com/5HgVmwGmDS Jeff Asher (@Crimealytics) December 29, 2020 How does Syracuses 55% increase in homicides in 2020 compare to other cities? Depressingly normal, Asher said. Theres lots of cities that have seen similar rises. Although the number of people violently killed rose dramatically in 2020, Chief Buckner said the problems behind the homicides remained the same. Its a consistent theme of drug activity, gang activity and domestics, he said. Thats the common thread amongst our homicides and aggravated assaults. Aggravated assaults, which include shootings, were up by 15% in Syracuse in 2020, according to the departments data. Other violent crimes, like rape and robbery, decreased. Syracuse detectives have worked hard to find closure for the families of the 31 people killed this year, Buckner said. By the end of 2020, 21 of the 31 violent deaths 68% had been solved. Defendants were charged in 19 of the solved cases, while police determined the other two victims killed each other. Kudos to them, the chief said. This is my third police agency, and this is the best group of investigators Ive ever seen. Detectives solved another 2020 homicide the death of Ptolemy Droz, who was killed Dec. 21 in a drive-by shooting with an arrest on Tuesday. Syracuse polices solve rate of homicides has been above 70% for four years, placing it above the national average of 61%, according to the FBI. In 2019, detectives had solved all but two of 20 murders, or 90%, by the end of the year. Yet in 2020, a tense year filled with local and national protests against police brutality, detectives told the chief the Syracuse community was more reluctant than usual to cooperate with investigators. Buckner said he wants to focus this year on showing residents that Syracuse police are willing to reach further across the aisle to connect with the community. He predicts one of the departments newest members will help build some much-needed bridges. Jimmy Oliver is the police departments director of community engagement, a new civilian position created late last year. Oliver, who previously served as the deputy commissioner of Syracuses parks department, will work full-time to try to grow trust between police and residents. We cannot be successful long-term, Buckner said, without the communitys help. Staff writer Samantha House covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? Reach her at shouse@syracuse.com. HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Microsoft announced last week it is now permitting Defense Industrial Base (DIB) suppliers to submit other forms of evidence for accessing its US-sovereign cloud environments, namely Microsoft Government Community Cloud High (GCC High). The leading cloud provider created its Microsoft Azure Government and Microsoft 365 GCC High offerings to support, both, federal agencies and their suppliers to hold and process sensitive data types. Previously federal contractors in the DIB were required to show proof from an existing contract or a letter from a Department of Defense (DoD) customer expressing specific cybersecurity requirements. In 2021 defense contractors can now provide Microsoft a valid Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code, a five-character ID number used by the GSA, or their company's Data Universal Number Systems (DUNS) number. Many companies in the DIB have chosen Microsoft 365 GCC High as a proper platform for their users and the Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) they interact with. However, Scott Edwards - CEO of Summit 7 Systems explains that "some non-traditional contractors, start-ups, and smaller organizations may not have past performance or current contracts with the DoD or a prime contractor to give them access to GCC High." Microsoft recognized this barrier of entry and elected to add CAGE and DUNS as appropriate justification, especially considering both are prerequisites for any business pursuing contractual work with the DoD. These credentials are provided through a Federal vetting process and often registered around the same time a contractor incorporates and obtains a Tax Identification Number. DoD has and continues to give significant consideration to the impacts of its ongoing Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) on the small business community. Similarly, Microsoft is actively developing constructive means to allow businesses of all sizes and maturity levels to access its cloud platforms for digital transformation and meeting CMMC. Edwards adds, "This is most evidenced by the recent changes with licensing and eligibility, as well as the CMMC Acceleration Program." Microsoft launched the CMMC Acceleration Program in late 2020 as an ongoing effort to make cloud security and compliance less challenging with scripted tools and documentation related to meeting CMMC in Microsoft 365 and Azure. Richard Wakeman, Senior Director of Aerospace & Defense in the Azure Global Team, stated "Katie Arrington of the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (OUSD) is often quoted stating CMMC is not a checklist or one-time exercise, and organizations must continually mature and adapt to new threats. Microsoft holds a similar viewpoint in that we aim to regularly release new tools and capabilities to enable compliance and combat new threats. In addition to these tools, our team also strives to ensure Microsoft sovereign cloud offerings are accessible for DIB small businesses." Organizations that previously underwent the eligibility process with Microsoft before 2021 will also benefit from another change. Once a government contractor applied for access to Azure Government or Microsoft 365 GCC High, the organization would eventually receive a notice of their status as a Category 1, 2, or 3 entity. Microsoft 365 GCC High was limited to only businesses with a Category 3 notice, but now all Category 1 and 2 business can purchase licensing from an approved AOS-G vendor or through an enterprise agreement. Richard Wakeman, Microsoft Richard Wakeman is the Senior Director of Aerospace & Defense for Azure Global at Microsoft. Mr. Wakeman specializes in the complex requirements of the DIB and adoption of Azure Government, Microsoft 365 GCC High / DoD and Dynamics 365 GCC High through engaging with partners and customers end-to-end. Richard joined Microsoft in 2007 and has worked with hundreds of the most prominent world-wide accounts during that time. About Summit 7 Systems Summit 7 Systems is a national leader in cybersecurity and compliance for the Aerospace and Defense industry and corporate enterprises. Summit 7 won the 2020 Microsoft US Partner Award in Security and Compliance for its Microsoft Cloud solutions regarding CMMC, DFARS, NIST 800-171, ITAR, and CUI. Summit 7 Systems is privately held and headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama. https://www.summit7.us http://cmmc.blog http://cmmc.video About Microsoft 365 GCC High Microsoft 365 GCC High is built on Microsoft Azure Government within dedicated US-sovereign data centers. Azure Government is currently certified to FedRAMP High, as well as the entire suite of GCC High services hosted in Azure Government. The platform and its infrastructure are managed by background checked US persons, and Microsoft attests to meet DFARS flowdown clauses and reporting requirements on the platform. SOURCE Summit 7 Systems Related Links summit7systems.com The biggest story in the Android universe this week is the pending arrival of Samsung's latest and greatest Galaxy flagships the Galaxy S21 and its various cousins, expected to be unveiled at a virtual event later this morning. The phones will almost certainly be the de facto standard bearers of the high-end Android experience for the months ahead, and they're all but certain to be among the top-selling premium Android devices of 2021. In many ways, it's not surprising. When it comes to high-end Android phones, Samsung does a lot of things right from its sleek, eye-catching hardware designs to its exceptional build quality and frequently top-of-the-line components. And that's to say nothing of the equally or perhaps even more important no-holds-barred marketing strategy that's helped Samsung gain and maintain its dominant position within the Android ranks. And yet, as someone who closely studies the Android ecosystem and aims to offer advice about the most advisable experiences available within it, I find myself struggling to wholeheartedly recommend Samsung's Android products especially for serious business users more so with every passing year. And it's not because of any manner of subjective assessment; it's because of some glaring, foundational flaws with the real-world experience Samsung provides on its Android-based Galaxy devices. They're issues that not only impact what it's like to use Samsung's phones over the entire time that you own 'em but also impact the all-important areas of privacy and security as it pertains to your personal and/or company-connected data. And while I'm all too aware that I'm likely to get a fair amount of pushback for focusing on these typically underemphasized areas hey, brand loyalty is a powerful thing these days! now in particular, this stuff desperately needs to be brought to the forefront. Here, specifically, are four reasons I'd encourage anyone to think twice before committing to a Samsung Android phone. [Get level-headed knowledge in your inbox with JR's Android Intelligence newsletter. Tips, insights, and other tasty treats await!] 1. The out-of-place advertising Ads are a mostly unavoidable part of contemporary life, especially when technology is involved. But while Google implements ads into otherwise free online services an arrangement that's well publicized and that allows those services to remain free for general use Samsung goes a step further and actually puts ads into the heart of its high-cost mobile products. And it does so in a way that's over the top and unacceptably invasive. It's something we've talked about before from the ads prominently built into Samsung's system-level Phone app to the endless in-your-face notification nudges pushing everything from new Samsung devices to fee-requiring Samsung apps and services and it's an issue that only continues to expand and grow ever more troubling over time. JR Ads built into Samsung's Phone app, at left, and pushed out via system-level notifications, at right. Just last week, Samsung reportedly started to send automated background updates to its U.S. Galaxy devices with the apparent sole purpose of monitoring phone-owners' location, sensing when they're in a store that sells Samsung products, and then using their notifications to push them ads for those items. As I wrote in my newsletter on Friday, it's tacky, it's abusive, and it's obnoxious and it makes for an unpleasant and frankly unacceptable user experience, whether we're talking about a $2,000 phone or even a $200 one. And that, unfortunately, is only the start. 2. The shady-seeming data selling Here's where the really disconcerting part comes into play: In addition to baking those over-the-top advertising systems into its smartphone experience, Samsung also has mechanisms in place to share your data with external agencies to double-dip, as I've put it before, and directly profit off the info you assume is protected. We've seen this in the form of a tucked-away setting within the system-level Samsung Pay app that, unless dug up and disabled, allows your financial information to be shared with "Samsung Pay partners." That discovery last year shocked me enough that I decided to comb through Samsung's various privacy policies, where I found even more unsettling fine print. For instance: As a Galaxy phone owner, Samsung may allow "certain third parties (such as advertising partners)" to "collect your personal information" in unspecified venues and ways. Samsung "may have" previously sold a bunch of sensitive info to undisclosed third parties everything ranging from "unique personal identifiers" associated with your device to "records of products or services purchased, obtained, or considered"; "other purchasing or consuming histories or tendencies"; "internet and other electronic network activity information, including, but not limited to, browsing history, search history, and information regarding your interaction with websites, applications, or advertisements"; and "inferences drawn from any of the information identified above to create a profile about you reflecting your preferences, characteristics, psychological trends, predispositions, behavior, attitudes, intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes" (!). Samsung may have also "disclosed" even more personal info to "vendors" for "a business purpose." Uh, no biggie just info like, y'know, your name, address, phone number, signature, bank account number, credit card number, purchase history, browsing history, search history, geolocation data, and once again that lovely-sounding collection of "inferences drawn" from all of that. Right. And the list just keeps going. Another layer built into Samsung's core smartphone software collects the same sorts of sensitive information, as a separate privacy policy discloses, bringing in Samsung-made apps like the company's custom Calendar and Internet (browser) utilities to analyze your data from those domains as well and then reserves the right to "collect, analyze, and share" all of that information in order to provide you with "advertising and direct marketing communications about products and services offered by Samsung and third parties that are tailored to your interests." Just what every IT manager dreams of! Oh, and speaking of ads, that service built into the Phone app that we talked about a minute ago also has its own privacy policy and that one notes that the company behind the effort is able to "collect search, location, and call log information automatically" from users' devices and then share such data with its "affiliates or subsidiaries" as well as with "third-party vendors, service providers, contractors, or agents who perform functions" on its behalf. And even that is still just the start. Critically, as I've pointed out previously, none of this is even close to what Google does with the advertising associated with its various free services. First and most significantly, Google never sells user data or shares it with any third parties, even when said info is used to help determine what ads you see around the web via Google's ad networks. And beyond that, Google's use of data for ad personalization is a well-known, core part of its business one that exists to offset the free nature of services such as Search, Maps, and the non-Workspace versions of Gmail, Docs, and Drive. A smartphone, suffice it to say, is not a free service. You're paying good money for the privilege to own such a product, with the expectation of a professional environment that's free from spammy distractions and questionable built-in connections. And yet, here we are. 3. The subpar software support If you've followed my musings for long, you know I'm adamant about the fact that Android upgrades absolutely matter and for more than just the surface-level features and interface refinements. Operating system upgrades consistently provide consequential under-the-hood improvements in areas like performance, privacy, and security, as we've seen with the current Android 11 release as well as with other recent releases before it. And Samsung has made it painfully clear, year after year, that providing those updates to its customers in a timely and reliable manner simply isn't a priority. My data-driven Android Upgrade Report Cards such as the most recent one, in which Samsung got an embarrassing D+ score for its lackluster Android 10 upgrade efforts tell you everything you need to know. To Samsung's credit, the company has been getting better at upgrade deliveries over the past couple years but when you actually look at the big-picture data, you realize its improvements aren't all that impressive. In the grand scheme of things, the company is still running close to a hundred days behind schedule, in a best-case scenario, and typically taking even longer when it comes to supporting its previous-gen, just one-year-old top-tier devices. As a company of its size and with its vast array of resources, Samsung certainly could do better. It could get current software into the hands of its highest-paying customers within a matter of days of its release, if it really wanted to. It simply doesn't choose to treat that non-revenue-generating form of support as a priority. And for business users in particular, that's an increasingly tough asterisk to justify, especially when commendable near-instant-upgrade options are readily available elsewhere on the platform. 4. The not-so-optimal overall user experience Last but not least is the most abstract reason for my Samsung recommendation hesitation, but it's an impossibly important part of the picture. It's the overall user experience or what it's actually like to use a device in day-to-day life. As someone who owns both a recent Google Pixel phone and a recent Samsung Galaxy phone, let me tell you: The difference in user experience between those branches of Android is astounding. It's a contrast I've heard reinforced by numerous people who have reached out to me after taking the Galaxy-to-Pixel plunge over the years. One of my favorite analogies, offered up by my friend and fellow tech philosopher Jared Newman, is that using a Samsung phone is kind of like visiting Vegas: Youve got lots of flashy lights, eye-catching bells and whistles, and things that lure people in off the street and make 'em want to come check it all out. After you've been in that environment for a while, though, you just start to feel just kind ofdirty. It's sensory overload and an awful lot of clutter that actively gets in the way of comfort and efficiency. Going to a Pixel-like setup, in contrast, feels like going back home to a place that might be less exciting, on the outside, but that has all the stuff you actually need and an environment that's better suited for long-term habitation. Interface issues aside, Samsung phones are just overflowing with confusingly competing elements and built-in bloatware. You've got things like the prominently featured Galaxy Store, which pings you endlessly and tries to get you to think of it as your primary app marketplace despite the fact that the Play Store is immeasurably more stocked and up to date with current, desirable titles. You've got Samsung's own Contacts app, which syncs with Samsung only by default and thus makes it difficult to access your info on other devices or transfer it to future phones not made by Samsung (a sharp contrast to Google's superior setup, which you'd have to know about and actively seek if you wanted to embrace it something most average phone-owners wouldn't think to do). And don't even get me started on Bixby. In addition to all the bloat, Samsung simultaneously omits valuable elements of the core Android operating system for no apparent reason. Galaxy phone owners won't get the incredibly useful (and impressively expandable) new connected-device command center that's built into the Android 11 power menu, for instance, nor can they take advantage of Android's privacy-enhancing Guest Mode or possibility-packed multiuser support system for phones. They can't even enjoy the seamless, interruption-free update process Google has offered within Android since 2016, since Samsung somehow still sticks with the antiquated, time-wasting system that preceded it. Now, look: If you find yourself enamored with Samsung's approach and see all of this as much ado about nothing, that's perfectly fine! Android is all about choice, after all, and there's certainly nothing wrong with choosing whatever path and manner of product you prefer. But it's time we start talking about this stuff openly and as a prominent part of the Samsung device discussion. That way, anyone facing a purchasing choice can at least arm themselves with all of the facts and make a fully educated decision about what sort of setup makes the most sense for them. Sign up for my weekly newsletter to get more practical tips, personal recommendations, and plain-English perspective on the news that matters. [Android Intelligence videos at Computerworld] While the Bay Area saw only light sprinkles from the southernmost edges of an atmospheric river that hit the West Coast early this week, the Pacific Northwest was pummeled by the powerful storm that killed one person and left a trail of damage. A highway was shut down after a landslide, multiple tractor-trailers were blown over and more than 500,000 people lost power in the storm that hit Monday and Tuesday. This scenario with storms focused over the Pacific Northwest and staying north of the Bay Area has unfolded multiple times this season, with a ridge of high-pressure over the Pacific Ocean pushing storms north. National Weather Service forecaster Roger Gass said he's not surprised by this weather pattern as it's typical on the West Coast in a La Nina year when the warming of equatorial waters in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean can impact atmospheric conditions worldwide. "The storm track is often more active and stays over the Pacific Northwest in a La Nina year," Gass said. Much of California is experiencing unusually dry conditions this season and since Oct. 1, the Downtown San Francisco gauge has received only 19% of average rainfall. With the West Coast storms focused to the north this winter, the North Bay has seen a little more rain than the central Bay Area. A gauge in Napa has measured rainfall that's 30% of normal and another in Angwin 35% of normal since Oct. 1, a date that's often recognized as the start of the rainy season. Meanwhile storm after storm has soaked Oregon and Washington, and the National Weather Service reported that the first 12 days of January this year were the fourth-wettest on record for the Portland Airport that recorded 5.45 inches of rain from Jan. 1-12. Multnomah County Sheriff The recent Pacific Northwest storm was also accompanied by winds that reached 50-70 mph in parts of the Puget Sound region as the storm blew through on the tail end of several inches of rain that left the ground saturated and conditions ripe for tree falls, KOMO-TV reported. The death happened in Spokane, when a woman in her 40s died after a tree fell on her car and trapped her inside, said city Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer. High winds blew down trees across the greater Spokane region and Avista, a Spokane-based utility, reported that more than 70,000 customers were without power Wednesday morning. About 430,000 customers elsewhere in Washington state and in Oregon also lost electrical service, officials said. In Oregon, residents of the small community of Dodson were told to evacuate after the National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning Wednesday morning, KOIN reported. The weather service told residents to call friends in the area to wake them up and tweeted that the situation has been deemed too dangerous to send in rescue crews. Multnomah County Sheriff Near Dodson, part of Interstate 84 was closed after a landslide spilled onto the freeway before dawn. First responders were searching to try to determine whether anyone was caught in the debris. The landslide was estimated to be several feet deep in some areas and heavy machinery was being brought in to clear the debris, officials said. Several rivers began overflowing their banks in Oregon and a tractor-trailer in Washington state blew over amid heavy wind gusts as it attempted to travel over the Deception Pass Bridge north of Seattle, officials said. Part of the truck was left dangling over the edge of the bridge, but the driver escaped unharmed. The Associated Press contributed to this story. A man who punched and kicked screens and windows at a hotel in Belfast city centre has been jailed for six months. Gary O'Hara also knocked over a plant pot at the Ramada and lashed out at a PSNI officer amid attempts to arrest him. The 29-year-old, of Rossnareen Avenue in the city, was convicted of criminal damage, attempted criminal damage, assault on police and disorderly behaviour. Belfast Magistrates' Court heard police were called to the hotel on Talbot Street at around 6.30am on August 13 last year. Prosecution barrister Eoin Macdonald said: "Mr O'Hara had punched the perspex screen at the reception desk, knocking it off the counter. "He then proceeded to kick at the front doors and windows of the hotel, kicked over a plant pot at the front door causing a large chip in the side." O'Hara was detained at the scene while shouting abuse and "swearing frantically". He then kicked a car as he was being taken to a police vehicle and swung at a constable, but failed to connect. Due to his increasing violence O'Hara was placed in a PSNI Land Rover. "He spat on the wall of the truck on the way to custody," Mr Macdonald added. Defence solicitor Ciaran Toner told the court O'Hara had emerged from a previous spell in custody with no support in the community. Citing his client's addiction and mental health issues, the lawyer said: "He has absolutely no recollection of any of this. "This is a young man angry, highly intoxicated and lashing out." Judge Liam McStay described O'Hara's criminal record as "absolutely formidable". Imposing a total of six months imprisonment, he said: "Giving what credit I can, it's still a case which has to be dealt with by a firm custodial sentence." Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/14/2021 -- Competitive Intelligence Tools Market Comprehensive Study is an expert and top to bottom investigation on the momentum condition of the worldwide Competitive Intelligence Tools industry with an attention on the Global market. The report gives key insights available status of the Competitive Intelligence Tools producers and is an important wellspring of direction and course for organizations and people keen on the business. By and large, the report gives an inside and out understanding of 2020-2025 worldwide Competitive Intelligence Tools Market covering extremely significant parameters. Key Players in This Report Include, Crayon (Norway), Brandwatch (United Kingdom), SimilarWeb (United States), Klue (United States), Clootrack Software Labs Private Limited (India), Contify (India), Digimind (France), Competitors App (Romania), Kompyte (United States), CI Radar (United States), Intricately (United States) and Cipher Systems LLC (United States) Free Sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts @: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/130416-global-competitive-intelligence-tools-market Brief Summary of Competitive Intelligence Tools: Competitive intelligence tools enable businesses to capture, analyze, and take action on its competitive landscape. Competitive intelligence data can help a variety of teams within a business, including marketing, product, sales, and senior leadership. Marketing can use these tools to glean information about their competitor's marketing strategy, including social media strategy, digital advertising tactics, content strategy, and more. Sales can use these tools to gather information about their competitor's pricing changes and market moves or company acquisitions, among other use cases. Competitive intelligence tools are useful for product teams because these tools can provide insight around consumer feedback, product additions, product removals etc. Finally, senior executives can use these tools to drive investments and future company strategies. Market Trend - Growing Popularity of AI-enabled Competitive Intelligence Tool Market Drivers - The Growing Competition across the Various Business Verticals - The Rising Demand for Competitive Intelligence Tools In order to Understand Competitors Strategies - Rapid Digitalization Fueling the Demand for Competitive Intelligence Tools Opportunities - Emerging Demand from Developing Countries The Global Competitive Intelligence Tools Market segments and Market Data Break Down are illuminated below: by Deployment Mode (Web-based, Cloud-based), Organization Size (Large Enterprises, SMEs), Platform (Windows, Mac, Android, IoS, Others), Pricing (Monthly, Yearly) This research report represents a 360-degree overview of the competitive landscape of the Global Competitive Intelligence Tools Market. Furthermore, it offers massive data relating to recent trends, technological, advancements, tools, and methodologies. The research report analyzes the Global Competitive Intelligence Tools Market in a detailed and concise manner for better insights into the businesses. Regions Covered in the Competitive Intelligence Tools Market: - The Middle East and Africa (South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel, Egypt, etc.) - North America (United States, Mexico & Canada) - South America (Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, etc.) - Europe (Turkey, Spain, Turkey, Netherlands Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Russia UK, Italy, France, etc.) - Asia-Pacific (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Australia). Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/enquiry-before-buy/130416-global-competitive-intelligence-tools-market The research study has taken the help of graphical presentation techniques such as infographics, charts, tables, and pictures. It provides guidelines for both established players and new entrants in the Global Competitive Intelligence Tools Market. The detailed elaboration of the Global Competitive Intelligence Tools Market has been provided by applying industry analysis techniques such as SWOT and Porter's five-technique. Collectively, this research report offers a reliable evaluation of the global market to present the overall framework of businesses. Attractions of the Competitive Intelligence Tools Market Report: - The report provides granular level information about the market size, regional market share, historic market (2014-2018) and forecast (2019-2025) - The report covers in-detail insights about the competitor's overview, company share analysis, key market developments, and their key strategies - The report outlines drivers, restraints, unmet needs, and trends that are currently affecting the market - The report tracks recent innovations, key developments and start-up's details that are actively working in the market - The report provides plethora of information about market entry strategies, regulatory framework and reimbursement scenario Get 10% - 25% Discount on The Report @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/request-discount/130416-global-competitive-intelligence-tools-market Key Points Covered in the Table of Content: Chapter 1 to explain Introduction, market review, market risk and opportunities, market driving force, product scope of Competitive Intelligence Tools Market; Chapter 2 to inspect the leading manufacturers (Cost Structure, Raw Material) with sales Analysis, revenue Analysis, and price Analysis of Competitive Intelligence Tools Market; Chapter 3 to show the focused circumstance among the best producers, with deals, income, and Competitive Intelligence Tools market share 2020; Chapter 4 to display the regional analysis of Global Competitive Intelligence Tools Market with revenue and sales of an industry, from 2020 to 2022; Chapter 5, 6, 7 to analyze the key countries (United States, China, Europe, Japan, Korea & Taiwan), with sales, revenue and market share in key regions; Chapter 8 and 9 to exhibit International and Regional Marketing Type Analysis, Supply Chain Analysis, Trade Type Analysis; Chapter 10 and 11 to analyze the market by product type and application/end users (industry sales, share, and growth rate) from 2020 to 2026 Chapter 12 to show Competitive Intelligence Tools Market forecast by regions, forecast by type and forecast by application with revenue and sales, from 2020 to 2025; Chapter 13, 14 & 15 to specify Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source of Competitive Intelligence Tools market buyers, merchants, dealers, sales channel. Browse for Full Report at @: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/reports/130416-global-competitive-intelligence-tools-market Competitive Intelligence Tools Market research provides answers to the following key questions: ? What is the expected growth rate of the Competitive Intelligence Tools Market? ? What will be the Competitive Intelligence Tools Market size for the forecast period, 2020 2026? ? What are the main driving forces responsible for changing the Competitive Intelligence Tools Market trajectory? ? Who are the big suppliers that dominate the Competitive Intelligence Tools Market across different regions? Which are their wins to stay ahead in the competition? ? What are the Competitive Intelligence Tools Market trends business owners can rely upon in the coming years? ? What are the threats and challenges expected to restrict the progress of the Competitive Intelligence Tools Market across different countries? Contact US: Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager) AMA Research & Media LLP Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ New Jersey USA 08837 Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218 sales@advancemarketanalytics.com Advertisement Belgian rioters attacked the king's car with the monarch inside in violent unrest in Brussels over the death of a black man in police custody who was arrested for breaking the country's strict coronavirus rules. King Phillipe was travelling to the Palace of Laeken, his official residence, as protesters began to batter his BMW with projectiles. The vehicle quickly sped off guarded by the king's security detail. More than 500 protesters, some of them holding Black Lives Matter signs, gathered in Belgium's capital on Wednesday following the death of the 23-year-old Ibrahima Barrie. Barrie was arrested by police on Saturday in the city for breaking the limit on gatherings of more than four people outdoors. The city also has a strict 10pm curfew as part of restrictions that have brought the country's coronavirus rate under control after it soared in November. The man was taken to a police station where officers claim he fainted, and then transferred to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the office said. Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne said on Twitter that police have 'arrested more than 100 people,' while a police spokeswoman said that 'several' arrests had been made. Pictures from the scene of the riots near the Gare du Nord station showed King Phillipe's car being hit by rocks and other projectiles as it drove through the area. A police station was also set on fire by rioters throwing Molotov cocktails, with a video showing the building engulfed in flames. Other pictures showed fires had been lit in the streets of the city. The car of Belgium's King Phillipe (pictured, recognisable by it's '1' number plate) was attacked by protesters as it drove through the area. His security detail jumped into action to protect the car as people had been throwing objects at police King Philippe was on his way to his residence at the Palace of Laeken when the rioters attacked his vehicle Belgian police said more than 500 protesters gathered in Brussels on Wednesday following the death of a 23-year-old black man in police custody on Saturday Pictures from the scene of the riots showed King Phillipe's car as it drove through the area where rioters were protesting The 23-year-old man who died in custody was publicly identified only with the initials I.B, with some Belgian media reporting his name was Ibrahima Barrie (pictured) A police station was set on fire (pictured) with other pictures showing fires had been lit in the streets of the city Pictured: Graphs showing number of new coronavirus cases (left) and deaths (right) per day in Belgium. Belgium is the country with the highest number of deaths compared to population, with 175 fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Slovenia with 148, Bosnia-Herzegovina with 134, Italy 133, and Czech Republic 129 King Phillipe (pictured) was travelling from his workplace in Brussels to the Palace of Laeken, his official residence, when the car was caught up in the riots While the demonstration began peacefully, with speeches given by Barrie's family and their lawyer from around 4 p.m. local time, the atmosphere soon changed. Stones, fireworks and other objects were thrown at police responding to the group, with protesters shouting 'police, murderers'. As rioting escalated, local news station HLN reported that the king's car - Recognisable by the '1' number plate - 'suddenly appeared in the vicinity'. Protesters are said to have thrown objects at the car, before the king's security detail took action to get the vehicle away from the rioters. The EPA news agency said that the king was travelling from his workplace in Brussels to the Palace of Laeken, his official residence. Four people including two minors remain in custody after scores were arrested during a demonstration in Brussels over the death of a young black man who had been detained by police. A spokesman for the prosecutor's office said three were suspected of arson. The fourth has been accused of rebellion following the Wednesday demonstration, when police made more than 100 arrests. Officers said most of violence took place after a largely peaceful demonstration on Wednesday of about 500 protesters - some holding Black Lives Matter signs - ended in central Brussels. 'A group of demonstrators (50-100 people) remained on the spot and caused various incidents and degradations,' police said, adding that several officers were injured in the clashes. According to a police statement, protesters threw projectiles, set fires, damaged street furniture and police vehicles. They also smashed a window and a door at a police station. In all, 116 people were arrested, including 30 minors, and one protester was tended to by ambulance services, police said. A 17-year-old is said to have been injured after being hit by a police baton. 'Justice must bring to court those who have vandalised and have injured five policemen, including a policewoman who is hospitalised,' federal police captain Marc De Mesmaeker told broadcaster RTBF on Thursday. 'This must be done with care, just as the other aspect of the event, the tragic death of Ibrahima, must be treated with care.' Protesters demanded authorities shed light on the circumstances surrounding the man's death on Saturday night. Pictured: Hundreds of demonstrators gather around 'Gare du Nord' during a demonstration, some holding signs that said 'justice for Ibrahima' (pictured) Ibrahima B's mother (R) takes part in a demonstration on January 13, 2021 outside the police station in Brussels where her son was being held when he collapsed Police officers try to extinguish a fire set in a dumpster in the Belgium capital, Brussels, on Wednesday, amid violent clashes that have seen over 100 people arrested, officials said Protesters demanded authorities shed light on the circumstances surrounding the man's death on Saturday night, and that an investigative judge be appointed. The Brussels prosecutor's office announced on Wednesday that it was requesting the appointment of an investigative judge following the man death. Barrie was arrested after he allegedly tried to run away from police officers checking a group of people gathered in downtown Brussels despite COVID-19 measures restricting social gatherings, the prosecutor's office said. He was taken to a police station where he fainted and then transferred to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 20:22 local time, the office said. Speaking at a rally on Wednesday outside the police station, the lawyer for Barrie's family claimed that an initial autopsy showed the man died of a heart attack. Attorney Alexis Deswaef also accused the police of acting too slowly when Barrie collapsed in their custody. 'It took between five and seven minutes for someone to act,' he said. 'They should have helped him because as long as Ibrahima was deprived of his freedom, the police were responsible for him.' Initial findings by the toxicologist also said that there was nothing to suggest he had used drugs before his death, HLN reported, but added that he was found with three ecstasy pills on his possession. Official findings are yet to be released. A protester throws stones toward police officers in Brussels on Wednesday as protesters clash with police following the death of a 23-year-old black man in police custody on Saturday Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne said on Twitter that police have 'arrested more than 100 people amid the Wednesday clashes, with a reported 500 protesters demonstrating Health care workers administer first aid following the clash between police and demonstrators The prosecutor's office said Belgium's Comite P, an independent body overseeing police services, is investigating and a coroner has been appointed to perform an autopsy as well as toxicology tests. Belgian media reported that Barrie had started to record the police with his smartphone on Saturday when officers decided to carry out an ID check on him. The prosecutor's office said it has seized video surveillance images, both from the police station and at the scene of the man's arrest. His family and lawyer met with the chief prosecutor on Wednesday morning. The prosecutor's office said they were given guarantees that 'all means are and will be implemented to shed light on what happened.' A line of police officers stand guard as demonstrators gather around 'Gare du Nord' during a demonstration after the death of 23-year-old Ibrahima Barrie at the police station A woman wearing a face mask holds a sign that says 'End police brutality now' following the death of 23-year-old Ibrahima Barrie at the police station Police officers advance down a street in Brussels as a water cannon is uses to subdue protesters demonstrating following the death of 23-year-old Ibrahima Barrie Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden condemned the man's death and subsequent unrest as 'totally unacceptable' and assured the public over the investigation. 'We will follow that up and, if necessary, take the necessary steps to also condemn misconduct by the police,' Ms Verlinden said, as quoted by the Brussels Times. 'But today, there is no reason to do so, and therefore there is certainly no reason for this kind of violence.' Regions of Belgium that speak French have a 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew while in Belgium's Dutch-speaking region, the hours are midnight to 5 a.m. .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... NAIROBI, Kenya a At least 80 civilians have been killed in a new massacre in a western region of Ethiopia, the same place where more than 200 died last month, human rights activists said on Wednesday. The attack occurred early Tuesday in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, said Aaron Maasho, a senior adviser at the state-run Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. Other witnesses put the death toll higher, telling Ethiopian state broadcaster EBC more than 100 people died, some of them children. Few details about the incident were available, but the region, which borders Sudan, is home to many members of ethnic minorities who have repeatedly been victims of such attacks in the past. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ More than 200 people were killed in a similar massacre in Benishangul-Gumuz in December. The latest attack took place in the regions Metekel area, which is under the control of the Ethiopian army as well as regional forces. These harrowing killings have to stop, Maasho said. For the umpteenth time, we call on authorities at federal and regional levels to enhance coordination amongst themselves and strengthen their security presence in the area to prevent such incidents from taking place, he said. Tensions between Ethiopias ethnic groups have increased under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who has been in power since 2018. Ethiopia launched a military offensive on its northern region of Tigray in November. The conflict was declared to have ended by Abiy in early December, though there are reports of pockets of ongoing fighting. ___ (c)2021 Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH (Hamburg, Germany) Visit Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH (Hamburg, Germany) at www.dpa.de/English.82.0.html Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. A Newark police officer died Wednesday of coronavirus complications, marking the seventh member of the states largest local police force to succumb to the virus, his family and officials said. Officer Hector Moya was 55. He served with the Newark police for more than two decades. The City of Newark deeply grieves the loss of this beloved 22-year police veteran, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka said in a statement. Officer Moya served our communities with honor, distinction and excellence. We extend our deepest condolences and prayers to Officer Moyas family. Grieving fellow officers escorted Moyas body from the hospital to a funeral home with a final salute. Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said Moya was the seventh city police officer lost to the pandemic. Officer Moya was a highly respected member of the Newark Police Division, Ambrose added. He always had a kind word on his lips and a bright smile on his face. He fought a valiant fight against this virus and will be sorely missed. The mayor and public safety director offered heartfelt prayers and condolences to the officers family. Moya joined the Newark police in March 1998, according to officials. He served in assignments including the Fugitive Apprehension Unit, Auto Crimes Division, Special Victims Division and patrolled the citys 2nd, 4th and 5th Precincts. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a grim toll on police and other first responders across the country. Last year, deaths attributed to the pandemic were the leading cause of death for law enforcement officers ahead of shootings and vehicle crashes, according to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Preliminary reports from law enforcement agencies throughout the United States illustrate that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has claimed more law enforcement lives than any single category in this report, an analysis from the nonprofit group said. New Jersey recently opened its coronavirus vaccine program to police and fire personnel. As of Wednesday, the state of roughly 9 million residents reported more than 20,000 total deaths linked to the pathogen since the outbreak began last year. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 14) Rappler CEO Maria Ressa is facing her third cyber libel case, this time, over an article written by reporter Rambo Talabong on a college professor's alleged involvement in a thesis-for-sale scheme. Documents obtained by CNN Philippines on Thursday show the charges reaching Branch 24 of the Regional Trial Court of Manila on Jan. 8, filed by Senior Assistant City Prosecutor John Allen Farinas. The state prosecutor said Ressa, as editor, and Talabong, as writer, conspired to publish a January 23, 2020 article titled 'Thesis for sale: Benilde students say they paid 20,000 to pass', with the "malicious intent" of damaging the reputation of Ariel Pineda, then head of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde's Export Management Program. The article was based on an October 2019 complaint filed by AK Paras, who learned from at least two fellow students that their thesis groups paid Pineda 20,000 through a middleman, in exchange for passing the program. The college confirmed investigating the case, while Pineda did not reply to Rapplers emails, according to the article. The story contained "false, malicious, derogatory, and highly libelous imputation as well as offensive insinuations" against Pineda, the prosecution said, citing results of a preliminary investigation. Ressa, Talabong post bail A warrant of arrest has been issued against Ressa and Tabalong, who already surrendered to authorities and posted bail of 30,000 each, said their counsel, Theodore Te. Arraignment is set for February 4. "We are studying the resolution, which we disagree with, and will exhaust all possible legal remedies to have the same dismissed," Te said in a statement on Thursday. "It is disturbing because it seems like cyber libel is now the first option in case of disagreement on reporting. Rappler stood by the story, reiterating the call to decriminalize libel to stop the harassment of journalists. "I spent weeks reporting and weeks more doing everything to ensure that the story is fair," Talabong said. "This case further proves that decriminalizing libel is imperative. No journalist should be intimidated for doing their job." Ressa's other cases In June 2020, Ressa and former Rappler staffer Reynaldo Santos, Jr. were convicted for cyber libel over a 2012 investigative article which reported on businessman Wilfredo Keng's alleged connection to illegal activities. Ressa and Santos are free on bail. Critics and human rights advocates said the case is part of the government's crackdown on media critical of President Rodrigo Duterte. Malacanang said the conviction was not politically motivated, stressing that the case was filed by Keng, a private complainant. Ressas second cyber libel case stems from another complaint filed by Keng over a tweet, where she shared a news website's article on his alleged involvement in the ambush-slay of a former Manila councilor. Ressa's camp has filed an appeal, mainly arguing she is not the author of the article that was found defamatory, and should not be held liable for merely sharing it. CNN Philippines' Anjo Alimario contributed to this report. ADVERTISEMENT Despite her being unqualified for the job as stipulated by the law, President Muhammadu Buhari has failed to rescind his appointment of Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim as the head of the anti-trafficking agency, NAPTIP, as the new director-general has since assumed office. Mrs Sulaiman-Ibrahim was on December 2 appointed the head of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, also known as NAPTIP, after her predecessor, Julie Okah-Donli, was axed. But she did not assume office until December 22. Upon her appointment, this newspaper reported how the law establishing the agency was flouted to land Mrs Sulaiman-Ibrahim the top job. Section 8 (1) of the NAPTIP Act 2015 mandates any appointee for the position of the the director-general of the agency to be from the directorate cadre in the civil service or from an equivalent cadre in any of the nations law enforcement agencies. There shall be for the agency a Director-General who shall be from the Directorate cadre in the public service of the Federation or its equivalent in any law enforcement service and shall be appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Minister, the section reads. The Act further stipulates that the agency must have a board, to which the director-general is the secretary, and the board must be made up of representatives of the government, all of whom must be within the directorate cadre in any of the ministries of justice, women affairs, labour and productivity, the police, the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Nigerian Immigration Service and the National Population Commission (NPC). Mrs Sulaiman-Ibrahims credential does not match these requirements, and her appointment makes it the second time ever the NAPTIP law was breached while appointing the head of the agency. Mr Buhari was president both times. A politician and businesswoman, Mrs Sulaiman-Ibrahims stint in public office was as a special adviser on strategic communication to the minister of state for education. This implies that she was only a political appointee whose appointment ends with the expiration of the tenure of the current government, and, therefore, did not meet the directorate cadre prerequisite for the position she now holds. Authorities have since kept mum about the appointment, an indication they approve of Mrs Sulaiman-Ibrahim assumption of office or are unwilling to do anything about it. Again on Wednesday, presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu, directed all comments to the ministry of humanitarian affairs, whose spokeswoman, Halima Oyelade, declined comment. The spokesman of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willy Bassey, also declined comment. Undeterred, the new appointee has since commenced work and has been seen in the public performing functions and visiting dignitaries, including her state governor in Nasarawa. On Tuesday, she released a statement saying that NAPTIP has handed over 22 rescued children to the Kaduna State Government. Reporter Heather Bellow, a member of the investigations team, joined The Eagle in 2017. She is based in the South Berkshire County bureau in Great Barrington. Her work has appeared in newspapers across the U.S. The "Europe Sulfur Hexafluoride Market Forecast to 2027 COVID-19 Impact and Regional Analysis by Grade (Electronic Grade, UHP Grade), End-user (Power and Energy, Electronics, Metal Manufacturing, Medical, and Others)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The sulfur hexafluoride market in Europe is expected to grow from US$ 39.12 million in 2019 to US$ 57.35 million by 2027; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.9% from 2020 to 2027. Rising demand for sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) in the electronics industry is bolstering the growth of the market. Sulfur hexafluoride possesses excellent properties that make it compatible with electrical appliances. The thermal stability and high dielectric strength of sulfur hexafluoride offer outstanding cooling and insulating properties. The application of sulfur hexafluoride in the form of a dielectric medium in capacitors, switchgear, circuit breakers, and other electric appliances is a factor driving the growth of the sulfur hexafluoride market. Several appliances having an operating range of 33 KV to 800 KV can be made with the help of sulfur hexafluoride. These appliances are utilized in the power and energy generation plants, which further propels the demand for sulfur hexafluoride in the energy and power industries. Various uses of sulfur hexafluoride in medical equipment is among the other factors expected to positively influence the demand for sulfur hexafluoride. Based on end user, the power and energy segment led the sulfur hexafluoride market in 2019. The power energy sector is considered to be one of the largest consumers of sulfur hexafluoride in several application bases. SF6 is mainly used as an insulating medium for a diversified range of high voltage electrical and electronic equipment, including circuit breakers, switch gears, and particles accelerators. This attracts a significant number of consumers across the world. Increasing adoption of SF6 in the power and energy industry ensures the growth of sulfur hexafluoride market. In the current era, focus has been shifted over use of gas insulated high-voltage cables as well as tubular transmission lines for distribution of high-power in heavily concentrated industrial areas. Owing to this, the demand for power and energy is high, thereby catalyzing the growth of the sulfur hexafluoride market. Sulfur hexafluoride is regarded as the most powerful greenhouse gas. Applications of this gas have been rising rapidly in recent years, with the boom in the green energy, which ultimately drives the growth of the sulfur hexafluoride market. The COVID-19 pandemic has been hampering the businesses related to the chemical industry; it has also affected the sulfur hexafluoride market in Europe. The major countries in the European region are under lockdown. The governments of countries that have experienced high infection spread have imposed isolation and social distancing measures to contain disease transmission. The lesser production of goods and commodities is hampering the growth of the Europe sulfur hexafluoride market. Germany has the largest number of COVID-19 cases in Europe, followed by Italy and France. Italy was the first country in this region to report a confirmed case of COVID-19 infection. Reasons to Buy Save and reduce time carrying out entry-level research by identifying the growth, size, leading players and segments in the Europe Sulfur Hexafluoride market. Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies. The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Europe Sulfur Hexafluoride market, thereby allowing players across the value chain to develop effective long-term strategies. Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets. Scrutinize in-depth Europe market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the Sulfur Hexafluoride market, as well as those hindering it. Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to client products, segmentation, pricing and distribution. Market Dynamics Drivers Increasing demand of Sulfur Hexafluoride from in Electronics Industry Varied Application of Sulfur Hexafluoride in Medical Equipment Restraints Sulfur hexafluoride is dangerous for environment and humans Opportunities Adoption of HDVC transmission in developing nations Future Trends Mitigating options pertaining to Sulfur hexafluoride emissions Companies Mentioned Air Liquide Iwatani Corporation Linde plc Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc SHOWA DENKO K.K. Solvay S.A. Fujian Shaowu Yongfei Chemical Co., Ltd. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/v738yr View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005526/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 Bharatiya Janata Party national general secretary and West Bengal in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya took potshots at Trinamool Congerss supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee while celebrating the festival of Makar Sankranti in his hometown Indore on Thursday. Stating that Banerjee and her party can lose power in Bengal in no time, Vijayvargiya as many as 41 TMC MLAs are ready to switch camps and are in touch with the BJP. Mamataji ki patang toh kategi 100%. Kyonki hamne itni dheel de di hai. Ab to ek hath kheechenge aur sarkar gir jayegi. Isliye hame vishwas hai ki Mamata ji ki patang toh gayi. (Mamata is sure to lose the battle (kite flying). We have loosened the string so much that if we tighten it slightly, her government will be gone.)" The BJP leader said there is immense despair and he has a list of 41 TMC MLAs who are eager to join the BJP in West Bengal. If we make them join our party, the government (of Banerjee) will come down in no time. But we are shortlisting the names as we have decided we would not bring anybody with a tainted track record in our party, said Vijayvargiya. Several leaders of the ruling party in Bengal have the BJP recently. Assembly elections are likely to be held in April-May in the state. Regarding the ongoing farm agitation, Vijayvargiya said in a democracy, people reserve the right to oppose even the Prime Minister, but the nations image should not take a beating due to the stir. I was speaking to some industrialists recently in Kolkata who told me that some big ticket investments were lined up for India as there is a strong resentment against China, but these investments were deterred due to the farmers agitation, the BJP leader said. Marmorstein: You might soon be living in a million dollar home unfortunately In the F.B.I. wanted posters seeking information about people who broke into the Capitol, images of Jake Angeli, a well-known conspiracy theorist from Arizona who stormed the building in face paint and a fur headdress with horns, stood out. Just to his right in the poster, gray-haired and holding his phone aloft, is Albert Ciarpelli, 65, of Syracuse. Federal agents took Mr. Ciarpelli, a registered Republican, into custody Jan. 13 on charges of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, as well as knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds, both misdemeanors. William Sullivan, a lawyer for Mr. Ciarpelli, did not respond to a message left at his law office. In an interview with federal investigators, Mr. Ciarpelli described entering the Capitol through a bashed-in door, climbing to the second floor and taking photos of a portrait of Andrew Jackson, whom he admires, as sightseeing, according to court documents. Mr. Ciarpelli said his sojourn in Washington was a little adventure. But after he returned home, upon reflection, Mr. Ciarpelli stated that he was out of his mind and had never done anything like that before, investigators said. A Utica business owner William Arthur Leary, the owner of Estate Manufactured Housing Corp., a housing construction company in Utica, was arrested by Metropolitan Police the evening of the riot for violating the curfew imposed by Mayor Bowser. Mr. Leary told The Associated Press that he never entered the Capitol and was held for more than 24 hours following his arrest, during which his cellphone was confiscated. The police, Mr. Leary said, treated us like animals, adding: They took all our phones. I didnt get to make a phone call to tell anybody where I was. Federal prosecutors have not announced any charges against Mr. Leary. Nicole Hong, Mihir Zaveri, Alan Feuer, Benjamin Weiser, Troy Closson, William K. Rashbaum, and Ed Shanahan contributed reporting. Berlin, Jan 14 : German Health Minister Jens Spahn called for international solidarity to overcome the Covid-19 crisis. "No country, no party, no government can defeat the virus alone. It can only be done together," Spahn said in a speech to the German parliament. Spahn also appealed to the German public to apply the same solidarity. "Only if many are willing to be vaccinated can we defeat the virus," said Spahn on Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported. He said that Germany, with a population of 83 million, had ordered enough vaccines to offer everyone inoculations against Covid-19 this year, and pointed to low supply versus high demand as a reason for the sluggish pace in administering the jabs so far, reported German news agency dpa. "On the one hand, we are living in the toughest phase of the pandemic," Spahn said, adding that vaccines provided "a light at the end of the tunnel." In an interview with Deutschlandfunk radio broadcaster, he again rejected the idea of compulsory vaccinations. "I gave my word in the Bundestag [national parliament]: There will be no compulsory vaccinations in this pandemic," Spahn said, adding that the government was instead focusing on information campaigns to foster trust, dpa reported. Also on Wednesday, figures from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) showed that the number of Covid-19-related deaths in Germany remained at a high level and went up by 1,060 within one day, bringing the death toll in the country to 42,637. Another 19,600 people in Germany tested positive for Covid-19 in a 24-hour period, taking the total to more than 1.95 million, according to the government agency for disease control and prevention. The new virus variant that was detected in South Africa and was possibly associated with higher transmissibility had been "identified sporadically in Germany," the RKI noted. The German government was looking into adapting entry restrictions and testing obligations as well as introducing more genome sequencing in the lab to further contain the spread of Covid-19, local media reported. Although the 7-day incidence observed over the Christmas holidays and the turn of the year had declined, the RKI warned that "significant increases" were now observed in all age groups, in particular in the younger age groups between 15 and 39 years. Germany has so far administered the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine to 688,782 people, or 8.3 per 1,000 residents, according to Tuesday's data from RKI, dpa said. The vaccination drive has so far focused on the most vulnerable in the pandemic, such as the elderly and their carers. Germany is currently using two vaccines -- from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna -- both of which require two doses to effectively prevent Covid-19, dpa said. As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, vaccination is underway in Germany and some other countries with the already-authorized coronavirus vaccines. Meanwhile, 236 candidate vaccines are still being developed worldwide -- 63 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain and the United States, according to information released by the World Health Organization on January 12. MIAMI, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Galen College of Nursing has opened a new state-of-the-art campus dedicated solely to quality nursing education in South Florida. As the largest educator of nurses in the South, Galen strives to elevate the student experience and inspire thousands of nursing students who graduate each year with licensure pass rates consistently above the national average from its six ground campuses. The campus will offer the following programs: Three-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) Licensed Practical Nurse to Associate Degree in Nursing Bridge (LPN to ADN Bridge) As a college dedicated solely to excellence in nursing education, Galen delivers an unparalleled educational experience with extraordinary support to prepare students for distinction in practice. The 45,000-square-foot campus located in Pembroke Pines is designed to foster learning through a thoughtful blend of interactive classrooms and advanced simulation technology, compelling design, and collaborative and creative space. Created with students in mind, it is a symbol of the high-quality education Galen has provided for decades and an expression of ongoing commitment to its student body and healthcare in the community. "We have been educating nurses for over 30 years. As the demand for nurses continues to grow, Galen College of Nursing is dedicated to meeting the evolving needs of our students and our healthcare partners for the critical development of the nation's nursing workforce, essential to the backbone of healthcare in our country," said Mark Vogt, Galen's Chief Executive Officer. "As the largest educator of nurses in the South, it is incumbent on us to consistently exceed expectations in the delivery of the best nursing education possible for our students, for the healthcare systems where they'll practice, and for the patients for whom they will care. Our potential for impact in our communities is limitless as the need for nurses has never been greater. We couldn't be more honored and excited to continue in this journey of growth and evolution as nurse educators." Founded in 1989 in Louisville, Kentucky, Galen is one of the largest private nursing schools in the United States. With a sole focus on nursing education, Galen offers programs across its campuses in Tampa Bay, Florida; Louisville and Hazard, Kentucky; San Antonio, Texas; Cincinnati, Ohio; and online with post-nursing licensure education. "Galen's mission is to expand access to quality nursing education and prepare diverse learners to demonstrate excellence and compassion in nursing," said Audria Denker, DNP, RN, Galen's Executive Vice President of Nursing. "Through our 'Pure Nursing' philosophy, we offer our students the same care, compassion, and excellence in nursing education that is expected of them in practice. The heart of our culture revolves around it as we honor and elevate potential to help thousands of people every year change their life and enter a profession that will help make a difference in the lives of countless others." With four quarterly term starts per year at the campus at 1200 SW 145th Ave. in Pembroke Pines, admission for the April 1 term start is now in progress. Virtual admissions appointments can be scheduled by calling (877) 223-7040 or going online to galencollege.edu. About Galen College of Nursing Founded over 30 years ago, Galen College of Nursing is one of the largest private nursing schools in the United States. With a focus solely on nursing education, Galen offers baccalaureate, master's, associate and practical/vocational nursing programs, to over 7,500 students on its campuses in Louisville and Hazard, Ky.; San Antonio, Texas; Tampa Bay and Miami, Fla.; Cincinnati, Ohio; and online. Galen is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. For more information about Galen College of Nursing, visit galencollege.edu. Contact: Michael Rabkin, Communications Manager (917) 684-9362 (cell) [email protected] SOURCE Galen College of Nursing Related Links https://galencollege.edu JACKSON COUNTY, Mississippi -- Just one day after Gov. Tate Reeves opened up COVID-19 vaccines to those 65 and older and those with serious medical conditions, the state health department announced it had already exhausted its allotment of the vaccine for scheduled appointments. The Mississippi State Department of Health had a vaccine distribution plan in place that has been significantly altered in the last few days especially in the last 24 hours, the MDH said in a release Wednesday afternoon. Neither the county health department drive-through sites, nor the UMMC vaccine scheduling website was designed to accommodate the monumental surge we are currently experiencing. At this time, we have no additional vaccine and every appointment is tied to an actual vaccination. The health department said it hopes to receive a large shipment of vaccine in mid-February. Earlier Wednesday, Reeves received his first dose of the vaccine, which was streamed live via Facebook. He said he wanted to take the vaccine publicly to demonstrate his confidence in its safety and efficacy. Weve heard from a lot of Mississippians who are concerned about taking the vaccine and what weve tried to do, over the last several weeks, is remove roadblocks, Reeves said, standing in the Governors Mansion with the state health officer, Dr. Thomas Dobbs. Meanwhile, the spread of the coronavirus continues unabated, both statewide and locally. Since Dec. 1, Jackson County has seen a 52.2 percent increase in cases and a 34.3 percent increase in deaths, with the county closing in on 10,000 cases with 9,996 as of Thursday, along with 172 deaths. Over the past week, Jackson County totaled 632 cases for a daily average of 90.3 -- both increases over the prior week when there were 603 cases and an 86.1 average. There were eight deaths in the county, identical to the week prior. In Harrison County, there were 1,044 total cases, averaging 149.1 per day, also increases from the prior week. There were 19 deaths -- including 13 reported Tuesday -- up from 12 the previous week. Harrison County now totals 12,806 cases and 188 deaths. Coastwide, there were 1,893 total cases for an average of 270.4 per day, up from 1,830 and 261.4, respectively, the previous week. There were 29 totals deaths in the three coastal counties, eight more than the week prior. The Mississippi coast now totals 25,271 cases and 417 deaths. Mississippis statewide totals now stand at 245,847 cases and 5,356 deaths. Since Dec. 1, the state case total has risen by 59.2 percent and the death count by 39.6 percent. Other data released by the MDH Thursday show that 1,366 people were hospitalized across the state, with 347 of those in intensive care. There were 60 ICU beds available statewide. The numbers were worse locally. Singing River Hospital had six COVID patients in ICU and only two of its 16 ICU beds remained available. At Ocean Springs Hospital, half of its 24 ICU beds were occupied by COVID patients, with no ICU beds available. The health department now says 198,888 Mississippians are now presumed recovered from the virus, with 41,603 known active cases, down from 46,461 a week ago. Total testing stands at 1,969,970, with a positive rate of 12.5, up slightly from 12.4 a week ago. More than 83,000 people were tested for COVID-19 in the past seven days. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Dollar General employees are being offered an incentive to get the COVID-19 vaccination - the company will give them four hours pay. The Wall Street Journal reports that the retailer is among the first large U.S. employers who have offered incentives to encourage their employees to take the COVID-19 vaccine - Dollar General employs 157,000 people. Its move to incentivize staff could be interpreted as a sign that companies with essential workers view mass inoculation as crucial in crushing the pandemic. Among those jockeying for priority access to the vaccines for their workers, are grocery stores, airlines and transit companies, whose goals are two-fold - to protect the health of their employees and give customers assurance, which ultimately bolsters business, The Wall Street Journal reported. Although some big employers have said they want as many workers as possible to take the vaccine, according to The Wall Street Journal, they will stop short of making inoculation a requirement. This week, Verizon Communications Inc. told staff it wont require them to get vaccinated, and CVS Health Corp., whose pharmacists are distributing vaccines and are themselves eligible for doses, said it encourages but doesnt mandate shots. Some employees face obstacles to inoculation. In terms of their ability to receive the vaccine, the report explained that common among hourly employees are the challenges of child-care needs, scheduling constraints caused by holding multiple jobs, and transportation limitations. Additionally, the report noted that retail workers are sometimes hesitant to seek medical services because their pay rate is minimum wage, and they often dont have access to work-sponsored health insurance coverage or paid time off. The Wall Street Journal cited Todd Vasos, Dollar Generals chief executive, who said: We felt the right thing to do was to break down these barriers to vaccination. He added that he didnt want expenses associated with child care, transit or lost work hours to keep workers from getting shots. Vasos continued, We believe as the vaccine continues to gain momentum that weve got to get it to rural America. The report noted that nearly 75% of Dollar General stores are located in rural areas or small towns. To get the four hours of pay, Dollar General will ask workers to check a box verifying that they have received a dose, the report explained. Employees wont be asked to provide a vaccination card or other proof. Additionally, Dollar General staff who have adverse reactions to the vaccine, will be provided with paid time off, The Wall Street Journal reported. A spokesman for the company said that the vaccine-incentive program wont have a material impact on Dollar Generals finances. Because Dollar General was deemed an essential retailer, it remained open during much of last year, logging strong sales of groceries and other household items, the report said. The Wall Street Journal report noted that Dollar General told investors that the pandemic had led to a significant sales benefit and reported a $2 billion profit in the first three quarters of its fiscal year, a 71% increase from the same period in the prior year. The report stated that Dollar General spent $173 million on employee bonuses as of Nov. 17, and during the pandemic began offering paid sick leave. Safety measures should still be adhered to, following inoculation. Even after staff are vaccinated, public-health experts warn that workers will still need to wear masks, social-distance and follow additional safety measures, The Wall Street Journal explained. There is still little known about whether those who have been vaccinated can continue to spread the virus, the report said. READ MORE: BEIJING, Jan.14 -- On January 13, 2021, Director-General of the Department of Arms Control of the Foreign Ministry Fu Cong and EU Special Envoy for Non-proliferation and Disarmament Marjolijn Van Deelen co-held via videolink a new round of China-Europe consultation on arms control and non-proliferation. Both sides exchanged views on topics of common interest covering nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, biochemistry, outer space, export control, and conventional arms control. CARLSBAD, Calif., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As scientists continue to identify new strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, including the B.1.1.7 UK variant that studies suggest is more transmissible, genetic sequencing is being used to track these strains and new ones that are emerging, as well as to trace transmission patterns within communities. Today, Thermo Fisher Scientific announced an extension of its SARS-CoV-2 GlobalAccess Sequencing Program to provide additional units of the Ion Torrent Genexus System* and Ion GeneStudio S5* Series sequencers at a subsidized price to further support global COVID-19 research and surveillance. Understanding the virus's genetic code and new variants is critical to assist with genetic tracing and transmission interruption efforts. Further research is also needed to determine how new strains affect people who are infected and vaccine effectiveness. Thermo Fisher's next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology offers researchers fast, real-time sequencing-data acquisition and easy data sharing across the global scientific community, as suggested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). "As new strains of the virus have emerged and continue to spread, genetic sequencing provides unique insights on the epidemiology of infection and transmission patterns," said Garret Hampton, president of clinical next-generation sequencing and oncology at Thermo Fisher Scientific. "When we first launched the GlobalAccess Sequencing Program in May, our intention was to accelerate multi-institutional efforts to map coronavirus transmission and epidemiological studies. We are excited to continue our support of global research efforts to help track the growing presence of new strains across the globe." With only five minutes of hands-on time required, the Genexus System is the world's first turnkey NGS solution that is designed to deliver results in a day in a decentralized laboratory setting. The platform's ease of use and automation has been developed to provide researchers regardless of expertise level access to the power of NGS technology. When combined with the Ion AmpliSeq SARS-CoV-2 Research Panel, the platform provides laboratories with a powerful, specimen-to-report workflow to carry out infectious disease studies using minimal amounts of sample. In July of 2020, Thermo Fisher expanded the GlobalAccess Sequencing Program to laboratories working in oncology. To learn more about the GlobalAccess Sequencing Program, visit www.thermofisher.com/globalaccess. *For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. About Thermo Fisher Scientific Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue exceeding $25 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, improving patient diagnostics and therapies or increasing productivity in their laboratories, we are here to support them. Our global team of more than 75,000 colleagues delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services and Patheon. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com/globalaccess. Media Contact Information: Mauricio Minotta Director, Public Relations +1 760 929 2456 [email protected] Jen Heady Greenough Brand Storytellers +1 617 275 6547 [email protected] SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific Related Links http://www.thermofisher.com MEXICO CITY, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- New Notes Offering The United Mexican States (" Mexico ") announced today the commencement of a global offering (the " New Notes Offering ") of its global notes to be denominated in euros due 2033 (the " 2033 New Notes ") and its global notes to be denominated in euros due 2051 (" 2051 New Note s," and together with the 2033 New Notes, the " New Notes "). The New Notes offered may include New Notes that may be issued and sold to certain tendering holders in the Tender Offer (as described below). Banco Santander, S.A., Barclays Bank PLC, BNP Paribas and Citigroup Global Markets Limited will serve as Joint Lead Underwriters for the New Notes Offering. The New Notes Offering is being made only by means of a preliminary prospectus supplement and an accompanying base prospectus. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the related prospectus for the New Notes Offering may be obtained by contacting: Banco Santander, S.A. collect at +44 7418 709 688 / +44 7742 403 679, Barclays Bank PLC, collect at +44 20 3134 8515 / toll free at +1-888-603-5847, BNP Paribas toll free at +1-800-854-5674 / collect at +44 (0)20 7595 8222 and Citigroup Global Markets Limited toll-free at 1-800-831-9146. Application will be made for the New Notes to be admitted to listing on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and admitted to trading on the Euro MTF Market of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. Tender Offer Mexico also announced today that it has commenced an offer to purchase for cash (the " Tender Offer "): (i) outstanding notes of the series set forth in Table 1 below (collectively, the " Tranche A Old Notes " and each, a " series " of Tranche A Old Notes) in an aggregate principal amount of all series of Tranche A Old Notes that will not exceed an amount determined by Mexico in its sole discretion (the " Tranche A Maximum Purchase Amount ") and (ii) outstanding notes of the series set forth in Table 2 below (collectively, the " Tranche B Old Notes ", and each, a " series " of Tranche B Old Notes) in an aggregate principal amount of all series of Tranche B Old Notes that will not exceed an amount determined by Mexico in its sole discretion (the " Tranche B Maximum Purchase Amount "). The Tranche A Old Notes and the Tranche B Old Notes are referred to collectively as the " Old Notes " and each as a " series " of Old Notes. Mexico will purchase notes of each series of Old Notes in an aggregate principal amount for such series that will not exceed an amount determined by Mexico in its sole discretion (the " Maximum Purchase Amount " for such series). In respect of the Tranche A Old Notes, Mexico will give preference to tendering holders who concurrently submit an indication of interest for the purchase of 2033 New Notes, and in respect of the Tranche B Old Notes, Mexico will give preference to tendering holders who concurrently submit an indication of interest for the purchase of 2051 New Notes. "Indication of Interest" means the submission to the underwriters of the New Notes Offering, during the Tender Period, of a firm bid for an amount certain of 2033 New Notes (by holders of Tranche A Old Notes) or 2051 New Notes (by holders of Tranche B Old Notes) at an indicated spread over the applicable Interpolated Mid-Swap yield. The Tender Offer is made on the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the Offer to Purchase, dated Thursday, January 14, 2021 (the " Offer to Purchase "), including the pricing of the issue of the New Notes in an amount and on terms and subject to conditions acceptable to Mexico, which is expected to occur today. All capitalized terms used but not defined under the heading "Tender Offer" in this communication have the respective meanings specified in the Offer to Purchase. The tender period (the " Tender Period ") will commence at 8:30 a.m., London time, on Thursday, January 14, 2021, and, unless extended or earlier terminated by Mexico in its sole discretion, the Tender Period will expire for Non-Preferred Tenders at 12:00 noon, London time, and, for Preferred Tenders, at 2:00 p.m., London time, on that same day. Mexico expects to announce the Tranche A Maximum Purchase Amount, the Tranche B Maximum Purchase Amount, the aggregate principal amount of Preferred and Non-Preferred Tenders of each series of the Old Notes that have been accepted and whether any proration has occurred at or around 8:30 a.m., London time, on Friday, January 15, 2021. The settlement of the Tender Offer is scheduled to occur on Wednesday, January 20, 2021 (the " Tender Offer Settlement Date ") and is subject to change without notice. The purchase price of the 2.750% Global Notes due 2023 (the " 2023 Notes ") that are validly tendered and accepted pursuant to the Tender Offer will be determined, in accordance with the procedures sets forth in the Offer to Purchase, using (i) the Bund Rate (as defined in the Offer to Purchase), which is the yield to maturity based on the mid-market prices of the reference Bundesanleihe security of the German Government (the " Reference Bund ") identified for such series in Table 1 below and (ii) the Fixed Spread for such series set forth in Table 1 below. The purchase price to be paid for the Old Notes, other than the 2023 Notes, of each series that are validly tendered and accepted pursuant to the Tender Offer will be determined, in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Offer to Purchase, using (i) the Interpolated Mid-Swap Rate (as defined in the Offer to Purchase) identified for such series in the tables below and (ii) the Fixed Spread for such series set forth in the tables below. Mexico will announce the price to be paid for each series of Old Notes at or around 5:00 p.m., London time, on Thursday, January 14, 2021 or as soon as possible thereafter. Holders of the Old Notes participating in the Tender Offer will also receive any accrued and unpaid interest on their Old Notes up to (but excluding) the Settlement Date (" Accrued Interest "). Table 1: Tranche A Old Notes Old Notes Outstanding Principal Amount as of January 13, 2021 ISIN Common Code Reference Security Fixed Spread (basis points) Hypothetical Price(1) 2.750% Global Notes due 2023 1,600,000,000 XS0916766057 091676605 OBL 0% due 04/14/23 (DE0001141778) (2) +25 1,073.76 1.625% Global Notes due 2024 1,250,000,000 XS1198102052 119810205 2024 Interpolated Mid-Swap Rate(3) +45 1,052.37 1.625% Global Notes due 2026 1,500,000,000 XS1974394675 197439467 2026 Interpolated Mid-Swap Rate(3) +100 1,054.30 1.750% Global Notes due 2028 1,500,000,000 XS1751001139 175100113 2028 Interpolated Mid-Swap Rate(3) +120 1,063.13 (1) Per 1,000 principal amount of Old Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase (the "Purchase Price"). Holders will also receive Accrued Interest on Old Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase. Hypothetical prices are calculated for illustration purposes, using prices for the Reference Interpolated Mid-Swaps or Reference Bund, as applicable, as referenced on the applicable Bloomberg screen at 4:00 p.m., London time, on Wednesday, January 13, 2021. (2) The Dealer Managers will calculate the applicable Bund Rate using the average of the bid and ask prices of the Reference Bund on the FIT GE-1 Bloomberg screen at or around the time of pricing of the New Notes, as further described in the Offer to Purchase. (3) The Dealer Managers will calculate the applicable Interpolated Mid-Swap Rate using the interpolation calculation between the applicable Mid-Swap Rates on the ICAE1 Bloomberg screen at or around the time of pricing of the New Notes, as further described in the Offer to Purchase. Table 2: Tranche B Old Notes Old Notes Outstanding Principal Amount as of January 13, 2021 ISIN Common Code Reference Security(1) Fixed Spread (basis points) Hypothetical Price(2) 2.875% Global Notes due 2039 1,500,000,000 XS1974394758 197439475 2039 Interpolated Mid-Swap Rate +215 1,103.66 3.000% Global Notes due 2045 1,250,000,000 XS1198103456 119810345 2045 Interpolated Mid-Swap Rate +225 1,127.08 (1) The Dealer Managers will calculate the applicable Interpolated Mid-Swap Rate using the interpolation calculation between the applicable Mid-Swap Rates on the ICAE1 Bloomberg screen at or around the time of pricing of the New Notes, as further described in the Offer to Purchase. (2) Per 1,000 principal amount of Old Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase (the "Purchase Price"). Holders will also receive Accrued Interest on Old Notes validly tendered and accepted for purchase. Hypothetical prices are calculated for illustration purposes, using prices for the Reference Interpolated Mid-Swaps as referenced on the applicable Bloomberg screen at 4:00 p.m., London time, on Wednesday, January 13, 2021. During the Tender Period, a holder of Old Notes may place orders to tender Old Notes (" Tender Orders ") only through any of the Dealer Managers. If a holder does not have an account with a Dealer Manager and desires to tender its Old Notes, it may do so through a broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company, other financial institution or other custodian that has an account with a Dealer Manager. Holders will NOT be able to submit tenders through Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V. or Clearstream Banking, societe anonyme. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. as the billing and delivering bank for the Tender Offer (in such capacity, the " Billing and Delivering Bank ") will consolidate all Tender Orders and accept Old Notes for purchase pursuant to the terms and conditions in the Offer to Purchase on behalf of Mexico, subject to proration as described in the Offer to Purchase, on Wednesday, January 20, 2021 or as soon as possible thereafter. Mexico may subject each series of Old Notes to different amounts of proration in its sole discretion. Failure to deliver Old Notes on time may result, in the sole discretion of the Billing and Delivering Bank, in any of the following: (i) the cancellation of your tender and your becoming liable for any damages resulting from that failure, and/or (ii) the delivery of a buy-in notice for the purchase of such Old Notes, executed in accordance with customary brokerage practices for corporate fixed income securities, and/or (iii) in the case of Preferred Tenders, the cancellation of your tender and your remaining obligated to purchase your allocation of New Notes in respect of your related Indication of Interest. To the extent proration occurs, with respect to any series of Old Notes, the Billing and Delivering Bank will accept Old Notes of such series with appropriate adjustments to avoid purchase of Old Notes in principal amounts other than Permitted Tender Amounts. Each holder submitting an Indication of Interest and tendering Old Notes of any series shall be deemed to represent to Mexico, the Dealer Managers and the Billing and Delivering Bank that such holder held, from the time of its submission of its Tender Order through the Expiration Time, at least the amount of Old Notes of each such series as are being tendered. All Old Notes that are validly tendered pursuant to Tender Orders and are accepted by Mexico will be purchased by the Billing and Delivering Bank on behalf of Mexico. Only the Billing and Delivering Bank will be liable for the payment of the Purchase Price and Accrued Interest for Old Notes validly tendered and accepted as instructed by Mexico. Mexico will not be liable under any circumstances for the payment of the Purchase Price and Accrued Interest for any Old Notes tendered in the Offer by any holder. There is no letter of transmittal for the Tender Offer. If a holder holds Old Notes through Euroclear or Clearstream, the latest process it can use to deliver its Old Notes is the overnight process, one day prior to the Settlement Date; holders may not use the optional daylight process. Holders will not have withdrawal rights with respect to any tenders of Old Notes in the Tender Offer. Old Notes accepted for purchase will be settled on a delivery versus payment basis in accordance with customary brokerage practices for corporate fixed income securities. Following payment for Old Notes accepted pursuant to the terms of the Offer, Mexico currently intends to redeem any and all 2023 Notes that remain outstanding in accordance with the terms of the fiscal agency agreement relating to that series of notes. The Offer does not constitute a notice of redemption or obligate Mexico to issue a notice of redemption for the 2023 Notes. Mexico may, but is not required to, issue and sell New Notes to holders who validly tender their Old Notes pursuant to the Tender Offer and place firm orders for New Notes during the Tender Period (as well as investors that are not participating in the Tender Offer). If Mexico determines to issue and sell New Notes to such holders, the scheduled settlement date for the New Notes is expected to occur on Monday, January 25, 2021 (the " Offering Settlement Date "). Any New Notes issued to tendering holders in the Tender Offer as described above will be consolidated and form a single series with, and be fully fungible with, the other New Notes of the same series, to be issued and sold pursuant to the offering of New Notes on the Offering Settlement Date. The Tender Offer is subject to Mexico's right, at its sole discretion and subject to applicable law, to extend, terminate, withdraw, or amend the Tender Offer at any time. Each of the Dealer Managers and Mexico reserves the right, in the sole discretion of each of them, not to accept tenders for any reason. The Offer to Purchase may be downloaded from the Information Agent's website at www.dfking.com/ums or obtained from the Information Agent, D. F. King & Co., Inc., at [email protected] or from any of the Dealer Managers. The Dealer Managers for the Tender Offer are: Banco Santander, S.A. 2 Triton Square Regent's Place London NW1 3AN United Kingdom Collect: +44 7418 709 688 / +44 7742 403 679 Barclays Bank PLC 5 The North Colonnade Canary Wharf London E14 4BB United Kingdom Collect: +44 20 3134 8515 / Toll free: +1-888-603-5847 BNP Paribas 16, boulevard des Italiens 75009 Paris France +33 1 55 77 78 94 Citigroup Global Markets Inc. 388 Greenwich Street New York, New York 10013 Collect: +1 (212) 723-0859 / US Toll free: +1 (800) 558-3745 The Billing and Delivering Bank for this Tender Offer is: Citigroup Global Markets Inc. Questions regarding the Tender Offer may be directed to the Dealer Managers at the above contact. * * * Mexico has filed a registration statement (including the prospectus ) and the preliminary prospectus supplement with the SEC for the New Notes Offering. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents Mexico has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Mexico and the New Notes Offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at http://www.sec.gov . Alternatively, the Joint Lead Underwriters, the Dealer Managers or the Information Agent, as the case may be, will arrange to send you the prospectus supplement and the prospectus if you request it by calling any one of them at the numbers specified above. Important Notice The distribution of materials relating to the New Notes Offering and the Tender Offer and the transactions contemplated by the New Notes Offering and the Tender Offer may be restricted by law in certain jurisdictions. Each of the New Notes Offering and the Tender Offer is void in all jurisdictions where it is prohibited. If materials relating to the New Notes Offering or the Tender Offer come into your possession, you are required by Mexico to inform yourself of and to observe all of these restrictions. The materials relating to the New Notes Offering or the Tender Offer, including this communication, do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer or solicitation in any place where offers or solicitations are not permitted by law. If a jurisdiction requires that the New Notes Offering or the Tender Offer be made by a licensed broker or dealer and a Dealer Manager or any affiliate of a Dealer Manager is a licensed broker or dealer in that jurisdiction, the New Notes Offering or the Tender Offer, as the case may be, shall be deemed to be made by the Dealer Manager or such affiliate on behalf of Mexico in that jurisdiction. Owners who may lawfully participate in the Tender Offer in accordance with the terms thereof are referred to as "holders." This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. The offering of these securities will be made only by means of the preliminary prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement and prospectus. The New Notes are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the European Economic Area (" EEA" ). For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, " MiFID II" ); or (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2016/97 (as amended, the " Insurance Distribution Directive "), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II. Consequently no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (the "PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the New Notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the New Notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation. MiFID II professionals/ECPs-only-No PRIIPs KID - For the purposes of each EU manufacturer's product approval process, as defined in Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, "MiFID II"), EU manufacturer target market is eligible counterparties and professional clients (all distribution channels). No PRIIPs key information document (KID) has been prepared as not available to retail in the EEA. The New Notes are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investors in the United Kingdom (" UK "). For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 2017/565 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (" EUWA "); or (ii) a customer within the meaning of the provisions of the UK Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the " FSMA ") and any rules or regulations made under the FSMA to implement Directive (EU) 2016/97, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA. Consequently no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA (the "UK PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the New Notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the UK has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the New Notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the UK may be unlawful under the UK PRIIPs Regulation. UK MiFIR professionals/ECPs-only-No UK PRIIPs KID For the purposes of each UK manufacturer's product approval process, UK manufacturer target market is eligible counterparties and professional clients only (all distribution channels). No UK PRIIPs key information document (UK KID) has been prepared as not available to retail in the UK. In connection with the issue of the New Notes, Citigroup Global Markets Limited (the "Stabilizing Manager") (or persons acting on behalf of the Stabilizing Manager) may over-allot New Notes or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the New Notes at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, stabilization may not necessarily occur. Any stabilization action may begin on or after the date on which adequate public disclosure of the final terms of the offer of the New Notes is made and, if begun, may cease at any time but must end no later than the earlier of 30 days after the issue date of the New Notes and 60 days after the date of the allotment of the New Notes. Any stabilization action or overallotment must be conducted by the Stabilizing Manager (or persons acting on behalf of any Stabilizing Manager) in accordance with all applicable laws and rules. In Belgium, the New Notes Offering and the Tender Offer are not directly or indirectly, being made to, or for the account of, any person other than to qualified investors (gekwalificeerde beleggers/investisseurs qualifies) within the meaning of Article 2(e) Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2017 on the prospectus to be published when securities are offered to the public or admitted to trading on a regulated market, and repealing Directive 2003/71/EC. (Reglement (UE) 2017/1129 du 14 juin 2017 du Parlement europeen et du Conseil concernant le prospectus a publier en cas d'offre au public de valeurs mobilieres ou en vue de l'admission de valeurs mobilieres a la negociation sur un marche reglemente, et abrogeant la directive 2003/71/CE / Verordening (EU) 2017/1129 van het Europees Parlement en de Raad van 14 juni 2017 betreffende het prospectus dat moet worden gepubliceerd wanneer effecten aan het publiek worden aangeboden of tot de handel op een gereglementeerde markt worden toegelaten en tot intrekking van Richtlijn 2003/71/EG), as amended or replaced from time to time (Belgian Qualified Investor), that do not qualify as consumers (consumenten/consommateurs) within the meaning of Article I.1, 2 of the Belgian Code of Economic Law of February 28, 2013 (Wetboek van economisch recht/Code de droit economique), as amended or replaced from time to time (Consumers). A Consumer within the meaning of Article I.1, 2 of the Belgian Code of Economic Law is any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside their trade, business, craft or profession. As a result, the New Notes Offering and the Tender Offer do not constitute a public takeover bid pursuant to Articles 3, 1, 1 and 6, 1 of the Belgian law of April 1, 2007 on public takeover bids (Wet op de openbare overnamebiedingen/Loi relative aux offres publiques d'acquisition), as amended or replaced from time to time. Consequently, the New Notes Offering and the Tender Offer and any material relating thereto have not been and will not be, notified or submitted to, nor approved by the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority (Autoriteit voor Financiele Diensten en Markten/Autorite des Services et Marches Financiers) pursuant to the Belgian laws and regulations applicable to the public offering or tendering of securities. The New Notes Offering and the Tender Offer as well as any materials relating thereto may not be advertised, nor distributed, directly or indirectly, to any person in Belgium other than Belgian Qualified Investors acting for their own account who are not Consumers, and may not be used in connection with any offering in Belgium except as may otherwise be permitted by law. The New Notes and the Old Notes will not be registered under Chilean Law No. 18,045, as amended, with the Comision para el Mercado Financiero de Chile (Financial Market Commission of Chile, or " CMF ") and, accordingly, the New Notes and the Old Notes cannot and will not be offered or sold to persons in Chile except in circumstances which have not resulted and will not result in a public offering under Chilean law, and in compliance with Norma de Caracter General (Rule) No. 336, dated June 27, 2012, issued by the CMF. The New Notes may not be offered, sold or negotiated in Colombia, except in compliance with Part 4 of Decree 2555 of 2010. The Offer to Purchase and the New Notes Offering do not constitute and may not be used for, or in connection with, a public offering as defined under Colombian law. The New Notes Offering and the Tender Offer have not been and will not be approved by the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority, as neither constitute a public offer in accordance with the EU Prospectus Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2017/1129) nor the Danish Capital Market Act. This announcement does not constitute an offer to the public in France. It is not a prospectus within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation. No prospectus (including any amendment, supplement or replacement thereto) has been prepared in connection with the New Notes Offering that has been approved by the French Autorite des marches financiers (" AMF ") or by the competent authority of another Member State of the EEA and notified to the AMF under the Prospectus Regulation; the materials relating to the New Notes have not been distributed or caused to be distributed and will not be released, issued or distributed or caused to be released, issued or distributed, directly or indirectly, to the public in France, or used in connection with any offer for subscription, exchange or sale of the notes to the public in France. Any such offers, sales and distributions have been and shall only be made in France to (i) qualified investors (investisseurs qualifies) acting for their own account, and/or to (ii) investment services providers authorized to engage in portfolio management services on behalf of third parties and/or to (iii) a limited group of investors (cercle restreint d'investisseurs) acting for their own account, all as defined in, and in accordance with, Articles L.411-2, II, D.411-1, D.411-4, D.744-l, D.754-l and D.764-1 of the French Code monetaire et financier. In the event that the New Notes purchased or subscribed by investors listed above are offered or resold, directly or indirectly, to the public in France, the conditions relating to public offers set forth in Articles L.411-1, L.411-2, L.412-1 and L.621-8 to L.621-8-3 of the French Code monetaire et financier must be complied with. Investors in France and persons into whose possession offering materials come must inform themselves about, and observe, any such restrictions. The Tender Offer is made in the Federal Republic of Germany (" Germany ") to existing holders of the Old Notes only. The prospectus supplement does not constitute a prospectus compliant with the Prospectus Regulation and does therefore not allow any public offering in Germany. No action has been or will be taken in Germany that would permit a public offering of the New Notes, or distribution of a prospectus or prospectus supplement or any other offering material relating to the New Notes. In particular, no prospectus (Prospekt) within the meaning of the Prospectus Regulation and the German Securities Trading Act (Wertpapierprospektgesetz) or any other applicable laws in Germany has been or will be published in Germany, nor has any prospectus or the prospectus supplement been filed with or approved by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt fur Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht) for publication in Germany. The prospectus supplement is strictly for use of the person who has received it. It may not be forwarded to other persons or published in Germany. With respect to persons in Hong Kong, the New Notes Offering and the Tender Offer are only made to, and are only capable of acceptance by, "professional investors" within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571) of Hong Kong (the " SFO ") and any rules made thereunder. No person or entity may issue or have in its possession for the purposes of issue, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, any advertisement, invitation or document relating to the New Notes, Old Notes or the Tender Offer, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public of Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to the Old Notes which are or are intended to be tendered, or New Notes which are intended to be purchased, only by persons outside Hong Kong or only by "professional investors" as defined in the SFO and any rules made under thereunder. The Old Notes and the New Notes, and the Offer to Purchase and the New Notes Offering prospectus supplement, and any other documents or materials related to such offers have not and will not be registered with the Italian Securities Exchange Commission (Commissione Nazionale per le Societa e la Borsa, or " CONSOB ") pursuant to applicable Italian laws and regulations. The Offer to Purchase and the New Notes Offering are being carried out pursuant to the exemptions provided for, with respect to the Offer to Purchase, in Article 101 bis, paragraph 3 bis of Legislative Decree No. 58 of 24 February 1998, as amended (the " Consolidated Financial Act ") and Article 35 bis, paragraph 4, of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of 14 May 1999, as amended; and, with respect to the New Bonds Offering, in Article 1, paragraph 4, letter c), of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129. Holders or beneficial owners of the Old Notes that are resident and/or located in Italy can tender the Old Notes for purchase, and the New Notes Offerings can be offered, sold and delivered, through authorized persons (such as investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in Italy in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2017/1129, the Consolidated Financial Act, the CONSOB Regulation No. 20307 of 15 February 2018, as amended, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of September 1, 1993, as amended) and in compliance with any other applicable laws and regulations or with any requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian authority. Each intermediary must comply with the applicable laws and regulations concerning information duties vis a vis its clients in connection with the bonds or the relevant offering. In Luxembourg, this announcement has been prepared on the basis that the offer of the New Notes, the Tender Offer and the potential exchange offer will be made pursuant to an exemption under Article 1 (4) of the Prospectus Regulation from the requirement to produce a prospectus for offers of securities. Neither the Offer to Purchase, nor any other documents or materials relating to the Offer to Purchase have been approved by or will be submitted for the approval of, the Mexican National Banking and Securities Commission (Comision Nacional Bancaria y de Valores, or the " CNBV ") and, the New Notes have not been and will not be registered with the Mexican National Securities Registry (Registro Nacional de Valores) maintained by the CNBV, and therefore the Old Notes and New Notes have not and may not be offered or sold publicly in Mexico. However, investors that qualify as institutional or qualified investors pursuant to the private placement exemption set forth in Article 8 of the Mexican Securities Market Law (Ley del Mercado de Valores), may be contacted in connection with, and may participate in the Offer to Purchase, and can be offered with or purchase New Notes. The participation in the Offer to Purchase or the acquisition of New Notes will be made under such investor's own responsibility. In Norway, the New Notes Offering and the Tender Offer are made only in accordance with applicable exemptions from the requirement to prepare a prospectus or offer document in accordance with the Norwegian Securities Trading Act. Accordingly, the New Notes Offering and the Tender Offer have not been and will not be filed with or approved by the Norwegian Financial Supervisory Authority, the Oslo Stock Exchange or the Norwegian Registry of Business Enterprises. The Tender Offer is not intended for any person who is not qualified as an institutional investor, in accordance with provisions set forth in Resolution SMV No. 021-2013-SMV-01 issued by Superintendencia del Mercado de Valores (Superintendency of Capital Markets) of Peru, and as subsequently amended. No legal, financial, tax or any other kind of advice is hereby being provided. The New Notes Offering prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the Offer to Purchase have not been and will not be registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. The Offer to Purchase does not constitute an offering of securities in Singapore pursuant to the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the " SFA "). The New Notes will not be offered or sold or cause that such New Notes to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase and will not offer or sell such New Notes or cause such New Notes to be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, and has not circulated or distributed, nor will it circulate or distribute, this prospectus supplement or any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of such New Notes, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA) under Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1), or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA and (where applicable) Regulation 3 of the Securities and Futures (Classes of Investors) Regulations 2018 of Singapore or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA. Where the New Notes are subscribed or purchased in reliance on an exemption under Sections 274 or 275 of the SFA, the New Notes shall not be sold within the period of six months from the date of the initial acquisition of the notes, except to any of the following persons: an institutional investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA); a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA); or any person pursuant to an offer referred to in Section 275(1A) of the SFA, unless expressly specified otherwise in Section 276(7) of the SFA or Regulation 37A of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Securities and Securities-based Derivatives Contracts) Regulations 2018 of Singapore. Where the New Notes are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is: a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an individual who is an accredited investor, securities or securities-based derivatives contracts (each term as defined in Section 2(1) of the SFA) of that corporation or the beneficiaries' rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferred within six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the New Notes pursuant to an offer made under Section 275 of the SFA except: to an institutional investor or to a relevant person as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA, or (in the case of such corporation) where the transfer arises from an offer referred to in 276(3)(i)(B) of the SFA or (in the case of such trust) where the transfer arises from an offer referred to in Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA; where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer; where the transfer is by operation of law; as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or as specified in Regulation 37A of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Securities and Securities-based Derivatives Contracts) Regulations 2018 of Singapore . None of the offer materials related to the New Notes Offering or Tender Offer have been approved or registered in the administrative registries of the Spanish Securities Market Commission (Comision Nacional del Mercado de Valores). Consequently, the securities may not be offered, sold or distributed in Spain except in circumstances which do not constitute a public offer of securities in Spain within the meaning of Article 35 of the restated text of the Securities Markets Act approved by Royal Legislative Decree 4/2015, dated October 23, 2015 (Real Decreto Legislativo 4/2015, de 23 de octubre, por el que se aprueba el texto refundido de la Ley del Mercado de Valores), Royal Decree 1310/2005, dated November 4, 2005 (Real Decreto 1310/2005 de 4 de noviembre), or otherwise in reliance on an exception from registration available thereunder. The prospectus supplement is not intended to constitute an offer or solicitation to purchase or invest in the New Notes described therein in Switzerland, except as permitted by law. The New Notes may not be publicly offered, directly or indirectly, in Switzerland within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (" FinSA ") and will not be admitted to any trading venue (exchange or multilateral trading facility) in Switzerland. Neither the prospectus supplement nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the New Notes constitutes a prospectus as such term is understood pursuant to the FinSA, and neither the prospectus supplement nor any other offering or marketing material relating to the New Notes may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland. Neither this communication, the Offer to Purchase nor any other offer material relating to the Tender Offer or the New Notes Offering has been approved by an authorized person for the purposes of section 21 of the FSMA. This communication, the Offer to Purchase and the prospectus supplement are only being distributed to and are only directed at (i) persons who are outside the United Kingdom or (ii) investment professionals falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the " Order ") or (iii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (e) of the Order (all such other persons together being referred to as " relevant persons "). Any investment or investment activity to which the Offer to Purchase or the New Notes Offering relates will only be available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire the same will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. The New Notes will only be available to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to subscribe, purchase or otherwise acquire the New Notes will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on the Offer to Purchase, the prospectus supplement or any of their contents. The New Notes Offering and the Tender Offer qualifies as a private placement pursuant to section 2 of Uruguayan law 18.627. The New Notes and the Old Notes are not and will not be registered with the Central Bank of Uruguay to be publicly offered in Uruguay. Contact information: D. F. King & Co., Inc. 48 Wall Street, 22nd Floor New York, NY 10005 E-mail: [email protected] Call Collect:: +1 (212) 269-5550 Call Toll-Free: +1 (800) 488-8035 website: www.dfking.com/ums ANY DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES THAT MAY APPEAR AFTER THIS MESSAGE ARE NOT APPLICABLE TO THIS COMMUNICATION AND SHOULD BE DISREGARDED. SUCH DISCLAIMERS OR OTHER NOTICES WERE AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED AS A RESULT OF THIS COMMUNICATION BEING SENT VIA BLOOMBERG OR ANOTHER EMAIL SYSTEM. SOURCE United Mexican States Related Links https://www.dfking.com/ums/ EDWARDSVILLE The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Early Childhood Center (ECC) has partnered with The Metro East Diaper Bank to supply 17 families with diapers. On Jan. 14, about 2,400 diapers were distributed to parents who expressed a need. This is an important offering for our families, because many are struggling during this time as they juggle school, parenting and sometimes, multiple jobs, said Lealia Williams, ECC family support specialist. We thought it would be nice for them to have one less thing to worry about. The partnership came to fruition after Williams had previously met Norma McCandless, founder and executive director of The Metro East Diaper Bank, while volunteering for a book and diaper giveaway. Upon learning of the non-profits work, Williams calculated the number of diapers and sizes needed by interested ECC parents, and filled out an application to receive supplies. At the Early Childhood Center, one of our goals is supporting our student parents and makings sure their needs are met, and that they stay on track to graduation as they juggle their other responsibilities, Williams said. Thank you for your generous gift of diapers, said Abidemi Ajayi, a student in the School of Pharmacy. It is challenging to be a full-time student and provide for my child. With your help, we do not have to worry as much about diapers. The Metro East Diaper Bank is a 501(c)(3) non-profit. The organization partners with area agencies, charities and other non-profits that have a population with a diaper need and are located in the Metro East. According to Founder Norma McCandless, for some, diaper donations are supplemental, and for others, it may be their only source for diapers. The SIUE Early Childhood Center provides full-day, year-round early childhood care and education for the children of students, faculty, staff and others, ages two through five. The ECC assists student parents with their goal of degree obtainment by providing them with convenient and affordable childcare and connecting them to resources. The ECC serves as a demonstration site for research, observation and practicum purposes. Press release The Board of Directors of Credit Mutuel Arkea requests the withdrawal of the draft "general decision on strengthening cohesion" presented by the Confederation Nationale du Credit Mutuel This project, if adopted, would constitute a new stage of centralisation by the central body and would be in total opposition to the principle of subsidiarity. It comes moreover in the midst of the Covid crisis and recovery plan, where banks must fully focus on supporting their individual, professional and corporate clients. Brest, 14 January 2021 - An exceptional meeting of Credit Mutuel Arkea's Board of Directors was held today and unanimously called for the immediate withdrawal of this project. In the case this request was not satisfied, the Board of Directors also gave a mandate to the executive management to take all measures to protect the group's interests. This could lead to legal action being taken before the various competent courts, even though the group has been stepping up initiatives to calm relations within Credit Mutuel over the past few months under the aegis of regulators and supervisors. The authorities of governance of the federations of Credit Mutuel de Bretagne and Credit Mutuel du Sud-Ouest, also meeting today on an exceptional basis, equally unanimously adopted resolutions strongly condemning this draft decision and opposing its implementation. If adopted, this " general decision ", presented on 6 January for adoption as early as 25 January, would particularly lead to the implementation of measures representing considerable costs, within a period of 3 to 6 months, which is totally incompatible with any form of economic common sense. It would constitute an intolerable attack on Arkea's control of strategic choices and entrepreneurial freedom, in the service of its customers - individuals, professionals and businesses - and of the vitality of the regions and employment. This project plans to: prohibit the sole use of the name "ARKEA" or "ARKEA group" and to impose graphic charter and name constraints on our group and the CMB and CMSO bodies for commercial and non-commercial activities, advertising, institutional communication and sponsorship. However, in 2019, the Rennes Administrative Court validated the use of the names "ARKEA" and "ARKEA group", emphasising that they had been used for many years, including by the Confederation Nationale du Credit Mutuel itself, and ruling that they did not give rise to any confusion; submit to the prior control and validation of the Confederation Nationale du Credit Mutuel all the commercial offering and all the products and services offered by Credit Mutuel Arkea ; make significant external growth transactions or the creation of certain subsidiaries subject to the prior authorisation of Confederation Nationale du Credit Mutuel. Helene Bernicot, Chief Executive Officer of the Arkea group, said: "We strongly condemn a new forced centralisation manoeuvre by Confederation Nationale du Credit Mutuel, under the guise of "strengthening Credit Mutuel's cohesion". This project is particularly worrying in that it imposes unjustified constraints on us, in total opposition to the principle of subsidiarity, which the Board of Directors of Confederation Nationale du Credit Mutuel has nevertheless enshrined in its articles of association in 2018. This project, presented as a matter of urgency, calls into question our model, our entrepreneurial freedom and our raison d'etre . It poses a real and serious risk to jobs, both direct and indirect, in the areas where the group operates. If it were to be adopted, we would take all the necessary measures to remain in control of our strategic vision, our development choices as closely as possible and in favour of the territories and their stakeholders". About the Arkea group The Arkea group comprises Credit Mutuel Arkea, the federations of Credit Mutuel de Bretagne, Sud-Ouest and their local member banks, as well as nearly forty specialised subsidiaries (Fortuneo, Monext, Arkea Banque Entreprises et Institutionnels, Arkea Investment Services, Suravenir, etc.). It has more than 10,500 employees, nearly 2,800 directors, 4.8 million members and customers in bancassurance and a balance sheet total of 165 billion euros. Credit Mutuel Arkea is one of the leading banks with headquarters in the regions. More information on www.arkea.com Press contact: Ariane Le Berre-Lemahieu - 02 98 00 22 99 - ariane.le-berre-ariane.le-berre-lemahieu@arkea.com ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: m2xtZ8pvZpqWy52cY8homWRqapyUk2OXbWSZnGhpY56XnZxhyGxia8bKZm9olWlu - Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-67048-gb-communique-arkea-14-01-2021.pdf MARIGOT:--- The first phase of the COVID-19 vaccination started on Wednesday, January 13, 2021. In accordance with the national strategy of the COVID-19 virus vaccination campaign, the prefecture of Saint-Barthelemy and Saint-Maarten informs the population of the beginning of the first phase, Wednesday, January 13, 2021, for Saint-Martin and starting Monday, January 18, 2021, for Saint-Barthelemy. Vaccination of volunteers will be done by a doctor or nurse supervised by a doctor. It will be done in two injections, 21 days apart. Every person vaccinated will be subject to enhanced pharmacovigilance. Vaccination of the elderly: As part of this, the first vaccines were administered in Saint-Martin from 13 pm today, for EHPAD residents located in Galisbay. Immunization also covers staff of the establishment over the age of 50 and/or having pathologies. Indeed, people residing in institutions are at the highest risk of serious forms and these structures are known to be places where the virus is circulating rapidly. Professionals practicing in these structures are also particularly exposed. Vaccination of health professionals: Healthcare professionals, including liberals, firefighters, and carers over 50 and/or with comorbidities, have access to the vaccine, if they wish, starting at 14 this Wednesday, January 13, 2021, at Louis Constant Fleming Hospital Center (after expressing interest). People over the age of 75 living at home will then be able to get vaccinated by showing up through a dedicated contact to be communicated very soon. The modalities for developing the second phase of the vaccination campaign for a wider audience will be communicated later. A 30-year-old Philadelphia police officer has been arrested for an unspecified vandalism incident that happened in late 2019, a department spokesperson said Wednesday. Ryan Perez, a five-year member of the force who was assigned to the 25th District in North Philadelphia, was charged with public drunkenness, criminal mischief, and two counts of disorderly conduct for an incident that occurred on Dec. 7, 2019, said department spokesperson Sgt. Eric Gripp. Commissioner Danielle Outlaw has suspended Perez for 30 days with intent to dismiss, Gripp said. Police did not immediately release any other details about the case, which was investigated by the Internal Affairs Division. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. The Indian Army Day is celebrated on January 15 every year to mark the contributions made by the soldiers and the sacrifices done to protect the country and the lives of the citizens. As part of the Indian Army Day celebrations, Gallantry Awards and Sena Medals are also presented to the soldiers. This year, in 2021, India is celebrating its 74th Army Day. Indian Army Day is observed across the nation with several programmes including parades and other military shows. Although celebrations take place across India, the main parade of Army Day is held in Cariappa Parade Ground at Delhi Cantonment. As part of the main parade in Cariappa Ground, military hardware, numerous contingents and combats are displayed. Last year, Captain Tania Shergill command the Army Day parade. She also became the first female officer to do so. Indian Army Day: History Army Day is celebrated to mark the important moment when Lieutenant General KM Carriappa took over as commander-in-chief of the Indian Army from General Francis Butcher, the last British commander-in-chief of India in 1949. Kodandera Kipper Madappa Carriappa, popularly known as KM Carriappa, was the first Indian post-Independent Commander-in-Chief. During the Indo-Pakistani War in 1947, KM Carriappa led the nation on the Western Front. He is one of the two recipients of the title of Field Marshal of India. The other holder of the title of Field Marshall is Sam Manekshaw. Cariappa hailing from Karnataka was one of the first two Indians who were selected for training at the Imperial Defence College, Camberley, United Kingdom. KM Cariappa served as the commander of the Indian Army's Eastern and Western Commands before taking over as the Indian Armys Commander-in-Chief. Donald Trump was the president of Twitter. What radio was to Franklin Delano Roosevelt and TV was to Ronald Reagan, communicating 280 characters at a time on a social media platform that is a watchword for hyperactive inanity was to President Trump. It is symbolically appropriate that the effective end of his power after the siege of the U.S. Capitol has coincided with the suspension of his Twitter account. Impeachment aside, the punishment that really stings is Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey deciding after sitting down with his woke colleagues that Trump must pay the ultimate price for his postelection misinformation and agitation. This judgment is as arbitrary as Dorseys worst critics would expect, and it will be impossible for Twitter to enforce anything resembling a consistent line following its Trump suspension (the platform didnt seem particularly exercised by all of the voices valorizing last summers riots as an uprising). But theres no doubting Dorseys power. He has rendered the president of the United States practically mute. Trump remains in the Oval Office and, in theory, commands the biggest megaphone on the planet. He could still make statements, hold press conferences, sit down for interviews or meet with his cabinet. In his reduced and isolated state, though, none of these options are as appealing as letting his thumbs do his work for him, one outlandish tweet at a time. Now that this avenue is foreclosed to him, hes less of a presence, even as the political world continues to be obsessed with him (in particular, the manner of his exit from office). Its not exactly a slow news environment. Yet without Trumps tweets stirring the pot at all times of the day, the nations political debate feels a little less fevered. Twitter is Exhibit A for Marshall McLuhans axiom that the medium is the message. There is plenty of worthy news coverage and real-time commentary on Twitter. But thats not where the emotional center of gravity is, as one would expect of a platform built for instantaneous, unfiltered reactions. Its this aspect of Twitter that perfectly matched the presidents proclivities. He found a natural home in an environment that encourages, and often rewards, snap judgements, insults, soon-to-be-forgotten pronouncements, grotesque oversimplifications and the spread of false or dubious information. Trump wasnt careful about what he said anywhere, but he reserved his most lurid and poisonous communications for Twitter. It was the place easiest for him to, for instance, absurdly accuse Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough of murder or insult the looks of his alleged paramour Stormy Daniels. It was a symptom of his erratic, easily distracted and thoughtless governing style that he used Twitter as a tool of his administration. He warned foreign leaders, fired officials and made pronouncements on legislation on Twitter, often leaving allies and his own government baffled by what was supposedly the line between just a tweet and an official order by the president of the United States. Twitter was an especially ready forum for airing conspiracy theories. Asked prior to the election about his giving credence to the lunatic idea that Navy SEAL Team 6 had been assassinated, Trump shrugged and said it was only a retweet. In the wake of his election defeat, his Twitter feed become a nonstop source of bad information dredged up from the worst corners of the internet. If Trump was the foremost offender, Twitter hasnt done us any favors in this period of our national life. It has fed moral panics and enabled cancellation mobs. It has exposed journalists who once made a pretense of objectivity as rank partisans. It has enticed once serious people into crowd-pleasing clownishness. It has made politicians dumber and cruder. It has distorted political reality for people across the spectrum. It, in short, has helped derange our politics, with the former tweeter in chief leading the way. On Twitter: @RichLowry Our Top 5 Magazines + Digital We get it. You live by the Ski Valleys snow report even when youre hours away. You follow every Taos post on Instagram. Our small town occupies a BIG part of your heart. Keep in touch with all things Taos when you subscribe to FIVE of our national award-winning magazines, plus access to the website and e-edition for a full year at the special low rate of just $55. The New York Times MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan Ammunition was depleted inside the bedraggled outposts in Laghman province. Food was scarce. Some police officers hadnt been paid in five months. Then, just as U.S. troops began leaving the country in early May, Taliban fighters besieged seven rural Afghan military outposts across the wheat fields and onion patches of the province, in eastern Afghanistan. The insurgents enlisted village elders to visit the outposts bearing a message: Surrender or die. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times By mid-month, security forces had surrendered all seven outposts after extended negotiations, according to village elders. At least 120 soldiers and police were given safe passage to the government-held provincial center in return for handing over weapons and equipment. We told them, Look, your situation is bad reinforcements arent coming, said Nabi Sarwar Khadim, 53, one of several elders who negotiated the surrenders. Since May 1, at least 26 outposts and bases in just four provinces Laghman, Baghlan, Wardak and Ghazni have surrendered after such negotiations, according to village elders and government officials. With morale diving as U.S. troops leave, and the Taliban seizing on each surrender as a propaganda victory, each collapse feeds the next in the Afghan countryside. Among the negotiated surrenders were four district centers, which house local governors, police and intelligence chiefs effectively handing the government facilities to Taliban control and scattering the officials there, at least temporarily. The Taliban have negotiated Afghan troop surrenders in the past, but never at the scale and pace of the base collapses this month in the four provinces extending east, north and west of Kabul. The tactic has removed hundreds of government forces from the battlefield, secured strategic territory and reaped weapons, ammunition and vehicles for the Taliban often without firing a shot. The base collapses are one measure of the rapidly deteriorating government war effort as one outpost after another falls, sometimes after battles, but often after wholesale surrenders. The surrenders are part of a broader Taliban playbook of seizing and holding territory as security force morale plummets with the exit of international troops. Buyoffs of local police and militia. Local cease-fires that allow the Taliban to consolidate gains. A sustained military offensive despite pleas for peace talks and a nationwide cease-fire. The government is not able to save the security forces, said Mohammed Jalal, a village elder in Baghlan province. If they fight, they will be killed, so they have to surrender. The surrenders are the work of Taliban Invitation and Guidance Committees, which intervene after insurgents cut off roads and supplies to surrounded outposts. Committee leaders or Taliban military leaders phone base commanders and sometimes their families and offer to spare troops lives if they surrender their outposts, weapons and ammunition. In several cases, the committees have given surrendering troops money typically around $130 and civilian clothes and sent them home unharmed. But first they videotape the men as they promise not to rejoin the security forces. They log their phone numbers and the names of family members and vow to kill the men if they rejoin the military. The Taliban commander and the Invitation and Guidance Committee called me more than 10 times and asked me to surrender, said Maj. Imam Shah Zafari, 34, a district police chief in Wardak province who surrendered his command center and weapons on May 11 after negotiations mediated by local elders. After the Taliban provided a car ride home to Kabul, he said, a committee member phoned to assure him that the government would not imprison him for surrendering. He said, We have so much power in the government and we can release you, Zafari said. The Taliban committees take advantage of a defining characteristic of Afghan wars: Fighters and commanders regularly switch sides, cut deals, negotiate surrenders and cultivate village elders for influence with local residents. The current conflict is really dozens of local wars. These are intimate struggles, where brothers and cousins battle one another and commanders on each side cajole, threaten and negotiate by cellphone. A Taliban commander calls me all the time, trying to destroy my morale, so that Ill surrender, said Wahidullah Zindani, 36, a bearded, sunburned police commander who has rejected Taliban demands to surrender his nine-man, bullet-pocked outpost in Laghman province. The negotiated surrenders are part of a broader offensive in which the Taliban have surrounded at least five provincial capitals this spring, according to a Pentagon inspector general report released May 18. The offensive has intensified since the U.S. withdrawal began May 1. The Taliban have used their control of several major highways to cut off bases and garrisons, leaving them vulnerable. The surrenders have a profound psychological effect. They call and say the Taliban are powerful enough to defeat the U.S. and they can easily take Laghman province, so you should remember this before we kill you, Rahmatullah Yarmal, Laghmans 29-year-old governor, said of the Taliban committees during an interview inside his barricaded compound in Mehtar Lam, the provincial capital. Its an effective propaganda tactic, the governor conceded so effective that some outpost commanders now refuse to speak to elders or Taliban negotiators. He said many elders were not neutral peacemakers, but hand-picked Taliban supporters. Yarmal said 60 police officers who surrendered and took refuge in his government center are now primed to fight to retake the seven lost outposts. I think well have them back in a month, he said. But just hours after the governor spoke on May 19, a nearby district center, Dawlat Shah, surrendered without any resistance after negotiations. By the next morning, five more outposts had surrendered the same way in the district of Alishing, also in Laghman, district officials said. Those Taliban victories were facilitated, in part, by a 30-day cease-fire negotiated by elders on May 17 in the heavily contested district of Alingar, allowing the Taliban to shift resources to the Alishing, where they forced the negotiated surrender of the five outposts just two days later. (On May 21, the Taliban violated the cease-fire with renewed attacks in Alingar, Khadim said.) The series of base collapses represented the second wholesale surrender in a Laghman district in two weeks. On May 7, three outposts and a military base collapsed the same way without a fight, said Nasir Ahmad Himat, the Alingar district governor. The soldiers simply dropped their weapons, got in their vehicles and went to the district center or provincial capital, said Faqirullah, a village elder who goes by one name. As Taliban fighters advanced on the provincial capital Sunday, Yarmal announced that 110 security force members who had surrendered, and several commanders who were supposed to supervise them, had been detained for negligence. Also Sunday, the Afghan military announced that troop reinforcements and the military chief of staff had rushed to Laghman to try to repel the Taliban assault. In Ghazni province, Hasan Reza Yousofi, a provincial councilman, said he begged officials to send reinforcements to an outpost and a military base that ultimately fell to the Taliban this month. He played a recorded phone call from a police officer, Abdul Ahmad, who said his ammunition was gone and his men were drinking rainwater because the base water tower had been destroyed by a rocket. We have been sold out we make calls for reinforcements, but officials dont help, the recorded voice said. The Taliban sent us tribal elders who said, Surrender, you are sold out, no one will help you. Yousofi said he did not know whether Ahmad survived after his outpost fell. Negotiations have proved remarkably fruitful for the Taliban in Baghlan province, where at least 100 soldiers surrendered, and in Wardak province, where about 130 security force members surrendered following negotiations, officials said. In Laghman province, negotiations leading to the surrender of the seven outposts stretched over 10 days. Khadim, the village elder, said different elders negotiated with commanders of each outpost. We guaranteed they would not be killed, he said. There was nothing written, just our word. A few miles away, Zindani refused to surrender his forlorn outpost near the front line. He said officers who had negotiated surrenders at three nearby outposts had betrayed their country. One of his men, Muhammad Agha Bambard, said he would fight to avenge the deaths of two brothers he said were killed by the Taliban. He would never surrender, he said. Zindanis nine men were down to a machine gun, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and one AK-47 rifle each inside a ramshackle outpost with bloodstained walls. But he said he intended to fight on as he told the Taliban commander who regularly phoned to demand his surrender. I told him, Im a soldier of my country, the commander said. I am not here to surrender. Four days later, on Sunday, the outpost was overrun during a firefight with the Taliban, a member of the provincial council said. One police officer was shot dead and Zindani and his outgunned men were taken prisoner. A few hours later, the Taliban released a video showing Bambard being questioned by a Taliban commander as he lay on a mattress, his face and neck bandaged. In a mocking tone, the commander asked why Bambard had posted on his Facebook page that he would not let the enemy capture his outpost while he was alive. The wounded officer responded, This is Afghanistan. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 2021 The New York Times Company VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 14, 2021 / Hannan Metals Limited ("Hannan" or the "Company") (TSXV:HAN)(OTC PINK:HANNF) is pleased to announce that is has significantly increased its Peruvian mineral tenure holdings by 100% to a total 1,864 square kilometers (186,400 hectares) of granted mineral concessions and applications. The additional 932 square kilometers of applications will be explored by Hannan in its own right. Key points: Hannan has increased its Peruvian mineral tenure holdings to 1,869 square kilometres (186,900 hectares) by staking an additional 932 square kilometres prospective for back-arc alkalic high level porphyry copper-gold systems (the " Previsto Project ") in central eastern Peru; With this increased tenure, Hannan becomes a top 10 concession holder in Peru (considering combined granted concessions and applications). The top 10 is dominated by some of the world's largest exploration and mining companies and Hannan stands out as one of the very few juniors to acquire such a significant land position (Table 1); These new areas will be explored alongside Hannan's existing projects in San Martin, located approximately 250 kilometres north of Previsto (Figure 1)which include: 660 sq km (65,989 hectares) optioned and joint ventured in San Martin with Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (" JOGMEC "), as announced on November 30, 2020 (" San Martin JV Project "). Under the JOGMEC Agreement, JOGMEC has the option to earn up to a 75% beneficial interest in the San Martin JV Project by spending up to US$35,000,000 to deliver to the joint venture a feasibility study; 278 sq km (27,700 ha) 100% owned by Hannan in the San Martin area for sediment-hosted copper and silver, outside of current joint venture areas (" San Martin Hannan Project ") (Figure 1); Field teams have already been mobilized to the Previsto Project area and initial reconnaissance field results and a more detailed geological overview will be released soon; Michael Hudson, CEO states, "Late last year, Hannan concluded one of the strongest joint ventures in the junior space with JOGMEC in San Martin. Over the last 6 months, the lock-down has provided a unique opportunity to build a two-pronged Peruvian strategy. We now have secured a vast and extremely prospective copper-gold landholding in our own right, that we will actively explore alongside our JOGMEC partnership and own holdings in San Martin. Some of the world's largest mining companies (Table 1) share our belief that big grassroots discoveries are best made within big land positions, and we are now looking to repeat and define another large mineralizing system in 2021 in Peru's new frontier areas." Hannan's aggressive staking has led it to become a top 10 concession holder in Peru (considering combined granted concessions and applications). As of the end of 2020, in Peru there were a total of more than 15,000 companies or individuals who held more than 20 million hectares. Thirty-two holders have more than 1,000 sq km (100,000 Ha). The top ten Peruvian tenure holders average US$50B market capitalization and combined hold 18.0% of the tenure held in Peru. The Previsto Project, which comprises 906 sq km of mining concession applications, demonstrates the Company's strategy to open new search spaces and apply disruptive exploration models to previously unexplored terrain. The new areas were identified over the last 6 months via remote studies and reprocessing government Petroleum exploration data. The new search space is interpreted to be highly prospective for back-arc alkalic porphyry copper-gold systems. Historically, Ingemmet, Peru's Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Institute, has identified late Oligocene to late Miocene age intrusions in these back arc settings close to Hannan's new applications areas. Additionally Hannan has staked 26 sq km mining concession applications prospective for gold in Peru. With field crews active on the Previsto Project, further information on this and other new areas will be made as it becomes available. The time to grant mining concession applications in Peru takes up to one year. One hundred percent ownership of the Previsto Project is held through Hannan subsidiaries or in trust via other private companies. About Hannan Metals Limited (TSXV:HAN) (OTCPK: HANNF) Hannan Metals Limited is a natural resources and exploration company developing sustainable resources of metal needed to meet the transition to a low carbon economy. Over the last decade, the team behind Hannan has forged a long and successful record of discovering, financing, and advancing mineral projects in Europe and Peru. Mr. Michael Hudson FAusIMM, Hannan's Chairman and CEO, a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release. On behalf of the Board, "Michael Hudson" Michael Hudson, Chairman & CEO Further Information www.hannanmetals.com 1305 - 1090 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7 Mariana Bermudez, Corporate Secretary, +1 (604) 685 9316, info@hannanmetals.com Forward Looking Statements Certain disclosure contained in this news release, including the Company's expectations regarding the Agreement and the payments and earn-in upon the successful completion of certain milestones, may constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. These statements may relate to this news release and other matters identified in the Company's public filings. In making the forward-looking statements the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to the potential impact of epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises, including the current coronavirus pandemic known as COVID-19 on the Company's business. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and expressly 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. 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 Table 1: Top ranked Peruvian tenure holders at the end of December 2020, considering granted mining concession and application. The table highlights ranked area under tenure and market capitalization. Source: https://geocatmin.ingemmet.gob.pe/geocatmin/ SOURCE: Hannan Metals Limited View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/624216/Hannan-Expands-Portfolio-by-100-to-1869-sq-km-Becomes-Top-10-Tenure-Holder-in-Peru Wheaton College laments those who used name of Jesus at Capitol riot Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment An influential evangelical college has issued a statement condemning those who invoked the name of Jesus Christ when storming the Capitol last week. Illinois-based Wheaton College, the alma mater of the late televangelist Billy Graham, issued a statement on Monday that addressed the storming of the Capitol building last week by a group of fringe supporters of President Donald Trump that resulted in six deaths. Those who died include unarmed 35-year-old Air Force veteran Ashely Babbitt who was shot by Capitol police as she attempted to climb through a smashed door pane into the House chamber during the riot while three others purportedly died from health emergencies. Capitol police officer Brian D. Sicknick, 42, who had been on the force since 2008 and was an Iraq War veteran, died on Jan. 7 after he suffered injuries while responding to the breach. Another Capitol police officer who responded to the riot died by suicide on Saturday. Wheaton College joins citizens across the United States and the evangelical community in decrying the violent attack on democracy we witnessed this past week in Washington, D.C., and lamenting the way perpetrators used the name of Jesus to promote violence, display racist symbols, and attack our nations leaders, the statement read in part. We also call our community to fast and pray with other Christians for the healing of our nation during what ought to be a peaceful transition of power to a new presidential administration. We pray for all among us who are deeply grieved and unsettled by these events. May the Holy Spirit strengthen our evangelical witness for Jesus Christ as we seek to shape future Christian leaders who demonstrate love, compassion, and truth. These events serve as a reminder of the importance of our ongoing commitment to the educational mission of building up the church and benefitting society, especially in preparing our students to address the challenges of living in a divided world. More than 250 faculty and staff at Wheaton signed an additional statement concerning the storming of the Capitol that included a strong condemnation of Trump, who has maintained strong support from the evangelical community throughout his presidency: The January 6 attack on the Capitol was characterized not only by vicious lies, deplorable violence, white supremacy, white nationalism and wicked leadership especially by President Trump but also by idolatrous and blasphemous abuses of Christian symbols. The behaviors that many participants celebrated in Jesus name bear absolutely no resemblance to the Christian teachings or ethics we submit to as faculty and staff of Wheaton College, the signatories stressed. Furthermore, the differential treatment displayed by those with a duty to protect in their engagement with rioters who trespassed on the Capitol grounds illegally, when compared to recent protests over police brutality in D.C. last summer, illustrates the ongoing reality that systemic racism in our country is tragically and undeniably alive and well. Some have argued that there was not "differential treatment" because no rioters were killed during the ongoing riots in Washington, D.C., over the summer even as White House barricades were breached and the president was moved to an underground bunker. During Black Lives Matter protests and riots outside the White House on May 30-31, more than 60 Secret Service officers "sustained multiple injuries from projectiles such as bricks, rocks, bottles, fireworks and other items" as rioters "repeatedly attempted to knock over security barriers, and vandalized six Secret Service vehicles," The Secret Service said at the time. "Secret Service personnel were also directly physically assaulted as they were kicked, punched, and exposed to bodily fluids. A total of 11 injured employees were transported to a local hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries." No rioters were killed in the melee. The riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6 began 20 minutes before Trump finished speaking at the Ellipse where over 100,000 supporters were gathered. A scheduled rally with other speakers was scheduled to start outside the Capitol after Trump spoke. However, hundreds of fringe Trump supporters stormed the Capitol and violently attacked Capitol police officers in an attempt to thwart Congress' certification of Electoral College votes. In a letter to federal officials before last Wednesday's rallies, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser urged federal law enforcement to maintain a light footprint for the protests. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, who directs Washingtons National Guard, told The Wall Street Journal last Thursday that U.S. officials believed the protests would be peaceful, like other pro-Trump rallies, and they had no wildest imagination that you could end up breaching the Capitol grounds. The Wheaton statement also condemned the failure of many evangelicals to speak truth to the disillusioned Trump supporters and instead opted to remain unduly silent in a just cause. The faculty and staff also expressed regret over the failures of the Church to teach clearly and to exercise adequate church discipline in these areas. We grieve over the inadequate level of discipleship that has made room for this type of behavior among those who self-identify as Christian. We pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal to us all manner of idolatry, and we commit to speaking plainly against it wherever and whenever we find it, they added. Since the storming of the Capitol, members of the evangelical community have been quick to condemn the violence that took place. Immediately following the attack, Beth Moore, a frequent critic of the president, took to Twitter and remarked that I dont know the Jesus some have paraded and waved around in the middle of this treachery today. They may be acting in the name of some other Jesus but thats not Jesus of the gospels. Pastor Robert Jeffress of Dallas, Texas First Baptist Church, a longtime supporter of Trump, wrote a lengthy op-ed for Fox News condemning the actions of those who stormed the Capitol. According to Jeffress, what the angry mob did by storming into the Capitol was not only a crime, it was a sin against God. Shouting profanities, beating back police officers, destroying property, intimidating elected officials These are not forms of political argument, no matter who uses them. Theyre just an ungodly power grab, he wrote. Jeffress also lamented the fact that too many of us, in the heat of this political moment, have fallen into an all-consuming hatred for our fellow Americans, fellow human beings made in Gods image. That development, he contended, has caused a bitterness that has clouded our vision, causing us to lose sight of Gods command to love and seek peace. COMMENTARY Its time for a tactical LiDAR satellite Confronting potential threats emerging from the rise of great-power competition dictates new approaches to collecting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). The U.S. is on the right path by making large new investments in conventional long-range precision weapons. If it does become necessary to use these advanced weapons, however, will they be effective? That is the critical question. Throughout the Cold War, Americas national security focused on the former Soviet Union as the strategic threat. The U.S. intelligence community (IC) and the Air Force developed and fielded collection systems to monitor vast geographic areas. By maintaining large repositories of potential military targets, policymakers and military leaders could count on getting early indications and warnings of threats emanating from the USSR. At that time, much of the ISR collection came from high-altitude aircraft, providing us invaluable eyes and ears over the Soviet Union. To counter this advantage, the USSR developed air defenses capable of shooting down Americas ISR aircraft, including the most famous incident the 1960 downing of Francis Gary Powers and his U2. This event drove the U.S. to field new intelligence satellite systems beyond the reach of enemy missiles. Not until after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq did American airborne systems once again become a predominant ISR source. U.S. manned and unmanned aircraft could fly with virtual impunity. An entire generation of military leaders came to rely on persistent collection from the new generation of sensors on aircraft. Amazing new electro-optical, infrared, radar and LiDAR Light Detection and Ranging -- sensors delivered crucial and timely information to the warfighter and the IC. LiDAR sensors use lasers that can effectively operate from far distances to map terrain and structures, offering both superb resolution and absolute geolocational accuracy critical elements to direct precision guided munitions to their intended target. LiDAR also permitted field-deployed analysts and operators alike to see through dense forests and build 3D scenes of a target. While no one can dispute the effectiveness of airborne collection, advanced anti-aircraft weaponry put these platforms at risk. With the U.S. national security strategy refocused on China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, Americas ISR would be vulnerable to improved air defenses, should surveillance aircraft need to enter an adversarys airspace. These advanced air defense systems are known within defense circles and the IC as anti-access/anti-denial systems. This means U.S. aircraft (and even ships) require a stand off distance to operate without coming into harms way. To mitigate for A2/AD, collection capabilities must be incorporated into satellites. Simultaneously, the U.S. is building a new generation of weapons systems that can provide conventional (non-nuclear) strikes on targets at great distances with great precision. For instance, the Army is developing a new generation of long-range precision fires, including a new cannon, missile and hypersonic missile. In each case, the weapons can travel much further than any U.S. airborne ISR system can see, requiring satellites to effectively use these new weapons. Supporting the new weapons such as strategic hypersonic missiles depends on delivering high-quality ISR in tactically relevant timelines. The good news is that a NASA science mission called ICESAT2 proved the U.S. can collect space-based LiDAR. The bad news is that the NASA LiDAR doesnt deliver the high-resolution, 3D, foliage-penetration imagery or even tactical timelines the military needs. Intelligence and military planners along with field operators need a space-based LiDAR capable of rapidly surveying large areas at very high resolution in a single pass. For example, they must scan areas that range from 100,000 to 400,000 square meters with resolutions of 1 meter, .5 meter and .2 meter. But the news is not all bad for Americas military planners. There is a promising new concept, based on proven technology, for a multi-aperture, space-based LiDAR satellite system with multiple telescope receiver modules observing a single target. This approach, which would solve the intelligence and defense problem relies on a laser pulse from a single-photon LiDAR system that reflects from the target. The signal photons propagate not only back to the transmitter but also in other directions. These results could provide unmatched visibility of a denied area of interest alongside the data necessary for more effective and accurate use of advanced weapon systems. What is needed? First is a feasibility study by the Army partnering with the appropriate IC element focused on building space capabilities. We need confirmation that any system in development will work with detailed modeling and simulations. If those tests prove a system effective, its urgent we move to deployment of a demonstration satellite. Our national decision-makers must do all they can to prevent war. However, if war is necessary, the U.S. must win and do so decisively. The nations precision guidance weapons require investments in new ISR satellites. LiDAR is a combat-proven sensor technology that must now be deployed in space. Such a space-based capability will assure decision-makers in and out of uniform that reliable and precise information is available when and where needed. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely Holding) and Foxconn Technology Group (Foxconn) agreed on Jan. 13 to build a joint venture that works on offering contract manufacturing service and tailor-made counseling to global automakers and mobility service providers, according to Geely Holding. Geely, Foxconn signing agreement; photo credit: Geely Under the agreement, the joint venture will introduce the ICT (information and communications technology) labor division to help clients speed up their transition to the innovative high-efficient manufacturing & supply systems and business models. The joint venture will be 50/50 held by Geely and Foxconn. Among the five members of the board of directors, three are from Foxconn. The chairman will be delegated by the Taiwan-headquartered company as well. Foxconn's expertise, experience and global deployment in ICT field is of exemplary significance to the transition and upgrading of automotive industry. Joining hands with Foxconn, Geely will leverage its systematic advantages in automotive design, engineering development, smart manufacturing, supply chain management and quality control to explore all-new approaches for the transition, upgrading and high-quality development of manufacturing industry, said Li Donghui, CEO of Geely Holding. Two days ago, Geely entered into a strategic partnership with Baidu to invest in the latters forthcoming smart vehicle company. The tech giant announced it planned to establish a company to produce intelligent electric vehicles. Baidu will provide intelligent driving capabilities to power the passenger vehicles for the new venture, and Geely, which holds the distinction of best-selling Chinese automobile brand in past years under the Volvo and Geely brands, will contribute its expertise in automobile design and manufacturing. EV startup Byton signed on Jan. 4 a framework agreement with Foxconn and Nanjing Economic and Technological Development Zone to jointly promote the volume production of the M-Byte. Under the agreement, the Apple supplier will provide the automaker with its manufacturing technologies, operation & management experience as well as industrial resources. Neighbours of a mother who was found dead in her home alongside her three young children said the mother seemed 'happy' the night before she died. Emergency crews were called to the house on Burgess Street, Tullamarine, in Melbourne's north west, about 12.30pm on Thursday. There they found the bodies of 43-year-old Katie Perinovic and three children - Claire, seven, Anna, five, and Matthew, three. The 48-year-old father of the children, Tomislav Perinovic, is a 'person of interest' and is assisting police with inquiries and is yet to be formally interviewed. Neighbour John Constantino chatted with the mother-of-three on Wednesday night, and said nothing seemed out of the ordinary. 'I was watering the garden about 7.30pm and she walked past and she seemed happy and everything,' he told The Age. Paramedics found the bodies of Katie Perinovic and Claire, seven, Anna, five, and Matthew, three (all pictured). The father of the children, Tomislav Perinovic (left) is assisting police with inquiries Police said there was no history of family violence involving the family. Pictured: Katie and Tomislav Perinovic with their daughter Emergency crews were called to the house on Burgess Street, Tullamarine about 12.30pm on Thursday 'She asked me what I was going to do tomorrow, I said, 'I might mow the lawn' and she said 'yeah, it's not going to be a hot day'.' Mr Constantino said Ms Perinovic was a 'lovely' woman whose kids would often pat his dogs as they walked past his house. Homicide detectives have established a crime scene at the Perinovic property, with police sources saying the family suffered 'gruesome' injuries. Police have confirmed they are probing multiple different scenarios including murder-suicide. Acting Deputy Commissioner Robert Hill said while the investigation is in its very early stages, the family 'died in suspicious circumstances'. 'As to who is culpable for the death of the four people that is yet to be determined and we should not draw any conclusions at this point in time,' he said. He said it would be 'grossly unfair' to assume culpability on the basis that Mr Perinovic is assisting police. Police and ambulance crews are pictured at the scene in Tullamarine, Melbourne, on Thursday The bodies of two girls aged five and seven, a three-year-old boy and a 42-year-old woman were found at the property Police in face masks gather in a group outside a house in Tullamarine, after four people were found dead Emergency crews were called to the house in Tullamarine, Melbourne's north-west, on Thursday afternoon 'We just need to understand the facts, and unfortunately they're not known to us but will be in the fullness of time,' he said. 'We have a long way to go before we can actually understand and appreciate what occurred.' It's understood the father appeared 'extremely distressed' on the street when emergency serviced arrived at the scene. 'He was standing on the street, looking distraught,' a witness said. Dep Comm Hill, who declined to comment on the nature of the family's injuries, said investigators don't believe there are other parties involved at this stage. He said police aren't expecting to lay charges tonight but couldn't rule out the possibility. Police said there is no risk to the community and there was no history of family violence involving the family. Dep Comm Hill, who declined to comment on the nature of the family's injuries, said investigators don't believe there are other parties involved at this stage Police said there is no risk to the community and there was no history of family violence involving the family Residents have been left shocked by the deaths which have rocked what they describe to be a quiet area The scene at 56 Burgess St, Tullamarine, where a woman and her three young children died Forensic officers are seen at work at a crime scene in Tullamarine Residents have been left shocked by the deaths which have rocked what they describe to be a quiet area. Neighbour Marie Groves said Ms Perinovic was a devoted mother whose children often came to her house for play dates with her kids. 'She was a well known, beautiful and a very tall lady, very gorgeous and every time she walked past always had a smile on her face (and was) always chatting to everybody,' she told The Australian. Tara Jenkins, who lives around the corner from the family, said she was 'absolutely gutted' by the 'devastating' turn of events. 'Those kids were so young, just beautiful little kids. '[Their mother] was always alone with them and was a very loving mother,' she told The Age. We would often say hello to each other as our kids played. She was always really cheerful and kind ... just a lovely woman.' A neighbour who lives next door said he heard the commotion of the emergency crews but was advised to stay inside. John Constantino, who also lives nearby, said he spoke with a woman who lived in the house on Wednesday night. He described her as a 'nice lady' who was 'polite' and 'really friendly'. Another neighbour named Johnie said the police helicopter hovered above his house for an hour on Thursday. 'It's a bit too much for a local neighbourhood like this,' he said. Officers remain at the scene as they commence their investigations. 'A man is assisting police with their inquiries,' a police statement read. 'A crime scene has been established and detectives from the Homicide Squad are attending. The street has been cordoned off to the public (pictured on Thursday afternoon) Officers who were called to the scene in Tullamarine stand with police tape on Thursday The street has been cordoned off to the public Homicide detectives are investigating after three children and their mother were found dead inside a home in Melbourne 'The exact circumstances around the incident are under investigation and we will provide more information when it's appropriate to do so. 'There is currently no ongoing threat to the community.' Aerial images from Thursday afternoon show a heavy police presence outside a home. The street has been cordoned off to the public. A local phoned into 3AW to report the police presence on Burgess Street about 1pm. 'I estimate now about ten police cars,' he said. Ambulance crews were also pictured at the scene. CenterPoint Energy, the Houston-based regulated utility that supplies electricity to the Houston area, has been facing a crisis of late. Electricity customers have repeatedly criticized the company for recurring reliability problems. Its share price has fallen 20 percent during the past year while the broader S&P 500 index increased 14 percent. The company is operating under its third CEO in less than a year. CenterPoint executives acknowledge that investors are disappointed, and they promised last year to launch a board level business review committee. The solution? CenterPoint, which expanded into oil and gas pipelines and bought a Midwestern utility with coal plants in recent years, is going back to the basics by focusing on reliability, replacing aging power poles and lines, and clearing trees from overhead lines. CenterPoint is following the lead of other U.S. utilities and returning to its roots as a regulated transmission and distribution power company. It hopes to capitalize on the growing demand for electricity as electric vehicles grow in popularity, electric heat continues to replace oil and gas furnaces and take advantage of a regulatory system that allows spending on reliability and other improvements to be added to consumer rates. CenterPoint officials hope to recover most of the $16 billion that its investing in the improvements over the next five years by getting the costs included into the pool of regulator-approved assets known as the customer rate base. CenterPoint can then earn a 9.4 percent return on equity essentially profit on assets approved by regulators, a move that could drive up the cost of electricity for consumers and businesses. Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer The investments create a steady and growing source of revenue, the kind attractive to hedge fund investors drawn to utilities and other mature industries that produce strong cash flow with little risk. The bigger the rate base, the more utilities earn, according to one industry expert. Thats the profit model going forward, said Tyson Slocum, energy program director for Washington-based consumer advocacy group Public Citizen. Hedge fund investors like Elliott Management of New York are demanding that CenterPoint and other utilities in which theyve bought a stake put as much of their new cash into the rate base as possible, Slocum said. Elliott Management, which has about $40 billion in total assets, was among a group of investors that in May bought a $1.4 billion stake in CenterPoint. But because the new model shifts risk to rate payers and away from investors, the rate payers may end up paying for investments they didnt need nor want, such as new transmission lines for anticipated population growth that never materializes, Slocum said. There is the risk consumer electricity rates will go up, he said. Its called gold plating, referring to the business practice of overbuilding for maximum returns for shareholders while forcing ratepayers to overpay for those investments. On HoustonChronicle.com: CenterPoint at crossroads as David Lesar takes reins as CEO Consumers pay for electricity transmission and distribution in their monthly electricity bills, a charge that is often higher than the cost of generation. Houstonians in the CenterPoint service area pay 4.2 cents a kilowatt hour and $4.39 a month for transmission and distribution, or more than two-thirds of a 6.7 cent per kilowatt hour six-month fixed price electricity plan on the state managed website Power to Choose. Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer But to make the plan work, utilities have to get regulators on board because regulators have to approve the additional expenditures before they can be added to customer rates. CenterPoint has been already been making inroads with regulators in Texas to improve relationships, CenterPoint officials told investors recently. CenterPoint clashed with regulators last year after reliably complaints were brought by the San Antonio-based grocery chain H-E-B. CenterPoint eventually agreed to accept a $13 million rate hike instead of the $161 million it was seeking and a lower return on equity. While we encourage regulated entities to maintain open communication with the commission, rate decisions are based on the facts, applicable rules and statutes, economic needs supported by substantive evidence, and appropriate litigation, Public Utilities Commission spokesman Andrew Barlow said in a written statement. On HoustonChronicle.com: CenterPoint retreats, will close power shopping site CenterPoint has made mistakes, including overpaying for the Indiana utility Vectren and devoting too many resources to its non-utility businesses, CEO Lesar told investors in December. But he promised investors the company will do a better job by focusing on its core regulated utility and vowed that CenterPoint would increase its rate base by 10 percent a year through 2025. Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer I have a very long track record of execution as a CEO, he said, and Im not about to mess that up now. Nation plugs in Utilities are at a turning point as the nation increases dependence on electricity. Electric vehicles are expected to account for more than 20 percent of annual vehicle sales by 2030, according to Edison Electric Institute, a Washington-based trade group for investor-owned utilities. Thats about 18.7 million electric vehicles by 2030, up from 1 million in 2018. And to power all those vehicles, the trade group predicts that 9.6 million electricity charging ports need to be installed during the next decade. The share of all-electric homes also has increased nationwide over the past decade, according to the Department of Energy. About 25 percent of homes rely only on electricity and 35 percent of homes built in the past 40 years depend solely on electricity. On HoustonChronicle.com: Complaint: Houston's CenterPoint Energy failed to disclose New York hedge fund's $1.3B investment Meanwhile, utilities are facing new competition as tech companies develop ways for consumers to remotely manage their electricity use, transportation companies try to supply their own power and large financial institutions look to sell electricity on their banking platforms, said one electricity expert. A bank, for example, might provide electricity to a companys offices, warehouse and electric vehicle fleet for a flat monthly fee. Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Theyre trying to get into their space, said Siddhartha Sachdeva, CEO of Innowatts, a Houston-based company that collects data from millions of electric meters to determine consumer habits. Whoever can really capitalize on the opportunities will come out the winner, he said. But utilities dont have a lot of time to take back control. CenterPoint launched a capital improvement plan in Houston, which has grown by about 2 percent a year for more than a decade, and faces regular threats from hurricanes. Projects include building 29 new substations by the end of 2025, investing $1.4 billion to improve reliability and resiliency of the power grid, and replacing 10,500 miles of aging underground cable, 1.1 million wood poles and, 4,400 substation breakers and transformers, according to CenterPoints investor presentation. And by the end of 2021, CenterPoint expects to complete a $483 million project to construct 55 miles of high-voltage transmission lines. CenterPoint predicts its rate base for electricity and gas service will grow by 10 percent annually to $25 billion by 2025 from about $16 billion in 2020, CFO Jason Wells told investors. Our strategy will be accomplished by investing in and empowering our greatest assets our employees, according to a written statement from CenterPoint spokeswoman Natalie Hedde. CenterPoint will accomplish its strategy by focusing on core regulated utility businesses, capitalizing on growth opportunities and focusing on its values, she said. On HoustonChronicle.com: How H-E-B went head-to-head with CenterPoint to lower Houston electricity bills Evergy, the utility with 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri, predicts that its recent commitment to $8.9 million in capital spending will increase its rate base by as much as 6 percent a year through 2024. Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer The company, which launched a board-level strategic review at the behest of investor Elliott Management, announced in August it would spend $4.8 billion on transmission and distribution upgrades and $500 million on automation and technology. Evergy declined to comment. DTE, which has 2.2 million electric utility customers in Michigan, also said it plans to boost capital spending by $2 billion to $17 billion over the next five years. DTE has regularly increased its capital spending over the years and the recent increase is unrelated to the spin off of its midstream business, according to a written statement from the company. Job No. 1 Utilities will likely be successful getting new capital investments through regulators, especially ones geared to improving reliability, grid resiliency and reducing costs. One former regulator said he liked to see companies improve reliability and the consumer experience in a cost-effective way. Because when the lights and air conditioning go out, consumers and political leaders call to complain. You take notice, said Richard Mroz, a regulatory consultant for the law firm Pillsbury and former president of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. It was always on my mind and I know its on the minds of other regulators. Keeping the lights on is job No. 1, he said. But its a balancing act. It costs three to five times more to install underground power lines than overhead poles and wires. For neighborhoods that like their large trees it might be worth it; others might not want to spend the money. CenterPoint trucks are out in force in Houston neighborhoods with reliability problems. For several weeks, workers have been erecting new power poles, stringing new wires and trimming tree limbs in the Brighton Place neighborhood in Spring Valley. On HoustonChronicle.com: Homeowners find power, peace of mind in generators Homeowner Peter Lovie said the upgrades, which came after a Chronicle story about persistent power outages, have seemingly improved reliability. The frequent outages were so troubling that Lovie bought a 22-kiowatt natural gas-fueled standby generator for $10,500 last year for his home that kicks in every time the power goes off. Lovie said it had been a dozen years since trees were trimmed around power lines. Now the branches no longer intermingle with the power lines, a new wire is running down the back of his house and a nearby leaning power pole has been replaced with an upright version. So far, the power went off in the neighborhood for just a few minutes during a recent heavy rain. Lovie said he hopes thats a good sign the problems have been fixed. This story has been updated to clarify DTE's capital spending plans. Publish Through the last several months of developing a relationship, its easy to see that Paxton is an ideal addition to the Sea Hawk family of distributors. Sea Hawk has welcomed Paxton Company as its newest authorized distributor servicing the companys wholesale marine customers from facilities in Virginia and North Carolina. With products being in stock since mid-December, Paxton is already providing customers with Sea Hawks comprehensive portfolio of premium quality antifouling paints, primers, and marine coating products. Through the last several months of developing a relationship, its easy to see that Paxton is an ideal addition to the Sea Hawk family of distributors, said Tommy Craft, Sea Hawk Vice President of Sales. As the mid-Atlantics longest standing purveyors of quality marine products, Paxton has the geographic reach to provide their network of marine service professionals with just-in-time availability of a wide assortment of Sea Hawk antifouling paints, primers and marine coating products, Craft added. Sea Hawk premium yacht finishes are the perfect complement to Paxtons wholesale product offering, said Jim Beale, Paxton Company President. We constantly reinvest our profits into our employees, into quality brands like Sea Hawk paint and into technologies that add value to our customers, Beale added. Paxton has provided quality service to the marine industry since 1927. It is a fourth-generation family-owned business that cares about both customers and employees. Paxtons primary goal is to deliver and exceed customer expectation and is achieved through providing exceptional high-quality products; next day delivery; knowledgeable sales representatives; and high levels of product availability. The company serves its customers through two warehouses located in Norfolk, Virginia and Wilmington, North Carolina. Sea Hawk paints was established in 1978 and is dedicated to bringing only the highest quality products and customer satisfaction to todays mariner. They provide a vast array of application-specific marine coating products that include antifouling systems, primers, solvents and resins. For more information, please contact Michael O'Keene at (727) 523-8053 or visit http://www.seahawkpaints.com About AkzoNobel AkzoNobel has a passion for paint. Were experts in the proud craft of making paints and coatings, setting the standard in color and protection since 1792. Our world class portfolio of brands including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon is trusted by customers around the globe. Headquartered in the Netherlands, we are active in over 150 countries and employ around 33,500 talented people who are passionate about delivering the high-performance products and services our customers expect. AkzoNobel acquired Florida-based New Nautical Coatings including their brands Sea Hawk, Flexdel and Blue Water Marine Paint on 23 December 2020. California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development opening office in Yerevan US Department of State issues statement on detention of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces Armenia 1st President says Aliyev is certain that Pashinyan won't win elections and is trying to get all that he can UN calls for $ 95 million in aid to Palestinians Twitter is concerned about safety of its employees in India Artsakh hero: Impotent and perhaps also treacherous authorities of Armenia need to be removed from power immediately France MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to show maximum restraint Azerbaijani attacks Russia citizen of Armenian descent in Moscow Armenia acting MOD provides President with information about capture of Armenian servicemen Lithuania MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to go to de-escalation of situation and pull out troops Russian Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia acting FM resigns Acting Deputy FM: Armenia reserves itself the right to take necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity China speaks on dark history of US intelligence in connection with Biden's order Netanyahu slams hypocritical and deceitful moralizing statements of French FM Turkish authorities issues new arrest warrant for mafia after his scandalous revelations of Erdogan's entourage EU-Armenia Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security holds 11th Meeting Armenia acting PM deletes statement on Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers "being intertwined" from Facebook post 6 Armenian soldiers captured: situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border is tense, May 27 digest Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff deputy chief explains difficulties with settlement of border with Azerbaijan UN: Israeli forces may have committed war crimes during 11-day war with Hamas Nikol Pashinyan presents plan for resolving border situation Dollar gains value in Armenia Opposition party leader: Armenia Security Council to convene session with heads of parliamentary factions this evening His Holiness Karekin II receives newly appointed UK Ambassador to Armenia Greece and Turkey FMs to meet in Athens Armenia acting PM says he will present plan for peaceful solution to border situation very soon Armenia Parliament Speaker sends letters to counterparts of partnering legislatures Zarif: Iran welcomes willingness of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tension Armenia acting Deputy MOD on news about soldiers being ordered to not open fire ANCA calls on US Congress to block financing of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Armenia to allocate lands in Syunik Province to Russian border guards Armenia Armed Forces General Staff deputy chief: We can destroy all Azerbaijani soldiers who invaded territory Armenian advocates file lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan Army general staff deputy chief: About 1,000 Azerbaijan soldiers are illegally in Armenia Army general staff: Armed forces can capture Azerbaijani soldiers who marched into Armenia Armenia legislature approves several amendments to laws Armenian opposition MP: Villages mentioned by ruling bloc's deputy are Armenia's buffer zone Armenia Gegharkunik Province villager to acting PM: Over 50% of our pastures are now under Azerbaijan control Armenia Kotayk Province has new governor Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US ambassador, discusses border situation NEWS.AM BREAKING: 6 Armenian soldiers are captured by Azerbaijan military in early morning European Council head says process of implementing sanctions against Belarus is launched Armenia acting MOD leaves for Moscow Armenia President, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces discuss current situation on border Armenia acting PM to residents of borderline village: If we cede our border, Azerbaijanis will get more excited Armenia MOD not confirming reports about Azerbaijan firing shots at Tavush Province Ex-President Kocharyan meets with Yerevan residents, "Armenia" bloc members (PHOTOS) Armenia petitions to European Court to ensure fundamental human rights of 6 soldiers captured by Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier: We need to unite in this situation Serj Tankian makes statement on Azerbaijans displayed horrific racism Man detained in US for intending to commit attempt on Biden Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD continues disseminating disinformation Erdogan to visit Baku and Shushi Two Armenia legislature committees to hold closed joint meeting regarding tense situation on Azerbaijan border Holy Etchmiadzin on capture of Armenia soldiers: Such behavior of Azerbaijan authorities is strongly condemnable Gegharkunik Province village border area situation very tense, says Armenia enlarged community leader Armenia opposition MP: Shots are heard Gegharkunik Province Armenian National Congress party electoral list is announced Armenia MFA: Azerbaijan leadership bears responsibility for consequences of actions by its armed forces Opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament demands convening Security Council special session 140 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Acting premier: Our servicemen were abducted from Armenia territory Armenia MOD announces names of 6 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan military early morning Armenia parliament majority leader to CSTO: Our international partners do not call it like it is Armenia parliament manages to have quorum in 2nd attempt World oil prices falling Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan popularity rating consistently drops over the past week Newspaper: Russia peacekeepers commander does not return from Azerbaijan with encouraging news for Armenia MOD: 6 Armenia soldiers are surrounded, captured by Azerbaijan military early morning William Shakespeare, 1st man in world to get approved coronavirus vaccine, dies aged 81 Spain Congress of Deputies committee accepts pro-Armenian motion Ex-PM comments on double-digit growth in Armenia economy Facebook calls Russia, Iran leading purveyors of disinformation Erdogan says meeting with Biden will mark 'start of new era' in relations with Washington Armenia acting Deputy PM on creation of third high-voltage electric communication line with Iran Vladimir Zaynetdinov: CSTO has taken note of application submitted by Armenia acting PM Armenia's Pashinyan says addressing UN Security Council not ruled out Armenia acting FM: International pressure on Azerbaijan is growing Netanyahu tells Blinken that Israel is against reopening US consulate for Palestinians 23 political parties and 4 alliances apply to Armenia Central Electoral Commission ahead of snap parliamentary elections Instagram launches ability to hide likes Iran FM on solutions to problems in the region, territorial integrity Bloomberg: Support for Erdogan's ruling party hits record low Inter-agency commission sums up reports on implementation of roadmap for EU-Armenia CEPA Armenian acting PM on CSTO and Russia and their duties as Armenia's allies Slovakia allows use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V Armenia acting PM on situation in Syunik Province: CSTO still hasn't clearly expressed its position Armenia's Pashinyan: It's very rarely that Baku made provocations in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces on its own Armenia acting PM: There will be no demarcation of borders until Azerbaijani troops are pulled out of territory Record-setting number of political parties register to run in snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Blinken describes Egypt as a "real and effective partner" Armenia's Pashinyan slams opposition again Yerevan court ends trial over Armenia 3rd President's nephew Hayk Sargsyan Armenia President expresses condolences on passing away of Catholicos-Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan Armenia President hosts Iran FM-led delegation Armenia acting PM doesn't see need to declare martial law in the country Iran to send delegation of intellectual companies to Armenia EU demands to fine AstraZeneca for not fulfilling contract Zakharova: Russia is closely participating in settling Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident Google will stop selling political ads referencing U.S. elections across its services until at least Jan. 21, following last weeks violence at the Capitol. The search engine giant notified advertisers through an email. The email said the action was taken following the unprecedented events of the past week and ahead of the upcoming presidential inauguration, which takes place on Jan. 20. All political ads, in addition to ones referencing impeachment, inauguration and protests at Capitol, will be temporarily paused, according to its statement. The email said that the policy will be in effect at least till January 21, the day after the inauguration. Google had placed a temporary ban on political ads, which came into effect after US election polls ended. The move was aimed at curbing misinformation on its platforms. MASON CITY, Iowa A local businessman is asking for the publics help in finding three missing motorcycles. Sonny Onoo, owner of XTC Auto Sales in Mason City, says he noticed Tuesday morning three cycles had been stolen from his warehouse. One was a custom designed bike for pro wrestling legend Randy Macho Man Savage and Onoo says another belonged to pro wrestling Perry Saturn. Onoo says hes offering a cash reward for information leading to the recovery of the motorcycles. Photos courtesy of Sonny Onoo. South Africa's decision to shut its land borders was preceded by a week of pandemonium as hundreds of thousands of foreigners tried to return to work after the December holidays. Beitbridge, the only legal road crossing between Zimbabwe and South Africa -- and southern Africa's busiest inland border post -- was the worst affected. People waited, not always patiently, for as long as four days in lines of traffic that stretched miles from the border gate with delays caused by the need to produce a certificate showing a negative test for covid-19. Without restrooms or restaurants, they relied on unmasked vendors selling homemade traditional street food, while the scrubby roadside bush made do as a communal and unhygienic restroom with little social distancing on the Zimbabwean side of the border. The chaos was a demonstration of the disruption and economic damage the coronavirus is wreaking as South Africa battles to contain the spread of the coronavirus, which has infected more than 1.2 million people in the country and killed more than 33,000. In addition to delaying people from returning to work, the congestion curbed trade at Beitbridge, a key gateway to the rest of the continent for goods trucked from South Africa or its ports. "It is on the trade route," said Trudi Hartzenberg, executive director of the Tralac Trade Law Center in Stellenbosch, South Africa. "The transport and development corridors, going into the region and a single border closure has a knock-on, or a regional impact, which can be quite significant." The snarl-up meant that some reached South African immigration authorities after their coronavirus test certificates, which have to be presented within three days of having being taken, had expired. Many had to spend days mingling with unmasked street vendors. "This is my fourth day in the line and my certificate will have expired even if we get through today," said Wilson Ncube, 32, a boilermaker driving back to Johannesburg with his wife after visiting family in Zimbabwe. "I'm already late for work, and if I need to wait another 24 hours after being retested my boss is going to be" angry, he said. Calls to Zimbabwe's immigration department and South Africa's Department of Home Affairs weren't answered. On average, Beitbridge processes about 25,000 people a day, according to Zimbabwe's immigration department, but that number rises dramatically in January. Many of the 2 to 3 million Zimbabweans working in South Africa return home in December and the rush back to work in early January sees numbers spike. Adding to the congestion, both countries shut the border to private vehicles soon after nightfall to speed the processing of buses and trucks. Over 1,000 of them cross daily, customs officials said, mostly 40-ton rigs ferrying supplies to and from South African ports. Trucks were backed up over 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) on the Zimbabwean side of the border on Jan. 8, while four lanes of private vehicles extended in a line for 3 kilometers. Soon after nightfall, movement of private vehicles ground to a standstill after the gates shut. It would take them between 35 and 72 hours to cross the Limpopo River into the South African customs and immigration facility. South Africa's main Lebombo border post with Mozambique suffered worse congestion, at least for truckers, after a new coronavirus testing regime saw the operations shut down periodically for sterilization. A line of trucks extended 21 kilometers on both sides of the border. At Beitbridge, the interminable wait to enter Zimbabwe's expanded border post ended on entering the gates and encountering a vast and almost empty car park. Travelers were processed rapidly and social distancing and mask wearing enforced. Vehicles then sat on the the 382-meter (1,253-foot) bridge over the Limpopo for as long as an hour as it shook under the weight of heavy trucks rumbling across. Aside from workers being late for their jobs, truckers spoke of missing shipping deadlines at ports. "If I'm going to make it, I'll have to drive through for another 24 hours straight without sleep," said Jonathan Sando, from the cab of a Freightliner truck hauling 40 tons of granite destined for Italy. "It's not fun, this job." On the night of Jan. 11 South African President Cyril Ramaphosa brought the chaos to a halt by announcing that 20 of South Africa's land border posts would be closed until Feb. 15 to almost all travelers with the exception of those hauling freight. In doing so he stranded a substantial portion of South Africa's workforce. One child died and two others were injured after a roller coaster derailed at an amusement park in northern Vietnam on Thursday, a source told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. A group of people were riding the roller coaster at Dao Ngoc Xanh (Green Pearl Island) Amusement Park in Thanh Thuy District, Phu Tho Province around 12:30 pm on Thursday, the source said. The roller coaster veered off course, throwing at least three children to the ground, the source recounted. One of the kids died while the other two were hospitalized. One of the injured children had a broken arm, the remainder suffering traumatic brain injury. Such an accident happened at Dao Ngoc Xanh on Thursday afternoon, Duong Quoc Lam, chairman of Thanh Thuy, confirmed to Tuoi Tre on the evening of the same day. Im waiting for a detailed report of the incident from relevant units, Lam said. Police officers have been cordoning off the scene of the accident, said Colonel Hoang Viet Son, chief of Thanh Thuy police. Provincial investigators will deal with this case, he said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum celebrates namesake tattoo artist with jewellery range Spiced rum brand Sailor Jerry is marking what would have been the 110th birthday of its namesake, Norman 'Sailor Jerry' Collins, with a special artistic collaboration. Collins, widely regarded as the father of the traditional tattoo, is famed for his 'flash' art style. His tattoos typically featured iconography from Hawaii - where he built his reputation in the art in the 1940s - such as hula girls, swallows, ships and anchors. His nickname, Sailor Jerry, originated in his affiliation with the US Navy. As well as being an acclaimed artist, he innovated on a technical level in tattooing, from modern machine configurations and sterilisation methods to the introduction of purple ink. His flash styles continue to have an influence on tattoo, fashion and creative design, with modern-day celebrities including Harry Styles, Mily Cyrus and Justin Bieber sporting 1940s-style symbols. Supporting tattoo heritage, along with the arts, fashion and music, is a key tenet of Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum's brand ethos. It has been supporting artists in numerous ways during the Covid-19 pandemic through its #supportyourartist campaigns. To celebrate Norman 'Sailor Jerry' Collins' life and art, and to mark his 110th birthday on 14 January, the rum brand has partnered with London-based jeweller Hatton Labs to create a limited-edition capsule collection of his most admired works as 3D jewellery pieces. The collection features two one-of-a-kind pieces with diamonds and emeralds, alongside the main collection. Pieces are available to buy at www.sailorjerryxhattonlabs.com. 14 January 2021 - Bethany Whymark Reporting to Hivestack's Chief Revenue Officer, Nigel Clarkson, Yang is charged with expanding operations in North Asia across Greater China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan including hiring regional talent, and onboarding and partnering with APAC demand, supply, data and omni-channel DSP partners. China is the second largest OOH market in the world, with DOOH set to scale rapidly through 2021 as programmatic advertising spend was forecasted to grow by 45.7% in 2020. More media platforms are adopting programmatic buying, ad formats are increasingly served programmatically and advertisers are welcoming the choice of more premium position availability. As the leading programmatic digital out-of-home full stack offering, Hivestack will connect Chinese DOOH publishers with growing demand from global brands and allow Chinese brands to buy outside of China. By integrating with Hivestack, publishers will be able to monetise their DOOH inventory programmatically and media buyers will be able to utilise the very best channel-specific DOOH technology to reach audiences with impression-based targeting across multiple supply partners on one platform. Over the last four months, Hivestack has been migrating its tech stack to Amazon Web Services China and Baidu, which will allow the platform to offer its clients a full suite of services to run campaigns in Q2. Hivestack will be bringing demand to Chinese publishers with the launch of a programmatic campaign from one of the world's leading Fortune 500 technology companies set to run in Q2, 2021. "There is huge scope to leverage programmatic technology in digital out-of-home advertising in China," commented Andreas Soupliotis, Founder and CEO of Hivestack. "We are excited to lead the transformation in the market, helping regional publishers to monetise their DOOH inventory through demand from western brands. China is a strategic priority for Hivestack and Troy will be a vital asset in realising the significant commercial opportunities in the country, continued Soupliotis. His rich experience of the programmatic advertising ecosystem and the Chinese market, as well as his connections in North Asia, will be key to helping us realise our ambitious growth plans." Commenting on his appointment, Yang said, "The opportunity for Hivestack in China and North Asia is really exciting. I look forward to using my experience to make Hivestack the go-to programmatic DOOH partner for both publishers and advertisers in the region." Yang brings 20 years of experience in accelerating business growth for companies that specialise in programmatic advertising, analytics and data across Asia. Before joining The Trade Desk he held senior management roles at global marketing companies including Nielsen and Analytics Partners. His appointment, along with further hires in China planned for Q1, form part of Hivestack's ongoing drive to hire the best talent to support its global growth in the provision of programmatic DOOH technology. About Hivestack Hivestack is the global, full stack, marketing technology company that powers the buy and sell-side of programmatic digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising. On the buy side, marketers use Hivestack's Demand-Side Platform to create measurable campaigns that activate DOOH screens in real time based on consumer behaviour and audience movement patterns. On the sell-side, DOOH media owners use Hivestack's Supply-Side Platform & Ad Exchange to attract programmatic revenue. DOOH media owners can also use Hivestack's Ad Server to power audience-based, directly sold campaigns. Attribution is a first class-citizen throughout Hivestack's platform, offering buyers and sellers the ability to measure business outcomes at all stages of the consumer sales funnel. Hivestack is headquartered in Montreal, Canada, and has global operations in Toronto, Tokyo, London, New York, Mexico City, Shanghai, Sydney and Guadalajara. Contact: Nikki Hawke, [email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1420069/Hivestack_Hivestack_Expands_to_China_and_Appoints_Troy_Yang_as_M.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1420082/Hivestack_Hivestack_Expands_to_China_and_Appoints_Troy_Yang_as_M.jpg Related Links http://hivestack.com/ SOURCE Hivestack We note with interest recent calls from some Texas legislators representing large cities to water down or eliminate the STAAR test. We hear their reasoning, appreciate their good intentions and agree COVID-19 has created profound difficulties for school districts, teachers and children. However, reducing accountability in response to COVID-19 is a bad idea. Undoubtedly, COVID-19 has been hard on our kids academically, socially and emotionally. Multiple experts support the physical return of children to the classroom, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics and the U.S. chief immunologist Dr. Anthony Fauci. While the country eases out of COVID-19s grip, lets determine how badly its impacted our children and follow the best path to recovery. This fall, all Texas school districts were encouraged to voluntarily administer an abbreviated version of last springs STAAR test to help determine the extent of the COVID-19 slide. Yet only 20 percent of districts did so. In Boerne ISD, though our kids traditionally do well on standardized tests, our fall STAAR scores were shockingly low. These data document the COVID-19 slide is as real for the districts who had the courage to measure as those that did not. Teachers everywhere are working twice as hard to help students catch up; thanks to their heroic efforts, solid progress is being made. Yet teachers will tell you the COVID-19 slide is real. Parents need to know exactly how real. Policymakers need to know. And, yes, editorial boards and pundits need to know, too. Which means we need to measure it. Then we can ask: What path forward should we take? While we support reform of the standardized testing system, believe that four-hour tests are excessive and contend a one-day test doesnt fully assess a years worth of work, STAAR data provides important diagnostic information needed to guide progress and keep districts accountable. On ExpressNews.com: Get the latest update on coronavirus and a tracking map of U.S. cases Its false to think only wealthier districts can do well on STAAR. Perhaps when standardized testing first began, this was true. But with critical improvement to testing criteria, including measuring academic progress, STAAR is no longer a tool just to reward those districts whose students were already likely to do well. Today, STAAR allows progress to be measured not just on where students start but on how far they progress during any individual year. Importantly, the requirement to measure progress has boosted results for districts with traditionally high percentages of economically disadvantaged students and English language learners. No district can afford to ignore how these kids do, especially now because many of them are impacted disproportionately by COVID-19. Where the light shines, action follows. In 2018, an impressive 30 percent of students in the Rio Grande Valley, despite more challenging demographics than Bexar County, attended school in a district that earned an A rating and 56 percent a B rating. No districts received a D or F. Yet in 2018 in Bexar County, despite demographics with lower rates of poverty and English language learners, only 1 percent of students attended school in a district that earned an A, and 54 percent were in a district rated B. Six percent were in districts rated D. Fortunately, since 2018 there has been steady progress in many Bexar County school districts. This is encouraging. With proper accountability tools, academic progress is achieved. We therefore find it interesting that some legislators are advocating to water down the very tool showing there is still much work to do. Going forward, lets all agree that teachers and in-person teaching are essential. Lets make availability of vaccines for teachers a top priority. Lets reopen all our schools to safe in-person teaching. And lets measure our decisions by whether they are good for our disadvantaged kids first. But lets not eliminate the very tool that allows districts to measure those students most impacted by COVID-19. And lets not set aside the one tool that allows parents and policymakers to keep districts accountable along the way. David Spencer and Rich Sena serve on the Boerne ISD board of trustees. Next on the Navy's new Frigate, the US Navy will have more missiles and even laser weapons installed on the vessel. Aging ships of the US naval force need a refresh of its warships facing stiff competition from America's adversaries. American naval vessels are the most modern globally, but America's fighting ships are in a great power struggle against several rising nations. The US Navy's answer for smaller yet capable surface combatants (warships) is the Constellation-class guided-missile. These are smaller than destroyers but with multiple vertical launch tubes or VLS with 16 Naval, 32 tubes to fire 32 Tomahawks to destroy land or sea targets in range, cited Breaking Defense. In 2026, the FFXG (future Frigate) will be ready for trials, and there will be two ships built a year. The US Navy orders a total of 20 boats. A change from big bruisers to smaller vessels that armed to the teeth. One other advantage is they will be less expensive than the current inventory. According to CNO Mike Gilday, the Frigate will be different and with new design concepts and will be the base of future warships to come online after. He said the FFGX program should produce the best fighting ship that can do anything built for and reliable. He told the press in an event he attended. Furthermore, the FFGX design will be the takeoff for the next generation destroyer or "DDG Next." All the design to roll off the shipyards for the American Navy will be cutting edge. Also read: Navy Plans New Weapons Strategy for New Frigate Deployment Navy acquisition chief James Geurts said that too much importance might be placed on the program is emphasized. He added the FFXG might not be enough in some scenarios coming soon. Capt. Kevin Smith, the Navy's program manager for FFGX, said the frigate development is vital for the American warships building systems that will be expanded as future capabilities improve as improvements keep it relevant. As a platform, the hull will not be limited, like the aging Arleigh-Burke class getting close to its limits. For future frigate adjustments for space, weight, power, and cooling on the hull are factored in. It will remain relevant to the naval service during its service life. Future destroyers will not only rely on guided missiles, but the laser weapon is in planning. To be exact, the extra weight for future upgrades is 100 tons on the hull. The shipbuilding firm "Fincantieri" got the Navy's go signal for the contract in April 2020 to build 10 FFGX in the US. Located at the Marinette Marine shipyard in Wisconsin, the ships will be made. Another ten ships contract will follow soon; the US Navy is keen on it. By comparison, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are beefier and bigger, but the FFGX is armed well. These ships will be 496 feet long, a draft of 18 feet, with a beam of 64.6 feet in hull size. It has a displacement of 7,291 long tons that is less than the types of Arleigh Burke's. A crew of 24 officers and 176 sailors will be on board. This new Navy Frigate will cost the US Navy about $1.28 billion, at $800 million to $950 million apiece. Related article: US Navy Wants a Next-Generation Destroyer Designed From the Ground Up @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. CenterPoint Energy, the Houston-based regulated utility that supplies electricity to the Houston area, has been facing a crisis of late. Electricity customers have repeatedly criticized the company for recurring reliability problems. Its share price has fallen 20 percent during the past year while the broader S&P 500 index increased 14 percent. The company is operating under its third CEO in less than a year. CenterPoint executives acknowledge that investors are disappointed, and they promised last year to launch a board level business review committee. The solution? CenterPoint, which expanded into oil and gas pipelines and bought a Midwestern utility with coal plants in recent years, is going back to the basics by focusing on reliability, replacing aging power poles and lines, and clearing trees from overhead lines. CenterPoint is following the lead of other U.S. utilities and returning to its roots as a regulated transmission and distribution power company. It hopes to capitalize on the growing demand for electricity as electric vehicles grow in popularity, electric heat continues to replace oil and gas furnaces and take advantage of a regulatory system that allows spending on reliability and other improvements to be added to consumer rates. CenterPoint officials hope to recover most of the $16 billion that its investing in the improvements over the next five years by getting the costs included into the pool of regulator-approved assets known as the customer rate base. CenterPoint can then earn a 9.4 percent return on equity essentially profit on assets approved by regulators, a move that could drive up the cost of electricity for consumers and businesses. Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer The investments create a steady and growing source of revenue, the kind attractive to hedge fund investors drawn to utilities and other mature industries that produce strong cash flow with little risk. The bigger the rate base, the more utilities earn, according to one industry expert. Thats the profit model going forward, said Tyson Slocum, energy program director for Washington-based consumer advocacy group Public Citizen. Hedge fund investors like Elliott Management of New York are demanding that CenterPoint and other utilities in which theyve bought a stake put as much of their new cash into the rate base as possible, Slocum said. Elliott Management, which has about $40 billion in total assets, was among a group of investors that in May bought a $1.4 billion stake in CenterPoint. But because the new model shifts risk to rate payers and away from investors, the rate payers may end up paying for investments they didnt need nor want, such as new transmission lines for anticipated population growth that never materializes, Slocum said. There is the risk consumer electricity rates will go up, he said. Its called gold plating, referring to the business practice of overbuilding for maximum returns for shareholders while forcing ratepayers to overpay for those investments. On HoustonChronicle.com: CenterPoint at crossroads as David Lesar takes reins as CEO Consumers pay for electricity transmission and distribution in their monthly electricity bills, a charge that is often higher than the cost of generation. Houstonians in the CenterPoint service area pay 4.2 cents a kilowatt hour and $4.39 a month for transmission and distribution, or more than two-thirds of a 6.7 cent per kilowatt hour six-month fixed price electricity plan on the state managed website Power to Choose. Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer But to make the plan work, utilities have to get regulators on board because regulators have to approve the additional expenditures before they can be added to customer rates. CenterPoint has been already been making inroads with regulators in Texas to improve relationships, CenterPoint officials told investors recently. CenterPoint clashed with regulators last year after reliably complaints were brought by the San Antonio-based grocery chain H-E-B. CenterPoint eventually agreed to accept a $13 million rate hike instead of the $161 million it was seeking and a lower return on equity. While we encourage regulated entities to maintain open communication with the commission, rate decisions are based on the facts, applicable rules and statutes, economic needs supported by substantive evidence, and appropriate litigation, Public Utilities Commission spokesman Andrew Barlow said in a written statement. On HoustonChronicle.com: CenterPoint retreats, will close power shopping site CenterPoint has made mistakes, including overpaying for the Indiana utility Vectren and devoting too many resources to its non-utility businesses, CEO Lesar told investors in December. But he promised investors the company will do a better job by focusing on its core regulated utility and vowed that CenterPoint would increase its rate base by 10 percent a year through 2025. Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer I have a very long track record of execution as a CEO, he said, and Im not about to mess that up now. Nation plugs in Utilities are at a turning point as the nation increases dependence on electricity. Electric vehicles are expected to account for more than 20 percent of annual vehicle sales by 2030, according to Edison Electric Institute, a Washington-based trade group for investor-owned utilities. Thats about 18.7 million electric vehicles by 2030, up from 1 million in 2018. And to power all those vehicles, the trade group predicts that 9.6 million electricity charging ports need to be installed during the next decade. The share of all-electric homes also has increased nationwide over the past decade, according to the Department of Energy. About 25 percent of homes rely only on electricity and 35 percent of homes built in the past 40 years depend solely on electricity. On HoustonChronicle.com: Complaint: Houston's CenterPoint Energy failed to disclose New York hedge fund's $1.3B investment Meanwhile, utilities are facing new competition as tech companies develop ways for consumers to remotely manage their electricity use, transportation companies try to supply their own power and large financial institutions look to sell electricity on their banking platforms, said one electricity expert. A bank, for example, might provide electricity to a companys offices, warehouse and electric vehicle fleet for a flat monthly fee. Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Theyre trying to get into their space, said Siddhartha Sachdeva, CEO of Innowatts, a Houston-based company that collects data from millions of electric meters to determine consumer habits. Whoever can really capitalize on the opportunities will come out the winner, he said. But utilities dont have a lot of time to take back control. CenterPoint launched a capital improvement plan in Houston, which has grown by about 2 percent a year for more than a decade, and faces regular threats from hurricanes. Projects include building 29 new substations by the end of 2025, investing $1.4 billion to improve reliability and resiliency of the power grid, and replacing 10,500 miles of aging underground cable, 1.1 million wood poles and, 4,400 substation breakers and transformers, according to CenterPoints investor presentation. And by the end of 2021, CenterPoint expects to complete a $483 million project to construct 55 miles of high-voltage transmission lines. CenterPoint predicts its rate base for electricity and gas service will grow by 10 percent annually to $25 billion by 2025 from about $16 billion in 2020, CFO Jason Wells told investors. Our strategy will be accomplished by investing in and empowering our greatest assets our employees, according to a written statement from CenterPoint spokeswoman Natalie Hedde. CenterPoint will accomplish its strategy by focusing on core regulated utility businesses, capitalizing on growth opportunities and focusing on its values, she said. On HoustonChronicle.com: How H-E-B went head-to-head with CenterPoint to lower Houston electricity bills Evergy, the utility with 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri, predicts that its recent commitment to $8.9 million in capital spending will increase its rate base by as much as 6 percent a year through 2024. Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer The company, which launched a board-level strategic review at the behest of investor Elliott Management, announced in August it would spend $4.8 billion on transmission and distribution upgrades and $500 million on automation and technology. Evergy declined to comment. DTE, which has 2.2 million electric utility customers in Michigan, also said it plans to boost capital spending by $2 billion to $17 billion over the next five years. DTE has regularly increased its capital spending over the years and the recent increase is unrelated to the spin off of its midstream business, according to a written statement from the company. Job No. 1 Utilities will likely be successful getting new capital investments through regulators, especially ones geared to improving reliability, grid resiliency and reducing costs. One former regulator said he liked to see companies improve reliability and the consumer experience in a cost-effective way. Because when the lights and air conditioning go out, consumers and political leaders call to complain. You take notice, said Richard Mroz, a regulatory consultant for the law firm Pillsbury and former president of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. It was always on my mind and I know its on the minds of other regulators. Keeping the lights on is job No. 1, he said. But its a balancing act. It costs three to five times more to install underground power lines than overhead poles and wires. For neighborhoods that like their large trees it might be worth it; others might not want to spend the money. CenterPoint trucks are out in force in Houston neighborhoods with reliability problems. For several weeks, workers have been erecting new power poles, stringing new wires and trimming tree limbs in the Brighton Place neighborhood in Spring Valley. On HoustonChronicle.com: Homeowners find power, peace of mind in generators Homeowner Peter Lovie said the upgrades, which came after a Chronicle story about persistent power outages, have seemingly improved reliability. The frequent outages were so troubling that Lovie bought a 22-kiowatt natural gas-fueled standby generator for $10,500 last year for his home that kicks in every time the power goes off. Lovie said it had been a dozen years since trees were trimmed around power lines. Now the branches no longer intermingle with the power lines, a new wire is running down the back of his house and a nearby leaning power pole has been replaced with an upright version. So far, the power went off in the neighborhood for just a few minutes during a recent heavy rain. Lovie said he hopes thats a good sign the problems have been fixed. This story has been updated to clarify DTE's capital spending plans. Publish Georgia Pastor Mike Stone to run for So. Baptist presidency Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Georgia Pastor Mike Stone is a candidate to be president of the Southern Baptist Convention, according to Florida Pastor Tom Ascol, who believes it is vital the denomination be led by a pastor. "We're going to have a faithful Baptist pastor who will be nominated to help lead us as the next SBC president," Ascol, president of Founders Ministries, told The Christian Post in a phone interview Tuesday. The nation's largest Protestant denomination is comprised of churches and the pastors who are called to shepherd those congregations, he explained, underscoring that it's time for the SBC to "get back to the basics" and that all of the entities and agencies within it belong to the churches. "At this critical juncture where we have so many challenges in the culture that have come into the denomination and in our local churches, we need a man on the ground [as president]." Although Ascol is among the Reformed wing of the denomination and Stone represents the traditionalist SBC view which has been a source of contention in the SBC in recent years the Florida pastor speaks warmly of the Georgia minister. Their theological differences have not been a barrier to friendship, Ascol said. "And that's the way it should be in the Southern Baptist Convention, and right now we need all who are committed to the inerrancy and sufficiency, the full authority, of Scripture to unite together. And I think [Mike Stone] will do that. I've not sensed anything from him except just recognition that we are all brothers and these are fraternal discussions we can have but right now we have a bigger concern with what is going on in the culture and the division that has come into our Convention which needs to be addressed by good, clear, simple pastoral leadership." Stone, who is the pastor of Emanuel Baptist Church in Blackshear, Georgia, confirmed Tuesday in a CP interview that indeed he is in the running for the job, though it was something that he felt prompted by the Holy Spirit while praying during a recent season where the SBC presidency was the farthest thing from his mind. He sensed God say to him: "Would you be willing to be nominated if that were My will for you?" For the Lord to confirm this, Stone prayed that his wife would be in full support of it and for her to initiate it. Stone recounted that his wife is not into Convention affairs at all or the inner workings of the denomination and it would thus be unusual for her to initiate a conversation on the subject. "The very next day, without me breathing a word of it to her, she initiated this conversation and she asked if she could share with me why she thought God may be moving in that direction," Stone said. His staff and lay leadership of his church also began to speak positively about the prospect. "I cannot say that God has called me to be the next president of the Southern Baptist Convention. I can say that God has led me to allow my name to be put in nomination. And my response is not as much a call to be elected but it's a call to be obedient." Stone plans to emphasize a renewed focus on evangelism as he speaks to SBC leaders about his candidacy which the denomination has historically called our "one sacred effort" as well as the importance of the sufficiency of Scripture and greater grassroots involvement in the denomination. While most Southern Baptists will say they believe that the headquarters of the Convention is the local church given their strong belief of autonomy of every congregation, in practice, the denomination has become top-down management in their approach to the denomination's cooperative efforts. "In order for the Cooperative Program to work it has to be cooperative. What we're seeing, and there is specific evidence of this, is local churches sending cooperative program dollars through their state and regional conventions and then on to the national conventions and entities and the entities are making decisions that hinder the ministries of the supporting state conventions. And you have decisions made on the ground in local areas in local churches that are being dictated by and driven by national entity headquarters," Stone said. "Increasingly, Southern Baptists on the ground have less and less influence and impact over what is happening with their own Cooperative Program dollars." He stressed: "I do think that the Southern Baptist Convention will be best led by someone who has a direct tie to the local church." Stone is also a previous chair of the SBC Executive Committee. Children's National Hospital and Virginia Tech have awarded two $50,000 one-year pilot grants to multi-institutional teams of scientists for pediatric brain cancer research. The inter-institutional program, which launched in December, promotes cross-disciplinary collaborations among researchers at both institutions. At Virginia Tech, the program is part of the Virginia Tech Cancer Research Alliance. Financial support for the program was provided by the offices of the Physician-in-Chief and Chief Academic Officer at Children's National, and by Virginia Tech's Office of the Vice President for Health Sciences and Technology. "We were delighted to see so many innovative and competitive research proposals for our first round of pilot grants in the area of brain cancer. By forging new research collaborations with our partners at Children's National, we hope to make major strides in addressing one of the most common and devastating groups of cancers in children," said Michael Friedlander, Virginia Tech's vice president for health sciences and technology, and the executive director of the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC. "The pilot funding will bootstrap several programs to be able to acquire ongoing sustainable funding by providing the opportunity to test novel high-impact ideas for new strategies for treating these disorders. There are simply too few good options for children in this space now and this partnership can change that for the better." The collaborative research initiative began through an agreement between the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute and the Children's National Research Institute. The collaborative teams formed through a series of interactive discussions among Virginia Tech's Cancer Research Alliance faculty members from the university's Blacksburg and Roanoke campuses, and Children's National's neuro-oncology researchers. "I am extremely excited by this collaboration between Virginia Tech and Children's National Hospital that is focused on pediatric brain tumors, which is such an area of unmet need," said Catherine Bollard, director of Children's National's Center for Cancer and Immunology Research. "I am confident that the funded proposals will soon advance our understanding of pediatric brain tumors and, more importantly, facilitate more joint efforts between two world-class institutions, which is especially timely with the development of the Children's National Research & Innovation Campus." Yanxin Pei, an assistant professor in the Center for Cancer Immunology Research at Children's National, and Liwu Li, a professor of biological sciences in Virginia Tech's College of Science, were awarded one of the pilot research grants to study how white blood cells called neutrophils are involved in metastatic MYC-driven medulloblastoma, an aggressive type of brain tumor in children that often resists conventional radiation and chemotherapies. Yuan Zhu, the Gilbert Family Professor of Neurofibromatosis Research at Children's National, and Susan Campbell, an assistant professor of animal and poultry sciences in Virginia Tech's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, were awarded funds to study glioma-induced seizures in mice with a genetic mutation that inhibits the production of P53, a key protein involved in suppressing cancer cell growth and division. The successful applicants will receive funding starting this month and are expected to deliver preliminary data to support an extramural research application by 2024. This pilot research program represents a growing academic research partnership between Children's National and Virginia Tech. Last year, the two institutions announced that Virginia Tech will establish a biomedical research facility on the Children's National Research & Innovation Campus. It will be the first research and innovation campus in the nation focused on pediatrics when it opens later this year, and will house newly recruited teams of pediatric brain cancer researchers. ### EDWARDSVILLE Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler has called a special board meeting for Tuesday to consider placing an advisory referendum on reducing the size of the Madison County Board. If approved the referendum would be placed on the April 6 ballot. Because it is advisory, such a referendum would not require action. The referendum will be Shall the number of county board members be reduced from the current 29 members following the 2020 Decennial Census? The meeting is set for 5 p.m. Tuesday and will be held remotely. Residents may listen to the meeting via Twitch at https://www.twitch.tv/madisoncountyil. Comments must be submitted prior to the meeting. Prenzler noted in a press release that the Madison County Board has the maximum number of board members allowed by law 29. There are only three other counties in Illinois with 29 county board members: St. Clair, Sangamon and LaSalle. The current makeup of the board is 16 Republicans, 11 Democrats and two vacant seats which must be filled by Republicans. Prenzler is expected to appoint new members to those seats at the Jan. 20 meeting. One Democrat, Jim Dodd of Alton, has been absent from the board for several years because of health issues. Voters were first empowered to elect board members under the 1970 Illinois Constitution. Prenzler said district lines must be re-drawn to reflect population changes reported by the 2020 census and to ensure equal representation of residents. Prenzler said county boards have an opportunity after each decennial U.S. Census to adjust their size. Successful organizations are always looking to improve, Prenzler said. This is something the voters should be asked. Prenzler and others have used referendums, both binding and advisory, a number of times over the past four years. That includes two binding referendums lowering the maximum tax rate for the countys general fund levy and to eliminate the countywide office of recorder of deeds and merge the office with the county clerks office. Madison County Democratic Party Chairman Randy Harris called the proposal just another attempt to provide less services to members of the public. Prenzler doesnt want to do more with less; he wants to do less with more, Harris said. Republicans can continue to falsely beat the small government drum, but what it really means is provide less services to the public, be less accountable to the voters and give people less opportunity to participate or be involved in their government. According to the Madison County Republican Party, only former Republican Party officials, their friends, allies and donors should derive any benefit from the government, Harris continued. While Prenzler and his allies will cloak themselves in saving taxpayer dollars this is about less access to the public and less accountability to the voters and taxpayers. Madison County Republican Party Chairman Ray Wesley said the issue deserves to be discussed, but there are many questions. The Madison County Republican Party embraces the idea of smaller, more efficient government, he said via email. That said, there are many questions surrounding the potential reduction of the number of County Board districts. Illinois law requires that reapportionment occur every 10 years, he added. This process involves the re-drawing of county board districts after the federal census with the goal that each district has roughly the same number of people. We welcome any discussion to improve county government, and I encourage Chairman Prenzler to reach out to each of the current board members for input into how this will potentially impact the approximately 260,000 citizens they represent. FCW Insider: Jan. 14 The Defense Department's top buyer, Ellen Lord, said the incoming Biden administration will have to contend with adversarial investments and cybersecurity weaknesses in the contractor base. Civil rights groups caution that the rule change that allows faith-based organizations that are also federal contractors to favor their members in hiring could lead to employment discrimination. Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist outlines plan to divvy up the Pentagon's number three job. Acting tech chief Jeff Seaton takes over as NASA CIO as part of a spate of leadership changes. Quick Hits *** The General Services Administration is removing all drones from its multiple award schedule program except for those vetted and approved by the Defense Innovation Unit's Blue sUAS Program. The announcement, made on GSA's Interact website, was made to counter the proliferation of Chinese-made drones that have been deemed a potential security threat. *** The deadline to make Federal 100 nominations has been extended. You now have until Friday, Jan. 15 to get them in. WASHINGTON On Dec. 8, someone made a simultaneous transfer of 28.15 bitcoins worth more than $500,000 at the time to 22 different virtual wallets, most of them belonging to prominent right-wing organizations and personalities. Now cryptocurrency researchers believe they have identified who made the transfer, and suspect it was intended to bolster those far-right causes. U.S. law enforcement is investigating whether the donations were linked to the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol. While the motivation is difficult to prove, the transfer came just a month before the violent riot in the U.S. Capitol, which took place after President Trump invited supporters to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue and take back our country. Right-wing figures and websites, including VDARE, the Daily Stormer and Nick Fuentes, received a generous donation from a bitcoin account linked to a French cryptocurrency exchange, according to research done by software company Chainalysis, which maintains a repository of information about public cryptocurrency exchanges and whose tools aid in government, law enforcement and private sector investigations. Chainalysis investigated the donation after Yahoo News shared the data points about the transaction. According to one source familiar with the matter, the suspicious Dec. 8 transaction, along with a number of other pieces of intelligence, has prompted law enforcement and intelligence agencies in recent days to actively investigate the sources of funding for the individuals who participated in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, as well as their networks. The government is hoping to prevent future attacks, but also to uncover potential foreign involvement in or support of right-wing activities, the source said. During a press conference on Tuesday on the investigation into the Capitol riot, acting U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin said the scope and scale of this investigation in these cases are really unprecedented. At this time, Sherwin added, prosecutors are treating the matter as a significant counterterrorism or counterintelligence investigation involving deeper dives into money, travel records, disposition, movement, communication records. One of the ways extremist groups have made money in recent years is online through cryptocurrency and crowdfunding. Bitcoin, which was anonymously released online in 2009 as open-source software, exists only virtually. It does not utilize a central bank or administrator to disburse funds, nor does any government control or distribute it. While bitcoin has fluctuated in value in recent years, and continues to do so, it gained mainstream popularity around 2017, the same year prominent alt-right figure Richard Spencer tweeted, Bitcoin is the currency of the alt right. A 2017 Washington Post investigation explored how far-right groups turned even more aggressively toward bitcoin following the deadly August 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va. The story cited research by the nonprofit Southern Poverty Law Center that identified a large bitcoin donation to Andrew Anglin, the editor of the Daily Stormer, a prominent neo-Nazi website that accepts bitcoin donations. At the time, the donation was worth around $60,000. The night before the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Va., in 2017, white supremacists march with tiki torches through the University of Virginia campus. (Zach D. Roberts/NurPhoto via Getty Images) A newfound expertise in online messaging and recruitment, coupled with the fact that modern extremist groups are generally young and digitally savvy, means that these organizations and individuals have fundamentally altered the way that extremists raise money, wrote Alex Newhouse, a data analyst at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey in a 2019 report that explored the links between white supremacists and digital currency. Some prominent right-wing groups or sites display their bitcoin wallets prominently, the report noted. The lack of regulation over Bitcoin has driven its adoption by white supremacists, it said. While cryptocurrency has been used by extremist groups and criminals to raise funds while shielding their identities, bitcoin is pseudonymous rather than anonymous. Bitcoin wallet addresses are permanent, and the digital ledger of transactions, called the blockchain, is public and cant be changed. That means if people identify their bitcoin wallet address, as many right-wing groups do to raise funds, transactions can be traced, which is what allowed Chainalysis to uncover information about the source of the large December donation. The source of the funding, according to research conducted by Chainanalysis, appears to be a computer programmer based in France who created an account in 2013 and who maintained a personal blog, which was not updated between 2014 and Dec. 9, 2020, the day after the donation. Chainalysis researchers discovered a blog post from the bitcoin user that reads like an apparent suicide note, bequeathing his money to certain causes and people in light of what he describes as the decline of Western civilization, though the researchers were unable to confirm that the user was in fact dead. Chainalysis declined to publish the users name, citing privacy concerns due to the inability to conclusively confirm his death and out of concerns over ongoing law enforcement investigations. An email to the apparent French donor did not immediately receive a reply. Chainalysis investigators relied on openly available information, or public bitcoin transactions, to investigate and map out the large transaction. The original donor was registered on NameID, an internet service that allows bitcoin users to tie their online pseudonym or email address with their bitcoin profile information the original donor included. Investigators tracked that email address to the blog, and to several cryptocurrency forum posts going back to 2013. According to their research, Fuentes, a popular right-wing commentator who was suspended from YouTube last winter for violating its policies on hate speech, received the largest chunk of funding on Dec. 8 about $250,000 in bitcoin. The Daily Stormer and the anti-immigration website VDARE were among the other recipients. Nick Fuentes, center, with right-wing activists Ali Alexander, second from left, and Alex Jones, during a "Stop the Steal" rally at the Georgia governor's mansion on Nov. 19. (Zach Roberts/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Yahoo News reached out to the recipients named in this article to confirm whether they had received the funding, what information they had about the donor and what they planned on doing with the funds. None returned a request for comment, although Fuentes tweeted an obscene gesture, naming several journalists, including this reporter, shortly after the inquiry was sent. While the Daily Stormer website openly requests cryptocurrency donations, it also includes a disclaimer that says it is opposed to violence and that anyone suggesting or promoting violence in the comments section will be immediately banned. While theres no evidence that Fuentes directly participated in the Capitol riot, something he has so far denied, the financial resources of prominent right-wing actors are of growing interest to law enforcement. Id be stunned if both nation-state adversaries and terrorist organizations werent figuring out how to funnel money to these guys, one former FBI official who reviewed the data for Yahoo News said. Many of them use fundraising sites (often in Bitcoin) that are virtually unmonitored and unmonitorable. If they werent doing it, theyd be incompetent. Additionally, much like conversations that took place on social media in the weeks leading up to the Capitol riot, the digital currency transactions are happening in plain sight. While cryptocurrency has the reputation of being anonymous and shadowy, thats actually a common misconception, explained Maddie Kennedy, Chainalysiss communications director. With the right tools you can follow the money, she said. Cryptocurrency was designed to be transparent. While there are methods that cryptocurrency users can deploy to obfuscate their identities including using privacy coins such as Monero, which are difficult to trace, or using a mixer that allows various users to combine their bitcoins and mix them together to disguise their origin theres no indication the French programmer utilized those tools, Kennedy said. Though the donation is not a smoking gun or indicative of a crime, and it remains unclear to what extent the Capitol riot was coordinated in advance, the activity is nonetheless revealing, according to Kennedy. These extremist groups are probably more well organized and well-funded than what was previously believed, she said. Chainalysis maintains a database of domestic extremists who have cryptocurrency accounts, and while the company has traced donations to rightwing groups over the years, the December 2020 deposit was the single biggest month weve ever observed directed towards these causes, the researchers wrote. This is evidence to show theyre raising money, Kennedy said. Additionally, the fact that the donor was outside the United States suggests this has international scope, she continued, a fact that law enforcement should be paying attention to. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As school officials survey staff on interest in the coronavirus vaccine, Ohio reported an increase of 2,679 cases in K-12 students and 1,312 in staff. The increases are for the week of Jan. 4 through Jan. 10. The new cases bring totals up to 27,125 student cases and 17,091 staff cases since Sept. 7, when the state implemented central reporting guidelines. Cases in children still make up about eight percent of total cases, with 14- to 17-year-olds making up nearly half of childrens cases. The previous week, Dec. 28, 2020, to Sunday, Jan. 3, 2021, the state reported an increase of 1,096 new cases in K-12 students, with 832 in staff. These numbers do not include students or staff who were working completely remotely. Being on-site means having any interaction between students or staff during the individuals infectious period, as defined by the Ohio Department of Health. The number of reported cases in children overall dropped significantly so far from December to January. December was an all-time high with 21,678 cases in children. Currently, about a third of Ohios students are operating in each learning model -- fully in person, remote and hybrid, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a coronavirus briefing Thursday. The state wants students back in buildings by March 1, offering vaccinations to any district that will commit to a hybrid or full in-person learning model. The rollout of these vaccines is still in question, and timelines will depend on the supply of the vaccine and how quickly the vaccines are administered. Search for your school district in the database below: Previous coverage: -- Heres where older Northeast Ohioans can get vaccinated in Phase 1B of coronavirus vaccine -- Ohio now exceeds 800,000 coronavirus cases; 22,875 new vaccine doses given: Thursday update -- Coronavirus vaccine distribution for school staff in Cuyahoga County could utilize pods, but timeline in flux -- Akron Public Schools plans to opt in to vaccine, in-person schooling: Heres the timeline Hong Kong's national security police on Thursday arrested 11 people in connection with the attempt by 12 activists to flee the city by speedboat in August 2019, including a prominent human rights lawyer and pro-democracy politician. Democratic Party district councilor and volunteer rights lawyer Daniel Wong said police showed up at his home in Kowloon City at around 6.00 a.m. Live video footage of the arrest showed Wong shouting "Insist on democracy, insist on human rights, and the rule of law! Don't give up, Hongkongers!" as he was handcuffed and escorted into an unmarked car with marked police vans in the background. Wong was later taken back to his district councilor's office to assist police with a search at around noon. Police confirmed that the national security division had arrested eight men and three women aged 18-72 on suspicion of "aiding and abetting criminals." Wong, 72, became prominent as a volunteer lawyer for protesters arrested during the 2019 protest movement, and for his tireless advocacy for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. His last social media post before his arrest read: "Inside the walls are the young faces of those who have stayed in Hong Kong but lost their freedom. Outside the wall, others are exiled, strangers in a strange land, not knowing when they can come home." "The darker things get, the more we need to hang in there!" he wrote. Active, day and night Former pro-democracy lawmaker Lam Cheuk-ting said Wong always came out to offer legal assistance to protesters at any time of the day. "I would call him, and he would come right away, regardless of how late it was," Lam told RFA. "He would usually be seen going back and forth between different parts of a police station, wearing shorts, sandals, with his long hair, and clutching a water bottle." Wong had also driven Lam around the city to support arrested protesters, Lam said. "A lawyer of many years' experience, he was happy to share that experience with younger lawyers, and he helped a lot of families, bringing them a sense of calm, as well as dealing with the police," he said. "I was always very impressed with his sense of justice." Wong was also active in helping Hongkongers launch pro-protest businesses on the democratic island of Taiwan, and was a favorite target of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-backed media. Hong Kong political commentator Sang Pu said Wong was aware of the danger of arrest, but had wanted to stay in the city to help others. "Lots of people asked him why he didn't leave Hong Kong, and he always said it was to help people," Sang said. "He touched a lot of people." He said it was hard to see how Wong could be accused of violating national security, even under the draconian law imposed by the CCP on Hong Kong since July 1. "It's not really about what he's actually done, though; they are targeting him as a person," Sang said. Ten protesters sentenced On Dec. 31, 2020, a court in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong handed down jail terms of up to three years to 10 of the 12 Hong Kong protesters detained on Aug. 23 as they tried to flee a national security crackdown in the city, on charges linked to "illegally crossing a border." Two detainees -- Liu Tsz-man and Hoang Lam-fuk -- were sent back to Hong Kong after the authorities said they wouldn't pursue charges against them, as they were under 18 at the time of their detention. Liu, now 18, was remanded in police custody after completing quarantine and being charged with conspiracy to commit arson for allegedly possessing raw materials to make Molotov cocktails during the 2019 protest movement, government broadcaster RTHK reported. Hoang also faces charges of "absconding" and "conspiring to assist criminals," it said. The arrests came as a Hong Kong internet provider confirmed it had blocked access to a protest-related website following a police order, the first confirmed takedown of a website under the national security law. "We have disabled the access to the website in compliance with the requirement issued under the National Security Law," Hong Kong Broadband Network said in a statement. HKChronicles, a website dedicated to publishing first-hand accounts of the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement, warned its users last week to prepare for large-scale internet blocks, filters, and censorship in future, in the first indication that China may be exporting its Great Firewall to the city under a draconian national security law that took effect on July 1. Reported by Man Hoi Yan and Lu Xi for RFA's Cantonese and Mandarin Services. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. (Alliance News) - Miner Rio Tinto PLC on Thursday said it struck a deal to allow an aluminium smelter in New Zealand to continue operating for roughly another four years. Rio said it reached an agreement with Meridian Energy, an electricity generator, to allow the New Zealand's Aluminium Smelter joint venture to continue operating the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter until December 31, 2024. The NZAS joint venture, of which Rio Tinto owns just over 79%, operates the Tiwai Point site in Southland region of New Zealand. Japan's Sumitomo Chemical Co Ltd holds the remaining stake in NZAS. "While discussions with the New Zealand government are progressing in relation to their commitment to address the smelter's high transmission costs, a new agreement has been reached with Meridian Energy in relation to power prices, making the smelter economically viable and competitive over the next four years," Rio added. "The extension provides certainty to employees, the local community and customers while providing more time for all stakeholders to plan for the future." Back in July, Rio said it would wind-down and then eventually close its New Zealand aluminium smelters amid a "challenging" time for the industry. On Thursday's power deal extension, Rio added: "The extension also provides time for detailed closure studies to be completed and for NZAS to support the government and Southland community in planning for the future. Plans for eventual closure of the Tiwai Point smelter will include extensive stakeholder consultation, including within the Southland community and reflect the company's robust closure and remediation standards." Rio Tinto shares were 0.9% higher at 6,047.00 pence each in London on Thursday morning. By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Image-centric social media network Snapchat has permanently banned President Donald Trump from its platform over his 'attempts to spread misinformation, hate speech, and incite violence.' The American multimedia messaging app developed by Snap Inc. last week had announced an indefinite suspension of Trump's Snapchat (SNAP) account. In a statement Wednesday, a Snapchat spokesperson said the company has been assessing what long term action can be taken in the best interest of the Snapchat community. 'In the interest of public safety, and based on his attempts to spread misinformation, hate speech, and incite violence, which are clear violations of our guidelines, we have made the decision to permanently terminate his account,' the statement added. Trump followers' failed violent attempt to block the Congress from certifying Joe Biden's election victory on January 6 resulted in the death of five people. After the incident, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube prevented Trump's access to their platforms, while Amazon shut down Parler, an app widely used by his supporters. The simultaneous ban from several major platforms blocks Trump from his preferred channels of communication. Operators fear that Trump could use his social media accounts to influence his supporters create unrest in the country and disrupt President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration. Twitter boss Jack Dorsey defended the decision to ban Trump from the popular social media platform, and said the move would have consequences for an open and free internet. 'I believe this was the right decision for Twitter. We faced an extraordinary and untenable circumstance, forcing us to focus all of our actions on public safety. Offline harm as a result of online speech is demonstrably real, and what drives our policy and enforcement above all,' he said on Twitter. 'Having to take these actions fragment the public conversation. They divide us..And sets a precedent I feel is dangerous,' the Twitter CEO added. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Facepalm: Being left with a couple of password guesses before getting locked out of a system is something many have experienced, but not with $240 million on the line. That's the unenviable situation facing Stefan Thomas, who has lost the password to a hard drive containing 7,002 Bitcoin. The New York Times reports that the German-born programmer, who lives in San Francisco, was given the haul of Bitcoin over a decade ago, back when they were worth just a few dollars each. Thomas stored them in a digital wallet on his IronKey hard drive and wrote the password down on a piece of paper, which he lost. With the price of Bitcoin surging recently, that drive now has around $240 million on it. The IronKey allows for ten incorrect passwords before its contents are permanently encrypted. Thomas already has eight failed attempts. "I would just lay in bed and think about it," Thomas told the New York Times. "Then I would go to the computer with some new strategy, and it wouldn't work, and I would be desperate again." People have been offering Thomas help in accessing the drivefor a price. Former Facebook head of security Alex Stamos tweeted: "Um, for $220M in locked-up Bitcoin, you don't make 10 password guesses but take it to professionals to buy 20 IronKeys and spend six months finding a side-channel or uncapping." He added, "I'll make it happen for 10%. Call me," but later said this was a joke. This isn't the first instance of someone losing millions of dollars worth of Bitcoin. British IT worker James Howells mined 7,500 BTCnow worth over $250 millionkeeping the private keys on a hard drive. It was accidentally thrown away in 2013. Cryptocurrency data firm Chainalysis estimates that around 20 percent of the existing 18.5 million Bitcoin, worth around $140 billion, is lost or stuck in inaccessible wallets. The experience has soured Thomas' opinion of cryptocurrencies. "This whole idea of being your own bank let me put it this way, do you make your own shoes? The reason we have banks is that we don't want to deal with all those things that banks do." Good Riddance. Sheldon Adelson Dead at 87 By Moon Of Alabama January 14, 2021 " Information Clearing House " - Sheldon Adelson, the casino oligarch who has financed far right causes as well as the political careers of Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahoo, has died. In 2013 Adelson had called for nuking Tehran (vid). Good Riddance. Unfortunately his money will continue to flow to the far right as his Israeli wife is the one who is now running the show. In other news B'Tselem, the topmost Israeli human rights organization, finally describes both Israel and its control of the Palestinian territories as a single apartheid regime: BTselem rejects the perception of Israel as a democracy (inside the Green Line) that simultaneously upholds a temporary military occupation (beyond it). BTselem reached the conclusion that the bar for defining the Israeli regime as an apartheid regime has been met after considering the accumulation of policies and laws that Israel devised to entrench its control over Palestinians. Nothing really new there but it makes it official. No Advertising - No Government Grants - No Algorithm - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Newsletter With B'Tselem finally speaking out it is much easier to refute those who falsely denounce the much justified condemnation of Zionism and Israel as anti-semitic. This comes at a time when Israel is scheming to derail the incoming Biden administration's plan to return to the nuclear deal with Iran: Israel will start by sending a stream of envoys on visits to Washington, the official said, requesting anonymity to discuss private deliberations. Its stated publicly that it doesnt want the U.S. to abandon sanctions on the Islamic Republic without a new deal, and that a tougher stance should be taken toward its nuclear project, ballistic missile program and regional proxy forces. That strategy runs against the Biden teams willingness to re-enter the deal, then negotiate an expansion of its terms. Its conditioned on Irans returning to compliance with the accord, whose limits it breached after President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the agreement in 2018. ... Israel also has a higher-risk card up its sleeve: the potential to upend diplomatic efforts through covert operations against Iran. ... Netanyahu has been open about his intention to thwart renewed U.S. participation. In a rare public split, he rebuked his envoy to Germany for supporting Berlins push to expand the deal. There should be no return to the Iran nuclear agreement of 2015 -- a deal which is flawed to its foundations, Netanyahu said. With Biden being an arch-Zionist and with a team of Zionist Jews leading the State Department the chances of a fast return to the deal can be regarded as slim. German blogger Samira So moved from Cologne to Perth, WA, in August 2018 She faced a series of culture shocks after touching down on Australian soil Among them were free access to beaches and bars serving tap water on demand German venues rarely provide free water; private beaches were once common Samira still marvels at the cost of parking and speeding tickets Down Under Free access to beaches and tap water on demand were some of the biggest culture shocks a German expat encountered when she moved to Australia. Travel blogger 'Samira So' bid farewell to her historic hometown of Cologne in northwest Germany for the sunnier climes of Perth, WA, in August 2018, but there's still some things she struggles to come to terms with. ADVERTISEMENT Standout differences include the sky high cost of parking and speeding tickets Down Under, along with open-air barbecue areas, free public toilets and drive-through bottle shops, Samira revealed in a series of TikTok videos. The clips, which have been viewed 145,906 times since they were uploaded online on November 12, have sparked some amusing responses. Scroll down for video German blogger Samira So (pictured) moved from Cologne to Perth and discovered she had a lot to learn about Australian culture FREE BEACHES, TAP WATER AND PUBLIC TOILETS Widely regarded as some of the finest in the world, Australia's pristine white sand beaches have left countless visitors speechless. But while their beauty is unquestionable, Samira was more taken aback by the fact they are free. 'You can go to any beach for free, while in Germany you literally have to pay a specific tax... who wants to pay for the beach?' Samira asked. Private beaches with ticketed entry were once common along the North and Baltic coastline, but a 2017 ruling from Germany's federal court ordered the public should not be charged to walk or swim on the country's beaches. The landmark decision came after a private beach on the North Sea, 170 kilometres west of Hamburg, was sued by two residents of neighbouring towns who demanded it scrap its 3/$4.50 (AUD) fee and provide free access. Click here to resize this module The beauty of Australia's beaches has been known to take breaths away, but Samira (pictured on a beach in Esperance, WA) was was more taken aback by the fact they are free Samira was also taken aback by the free tap water available in Australian bars and restaurants. 'Sometimes if you ask for tap water, they won't even give it to you which is ridiculous,' she said. Australian venues are legally required to supply 'cold drinking water' under the 2002 Liquor Regulation Act, but whether the water is served free or at 'reasonable cost' can vary between states and territories. ADVERTISEMENT The state law of Western Australia, where Samira lives, obliges eateries to provide tap water free of charge. She said she was delighted by the number of public toilets scattered across Perth, coming from a country where bathrooms almost always charge for entry. 'There's barely any public toilets for free,' Samira added. Samira (pictured in Marrakech, Morocco) was also taken aback by the tap water freely available in Australian bars and restaurants as mandated under federal law Australia's biggest culture shocks for expats * Sky high parking fines and speeding tickets * Free beaches * Free tap water * Free public toilets * Open-air barbecue areas * No coin slots on supermarket trolleys * Drive through bottle shops OPEN-AIR BARBECUE AREAS AND SUPERMARKET TROLLEYS On her first trip to an Australian supermarket Samira was surprised to see staff collecting trolleys and returning them to the bay. In Germany, shoppers slot 2 coins into trolleys to release them from the bay and bring them back after loading groceries into their cars to recoup the money. However some viewers wondered where Samira is living because they have paid for trolleys their entire lives. 'I dunno where you are in Aus but we have to put coins in trolleys as well! It's only a few places we don't need to,' one woman wrote. Samira said she was thrilled by the plethora of open-air barbecue areas dotted around major cities and regional towns across Australia. Samira (pictured in Perth) said she generally finds Australians to be 'a little bit more open-minded and relaxed' than her German compatriots SKY HIGH SPEEDING FINES AND DRIVE THROUGH BOTTLE SHOPS Samira was shocked by the heavy fines slapped on Australian drivers who break the speed limit or park their cars in a non-designated space. 'If you drive five kilometres too fast in Germany it's only 15 or 20 euro, same with parking, 15 or 20 euro,' she said. ADVERTISEMENT 'But here [in Perth] it's way too expensive I was so shocked the first time I got a fine.' Samira was also amazed by Australia's drive through bottle shops, with many BWS' in regional towns and on the outskirts of cities offering the service to the side of the store. Samira was shocked by the heavy fines slapped on Australian drivers who break the speed limit or park their cars in a non-designated space (pictured, a parking sign in Melbourne) 'I was so surprised driving through it the first time!' she said. In Germany, which does not have drive through liquor stores, alcohol is sold in corner shops, service stations and occasionally on newspaper stands. In an interview for the Hostel G Perth blog, Samira said she generally finds Australians to be 'a little bit more open-minded and relaxed' than her German compatriots. 'I also realised there is so much more space here. The cities in Germany don't have that many parks or green areas in general,' she added. The scene of the crash on the Millburn Road, Coleraine A man in his 70s is currently in critical condition in hospital after the bike he was riding was struck by a car in Coleraine. The incident happened on the Millburn Road shortly before 1pm on Thursday afternoon. While riding his bicycle the man was struck by a black Vauxhall Agila car and sustained head and upper body injuries. Police and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service both attended the scene. The ambulance service dispatched one emergency crew and the charity air ambulance to the scene. A PSNI spokesperson said that enquiries into the collision are ongoing. "Officers would ask anyone who witnessed the collision or who may have captured footage on dash-cam to contact them at Coleraine on 101 quoting reference number 652 14/01/21," the spokesperson said. The Millburn Road was closed for some time but has since reopened. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Thunderstorms likely. Low 58F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely. Low 58F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Compared to standard machine learning models, deep learning models are largely superior at discerning patterns and discriminative features in brain imaging, despite being more complex in their architecture, according to a new study in Nature Communications led by Georgia State University. Advanced biomedical technologies such as structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI and fMRI) or genomic sequencing have produced an enormous volume of data about the human body. By extracting patterns from this information, scientists can glean new insights into health and disease. This is a challenging task, however, given the complexity of the data and the fact that the relationships among types of data are poorly understood. Deep learning, built on advanced neural networks, can characterize these relationships by combining and analyzing data from many sources. At the Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State researchers are using deep learning to learn more about how mental illness and other disorders affect the brain. Although deep learning models have been used to solve problems and answer questions in a number of different fields, some experts remain skeptical. Recent critical commentaries have unfavorably compared deep learning with standard machine learning approaches for analyzing brain imaging data. However, as demonstrated in the study, these conclusions are often based on pre-processed input that deprive deep learning of its main advantagethe ability to learn from the data with little to no preprocessing. Anees Abrol, research scientist at TReNDS and the lead author on the paper, compared representative models from classical machine learning and deep learning, and found that if trained properly, the deep-learning methods have the potential to offer substantially better results, generating superior representations for characterizing the human brain. "We compared these models side-by-side, observing statistical protocols so everything is apples to apples. And we show that deep learning models perform better, as expected," said co-author Sergey Plis, director of machine learning at TReNDS and associate professor of computer science. Plis said there are some cases where standard machine learning can outperform deep learning. For example, diagnostic algorithms that plug in single-number measurements such as a patient's body temperature or whether the patient smokes cigarettes would work better using classical machine learning approaches. "If your application involves analyzing images or if it involves a large array of data that can't really be distilled into a simple measurement without losing information, deep learning can help," Plis said.. "These models are made for really complex problems that require bringing in a lot of experience and intuition." The downside of deep learning models is they are "data hungry" at the outset and must be trained on lots of information. But once these models are trained, said co-author Vince Calhoun, director of TReNDS and Distinguished University Professor of Psychology, they are just as effective at analyzing reams of complex data as they are at answering simple questions. "Interestingly, in our study we looked at sample sizes from 100 to 10,000 and in all cases the deep learning approaches were doing better," he said. Another advantage is that scientists can reverse analyze deep-learning models to understand how they are reaching conclusions about the data. As the published study shows, the trained deep learning models learn to identify meaningful brain biomarkers. "These models are learning on their own, so we can uncover the defining characteristics that they're looking into that allows them to be accurate," Abrol said. "We can check the data points a model is analyzing and then compare it to the literature to see what the model has found outside of where we told it to look." The researchers envision that deep learning models are capable of extracting explanations and representations not already known to the field and act as an aid in growing our knowledge of how the human brain functions. They conclude that although more research is needed to find and address weaknesses of deep-learning models, from a mathematical point of view, it's clear these models outperform standard machine learning models in many settings. "Deep learning's promise perhaps still outweighs its current usefulness to neuroimaging, but we are seeing a lot of real potential for these techniques," Plis said. Explore further Identifying and assessing frailty in people with diabetes should be a priority, in order to better treat and manage More information: Anees Abrol et al. Deep learning encodes robust discriminative neuroimaging representations to outperform standard machine learning, Nature Communications (2021). Journal information: Nature Communications Anees Abrol et al. Deep learning encodes robust discriminative neuroimaging representations to outperform standard machine learning,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20655-6 Illinois soon will offer a closer look at one measure of the diversity of companies based here. A law that took effect Jan. 1 requires publicly traded companies headquartered in the state to provide information on the gender, racial and ethnic diversity of their boards to the Illinois secretary of state. The legislation directs the University of Illinois to provide an analysis based on the data by March 1. Originally, lawmakers considered legislation that would have required companies to have at least one woman, African American and Latino on their boards. Gov. Tom Wolf said Thursday 450 Pennsylvania National Guard members have been placed on active duty around the state to bolster security efforts in the wake of the attack at the U.S. Capitol last week. Wolf said the mobilization of the guard troops will coincide with heightened security measures leading up to the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. More than 1,000 Pennsylvania National Guard troops have already deployed to Washington, D.C. to aid local authorities in security efforts for the inauguration. I will not allow what happened at our nations capital to happen here. That is why I am taking the necessary measures to ensure everyones safety and security across our great commonwealth, Wolf said in a statement Thursday. Some of the national guard troops will support efforts to guard the Capitol Complex in Harrisburg. They will join Capitol Police and Pennsylvania State Police in the event of possible violence. The Pennsylvania National Guards presence around our State Capital and surrounding community will enhance law enforcements ability to provide continued public safety and critical infrastructure security during these unprecedented times, Wolf said. The FBI has warned of the possibility of armed protests at all of the 50 state capitals around the nation in the days leading up to Bidens inauguration. Law enforcement have been on high alert following the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol last week. Five people were killed when scores of President Trumps supporters broke into the U.S. Capitol as Congress met to count the electoral votes, the final step before Biden becomes the nations 46th president. A Capitol police officer was killed and dozens of others were injured. Wolf has ordered the Capitol to be closed for two days next week around the swearing in of three state row officers. The Pennsylvania National Guard has about 19,000 members, making it the nations second largest guard in the country, according to the governors office. Maj. Gen. Mark Schindler, Pennsylvanias acting adjutant general, said the National Guard members are up to the task. Assisting and supporting local authorities during times of need is one of the core missions of the National Guard, Schindler said in a statement. The men and women of the Pennsylvania National Guard are trained and prepared to ensure our citizens and infrastructure are safe and protected. More from PennLive How Pennsylvania is getting the state Capitol prepared amid threats of attacks 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 You are the owner of this article. New Delhi, Jan 14 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said that the vaccination drive will be carried out at 81 centres across the national capital from January 16, on four days in a week. Arrangements are in place to vaccinate 100 person daily at each of these 81 centres, ensuring inoculation of over 8,000 persons every day. The number of centres will be subsequently increased to 175, and then to 1,000, he added. The vaccination in the first phase will be conducted on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Addressing a press conference virtually, two days ahead of the launch of the world's largest vaccination drive in India, Kejriwal said that the vaccination process for other diseases will be taken up on Wednesdays and Fridays so that these did not suffer. "The vaccination drive against coronavirus will begin from January 16 across the country and the Delhi government has made all preparations. I reviewed the preparations today (Thursday) in a meeting with officials," Kejriwal said. The Aam Aadmi Party leader said that the Delhi government had received 2.74 lakh vaccine doses so far. "As two doses will be administered to each person, and given the 10 per cent extra doses given by the Centre to deal with damage cases, these vaccine doses will be sufficient for 1.30 lakh healthcare workers," Kejriwal said. Kejriwal said he hoped that the Centre will provide more doses very soon as the numbers were not enough to inoculate all healthcare workers. In all, 2.40 lakh healthcare workers have registered for the vaccination drive in Delhi in the first phase. The Drug Controller General of India has approved 'Covishield' and 'Covaxin' vaccines for emergency use. The Oxford University and AstraZeneca have developed 'Covishield', which has been manufactured in India by Serum Institute of India in Pune. Bharat Biotech has developed 'Covaxin'. PALERMO, JAN 14 - Italian police on Thursday arrested three Palermo fashion businessmen on suspicion of sexual violence against minors and inducement into underage prostitution. Palermo flying squad sources said the three ran a "flourishing prostitution ring". It allegedly involved young models in the trio's agencies. Police said they had established one episode of sexual violence. (ANSA). A plaque taken from the grave of James Bond author Ian Fleming last year has still not been found - as locals fear it was stolen by a crazed 007 super-fan. The iconic author's grave has been marked with an obelisk in the grounds of St James' Church in Sevenhampton, Wiltshire, for more than 50 years. But in September last year, an inscribed slate plaque which featured the author's name and the Latin phrase 'omnia perfunctus vitae praemia marces' - meaning 'having enjoyed life's prizes, you now decay' - was removed without permission. There are fears it could have been taken by a James Bond super-fan and may never be recovered. A plaque (left) taken from the grave of James Bond author Ian Fleming (right) last year has still not been found - as locals fear it was stolen by a crazed super-fan The iconic author's grave has been marked with an obelisk in the grounds of St James' Church in Sevenhampton, Wiltshire, (pictured) for more than 50 years Who was James Bond author Ian Fleming? Ian Lancaster Fleming was born into a well-off family with connections to the merchant bank Robert Fleming & Co. His father, an MP for Henley, died in 1917 during World War One. Fleming's work with Britain's Naval Intelligence Division during World War Two - combined with his career as a journalist - formed the basis for his Bond novels. He wrote Casino Royale, the first book in the series, in 1952. Its huge success sent demand skyrocketing and three print runs had to be commissioned. Between 1953 and 1966, he wrote 11 novels and two short story collections. In total, 100 million copies of the Bond novels were sold worldwide and they remain hugely popular today. Fleming was married to Ann Charteris - who he met while she was still married to the second Viscount Rothermere - and the pair had a son called Casper. Fleming had a heart attack on August 11, 1964 and died the following day - Caspars 12th birthday - aged just 56. Casper killed himself at the age of just 23 on October 2, 1975. Ann died on July 12, 1981 and all three are buried together in St James' Church in Sevenhampton. Advertisement Others have suggested that the attack was perpetrated by someone gripped by the false belief that the Flemings owed their fortune to slavery. Fleming was buried at the St James' Church site in 1964. The graveyard is next to the Warneford Place estate which Mr Fleming moved to after completing the Bond novels - and where he wrote Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Sally Hawson of Save Swindon's Heritage said: 'Desecrating a grave is an awful thing to do. 'This is one of those places where fans from all over the world make a pilgrimage to visit a world-famous author, it is special and important. 'Heritage crime is unfortunately massive in this country. 'There's a network of people who steal things to order and are quite adept at what they do, but who knows if that's the reason behind this vandalism. 'We may never find out who did it and that's sad, his family must be so upset.' Matt Holland, who runs the literature and arts-focused Swindon Spring Festival, said he fears a fan was behind it. He said: 'To vandalise any grave is disrespectful. 'But, of course and inevitably, graves of the famous are more at risk of getting both good and bad attention. 'It occurs to me that this could be the work either of a fan, wanting an Ian Fleming plaque for their collection, or an enemy of Bond - someone who sees this desecration as a way of finally beating Bond and getting one step closer to world domination. 'But either way, its a shame this has happened and, rather than lovers of literature, the people it will matter most to are Ian Flemings family and friends, for whom it must be upsetting.' At the time of the grave's disappearance, Fleming's step-daughter Fionn Morgan said she feared the attack was perpetrated by people who believed the family had links to slavery. She said: 'It could be the work of an extreme Bond fan who wants to keep it. In September last year, an inscribed slate plaque which featured the author's name and the Latin phrase 'omnia perfunctus vitae praemia marces' - meaning 'having enjoyed life's prizes, you now decay' - was removed without permission (left). Right: Fleming at his desk in 1958 There are fears it could have been taken by a James Bond (Sean Connery as Bond, pictured) super-fan and may never be recovered 'Or, less likely, it could have been stolen by someone thinking it would sell for a large sum.' But she said it was 'very likely' that the grave was desecrated by someone who concluded that Fleming and his family were beneficiaries of the slave trade, simply 'because of Ian's home in Jamaica, Goldeneye'. Fleming's grandfather, Robert Fleming, left school aged 13 but founded the bank which bore his name, making an immense fortune, much of which he bequeathed to his native Dundee. Fleming was revered in Jamaica, particularly at Goldeneye, where staff referred to him as 'the Commander'. Fleming had a heart attack on August 11, 1964 and died the following day - on his son Caspars 12th birthday - aged just 56. Casper killed himself at the age of 23 on October 2, 1975. Ann died on July 12, 1981 and all three are buried together in St James' Church in Sevenhampton. Casper and Ann's plaques have been left intact. Highworth pub The Goldfinger is named after one of his books which later became an iconic and hugely-successful Bond film starring Sean Connery. California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development opening office in Yerevan US Department of State issues statement on detention of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces Armenia 1st President says Aliyev is certain that Pashinyan won't win elections and is trying to get all that he can UN calls for $ 95 million in aid to Palestinians Twitter is concerned about safety of its employees in India Artsakh hero: Impotent and perhaps also treacherous authorities of Armenia need to be removed from power immediately France MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to show maximum restraint Azerbaijani attacks Russia citizen of Armenian descent in Moscow Armenia acting MOD provides President with information about capture of Armenian servicemen Lithuania MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to go to de-escalation of situation and pull out troops Russian Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia acting FM resigns Acting Deputy FM: Armenia reserves itself the right to take necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity China speaks on dark history of US intelligence in connection with Biden's order Netanyahu slams hypocritical and deceitful moralizing statements of French FM Turkish authorities issues new arrest warrant for mafia after his scandalous revelations of Erdogan's entourage EU-Armenia Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security holds 11th Meeting Armenia acting PM deletes statement on Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers "being intertwined" from Facebook post 6 Armenian soldiers captured: situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border is tense, May 27 digest Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff deputy chief explains difficulties with settlement of border with Azerbaijan UN: Israeli forces may have committed war crimes during 11-day war with Hamas Nikol Pashinyan presents plan for resolving border situation Dollar gains value in Armenia Opposition party leader: Armenia Security Council to convene session with heads of parliamentary factions this evening His Holiness Karekin II receives newly appointed UK Ambassador to Armenia Greece and Turkey FMs to meet in Athens Armenia acting PM says he will present plan for peaceful solution to border situation very soon Armenia Parliament Speaker sends letters to counterparts of partnering legislatures Zarif: Iran welcomes willingness of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tension Armenia acting Deputy MOD on news about soldiers being ordered to not open fire ANCA calls on US Congress to block financing of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Armenia to allocate lands in Syunik Province to Russian border guards Armenia Armed Forces General Staff deputy chief: We can destroy all Azerbaijani soldiers who invaded territory Armenian advocates file lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan Army general staff deputy chief: About 1,000 Azerbaijan soldiers are illegally in Armenia Army general staff: Armed forces can capture Azerbaijani soldiers who marched into Armenia Armenia legislature approves several amendments to laws Armenian opposition MP: Villages mentioned by ruling bloc's deputy are Armenia's buffer zone Armenia Gegharkunik Province villager to acting PM: Over 50% of our pastures are now under Azerbaijan control Armenia Kotayk Province has new governor Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US ambassador, discusses border situation NEWS.AM BREAKING: 6 Armenian soldiers are captured by Azerbaijan military in early morning European Council head says process of implementing sanctions against Belarus is launched Armenia acting MOD leaves for Moscow Armenia President, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces discuss current situation on border Armenia acting PM to residents of borderline village: If we cede our border, Azerbaijanis will get more excited Armenia MOD not confirming reports about Azerbaijan firing shots at Tavush Province Ex-President Kocharyan meets with Yerevan residents, "Armenia" bloc members (PHOTOS) Armenia petitions to European Court to ensure fundamental human rights of 6 soldiers captured by Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier: We need to unite in this situation Serj Tankian makes statement on Azerbaijans displayed horrific racism Man detained in US for intending to commit attempt on Biden Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD continues disseminating disinformation Erdogan to visit Baku and Shushi Two Armenia legislature committees to hold closed joint meeting regarding tense situation on Azerbaijan border Holy Etchmiadzin on capture of Armenia soldiers: Such behavior of Azerbaijan authorities is strongly condemnable Gegharkunik Province village border area situation very tense, says Armenia enlarged community leader Armenia opposition MP: Shots are heard Gegharkunik Province Armenian National Congress party electoral list is announced Armenia MFA: Azerbaijan leadership bears responsibility for consequences of actions by its armed forces Opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament demands convening Security Council special session 140 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Acting premier: Our servicemen were abducted from Armenia territory Armenia MOD announces names of 6 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan military early morning Armenia parliament majority leader to CSTO: Our international partners do not call it like it is Armenia parliament manages to have quorum in 2nd attempt World oil prices falling Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan popularity rating consistently drops over the past week Newspaper: Russia peacekeepers commander does not return from Azerbaijan with encouraging news for Armenia MOD: 6 Armenia soldiers are surrounded, captured by Azerbaijan military early morning William Shakespeare, 1st man in world to get approved coronavirus vaccine, dies aged 81 Spain Congress of Deputies committee accepts pro-Armenian motion Ex-PM comments on double-digit growth in Armenia economy Facebook calls Russia, Iran leading purveyors of disinformation Erdogan says meeting with Biden will mark 'start of new era' in relations with Washington Armenia acting Deputy PM on creation of third high-voltage electric communication line with Iran Vladimir Zaynetdinov: CSTO has taken note of application submitted by Armenia acting PM Armenia's Pashinyan says addressing UN Security Council not ruled out Armenia acting FM: International pressure on Azerbaijan is growing Netanyahu tells Blinken that Israel is against reopening US consulate for Palestinians 23 political parties and 4 alliances apply to Armenia Central Electoral Commission ahead of snap parliamentary elections Instagram launches ability to hide likes Iran FM on solutions to problems in the region, territorial integrity Bloomberg: Support for Erdogan's ruling party hits record low Inter-agency commission sums up reports on implementation of roadmap for EU-Armenia CEPA Armenian acting PM on CSTO and Russia and their duties as Armenia's allies Slovakia allows use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V Armenia acting PM on situation in Syunik Province: CSTO still hasn't clearly expressed its position Armenia's Pashinyan: It's very rarely that Baku made provocations in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces on its own Armenia acting PM: There will be no demarcation of borders until Azerbaijani troops are pulled out of territory Record-setting number of political parties register to run in snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Blinken describes Egypt as a "real and effective partner" Armenia's Pashinyan slams opposition again Yerevan court ends trial over Armenia 3rd President's nephew Hayk Sargsyan Armenia President expresses condolences on passing away of Catholicos-Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan Armenia President hosts Iran FM-led delegation Armenia acting PM doesn't see need to declare martial law in the country Iran to send delegation of intellectual companies to Armenia EU demands to fine AstraZeneca for not fulfilling contract Zakharova: Russia is closely participating in settling Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident WASHINGTON: A retired firefighter who is suspected of throwing a fire extinguisher at police during last weeks mob attack on the U.S. Capitol has been arrested, a U.S. Justice Department spokeswoman confirmed on Thursday. Robert Sanford, 55, of Chester, Pennsylvania, will appear in a virtual hearing in federal court in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Thursday to face charges of unlawful entry, civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding police. According to court documents, Sanford was captured on video hurling what appears to be a fire extinguisher at police. The object appears to strike one officer, who was wearing a helmet, in the head. The object then ricochets and strikes another officer, who was not wearing a helmet, in the head. The object then ricochets a third time and strikes a third officer, wearing a helmet, in the head," the documents say. The Justice Department has brought more than 70 criminal cases so far since supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, trying to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden as the winner of the U.S. presidential election. Many of the people arrested so far were captured on social media bragging about taking part in the assault, and the FBI has been combing through more than 100,000 videos and photographs. After the violence was quelled, most of the rioters were allowed to leave the Capitol, meaning law enforcement has had to track them down in the days since. One such person was Hunter Ehmke, charged by the Justice Department on Thursday with damaging government property, obstructing an official proceeding and violent entry. According to court documents, a Capitol Police officer witnessed Ehmke smash a window at the Capitol and rushed at him with his shield to try to stop him. The officer lost grip of the shield and fell" into shards of glass, the documents say. Police managed to detain Ehmke but the crowd started to become aggressive and threatened police not to take Ehmke away. Due to the growing aggression of the large crowd that far outnumbered the officers and the exigent circumstances at the time, officers made the decision to allow Ehmke depart under his own power," according to the governments statement of facts. Ehmke was due to be in court in the Central District of California at 1 p.m. PST. The deadly violence last week led to the impeachment of Trump on Wednesday by the House of Representatives on a charge of inciting an insurrection. Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access Philippines' Health Ministry reports 1st case of mutant Coronavirus strain linked to UK Moscow, Jan 13 (Sputnik) Health authorities in the Philippines have detected the first case of the new coronavirus strain that was first discovered in the United Kingdom in December in the Asian country, the Philippine Department of Health said on Wednesday. "Following strengthened biosurveillance and border control efforts, the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) today officially confirm the detection of the B.1.1.7. SARS-CoV-2 variant (UK variant) in the country," the department said in a press release posted to Facebook. The virus was detected in a Filipino who arrived from the United Arab Emirates on January 7. The man, a resident of Quezon City, who left for Dubai on December 27 on a business trip, was quarantined upon his return, the department added. Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community. Submit here Shining a new light on dark energy The Dark Energy Survey has released a massive, public collection of astronomical data and calibrated images from six years of work. Containing data on nearly 700 million astronomical objects, this second data release in the Survey's seven-year history is the topic of sessions today and tomorrow at the 237th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society.[1] DR2 is the second release of images and object catalogs from the Dark Energy Survey (DES). It is the culmination of over half a decade of astronomical data collection and analysis, with the ultimate goal of understanding the accelerating expansion rate of the Universe and the phenomenon of dark energy that is thought to be responsible for the expansion. The Dark Energy Survey is a global collaboration that includes Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab), National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), and NSF's NOIRLab. Including a catalog of nearly 700 million astronomical objects, DR2 builds on the 400 million objects cataloged with the Survey's previous data release (DR1), and also improves on it by refining calibration techniques, which, with the deeper combined images from DR2, leads to improved estimates of the amount and distribution of matter in the Universe. It is one of the largest astronomical catalogs released to date. Astronomical researchers around the world can access these unprecedented data and mine them to make new discoveries about the Universe, complementary to the studies being carried out by the Dark Energy Survey collaboration. The full data release can be accessed here and is available to scientists and the public to explore. One early result relates to the construction of a catalog of RR Lyrae pulsating stars, which tell scientists about the region of space beyond the edge of our Milky Way. In this area nearly devoid of stars, the motion of the RR Lyrae stars hints at the presence of an enormous "halo" of invisible dark matter, which may provide clues to how our galaxy was assembled over the last 12 billion years. In another result, DES scientists used the extensive DR2 galaxy catalog, along with data from the LIGO gravitational wave experiment, to estimate the location of a black hole merger and, independent of other techniques, infer the value of the Hubble constant, a key cosmological parameter. Combining their data with other surveys, DES scientists have also been able to generate a detailed map of the Milky Way's dwarf satellites, giving researchers insight into how our own galaxy was assembled and how it compares with cosmologists' predictions. The detailed precision cosmology constraints based on the full six-year DES data set will come out over the next two years. DES was conceived to map hundreds of millions of galaxies and to chart the size of the expanding Universe as it accelerates under the influence of dark energy. DES has produced the largest and most accurate dark matter map from galaxy weak lensing to date. Covering 5000 square degrees of the southern sky, the survey data enable many other investigations in addition to those targeting dark energy, covering a vast range of cosmic distances -- from discovering new nearby Solar System objects to investigating the nature of the first star-forming galaxies in the early Universe. "This is a momentous milestone. For six years, the Dark Energy Survey collaboration took pictures of distant celestial objects in the night sky. Now, after carefully checking the quality and calibration of the images captured by the Dark Energy Camera, we are releasing this second batch of data to the public," said DES Director Rich Kron of Fermilab and the University of Chicago. "We invite professional and amateur scientists alike to dig into what we consider a rich mine of gems waiting to be discovered." The primary tool used to collect these images, the Dark Energy Camera (DECam), is mounted on the National Science Foundation-funded Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope, part of the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) in the Chilean Andes, a Program of NSF's NOIRLab. Each week from 2013 to 2019, DECam collected thousands of images of the southern sky, unlocking a trove of potential cosmological insights. Once captured, these images (and the large amount of data surrounding them) were transferred to NCSA for processing via the DES Data Management (DESDM) project. Using the Blue Waters supercomputer at NCSA, the Illinois Campus Cluster, and computational systems at Fermilab, NCSA prepares calibrated data products for research and public consumption. It took approximately four months to process one year's worth of data into a searchable, usable catalog. The DES DR2 is hosted at the Community Science and Data Center (CSDC), a Program of NSF's NOIRLab. CSDC provides software systems, user services, and development initiatives to connect and support the scientific missions of NOIRLab's telescopes, including the Blanco Telescope at CTIO. "Because astronomical data sets today are so vast, the cost of handling them is prohibitive for individual researchers or most organizations," said Robert Nikutta, Project Scientist for Astro Data Lab at CSDC. "CSDC provides open access to big astronomical datasets like DES DR2, and the necessary tools to explore and exploit them -- then all it takes is someone from the community with a clever idea to discover new and exciting science." ### Notes [1] The DES DR2 will be featured in two online sessions at AAS: NOIRLab's Data Services: A Practical Demo Built on Science with DES DR2 on Thursday 14 January at 4:10 pm EST, and Dark Energy Survey: New Results and Public Data Release 2 on Friday 15 January at 12:00 pm EST. More information NSF's NOIRLab (National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory), the US center for ground-based optical-infrared astronomy, operates the international Gemini Observatory (a facility of NSF, NRC-Canada, ANID-Chile, MCTIC-Brazil, MINCyT-Argentina, and KASI-Republic of Korea), Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), the Community Science and Data Center (CSDC), and Vera C. Rubin Observatory. It is managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) under a cooperative agreement with NSF and is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona. The astronomical community is honored to have the opportunity to conduct astronomical research on Iolkam Du'ag (Kitt Peak) in Arizona, on Maunakea in Hawai?i, and on Cerro Tololo and Cerro Pachon in Chile. We recognize and acknowledge the very significant cultural role and reverence that these sites have to the Tohono O'odham Nation, to the Native Hawaiian community, and to the local communities in Chile, respectively. About DES This work is supported in part by the US Department of Energy Office of Science. The Dark Energy Survey is a collaboration of more than 400 scientists from 26 institutions in seven countries. Funding for the DES Projects has been provided by the US Department of Energy Office of Science, US National Science Foundation, Ministry of Science and Education of Spain, Science and Technology Facilities Council of the United Kingdom, Higher Education Funding Council for England, ETH Zurich for Switzerland, National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Kavli Institute of Cosmological Physics at the University of Chicago, Center for Cosmology and AstroParticle Physics at Ohio State University, Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy at Texas A&M University, Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos, Fundacao Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico and Ministerio da Ciencia e Tecnologia, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, and the collaborating institutions in the Dark Energy Survey. NCSA at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign provides supercomputing and advanced digital resources for the nation's science enterprise. At NCSA, University of Illinois faculty, staff, students, and collaborators from around the globe use advanced digital resources to address research grand challenges for the benefit of science and society. NCSA has been advancing one-third of the Fortune 50 for more than 30 years by bringing industry, researchers, and students together to solve grand challenges at rapid speed and scale. Fermilab is America's premier national laboratory for particle physics and accelerator research. A US Department of Energy Office of Science laboratory, Fermilab is located near Chicago, Illinois, and operated under contract by the Fermi Research Alliance LLC, a joint partnership between the University of Chicago and the Universities Research Association, Inc. The DOE Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. Links DES web page at NOIRLab DES Page at Fermilab DES DR2 Data Release Photos of DECam Photos of the Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope Contacts Rich Kron Dark Energy Survey spokesperson University of Chicago / Fermilab Email: rich@astro.uchicago.edu Robert Nikutta NSF's NOIRLab Cell: +1 919-633-5406 Email: robert.nikutta@noirlab.edu Amanda Kocz Press and Internal Communications Officer NSF's NOIRLab Cell: +1 626 524 5884 Email: amanda.kocz@noirlab.edu This story has been published on: 2021-01-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Kashmiri Twitter users have roasted Bollywood filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri for trying to cook a 'vegetarian' Wazwan. Agnihotri, who is in the valley to shoot The Kashmir Files, a movie based on the Kashmiri Hindus migration, was spotted having food at a local hotel. Wazwan is multi-course mutton cuisine usually served to guests during marriages in Kashmir. The spicy and flavoured cuisine ranges from seven to 25 mutton dishes. It all started when Agnihotri tweeted, Nobody knows how to make a vegetarian Wazwan in Kashmir. But I am here to bring about change. #TheKashmirFiles. Nobody knows how to make a vegetarian Wazwan in Kashmir. But I am here to bring about a change. #TheKashmirFiles pic.twitter.com/E1TOqtWSzK Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri (@vivekagnihotri) January 13, 2021 People were quick to react and give Agnihotri some lessons about Kashmir and its culture. Could you kindly confirm is there something like a vegetarian Wazwan on your menu at Grand Palace Hotel, Srinagar? While we appreciate your business here but would that come at the cost of tampering with the local culture? Wazwan last was about non-vegetarian, tweeted one. First, you are not a Kashmiri and second, a vegetarian Wazwan does not exist and never will although someone with an alter ego may keep pushing for it, wrote another user. A Twitter user advised him to take a dip in the freezing Dal Lake and relax. Wazwan is an alternative word for Non-Vegetarian. Your Firdous is also crying after he saw this tweet, he said. Here are some more reactions: Wazwan has a distinct place in kashmiri Muslim cuisine. It cant be replaced with any veg food.If you want to enjoy pure veg food,you should try Kashmiri Pandit veg cuisine which is entirely different, without onion and garlic.Our Non Veg food is also without onion garlic. Rajesh Raina (@rainarajesh) January 14, 2021 If it is not non veg, it is not wazwan. Aarrish Bilal (@AarishBilal) January 14, 2021 how do vegetarian and wazwan go together Basito (@kalecxot) January 14, 2021 Wazwan is part of Kashmirs rich culture and every Kashmiri is touchy and proud of the gourmet. That is why successive governments in Jammu and Kashmir had to face criticism when they tried to moderate the fat guestlist and mutton varieties. Some social activists too had advocated austere marriages in Jammu and Kashmir and asked families to tone down expenditure as it was becoming a vice for the poor. But many Kashmiris were unhappy about the suggestion saying no one should have a business to strike down a law on local culture and whoever wants to tone down the festivities can do it on their freewill. Under the order, a cap was imposed on the number of guests to be invited and food dishes to be served in marriages and other social functions. Any violation of the directive was to invoke the criminal action under the relevant sections of the CrPC. Seven vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes were allowed to serve to the guests during marriages and social functions. However, the high court later restrained the government from taking coercive measures. A view of the Hai Van Tunnel 2 connecting Da Nang and Thua Thien-Hue when it opened on January 11, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Nguyen Dong. The Hai Van Tunnel 2 will close after briefly opening during Tet since the government has not invested its share of the cost, the private partner in the project said. Following its opening on Monday, the tunnel connecting Thua Thien-Hue Province and Da Nang City will allow traffic for 20 days from February 1 before putting up the shutters. Deo Ca Group JSC of HCMC, the private partner in the public - private partnership that built the tunnel, said it costs VND100 billion ($4.33 million) a year to operate the tunnel, but it faces financial issues since it has not received the governments share of the VND8.52 trillion ($367 million) cost of construction. This means it could not afford to keep the tunnel open after Lunar New Year, or Tet, it said. Hai Van Tunnel 2 was envisaged as part of a public - private partnership (PPP) master plan along with three other tunnels in the central region at a total cost of VND21.61 trillion, with the governments share being VND5 trillion. The other three have been completed and opened to traffic, and the government duly paid its share of the cost of two of them. Deo Ca Group said in 2017, after paying off the two, the government had VND1.18 trillion left under the master plan. The government has not said why it has delayed payment or when the payments will be made. Between the 20th of the 12th lunar month and the 10th of the new year, Vietnamese flock home to celebrate the Lunar New Year, and major roads in the entire country would be gridlocked. Hai Van Tunnel 2, at 6.2 kilometers (3.85 miles), the longest road tunnel in Southeast Asia, is meant to help reduce traffic in an existing tunnel 30 meters away. Ngo Truong Nam, CEO of Deo Ca Group, said: "This is undesirable but we are waiting for authorities to [resolve] the finance issue." Besides, the company was allowed to collect toll at six stations for 27 years, but has subsequently been told it cannot do so on the La Son Tuy Loan Expressway in Da Nang because it is a publicly funded highway. Nam said though "closing the tunnel would cause significant losses to the firm," there is no choice. Last year the Ministry of Transport urged the government on several occasions to pay its share of the tunnel cost and an additional VND2.28 billion to make up for the toll the company could not collect on the La Son Tuy Loan Expressway. Nguyen Viet Huy, deputy head of the ministry's PPP investment project management department, said PPP projects must have financial support from the government to safeguard the benefits of all parties. "Closing the tunnel is a loss to both the investor and the public." He hoped the government would soon take on board the ministrys recommendation and make payment to the company. ANN ARBOR, MI Two area representatives in Congress took different stances Wednesday in the historic vote to impeach President Donald Trump for a second time. In a bipartisan rebuke of last weeks deadly attack on the nations Capitol by Trump-supporting rioters, the U.S. House impeached Trump by a 232-197 vote Jan. 13, charging him with incitement of insurrection. U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, a Dearborn Democrat whose district includes Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, voted in favor of impeaching Trump, saying its about accountability and preventing more violence. Donald Trump incited a violent mob to attack the United States Capitol, she said in a statement. The facts are undeniable. In his words and in his actions, our president knowingly lied about the election and instructed thousands of his supporters to fight to keep him in power. These parts of the Capitol are typically filled with tourists and excited school groups hoping to catch a glimpse of democracy at work. Today, theyre filled with the National Guard to keep the Capitol safe from the Presidents violent insurrectionists. https://t.co/ZebfKC4gGV Rep. Debbie **Wear A Mask** Dingell (@RepDebDingell) January 13, 2021 U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg, a Tipton Republican whose district includes western Washtenaw and several other counties, opposed impeaching Trump, calling it rushed and ill-advised with only a week to go in Trumps presidency. All standard deliberative processes have been ignored, including a failure to hold any hearings, seriously examine evidence, or make the requisite case, Walberg said in a statement. The Senate cannot possibly be able to even begin considering the resolution until after the president leaves office. This act will only deepen the nations divisions at a time of heightened turmoil. Michigan Republicans join House Democrats to impeach Trump for inciting Capitol riots For months, Trumps incessant lies about election fraud divided the country, threatened national security, denied the peaceful transfer of power and fueled an insurrection against a co-equal branch of government, Dingell said. He directly disobeyed his oath of office and violated our public trust, she said. But impeaching Donald Trump today isnt just about last weeks deadly attack, its about preventing violence in the future, she added. Because there can be no healing without accountability. If there are no consequences for a president attempting to siege the legislative branch of our government, the message of permission for undemocratic violence will be heard in this country and in every corner of the world. American democracy is young and fragile and sustained tremendous damage last week, Dingell said. Impeaching President Donald Trump is a difficult but necessary step towards rebuilding the cracked foundations of our democracy, she said. Democracy bent but didnt break, Dingell says after Congress certifies electoral vote Walberg agreed the violence at the Capitol last week was sickening and must be condemned. But, he said, In wake of the mayhem, we cannot retreat to our partisan corners. In this moment, we should find ways to bridge the divide and commit to dialing back the political rhetoric. It is time to focus on a peaceful transition of power, move forward as a country, and prioritize the issues important to our constituents. My full statement on voting against impeachment: https://t.co/Bkr5h4smGi pic.twitter.com/88x9fSsiO3 Rep Tim Walberg (@RepWalberg) January 13, 2021 Now that the House has voted to impeach Trump, the Senate process will begin at its first regular meeting following receipt of the article from the House, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said in a statement. But given the rules and procedures for impeachment trials, there is no chance a fair or serious trial could conclude before Trump leaves office Jan. 20, he said. The Senate has held three presidential impeachment trials before and they lasted 21 to 83 days, he said. In light of this reality, I believe it will best serve our nation if Congress and the executive branch spend the next seven days completely focused on facilitating a safe inauguration and an orderly transfer of power to the incoming Biden administration, McConnell said. I am grateful to the offices and institutions within the Capitol that are working around the clock, alongside federal and local law enforcement, to prepare for a safe and successful inauguration at the Capitol next Wednesday. MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS: Wear a damn mask, Dingell says, proposing $1,000 fines for Congress members Washtenaw prosecutor wont charge people for unauthorized use of opioid-addiction drug Ann Arbor exploring policy on reporting bribes after councilwomans blog allegation Ann Arbor must look beyond city borders to meet 100% renewable energy goal See which of Ann Arbors 144 miles of sidewalk gaps will get filled first Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali arrived here on Thursday on a three-day visit during which he will co-chair the India-Nepal Joint Commission meeting with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar, and is expected to discuss COVID-19-related cooperation while reviewing the entire gamut of bilateral relations.Gyawali is the senior-most political leader from Nepal to visit India after Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli triggered a border row last year by publishing a new political map that showed the three Indian territories -- Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh -- as part of Nepal. While Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava asserted at an online briefing that the joint commission meeting (JCM) and boundary talks are separate mechanisms, a Nepalese foreign ministry statement said the sixth JCM on Friday will discuss the whole gamut of Nepal-India bilateral relations, including boundary. "The Foreign Minister of Nepal arrived in New Delhi a short while ago. He is here to co-chair the sixth session of the India-Nepal Joint Commission Meeting, which will be hosted by our External Affairs Minister tomorrow," Srivastava said. The Joint Commission is an important mechanism that provides the opportunity of reviewing at a high level the entire gamut of the bilateral partnership and providing political guidance to further enhance the special and unique ties that the two countries enjoy, he said. "We look forward to constructive discussions on the numerous sectors that encompass our bilateral agenda," he said. Responding to questions on the border row, he said, Our position on the boundary issue is well known. Let me say that the JCM and boundary talks are separate mechanisms. Earlier, the Nepalese foreign ministry said the sixth joint commission meeting on Friday will discuss the whole gamut of Nepal-India bilateral relations, including trade, transit, energy, boundary, COVID-19 cooperation, infrastructure, connectivity, investment, agriculture, tourism, culture, among others. During his visit, Foreign Minister Gyawali will also meet with the high-level dignitaries of India, the statement said. Gyawali is being accompanied by Nepalese Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Poudyal and Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population Laxmi Aryal, according to Nepalese officials. After Nepal released the map last year, India reacted sharply, calling it a "unilateral act" and cautioning Kathmandu that such "artificial enlargement" of territorial claims will not be acceptable to it. India said that Nepal's action violated an understanding reached between the two countries to resolve the boundary issues through talks. The bilateral exchanges that had stalled due to the bitter boundary dispute were reset in the later part of 2020 with a series of visits, as New Delhi emphasised that it sees itself as the Himalayan nation's "foremost friend" and development partner. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla's maiden visit to Nepal in November was largely aimed at resetting bilateral ties. Shringla met Prime Minister Oli and other top political brass and emphasised that India and Nepal are on the same page and share the same vision. (IMAGE CREDITS:Twitter/@PradeepgyawaliK) (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Six West Australians who completed two weeks in quarantine at the now-evacuated Hotel Grand Chancellor in Brisbane before returning home have been forced back into isolation. The Grand Chancellor was used by the Queensland government for Australians returning from overseas but was evacuated on Wednesday night after six cases of the mutated UK strain of COVID-19 were linked back to one floor. Six cases of the highly contagious UK variant of COVID-19 have been linked to the Hotel Grand Chancellor. Credit:Matt Dennien States have begun ordering anyone who stayed in the hotel over the past two weeks to go back into 14 days isolation. WA Premier Mark McGowan confirmed six people had begun a new isolation period in Perth but all had tested negative. BY GUY WALTERS FOR THE DAILY MAIL The American submarine fired its first torpedo at the Japanese freighter at exactly four minutes past seven on the morning of October 1 1942. The sonar operator listened intently as the torpedo, carrying 292 kilograms of high explosive, raced at 46 knots over the 3,200 yards through the East China Sea towards the Lisbon Maru. Knowing that one torpedo might not be sufficient to sink the 7,000-ton ship, the captain of the USS Grouper, Lieutenant Commander Rob Roy McGregor, ordered two more torpedoes to be fired. Within a few moments, they too were whisking through the water. The crew waited anxiously for the 157 seconds it was calculated for the first torpedo to reach its target. Frustratingly, no explosion came. They waited a little longer, hoping that the other torpedoes would hit the ship. Again, nothing. Suspecting that the torpedoes were either faulty or running too deeply, a determined McGregor ordered a fourth torpedo to be fired. With the Grouper now much closer to the Lisbon Maru, the torpedo would take just a little over two minutes to hit the freighter. However, unknown to McGregor, the Japanese crew had already spotted the attack. The first torpedo was indeed faulty, and had bounced off the hull. Nimble manoeuvring had enabled the freighter to dodge the second and third torpedoes, and the ships captain, Kyoda Shigeru, was hoping to do so once more. When we discovered the fourth torpedo, we did a hard starboard turn, Shigeru recalled, but we were not able to dodge it and it hit the propeller at the starboard stern. This time, the torpedo was not faulty. A huge explosion tore a two-metre hole in the hull, killing a Japanese soldier. The sound reverberated all the way down the 444ft length of the ship, and was heard by the 800 Japanese troops who were heading back home after having taken part in the capture of Hong Kong the previous December the same month Japan attacked Pearl Harbour. But as well as being heard by the Japanese, the explosion was also heard by a further 1,834 men, all of whom were being held deep in the fetid and rat-infested holds of the ship. These men were British prisoners-of-war, who were being transported in brutally inhumane conditions to slave labour camps in Japan. I was lying on my straw mat in a hold way down near the bilges when I heard a torpedo whir across the ships bows, said Jack Etiemble of the Royal Artillery. Then I heard a terrific explosion in the coal bunker on the opposite side of the bulkhead where I was trying to sleep. Water started to pour into the bilges below us. What would happen over the next two days would prove to be one of the most horrific war crimes committed by the Japanese, and one of the largest losses of British lives at sea in history. We firmly believed that the Japs would not let us drown.. that they could not be so heartless James Miller, survivor and member of the Royal Scots Although the Lisbon Maru would take 25 hours to sink, the Japanese not only refused to rescue their prisoners, but, shockingly, even locked them in the ships holds to drown. Those who managed to get off the vessel were callously machine-gunned, or run over by other boats. Hundreds of men were left helpless in the water, where scores were eaten by sharks. In total, 828 men died well over half the number who died on the Titanic. And yet while the Titanic is of course widely remembered, very few remember the horrors of the Lisbon Maru. However, that may soon change if Chinese businessman and film producer Fang Li gets his way. Earlier this month, it was announced Mr Fang had located the wreck of the Lisbon Maru, and he is seeking permission from the Chinese authorities to salvage it. Everybody would like to see this boat be salvaged, he says. We want to send those British soldiers home. Unfortunately for Mr Fang, not everyone does want to see the Lisbon Maru salvaged, least of all the last known remaining survivor of the shipwreck and subsequent massacre. It is a war grave and that should be left, Dennis Morley, 97, a former private in the Royal Scots, told a paper. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission agrees, and although it has no responsibility for the wreck, it has requested that the remains of the men who died on the Lisbon Maru are left in peace. It is hard to disagree. While Mr Fang has said that he wants to respect the family wishes, surely little can be gained by the grisly process of dredging up the corpses of so many dead. A far better memorial would be for the world to learn what happened 75 years ago and for some vital questions to be answered. Why did an American submarine attack a ship carrying more than 1,800 British PoWs? How exactly did 1,000 men survive? And what happened after the war to the Japanese who committed the atrocities? Answering the first of these questions is relatively straightforward, and, thankfully, absolves the U.S. submarine crew of all blame. Although the attack could technically be regarded as a friendly fire incident, the Japanese had refused to display any markings identifying the Lisbon Maru as carrying prisoners. In addition, the ship was also armed with two guns, which made it a justifiable target for the captain of the Grouper, who believed it to be a troopship. And what of the Japanese? As the ship took over a day to sink, they were perfectly capable of rescuing all of the PoWs, whom they had a moral and legal duty to protect. Instead, they used the sinking as an opportunity to commit mass murder. The only death that can therefore be laid at the door of the Americans is that of the soldier who was killed at the moment of impact. But the death of that one man can in no way justify what the Japanese did in the aftermath of the torpedoing, and as the ship was slowly sinking. As soon as the torpedo struck, the PoWs became immediately aware of two things the ship starting to list, and the sound of panicking Japanese soldiers. The torpedo struck at breakfast time so some of the prisoners were on deck receiving rations to take down to their fellow PoWs in the holds. The Japs went berserk, recalled Private Bill Spooner, slapping and pushing us into the hold again. Even prisoners using the latrines little more than planks with holes suspended over the side of the ship were forced to go back into the holds, along with a further 400 sick prisoners who were convalescing on the upper decks. It is hard to exaggerate quite how disgusting the conditions were in the four holds in which the prisoners were incarcerated. Dysentery was rife, and now without access to the latrines, PoWs suffering from the condition had no choice but to relieve themselves over their fellow prisoners lying on platforms below them. We were literally covered in filth, recalled George Bainborough, a naval administrator. To make matters worse, the lights went out, plunging the holds into darkness. Despite the horror, it appears that the PoWs initially managed not to panic. Besides, at that relatively early stage of the war with Japan, few of the prisoners had any inkling of what their enemy was truly capable of. We firmly believed that the Japs would not let us drown, said James Miller of the Royal Scots. They could not be so heartless that they would let 1,800 helpless men die. The ship was sinking by the stern, and we waited and waited for the Japs to mount a rescue mission. But as the prisoners waited in their foul and airless holds, they heard the sound of boats drawing alongside to rescue the Japanese soldiers from the slowly listing ship. No help was to come for the British. Even the most optimistic would have soon realised what the Japanese intended when, that evening, they heard the trapdoors to the holds being battened down and covered with tarpaulins. Slowly it dawned on us that the imprisonment was not a precaution against escape, said Lieutenant Hargreaves Howell, but had become a calculated mass murder of unwanted prisoners by drowning. Howell was absolutely correct. The Japanese undoubtedly meant for all 1,834 men to drown. In order to ensure that happened, a handful of soldiers were left on board to shoot any PoWs if they managed to escape from the holds. Understandably, panic now started to break out. Officers did their best to keep control, but with the combination of the darkness, the reeking excrement, the further listing of the ship, and the fact that some of the sick PoWs were dying, it was unsurprising that nerves were more than frayed. We had to calm the people who were erratic, said George Bainborough. Some were so alarmed it was necessary for someone to give them a punch on the chin. Throughout the night, the PoWs remained in the four holds. Messages in Morse code were rapped on the bulkheads between them, and it became apparent that the sternmost of the holds was filling rapidly with water. Something needed to be done, and urgently. The following morning, some 24 hours after the torpedo had hit the ship, Lieutenant Howell managed to cut his way out of his hold using a bread knife that one of the PoWs had managed to smuggle aboard. As he emerged onto the deck, he was shot at. I hurtled across the deck and dived in, he recalled. Once more, a bullet whizzed past my head. I spurted on, and another bullet splashed beside me. It was obvious to the prisoners now coming onto the deck that the Japanese guards needed to be dealt with. What happened next is not clear as some of the accounts conflict, but it appears that soldiers from either the Royal Scots or the Royal Artillery made a dash at the Japanese soldiers on the bridge, and killed them. They ran down the sloping deck, recalled seaman Jack Hughieson, and they pushed the two Japanese with their rifles off into the water. But their captain was shot and he fell overboard wounded. Whatever happened to him, I wont ever know. He saved our lives. With the Japanese on board neutralised, a mad scramble ensued from the two foremost holds that had now been opened. In one of the holds, the ladder snapped under the weight of the men, and the prisoners had to climb up rivets made slimy with excrement. Many were crushed or fell tens of feet to the bottom of the hold, suffering injuries such as broken legs or backs, which meant that it would be impossible for them to climb out. Those who did make it up onto the deck faced two options. If they could swim, they jumped into the water, taking whatever pieces of wreckage they could use as floats. Some were unable to swim, and decided to cling onto the ship, which was now rapidly sinking. According to the most reliable estimate, some 1,750 prisoners made it into the water. As the Lisbon Maru went down, some 84 men drowned with it, most of whom were trapped in the holds. The swimmers now faced a new danger rifle and machine-gun fire from the surrounding Japanese vessels. There was a Japanese destroyer there, said Montague Trescott, an NCO with the Royal Corps of Signals, and as we approached it, we were machine-gunned. I slipped down into the water, and there were about three or four Japanese landing craft surrounding the ship, some two or three hundred yards away, recalled Alf Shepherd of the Royal Artillery. So I swam towards one, and as I was about halfway there they started shooting at us in the water. Ping! Ping! Ping! They were using us for target practice. So I swam back to the ship. It is not known how many men were slaughtered as they swam towards what they supposed to be their safety. More cruelly still, some Japanese allowed the British to climb on board and then shot them. Others had their heads kicked in and were then thrown back into the water. Some were run down and chopped up by propellers. All the swimmers could do was to keep swimming. The only salvation lay in the form of some islands about four miles away, but there were two big obstacles even for those strong enough to get there: currents and sharks. The sharks had been busy, gunner Charles Jordan later recalled, because there were so many bodies floating around. If the men were not killed by sharks, then the currents swept many out into the East China Sea to their deaths by drowning. Many tried to stick together, if only to provide comfort. Jack Hughieson recalled how he was with a fellow Scot, an officer from the wireless station in Hong Kong. He kept saying to me: You know my wife Meg, she lives in Dundee. If I dont make it, youll get in touch with the Ministry of Defence, youll get her address, and tell her I did my best to rejoin her. Well he never did. But I kept to his word. He went under. After several hours and in some cases, a couple of days men started to reach the islands, where they alerted local Chinese fishermen. Initially, the Chinese had supposed that those in the water were the hated Japanese and so they had done nothing. But as soon as they discovered the men were British, they launched as many junks and sampans as they could, and saved hundreds of lives. Once they had brought the British to shore, the Chinese fed and clothed them, and even applied ointment to severe cases of sunburn. We housed them in a temple and in ordinary houses, said Shen Agui, a fisherman. They used body language to show they were hungry rubbing their tummies. But they didnt know how to use chopsticks. They used them like forks! In total, 1,006 men survived the sinking of the Lisbon Maru. Much of the credit must surely go to the Chinese islanders. Unfortunately, the mens freedom was short-lived, as the Japanese soon came to the islands and took the men away from their saviours. Most would spend the next three years in Japanese captivity and many would, of course, die at the hands of their jailers. Sadly, there was little justice dispensed after the war. The only Japanese who had survived or could be tracked down and put on trial was the captain of the ship, who received seven years imprisonment for allowing the hatches of the holds to be battened down. Predictably, his defence was that he was only following orders. The wreck of the Lisbon Maru and the bodies it still holds should be left in peace. Not only a war grave, it is the scene of a war crime. But allowing it to remain submerged does not mean it should not be remembered. Jan. 14, 1956 Fire destroys carpenter shop Fire ripped through the carpenter shop at the Lehigh Valley Railroads Coxton Yards in Duryea. Firefighters from Duryea and Pittston fought the blaze in freezing temperatures for 90 minutes. The carpenter shop was a loss but the firefighters were successful in stopping the flames from spreading to the yards generator building and a 3,000 gallon diesel fuel tank. A spokesman for the railroad said the fire would not affect the employment at the yard. Work carried out in the carpenter shop would be relocated to a different building. Salesman wins trip around the world Being a good salesman had paid off for Donald Fallon of the Scranton Talk store. Fallon was notified that he was selected as one of the best salesmen in the United States by the Philco Corp. Being named top salesman came with a prize of an around-the-world trip. The trip was sponsored by the U.S. Departments of State and Commerce as a goodwill tour. Fallon, who was the assistant manager of the appliance department at Scranton Talk, would be visiting London, Paris, Rome, Beirut, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Honolulu. He was expected to leave on his journey from Philadelphia on Feb. 7. Nightlife Omar Supper Club in Chinchilla presented Vivian Morgan and her troupe, comedian Harry Van and Ted Manning Combo, 3 Guys and Doll at Mancinis in Dunmore. The Lamp Lighters at Yarrishs in Minooka, Johnny Krowiak and his Orchestra at the Ad-Lin Ballroom and Square Dancing at Fiddlers Inn in Dickson City. Brian Fulton, library manager, oversees The Times-Tribunes expansive digital and paper archives and is an authority on local history. Contact Brian at bfulton@timesshamrock.com or 570-348-9140. Part I Love Lucy, Bewitched and The Brady Bunch, WandaVision is about to tickle your nostalgic funny bone as genres collide in a small screen implosion. But it will also take you a few episodes to see the bigger picture. WandaVision is a half hour series which centres around Marvel Universe characters Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and Vision (Paul Bettany), and takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019). Both are now happily ensconced in American suburbia circa late 1950s. Life is a black and white sitcom -complete with audience laughter- on a set that could be straight out of I Love Lucy. Daily toils are suitably simplistic when Vision brings home his boss & wife for a home dinner on the night Wanda is ready to celebrate their apparent anniversary. What makes our couple different is their super-powers. Wanda, aka Scarlet Witch, has Bewitched-like magic which she is keeping secret to outsiders. Vision is an android with the ability to assume human features for his office job. But theres a deliberate and distinct lack of shared back story and when their black and white lives is injected with a burst of colour, its clear there is more going on for both characters and audience. The town of Westview, arguably a stones throw from Pleasantville, is also home to nosy neighbour Agnes (a perfectly cast Kathryn Hahn). Theres also Monica (Teyonah Parris) who knows more than she is letting on, a society snob, and genial husbands who all look like theyve been to the local hardware store. Writer Jac Schaeffer holds back on her full vision for the show, which may leave the viewer a bit perplexed as to what they are watching. Episode one is almost entirely a classic sitcom with minimal subversion. But by episode two we move into a 60s Bewitched era, while they are living in a Brady-esque 70s house by episode 3. All of this unfolds with absolutely no ageing of characters, and it doesnt matter a jot. In sitcom-world, you always end up where you started anyway Oh and did I mention the period commercials that are injected mid-episode? Mmmm Toastmate 2000! Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany spark off one another to great effect here. Romping amid period sets and decked in classic fashions, they deliver with a knowing wink. Kathryn Hahn draws upon the likes of Gladys Kravitz and Ethel Mertz as the suitably nosy neighbour. Its worth noting producers have ensured a lot more casting diversity than the sitcoms of the 50s & 60s (ok Ricky Ricardo was Cuban-American, point taken). If you love your nostalgic TV youll welcome the shows attention to detail and enjoy spotting all the subtle nods, whether as production design or scripted. If nothing else, WandaVision is playful and full of unexpected potential in a cookie-cutter world. WandaVision begins today on Disney+. Related WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump has been impeached by the House days before leaving office, becoming the first American president to be impeached twice. The previous three impeachments those of Presidents Andrew Johnson, Bill Clinton and Trump took months before a final vote, including investigations in the House and hearings. This time it only took a week after Trump encouraged a crowd of his supporters who attacked the U.S. Capitol. Democrats and 10 Republicans voted to impeach Trump on one charge: incitement of insurrection. Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said the Senate will not begin a trial until next Tuesday, at the very earliest, which is the day before Democrat Joe Biden is sworn in as president. It's unclear, for now, exactly how that trial will proceed and if any Senate Republicans will vote to convict Trump. Even though the trial won't happen until Trump is already out of office, it could still have the effect of preventing him from running for president again. A look at next steps: SENDING TO THE SENATE Once the House votes to impeach, the speaker of the House can send the article or articles over to the Senate immediately or she can wait a while. Speaker Nancy Pelosi hasn't yet said when she will send them, but many Democrats in her caucus have urged her to do so immediately. Pelosi has already appointed nine impeachment managers to argue the case against Trump in a Senate trial, a sign that she will send them sooner rather than later. Once the articles are sent over that is usually done with an official walk from the House to the Senate then the majority leader of the Senate must start the process of having a trial. THE SENATE SCHEDULE The Senate is not scheduled to be in session until Jan. 19, which could be McConnell's last day as Senate leader. Once Vice President Kamala Harris is sworn in, making her the president of the Senate, and Georgia's two Democratic senators are also sworn in, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer will take charge and determine how the trial will proceed. McConnell said he will not bring the Senate back on an emergency basis to start the trial, so the earliest it could begin would be Tuesday. That means the trial is certain to take place after Trump has already left office. McConnell noted that the three previous Senate trials lasted 83 days, 37 days, and 21 days respectively. ALL EYES ON MCCONNELL McConnell believes that Trump committed impeachable offenses and considers the Democrats impeachment drive an opportunity to reduce the divisive, chaotic presidents hold on the GOP, a Republican strategist told The Associated Press on Wednesday. And McConnell told major donors over the weekend that he was through with Trump, said the strategist, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe McConnells conversations. His wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, resigned from Trump's Cabinet soon after the riots. But despite sending signals, McConnell has been characteristically quiet in public. In a note to colleagues Wednesday released by his office, McConnell said he had not made a final decision on how I will vote. FILE - In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo, Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier at the Capitol in Washington. For America's allies and rivals alike, the chaos unfolding during Donald Trump's final days as president is the logical result of four years of global instability brought on by the man who promised to change the way the world viewed the United States. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File) SENATE POLITICS If McConnell voted to convict, other Republicans would surely follow. But no GOP senators have said how they will vote, and two-thirds of the Senate is needed. Still, some Republicans have told Trump to resign, including Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, and few are defending him. Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska has said he would take a look at what the House approves, but stopped short of committing to support it. Other Republicans have said that impeachment would be divisive. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, long a key ally of the president, has been critical of his behavior in inciting the riots but said impeachment will do far more harm than good. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney was the only Republican to vote to convict Trump in last year's impeachment trial, after the House impeached Trump over his dealings with the president of Ukraine. In the House, 10 Republicans joined Democrats in voting to impeach Trump, including Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the third-ranking Republican. Every single House Republican voted against Trump's first impeachment in 2019. TRUMP'S FUTURE If the Senate were to convict, lawmakers could then take a separate vote on whether to disqualify Trump from holding future office. Schumer said Wednesday: "Make no mistake, there will be an impeachment trial in the United States Senate; there will be a vote on convicting the president for high crimes and misdemeanors; and if the president is convicted, there will be a vote on barring him from running again. In the case of federal judges who were impeached and removed from office, the Senate has taken a second vote after conviction to determine whether to bar the person from ever holding federal office again. Only a majority of senators would be needed to ban him from future office, unlike the two-thirds needed to convict. DIFFERENT CHARGES, DIFFERENT IMPEACHMENT This impeachment trial is likely to differ from the last one in many ways. The House charges in 2019 on Trump's dealings with the president of Ukraine, whom he urged to investigate Biden, came after a lengthy investigation and testimony from multiple government officials. While Democrats unanimously criticized the conduct and charged Trump with abuse of power, the charges wove together a complicated web of evidence. This time, Democrats felt there was little need for an investigation the invasion of the Capitol played out on live television, and most members of Congress were in the building as it happened. Trump's speech beforehand, in which he told his supporters to fight like hell against the election results, was also televised as Congress prepared to officially count the votes. House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff, who led the last House impeachment team, said the insurrection at the Capitol was an impeachable offense committed in broad daylight, in which the whole country was a witness. He said the lightning-fast impeachment was required by the exigency of the circumstances, and also made possible by the very nature of the crime. THE ARTICLE The four-page article of impeachment says that Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government. It was introduced by Democratic Reps. David Cicilline of Rhode Island, Ted Lieu of California and Jamie Raskin of Maryland, all of whom have been tapped to serve as impeachment managers in the Senate trial. The article says Trump's behavior is consistent with his prior efforts to subvert and obstruct the results of the election and references his recent call with the Georgia secretary of state, in which he said he wanted him to find him more votes after losing the state to Biden. Trump has falsely claimed there was widespread fraud in the election, and the baseless claims have been repeatedly echoed by congressional Republicans and the insurgents who descended on the Capitol. As the protesters broke in, both chambers were debating GOP challenges to the electoral vote count in Arizona as part of the process for certifying Bidens election win. WASHINGTON - National Guard forces from a growing list of states moved into positions across Washington on Wednesday as authorities scrambled to understand the extent of threats surrounding President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration and prevent a repeat of last week's deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. City and federal officials conducted tabletop exercises to rehearse inauguration security and strengthen coordination among a massive patchwork of police, National Guard troops and federal personnel that is expected to fan out ahead of protests this weekend and the Jan. 20 transfer of power. By next week, the District of Columbia police chief said, upward of 20,000 guardsmen were expected to be in place to guard against violence, days after supporters of President Donald Trump smashed their way into the Capitol as lawmakers met to certify Biden's electoral win. At least five people died as a result of the riot, which sent lawmakers and staffers running for shelter and marked a dramatic cap to a divisive election season defined by Trump's refusal to concede. Even as bureaucratic finger-pointing continued about who was responsible for the security debacle, officials were accelerating preparations for next week's swearing-in ceremony as they monitored multiplying threats. Authorities have been operating in a heightened state of alert as the Secret Service orchestrates inauguration security and the FBI runs down possible threats in D.C. and state capitals. On Wednesday, FBI Director Christopher Wray briefed local law enforcement across the country about the "state of play," and the agency moved to establish new command posts nationwide. Senior FBI and Secret Service officials also briefed Biden and some of his national security aides Wednesday, the transition team said. The officials are now expected to receive daily updates on security and operational plans. Alan Fram/Associated Press "The President-elect and Vice President-elect are focused on safeguarding the security of the American people, our institutions, and our democratic values," Biden's transition team said in a statement. A week ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, the incoming administration is stressing its ability to assume charge of U.S. security without disruption, even as nominees for key positions await their confirmation hearings. Some agencies, including the Defense Department, also are unlikely to have a new confirmed leader on Day 1. Authorities have also intensified their efforts to sift through troves of potential threat material and evaluate the likelihood of further violence. Scrutiny has intensified after the Capitol riot over what senior intelligence officials may have known before Jan. 6, as an FBI warning about protesters' intent to make "war" in Washington came to light. Officials and analysts monitoring online posts and message threads said some far-right groups appeared to be backing down from plans to come to Washington in coming days, at least in part owing to the National Guard and law enforcement presence. Some groups are advising their followers that protests planned for Sunday in the District and in state capitals are part of a "false flag" operation meant to lure them into the hands of law enforcement. There is no evidence that is the case. Experts and officials say it has been difficult to separate individuals who may pose a legitimate threat from those who are engaged in hyperbolic rhetoric but ultimately are unlikely to storm a government building or even show up to a protest march. More concerning, they added, is the threat from people and small groups who may not broadcast their intentions in public forums and may have taken to encrypted messaging platforms. Those people will be harder for law enforcement to track and may be more committed to carrying out their plans. The consensus seemed to be that while the risk of violence may be lower in Washington in coming days, state capitals remain vulnerable. Fearing fresh rounds of violence in state capitals this weekend, more governors on Wednesday announced that they were calling up National Guard troops to help maintain security. Many state officials stressed they are dealing with only vague threats but said the attack in Washington last week left them little choice but to bolster security around their capitol buildings. "I will deploy necessary resources to keep North Carolinians safe," said North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, who called up 550 troops for deployment in Raleigh and in the District. In Oregon, Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, also activated the National Guard after state police requested additional resources following unrest outside the Capitol in Salem last week. The Secret Service, as it typically does, is leading security preparations in the District. But unlike in most years, the small federal service will be backed by a gargantuan force to help keep the peace. Officials at the Pentagon were racing to evaluate a growing list of requests for National Guard assistance. A defense official said it was too soon to say how many guardsmen would ultimately be on hand in the District but did not dispute a statement earlier in the day from the city's acting police chief, Robert Contee III, who said the number would be "beyond 20,000." Those forces will be joined by officials from a host agencies. The U.S. Marshals Service, part of the Justice Department, plans to deputize between 3,000 and 4,000 local law enforcement officers from across the country who - at the request of District police, will help with security for the inauguration, said Lamont Ruffin, chief deputy U.S. marshal for the District. The Federal Bureau of Prisons, meanwhile, "is making plans to send specially trained officers" to the District to assist with security during the inauguration, a spokesman said Tuesday, potentially taking a posture similar to the one it took during the civil unrest during racial justice demonstrations in June. Justin Long, a Bureau of Prisons spokesman, said the department would send personnel "if and as determined to be needed." Already, the District government and the Capitol Police, a federal force, have called on additional National Guard aid, resulting in the activation of the all available District Guard forces as well as troops from a growing roster of states including Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Illinois. Pentagon officials say they must balance needs in the nation's capital against those in states. As House lawmakers gathered to debate a proposal to impeach Trump for a second time, the Capitol building resembled a makeshift barracks, as hundreds of guardsmen sprawled on the marble floor, using backpacks as pillows and with unloaded M4 rifles within reach. The guardsmen were resting between shifts, District Guard officials said in a statement, stressing that they were not sleeping on the floor because of a lack of sleeping arrangements. Local hotels are accommodating the service members, officials said. Other guardsmen marveled at the decor and munched on pizza delivered by lawmakers. Some Black troops posed for a photo in front of a statue of Rosa Parks in the Capitol Rotunda. - - - The Washington Post's Michael Brice-Saddler, Tim Craig, Nick Miroff, Souad Mekhennet and Razzan Nakhlawi contributed to this report. If theres one overarching frustration of the streaming age, its the glut of stale films that clog up the menus of services like Netflix. Despite the flood of new TV shows, it still feels like the roster of movies is stuck in time you absolutely do not need to be a critic to have seen every movie in the questionable critically acclaimed category (Superbad, were looking at you). But it appears that Netflix has heard this complaint, and in 2021 it has pledged to release at least one never-before-seen movie every week, with 71 titles currently lined up. Heres the 10 were most excited about. Jonathan Prime / Netflix Outside the Wire Jan. 15 Old Guard was one of the best streaming surprises of 2020, and the team behind it (who also did Extraction) have another popcorn action flick premiering Jan. 15. Like Old Guard, Outside the Wire looks like a dusty military thriller on the surface, but under the hood its packing an android army captain as the star (Anthony Mackie, aka Falcon from The Avengers), a strike force of robotic soldiers and a requisite doomsday device that will almost certainly end up in the wrong hands if our heroes can't save the day. LARRY HORRICKS/NETFLIX A 2021A /LARRY HORRICKS/NETFLIX A 2021A The Dig Jan. 29 Everyone loves movies about archaeologists, and although you shouldnt expect any bullwhip-wielding heroes with a fear of snakes, The Dig will scratch an itch for those looking for a new film about buried historical treasures. Theres an element of Oscar bait here for sure: Its based on the true story of the excavation of Sutton Hoo, stars Ralph Fiennes, takes place in Britain and has a foreboding backdrop of World War II, but it still looks to pack the free-wheeling sense of adventure that fuels the best films in the genre. DOMINIC MILLER/NETFLIXA A 2021 Malcolm & Marie Feb. 5 Its hard to verify, but Malcolm & Marie may just be the first movie shot during the pandemic era. Filmed with a skeleton crew in Carmel last July, the black-and-white film stars Oakland breakout Zendaya alongside John David Washington (Tenet, BlacKkKlansman) in an intimate relationship drama that takes place entirely in a secluded modern home, and if the trailer is any indication, features no actors other than the two leads. Even if a romantic drama isnt typically the type of movie that ends up in your queue, the unique production backstory alone will make this a compelling watch. Netflix "Thunder Force" Spring 2021 Will 2021 be the year we reach Peak Superhero? Thunder Force is yet another genre-bending take on what happens when normal people gain unnatural abilities, this time imbued with Melissa McCarthys signature style of slapstick comedy. She plays alongside Octavia Spencer, a scientist who accidentally gives McCarthy superpowers. Although it isnt a Marvel film, it does steal some of the MCUs talent in the form of Pom Klementieff (Mantis in Guardians of the Galaxy). Stuart Ramson/Associated Press Fear Street Trilogy Mid-2021, released once a month Children's author R.L. Stine is best known for his Goosebumps books, but in addition to preteen stories of living ventriloquist dummies and abominable snowmen, he also wrote a slightly-scarier series of novels called Fear Street. This certainly falls into the realms of guilty pleasure, but fans of teen slashers like Scream should definitely put this on their radar. Netflix "The Harder They Fall" 2021 Back on track for release after an unnamed actor on the film tested positive for COVID-19 in October, The Harder They Fall will undoubtedly be one of Netflixs biggest releases of the year. Its an all-Black revenge Western produced by Jay-Z, and well, what more could you really want? Add in a stacked cast including Idris Elba, Jonathan Majors and Regina King and theres really no excuse not to watch this movie. Clay Enos / Netflix "Army of the Dead" 2021 Zack Snyders name has been plastered all over the internet thanks to his forthcoming directors cut of Justice League, but the other project hes on track to release in 2021 looks to be much more promising (and hopefully will leave Leonard Cohens Hallelujah alone). Snyder is no stranger to zombies, as his film debut was a remake of Dawn of the Dead, so Army of the Dead returns him to familiar territory with a Las Vegas heist set during a zombie outbreak. Dave Bautista (Drax from Guardians of the Galaxy) leads the squad, alongside Ella Purnell (Miss Peregrines Home For Peculiar Children) and comedian Tig Notaro. The same talent will voice characters in an anime spin-off TV series, also coming to Netflix. Evan Agostini/Associated Press Escape From Spiderhead 2021 Revered author George Saunders has had a few of his stories optioned over the years (Lincoln in the Bardo, CivilWarLand in Bad Decline), but it looks like Escape From Spiderhead from the collection Tenth of December will be the first to actually make it to the screen. The story is an absurdist look inside a futuristic science lab where convicts agree to mind-altering medical tests in exchange for shorter sentences. Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Jurnee Smollett (Lovecraft Country) will star, with Joseph Kosinski directing ("Top Gun: Maverick, TRON: Legacy). Netflix Dont Look Up 2021 The latest from director Adam McKay (The Big Short, Anchorman) might just be Netflixs most star-studded film of the year. Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Timothee Chalamet, Ariana Grande and many more drive this political satire about a pair of low-level astronomers who head out on a media tour to convince the public about a deadly comet on a collision course with Earth. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2021 Vintage TMNT fans who have been trying to erase the 2014 and 2016 live action reboots from their memory will have something to replace it with courtesy of Seth Rogen, whose production company will oversee a CGI adaptation of the heroes in a half-shell in collaboration with Nickelodeon. There are no details as to the plot, except that Rogen revealed that it will stay true to the franchises teenage roots. In this image from video, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., speaks as the Senate reconvenes after protesters stormed into the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. (Senate Television via AP) PHOTO:Senate Television via AP McConnell Blocks Quick Senate Impeachment Trial By The Associated Press WASHINGTON - Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked a quick Senate impeachment trial Wednesday, but did not rule out that he might eventually consider voting to convict President Trump. McConnell issued a statement saying Congress and the government should spend the next week completely focused on facilitating a safe inauguration and an orderly transfer of power to Biden. He suggested Trump's Senate trial would begin no earlier than Jan. 19 in effect rejecting a drive by the chamber's Democrats to begin the proceedings immediately so Trump could be ousted from office. I have not made a final decision on how I will vote and I intend to listen to the legal arguments when they are presented to the Senate, McConnell wrote. McConnell will be Washingtons most powerful Republican once Democratic President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated, and McConnells increasingly chilly view of Trump could make it easier for other GOP lawmakers to turn against him. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that unless McConnell reverses himself and agrees to quickly start the trial, it would begin after Jan. 19. That's a day before Biden is inaugurated as president and about the time Democrats take over majority control of the Senate. The timetable essentially means McConnell is dropping the trial into Democrats' laps. Make no mistake, there will be an impeachment trial in the United States Senate," Schumer said. He added, If the president is convicted, there will be a vote on barring him from running again." The Constitution requires a two-thirds majority to convict a president, meaning at least 17 Republicans would need to join all 50 Democrats to oust Trump. If Trump were convicted, it would take only a simple majority of the Senate to prohibit Trump, who's mentioned running again in 2024, from holding federal office again. The Democratic-led House approved an impeachment article accusing Trump of inciting insurrection, an unprecedented second impeachment of his clamorous presidency. McConnell is looking out for his partys long-term future, but any move toward a political divorce from Trump could mean that congressional Republicans will face challenges in GOP primaries. Australia's largest independent coal producer, Whitehaven Coal, decided years ago to steer clear of exporting to China a market that didnt demand its particular brand of product. Fortuitous as Whitehaven's decision appears today, there is no avoiding the impact that China's ban on Australian coal is having on pricing for all producers. The knock-on effects from Australia and China's diplomatic divorce are widening and causing the tectonic plates of trade to shift. As China looks for new international partners to fill the supply void, particularly for coal, Australia scours the globe for new customers. China traditionally resets its coal quotas at the start of each year, but there has been no reprieve for Australia. Credit:AP It's a scramble made all the more difficult by the global economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. And hopes that China would ease its hard ban on Australian coal in the new year are fast evaporating. China traditionally resets its coal quotas at the start of each year, but there has been no reprieve for Australia. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) during a hearing in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Dec. 18, 2017. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) House Republican Relinquishes Honorary Degree Following Student Petition House Deputy Minority Whip Tom Cole (R-Okla.) voluntarily gave up an honorary doctorate from his alma mater on Jan. 12 after a student petition called on the school to rescind the award. Cole, who joined some 120 House Republicans in challenging electoral votes from states where election integrity was under question, graduated from Grinnell College in 1971. He was awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree by the Iowa-based private liberal arts college in 2016. In a public letter, Grinnell College President Anne Harris said Cole contacted her and voluntarily relinquished his honorary degree; she revealed that the college leadership was considering taking it back from the congressman. Members of the Board of Trustees, campus leaders, and I prepared to review Grinnells honorary degree processes and principles, as well as the historical and constitutional context within which Rep. Cole acted, Harris said. This review was to inform the necessary deliberations of the governing bodies that would be involved with a decision to revoke an honorary degree. Harris said that shortly after the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, students sent a petition to the college calling for Cole to be stripped of his honorary degree. The online petition, which was updated to mission accomplished status on Jan. 13, has gained more than 2,400 supporting signatures. Cole said on Jan. 6 that he was against the certification of the electoral votes because the Oklahoma voters he represents are concerned about fairness and transparency in other states. They have asked me to express their concerns with my vote on the floor today, and as their representative, I intend to do so, he said. Coles surrender of his degree comes amid a trend in academia to disassociate with Republican lawmakers who challenged the presidential election results. Earlier this week, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), a Harvard University alumna, was removed from a senior advisory committee to the universitys Institute of Politics. Stefanik said the decision to remove her from the post shows that Harvard is bowing to the far left. The decision by Harvards administration to cower and cave to the woke Left will continue to erode diversity of thought, public discourse, and ultimately the student experience, she wrote in a statement posted to Twitter. The Ivory Towers march toward a monoculture of like-minded, intolerant liberal views demonstrates the sneering disdain for everyday Americans and will instill a culture of fear for students who will understand that a conservative viewpoint will not be tolerated and will be silenced. Congratulations Harvard, the entire Board of the Institute of Politics now consists of only Joe Biden votershow reflective of America. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close A teenage boy has shot himself with a spear gun while spearfishing with friends late at night. The 15-year-old was swimming with two friends when he accidentally speared himself in the foot at 11.05pm on Wednesday. The three friends managed to swim to shore and call for help at the bottom of a cliff face near Townsend Bluff in the seaside town of Inverloch in Gippsland, Victoria. Paramedics responded to a 15-year-old boy who accidentally shot himself in the foot with a spear gun near Townsend Bluff in the seaside town of Inverloch in Gippsland, Victoria at 11:05pm on Wednesday SES Crews and a helicopter (both pictured) rescued the injured boy, who was trapped at the bottom of a cliff with his two friends. The boy was winched to safety and then airlifted to hospital Paramedics, SES Crews, the Country Fire Authority and Victoria Police were called to the scene shortly after. A VICSES spokesman said 'conditions were difficult, including the added hazard of a rising tide'. 'It was eventually decided that winching via helicopter would be more appropriate course of action for the injured person,' he said. The injured teen, from Korumburra South, was then airlifted to Traralgon Public Hospital in a stable condition with a serious injury. The injuries are 'non-life threatening'. His two friends were collected by an SES boat and taken safely to shore. Though the teenager survived, two people died on Victorian beaches on Wednesday night. VICSES deployed a boat to save the remaining two boys. They were rescued and taken safely back to shore While he teenager survived, two people died on Victorian beaches on Wednesday night. A three-year-old girl was also pulled unconscious from Lysterfield Lake A woman in her 20s went to help a young teenage girl who was seen struggling in the water at Venus Bay at 7:30pm on Wednesday. The woman also got into difficulty and was pulled from the water by an off-duty lifeguard, who performed CPR on her but could not save her. The teenage girl made it safely to shore. Meanwhile at Bushrangers Bay, four people were swept of the rocks at 3:30pm on Wednesday, prompting two members of the public to try and save them. All six people then needed rescuing. A 45-year-old woman died and five people were rescued by emergency services. Lastly, a three-year-old girl was unresponsive when she was pulled out of Lysterfireld Lake, 38km south-east of Melbourne, on Wednesday afternoon. She was taken to hospital, where she remains in a critical condition. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Advertisement Scathing MPs have rounded on ministers for only announcing a travel ban with South America and Portugal this evening after days of warnings about the new Covid super-strain from Brazil. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said today that all arrivals from South America, Panama and Cape Verde as well as Portugal will be barred from entering the UK from 4am tomorrow. No-one who has been in any of the listed countries in the previous 10 days will be granted entry, except British and Irish nationals who are exempt but will have to self-isolate for 10 days. Mr Shapps also said that Chile, Madeira, and the Azores would be removed from the travel corridor list of countries were passengers are not required to self-isolate for up to 10 days on return. He said introducing tougher measures was an 'urgent decision' so that the UK did not 'trip up at this late stage' of the pandemic, pointing to the three million vaccines that have been administered. But although the move was welcomed by other parties, the Government was attacked for the delay, which was branded 'another missed opportunity'. Labour's shadow home secretary Nick-Thomas-Symonds MP railed against 'yet another example of government incompetence, lurching from one crisis and rushed announcement to another. 'The failure to put in place an effective policy on testing before entry and a quarantine system that is checking only one in 100 people is putting lives at risk.' Lib Dem MP and party transport spokeswoman Sarah Olney said: 'Once again it seems the Conservatives have missed the opportunity to help stem the spread of Covid-19. 'They've delayed action on cutting travel between the UK and South America, risking the arrival of the new variant.' The crackdown was also at odds with the situation at Heathrow today, where arrivals from soon-to-be-banned countries claimed to have breezed across the border without being checked for Covid. Boris Johnson told MPs yesterday he was concerned about the Brazilian variant and the Government was taking measures. Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK's chief scientific adviser, has said it is possible that the strain could make vaccines less effective. He said he thinks it is unlikely the mutated strain of the virus will have evolved to get past the immune system but 'we don't know for sure'. Brazilians arrive at Heathrow today ahead of tomorrow's travel ban: Barbra and John Santos (left) and Paula Gamini Also at Heathrow Airport today, Brazilian Barbra Santos arrived Terminal 5 wearing a leopard print face mask Noemia Lellis, 23, (left) and her sister Ana Lellis, 27, (right) both from Sao Paulo, Brazil, arrived at Heathrow today after taking a Covid test in Brazil before boarding a flight to Lisbon and connected from there to London. Sean Meade had aCovid test on Monday in Durban, South Africa, and carried a copy of his negative result when arriving at Heathrow via Paris Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he was taking 'urgent' action in an effort to prevent the mutant version getting into Britain Sir Patrick Vallance (left), chief scientific adviser to the UK Government, said he couldn't rule out the idea that the Brazilian variant might have evolved to make vaccines less effective. Boris Johnson (right) said he was 'concerned' about the new variant Deaths and cases have been rising alarmingly in many of the countries subject to restrictions with suggestions that the mutant strain is responsible Pictured: A gravedigger works at the Parque Taruma cemetery amid the coronavirus outbreak in Manaus, Brazil in December Chaos at the border: Travellers from South Africa enter unchecked as ministers delay new negative test rule until MONDAY Britain's border defence against coronavirus was branded an 'absolute joke' today as MailOnline can reveal a traveller from variant-hit South Africa walked out of Heathrow without any checks after ministers delayed forcing people to get a negative Covid-19 test before entering Britain until Monday. Sean Meade told MailOnline that he had a Covid test on Monday in Durban, South Africa, and carried a copy of his negative result expecting that he would be asked for it when arriving at Heathrow via Paris because he was coming from a country that has a dangerous variant of the virus. It came as ministers to delay their plan for tighter border controls amid confusion. The Government was preparing to enforce a stricter regime requiring tests 72 hours pre-departure from 4am on Friday, but this has now been pushed back to Monday. In an 11pm tweet, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps wrote: 'To give international arrivals time to prepare, passengers will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before departure to England from MONDAY 18 JANUARY at 4am.' Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said the situation was 'utter chaos'. 'The Government has lacked a comprehensive airport testing policy through this pandemic and now it is slipping into utter chaos,' he said. 'Issuing statements in the middle of the night, because their proposals are unworkable, causes ever greater challenges for travellers and industry.' Advertisement Mr Shapps made the announcement in a series of tweets: 'I've taken the urgent decision to BAN ARRIVALS from ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, BOLIVIA, CAPE VERDE, CHILE, COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, FRENCH GUIANA, GUYANA, PANAMA, PARAGUAY, PERU, SURINAME, URUGUAY AND VENEZUELA from TOMORROW, 15 JAN at 4AM following evidence of a new variant in Brazil.' He added: 'Travel from PORTUGAL to the UK will also be suspended given its strong travel links with Brazil acting as another way to reduce the risk of importing infections. 'However, there is an exemption for hauliers travelling from Portugal (only), to allow transport of essential goods.' Arrivals from the banned countries continued to flow into the UK today ahead of tomorrow's deadline - with some claiming not to have been checked. Brazilian couple John and Barbara Santos revealed that they had been made to undergo a PCR test at Sao Paulo airport before being allowed to board a KLM flight to Amsterdam, from where they caught a connecting flight to London. Mr Santos, 36 told MailOnline: 'Nobody checked our PCR test at Heathrow or asked us any questions. We got off the plane, collected our bags and just strolled out. It's pathetic and not what I expected.' Ms Santos, 40 revealed that she was told by a Border Force official that she was 'lucky' to have arrived in Britain before the ban on Brazilian travellers takes hold. She said: 'He said "lucky you made it in time." Its a joke because nobody asked about my test or made sure I was negative. 'The weather in Brazil is beautiful at the moment, everyone is out and about but the authorities here don't seem to care if Brazilians arriving in Britain have the virus or not. And believe me, a lot of them do.' The latest curbs, confirmed by the Covid O Cabinet sub-committee, mirror beefed-up rules brought in for South Africa due to its mutant Covid strain. But one traveller, Sean Meade, flying from South Africa, today told MailOnline he walked out of Heathrow without any checks. Mr Johnson admitted yesterday that officials were 'concerned' about the variant and claimed the Government was 'taking steps' to ensure it doesn't spread in Britain. Brazil has already banned travellers from the UK, starting on December 25, because of the variant that emerged here. Airlines appear to have taken matters into their own hands, with all five flights scheduled between Brazil and Heathrow cancelled, and none due from other UK airports. Public Health England (PHE) said it hasn't picked up any cases of the variant yet, but wouldn't rule out its already being in Britain. One expert told MailOnline it is 'entirely possible' it has spread here already but likely not in large numbers. Variants can generally only be picked up by detailed examination of randomly-picked test samples so don't show up until they are already widespread. The South African variant, for example, can't be distinguished from others in test results alone. Experts and politicians have raised fears that the Kent and South African mutations which are very similar to the Brazilian strain could make vaccines less effective. Sir Patrick last night revealed SAGE doesn't know whether or not jabs will work against the variant. But top scientists studying the constantly mutating SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, insist jabs currently being rolled-out are 'still likely to be effective'. Pfizer has already tested its own vaccine against the variants that emerged in Kent and South Africa and said that the jab appeared to work just as well, despite the mutations. The mutated variant of coronavirus was discovered in Japan last week in four people who had arrived on a flight from Brazil. It was first detected in Brazil where cases are spiralling rapidly in October. If evidence emerges that the Brazilian variant is significantly different to others already in Britain, it could present more obstacles to getting life back to normal. There is no proof that the variant is already in Britain but it is 'entirely possible', said Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at the University of Reading. Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser, told ITV's Peston show there was no evidence any of the variants led to more severe disease. He said: 'There's no evidence at all with any of these variants that it makes the disease itself more severe. 'So the changes that we're seeing with the variants are largely around increased transmission. '[There's] no evidence yet for the UK version that it makes a difference in terms of how the immune system recognises it, and if you've been exposed to the old variant or you've had a vaccine, it looks like that's gonna work just as well with this new variant for the UK one. 'The South African one and Brazilian one, we don't know for sure. There's a bit more of a risk that this might make a change to the way the immune system recognises it but we don't know. Those experiments are underway.' There are dozens of different variations of the coronavirus circulating in the UK but most cases are caused by a dominant select few the main one, accounting for around two thirds of infections, is now the one which emerged in Kent. Around 30 cases of the South African variant have been spotted in the UK, researchers said this week. Dr Clarke told MailOnline: 'If it is here then I expect it not to be here in great amounts because one in 10 viruses isolated [found in tests] are sequenced. If it was here in any appreciable quantity, it would have been picked up by now. 'But it could be here; people have been flying in from Brazil, people do come in via other countries and it is probably quite widespread over South America.' Amid a row over the Government's response to the latest strain, MPs yesterday accused the Prime Minister of failing to tighten the UK's borders quickly enough. MPs also questioned why new rules requiring all travellers to test negative before they enter the UK are only being brought in ten months after the pandemic began. Other countries have had similar rules in place for months. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced late last night that is being pushed back to Monday to give people 'time to prepare' In a round of interviews this morning, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins suggested the government was trying to balance 'economic' factors with health protection Asked why the air corridor between Brazil and parts of South America to the UK had not already been closed, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins said: 'Of course, people flying into the UK, whether from South America or elsewhere are required to have a 10-day quarantine period when they land in the UK. That is mandatory. WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE BRAZIL VARIANT? Name: B.1.1.248 or P.1 Date: Discovered in Tokyo, Japan, in four travellers arriving from Manaus, Brazil, on January 2. Is it in the UK? Public health officials and scientists randomly sample around 1 in 10 coronavirus cases in the UK and they have not yet reported any cases of B.1.1.248, but this doesn't rule it out completely. Why should we care? The variant has the same spike protein mutation as the highly transmissible versions found in Kent and South Africa named N501Y which makes the spike better able to bind to receptors inside the body. It has a third, less well-studied mutation called K417T, and the ramifications of this are still being researched. What do the mutations do? The N501Y mutation makes the spike protein better at binding to receptors in people's bodies and therefore makes the virus more infectious. Exactly how much more infectious it is remains to be seen, but scientists estimate the similar-looking variant in the UK is around 56 per cent more transmissible than its predecessor. Even if the virus doesn't appear to be more dangerous, its ability to spread faster and cause more infections will inevitably lead to a higher death rate. Another key mutation in the variant, named E484K, is also on the spike protein and is present in the South African variant. E484K may be associated with an ability to evade parts of the immune system called antibodies, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro said in a scientific paper published online. However, there are multiple immune cells and substances involved in the destruction of coronavirus when it gets into the body so this may not translate to a difference in how people get infected or recover. Will our vaccines still protect us? There is no reason to believe that already-developed Covid vaccines will not protect against the variant. The main and most concerning change to this version of the virus is its N501Y mutation. Pfizer, the company that made the first vaccine to get approval for public use in the UK, has specifically tested its jab on viruses carrying this mutation in a lab after the variants emerged in the UK and South Africa. They found that the vaccine worked just as well as it did on other variants and was able to ignore the change. And, as the South African variant carries another of the major mutations on the Brazilian strain (E484K) and the Pfizer jab worked against that, too, it is likely that the new mutation would not affect vaccines. The immunity developed by different types of vaccine is broadly similar, so if one of them is able to work against it, the others should as well. Professor Ravi Gupta, a microbiologist at the University of Cambridge, said: 'Vaccines are still likely to be effective as a control measure if coverage rates are high and transmission is limited as far as possible.' Advertisement 'In terms of the decision on travel measures, it takes a little bit of time. 'What we need to ensure is that when we make these very, very important decisions that have a huge impact on people's personal lives, but also businesses, we have got to have a little bit of time to let that bed in. 'The Prime Minister was clear that measure will be taken, we have acted decisively in the past with both the Denmark and South African variants, so I wouldn't want to speculate further at this stage.' The requirement for all international passengers coming to the UK to show a negative Covid-19 test had been due to come into effect tomorrow. Passengers including returning Britons will have to get a test within 72 hours of travelling. Border Force guards will carry out spot checks and anyone flouting the rules will be fined 500. But, tweeting after 11pm last night, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps declared that the testing measure was being delayed. 'To give international arrivals time to prepare passengers will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before departure to England from MONDAY 18 JANUARY at 4am,' he said. Adding to the confusion, Mr Shapps added a calendar emoji showing the 17th. Mr Thomas-Symonds said the situation was 'utter chaos'. 'The Government has lacked a comprehensive airport testing policy through this pandemic and now it is slipping into utter chaos,' he said. 'Issuing statements in the middle of the night, because their proposals are unworkable, causes ever greater challenges for travellers and industry. 'This chronic failure is also putting us at risk yet again, from strains such as those that emerged in South Africa and Brazil. As ever, Ministers are too slow to act and it's putting people at serious risk.' And Scotland's Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the negative test requirement was already in force north of the border - even though it is not due to be until tomorrow. In an interview on BBC Breakfast he was asked what the Scottish position was following the news that rules requiring travellers arriving in England to have a negative coronavirus test have been delayed. He said: 'The position in Scotland is that those restrictions are in place and we want to see people following those restrictions to make sure that we minimise the risk.' Asked, 'So you have to have a test before you travel to Scotland?', he replied 'Yes' and agreed that the restrictions apply now. Home affairs committee chair and Labour MP, Yvette Cooper, savaged Mr Johnson yesterday for failing to act fast enough. At the Liaison Committee hearing, she demanded to know why UK borders were not immediately shut to travellers from Brazil after warnings of the new strain. She asked him: 'Why aren't you taking immediate action on a precautionary basis?' Ms Cooper also criticised the quarantine system for being 'so much weaker' than measures in dozens of other countries which include rigorous border testing. 'She said it meant arrivals being allowed to board public transport to get to where they will self-isolate after landing, with few checks to see if people are quarantining. Ms Cooper added: 'You give the impression each time that you just delay all of the difficult and uncomfortable decisions until the last possible minute and when so many lives are at stake, Prime Minister, is this the leadership we really need?' Mr Johnson claimed 'huge quantities of checks' are being carried out to see if people are self-isolating. It is understood ministers will today consider imposing a complete ban on flights and visitors for the whole of South America to tackle the Brazil variant. Pictured: Guarulhos, Sao Paulo All three of the mutated versions of the coronavirus found in recent weeks the ones from Kent, South Africa and Brazil have had a change on the spike protein of the virus called N501Y, which scientists say makes it better able to latch onto the body and spread What were the rules of the South Africa travel ban? Visitors arriving into England who have been in or travelled through South Africa in the previous 10 days will not be permitted entry and direct flights will be banned. British and Irish Nationals, visa holders and permanent residents arriving from South Africa will be able to enter but are required to self-isolate for 10 days along with their household The ban excludes cargo and freight without passengers Any exemptions usually in place - including for those related to employment - will not apply People who share a household with anyone self-isolating after returning from South Africa will now also need to self-isolate until 10 days have passed since anyone they live with was last in South Africa The Home Office will step up Border Force presence to ensure that those arriving to England from South Africa are compliant with the new restrictions Advertisement The PM said: 'We are concerned about the new Brazilian variant. 'We already have tough measures to protect this country from new infections coming in from abroad. We are taking steps to do that in respect of the Brazilian variant.' He added: 'There are lots of questions we still have about that variant, we don't know for instance, any more than we know whether the South African variant is vaccine resistant.' Dr Simon Clarke said it was not clear how the mutations on the Brazilian strain would change the virus, but they could be compared to those on the Kent and South Africa variants. He said: 'We know where the mutations are. I think it's fair to say we don't have a good picture on how easily it spreads or how quickly it spreads. 'Some of the changes, not all, are in the spike protein. The only one we have good data on in terms of the ability to spread is the Kent strain. 'The changes to the spike mean that they could make it more difficult for antibodies to bind to. If there is an effect, and it's a big if, I would assume it would reduce their [vaccines] efficacy not abolish it, it wouldn't render it useless but it might not be effective.' It is not yet known if the Brazilian strain is present in the UK. Brazil has had one of the world's highest Covid death tolls 205,000. The SAGE sub-group NERVTAG discussed the issue on Tuesday. Brazil has already banned flights from the UK amid the pandemic, so the new move would be a reciprocal one, although it's not likely to affect a lot of people. In 2019, there were around 290,000 visits to the UK from people travelling from Brazil, but there are currently no direct flights running from Brazil to the UK, according to Scanner. Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi told the Commons a new jab could be manufactured in 30 to 40 days if a variant of the virus is found to be less responsive to those available. The Department for Transport published small print of the rules requiring all passengers entering the UK to show a negative test only late last night shortly before they are due to kick in. But they won't be enforced until Monday due to a 'grace period' brought in after a backlash from the travel industry. Before the delay was announced, Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith, chairman of the Airport Operators Association, said: 'It's horrendous. 'We need to support travellers who are facing the issue of needing to get home. 'The industry wants to deliver the safest way to get home, but it needs that guidance and the detail in good time.' Paul Charles, the chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: 'There is not enough clarity around the type of tests allowed, leaving consumers panicking about whether they will be let into the country without a fine, because they have the wrong documentation. Policy on the hoof never works.' Up to 100,000 Britons are estimated to be abroad. Many went in mid-December before the third lockdown. Experts last night questioned why Britain had not brought in testing at the border, despite dozens of countries around the world having had it in place for months. Professor Lawrence Young, a molecular oncologist at the University of Warwick, said: 'You could argue it's too little, too late. We should have been doing this ages ago. 'If you look at where successful lockdowns, in terms of returning back to normality, have happened, that's where people have closed their borders. The horse has bolted. Travellers have flown into the UK via Portugal without being checked for coronavirus Noemia Lellis, 23 Travellers told MailOnline they were allowed to fly into the UK via Portugal without being checked for Covid-19. Ana Lellis, 27, said people in Brazil were 'still partying and everything is open'. She got tested for coronavirus because it was a TAP Air Portugal requirement but this was not checked when she landed in London. 'I am worried about coronavirus in Brazil because people are still partying and everything is open,' she said. 'There is a big following of people who don't follow the rules. We had to get coronavirus tests because that is an TAP Air Portugal requirement but they weren't checked in London. We simply picked up our bags and came out, they didn't even check our locator form.' Her sister, Noemia, 23, said: 'I am shocked they were not doing checks on passengers who recently came back from Brazil. 'There are no direct flights from the UK to Brazil anyway so people who will still travel through different countries. 'It makes sense to have less flights to avoid this spread but we are happy to be allowed back. It is going to cause trouble for a lot of people, especially residents like us.' Advertisement 'It is hard to understand why we haven't been more stringent about international travel and why we're doing testing now and didn't pay as much attention to it last March. Testing has to be a really important part of this.' A Department for Transport spokesperson told MailOnline: 'As the Prime Minister said, we are aware of this new variant and are considering urgent measures to reduce the spread to the UK. 'Arrivals from Brazil are already required to self-isolate for ten days or face a fine starting at 500.' It is normal for viruses to mutate and early signs don't suggest that any of the new variants of coronavirus are more deadly than others, but in some places it is evolving to be able to spread faster. If the virus is faster spreading it will inevitably lead to more cases which will in turn lead to a higher death count, even if the strain itself isn't more dangerous. The variant that emerged in Kent, now estimated to be around 56 per cent more transmissible than its predecessor, has quickly become the dominant form of the virus in England and has led to the country's longest and toughest lockdown since March 2020. There is no evidence to suggest vaccines will be any less effective against this variant. Pfizer, maker of the first jab to be approved, tested theirs on the similar UK and South Africa variants and said it still worked just as well. The mutated variant of coronavirus was discovered in Japan last week in four people who had arrived on a flight from Brazil. It was first detected in Brazil in October. Scientists said it had similarities to that of the highly contagious variants in Britain and South Africa. Namely, it has a genetic mutation called N501Y, which changes the shape of the spike proteins found on the outside of the virus. This mutation makes the virus more able to latch onto the receptors inside the body that it targets, essentially meaning it successfully makes it past the body's natural defences more often. Therefore people who are exposed to the virus become infected more often than they would if the other person was infected with an older, less contagious strain. A World Health Organization report on the variant last week said: 'The variant was identified when whole-genome sequencing was conducted on samples from 4 travellers from Brazil who were tested at the airport... 'Through our regional offices, we are working with both Japanese and Brazilian authorities to evaluate the significance of these findings. 'We are also working with our Viral Evolution Working Group to assess the significance of this, and if this variant as well as others identified in recent months result in changes in transmissibility, clinical presentation or severity, or if they impact on countermeasures, including diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.' It added: 'The same comprehensive approach to controlling Covid-19 works against these variants. 'At an individual level, protective measures work for all identified variants: physical distancing, wearing a mask, keeping rooms well ventilated, avoiding crowds, cleaning hands, and coughing into a bent elbow or tissue.' It is too early on in the variant's discovery for politicians or scientists to be confident about how the changes to the virus will affect outbreaks. Lab testing suggests its N501Y mutation could make it more transmissible the UK variant with the same change is estimated to be around 56 per cent more infectious, but other changes to the virus may affect this, too. And another key mutation in the variant, named E484K, which is also on the spike protein, may be associated with an ability to evade parts of the immune system called antibodies, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro said in a scientific paper published online. However, there are multiple immune cells and substances involved in the destruction of coronavirus when it gets into the body so this may not translate to a difference in how people get infected or recover. There is no reason to believe that already-developed Covid vaccines will not protect against the variant. The main and most concerning change to this version of the virus is its N501Y mutation, which has been linked to faster transmission. Pfizer, the company that made the first vaccine to get approval for public use in the UK, has specifically tested its jab on viruses carrying this mutation in a lab after the variants emerged in the UK and South Africa. They found that the vaccine worked just as well as it did on other variants and was able to ignore the change. And, as the South African variant carries another of the major mutations on the Brazilian strain (E484K) and the Pfizer jab worked against that, too, it is likely that the new mutation would not affect vaccines. This new variant (shown in light green) was first spotted in Brazil in October and accounted for a growing share of infections there in November The immunity developed by different types of vaccine is broadly similar, so if one of them is able to work against it, the others should as well. Professor Ravi Gupta, a microbiologist at the University of Cambridge, said: 'The Brazilian variant has three key mutations in the spike receptor binding domain (RBD) that largely mirror some of the mutations we are worried about it in the South African variant, hence the concern. 'The SARS-CoV-2 RBD is one of the main targets for our immune defences and also the region targeted by vaccines and changes within this region are therefore worrisome. 'Vaccines are still likely to be effective as a control measure if coverage rates are high and transmission is limited as far as possible.' The National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan said in its report that the people infected with the variant were found in airport screening in Tokyo on January 2. They had travelled from Amazonas, a state in the north of Brazil which contains the city Manaus, home to two million people and the first place the variant was found. The disease institute (NIID) said: 'Information on the variant isolate is limited to viral genome sequence data. 'Further investigation is necessary to assess infectivity, pathogenicity, and impact on laboratory diagnosis and vaccine efficacy of this variant strain. 'NIID recommends that persons infected with the variant isolate should be monitored in an isolated room and active epidemiological investigation should be initiated including contact tracing (with source investigation) and monitoring of the clinical course.' Ministers and experts have said the repeated emergence of new variants is a warning sign that the coronavirus is evolving frequently and that some of the evolutions make significant changes to how the virus works. Although the variants spotted already don't seem to make the virus more deadly or have the ability to get past a vaccine, the more different variants there are, the more likely it is than one will have a mutation that spells disaster. Professor Tulio de Oliveira, a virologist at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, in Durban, South Africa, told The Telegraph: 'This variant is a wake up call that we should try to really decrease transmission of SARS-CoV-2 [coronavirus]. 'It is clear that if you leave it circulating, the virus has the ability to outsmart us and become better at transmission and evasion of the antibody response.' Brazil's Covid deaths soar back to their first wave peak of over 1,000 a day as new 'more infectious' strain that started in Amazon rips through country By Rachel Bunyan for MailOnline and Matt Roper in Brazil Brazil's coronavirus outbreak is surging again after another new and possibly more infectious strain of the virus was identified in the country. Daily deaths in the country rose back over 1,000 per day this week, around the same level as during the country's first wave this spring, after the country had finally brought down the curves of infections and deaths last year. The new variant has been tracked to the country's coronavirus epicentre of Manaus, where it was hoped that herd immunity had previously been achieved. That raises the troubling possibility that the new variant can reinfect survivors and may therefore be resistant to vaccines, assuming that Brazil's projections estimating herd immunity in Manaus were correct. This week Brazil registered its highest daily average of Covid infections since the start of the pandemic, with 54,784 confirmed cases on average per day - up 51 per cent on two weeks ago. Brazil has also average 993 deaths per day this week, a rise of 49 per cent compared to two weeks ago. The new Brazilian strain of coronavirus is the third to have caused global alarm, after more-infectious variants were also identified in the UK and South Africa. The death toll is creeping higher - with 1,110 Covid-19 victims being recorded on Tuesday. Pictured: Workers bury a victim of Covid-10 while relatives look on from a distance in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil In Manaus, northwestern Brazil, where there were haunting scenes last April of mass graves and corpses piled in refrigerator trucks, the health system is near to collapse again. Pictured: Cemetery workers carry the remains of 89-year-old Abilio Ribeiro, who died of the new coronavirus strain in Manaus on January 6 The Brazilian mutation was first discovered in Tokyo last week in four people who had arrived on a flight from the Amazonian jungle city of Manaus. The city was among the hardest-hit in Brazil, site of the world's worst Covid outbreak outside of the US or India, with shocking scenes of mass graves dug in the Amazon and refrigerator trucks piled high with bodies. So many were infected in the city of two million people during the first wave of the pandemic last year that some scientists thought that the city might have been approaching herd immunity. But that projection has proved well wide of the mark. And the absence of herd immunity in Manaus could be caused by one of two factors - either the infection estimates were wrong first time around or the new variant can reinfect people who have already survived coronavirus. That would also have worrying implications for the prospects of the strain having an ability to resist existing vaccines. Shocking scenes returned to Manaus this week, as local officials warned the health system is near collapse once again. The city of two million people has been placed in a state of emergency for six months as hospitalisations passed the levels seen in the worst days of last year. Hospitals this week ran out of oxygen, with new supplies having to be flown in by Brazilian Air Force jets. Refrigerator trucks have once again been deployed to store bodies, while structures to hold 22,000 coffins in horizontal 'drawers' are hastily being constructed. Manaus registered more hospitalisations in the first week of 2021 than in the whole month of December, with a record 1,524 people admitted to hospital last Saturday. The city has also registered more than 100 burials every day this week, with a record 144 on Sunday - the highest number since the start of the pandemic. A court on Saturday forced the state government to shut non-essential businesses for 15 days as infections and deaths surge. Manaus, where the new mutation detected in Japan is believed to have originated, has been placed in a state of emergency for six months as hospitalisations passed the levels seen in the worst days of last year. Pictured: A gravedigger works at Parque Taruma cemetary in Manaus Meanwhile hospitals in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have recently reported intensive care units more than 90 percent full. The state of Amazonas, where nearly 6,000 people have died from Covid-19, is struggling to cope with the rising number of deaths. Hospital beds for COVID-19 patients in the state reached an occupancy rate of over 98% this week, according to data from the Amazonas state health department. Occupancy in temporary facilities that provide assistance to critical patients for later referral to other points of the health network was at 131 per cent. A court on Saturday forced the state government to shut non-essential businesses for 15 days as infections and deaths surge. Declan Brazil, Head of maintenance at Ferbane Care Centre, Co. Offaly, receives his vaccine from public health nurse Siobhan Ryan, as the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine to multiple nursing homes began today, with Ferbane Care Centre one of 22 care homes to receive the jab (Brian Lawless/PA) Ireland has administered over 77,300 vaccines as of Wednesday, the HSE chief executive Paul Reid said. Of that figure, 69,378 were for frontline healthcare workers, with 7,925 for residents and staff in long-term care facilities. In addition, over 4,000 healthcare workers have now completed training to administer the vaccine, a HSE briefing on Thursday heard. Ireland is aiming to vaccinate 700,000 people by the end of March, and up to four million by the end of September, under projections from Health Minister Stephen Donnelly. #OurHealthService Florence OaReilly and Nancy Keogh who are both residents at Navan Rd Community Nursing Unit were delighted to get the #CovidVaccine last week. aAnything that minds your health is good to get,a said Nancy. Read more: https://t.co/GjDCFuNR8p@HSECHODNCC #HoldFirm pic.twitter.com/VDjYd8pwkd HSE Ireland (@HSELive) January 14, 2021 That will depend on additional vaccines, such as AstraZeneca, being approved by the European Medicines Agency which could happen by the end of January. Its arrival would greatly help the rollout of the vaccine programme in Ireland, the HSE said. HSE chief clinical officer Dr Colm Henry said: The AstraZeneca vaccine first would make a big difference in terms of where it can be used. It isnt as precious a vaccine, in every sense of the word. In terms of transport, in terms of its storage, in terms of its shelf life. So it lends itself much more easily to the traditional vaccination settings, thats to say pharmacies, GP settings. And also to mass vaccination centres. Mr Reid warned that the situation in our hospitals remains quite grim, with 1,838 Covid-19 cases in hospitals, 169 in intensive care units and 100 patients on ventilators. In many hospitals, the proportion of patients who have acquired Covid within the hospital setting is half, or even more, of the total number of patients Dr Colm Henry Dr Henry said Irelands 14-day-incidence rate is now 20 times what it was in December, the second worst figure in Europe. He also raised concerns about the number of people who are acquiring the virus in hospitals. Speaking on Thursday, he said: In many hospitals, the proportion of patients who have acquired Covid within the hospital setting is half, or even more, of the total number of patients. In other words, us modelling off these figures (daily cases), predicting the impact on hospitals, doesnt take account of what happens with a hugely disruptive infective outbreak. The Tanaiste has warned that the outbreak of coronavirus cases in Irelands hospitals remains precarious. Leo Varadkar said the struggle to contain the pandemic will continue over the coming weeks. He urged people to support health staff by following health regulations. Hundreds of nurses and doctors who signed-up to "On Call for Ireland" are job-ready but have not been deployed, while our hospitals are struggling to keep beds open due to staff shortages. This must be addressed immediately.#Covid19Ireland @PearseDoherty pic.twitter.com/k2X3lzVvNQ Sinn FAin (@sinnfeinireland) January 14, 2021 We need to decrease the number of people getting Covid and going into hospital, and that is the best way we can turn the corner in the situation, he told the Dail. What is somewhat encouraging is the number of admissions to hospital yesterday, which was 149, but the number of discharges was 128, so the net increase in the last day is much smaller than previous days. He added, however, that there is a glimmer of hope. Cases have been falling now for a number of days, we may see the total number of people being hospitalised starting to fall in about a weeks time, he added. Mr Varadkar went on to warn that it will be a very precarious and dangerous time in hospitals for the next two weeks. Sinn Feins Pearse Doherty said the situation in Irelands hospitals is continuing to deteriorate, adding that the daily figures make for grim reading. The (health) staff are facing something that is unimaginable Pearse Doherty, Sinn Fein He said the latest reports show there are 13 hospitals without any ICU capacity, and seven other hospitals have only one ICU bed left. ICU capacity, we are told, are expected to be used up by the weekend, Mr Doherty added. I want to express my solidarity to all the staff and indeed the patients. The staff are facing something that is unimaginable. It is a very worrying time, they are overworked, they are exhausted, they are anxious about the period ahead and many of them are angry that they are left in this situation. He also said that the Governments failure to build additional capacity has left hospitals relying on surge capacity. Mr Varadkar said the deal struck with private hospitals allows the State to use up to 60% of the private hospital capacity. However, he said that while 30% capacity has been secured, there are discussions under way to use the additional 30%. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. New Delhi: Maharashtra SSC result 2017 has been announced on Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) official website. The pass percentage has been recorded as 88.74%. The girls have again left boys behind as per the reports pass percentage of girls are 91.46% and Boys 86.51%. On Monday however, The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) will inform about the dates to students and parents via print and electronic media once its decided, said the Board official. There were rumours that the Board is likely to release the results for the Maharashtra MSBSHSE class 10 board exams by the first half of next week. The Maharashtra Board will announce SSC result 2017 date by Monday. Once the result is declared students can check their marks on the official website mahahsscboard.maharashtra.gov.in. This year about 17,66,098 candidates appeared for the class 10 state boards which were conducted in the month of March. Among them, there were 9,89,908 boys and 7,76,190 girls. The Maharashtra SSC exam was held at 4,728 centres across the state and students will need to score at least 35 per cent in each subject to clear the class 10 Maharashtra Board exams. Last year, a total of 1727496 students appeared for the exam. Also Read: Maharashtra SSC Class 10th Result ANNOUNCED; check here Steps to download SSC result 2017: Visit the official website of the Board (mahahsscboard.maharashtra.gov.in) On the homepage, click on SSC results 2017 Enter the roll number and other details Download and take a print out for further reference. About Maharashtra Board: The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education is a statutory and autonomous body established under the "Maharashtra Secondary Boards Act" 1965 (amended in 1977). Most important task of the board, among few others, is to conduct the SSC and HSC examinations. The share price of Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) surged over 10 per cent on Thursday, a day after the announcement of Rs 48,000 crore deal to acquire 83 Tejas aircraft for the Indian Air Force from the company. The shares were trading at 1,015.00, up by 93.40 points or 10.13 per cent at 2:25 pm at the National Stock exchange (NSE). While at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) it was at 1,013.85 up by 92.95 points or 10.09 per cent. However, the intraday high was of Rs 1,047. The approval was given in a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Prime Minister Modi tweeted on Wednesday that the Cabinet's decision will improve the capabilities of Armed forces, boost the indigenous defence industry and will strengthen the movement to create an Atmanirbhar Bharat. Todays Cabinet decision will improve the capabilities of our armed forces, boost the indigenous defence industry and strengthen the movement to create an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. https://t.co/lZ6w3XbyTT Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 13, 2021 Meanwhile, Rajnath Singh said that this deal will be a game-changer for self-reliance in the Indian defence manufacturing. In a series of tweets, he said "The LCA-Tejas is going to be the backbone of the IAF fighter fleet in years to come. LCA-Tejas incorporates a large number of new technologies many of which were never attempted in India. The indigenous content of LCA-Tejas is 50% in Mk1A variant which will be enhanced to 60%." The LCA-Tejas programme would act as a catalyst for transforming the indian aerospace manufacturing ecosystem into a vibrant Atmanirbhar-self-sustaining ecosystem. I thank the Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi for this historic decision taken by the CCS today. Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) January 13, 2021 The decision taken today will considerably expand the current LCA ecosystem and help in creating new job opportunities. HAL follows a system integrator model in LCA Mk1A program and acts as an umbrella organisation, fostering manufacturing & design capabilities in pvt. industry. Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) January 13, 2021 The LCA-Tejas is going to be the backbone of the IAF fighter fleet in years to come. LCA-Tejas incorporates a large number of new technologies many of which were never attempted in India. The indigenous content of LCA-Tejas is 50% in Mk1A variant which will be enhanced to 60%. Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) January 13, 2021 The Defence Minister also informed that the company has already set-up second line manufacturing facilities at its Nasik and Bengaluru Divisions. The HAL has already set-up second line manufacturing facilities at its Nasik and Bengaluru Divisions. Equipped with the augmented infrastructure the HAL will steer LCA-Mk1A production for timely deliveries to the IAF. Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) January 13, 2021 He further added that the decision will considerably expand the current LCA ecosystem and help in creating new job opportunities. The request for proposal for the procurement of 83 Tejas light combat aircraft was submitted in 2017 by the Indian Air Force to HAL. BALTIMORE, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A group of Maryland restauranteurs, entrepreneurs and small business owners have organized a grassroots effort aimed at advocating against overly-restrictive regulations and mandatory restaurant closures made by lawmakers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Marylanders for Safe and Sensible Regulations, formed just this month, is an organization set up by a group of Maryland restauranteurs whose employees and dining establishments have been hit hard because of mandatory restaurant closures and other restrictions placed on their operations. The organization's membership has been growing quickly through word of mouth and as a result, they have built and launched a website (www.seatatthetableMD.com) and will begin a series of media and advocacy activities aimed at highlighting their industry's plight before lawmakers, regulators and other audiences around the state. "We believe the restaurant industry in Maryland, especially in jurisdictions like Baltimore City and Montgomery County, have been unfairly hit with closures and economically-damaging restrictions and regulations, when other establishments and businesses like grocery stores, pharmacies, and other retail businesses have barely had any restrictions placed on them," said Dave Norman, a Maryland restauranteur and President of Marylanders for Safe and Sensible Regulations. "The restaurant industry in Maryland employs over 259,000 people who work in the nearly 11,360 restaurants, bars, take-outs, cafes, delis, and other dining establishments around the state. Together, they generate tens of millions of dollars in employee payrolls, providing good and (in normal times) steady employment, as well as significant tax revenues to the counties and State of Maryland," Norman added. "The restaurant and hospitality industry, and all the inter-connected food service industries like farms, butchers, grocers, beer/wine/liquor distribution and restaurant supply houses, also generate vital jobs and substantial payrolls throughout the state. Yet we are being unfairly penalized, over-regulated and targeted like no other type of small businesses have been," Norman said. The organization also hopes to provide lawmakers and regulators with vital data and information about the reality that there is no evidence to prove that restaurant closures have resulted in lower COVID-19 infection rates. "We have the data to prove that COVID-19 infections have not risen as a result of restaurants being allowed to remain open," Norman stated. "The fact is, COVID-19 infection rates actually went up in Baltimore City during the recent restaurant shut-down, while in Baltimore and Howard counties (where restaurants were allowed to stay open) , COVID infection rates actually decreased," Norman added. Marylanders for Safe and Sensible Regulations' agenda is not limited to fending off restaurant closures or seeking their re-opening in the wake of the pandemic. They also intend to advocate for a number of different and longer-term business and regulatory issues related to maintaining the well-being and viability of restaurants and dining establishments in the state, including fighting against unreasonable and inconsistent regulations that vary by jurisdiction and are sometimes arbitrarily applied. According to Norman and his group, it seems as though restaurants as opposed to other people-concentrated businesses and places like retail and grocery stores are being unfairly targeted for severe restrictions and partial or full closure. Norman says that, if anything, restaurants are doing more than their fair share of compliance with COVID restrictions. "Look around you when going into a grocery or drug store. Yes, there are six-foot distancing signs and wipes available for your basket. But then look around your local restaurant or neighborhood fast-food place. Not only are there social distancing signs, there is a constant and continual level of cleaning and disinfection going on, all day long. Restaurants are some of the only retail spaces where people gather and where COVID-19 protocols are actively enforced," Norman said. For more information about Marylanders for Safe and Sensible Regulations, please visit www.seatatthetableMD.com. Contact: Rob Tappan (202) 320-0842 [email protected] SOURCE Marylanders for Safe and Sensible Regulations Related Links http://www.seatatthetablemd.com It is another dark day for Covid-19 in Ireland, with the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) announcing 3,955 more confirmed cases of the virus this evening, along with 28 additional deaths. Sign our Longford Leader #BestShot petition calling for pharmacy rollout of Covid-19 vaccine HERE Nationally, Longford recorded the lowest number of new infections with seven new cases of Covid-19 confirmed in the county. It means that from January 1, 2021 to January 13, 2021, the accumulated number of Covid-19 infections in Longford stands at 369 (Jan 1 - 39 cases; Jan 2 - 55 cases; Jan 3 - 30 cases; Jan 4 - 5 cases; Jan 5 - 78 cases; Jan 6 - 28 cases; Jan 7 - 34 cases; Jan 8 - 9 cases; Jan 9 - 43 cases; Jan 10 - 7 cases; Jan 11 - 6 cases; Jan 12 - 28 cases and Jan 13 - 7 cases). Also read: Longford CF campaigner Jillian McNulty adds her support to #BestShot vaccine campaign The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in Longford since the pandemic began is 1,159 (1,152 as at Tuesday, January 12 plus the 7 announced today by NPHET - see table below). Longford's 14 day incidence rate of Covid-19 is currently the fifth lowest in the country at 949.3 per 100,000 population (down from 976.2 per 100,000 the previous day) on the back of 388 cases in the past fortnight. Also read: Catherine Gerety is the first person in Longford nursing home to receive the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine The national incidence is now 1,497.0 per 100,000 people, on the back of 71,286 cases in the past two weeks. The 7 day incidence is 744.5 per 100 k while the five day average for new cases has fallen again today to 4,473. Of the cases notified today 1,210 are in Dublin, 456 in Cork, 235 in Louth, 221 in Meath and 218 in Limerick. The remaining 1,615 cases are spread across all other counties. Also read: Longford's Dr Padraig McGarry | Covid-19: Where to now? Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health gave details on the deaths from Covid this January. Today we are giving some more information on the 208 people who have been reported to have sadly died from COVID-19 so far this month. Of these, 23 cases have been linked to outbreaks in hospitals and 38 with outbreaks in Nursing Homes. The ages of those who have died range from 25 to 98 years. Every death associated with COVID-19 is a tragedy. We must cut our social contacts in order to break the chains of transmission and protect those who are most vulnerable to this disease. Stay at home and save lives, he said. Dr Ronan Glynn, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health again urged the "hold firm" message. COVID-19 is having a very significant impact on our health system. The best way we can protect ourselves and each other is by staying home and only leaving home for essential journeys. We have the power to change the trajectory of the disease in our communities. We must hold firm and continue to stay home. Professor Philip Nolan, Chair of the Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, said this wave is "perhaps worse" than the first wave a year ago. From an epidemiological perspective, what we are seeing in this wave is different to what we have seen since springtime, and perhaps worse. The penetration of the virus throughout all ages of the population is a particular cause for serious concern, as is risk of severe disease that all of these people face. Poor health outcomes, risk of serious or long-term illness and hospitalisation remain a risk for us all when it comes to COVID-19. That is why we must follow public health advice and protect not only ourselves but our hospital system and healthcare workers by staying at home. The viruses are mutating, said Dr Cillian De Gascun, Medical Virologist and Director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory. It is not unusual for viruses to mutate over time. We have identified multiple different SARS-CoV-2 lineages in Ireland since the start of the pandemic, and 2 of the 3 recently emerged variants of concern from the UK and South Africa. We also expect that more variants will emerge across the world in the coming months. While some of the new variants will increase the risk of becoming infected because they have increased transmissibility they can stick longer and better to surfaces this does not mean that our continued adherence to the public health advice is in anyway less effective. We must continue to wash our hands, wear a face covering where appropriate, maintain our social distance and continue to adhere to the public health advice. Mr Liam Woods, Director of Acute Hospitals, HSE said: Our hospitals and our frontline healthcare workers are working under the enormous strain COVID-19 is exerting on our health service. 1,789 patients are in hospital with COVID-19, 169 of those in intensive care. The best way we can protect our health service and support our frontline workers is to stay home and continue to adhere to the public health advice. As of 2pm today, 1,789 COVID-19 patients are hospitalised, of which 169 are in ICU. 154 additional hospitalisations in the past 24 hours. VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nickel Rock Resources Inc. ("the Company") (TSXV: NICL) (OTCQB: NIKLF) reports that preparations are currently underway to conduct a shallow drilling program, up to 125 m or 400 feet on its Clayton Valley project at Silver Peak, Nevada. Estimates for the drilling costs are currently being evaluated with a possible start date in early March. The Company is fully funded for this program. Neighbouring lithium producer Albemarle, a leader in the global specialty chemicals industry, announced on January 7th, 2021 plans to expand capacity at their lithium production facility at Silver Peak, Nevada. In addition, it will begin a program to evaluate clays and other available Nevada resources for commercial production of lithium. Albemarle said that beginning in 2021, the company plans to invest $30 million to $50 million to double the current production at the Nevada site by 2025, making full use of its brine water rights. (refer to Albemarle news release dated January 7, 2021) Qualified Person Alan Morris is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has approved the technical information contained within this news release. About Nickel Rock Resources Inc. www.nickelrockresources.com Nickel Rock Resources is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company with a highly focused exploration for high-value battery metals required for the electric vehicle (EV) market. The company recently announced several acquisitions resulting in a significant property package prospective for awaruite, a naturally occurring nickel-iron alloy important in the manufacture of environmentally efficient batteries for the electric vehicle markets globally. Nickel Projects The Mount Sidney Williams group consists of five claim blocks in four groups with a total area of 6,125.32 hectares in the area surrounding Mount Sidney Williams, both adjoining and near the Decar project of FPX Nickel Corp., located 100 kilometres northwest of Fort St. James, B.C., in the Omineca mining division. Metallic mineralization includes nickel, cobalt and chromium. At least some of the nickel mineralization occurs as awaruite. The Mitchell Range group area claim consist of two contiguous claim blocks covering 3,134.70 hectares with demonstrated metallic mineralization including nickel, cobalt and chromium. Nickel-cobalt mineralization has not been well explored, but the presence of awaruite has been documented. The company is planning detailed exploration for the upcoming exploration season. The acquisition of the Hard Nickel group and the Nickel 100 claims are subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. Lithium Projects The Clayton Valley project is an early-stage lithium brine prospect in Esmeralda county, Nevada. A total of 77 placer claims covering about 640 hectares (1,500 acres) were staked over the western side of the Clayton Valley playa. The property position covers an inferred graben bounded by the Silver Peak range front on the west and Goat Island on the east. The exploration concept is the graben is a subbasin of the larger Clayton Valley basin and may represent a secondary trap for lithium brines within the greater system. On Behalf of the Board of Directors "Robert Setter" Robert Setter, President & CEO 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 may contain forward-looking statements which include, but are not limited to, comments that involve future events and conditions, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Except for statements of historical facts, comments that address resource potential, upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt and security of mineral property titles, availability of funds, and others are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not guaranteeing future performance and actual results may vary materially from those statements. General business conditions are factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from forward-looking statements. New Delhi: Protesting against the state governments policy of granting permits to private operators, the Haryana Roadways Employees Union will go on a one-day strike on Tuesday. Thousands of commuters will face difficulty who depend solely on roadways buses. Haryana Roadways Workers Union President, Sarbat Singh Punia on Monday said, We are protesting the governments policy of granting permits to private operators. The government is planning to privatise the roadways. The strike will take place on Tuesday and the Roadways buses will remain off road from all 24 depots in the state, he said. We dont want to put common people to inconvenience, but people will understand that what we are doing is in everybodys larger interest, Punia said. ALSO READ: Haryana: Roof of Gurdwara collapses in Panipat leaving 8 injured, few trapped under debris It is to be noted that the roadways employees went on a three-day strike earlier as well in April 2017. The government is promoting privatisation, which is not acceptable. We demand cancellation of permits given to private operators to ply buses on some routes, he added. Talking about the shortage of drivers and conductors, Punia said, There is also shortage of drivers and conductors. We need 16,000 buses to cater to the 2.5 crore population of Haryana. Rather than thinking to privatise the roadways, the government should think of adding more buses and improving the services. There is no demand to privatise roadways from the people of Haryana, so why should the government show haste, he further added. When questioned about the duration of the strike, he said that it will depend on the governments response on Tuesday. With inputs from PTI. ALSO READ | Haryana land deals: Dhingra report talks about bureaucracy For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. While the House moved with remarkable speed to impeach Trump, a Senate trial to determine whether to remove him cannot begin until 19 January, his final full day in office Washington: The House on Wednesday impeached President Donald Trump for a second time, a first in American history, charging him with incitement of insurrection one week after he egged on a mob of supporters that stormed the Capitol while Congress met to formalise President-elect Joe Biden's victory. Democrats moved swiftly to impeach Trump after the assault, which unfolded after he told supporters at a rally near the National Mall to march on the Capitol in an effort to get Republicans to overturn his defeat. At least five people, including a Capitol Police officer, died during the siege and in the immediate aftermath. The process is taking place with extraordinary speed and will test the bounds of the impeachment process, raising questions never contemplated before. Heres what we know. Impeachment is one of the Constitutions gravest penalties. Impeachment is one of the weightiest tools the Constitution gives Congress to hold government officials, including the president, accountable for misconduct and abuse of power. Members of the House consider whether to impeach the president the equivalent of an indictment in a criminal case and members of the Senate consider whether to remove him, holding a trial in which senators act as the jury. The test, as set by the Constitution, is whether the president has committed treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanours. The House vote requires only a simple majority of lawmakers to agree that the president has, in fact, committed high crimes and misdemeanours; the Senate vote requires a two-thirds majority. The charge against Trump is incitement of insurrection. The article, drafted by Representatives David Cicilline of Rhode Island, Ted Lieu of California, Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Jerrold Nadler of New York, charges Trump with incitement of insurrection, saying he is guilty of inciting violence against the government of the United States. The article cites Trumps weekslong campaign to falsely discredit the results of the November election, and it quotes directly from the speech he gave on the day of the siege in which he told his supporters to go to the Capitol. If you dont fight like hell, he said, youre not going to have a country anymore. Proponents say impeachment is worthwhile even though Trump has only days left in office. While the House moved with remarkable speed to impeach Trump, a Senate trial to determine whether to remove him cannot begin until 19 January, his final full day in office. That means any conviction would almost certainly not be completed until after he leaves the White House. Democrats have argued that Trumps offence using his power as the nations leader and commander in chief to incite an insurrection against the legislative branch is so grave that it must be addressed, even with just a few days remaining in his term. To let it go unpunished, Democrats argued, would set a dangerous precedent of impunity for future presidents. Is there little time left? Representative Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, the majority leader, said during the debate. Yes. But it is never too late to do the right thing. Republicans, many of whom voted to overturn the election results, have claimed that going through the impeachment process so late in Trumps term will foster unnecessary division and that the country should move on from last weeks siege. The biggest consequence for Trump could be disqualifying him from holding office again. Conviction in an impeachment trial would not automatically disqualify Trump from future public office. But if the Senate were to convict him, the Constitution allows a subsequent vote to bar an official from holding any office of honour, trust or profit under the United States. That vote would require only a simple majority of senators. Such a step could be an appealing prospect not just to Democrats, but also to many Republicans who either have set their sights on the presidency themselves or are convinced that it is the only thing that will purge Trump from their party. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, is said to hold the latter view. There is no precedent, however, for disqualifying a president from future office, and the issue could end up before the Supreme Court. A Senate trial most likely won't start until after Biden becomes president. Democrats who control the House can choose when to send their article of impeachment to the Senate, at which point that chamber would have to immediately move to begin the trial. But because the Senate is not scheduled to hold a regular session until 19 January, even if the House immediately transmitted the charge to the other side of the Capitol, an agreement between Senate Republican and Democratic leaders would be needed to take it up before then. McConnell said Wednesday that he would not agree to do so, meaning that the proceeding could not be taken up until the day before Biden is sworn in. Since time is needed for the Senate to set the rules for an impeachment trial, that means the proceeding probably would not start until after Biden was president, and Democrats had operational control of the Senate. Given the rules, procedures, and Senate precedents that govern presidential impeachment trials, there is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial could conclude before Biden is sworn in next week, McConnell said. In light of this reality, I believe it will best serve our nation if Congress and the executive branch spend the next seven days completely focused on facilitating a safe inauguration and an orderly transfer of power to the incoming Biden administration. A trial could consume the Senate during Bidens first days in office. Once the Senate receives the impeachment charge, it must immediately take up the issue, as articles of impeachment carry the highest privilege. Under rules in place for decades, impeachment is the only issue the Senate can consider while a trial is underway; it cannot simultaneously consider other legislative business. But Biden has asked McConnell whether it would be possible to alter that rule, allowing the Senate to conduct Trumps impeachment trial on a parallel track to consideration of his Cabinet nominees, splitting its days between the two. McConnell told Biden he would consult with the Senate parliamentarian on whether that would be possible. If such a bifurcated process were not possible, House Democrats might choose to hold back the article to allow Biden time to win confirmation of his team before a trial got underway. The Senate could hold a trial for Trump even after he has left office, though there is no precedent for a president being tried after his term is over. Other government officials who were impeached have been tried after they departed. Only two presidents other than Trump have been impeached Andrew Johnson in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998 and both were ultimately acquitted and completed their terms in office. Catie Edmondson c.2021 The New York Times Company Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. The Daily Beast Rexburg Police DepartmentA psychological evaluation has found Lori Vallowthe doomsday mom accused of murdering her two childrennot competent to stand trial.Assessment determined at this time the defendant is not competent to proceed and recommends restorative treatment, Seventh Judicial District Judge Steven Boyce wrote in a Thursday order pausing the case.Prosecutors have already contested the reports findings, but the judges order remains in effect pending determination of the issue of competency.The news comes after Vallow and her husband, Chad Daybell, were indicted on several new charges and accused of justifying the murders of three peopleincluding Vallows two kidswith their doomsday-centered religious beliefs.On Thursday, the Chandler Police Department confirmed to The Daily Beast that it has also submitted its investigation into the death of Vallows ex-husband, Charles Vallow, who was fatally shot by his brother-in-law in July 2019, to the Maricopa County Attorneys Office. Police said they recommended that Vallow should be charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murderthough it is up to county prosecutors to make an official charge.A Maricopa County Attorneys Office spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast they received the Chandler Police Departments investigation into Charles Vallows death on April 1, but declined to comment on it.Doomsday Couple Allegedly Murdered Threeand Justified It With Religious Beliefs On Tuesday, the couple was indicted on several charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, in connection with the deaths of Vallows kids, 7-year-old J.J Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan. Daybell, a doomsday author, was also been charged with first-degree murder for the October 2019 death of Tammy Daybell, his ex-wife. Vallow has been separately charged with grand theft for allegedly diverting her childrens Social Security benefits into her personal bank account. Prosecutors allege Daybell and Vallow did endorse and espouse religious beliefs for the purpose of encouraging and/or justifying the homicide of all three people.Their alleged murder spree began in 2019, when Charles Vallow was fatally shot by his wifes brother, Alex Cox, during a domestic dispute. Cox, who was not charged and died months later from natural causes, said at the time he fired in self-defense. In divorce and custody petitions against Vallow, Charles wrote that his estranged wife had become obsessed with doomsday visions and had threatened his life. He said Vallow believed she was reincarnated to lead people during the second coming of Jesus in July 2020 and said that if he got in the way of her saving humanity, she would kill him, according to NBC News.Vallow believes that she is receiving spiritual revelations and visions to help her gather and prepare those chosen to live in the New Jerusalem after the Great War as prophesied in the Book of Revelations, the divorce petition read.Vallow and Daybell, who are members of a community of doomsday preppers and were married two weeks after Daybell was widowed, are already in prison for several other crimes related to the childrens disappearance in September 2019.Im Not Supposed to Be Talking to You: Doomsday Mom Called Hubby From Jail as FBI Searched His HomeProsecutors allege Daybell and Vallow killed Tylee Ryan on Sept. 8 or Sept. 9, 2019, after almost a year of planning. About two weeks later, the pair allegedly killed J.J. The indictment states that Daybell then murdered his ex-wife in October with the help of Vallow and her brother. In January 2020, Vallow made national headlines when she refused to comply with a court order to produce her two children. It was later revealed she had also asked a friend to lie to the police and say she was watching J.J.Last June, Idaho authorities charged the pair with conspiracy to conceal evidence after the remains of two kids were found in Daybells home. Daybell is scheduled to enter a plea on the murder charges on June 9. Vallow was supposed to make an initial appearance on Wednesday but her hearing was put on hold at the request of her lawyer, Mark Means. Attorneys for Daybell and Vallow did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's request for comment.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. In the news release, Kherkher Garcia, LLP Files Wrongful Death Suit Against J.B. Hunt in Double Fatality Collision, issued 14-Jan-2021 by Kherkher Garcia, LLP over PR Newswire, there was a video in the original release that was removed pursuant to an agreement between the parties. The complete release without the video follows: Kherkher Garcia, LLP Files Wrongful Death Suit Against J.B. Hunt in Double Fatality Collision HOUSTON, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The truck collision lawyers at Kherkher Garcia, LLP have filed suit against J.B. Hunt, Inc. for a November 23rd, 2020 collision that left two women dead. On November 23, 2020 at approximately 7:00AM., Ana Delia Mejia Flores and Flor Maribel Recinos were driving a Honda SUV southbound on U.S. 59, a few miles north of Gentry, Arkansas when a commercial tractor-trailer owned, leased, and/or controlled by, J. B. Hunt Transport, Inc. crossed into Ana and Flor's lane, rolled over, and crushed their vehicle. According to the Arkansas Department of Public Safety's preliminary investigation, J.B. Hunt's driver initially departed the roadway to his right and then overcorrected to the left, causing him to enter the opposing lane, lose control, and roll the vehicle. Attorney Kevin Haynes said the families are bringing the suit to hold J.B. Hunt accountable for tragic loss of their loved-ones. "This tragic loss of life was preventable. J.B. Hunt's driver was driving an unsafe speed for the conditions and was not keeping a proper lookout of the roadway in front of him, causing him to lose control." said Haynes. "The dash cam footage speaks for itself in this situation. Ultimately, J.B. Hunt is responsible for negligence of their driver and we intend to the hold them accountable and help prevent a tragedy like this from happening again." Kherkher Garcia, LLP is a Houston-based law firm with over 30 years of success in trying cases to juries across the nation. The trucking collision lawyers at Kherkher Garcia have won substantial verdicts and settlements for victims and their families in some of the largest trucking cases history. To learn more, visit www.kherkhergarcia.com . Contact: Sepi Khan 713-333-0851 [email protected] SOURCE Kherkher Garcia, LLP Related Links http://www.kherkhergarcia.com/ My friend on Facebook, Kweku Ampah Anaman asked why I support kids going to school. Me: I am NOT FULLY in support. I wish they didn't. However, I think about the kids having online education, mine included, while others decay for lack of access. For how long can this continue? I wish government did more by providing preloaded simple ICT devices so the deprived children could learn at home even where there is no internet. This has not happened since March last year. They must also learn. Will I send Ghanaian kids to school in January 2021, No! January is being punished for the carelessness and recklessness during the elections and Christmas. This is why the COVID infections are increasing. Therefore, government should let this dangerous ongoing COVID wave pass while ensuring and enforcing strict protocols without discrimination. Hopefully, by mid February the coast will be clearer. The African Union has almost secured 300 million vaccines. Assuming Ghana gets 6 million of that by mid year, we can prioritise the elderly above 65 years, health workers, teachers and people with preexisting diseases for vaccination. Thanks for asking Kwame. Source: Dr Omane Boamah/facebook 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 Another U.S. attorney in Pennsylvania who was appointed during the Trump era has resigned in advance of next weeks inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. William M. McSwain announced Thursday that he will leave his Eastern District Court post on Jan 22. He has held that job since April 2018. The Eastern District comprises Philadelphia and eight surrounding counties. U.S. Attorney William McSwain is resigning his post in Philadelphia-based Eastern District Court. U.S. attorneys are presidentially-appointed and Senate confirmed officers. McSwains announcement states. This resignation is a normal part of the transition from the Trump to the Biden Administrations. McSwain said he will return to private law practice in Philadelphia. His announcement comes more than two weeks after David Freed, another Trump era appointee, stepped down as U.S. attorney for Middle District Court. Freed, a Camp Hill Republican, has joined the law firm of McNees Wallace & Nurick. The curious placement of a power pole in the middle of a public beach bothered some residents of communities at the far northwest corner of Okanagan Lake a few years ago. Today, the regional district embraced a new strategy aimed at improving communication with people who live in the remote area. The President, Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, asked those who have been criticising his regime, particularly the nations elite, to be fai... The President, Muhammadu Buhari, on Thursday, asked those who have been criticising his regime, particularly the nations elite, to be fair in their criticism. In criticising his regime, Buhari said critics should first consider the state of the country he inherited in May 2015. According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President made the call while receiving the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission, Rev. Yakubu Pam, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The statement was titled Criticise us fairly, President Buhari appeals to Nigerian elite. Apart from the state of the country at the inception of his regime, Buhari also asked his critics to consider the resources available to the Federal Government under his watch while criticising him. He said, Those criticising the administration should be fair in terms of reflecting on where we were before we came, where we are now and what resources are available to us and what we have done with the limited resources. We had to struggle paying debts, investing in road repairs and rebuilding, to revamp the rail and try to get power. This is what I hope the elite when they want to criticise will use to compare notes. Buhari also gave his regime a pass mark on the security situation in the North East. Although he admitted that there are still what he called occasional Boko Haram problems, the President said there was a lot of improvement when compared to the past experience of the residents of the affected states. He added, What was the situation when we came? Try and ask people from Borno or from Adamawa for that matter and Yobe. What was the condition before we came and what is the condition now? Still, there are problems in Borno and Yobe, there are occasional Boko Haram problems, but they know the difference because a lot of them moved out of their states and moved to Kaduna, Kano and here (in Abuja). We were not spared of the attacks at a time. The government is doing its best and I hope that eventually, our best will be good enough. Buhari also assured all stakeholders that the welfare of Internally Displaced Persons was paramount on the agenda of his regime. The people in IDP camps, the weak, aged, I feel sorry for the young because this is the time they are supposed to get education. We must not allow this time to pass because it will never be regained. So, we are really interested in what is happening there and we are doing our best, the President said. He commended the Executive Secretary on his appointment and activities on peace building around the country despite his short time in the saddle and assured him of the listening ear of the government whenever he had contributions to make. Earlier in his remarks, Pam was said to have intimated the President with some of the activities of the commission since he was appointed in July 2020. These include; organisation of Peace Summit on Southern Kaduna as well as peace-building efforts in Plateau, Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa States. He added that the commission has proposed to host Christian religious leaders in a summit to help douse pressures within the polity, among other plans. Sonu Sood's Buildings Had Been Demolished But Actor Restores These Parts Every Time, Claims BMC In Petition To HC The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday urged the Bombay High Court to dismiss actor Sonu Sood's petition seeking to restrain the civic body from carrying out demolition at his property here. Sood suppressed the facts that demolition had been carried out at the building for illegal construction earlier too and he had no license to run a hotel there, the BMC said. The actor moved the HC after the Dindoshi City Civil Court refused to restrain the civic body from taking action against alleged unauthorized alterations at the building which stands in Juhu area. Sood converted six floors of the residential building into a hotel without permission, the BMC has alleged. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sonu Sood (@sonu_sood) Arguing before Justice P K Chavan, BMC lawyer and senior advocate Anil Sakhare said the demolition notice was issued in October 2020 after it came to light that he had made several alterations in breach of the sanctioned plans. The actor constructed 24 hotel rooms on six floors, numbered them, and guests were found to be staying in these rooms, Sakhare said. Advocate Amogh Singh, Sood's lawyer, contended that he carried out only beautification work for which the BMC's permission was not needed. Sood had applied for a change of user of the property in October but the application was pending, he said. But the BMC lawyer pointed out that he had not submitted any proof of such an application. Parts of the property had been demolished by the BMC in November 2018 and again in February 2020 for unauthorized construction, Sakhare said. "He keeps restoring demolished portions every time without permission. He has no technical permission or a license to use the property as a hotel. Yet, he suppresses these facts in his appeal....the appellant has not come with clean hands," Sakhare said, demanding that the plea be dismissed. The actor's lawyer also told the court that he had mortgaged the property with a private bank and was using the funds for "social causes". Last year, Sood had earned praise for helping migrant labourers who were returning to their native states after lockdown was enforced for coronavirus. Justice Chavan, however, said this point was not relevant. The court said it was reserving its ruling which will be pronounced soon. Probe into embezzlement case of ex-Ivanovo Regions Governor Men completed The press service of Moscow's Basmanny District Court 16:50 14/01/2021 MOSCOW, January 14 (RAPSI) Investigation into auditor of the Account Chamber and ex-Governor of Russias Ivanovo Region Mikhail Men charged with embezzling 700 million rubles (over $9 million) has been completed, his attorney Murad Musayev has told RAPSI. The defendant is currently prohibited from using Internet and leaving home, excluding daily 2-hour walks. Investigators believe that in 2011 Men acting as Governor of the Ivanovo Region organized a criminal group to embezzle the budget funds allocated as a loan for the regions support. Other defendants are ex-first deputy chairman of the Ivanovo Regions government Pavel Konkov and Managing Director of the Ivanovo Broiler enterprise Dmitry Grishin. BILLINGS, Mont., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As a distributor, manufacturer and exporter of a large selection of 4x4 special tools, Torque King 4x4 is now offering detailed exploded views to consumers at no extra cost. Customers can simply browse the collection of free, application-specific exploded views to select the exact parts needed for their 4x4s, SUVs and Light Trucks. This feature is intended to provide ultimate convenience when looking for vehicle parts for everyone from shadetree mechanics to skilled professionals. Easily accessible online, the library contains diagrams with detailed depictions of application-specific exploded views for a wide range of 4x4 trucks from brands like Chevy, GMC and Ford. How does it work? Customers first select the right exploded view option for their vehicle. While examining the exploded view, they can choose the particular part required for their automobile. The diagram is conveniently interactive to our unique parts database. After clicking on the desired item, customers will have the option to order it directly on the Torque King 4x4 website, taking the guesswork out of looking for hard-to-find parts and simplifying the entire process. This expansive collection of exploded views eliminates the usual time it takes to hunt through part numbers, while making it easier than ever for consumers to find the items they need. Customers can be sure they're purchasing the right parts for their vehicles with the help of a completely stress-free shopping experience. Best of all, the exploded views are available at no cost. Torque King 4x4's selection of dozens of free exploded views currently includes the following from major 4x4 parts manufacturers: Front axles Rear axles Manual transmissions Transfer cases Driveshafts Along with these options, new and updated diagrams for exploded views will be continuously added to the collection on a regular basis. Get the right part the first time with the help of Torque King 4x4. Formerly known as QUAD 4x4, Torque King 4x4 is leading the industry in exclusive parts, tools, wheel hubs and kits that can't be ordered through any other manufacturer. Since 1977, the company has been dedicated to providing 4x4 parts while guaranteeing rigorous quality assurance and the utmost customer satisfaction. It's also a global distributor of OEM parts, specialty tools, service kits and aftermath components. Torque King 4x4 is proud to partner with other U.S.-based companies to develop new products on the market. Based in Montana, the company offers parts for Chevy, Dodge, Ford, GMC, IHC and Jeep vehicles. For media inquiries, please contact Dan Guarino at 406-446-1154. For sales inquiries, please contact Tyler Waters at 1-406-384-0270 or 1-866-251-6762. Related Images torque-king-4x4.jpg Torque King 4x4 Torque King 4x4 Logo Related Links Learn more about Torque King 4x4's free exploded views SOURCE Torque King 4x4 A Houston woman faces a rare federal charge after she was accused of transporting a girl outside of the United States for genital mutilation, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of Texas announced Wednesday. Zahra Badri, 39, was handed the first ever indictment for knowingly transporting a minor from the United States in foreign commerce for the purpose of female genital mutilation, according to the attorneys office. The crime occurred from July 10, 2016 through Oct. 14, 2016. The brutal practice of female genital mutilation not only subjects victims to the immediate trauma of the violent act, but also often condemns them to suffer a lifetime of physical and psychological harms, said Acting Assistant Attorney General David P. Burns of the Justice Departments Criminal Division. This indictment represents the first time the Department has brought charges against a defendant for transporting a child outside U.S. borders to facilitate this abhorrent form of gender-based violence and demonstrates that we will not rest in pursuing and holding to account those who engage in this cruelty. Federal law defines female genital mutilation as circumcision, excision, or infibulation of the whole or any part of the labia majora or labia minora or clitoris of another person who has not attained the age of 18 years. It has been prohibited in the United States since 1996, but Congress amended the law in 2013 to include people who transport victim outside of the country for that purpose. Badri is originally from the United Kingdom, but the announcement did not detail where Badri transported the victim. The FBIs Houston Field Office conducted the investigation with the support of the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center. It is rare this type of crime is brought to the attention of law enforcement, said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner. We want the American people to know it is the FBI's responsibility to investigate allegations of human rights violations, like female genital mutilation. This is an example of our commitment to protect human rights. julian.gill@chron.com The new set of charges names many of the same officials, including Nick Lyon, the former state health director, and Dr. Eden Wells, the states former chief medical officer. Each was charged with nine counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of residents who contracted Legionnaires disease. Michigan state officials were aware of an increase in Legionnaires disease cases, a form of pneumonia caused by waterborne bacteria, and a possible tie to Flints troubled water supply at least 10 months before Mr. Snyder informed the public of the situation in early 2016, email messages indicate. The water crisis, which resulted in elevated lead levels among thousands of people in Flint, has left countless families distrustful of the water supply, even as city officials insist that it is now safe to drink. In late 2015, the city switched the water supply back to its old source, Lake Huron. Yet some Flint residents said there was nothing that could be done to restore residents confidence in their government. Kaleka Lewis, 48, who works at Greater Holy Temple Church of God in Christ, where the water bottles were being distributed on Thursday, said that everyone in her family has been affected with rashes and other ailments caused by Flints water. There is no charge that makes up for all these people being hurt, she said. People have been hurt for a long time. The trust is gone for me and all these people. The charges are just a Band-Aid. Others said they were relieved to see that Mr. Snyder, a former businessman who left office in 2019, was among those who were criminally charged. In an indictment, prosecutors said that Mr. Snyder, who was charged with two counts of willful neglect of duty, had failed to check the performance, condition and administration of his staff and neglected his duty to protect the public from harm. Brian Lennon, a lawyer for Mr. Snyder, said that the former governor was not guilty of the charges and called the investigation an outrageous political persecution. Mr. Snyder is a Republican; the investigation was led by the Michigan attorney generals office, held by a Democrat. In this image from video, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., speaks as the Senate reconvenes after protesters stormed into the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. (Senate Television via AP) PHOTO:Senate Television via AP McConnell Blocks Quick Senate Impeachment Trial By The Associated Press WASHINGTON - Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked a quick Senate impeachment trial Wednesday, but did not rule out that he might eventually consider voting to convict President Trump. McConnell issued a statement saying Congress and the government should spend the next week completely focused on facilitating a safe inauguration and an orderly transfer of power to Biden. He suggested Trump's Senate trial would begin no earlier than Jan. 19 in effect rejecting a drive by the chamber's Democrats to begin the proceedings immediately so Trump could be ousted from office. I have not made a final decision on how I will vote and I intend to listen to the legal arguments when they are presented to the Senate, McConnell wrote. McConnell will be Washingtons most powerful Republican once Democratic President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated, and McConnells increasingly chilly view of Trump could make it easier for other GOP lawmakers to turn against him. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that unless McConnell reverses himself and agrees to quickly start the trial, it would begin after Jan. 19. That's a day before Biden is inaugurated as president and about the time Democrats take over majority control of the Senate. The timetable essentially means McConnell is dropping the trial into Democrats' laps. Make no mistake, there will be an impeachment trial in the United States Senate," Schumer said. He added, If the president is convicted, there will be a vote on barring him from running again." The Constitution requires a two-thirds majority to convict a president, meaning at least 17 Republicans would need to join all 50 Democrats to oust Trump. If Trump were convicted, it would take only a simple majority of the Senate to prohibit Trump, who's mentioned running again in 2024, from holding federal office again. The Democratic-led House approved an impeachment article accusing Trump of inciting insurrection, an unprecedented second impeachment of his clamorous presidency. McConnell is looking out for his partys long-term future, but any move toward a political divorce from Trump could mean that congressional Republicans will face challenges in GOP primaries. Citizens Against Tyranny has a new list, this one of alleged supporters of the cause. But not everyone named on the list is happy about it. Taking time away from the spotlight? Armie Hammer will no longer be a part of Jennifer Lopezs upcoming film, Shotgun Wedding, amid allegations about his personal life, Us Weekly can confirm. Read article Given the imminent start date of Shotgun Wedding, Armie has requested to step away from the film and we support him in his decision, a production spokesman told Us on Wednesday, January 13. Not long after the news broke, the 34-year-old actor spoke to TMZ. Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock; ABC/Shutterstock Im not responding to these bullst claims but in light of the vicious and spurious online attacks against me, I cannot in good conscience now leave my children for four months to shoot a film in the Dominican Republic, he said. Lionsgate is supporting me in this and Im grateful to them for that. Read article Hammer has been trending on social media in recent days as alleged text messages between him and several different women continue to surface online. In the unverified (and graphic) text threads, a man claiming to be Hammer allegedly writes about his fantasies of rape and cannibalism. Hammers former fling Jessica Ciencin Henriquez, meanwhile, alleged that the messages shared by Instagram user Houseofeffie are real. She tweeted, Im seeing a lot of posts going around about how I am a man-hater and I would just like to clarify: Yes. I love women, I respect women I stand by women, and I hate men who dont. Hammer has several other projects in the works, including the movie The Billion Dollar Spy and a sequel to 2017s Call Me By Your Name. The Social Network actors personal life previously made headlines in 2013 when he described himself as a dominant lover during an interview with Playboy. Hammer also spoke about his sex life with now-estranged wife Elizabeth Chambers. I liked the grabbing of the neck and the hair and all that. But then you get married and your sexual appetites change, he said at the time. And I mean that for the better its not like Im suffering in any way. But you cant really pull your wifes hair. Read article Hammer and Chambers, 38, announced their separation in July 2020 after 10 years of marriage. The twosome share two kids: Harper, 6, and Ford, 3. After the split news broke, Us confirmed that Chambers and their two children are living in the Cayman Islands, where Hammer grew up. Earlier this month, Hammer confirmed that he quarantined for 14 days to reunite with his family. After he arrived on the island, the actor announced on January 2 that he will no longer be posting photos of their kids as part of his New Years Resolution for their safety and for their well-being. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 New Delhi: After the government approved the largest indigenous defence procurement deal worth about Rs 48,000 crores to buy 83 LCA Tejas Mark1A fighter jets, IAF Chief RKS Bhadauria on Thursday (January 14) said that it is a huge step for IAF capability building. The IAF chief told ANI, "It is also a big boost to our indigenous industry. It is also a big recognition of our designers. It is a huge step for the Indian Air Force and for the country." RKS Bhadauria said, "The 83 aircraft will look after four squadrons. The current strength of the two squadron plan of LCA will now increase to six. Essentially the deployment will be frontline," adding "Indian aircraft Tejas far better and advanced than the Chinese and Pakistan joint venture JF-17 fighter." On Wednesday, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said that it was a boost for the Centre`s Make in India initiative and that the ultimate objective is to reach a stage where the country can win conflicts with home-made weapon systems. Live TV Rawat told ANI, "Our ultimate objective is to engage in and win future conflicts with home-made solutions," adding "Our focus will remain on indigenisation and efforts to progressively support Atmanirbhar Bharat is our mission. We hope to see our Air Force touch the sky with glory with aircraft that has major components including engines that are Made in India." Notably, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the largest indigenous defence procurement deal worth about Rs 48,000 crores to buy 83 LCA Tejas Mark1A fighter jets. The deal to be signed in the next few days with HAL would strengthen the Indian Air Force`s fleet of homegrown fighter jet `LCA-Tejas` and overall combat capability." This deal is expected to be a game-changer for self-reliance in the Indian defence manufacturing," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted to announce the final approval given to the mega deal. He further said that the indigenous content of the LCA-Tejas was 50 per cent in the MK1A variant and it would be enhanced to 60 per cent by the end of the programme. The deal would be a major boost for the IAF and help it to arrest the fall in the number of its fighter aircraft squadrons.Light Combat Aircraft Mk-1A variant is an indigenously designed, developed and manufactured state-of-the-art modern 4+ generation fighter aircraft. The Light Combat Aircraft is reportedly equipped with critical operational capabilities of Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Missile, Electronic Warfare (EW) Suite and Air to Air Refuelling (AAR). It would be a potent platform to meet the operational requirements of Indian Air Force, which has already inducted a batch of Tejas aircraft as part of its initial order of 40 jets. In a statement, the defence ministry said the government approved procurement of 73 LCA Tejas of Mk-1A variant and 10 LCA Tejas Mk-1 trainer aircraft at the cost of Rs 45,696 crore along with design and development of infrastructure worth Rs 1,202 crore. The Indian armed forces are projected to spend around USD 130 billion in capital procurement in the next five years. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- "The two misdemeanor charges filed today against former Gov. Rick Snyder are wholly without merit and this entire situation is puzzling," said Brian Lennon, attorney for former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and partner at Warner Norcross + Judd LLP. Today, the Michigan Office of Special Counsel unsealed two misdemeanor charges of willful neglect of duty against former Gov. Rick Snyder, which carry a maximum penalty of up to one year in prison or up to $1,000 in fines. "Today's scheduled press conference by the Office of Special Counsel to announce criminal charges shows they prefer to prosecute in the court of public opinion rather than in a court of law," Lennon said. "Even after news of the charges was first leaked to the press, the Office of Special Counsel refused to provide former Gov. Snyder with a copy of or at least confirmation of the charges against him before today's arraignment. "It would be a travesty to waste additional taxpayer dollars pursuing these bogus misdemeanor charges. We are confident Gov. Snyder will be fully exonerated if this flimsy case goes to trial. "Today's charges do nothing to bring justice to the people of Flint. These unjustified allegations do nothing to resolve a painful chapter in the history of our state. Today's actions merely perpetrate an outrageous political persecution." SOURCE Brian Lennon, Warner Norcross + Judd LLP Does this represent progress or catastrophe? For Gica, the answer is clear: Everything he values has been taken away. But while Ciorniciuc views him with evident sympathy and respect, Acasa isnt an uncritical or romantic tale of paradise lost. You can see the park administrators, government ministers and municipal bureaucrats through Gicas eyes as smiling, condescending agents of a force that disturbs his peace and threatens his identity. You can also see him from their perspective, as a man subjecting his family to dangerous and unsanitary conditions who needs to be protected from his own impulses. The film is not static. Its dialectical constructing its narrative as an argument between two opposed positions, neither of which is fully embraced. There is a nobility to Niculina and Gica as they try to resist the power of a state convinced of its own benevolence. And the actions of the state are not entirely unreasonable. Its not as simple as taking the side of individualism against government, or for that matter of being in favor of parks, schools and a decent social order. Thats all fairly abstract, but Acasa is full of ideas because it contains so much life. Its both intimate and analytical, a sensitive portrait of real people undergoing enormous change and a meditation on what that change might mean. It taps into something primal in the human condition, a basic conflict between the desire for freedom and the tendency toward organization an argument, finally, about the meaning of home. Acasa, My Home Not rated. In Romanian, with subtitles. Running time: 1 hour 26 minutes. In theaters and on Kino Marquee. Please consult the guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention before watching movies inside theaters. Washington: Ten Republicans including Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney, the number three Republican in the House voted to impeach President Donald Trump over the deadly insurrection at the Capitol. These votes were in sharp contrast to the unanimous support for Trump among House Republicans when he was impeached by Democrats in December 2019. Liz Cheney is the only member of the Republican leadership team in the House to vote to impeach Credit:AP Liz Cheney, whose decision to buck Trump sparked an immediate backlash within the Republican party, was the only member of her party's leadership to support impeachment, which was opposed by 197 Republicans. "There has never been a greater betrayal by a president of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution, said Cheney, whose father, Dick Cheney, served as vice-president under George W. Bush. Trump "summoned" the mob that attacked the Capitol, "assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack," Cheney said, adding: "Everything that followed was his doing". Trump could have immediately intervened to stop his supporters from rioting but did not, she noted. China already requires them since Dec. 1, issued within just 48 hours of their departure. Canada, the U.K. and Ghana also require test certificates issued within 72 hours of their departure, and the UAE within 92 hours. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that arrivals by air must present negative COVID-19 test certificates from Jan. 26 issued within 72 hours of their departure. The U.S. and several other countries now require negative coronavirus test certificates from foreigners as the pandemic has resurged during the winter. The Foreign Ministry here urged travelers to check the websites of foreign embassies until right before departure because the requirements are liable to change frequently. There is so far no website with a full list of hospitals here that issue certificates in English. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency's website provides a list of hospitals and test facilities, but would-be travelers have to call them individually to see if they issue the certificates in English. One test center at Incheon International Airport issues them in English, but the procedure takes almost half a day and if there is a backlog it could exceed the time limit. The Chinese Embassy provides a list of certain Korean hospitals that issue test certificates for travelers to China and does not accept anything else. Many hospitals do not accept bookings and do not open on holidays. Tests cost between W100,000 and W170,000 (US$1=W1,097). At Incheon the price is W125,150. Meanwhile, the Japanese government on Wednesday decided to ban all foreigners until Feb. 7, including the fast track for businesspeople. Exceptions can be made for special cases like funerals and childbirth. Egypt's Ministry of Health cautioned those who wear facemasks as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus against reusing single-use masks, an official statement said. Protect yourself and those who are around you, and avoid reusing a single-use mask, the statement said. The health ministry has always called upon citizens to wear facemasks in public, maintain physical distancing, and avoid crowded places since the outbreak of the coronavirus in March. On 27 December, wearing facemasks was announced as an obligatory measure to face the second coronavirus wave when the cabinet imposed a EGP 50 fine for not wearing masks in indoors spaces, public or private crowd transportation, and open markets. Egypt saw a noticeable drop in coronavirus cases, with the infection rate dropping by 21 percent in the first ten days of January compared to the last week of December 2020, said Minister of Health Hala Zayed in her latest press briefing on Monday. The country has already received the first batch of the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine, and 34 centres have been allocated nationwide for the long-awaited vaccination initiative, she stated in the conference. The minister added that Egypt is expected to receive a shipment of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine within two to three weeks from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations. For the oxygen supplies, the ministry confirmed that it has increased oxygen supply to all hospitals by 50 percent by doubling the production rate at a number of factories producing medical oxygen. Short link: The Daily Beast Rexburg Police DepartmentA psychological evaluation has found Lori Vallowthe doomsday mom accused of murdering her two childrennot competent to stand trial.Assessment determined at this time the defendant is not competent to proceed and recommends restorative treatment, Seventh Judicial District Judge Steven Boyce wrote in a Thursday order pausing the case.Prosecutors have already contested the reports findings, but the judges order remains in effect pending determination of the issue of competency.The news comes after Vallow and her husband, Chad Daybell, were indicted on several new charges and accused of justifying the murders of three peopleincluding Vallows two kidswith their doomsday-centered religious beliefs.On Thursday, the Chandler Police Department confirmed to The Daily Beast that it has also submitted its investigation into the death of Vallows ex-husband, Charles Vallow, who was fatally shot by his brother-in-law in July 2019, to the Maricopa County Attorneys Office. Police said they recommended that Vallow should be charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murderthough it is up to county prosecutors to make an official charge.A Maricopa County Attorneys Office spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast they received the Chandler Police Departments investigation into Charles Vallows death on April 1, but declined to comment on it.Doomsday Couple Allegedly Murdered Threeand Justified It With Religious Beliefs On Tuesday, the couple was indicted on several charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, in connection with the deaths of Vallows kids, 7-year-old J.J Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan. Daybell, a doomsday author, was also been charged with first-degree murder for the October 2019 death of Tammy Daybell, his ex-wife. Vallow has been separately charged with grand theft for allegedly diverting her childrens Social Security benefits into her personal bank account. Prosecutors allege Daybell and Vallow did endorse and espouse religious beliefs for the purpose of encouraging and/or justifying the homicide of all three people.Their alleged murder spree began in 2019, when Charles Vallow was fatally shot by his wifes brother, Alex Cox, during a domestic dispute. Cox, who was not charged and died months later from natural causes, said at the time he fired in self-defense. In divorce and custody petitions against Vallow, Charles wrote that his estranged wife had become obsessed with doomsday visions and had threatened his life. He said Vallow believed she was reincarnated to lead people during the second coming of Jesus in July 2020 and said that if he got in the way of her saving humanity, she would kill him, according to NBC News.Vallow believes that she is receiving spiritual revelations and visions to help her gather and prepare those chosen to live in the New Jerusalem after the Great War as prophesied in the Book of Revelations, the divorce petition read.Vallow and Daybell, who are members of a community of doomsday preppers and were married two weeks after Daybell was widowed, are already in prison for several other crimes related to the childrens disappearance in September 2019.Im Not Supposed to Be Talking to You: Doomsday Mom Called Hubby From Jail as FBI Searched His HomeProsecutors allege Daybell and Vallow killed Tylee Ryan on Sept. 8 or Sept. 9, 2019, after almost a year of planning. About two weeks later, the pair allegedly killed J.J. The indictment states that Daybell then murdered his ex-wife in October with the help of Vallow and her brother. In January 2020, Vallow made national headlines when she refused to comply with a court order to produce her two children. It was later revealed she had also asked a friend to lie to the police and say she was watching J.J.Last June, Idaho authorities charged the pair with conspiracy to conceal evidence after the remains of two kids were found in Daybells home. Daybell is scheduled to enter a plea on the murder charges on June 9. Vallow was supposed to make an initial appearance on Wednesday but her hearing was put on hold at the request of her lawyer, Mark Means. Attorneys for Daybell and Vallow did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's request for comment.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. E-commerce has helped bump up the income of Chinese farmers, contributing to the country's efforts on rural vitalization, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said Wednesday. In 2019, rural online retail sales neared 400 billion yuan (about 61.9 billion U.S. dollars), said ministry official Zeng Yande at a press conference. "Quite a few farmers in China have turned to short videos or live streaming to sell their homegrown produce, and they managed to get high prices," Zeng said. Conditions for rural e-commerce development, including communication facilities and logistics, have witnessed continued improvements in recent years, with 4G network coverage for 98 percent of villages in the country, according to the ministry. More than 10 million people have engaged in entrepreneurship and innovation in rural areas so far, serving as an important force supporting the development of the rural e-commerce sector. Over the past three years, China has implemented its rural vitalization strategy. Farmers have seen continuous growth in their incomes and a narrowed income gap relative to urban residents. The country detailed plans to fully promote the strategy of rural vitalization in the Chinese leadership's proposals for formulating the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035. Under this development blueprint, China will push the development of industries with distinctive rural characteristics, cultivate new industries and modes of business, and encourage entrepreneurship and innovation in rural areas. Teledyne Brown Engineering Awarded Additional $18 Million Contract for LCS Hardware Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY) announced that its subsidiary, Teledyne Brown Engineering, Inc., was awarded an $18 million contract from Northrop Grumman (News - Alert) to manufacture four additional Surface-to-Surface Missile Module (SSMM) units for the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). Teledyne Brown Engineering will manufacture, assemble and test the SSMMs at the company's main facility in Huntsville, Alabama. This is Teledyne's second award to build the hardware, which initially began under contract in September 2019. Once the systems are complete, they will be integrated with Launch Control Assemblies and other equipment into the modules. Teledyne Brown Engineering, along with Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy, will validate the system using SSMM-specific software and emulators. The SSMM is a modular weapons system, which fires Longbow Hellfire Missiles and complements the Gun Mission Module (GMM), also manufactured by Teledyne Brown Engineering in Huntsville. These modules provide additional capabilities to the Littoral Combat Ships, which are used for defense against swarming Fast Attack Craft/Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FAC/FIAC), counter-piracy, aritime interdiction, and security missions. "We are pleased to announce the continuation of our collaboration with Northrop Grumman to deliver state-of-the-art enhancements to our nation's military," stated Jan Hess, President of Teledyne Brown Engineering. Teledyne Brown Engineering has supported this program and its mission for over a decade building Littoral Combat Ship Mission Modules. About Teledyne Brown Engineering Teledyne Brown Engineering is an industry leader in full-spectrum engineering and advanced manufacturing solutions for harsh environments in space, defense, energy, and maritime industries. For over six decades, the company has successfully delivered innovative systems, integration, operations and technology development worldwide. For more information about Teledyne Brown Engineering, visit the website at www.tbe.com. About Teledyne Technologies Incorporated Teledyne Technologies is a leading provider of sophisticated instrumentation, digital imaging products and software, aerospace and defense electronics, and engineered systems. Teledyne Technologies' operations are primarily located in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Western and Northern Europe. For more information, visit Teledyne Technologies' website at www.teledyne.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005928/en/ CHICAGO, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Legendary comedy institution The Second City announces the recipients of a new scholarship for diverse comedic talent in partnership with Saturday Night Live. The creation of the SNL Scholarship, announced in October, was designed to grant comedians at varying levels of experience the opportunity to further their professional development at The Second City. In addition to receiving performance and writing training at The Second City, recipients will be connected directly with SNL talent executives and have direct entry to submit an audition tape or sketch packet to SNL for the landmark show. After reviewing nearly 1,300 applications, the following four scholarship recipients began training with The Second City this week: Alexi Bolden (she, her, hers) is a senior at the University of Iowa majoring in theatre and African American studies. (she, her, hers) is a senior at the majoring in theatre and African American studies. Gabriela "Gabi" Castillo (she, her, hers) is an actor and teaching artist living in Chicago . Born in Havana, Cuba , she immigrated to the United States in 1998. Castillo graduated with an MFA in acting from the Professional Actors Training Program at the University of South Carolina. (she, her, hers) is an actor and teaching artist living in . Born in , she immigrated to in 1998. Castillo graduated with an MFA in acting from the Professional Actors Training Program at the University of South Carolina. Kaili Turner (she, her, hers) is a Black Indian member of the Nipmuc nation, as well as a comedian, actress, writer, producer, and puppeteer. She graduated from UMass Boston with a B.A in Theater Arts and a minor in dance. She is currently based in New York . (she, her, hers) is a Black Indian member of the Nipmuc nation, as well as a comedian, actress, writer, producer, and puppeteer. She graduated from with a B.A in Theater Arts and a minor in dance. She is currently based in . Morgan Van Dyne (they, them, theirs) is a Chicago -based comedian who enjoys using their platform to speak about queer identities, mental health, and disabilities. "We were blown away by the incredible submissions we received for the inaugural SNL Scholarship. We're incredibly grateful to our friends at SNL for their shared commitment to discovering and developing bold new talent, and we know this is just the beginning for our work together," says Jon Carr, executive producer of The Second City. Long before SNL made history by becoming the most Emmy Awardwinning show in TV history, Second City alumni Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, and Gilda Radner were members of the very first group of "not ready for primetime players" in 1975. Over the course of the show's historic run, dozens of Second Citybred performers and writers have found a home at SNL. Press Contact: Shawn Taylor/Pier Scott [email protected] (312) 371-6260 [email protected] (314) 737-8020 SOURCE The Second City US President-elect, Joe Biden, has reacted to the impeachment of President Donald Trump by the House of Representatives. The House on Wednes... US President-elect, Joe Biden, has reacted to the impeachment of President Donald Trump by the House of Representatives. The House on Wednesday impeached President Trump for a historic second time and seven days before the scheduled swearing-in of Joe Biden. Biden praised the Nancy Pelosi led house which was able to secure the support of 10 Republican lawmakers. Trumps impeachment followed the attack on Capitol by supporters of the outgoing President last week. Today, the members of the House of Representatives exercised the power granted to them under our Constitution and voted to impeach and hold the president accountable, Biden said in a statement Wednesday. The House voted 232 against 197, accusing President Trump of inciting the deadly violence at the Capitol that claimed some lives. It was a bipartisan vote cast by members who followed the Constitution and their conscience, he added. The past four years with Donald J Trump have certainly been different and the next four years may be equally so, albeit in a different way. Nevertheless, as his presidency draws to a close and as the row over the Capitol Hill incursion rumbles on, I become ever more convinced that I just dont fully understand American politics. And neither do I really understand Donald Trump. In November 1995, Gerry Adams addressed a Sinn Fein fundraising dinner in a New York Hotel. Guests had to pay a $200 entry fee to hear him and guests were asked to give donations to Friends of Sinn Fein. One of those guests was Donald Trump and, during his speech, Gerry Adams joked about playing the Trump card before shaking hands with the rich businessman. Film footage of the dinner also shows Trump grinning and waving to the Friends of Sinn Fein audience after shaking hands with Adams. Trump was obviously valued and appreciated by Sinn Fein, because they gave him a seat beside the podium, along with such notables as the former actress Bianca Jagger, film-maker Michael Moore and Senator Tom Hayden. Thats the same Tom Hayden who popped into the Bogside in 1976 to visit Martin McGuinness, accompanied by his wife, Hanoi Jane Fonda. To enter the Friends of Sinn Fein event, Donald Trump would have had to walk past protests from the relatives of Catholics who had been shot, beaten and exiled by the IRA after the organisation declared its first ceasefire in August 1994. Four months after the warm exchange between Trump and Adams, the Provisional IRA exploded a bomb in London, killing two people, injuring many more and causing 150m-worth of damage. From time to time, Trump spoke of his love for Britain, but that Sinn Fein fundraiser revealed a personal and political shallowness and, in truth, I dont know what he really believes. Yet, in 2020, more than 74 million people voted for Donald Trump. In fact, he increased his vote, which was up from around 63 million in 2016. But you dont win elections by getting more votes this time than last time. He had increased his vote, but he had energised his opponents even more and Biden got 81 million votes as against just short of 66 million for Hilary Clinton in 2016. Theres a lesson there for political parties around the world. Of course, Donald Trump and millions of Americans believe that the election was stolen. Hence the slogan Stop the Steal and, in fairness, its not the first election where there have been allegations of electoral corruption by the Democrats. Back in 1960, there was a widespread belief that the odious Mayor Richard Daly, the Irish-American mayor of Chicago, fixed the presidential election in Illinois for John F Kennedy. Kennedy took the state by just 9,000 votes, or 0.18%, and it was claimed that Daley secured the wafer-thin majority through stealing or packing ballot boxes in Chicago and through organised personation. Today, Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein would probably prefer to forget that warm welcome for Donald Trump at their New York fundraiser. In any case, such was the ingratitude of Sinn Fein that they opposed a presidential visit to Ireland by the very same Donald Trump. Time will tell what Donald Trumps legacy really is and it is wise to keep in mind the law of unintended consequences. However, in the meantime, two things are already clear. The chaotic incursion at the Capitol has certainly exposed the hypocrisy of those who rushed to condemn it, having been reluctant to condemn the episodes of burning and looting in a number of American cities over the past year. Ironically, that burning and looting probably contributed to some previously undecided voters casting their vote for Trump. Secondly, the reaction by Twitter in banning Donald Trump has also exposed a threat to free speech, which is one of the bedrocks of a free society. US Democrats and the Hollywood glitterati have welcomed the ban, but genuine democrats have recognised the danger. Is Twitter to become the arbiter of what is acceptable and what is not? That is a frightening prospect and the power of Twitter is as great in Britain as it is in America. COHOES Living in the past is not something commercial real estate executives can afford to do. As the coronavirus pandemic rages in upstate New York amid hopes that much of the population will be able to get vaccinated against COVID-19 within a few months, the commercial real estate market is going through a reckoning. Who would have imagined a year ago that Crossgates Mall would be suing well-known tenants like the Gap and Lord & Taylor over unpaid rent? Or that landlords would be still barred by Gov. Andrew Cuomo from evicting their commercial tenants? What we have learned is that in the age of the novel coronavirus, anything is possible. And when it comes to commercial real estate, the idea of opening up the sector to new possibilities is what is moving the industry these days. Sweeping changes drive opportunity Just ask Todd Curley. Curley, a partner with The Prime Cos. in Cohoes, says the pandemic didn't crush his industry. Rather, he said, it just accelerated the sweeping changes that had already been underway for a while because of the technological advancement that has swept up all segments of society. The key to the survival of commercial real estate firms has been the diversification by successful firms into a wide variety of sectors, such as not only retail and restaurants but also office and industrial space, he explained, since the dynamics of the market have shifted during the public health crisis. The most drastic change has been in the retail sector since non-essential stores and malls were almost immediately closed by the state when the pandemic reached the state early in 2020. Although malls and other non-essential businesses like department stores and others are now open, much of the damage has already been done as people flocked to Amazon, Walmart and other online retailers for their daily and holiday shopping. Observers believe they likely won't be returning to the mall. "The pandemic forced consumers to adopt online shopping more quickly than planned," Curley said. But that isn't a bad thing, especially for those in the real estate industry who were looking ahead at the trends. Curley says the realities of the pandemic were like a fast-forward button on society, which has had a conflicting relationship with traditional consumerism for a while now even with the technological onslaught that has promised food, travel experiences and shopping on-demand from the touch of your phone. "As with any economic disruption, there are winners and losers," Curley said. "While the coronavirus outbreak halted the hospitality industry with widespread hotel and restaurant cancellations, it spurred demand for industrial space primarily to support distribution and storage." And also drive-thru restaurants. That's why Prime Cos. made sure that its new 3.36 acre multi-use project on Van Schaick Island in Cohoes called Delaware will have one on site. The development will feature nearly 100 units of mixed-income housing and commercial space that will include a yet-to-be-determined drive-thru tenant such as a coffee shop or restaurant. The residential portion, which is under construction, will be finished this summer, and marketing for tenants of the separate commercial and retail building will begin soon. "Some retailers - especially drive-thrus - remained strong" during the pandemic, Curley said. Office space market in flux While residential commercial real estate has remained stronger than most sectors, the commercial office space market is in flux because so many employers are requiring their employees to work from home, and those who are working in offices need to spaced further away from their colleagues in less densely populated settings. Curley and others say that has been the greatest change to happen to their business. "The sudden shift to work-from-home from some sectors has created new expectations about flexibility," Curley said. "This has the biggest impact on the office sector as some companies will choose to downsize their office space and allow associates to work remotely, while other businesses that want to remain in the traditional office set up will potentially need to expand their space needs to give individuals larger working areas (for social distancing)." The expectations of employees is key to this shift in the commercial office space market says Seth Rosenblum, CEO of the Rosenblum Cos. in Guilderland. Rosenblum said companies just can't bring their workers back to the same old workplace. There are going to have to be major safety measures put into place to encourage social distancing, and workers may expect to work from home for a majority of the time. People aren't going to want to return to the old days. Yet, Rosenblum stressed, company offices are where training takes place and culture is maintained and created. So offices need to focus on those needs going forward, even after the majority of the population has been vaccinated and people feel safe going back to the workplace. "The office is no longer where people have to be," Rosenblum said. "It's (going to be) where they want to be." What does this mean? It means that companies will need less space, but they will also need flexible space they can increase or decrease when needed based on who is in the office. Rosenblum says that when the pandemic hit, people thought that would be the end of co-working spaces. But Rosenblum believes that co-working space, especially those geared toward companies seeking flexibility, will be popular to help firms transition from the pandemic lockdowns. But this concept is based on the idea that people will expect to keep working from home as much as they can or want. In many cases, productivity has increased as employees can better balance work and home life. "They (both companies and employees) have seen the upside of being able to work from anywhere," Rosenblum said. Diversification means survival The key to survival for many has been diversification into many different commercial real estate sectors. CBRE in Dallas, which has local offices and is the world's largest commercial real estate and investment firm, said its revenues dropped nearly 5% during the third quarter of 2020, although profits dropped nearly 10%, as the firm had tried hard to diversify in previous years. Our third quarter performance highlights the progress CBRE has made in building a more resilient business since the last downturn occurred more than a decade ago, Bob Sulentic CEO of CBRE said in a statement back in late October. The resilient aspects of our business, coupled with our moves to quickly align expenses with reduced market demand, are helping us weather the sharp, Covid-driven fall in property leasing and sales. Those commercial real estate firms involved in logistics and package deliveries have been the biggest winners during the pandemic. "Right now the best is commercial rental for distribution companies such as Amazon and FedEx," said Wesley Shernow of Copper Club Management, an Albany real estate firm. "Commercial markets can be very stable during the pandemic, even more so than residential but that depends on who you're renting to." That means when you have a company like Amazon or another package delivery or online retailer that is doing well as a tenant, you are in luck. "For example, if you rent to Amazon, you know rent will be coming in on time," Shernow said. "The company is thriving." Despite all the bad news nationally regarding unemployment and COVID-19 infections and deaths, many in the Capital Region business community are hopeful for the commercial real estate market. Todd Shimkus, president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, just did a "reopening" ribbon cutting for Bow TieCinema in Saratoga Springs in December after it had been closed for months during the initial pandemic closures. "I think our local economy and our local businesses have thus far demonstrated a ton of resilience," Shimkus said. "We did nearly 50 ribbon cuttings during (the) pandemic. This shows people are still taking risks and investing in our local economy in Saratoga County. The federal stimulus will help. Getting more people vaccinated will help. We will have some commercial space available as we come out of the pandemic, but Im confident that will be temporary. When I see an open space here, I see an opportunity. I suspect that Im not alone." This week has been rather quiet, as has most of the winter, but a weak pulse of energy dropped a surprise 5cm or so of snow on southwestern portions of metro Montreal late Monday evening. I measured just over 5cm on Ile Perrot (above) Tuesday morning. More snow is expected this weekend, with much colder temperatures returning early next week. Lamezia Terme: One of Italy's largest-ever mafia trials kicked off on Wednesday with more than 330 suspected mobsters and their associates facing an array of charges, including extortion, drug trafficking and theft. But it hit an immediate snag. The case targets the 'Ndrangheta clan, which is based in Calabria, the toe of Italy's boot, and is considered by prosecutors to be the most powerful mafia group in the country, easily eclipsing the more famous Cosa Nostra gang in Sicily. A Carabinieri police officer walks inside a specially constructed bunker ahead of the first hearing of a maxi-trial against more than 300 defendants of the ndrangheta crime syndicate, near the Calabrian town of Lamezia Terme, southern Italy. Credit:LaPresse The trial is being held in a bunker converted from a call-centre in the Calabrian city of Lamezia Terme, with metal cages installed for the defendants and rows of desks set up for the hundreds of lawyers, prosecutors and spectators expected to attend. But right at the initial hearing three judges assigned to the case asked to be recused, saying they had been involved in earlier aspects of the investigation. State leaders around the U.S. are increasingly pushing for schools to reopen this winter pressuring them, even as teachers begin to gain access to the vaccine against the raging pandemic. Ohios governor offered to give vaccinations to teachers at the start of February, provided their school districts agree to resume at least some in-person instruction by March 1. In Arizona, where teachers began receiving shots this week, the governor warned schools that he expects students back in the classroom despite objections from top education officials and the highest COVID-19 diagnosis rate in the nation over the past week. We will not be funding empty seats or allowing schools to remain in a perpetual state of closure, said Republican Gov. Doug Ducey. Children still need to learn, even in a pandemic. The U.S. recorded an all-time, one-day high of 4,327 deaths on Tuesday, according to Johns Hopkins University. The nations overall death toll from COVID-19 has topped 380,000, closing in fast on the number of Americans killed in World War II. Confirmed infections have reached about 23 million. President-Elect Joe Biden initially pledged to reopen a majority of the nations schools within his first 100 days but recently revised the goal to most of the countrys K-8 schools. He has said teachers should be eligible for vaccinations as soon as possible after those who are at highest risk. Some states arent waiting, but the process can be scattershot. Meika Mark, a ninth-grade English teacher in Orange County, New York, got vaccinated Tuesday at a hospital, using a link a friend texted her. Its just word of mouth: Heres a link and hopefully you get a slot, said Mark, who contracted the virus in March and spent the rest of the school year teaching remotely. I know of a woman who had her husband sit in front of a computer literally all day and just click the refresh button until an appointment came up. Mark, 34, is now doing some in-person teaching and is grateful for the added layer of protection. I dont want to go through it again, said Mark, who still has headaches from her bout with COVID-19. High school band director Michael Crookston was among the first teachers to get a vaccination in Utah, which is among the earliest states to give priority to educators. Crookston has been in the classroom since the new school year began, despite having diabetes, which puts him at greater risk from the coronavirus. Its been a thing Ive been looking forward to, a little bit like Christmas, said Crookston, who teaches at Davis High School, north of Salt Lake City, where he used a parents donation to buy 12 air filters for his band room, as well as face masks and covers on students instruments. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has said he wants to vaccinate all teachers by the end of February. Salt Lake City, the state capital, has been hit hard by the virus and was the only district in Utah to stay all-remote this school year. That has angered some GOP leaders, who have threatened to withhold the $1,500 bonuses planned for the rest of the states teachers. An estimated 10.3 million Americans have received their first shot of the vaccine, or about 3% of the population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That is an increase of 1 million from the day before, indicating that the vaccination drive is ramping up after a slow start. But the U.S. is still well short of the hundreds of millions who experts say will need to be inoculated to vanquish the outbreak. A report released Wednesday by the CDC adds to the evidence suggesting that children arent the main drivers of community transmission. It found that increases in reported cases among adults were not preceded by increases among children and teens. The findings suggest young adults may contribute more to the spread than children do. Chicago began a phased-in reopening of its schools this week, with about 5,000 pre-kindergarten and special education returning to classrooms and other grades planned in the weeks to follow. Illinois teachers are not eligible for vaccines yet, but Chicago officials are providing virus tests on school grounds for staff. New York State expanded vaccine eligibility to teachers this week. But in New York City, the nations largest school district, with 1.1 million students, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday that while that opens up a world of possibility, middle and high schools will remain closed indefinitely. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed a $2 billion plan to pay for testing, protective equipment and other safety enhancements to reopen the lowest grades as soon as Feb. 16. But educators said it is too soon to know when Californias 600,000 teachers can expect to be vaccinated. Jeff Freitas, president of the California Federation of Teachers, said vaccinations have to come first, then schools can talk about reopening. We cannot put our own lives, the lives of our students, and our communities at risk during what is clearly an escalating crisis in our state, the union leader said. Californias rollout of vaccines has been slower than anticipated, with the first phase, involving health care workers and nursing home residents, still underway. On Wednesday, Chiefs of Change, a bipartisan group of school administrators, called on state and federal officials to make teachers and other school employees immediately eligible for vaccinations and provide more resources to conduct testing and contact tracing in school districts. Those individuals are very uncomfortable and theyre very scared about coming back into school, no matter how safe we make it, said Robert Runcie, superintendent of Broward Countys public schools in Florida. Mark, the New York teacher, said her colleagues are chomping at the bit to get vaccinated. But she knows it will be a while until she can teach in-person full time again. I told my students before that every day is one day closer to normalcy, she said. I think if we just remind ourselves of that, it just helps to pause and live in the moment for a minute. ___ Lindsay Whitehurst, Terry Tang and Allen G. Breed of The Associated Press wrote this story. Whitehurst reported from Salt Lake City; Terry Tang contributed from Phoenix, and Carolyn Thompson from Buffalo, New York. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. narvikk/iStockBy STEPHANIE RAMOS, KATIE O'BRIEN, and ARIELLE MITROPOULOS, ABC News (WORCESTER, Ma.) -- Michael Gadbois, a first responder, was used to going the DCU Center for concerts and sporting events. But his most recent trip there was as a COVID-19 patient. "I never thought I would be going into the convention center on a stretcher," Gadbois told ABC News, which was given exclusive access to the UMass Memorial Medical Center's field hospital at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. Since Thanksgiving, the seven-day average of daily cases in Massachusetts has increased by 176%. The number of hospitalizations is the highest since May, and on Wednesday, the state surpassed 13,000 confirmed COVID-19-related deaths since the beginning of the pandemic. Just last week, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker announced that the state would escalate all hospitals to Tier 4 status, the "highest level of concern," which indicates active, ongoing constraints warranting Department of Health intervention. Officials also said on Thursday that "hospital capacity limits are being stretched to their limit." Massachusetts first opened the UMass Memorial field hospital last spring at the onset of the virus, but when patient numbers began to dwindle in May, the facility closed. When the state began to see a resurgence in cases, Baker made the decision to reopen the facility in early December. "This was a blank empty space when we started six, seven weeks ago," said John Broach, an emergency medicine specialist at UMass Memorial Hospital and the field hospital's medical director. Since reopening, the field hospital has treated nearly 400 patients. "The second surge has been much worse than the first," Broach told ABC News. "It's long hours, it's not a traditional work environment and everybody's sort of adjusting to that." Converted from an indoor arena and convention center, the complex has been transformed into a full-fledged hospital operation with respiratory devices, X-ray machines while mobile pharmacies line curtain-drawn patient rooms. The site was built specifically to safely accommodate the beds, equipment and medical supplies required by COVID-19 patients. The DCU Center is caring for lower acuity patients to help allow the hospital to focus more on the seriously ill, including those who may require intubation. However, the facility is staffed 24 hours a day, and if a patient's condition worsens, front-line workers can rapidly escalate the patient's care before that person is transferred to the intensive care unit. "The morale here is high," Broach added. "We're all on the same page that we're really wanting to be here, where we are on the front lines and trying to make a difference in terms of the pandemic." "I have nothing but nice things to say about the work they have done here," Gadbois said. The first responder, who was on track to be discharged when he spoke with ABC News, admitted that he had not necessarily been taking proper precautions to avoid contracting the virus. "I didn't like wearing the mask, and of course that's how I got it," he added. "It's definitely a scary experience. Once you get to a certain point and it's hard to breathe -- it's real scary." John Volungias, 74, echoed Gadbois' sentiments. "It's pretty nasty stuff," he said. Despite taking precautions, almost all of John's immediate family of nine contracted COVID-19, including his 47-year old daughter who remained hospitalized nearby. "I don't know how anyone could not take it seriously," Volungias said. The facility, one of two field hospitals in the state, will remain open for as long as needed. Kelyn Branscon, a traveling nurse from Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, who is on a local assignment, told ABC News the past several months have been difficult. "COVID has definitely been very tough," Branscon said. "As nurses, I think we really love what we do. The most important thing to me, personally, is providing the best quality care I can for my patients. Just being able to help someone through their day. Taking care of people is really why we do what we do, so for us it's just kind of another day." Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. The chronicle of a life split between urban Manhattan and rural Montana. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. officials and the US Secret Service have briefed President-elect on security precautions surrounding his inauguration and will also provide daily updates, the Biden-Harris transition team announced in a statement. "Today, President-elect Biden received a briefing from senior officials at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Secret Service, and key members of his national security team," the statement said on Wednesday. "President-elect Biden's team will be receiving daily briefings on the security and operational preparations to ensure the transition unfolds smoothly." The Biden-Harris transition team is currently cooperating with the outgoing Trump administration to ensure a smooth and secure transfer of power, the statement said. "The team is engaging with the current administration to gain as much information as possible on the threat picture, and on the preparations being put in place to deter and defend against violent disruptions or attacks," the statement added. The incoming team is also focused on laying the groundwork for a smooth presidential transition that will ensure a continuous command and control across the homeland security and law enforcement components of the US government, according to the statement. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex were unhappy with their lives and decided to make a change. Their fans had mixed reactions about Megxit in early 2020 while some applauded how the couple was willing to stand up for themselves, others deemed them selfish and ungrateful for essentially quitting their roles as senior royals. Regardless of those opinions, Harry and Meghan forged on. The pair left London to live in Canada for a bit before making a more permanent switch to California. Now the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are working on new business endeavors of their own choosing without needing permission from Queen Elizabeth. But are these two former royals destined to fade into obscurity? Americans are obsessed with the British royal family British royal family | Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images The United States fought a bloody war for their independence from the British crown in the late 1700s. So why are so many citizens still enamored with the same royals they used to despise? The obvious answer is that no one from the Revolutionary War era is still alive. But more broadly, its because the United States is such a young country compared to Europe and lacks much of the history and tradition other countries have. We never had kings, queens, knights, princes, and princesses, but those roles are romanticized by classic literature like King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table. King Arthur doesnt have much in common with Queen Elizabeth or any other modern royals, however, shes about as close as it was we can get in todays age. Royal family members still live in castles and sit on thrones. Its like a real-life fairytale. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave up their 1 fascinating trait Prince Harry and Meghan Markle | Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage RELATED: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Bonded Over Having This One Thing in Common The British royal family is interesting just by nature of their status in the world. But when you throw in public scandals and tragic figures, it makes them even more popular. Princess Diana was one such person who captivated the world until her death in 1997 and after. And now royal fans feel fiercely protective over Dianas two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. They cheered when both men found love and married in lavish royal ceremonies. Then, Harry took a surprising detour and estranged himself from everything that made him so intriguing to the public. To Americans, Harry without the royal status is just another rich person living in Montecito with a B-list actress. And to some Brits, hes a traitor to his family who abandoned his home country. The Sussexes want to do good in the world Its true that Harry and Meghan have good intentions. First and foremost, they left London so they could raise their son, Archie, without the prying eyes of the paparazzi stalking his every move. The Duke of Sussex still feels the effects of this treatment from his own childhood and wanted to protect his son from the worst attention. And on a bigger scale, theyre interested in social and environmental initiatives that would have been impossible to pursue while following all the royal rules about remaining politically neutral. Prince Harry may be far from home, but hes not cut off from the family for now. So for a while, hell be able to use his status to promote these causes. Will the Sussexes gradually become like the hundreds of other Hollywood celebrities vying for attention? Only time will tell. TUCSON, Ariz., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The physician's duty as declared in the Oath of Hippocrates, to "prescribe regimen for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone," is being overridden by "guidelines" from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), states Jane Orient, M.D., In the winter issue of the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons. The NIH recommends against early outpatient treatment of COVID-19, except possibly with newly authorized monoclonal antibodies, and specifically against the use of long-approved re-purposed drugs such as hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and ivermectin. At its summer meeting of the House of Delegates, the American Medical Association refused to rescind its language discouraging HCQ, despite strong member support for a resolution asking it to do so. The AMA cites inadequate evidence of benefit. "There is a double-blind double standard" for the imposition of social control measures without evidence of benefit, despite undeniable harm, writes Dr. Orient. Also exempt from the demand for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is "standard therapy"which is generally undefined, she writes. It commonly involves acetaminophen, which might have harmful immune-suppressing effects. The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) provides information on early treatment and prevention protocols, and states that "physicians need to use their own best judgment and provide treatment personalized for their individual patients." The article concludes that: "The Hippocratic physician must not be corrupted by conflicts of interest or be subservient to governmental, academic, or corporate interests that place a political agenda, financial gain, prestige, career advancement, or ideology above doing what the physician judges to be best for each patient." The Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons is published by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS), a national organization representing physicians in all specialties since 1943. SOURCE Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) Related Links http://www.aapsonline.org Between 25 and 30 per cent of Londoners may have already caught the coronavirus, according to Imperial's 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson. Professor Ferguson whose grim modelling showing that 500,000 Britons could die unless action was taken spooked ministers into the first national shutdown last March has co-authored a comprehensive study on the course of Britain's outbreak. The total infection figure comes from data based on analysis of blood donors in the UK aged between 15 and 65. It reveals London as the region of the country with the highest proportion of its population that has been infected with the virus. Research by Imperial academics, published recently on medRxiv , reveals that at the start of December 15.4 per cent of London's population had contracted the virus. Professor Ferguson, a member of SAGE, told MailOnline: 'In London a total of 25 per cent to 30 per cent of the population may now have been infected throughout the epidemic.' He says London is the hardest hit region in the country and numbers are therefore lower elsewhere. Fresh analysis published by academics at the University of Cambridge uses a different statistical method but found the attack rate in London is 30 per cent. For the country as a whole, the cumulative infection rate is now 19 per cent and the lowest region is the South West, at eight per cent. Scroll down for video 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson whose grim modelling that 500,000 Britons could die unless action was taken spooked ministers into the first national shutdown last March co-authored a comprehensive study on the course of Britain's outbreak Cambridge's Nowcast features data until January 11 and works out the change in cases, deaths, death rate and number of infections, as well as calculating total cumulative infections - also known as the attack rate. Attack rate by region England East Midlands East of England London North East North West South East South West West Midlands Yorkshire and the Humber 19% 18% 15% 30% 21% 26% 13% 8% 19% 19% Advertisement It estimates England's total number of infections now sits at 10.7million, with London the biggest contributor, at 2.63million. London's mayor Sadiq Khan today complained about the city's Covid vaccine supply, after NHS figures revealed it has given jabs to fewer people than any other region. Only two per cent of people in the capital were vaccinated against coronavirus by January 10, compared to five per cent in the North East and Yorkshire. Mr Khan said: 'I am hugely concerned that Londoners have received only a tenth of the vaccines that have been given across the country.' London is currently England's region worst-hit by coronavirus but both cases, hospital admissions and deaths across the capital have started to slow down. The Imperial study created a computer model to track SARS-CoV-2 infections in care homes and the wider community. It reveals people who have caught coronavirus are now more likely to survive than those who got Covid-19 at the start of the first wave. The infection fatality rate has fallen from 1.25 per cent to 0.77 per cent nationally, driven by a greater understanding of the disease and improvements in treating it. Since March 2020, dexamethasone has emerged as a drug which reduces risk of death by up to 35 per cent in ventilated patients. A recent study also found the anti-inflammatory drugs tocilizumab and sarilumab slash the risk of death even further. Results of the trial showed people who only received dexamethasone had a death rate of 35.8 per cent. This dropped to just 25.3 per cent when they were also given either tocilizumab or sarilumab. However, death rate among elderly people in care homes is still alarmingly high at 35.9 per cent. Researchers also looked at the effectiveness of prior lockdowns and found that of all the non-pharmaceutical interventions that have become commonplace, only full lockdown has succeeded in forcing R below 1. The findings also reinforce the fact that dithering and delaying in introducing full lockdown in March 2020 cost thousands of lives . '[If lockdown was] introduced one week earlier it could have reduced first wave deaths from 36,700 to 15,700,' the researchers write. Dr Lilith Whittles, author of the report from Imperial College London said: 'Our work pulls together the many different perspectives we have on the COVID-19 epidemic in England to form a complete picture of the first two waves of the epidemic. 'Above all our findings emphasise the vital importance of acting fast to save lives.' Professor Ferguson also said today that Britain's lockdown rules may be needed until the autumn. Asked if there could be restrictions for many months to come, he said: 'Yes, and we can't predict all of these things in advance. 'We couldn't have predicted this new variant coming up, but the new variant without doubt will make the relaxation of restrictions more difficult because it is substantially more transmissible.' Professor Ferguson added: 'It will be a gradual process to the autumn.' Dr Susan Hopkins, one of the top officials at Public Health England (PHE), also added that England was likely going to have a 'difficult time at least until Easter'. Lockdown can be maddening, especially when you start craving for your favourite junk foods, and there are some people who don't give two hoots about their personal safety when it comes to grabbing a bite. Image For Representation Case in point, this woman who drove a 100 miles on a two-wheeler with her sister to grab a burger amid strict lockdown in the UK. The police stated that travelling through three counties from Lincolnshire to Scarborough to get a burger is not classed as essential travel, reported BBC. Also Read: Burger King IPO Allotment Status Check Online Here They were fined a whopping Rs 20,000 for the same. The 160-km-long trip was taken when the country is under another lockdown after a new strain of the coronavirus has been found in the UK. The new strain is believed to be more infectious than the previous one. Rachel Wood, Chief Inspector of the force said that they understand that people would go everywhere they want to once the pandemic is over but she adds that in the meantime, she would like to thank those who are staying home. She added that such people are protecting the National Health Service and saving lives. Reuters People are allowed to step out for essential items such as food and medicine supplies. Travelling for work is only permitted if it cannot be done from home. During the lockdown, schools and non-essential shops have also been closed. Also Read: Drunk Woman Orders 'Customised' Burger With Nothing, Gets Two Sachets Of Ketchup This comes after a group of people in the Northampton area were hit with a huge fine earlier last week during a morning trip to McDonald's. The group, of two women and two men, was caught arriving at the fast food chain's Drive Thru service at 5am on Wednesday morning. Image For Representation/Reuters The police fined them 200 each after it was discovered the four people were not from the same household. Also Read: Don't Barf Yet! YouTuber Eats 14-Month-Old Rotting McDonald's Burger & Claims He's Doing Fine According to the BBC, Lincolnshire Police said they had issued a fine to a man after he drove 44 miles (70km) from Chesterfield as he was "having a road trip to football grounds around the country". Sgt Mike Templeman said the man was issued with a penalty notice and given some "strong words of advice". P revious Covid-19 infection provides some immunity for at least five months, but people may still carry and transmit the virus, a new study has found. Experts warned that a small number of those with immunity may still be able carry the virus in their nose and throat. They would therefore have a risk of transmitting it to others. The first report from Public Health Englands (PHE) Siren study found that antibodies from past infection provide 83 per cent protection against reinfection for at least five months. This suggests that people who contracted the disease in the first wave may now be vulnerable to catching it again. Coronavirus - In pictures 1 /80 Coronavirus - In pictures A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" is seen on an underground station platform Getty Images Customers wearing face masks shop at the pork counter of a supermarket following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, Hubei province Reuters Westminster Bridge is deserted in London the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the UK in lockdown PA Canadian passengers Chris & Anna Joiner ask for help onboard the MS Zaandam, Holland America Line cruise ship, during the coronavirus outbreak, off the shores of Panama City via Reuters A man crosses a nearly empty 5th Avenue in midtown Manhattan during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York City Reuters The London Eye is pictured lit blue in support of the NHS, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Commuters cope with Coronavirus Jeremy Selwyn Milan's Piazza del Duomo empty AFP via Getty Images People in protective clothing walk past rows of beds at a temporary 2,000-bed hospital for COVID-19 coronavirus patients set up by the Iranian army at the international exhibition center in northern Tehran, Iran AP Martina Papponetti, 25, an ICU nurse at the Humanitas Gavazzeni Hospital in Bergamo, Italy poses for a portrait at the end of her shift AP Pope Francis celebrating a daily mass alone in the Santa Marta chapel at the Vatican, as part of precautionary measures against the spread of the new coronavirus COVID-19 AFP via Getty Imag Vysheyshaya Liga - FC Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino v FC Belshina Bobruisk - Torpedo Stadium, Zhodino, Belarus, March 27, 2020 Players in action during the match despite most sport being cancelled around the world as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters Hanks and Wilson both have coronavirus Tom Hanks General view of an emergency makeshift field hospital as it is set up at Pacaembu Stadium for coronavirus (COVID-19) patients with a capacity of 200 beds in Sao Paulo, Brazil Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling on people to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatres, work from home if possible and avoid all non-essential contacts and travel in order to reduce the impact of the coronavirus pandemic PA Naomi Campbell catches a flight in a hazmat suit with goggles, a surgical mask and rubber gloves @naomi Sophie and Emily Ward pose for a photograph with their hand-drawn picture of rainbows and a message on their window in St Helens, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Corona virus outbreak. PA Shoppers queue outside a branch of Costco, in Croydon, south London, on the weekend after Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered pubs and restaurants across the country to close PA Charing Cross Tube Bakerloo Line very quiet at 8.15am Jeremy Selwyn A woman with a plastic box over her head on the London Underground. PA A Racegoer attend Cheltenham Festival on Ladies Day wearing a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits a laboratory at the Public Health England National Infection Service in Colindale PA A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A couple kiss in Milano Centrale railway station in Milan on March 8, 2020 AFP via Getty Images A combination picture shows visitors wearing protective face masks following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) looking at blooming cherry blossom nd a pigeon walking at an closed cherry blossom viewing spot during the first weekend after Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike (not pictured) urged Tokyo residents to stay indoors, in a bid to keep the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from spreading Reuters This combination photo created on March 5, 2020 shows tourists visiting Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap province on March 16, 2019 (top) and on March 5, 2020 AFP via Getty Images Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump looks at the $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid package bill as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Vice President Mike Pence stand by during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House Reuters A satellite image shows an empty South Beach during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Miami, via Reuters General view inside the empty stadium as the two teams line up prior to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund at Parc des Princes UEFA via Getty Images A Sainsbury's supermarket in Cambridge is among those to sell out of antibacterial hand sanitizer PA Tents and ambulances are set up next to the Princess Cruises Grand Princess cruise as it sits docked in the Port of Oakland on March 09, 2020 in Oakland, California. The Princess Cruises Grand Princess has been held from docking until today as at least 21 people on board have tested positive for COVID-19 also known as the Coronavirus Getty Images Medical staff produce traditional Chinese medicine to treat patients infected by the COVID-19 coronavirus at a hospital in Wuhan AFP via Getty Images Army soldiers wearing protective suits spray disinfectant as a precaution against the new coronavirus at a shopping street in Seoul, South Korea AP Russian President Vladimir Putin wearing protective gear walks at a hospital for patients infected with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the outskirts of Moscow via Reuters A woman who has recovered from the COVID-19 is disinfected by volunteers as she arrives at a hotel for a 14-day quarantine AFP via Getty Images Passengers on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship are seen as the ship arrives at Daikoku Pier where it is being resupplied and newly diagnosed coronavirus cases taken for treatment as it remains in quarantine after a number of the 3,700 people on board were diagnosed with coronavirus Getty Images Dave Abel pictured in hospital in Japan Manchester United fans in the stands during the Premier League match at Old Trafford PA Police officers wearing masks stand in front of the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel in La Caleta, in the Canary Island of Tenerife AP Carnival revellers wear protective face masks at Venice Carnival Reuters A general view is pictured of Burbage Primary School in Buxton, Derbyshire after the closure of the school as a pupil's parent has tested positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19 AFP via Getty Images People wearing face masks walk past the Olympic rings in front of the new National Stadium, the main stadium for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Game Getty Images People leave Kents Hill Park Training and Conference Centre in Milton Keynes where Coronavirus evacuees are due to be released from quarantine today and allowed to go home PA Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA A woman wears a mask while crossing London Bridg Getty Images A general view of Worthing Hospital in West Sussex PA Passengers relax on board the Holland America-operated Westerdam cruise ship, which has been denied permission to dock in Thailand over coronavirus fears via Reuters A child waves as she sits in a vehicle carrying residents evacuated from a public housing building, following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, outside Hong Mei House, at Cheung Hong Estate in Hong Kong Reuters A woman wearing a Minnie Mouse face mask looks at her mobile phone in Beijing on February 11, 2020 AFP via Getty Images The Costa Smeralda cruise ship of Costa Crociere, carrying around 6,000 passengers, is docked at the Italian port of Civitavecchia after a health alert due to a Chinese couple and a possible link to coronavirus on board, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters A patient covered with a bed sheet at an exhibition centre converted into a hospital as it starts to accept patients displaying mild symptoms of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan AFP via Getty Images A medical official takes the body temperature of a man at the departure hall of the airport in Changsha, Hunan Province, as the country is hit by an outbreak of a new coronavirus, China Reuters The view of the Wuhan International Conference and Exhibition Center Getty Images A plane carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, arrives at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire A police vehicle enters the gates of the Royal Air Force station RAF Brize Norton in Carterton AFP via Getty Images Passengers wear face masks as the push their luggage after arriving from a flight at Terminal 5 of London Heathrow Airport AFP via Getty Images French citizens arrive and settle aboard of an evacuation plane with destination southeastern France, before departure from Wuhan Airport (WUH), China AFP via Getty Images Police stand at a checkpoint at the Jiujiang Yangtze River Bridge that crosses from Hubei province in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, China Reuters A member of staff at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside prepares for a bus carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China PA Doctor Paul McKay, who is working on an vaccine for the 2019-nCoV strain of the novel coronavirus, poses for a photograph with bacteria containing fragments of coronavirus DNA, at Imperial College School of Medicine (ICSM) in Londo AFP via Getty Images Workers produce masks at the Thai Hospital Product Company Ltd. factory in Bangkok AFP via Getty Images Passengers wearing face masks are seen on a bus after disembarking from the Costa Smeralda cruise ship, after tests on a woman from Macau with suspected coronavirus came back negative, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters People hoard bottles of alcohol after the Philippine government confirmed the first case of the new coronavirus in the country, in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines Reuters Taking precautions: with fears growing that the coronavirus will spread from China, a health official checks a womans temperature on the underground in Beijing Getty Images An empty road is seen in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on January 27, 2020, amid a deadly virus outbreak which began in the city AFP via Getty Images Students wearing masks meditate prior to a lesson at a high school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia AP Medical staff at the Wuhan Red Cross Hospital wear protective clothing to help stop the spread of a deadly virus AFP via Getty Images Staff move bio-waste containers past the entrance of the Wuhan Medical Treatment Center, where some infected with a new virus are being treated, in Wuhan, China AP Workers driving excavators at the construction site of a field hospital In Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The builders will complete the 1,000-bed hospital by February 3 to cope with the surge of 2019-nCoV patients in the city Getty Images Buddhist monks wear masks as they walk near Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodi AP A woman and a child wearing protective masks walk toward check-in counters at Daxing international airport in Beijing AFP via Getty Images An employee sprays disinfectant on a train as a precaution against a new coronavirus at Suseo Station in Seoul, South Korea AP A policeman wearing a mask walks past a quarantine notice about the outbreak of coronavirus in Wuhan, China at an arrival hall of Haneda airport in Tokyo, Japan Reuters Paramilitary police wear face masks as they stand guard at Tiananmen Gate adjacent to Tiananmen Square in Beijing AP The resident wear masks to buy vegetables in the market in Wuhan Getty Images Staff sell masks at a Yifeng Pharmacy in Wuhan AP Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV AP Although reinfections in people with antibodies were rare, the researchers identified 44 potential reinfections among 6,614 participants who showed evidence of previous infection. Professor Susan Hopkins, senior medical adviser at PHE and the Siren study lead, said: This study has given us the clearest picture to date of the nature of antibody protection against Covid-19 but it is critical people do not misunderstand these early findings. We now know that most of those who have had the virus, and developed antibodies, are protected from reinfection, but this is not total and we do not yet know how long protection lasts. Crucially, we believe people may still be able to pass the virus on. This means, even if you believe you already had the disease and are protected, you can be reassured it is highly unlikely you will develop severe infections, but there is still a risk that you could acquire an infection and transmit to others. Now, more than ever, it is vital we all stay at home to protect our health service and save lives. Since June, PHE has been regularly testing tens of thousands of healthcare workers across the UK for new Covid-19 infections as well as the presence of antibodies, which suggest people have been infected before. The study leaders are clear that this first report provides no evidence towards the antibody or other immune responses from coronavirus vaccines, nor should any conclusions to be drawn on their effectiveness. The study, which has not been peer-reviewed, will consider vaccine responses later this year. Scientists concluded that naturally-acquired immunity as a result of past infections provides 83 per cent protection against reinfection, compared with people who have not had the disease before. They added that this appears to last at least for five months from first becoming sick. While the research will continue to assess whether protection may last for longer, this means people who contracted the disease in the first wave may be able to get it again. PHE said early evidence from the next stage of the study suggests that some of these individuals carry high levels of the virus and could continue to transmit it to others. Between June 18 and November 24, scientists detected 44 potential reinfections two probable, and 42 possible out of 6,614 participants who had tested positive for antibodies, representing an 83 per cent rate of protection from reinfection. Prof Hopkins said she can be confident that five to six months after their first infection, the vast majority of people with a previous infection are protected from severe disease and are protected from symptomatic infection. She added: It is good that its protecting people, but its not 100 per cent protective, and therefore people still need to follow the rules, until we know more about this, on the durability of the response, and also understand better why some of these individuals have not responded, or is this particular to a certain group. Prof Hopkins explained that when the study was designed, researchers were looking to ensure they could capture the minimum immunity that would be acceptable for a vaccine. She continued: And at that time, the vaccine effectiveness studies were setting out to look at did vaccines have 50 per cent to 60 per cent efficacy in reducing future symptomatic infection? And if you look at this from a symptomatic point of view, were seeing a very small proportion 13 out of the 44 have had symptomatic infection. Prof Hopkins added: Whats that saying to us is that prior infection looks as good as vaccine, at least at this time interval, which is very good news for the population, and it will help alongside vaccine to give a level of immunity in the population that will start to reduce transmission. What we dont yet know and what this study is setting out to do is to determine the durability of that response. Overall I think this is good news, it allows people to feel that their prior infection will protect them from future infections, but at the same time, it is not complete protection, and therefore they still need to be careful when theyre out and about. AMES, Iowa, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Technology industry veteran Up and Running Software is helping its clients succeed in a post-pandemic environment. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an inevitable surge in the use of digital technologies due to social distancing norms and various lockdown measures. People and organizations worldwide have quickly digitized operations. Three industries that have been particularly affected for the long term are health care, education and e-commerce, verticals in which Ames, IA-based Up and Running Software is most experienced. The pandemic's impact on the health care industry reaches beyond directly addressing COVID-19. Many providers moved to telehealth seemingly overnight, with routine and sometimes specialized medical care performed remotely. Such digitization requires additional layers of security to meet federal standards such as HIPAA. Up and Running Software is an experienced provider of health care software development services, from electronic medical records to tools for medical imagining analysis, electronic prescription management and more. Its solutions have passed federal audits and are used to literally save lives. The education industry, both public and private, is still largely in flux after roughly ten months of adjusting to a patchwork of often changing, and sometimes conflicting, local and national guidelines and realities. Instruction, assignments, assessment, monitoring and social services are now completed digitally in many places. Up and Running Software's track record in e-learning and related endeavors is notable, having served universities, primary and secondary schools, research institutions and other related organizations for decades. This work has enabled remote instructional delivery, student growth and downstream career success for its end users. Finally, the long-term shift from brick-and-mortar retail to e-commerce has accelerated. Yet, roughly a year after the first outbreak, many companies still struggle to meet demand. The move toward online sales is expected to continue beyond the pandemic. Thus, businesses who have not yet started building or further scaling an online presence are urged to adapt or risk falling behind. As an e-commerce specialist, Up and Running Software helps companies create or expand their online stores and offerings through a broad range of e-commerce services and solutions . The initial COVID-19 vaccine rollout provides hope, but there are many areas of life that will never fully revert to how they were at the beginning of 2019. Many people will still work remotely; routine medical appointments will be offered remotely; students will continue to have virtual learning modules; and people will remain wary of crowds at stores and restaurants. Up and Running Software, a virtual company since its founding, provides the tools to support companies in this challenging new endeavor and beyond, as it has done for many prominent clients since 1995. Learn more about Up and Running Software online on https://www.upandrunningsoftware.com. SOURCE Up and Running Software Related Links http://www.upandrunningsoftware.com Posted Wednesday, January 13, 2021 4:49 pm The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced continuing hunts in Pacific, Clallam and Whatcom counties, and a three-day hunting season for brant geese in Skagit County, according to a Monday press release. Continued stable winter counts of brant have allowed for continued hunting opportunities in Clallam and Whatcom counties Jan. 16, 20, and 23, and in Pacific County on Jan. 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21, 23, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 31. Reduced brant counts in Skagit County mean that hunters will have a limited three-day season on Jan. 16, 20 and 23. We conducted aerial brant counts in Skagit County that indicate numbers fell short of our 6,000-bird requirement for an eight-day season, said Kyle Spragens, WDFW waterfowl section manager. The reduced schedule is necessary to restrict harvest of western high arctic brant, which primarily overwinter in Skagit County. Spragens said population surveys conducted in Skagit County over Padilla, Samish and Fidalgo bays tallied 3,430 birds, prompted this years three-day season. The number of hunting days is directly related to how many brant the WDFW count during these surveys, which allows it to monitor the winter population, he said. This is the fourth consecutive year of fewer than 6,000 brant in Skagit County bays. While we strive to provide a harvest opportunity when appropriate, these types of historically low counts require us to prioritize our conservation responsibilities for this iconic coastal waterfowl species, Spragens said. The press release stated hunters should familiarize themselves with local regulations and boundaries. Specifically, hunters in Clallam County are advised to consult the closed zones of Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge, and hunters in Whatcom County are advised to review boundaries relevant to Bellingham and Lummi bays. Information on brant seasons is available in WDFWs Migratory Waterfowl and Upland Game Seasons hunting pamphlet. Brant hunters must possess a valid migratory bird authorization and brant harvest report card. Starting today, three challengers for the Americas Cup will compete for the first ever PRADA Cup and the right to meet Emirates Team New Zealand in the 36th Americas Cup Match. The PRADA Cup Challenger Selection Series has given many special moments in Americas Cup racing history, and the battles have become a major part of the legend of the Cup. The Cup is the significant first stage regatta of one the major International sporting event in the world this year. After three years of hard work, they are finally on the water, where speed, tactics and aggression will start to equate to success, says a PRADA spokesperson. The opening press conference on Thursday, with the participation of Patrizio Bertelli live from Tuscany, Italy, expressing his full commitment and passion in this great sailing competition. Regatta Director Iain Murray says this year, everything is new. We see exciting young crews, and exciting boats and over the last couple of days I saw how they went away pre-Christmas and how they came back with thoughts and strategies and tactics. Im starting to see match racing evolve, the aggression of the start coming to the surface. Team Principal and Skipper INEOS TEAM UK Sir Ben Ainslie says his team has been working flat out since the World Series. I give a huge amount of the credit to the likes of the shore team and the engineers. We talked about our performances on the wide range of the wind. We got a long way down that road in terms of improvements, there are a lot more to come. Other teams are also improving and everyday they come up with outbreak to their boats. We can be certainly competitive in the medium-strong wind range, the lighter race we still dont know. Skipper and Executive Director New York Yacht Club American Magic Terry Hutcthinson says the Americas Cup World Series is in the past and they are looking forward to the future. All the challengers have been seen to make steps behind that, as well the defender, our focus is really to the next month of racing. From our prospective we got four races, it will be good to see the performance on the day, but it will be also good to see everybodys improvement. Team Director Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team Challenger of Record Max Sirena says they have always said that the development of their boat keeps going throughout the next few months. There will be few stuff coming on and Im sure the other teams will do the same. Aerodynamics is everything when you are going over 50knots. Likely, every change we did have been very good so far, we are very pleased with that, and with the design that allowed those changes. CEO PRADA Group CEO Patrizio Bertelli says they are surely satisfied of the beginning of the Prada Cup, although sad for the worlds global situation. You are privileged to be in Auckland, where you are able to walk around freely without masks, social distancing and other measures while here in Europe and in the United States the situation is quite different and still very serious. I therefore think that you have a commitment and a responsibility towards the world who is following you to deliver great sportsmanship and sporting event. I trust that you will do so. In Bermuda Matteo de Nora and Grant Dalton asked us to be involved again. I thought it was a good opportunity to bring the Americas Cup back on track: the Americas Cup seemed to have owners and I dont think the Americas Cup should have owners. It should have Defenders and Challengers, but it should be what it has always been. Its a very sophisticated event, always sailed with very special boats, but first of all its a sporting event. We call it the Prada Cup today, it was called the Louis Vuitton Cup in the past, it might be called something else in the future, but what really matters is that we have one Defender and some Challengers. Commuters on a city bus in Brazil watched in astonishment as the latest passenger clambered on board - a sloth. Passengers were amazed to find the slow-paced sloth enjoying a taste of life in the fast lane after being helped on board by the animal-loving driver. Ronaldo Santana and his conductor Marcio Albuquerque said they rescued the animal after spotting it close to traffic on the motorway in the north-eastern city of Recife, Brazil, on Monday. It's quicker than walking: The sloth appeared to be enjoying the change of pace as he travelled on the bus in Brazil 'I pulled the bus over at the stop and I saw something moving,' Santana told local media. 'We then realised it was a sloth walking towards the cars.' The pair, not wanting the slow-moving sloth to be hit by vehicles, allowed the sloth on board. With their new, rather unusual, passenger in tow, they set off to the next station where police officers were on hand to help. Santana, who has spent 17 years working as a bus driver, said it was the first time he had seen a sloth in the road. 'On that day, by chance, I was on duty and I took that bus,' he said. 'Just as well it happened so we could save the little creature.' Baffled passengers were amazed to find the animal climbing up the poles and handlebars of the bus in Recife, Brazil Albuquerque told local media he did not hesitate to grab the long-clawed animal in order to rescue it. 'I love animals, I always carry food, water and some remedies for wounds to give to street animals,' he said. 'When I saw the sloth, I even thought about trying to return it to the nearby woods, but I got scared that someone would snatch it and I thought it better to take it to the police.' With the sloth on board, it climbed up onto the handrails - causing a flurry of activity by passengers who wanted to get a better look of the animal. 'The passengers found it curious, everyone was taking photos,' Albuquerque said. 'I'd seen many agoutis and caimans around, mostly at night, but it's the first time I've seen a sloth.' When the bus, which had been travelling from one side of Reclife city to the other, arrived at its destination, Santana and Albuquerque handed the furry passenger over to police officers to return it to the wild. 'I'm thrilled, I thank God for the opportunity to save this animal, Albuquerque added. 'People should take greater care of nature. The deforestation in that area is terrible. So many animals die there, it pains my heart.' 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. Corteva Agriscience, an agricultural chemical and seed company, will grow its footprint in Midland. The agricultural corporation was created in the DowDuPont spin off in 2019 and now, its looking to further its footprint in Midland with a new facility to house fermentation equipment. Corteva will also include refurbish an existing administration building and warehouse on the site within the Dow Michigan Operations Industrial Park. Also included in the project is the installation of process buildings and structures to house ancillary process equipment to support manufacturing and processing including utilities, process storage vessels, material loading and unloading stations, and vent treatment equipment. In total, it will be a $235 million investment, including $48 million in real property, $186 million in manufacturing personal property and $1 million personal property, and $10 million in expense expenditures. On Monday night, Midland City Council approved a tax abatement for the $48 million of new real property for 12 years. Specifically, Corteva applied for an industrial facilities tax exemption, which will allow the facility an exemption of half the total millage rate, except for the State Education Tax millage. So, over the next 12 years, beginning January 2022, the facility will benefit from an abatement in the city of about $1.8 million; however, it is also expected bring in a tax revenue of $1.8 million. Combined with other taxing authorities, such as Midland County Operations, the tax revenue will be $7.8 million over the 12 years. John Furnier, Lyte 10 project manager for Corteva, said there are several other facilities shutting down on the site and the hope of Corteva is to absorb them. He said they hope to retain 40 full-time employees from those operations. The timing actually works out quite nicely, he said. Theres an insecticide facility and a specialty intermediate facility that are going down. He explained the facility would go online in the second quarter of 2022. During Mondays council meeting, Councilman Steve Arnosky asked what would happen if Corteva abandoned the project, to which City Assessor Kayla Ripley explained there is an annual auditing process to ensure the project meets the abatement criteria. If not, the tax exemption can be rescinded by the state. BOSTON, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The new IDTechEx report, "Transparent Electronics Materials, Applications, Markets 2021-2041", describes a market increasing fivefold from 2021-2031. By 2041 it will be over $23 billion. Including translucent in the term transparent electronics, IDTechEx sees electrically-darkened windows growing steadily in demand, but the main action being elsewhere. Value market for transparent and translucent electronics by territory 2041. 71% will be photovoltaics and displays. Source: IDTechEx, Transparent Electronics Materials, Applications, Markets 2021-2041, www.IDTechEx.com/TransMat (PRNewsfoto/IDTechEx) Raghu Das, CEO of IDTechEx advises, "Transparent photovoltaics and displays are mainly driving the growth. Robotic greenhouses are increasingly important in farming, and North America is deploying US-made glass that optimally grows plants while generating the electricity needed, off-grid. China has by far the most industrial greenhouses in the world. Onyx in Spain is the leader in regular photovoltaic windows for city buildings. Hyundai promises some of its electric cars will have a transparent solar roof. Europe leads in opaque solar cars but not that option." Beyond all this, IDTechEx sees the biggest opportunity may be upgrading regular silicon grid solar with a transparent perovskite photovoltaic layer in due course. OxfordPV is a leading developer here, but US competition is growing rapidly. This promises at least 10% extra electricity as the options reduce for extending the areas of industrial desolation caused by current forms of solar. Transparent, stand-alone photovoltaics is inherently bifacial, opening up more opportunities, and eventually, some solar paint may be invisible. "Improved grid solar would be a huge win," says Das, "but it will take time to viably upgrade silicon for grids and microgrids, let alone replace it. The beginning will be developers working with traditional suppliers, and all the largest are Chinese. Retrofit film on solar farms may be a later option." Of course, nearly all light-emitting displays are made in East Asia. It is, therefore, no surprise that Xiaomi of China and LG and Samsung of Korea lead the rollout of transparent versions now seen as subway train windows in China. They interactively display maps and other information. Their dramatic, "images floating in space" have been seen in Harrods shop windows in London and are being considered for everything from simpler mixed-reality car windows and huge billboards to lighter-weight mixed-reality headsets. It is already being offered by value-added suppliers in Korea as audio-visual systems for use in offices and exhibitions. "Technology-wise, this mainly means transparent OLEDs indoors and the brighter, poorer-resolution transparent micro-LED displays outdoors," says Das. "However, there are reports that the Chinese railways will deploy transparent OLED train windows above ground next. The European Union sponsors research in order to catch up but will it build a large, world-class display factory?" Laminar metamaterials are being developed for everything from passively cooling photovoltaics to driving THz electronics needed for 6G communications from 2030. They are mainly see-through conductive patterning and honeycomb structures and are examples of the familiar window demisters and antennas in your car evolving into a large market for transparent circuits. So, where do all these transparent electronics come together? "Check out robot shuttles," advises Das. "These symmetrical vehicles never U-turn, and they will be allowed in city centers even crossing walking areas and entering shopping malls. They are the basis of Toyota's smart city being built at the base of Mount Fuji. Baidu in China and Amazon (Zoox) in the USA are in this battle of giants for a totally new form of transportation. The second-generation robot shuttles may have headlamp glass steering the autonomy radar and transparent heater overlay on internal fitments both German inventions. The vehicles are almost all glass, and many are designed to reconfigure through the day as a school bus, taxi, hire car, mobile fast-food, library, office, meeting room, and so on. All that glass will, therefore, electrically demist, transmit, make electricity, go dark at a touch, display current purpose, and sell advertising. Most forms of transparent electronics are therefore needed in the robot shuttle, and over $3 billion of business yearly may result." For more information on this report, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/TransMats, or for the full portfolio of research available from IDTechEx please visit www.IDTechEx.com/Research. About IDTechEx IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Subscription and Consultancy products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information, contact [email protected] or visit www.IDTechEx.com. Image download: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/5a9cfz729l5pgy9/AAAnyWdV_qoSTG0tBfR37hM7a?dl=0 Media Contact: Natalie Moreton Digital Marketing Manager [email protected] +44(0)1223 812300 Social Media Links: Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/IDTechEx LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/idtechex/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IDTechExResearch Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1420906/IDTechEx_TransMat_Electronics.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/478371/IDTechEx_Logo.jpg SOURCE IDTechEx Crude oil futures were steady at Rs 3,863 per barrel on January 14 as participants increased their long position as seen by the open interest. The crude oil prices had declined 0.6 percent on January 13 on the NYMEX. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that US crude inventories fell for the fifth straight week by 3.24 million barrels for the week ended January 8 against market expectation of 2.3 million barrels decline. Crude oil prices traded under pressure on rising coronavirus cases in Europe and the US and a fresh lockdown in China despite bullish inventory data. NYMEX crude trades in a narrow range above $52 per barrel. Mixed inventory report and support from Saudis production cut, US stimulus expectations and vaccine progress has been supporting the prices. However, rising virus cases are creating a demand concern limiting the upside. Crude's rally has come to a halt amid lack of fresh triggers, however, the general outlook remains positive as Saudi's production cut is expected to keep the market in a deficit," said Ravindra Rao, VP- Head Commodity Research at Kotak Securities. Tapan Patel- Senior Analyst (Commodities), HDFC securities said: Crude oil prices pared some previous gained on bullish inventory data from US EIA which reported a fifth consecutive draw in oil inventories. Crude oil prices boosted by positive global cues on stimulus hopes along with buying in equity indices. We expect crude oil prices to trade sideways to up with support at $52 and resistance at $54. MCX Crude oil January has support at Rs 3,820, resistance at Rs 3940, Patel noted. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was flat quoting at $52.91 per barrel, while Brent crude, the London-based international benchmark, was slightly up 0.05 percent to $56.03 per barrel. MCX iCOMDEX Crude Oil Index inched lower 7.98 points, or 0.18 percent, at 4,406.12 at 16:06. In the futures market, crude oil for January delivery touched an intraday high of Rs 3,894 and an intraday low of Rs 3,837 per barrel on the MCX. So far in the current series, black gold has touched a low of Rs 3,130 and a high of Rs 3,971. Crude oil delivery for January eased by Rs 8, or 0.21 percent, to Rs 3,863 per barrel at 16:07 hours IST with a business turnover of 2,218 lots. Crude oil delivery for February dropped by Rs 19, or 0.49 percent, to Rs 3,876 per barrel with a business volume of 73 lots. The value of January and Februarys contracts traded so far is Rs 266.68 crore and Rs 2.44 crore, respectively. Trading strategy Kshitij Purohit, Product Manager, Currency & Commodities, CapitalVia Global Research Limited Technically MCX Crude is trading firm above Rs 3,800, We may expect another round of volatility near this level, Major support in WTI Crude oil are: $48.82-44.99, Major resistance are: $54.57-59.99 Major support in MCX Crude oil are: Rs 3,570 3,420, Major resistance are Rs 3,900-3,970. Overall, it was a bullish report and with declined inventories and strong demand and if the same scenario continues then Crude have good chances to move higher. For all commodities-related news, click here : The views and investment tips expressed by experts on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not those of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. KYIV. Jan 14 (Interfax-Ukraine) The Epicenter K Group of Companies plans to invest over $1.2 billion in its development over the next two years, in particular, plans to raise a loan from the Dutch bank ING, Director General of the group Petro Mykhailyshyn has said. "At the end of last year, we invested $375 million, while creating 1,350 new jobs. In 2021-2022, we have planned $1.22 billion in investments, which is several times more than last year," Mykhailyshyn said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday. "We hope and intend this year to make an unprecedented investment in the development of all segments of our company, all businesses, and this is construction activities, the agricultural sector, the production of ceramic tiles and other building materials, as well as the development of logistics fulfillment centers," Mykhailyshyn said, announcing the plans. According to him, the investments will, in particular, be channeled to the purchase of Dutch equipment Vanderlande for the logistics center in Kalynivka (Kyiv region) and four fulfillment centers in the regions. He added that for this, the company intends to sign credit agreements with international banks. "For this, international banks, together with state-run insurance companies, are ready to provide a loan on unprecedented terms within the framework of the export support program for these countries. We already have experience of such work," he said, adding that the company will cooperate with the Dutch bank ING and insurance company Atradius. Mykhailyshyn said that the planned loans have an effective rate of up to 3% per annum for a period of seven to 10 years. However, according to the terms of the loan agreement, the company is required to raise its own funds up to 30% of the loan amount. At the same time, he said that quarantine restrictions prevent the company from making a profit. A Baton Rouge teenager accused of fatally shooting an elderly woman during a botched 2019 burglary at her home near Tiger Bend and Antioch roads will stand trial Sept. 20, a judge decided Thursday. Xavier Cade, 16, is charged with second-degree murder in the Dec. 30, 2019, killing of Angela Haymon, 74, a wife and great-grandmother. He was indicted in March and pleaded not guilty in June. In elderly Baton Rouge woman's killing, boy pleads not guilty to murder charge A Baton Rouge teen accused of shooting an elderly woman to death during a botched December burglary at her home near Tiger Bend and Antioch ro Cade had turned 15 several weeks before the shooting. Haymon was investigating a noise under her carport on Morel Avenue in the Antioch Villa subdivision when she was shot in the chest by Cade, authorities have said. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Her husband heard the gunfire from inside the house, went outside to confront the teens Xavier Cade and his brother and shot Cade in the back while he was fleeing the scene. Cade was arrested after undergoing surgery. East Baton Rouge sheriff's officials have said the hunting rifle used to kil Haymon had been stolen a week earlier from a vehicle parked right across the street from her house. New info on killing of elderly Baton Rouge woman: Teen allegedly stole gun from car across street A hunting rifle used in the December fatal shooting of a Baton Rouge great-grandmother had been stolen one week earlier from a vehicle parked Cade faces a sentence of life in prison with the chance to seek parole after serving 25 years if he's found guilty as charged in the slaying. State District Judge Beau Higginbotham is presiding over the case. Cade's brother, Jerome Cade, 17, is accused of taking part in the burglary at Haymon's residence. A juvenile court judge last year found probable cause only for an attempted burglary charge against Jerome Cade. Organisers of Sculpture by the Sea have abandoned plans to stage last year's delayed outdoor exhibition early this year, defeated by ongoing COVID-19 health concerns. A smaller spin-off outdoor show of 17 works, Sculpture Rocks, that was to have been staged on Sydney Harbour as part of Australia Day celebrations has also been postponed due to the latest outbreaks. The two-kilometre sculpture walk from Bondi to Tamarama was to have been rescheduled for the autumn after the event failed to secure an exemption from the NSW Health Department last October. Sculpture by the Sea will not resurface until October following the COVID-19 cluster setback. Credit:Steven Siewert The show will now go ahead with the same line up of artists, plus two or three new guest artists, at its usual time this October, pandemic permitting. Ukrainian court dismisses claim to cancel anti-dumping duties 14 January 2021 Ukraines District Administrative Court of Kyiv has reportedly dismissed the claim of the managing company of Belarusian Cement Co and its local importers regarding the cancellation of anti-dumping duties on cement imports into Ukraine, established by the Interdepartmental Commission on International Trade in May 2019. The news was reported by the Ilyashev & Partners Law Firm, which represents the interests of third parties in the case. "The court recognised the need to protect the violated rights of national cement producers in Ukraine from dumping imports of goods to Ukraine, which were allowed to cement producers of the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Moldova and caused significant damage to national producers," said the firm. The Belarusian Cement Co and local importers of its products had reportedly filed a lawsuit in 2019 to cancel the decision of the Interdepartmental Commission on International Trade. The decision establishes anti-dumping duties for a period of five years on the import of clinker and Portland cement originating in the Russian Federation, the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Moldova. The duty was 57.03 per cent for Belarus, Russia 114.95 per cent and Moldova 94.46 per cent. Published under Macaulay Culkin has voiced his support for removing President Donald Trumps cameo from the 1992 movie Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. In the holiday film, Trump appears in the Plaza Hotel which the real estate mogul owned at the time to give young Kevin McAllister (Culkin) directions to the lobby. A fan of the Home Alone sequel said on Twitter shed like to start a Petition to digitally replace trump in home alone 2 with 40-year-old macaulay culkin. Sold, the actor responded. Another fan shared an edited version of the scene with Trump removed. Bravo, Culkin tweeted. Bravo. Macaulay Culkin (@IncredibleCulk) January 13, 2021 Trump was previously cut out of Home Alone 2 by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation during a Christmas Day broadcast in 2019. The CBCs Head of Public Affairs Chuck Thompson said the 10-second scene was among nearly eight minutes of footage cut from the movie to save time for the television broadcast with commercials. This happens regularly with films adapted for television, Thompson explained. The scene with Donald Trump was one of several that were cut from the movie as none of them were integral to the plot. These edits were done in 2014. Fox News accused the CBC of censorship and Trump Derangement Syndrome, while Trump accused Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of being behind the edit: I guess Justin T doesnt much like my making him pay up on NATO or Trade! the president tweeted at the time. People magazine reports Home Alone 2 director Chris Columbus said in November that Trump bullied his way into the movie because they used the hotel he owned from 1988 to 1995. We paid the fee, but he also said, The only way you can use the Plaza is if Im in the movie, Columbus told Insider. So we agreed to put him in the movie, and when we screened it for the first time the oddest thing happened: People cheered when Trump showed up on screen. So I said to my editor, Leave him in the movie. Its a moment for the audience. Trump was impeached for a historic second time Wednesday on charges of inciting the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol after a pro-Trump mob stormed the building, leading to five deaths and dozens of injuries. Besides calls to remove him from Home Alone 2, fallout has included being banned from Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms; New York City terminating contracts worth $17 million to the Trump Organization; and seeing banks and Wall Street distance themselves from Trump. South Africa's Information Regulator has announced that it met Facebook South Africa on Wednesday, 13 January 2021, to discuss its revised WhatsApp privacy policy. WhatsApps revised private policy sparked a global outcry after the popular Facebook-owned messaging app alerted its 2 billion users to accept the new terms if they wanted to continue using it.According to reports, WhatsApp will now share data with Facebook.As part of the Facebook family of companies, WhatsApp receives information from, and shares information with, this family of companies, Ars Technica quoted the new privacy policy.We may use the information we receive from them, and they may use the information we share with them, to help operate, provide, improve, understand, customise, support, and market our services and their offerings.According to the Information Regulator, it is now in possession of the recently updated WhatsApp privacy policy furnished by Facebook South Africa.In terms of the revised policy, it appears that there are different terms of service and privacy policies for users in the European countries and in non-European countries.The watchdog said it will be analysing whether the terms of service and the privacy policies indeed differs and applicable to users outside Europe and compliant with the Protection of Personal Information Act (PoPIA).The regulator will engage with Facebook after the completion of the analysis, it said, adding that it remains committed to ensuring the protection of personal information of South African citizens.The Information Regulator is, among others, empowered to monitor and enforce compliance by public and private bodies with the provisions of the PoPIA.However, according to WhatsApp, the privacy policy update does not affect the privacy of the users messages with friends or family.We cant see your private messages or hear your calls, and neither can Facebook. Neither WhatsApp nor Facebook can read your messages or hear your calls with your friends, family, and co-workers on WhatsApp, the messaging app said this week.Whatever you share, it stays between you. Thats because your personal messages are protected by end-to-end encryption. We will never weaken this security and we clearly label each chat so you know our commitment.In addition, WhatsApp stated that it cannot keep logs of who everyone is messaging or calling, see the shared location and neither can Facebook.We dont share your contacts with Facebook when you give us permission, we access only the phone numbers from your address book to make messaging fast and reliable, and we dont share your contacts lists with the other apps Facebook offers, its statement shared on its website read.Meanwhile, it claims that groups remain private.We use group membership to deliver messages and to protect our service from spam and abuse. We dont share this data with Facebook for ads purposes. Again, these private chats are end-to-end encrypted, so we cant see their content.In addition, according to the app, users can still set messages to disappear.For additional privacy, you can choose to set your messages to disappear from chats after you send them.The Information Regulator's engagements with Facebook South Africa are ongoing. Three Pakistani soldiers were killed on January 14 in an exchange of fire with militants in the country's North Waziristan tribal district near the Afghan border, the military said in a statement. Three militants were also killed during in two separate intelligence-based operations on militant hideouts. "During an exchange of fire, three soldiers embraced 'shahadat' (martyrdom), while two terrorists and a bomb-making expert were also killed," Pakistan's military said in a statement. Local security officials told RFE/RL that the clashes with militants took place in Dattakhel area of North Waziristan. The events came two days after two Pakistani soldiers were killed and three others were wounded when suspected militants attacked their post in Speenwam area of the North Waziristan. In 2014, the army launched a large-scale operation to eradicate militant bases in the region and curb a near decade-long insurgency that claimed thousands of lives. In 2016, the army claimed to have cleared the last militant stronghold there after a three-month operation. With reporting by AFP Advertisement National Guard troops hunkered down at the Capitol building Wednesday night following the House of Representative's historic impeachment vote as workers toiled into the night setting up additional barricades and a non-scalable fence was erected outside the Trump hotel. Security measures are being heightened inside and surrounding the Capitol in the wake of the January 6 riot that left five dead and ahead of anticipated violence in the countdown to Inauguration Day. A total of 20,000 National Guardsman have been authorized to descend on Washington to safeguard the nations capital. There are already 6,200 troops on the ground in DC and at least 10,000 more will arrive by Saturday. The troops are being told to prepare for attacks and possible IED threats after pipe bombs were uncovered in last weeks deadly Capitol rampage. On Wednesday evening armed camouflage-clad troops were seen resting on the marble floors of the Capitol building and patrolling the grounds. It is believed to be the first time troops have set up camp in the Capitol since the Civil War. Throngs of guardsmen were seen cradling their guns as they slept in the open on the floor and took turns making rounds of the Capitol grounds. After dark on Wednesday workers were seen setting up extra barricades around the Capitol and a towering non-scalable fence was placed outside the Trump hotel, located a few blocks away from the White House. National Guard members hunkered down at the Capitol building Wednesday night following the impeachment vote as buildings in Washington DC are boarded up bracing for more protests in the countdown to Inauguration Day. A view of soldiers resting on the ground of the Capitol Visitors Center after being deployed to secure the grounds of the building Wednesday At least twenty thousand troops of the National Guard will be deployed in Washington by the end of the week to help secure the Capitol area ahead of more potentially violent unrest in the days leading up to the Inauguration of US President-elect Joe Biden. A view of troops walking and some resting at the Capitol Visitors Center on Wednesday Swathes of armed, camouflage-clad troops pictured securing the grounds of the Capitol building on Wednesday. There are already 6,200 troops on the ground in DC and at least 10,000 more will arrive by Saturday An non-scalable fence was placed around the Trump hotel a few blocks away from the White House by Wednesday evening Layers of security: Workers pictured setting up additional barricades surrounding the US Capitol on Wednesday evening in a bid to keep potential violent protesters at bay Boarded up: A view of posters denouncing Donald Trump and voicing support for Black Lives Matter placed on top of barricades surrounding the White House and the US Capitol on Wednesday evening The scene outside the White House and US Capitol on Wednesday evening after Trump was impeached for a second time, showing streets with heavy security The Secret Service will take control of inauguration security preparations from today and road closures are now in effect across parts the downtown Washington DC area until after the inauguration. Further perimeters and additional road closures are expected in the coming days. Access to all roads, parking garages and loading docks - including residential and commercial building - in the White House perimeter will be banned from Thursday morning So far, eight-foot steel fences that are non-scalable have already been erected around the White House, Capitol and other federal buildings, including the Supreme Court. The National Guard said in a release Wednesday that while some soldiers were seen resting on-duty, there is a designated rest area for troops between shifts. Officials are ramping up security measures at the Capitol to avoid a repeat on the January 6 riot where swathes of Trump supporters stormed into the building and halted the joint Congress session certifying the presidential election. Rioters were seen swinging from the Senate balcony, entering House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, and clashing with police outside the building. In the riot, the National Guard took hours to arrive on the scene and disperse the crowds. The troops, thousands of other law enforcement officers and layers of eight-foot, anti-climb steel fencing are among the reinforcements being used to fortify DC a week out from the inauguration in a bid to protect the capital from any violence. On Wednesday afternoon, Republican lawmakers Mike Waltz and Vicky Hartzler handed out boxes of pizza to those troops in the Capitol. Hartzler was among the Republicans branded the 'treason caucus' for objecting to Biden's win after the Capitol riots. Speaker Nancy Pelosi addressed some of the troops outside the Capitol building to thank them for their service just hours before the House of Representatives started debating impeaching President Trump for a second time. National Guard soldiers pictured with riot shields and helmets heading to the Capitol Visitors Center after being deployed to secure the grounds of the Capitol Officials are ramping up security measures at the Capitol to avoid a repeat on the January 6 riot where swathes of Trump supporters stormed into the building and halted the joint Congress session certifying the presidential election. Rioters were seen swinging from the Senate balcony, entering House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, and clashing with police outside the building Working into the night: Trucks with equipment and workers were seen Wednesday night setting up barricades surrounding the US Capitol Workers pictured laying a barricade on the ground Wednesday night in bid to beef up security surrounding the Capitol Putting it together: The troops, thousands of other law enforcement officers and layers of eight-foot, anti-climb steel fencing are among the reinforcements being used to fortify DC a week out from the inauguration in a bid to protect the capital from any violence Trump Hotel: The president's DC hotel located just blocks from the White House had a non-scalable fence set up around its perimeter Wednesday evening Closed off: The quiet and empty streets surrounding the Trump hotel with metal barricades set up pictured above Wednesday evening The quiet scene outside of the Trump Hotel in Washington DC pictured above, surrounded with a towering fence Blocking traffic: A view of downtown DC with barricades set up in the street to prevent car traffic pictured Wednesday night Boarding up: Several businesses in DC were seen boarded up Wednesday night as the capital braces for more protests ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration next week Riot damage: A view of a door to the Capitol building that was damaged in the January 6 riot pictured above Wednesday night A week before the swearing in ceremony, federal officials have led tabletop exercises to rehearse inauguration security and strengthened coordination between police, the National Guard and federal personnel, according to a Washington Post report. Secret Service will run the inauguration security and the FBI is overviewing possible threats to DC and state capitals. Officials are also monitoring online posts and message boards about plans from far-right groups to descend once again upon Washington for the inauguration. On Wednesday FBI Director Christopher A Wray briefed local law enforcement agencies across the country about the state of play and moved to establish new command posts across the country. The FBI and Secret Service officials have also briefed Biden and his national security aides Wednesday, Bidens transition team said. Those officials will receive daily updates on security and plans. National Guard soldiers secure the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C., the United States Wednesday Non-scalable fencing newly installed around the Supreme Court pictured above on Wednesday Wednesday An Inauguration parade riser stands across from the White House, one week before the inauguration of Joe Biden as President A large banner with the impeachment clause of the US constitution seen near the US Capitol in during today's impeachment of US President Donald J. Trump by the House of Representatives The FBI has already warned of armed protests being planned in Washington and all 50 state capitals in the run-up to the inauguration, including three separate plots to attack the Capitol. Security experts have said chatter among extremists and Trump supporters on social media about threatening violence in DC and other cities has surged in recent days. On Wednesday, Acting US Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen warned potential domestic terrorists against further attacks. 'I want to send a clear message to anyone contemplating violence, threats of violence or other criminal conduct: We will have no tolerance whatsoever for any attempts to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power... including attempts to forcefully occupy government buildings,' Rosen said. 'There will be no excuse for violence, vandalism or any other form of lawlessness.' On Wednesday afternoon Republican lawmakers Mike Waltz and Vicky Hartzler handed out boxes of pizza to those National Guard troops that descended upon the Capitol Speaker Nancy Pelosi addressed some of the troops outside the Capitol building earlier to thank them for their service The troops could be seen spreading out inside the Rotunda of the US Capitol on Wednesday morning Members of the National Guard spread out in the Capitol on Wednesday with some using the base of statues as head rests Majority Whip James Clyburn walks past members of the National Guard trying to get some sleep inside the US Capitol on Wednesday morning The troops cradled their weapons and huddled together as they slept inside the Capitol on Wednesday The troops, which descended on DC in the wake of last week's MAGA mob riots, were spotted cradling their weapons as they slept on the floor of the Capitol on Wednesday. They are pictured above gathering near the Statue of Freedom inside the Capitol Visitor's Center Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) greets members of the National Guard in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday morning Restricted areas have already been established around the White House and Capitol grounds with extra security screenings in place for those trying to get access. Armed National Guard troops and other law enforcement have been patrolling these areas all week. Road closures surrounding the White House and Capitol came into effect late Tuesday and will remain in place until after the inauguration. Access to all roads, parking garages and loading docks surrounding the White House will be banned from Thursday morning. Authorities say that any vehicle within that restricted area will be stuck there until after the inauguration. The restrictions apply to both residential and commercial buildings. Further perimeters and additional road closures are expected in the coming days. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Sun and clouds mixed. High 74F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 47F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Two women were injured when shot in a Gresham hotel parking lot Tuesday night, officials said Wednesday. Officers responded about 7:15 p.m. to multiple reports of gunshots in the parking lot near the Extended Stay hotel in the 17000 block of Northeast Sacramento Street, police said. Police found two victims suffering from injuries. Both were taken to a nearby hospital, but officials did not release details on the extent of their injuries. No arrests were made, but investigators asked anyone with information to contact Detective Aaron Turnage at 503-618-3136. -- Kale Williams; kwilliams@oregonian.com; 503-294-4048; @sfkale But it also shows how an issue that was Mr. Yangs signature talking point on the 2020 campaign trail has gained enough acceptance to be co-opted by other candidates a development that threatens to undermine Mr. Yangs central argument for running. The candidates embrace of guaranteed income doesnt mean that a broad-based program is a particularly viable idea for New York City, given the battering its economy has taken in the pandemic, its yawning budgetary needs and the amount of money needed to guarantee income to the citys adult population of roughly 6.6 million. Mr. Yang acknowledged as much in his campaign rollout. His proposal for the largest basic income program in the country is by no means universal. He would target annual cash payments of about $2,000 to a half million of the poorest New Yorkers, in a city of 8.4 million. Mr. Yang said his proposal would cost the city $1 billion a year a daunting sum given that the city faces budget deficits in the billions of dollars in coming years. He says further expansion of the program would be dependent upon more funding from public and philanthropic organizations, with the vision of eventually ending poverty in New York City altogether. His plan for the country was more far-reaching: He had envisioned giving every American citizen over 18 years of age $1,000 a month in guaranteed federal income, or $12,000 a year, a no-strings-attached dispensation he said was made necessary by the increasingly widespread automation of jobs. 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. A second wave of coronavirus infections hitting African countries is "extremely aggressive" and stronger than the first, as fears mount new variants of the virus are behind the faster spread. Since December, Africa has recorded the fastest rise in new cases in the world. The number of new infections rose by 13 per cent in the past week while it declined or stayed unchanged on every other continent, according to figures from the World Health Organization. "I think this is serious, the second wave is extremely aggressive," Dr John Nkengasong, who heads the African Centres for Disease Control (CDC), said on Wednesday. Read Full Story .... .telegraph.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 Afghan traffic authorities are retiring licence plates containing the number "39" because the figure has long been associated with pimping and prostitution. Vice President Amrullah Saleh said a decree to that effect would be introduced this week, eliminating what had become a tempting source of bribery by traffic officials. "The number (39) will be removed from the traffic system. It is said that people pay $300 bribes to avoid the number," he said in a Facebook post. The origin of 39's street meaning is lost in time, but said to be linked to a notorious pimp in the western city of Herat, whose car registration plate contained the number. Now, anyone driving a car sporting the figure risks being linked to an underground sex industry that is taboo in the devoutly Muslim nation. New car owners have resorted to paying bribes to avoid being issued licence plates with the digits. "At the traffic department they ask you if you want number 39 or not," said Hakim, a car dealer in the capital. "If you don't, then they ask for a bribe." He said nobody would buy a second-hand car with the digits because they consider it "shameful". "Last year, I had to sell two cars at almost half the price because they had 39 in their number plates," Hakim told AFP. The association has even spread beyond vehicles, and Afghans can be teased or shunned for having telephone numbers or addresses featuring the digits. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. A 45-year old Mangwe man who last September allegedly murdered his parents he accused of bewitching him, yesterday appeared before a Plumtree magistrate facing two counts of murder. Lisani Marcellus Nleya who allegedly murdered his father Mr Nicholas Nleya (83) and his mother Mrs Margaret Nleya (78) was not asked to plead when he appeared before Ms Vivian Ndlovu. He was remanded in custody to 17 February and advised to apply for bail at the High Court. Prosecuting Mr Willbrought Muleya said Nleya allegedly committed the murder on the night of 1 September. The accused is the last son of the deceased couple and he believed that the two were bewitching him since childhood. The accused confronted the two deceased and other family members on several occasions seeking audience without success, he said. Mr Muleya said Nleya planned the murder while in South Africa where he is based. On 1 September the accused person entered the country and registered an Econet line using his national identity card particulars while in Bulawayo. The accused person later proceeded to the deceaseds homestead during the night armed with a machete, kitchen knife and some home-made petrol bombs, he said Mr Muleya said Nleya broke the couples bedroom window to gain entry and therefter allegedly murdered the two as his mother pleaded with him to spare their lives. After the muder, Nleya allegedly torched the room using the homemade petrol bombs resulting in the deceaseds bodies being burnt beyond recognistion. Remnants of the weapons used in the murder were found at the house he was lodging in Emakhandeni suburb in Bulawayo. Part of the recovered weapons include a kitchen knife wrapped in a parcel wrapper, one machete, one home-made petrol bomb, one balaclava and the accuseds national identity document. He used to stay at the Emakhandeni house whenever he was in the country. Nleya who had sneaked into the country, was arrested on Sunday in Bulawayo after a tip-off from members of the public. On Tuesday he was taken to the homestead for indications. Shackled in leg irons and handcuffs, Nleya told detectives that his parents deserved to die because they were bewitching him. He said he acted alone in the ruthless double-murder that shocked the country. Nleya is said to have cut ties with his family and had not communicated with them in 15 years. He lived in South Africa but would come to Zimbabwe to spend time in Bulawayo with friends but never set foot at the family homestead nor bothered to check on his relatives until the night of the murder. Chronicle Hong Kong, Jan 14 : As the World Health Organisation (WHO) team landed in Wuhan on Thursday to study the cause of the Covid-19 outbreak, China blocked two members of the 13-member international team from travelling to the epicentre of the pandemic after they failed the coronavirus antibody test in Singapore. The WHO first tweeted that the international team of 13 scientists examining the origins of the virus that causes Covid-19 arrived in Wuhan. The experts were to begin their work immediately during the two-week quarantine protocol for international travellers. Later, in a separate tweet, WHO said that two members of that team remain in Singapore after they were "tested positive for IgM antibodies". IgM antibodies are among the earliest potential signs of a coronavirus infection and false positives are also possible with such tests. "Two scientists are still in #Singapore completing tests for #COVID19. All team members had multiple negative PCR and antibody tests for COVID-19 in their home countries prior to travelling," the WHO said in a tweet. "They are being retested for both IgM and IgG antibodies." IgG is the most common type of antibody found in blood circulation. At a press conference on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the country "will strictly follow the relevant epidemic prevention regulations and requirements, and provide corresponding support and facilities for WHO experts who come to China to carry out international cooperation on tracing the origin of the virus". Asked about the two scientists denied entry, Zhao would not comment, instructing reports to ask "the relevant authorities." According to the report, this is the second delay for the WHO team, which was due to arrive in China earlier this month. The team was blocked from flying there by the Chinese authorities, triggering a rare rebuke from the United Nations (UN). "I am very disappointed with this news," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "I have been in contact with senior Chinese officials and I have once again made clear that the mission is a priority for WHO and the international team." The US has also demanded transparency in WHO operations in China. The overall global coronavirus caseload has topped 92 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 1.97 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University. In its latest update on Thursday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 92,291,033 and 1,961,987, respectively. The US is the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 23,067,796 and 384,604, respectively, according to the CSSE. India comes in second place in terms of cases at 10,495,147, while the country's death toll soared to 151,529. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) President Donald Trump has blamed his lawyer, Rude Giuliani for his second impeachment on Wednesday, according to CNN The President ... President Donald Trump has blamed his lawyer, Rude Giuliani for his second impeachment on Wednesday, according to CNN The President has also told people to stop paying for the lawyers legal fees, according to the news network quoting a source. CNN reports that though Trumps aides were not clear if the President was serious about his instructions given hes lashing out at nearly everyone after the events of his second impeachment. Trump, who is US 45th President, became the first among them all to be impeached twice when the House of Representatives confirmed his impeachment on Wednesday, a week after he was accused of inciting his supporters to launch a deadly attack on US Capitol. Trump was impeached by the House on a single charge of incitement of insurrection. The attack was said to be the outgoing Presidents push to stop the certification of Joe Biden by the Congress. And the CNN reports that Trump has been blaming his longtime personal lawyer and many others for the predicament he now finds himself in. The lawyer, who is expected to play a role in Trumps impeachment defense, is said to have been left out of most conversations thus far. One White House adviser told CNN that everybodys angry at everyone inside the White House, with the President being upset because he thinks people are not defending him enough. Hes in self-pity mode, the source said, with Trump complaining hes been under siege for five years and he views this latest impeachment as a continuation of that. But many people close to the President view the current situation as different than his first impeachment. His actions led to here, no one else, the White House adviser said, adding, He instigated a mob to charge on the Capitol building to stop the certification, hes not going to find a lot of sympathetic Republicans. Google said it would not allow political ads on its platforms until after Inauguration Day because of last weeks violent uprising at the Capitol. In a letter to advertisers on Wednesday, the company said the suspension covered any ads that referred to candidates, the election or its outcome, the upcoming presidential inauguration, the impeachment process, the Capitol riots, or planned protests about any of these subjects. There will not be exceptions for news or merchandise advertisers. The pause will go into effect on Thursday and extend until at least Jan. 21. Google is the biggest seller of advertising on the internet. In addition to displaying advertising on its own services, such as its search engine and YouTube, it runs a powerhouse ad platform and exchange relied on by other websites and publishers. The policy change was reported earlier by Axios. Sundar Pichai, the chief executive of Googles parent company, Alphabet, said at the Reuters Next conference on Wednesday that the company had made significant changes to how it handled political ads and election misinformation around the election, but he acknowledged that more work needed to be done. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. KYODO NEWS - Jan 14, 2021 - 22:35 | All, Japan Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi on Thursday welcomed Britain's plan to dispatch an aircraft carrier strike group to waters in the western Pacific amid China's growing maritime assertiveness. During a video conference with his British counterpart Ben Wallace, Kishi said Japan will work closely with the country for the dispatch of the strike group, centered on the aircraft carrier Queen Elizabeth, according to the Defense Ministry. The carrier, commissioned in 2017, is Britain's largest warship, weighing 65,000 tons and measuring 280 meters in length. It is expected to carry out joint exercises with Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military during its stay in areas including off the Nansei Islands chain in southwestern Japan. Kishi and Wallace agreed that the two countries will "strongly oppose" any unilateral attempt to change the status quo in the East and South China seas through force, according to the Japanese ministry. Related coverage: FOCUS: Japan, U.S. to boost defense ties with Europe in Indo-Pacific FOCUS: Taiwan seeks "asymmetric" defense to deter China Japan's defense budget hits new high in FY 2021 amid China threats China has aggressively pressed its territorial claims in those bodies of water, raising tensions with Tokyo and a number of other Asian countries. Kishi and Wallace agreed to strengthen a free and open Indo-Pacific and defense cooperation, and work toward holding "two-plus-two" talks involving their countries' foreign ministers at an early date, the ministry said. They also reaffirmed they will work toward the goal of North Korea ridding itself of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles in a "complete, verifiable and irreversible manner," it said. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Moderation and balance have been major pillars of Bahrain's diplomacy for over 50 years, Council of Representatives Speaker Fawzia bint Abdullah Zainal has said. The diplomacy has recorded Bahrain's national progress based on lofty principles and high values that constituted the most important factor in consolidating the Kingdom's international relations, she added. It also highlighted the comprehensive prosperity across all areas in the Kingdom under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Speaker said as Bahrain celebrates Diplomacy Day on January 14. Zainal lauded HM the King's statement on the occasion that stressed the approach of Bahraini diplomacy to highlight the Kingdom's noble values of tolerance, coexistence, fraternity, mutual respect, and adherence to international charters and laws. Such values contribute to strengthening security, peace and global stability, she said. The Speaker congratulated all diplomats and staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and commended the efforts being exerted by the minister and senior officials in widening cooperation with other countries and in reinforcing Bahrain's role and stances on the various Arab, regional and international issues. She stressed the keenness of the Council of Representatives on supporting the ministry's endeavours. Azerbaijans successful use of drones during its recent war with Armenia, specialists say, has captured the attention of military leaders around the world and accelerated a move toward a generation of unmanned aerial vehicles that are smaller, cheaper and easier to operate, Washington Times writes in the article Smaller, cheaper drones have outsized impact on the future of war. Even the leaders of major Western military powers such as Britain have signaled a coming shift in their drone strategies after watching Azerbaijani aircraft rain destruction on Armenian troops and traditional ground combat vehicles during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict this fall. Many of those medium-sized Azerbaijani aircraft were purchased from Turkey and belong to the Group 3 classification of drones. Group 4 and Group 5 drones include much larger and better-known examples such as the Predator, Global Hawk and Reaper, all deployed extensively by the U.S. military over the past two decades. Those large drones, analysts say, still have a role to play in combat, but smaller and cheaper alternatives, such as the Turkish TB2, which can cost just a few million dollars, are increasingly appealing and increasingly effective. I think theres a trend globally in militaries to develop or purchase these smaller, tactical Group 3 types of drones. You can purchase more of them [for less money] than it would take to purchase Group 4 or Group 5, and they serve more applications, said Michael Blades, vice president of aerospace, defense and security at the leading research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan. If you want to use them for a tactical attack, you can do that. If you want to use them for surveillance, you can do that, said Mr. Blades, who tracks the drone industry closely. You dont need a whole lot of technology, with the small drones and airborne IEDs, you dont need a whole lot of technology to do a lot of damage. Indeed, small- or medium-sized drones have proved highly effective in Libya, Yemen, Syria and in other battles around the world, with even nonstate actors such as the Islamic State group employing cheap drones to great effect. Specialists predict that the rapid proliferation of drones could mark a turning point in warfare and, given how vulnerable some vehicles are to small-drone attacks, may lead to wholesale changes in how ground-combat campaigns are conducted. Small drones and tight budgets For the worlds leading militaries, the Azerbaijani-Armenian war raised new questions about how best to allocate money in defense budgets that are likely to stay flat or even shrink in coming years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Britains Guardian newspaper reported late last month that U.K. military officials are eyeing a major purchase of cheaper drones as part of the countrys five-year defense plan. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace also has publicly declared that Turkeys TB2 drone and similar aircraft are now leading the way in unmanned technology. Israel also has emerged as a leading manufacturer in the arena. The price tag for those Group 3 drones pales in comparison with the more than $20 million Britain reportedly paid recently for larger Protector drones. But analysts say there is more to the strategy than simply saving money. Larger drones also arent as nimble in the skies over a battlefield and simply arent suited to certain missions, whereas a craft such as the TB2 can quickly and easily be fitted for a host of tasks. In Nagorno-Karabakh, the TB2 likewise performed well in targeting and destroying enemy defenses, Shaan Shaikh and Wes Rumbaugh, researchers with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, wrote in a recent analysis. In addition to providing identification and targeting data, the TB2s also carried smart, micro-guided munitions to kill targets on their own. Azerbaijan has also used the high-definition cameras the TB2s carry to produce many propaganda videos, they wrote. Videos showcasing attacks on Armenian fighters and equipment were posted online and broadcast on digital billboards in Baku. Although Armenia fielded its own drones, including some made by its military ally Russia, it was too little, too late. Azerbaijans well-planned, well-financed drone strategy wreaked absolute havoc on the Soviet-era ground equipment fielded by the Armenians. Military observers have concluded that drones likely proved to be a game-changer that left Armenia, which defeated Azerbaijan in a 1994 clash, with few viable military options this time. The Nagorno-Karabakh stalemate, a frozen conflict dating back to the mid-1990s, was transformed in a matter of weeks, resulting in major territorial losses that Armenian leaders called unspeakably painful. Azerbaijans success, analysts say, was also attributable in large part to Armenias lack of anti-drone systems. Such technology will prove vital in future battles, particularly as more countries and nonstate actors are able to field their own swarms of drones. The issue is a top priority inside the Pentagon, which recently released the first militarywide strategy for countering small unmanned aerial systems, or sUAS. Commercial manufacturers and nation states are improving performance, reliability and survivability of sUAS, the report reads in part. Low-cost systems are increasingly available around the world. These more capable systems have extended range, payload and employment options. Some of these systems can fit in the palm of a hand, perform military missions, and conduct novel offensive or defensive operations not traditionally associated with the platform. Swarms of sUAS operating independently or augmented with manned systems, facial recognition algorithms, and high-speed digital communication networks, such as [5G] cellular networks, will create new levels of complexity. The Pentagon is researching and fielding laser weapons, electronic warfare systems and other capabilities that can either shoot down or disable drones. But specialists say the growing availability of drones and the number of nations that can now deploy them may force the U.S. to pursue other avenues to limit their use in warfare. The U.S. military has always tried to stay ahead by having better technology. But now I think theyre going to have to resort to multilateral agreements on when and how you can use drones, Mr. Blades said. Thats the only way you can rein this stuff in. California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development opening office in Yerevan US Department of State issues statement on detention of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces Armenia 1st President says Aliyev is certain that Pashinyan won't win elections and is trying to get all that he can UN calls for $ 95 million in aid to Palestinians Twitter is concerned about safety of its employees in India Artsakh hero: Impotent and perhaps also treacherous authorities of Armenia need to be removed from power immediately France MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to show maximum restraint Azerbaijani attacks Russia citizen of Armenian descent in Moscow Armenia acting MOD provides President with information about capture of Armenian servicemen Lithuania MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to go to de-escalation of situation and pull out troops Russian Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia acting FM resigns Acting Deputy FM: Armenia reserves itself the right to take necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity China speaks on dark history of US intelligence in connection with Biden's order Netanyahu slams hypocritical and deceitful moralizing statements of French FM Turkish authorities issues new arrest warrant for mafia after his scandalous revelations of Erdogan's entourage EU-Armenia Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security holds 11th Meeting Armenia acting PM deletes statement on Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers "being intertwined" from Facebook post 6 Armenian soldiers captured: situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border is tense, May 27 digest Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff deputy chief explains difficulties with settlement of border with Azerbaijan UN: Israeli forces may have committed war crimes during 11-day war with Hamas Nikol Pashinyan presents plan for resolving border situation Dollar gains value in Armenia Opposition party leader: Armenia Security Council to convene session with heads of parliamentary factions this evening His Holiness Karekin II receives newly appointed UK Ambassador to Armenia Greece and Turkey FMs to meet in Athens Armenia acting PM says he will present plan for peaceful solution to border situation very soon Armenia Parliament Speaker sends letters to counterparts of partnering legislatures Zarif: Iran welcomes willingness of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tension Armenia acting Deputy MOD on news about soldiers being ordered to not open fire ANCA calls on US Congress to block financing of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Armenia to allocate lands in Syunik Province to Russian border guards Armenia Armed Forces General Staff deputy chief: We can destroy all Azerbaijani soldiers who invaded territory Armenian advocates file lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan Army general staff deputy chief: About 1,000 Azerbaijan soldiers are illegally in Armenia Army general staff: Armed forces can capture Azerbaijani soldiers who marched into Armenia Armenia legislature approves several amendments to laws Armenian opposition MP: Villages mentioned by ruling bloc's deputy are Armenia's buffer zone Armenia Gegharkunik Province villager to acting PM: Over 50% of our pastures are now under Azerbaijan control Armenia Kotayk Province has new governor Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US ambassador, discusses border situation NEWS.AM BREAKING: 6 Armenian soldiers are captured by Azerbaijan military in early morning European Council head says process of implementing sanctions against Belarus is launched Armenia acting MOD leaves for Moscow Armenia President, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces discuss current situation on border Armenia acting PM to residents of borderline village: If we cede our border, Azerbaijanis will get more excited Armenia MOD not confirming reports about Azerbaijan firing shots at Tavush Province Ex-President Kocharyan meets with Yerevan residents, "Armenia" bloc members (PHOTOS) Armenia petitions to European Court to ensure fundamental human rights of 6 soldiers captured by Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier: We need to unite in this situation Serj Tankian makes statement on Azerbaijans displayed horrific racism Man detained in US for intending to commit attempt on Biden Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD continues disseminating disinformation Erdogan to visit Baku and Shushi Two Armenia legislature committees to hold closed joint meeting regarding tense situation on Azerbaijan border Holy Etchmiadzin on capture of Armenia soldiers: Such behavior of Azerbaijan authorities is strongly condemnable Gegharkunik Province village border area situation very tense, says Armenia enlarged community leader Armenia opposition MP: Shots are heard Gegharkunik Province Armenian National Congress party electoral list is announced Armenia MFA: Azerbaijan leadership bears responsibility for consequences of actions by its armed forces Opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament demands convening Security Council special session 140 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Acting premier: Our servicemen were abducted from Armenia territory Armenia MOD announces names of 6 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan military early morning Armenia parliament majority leader to CSTO: Our international partners do not call it like it is Armenia parliament manages to have quorum in 2nd attempt World oil prices falling Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan popularity rating consistently drops over the past week Newspaper: Russia peacekeepers commander does not return from Azerbaijan with encouraging news for Armenia MOD: 6 Armenia soldiers are surrounded, captured by Azerbaijan military early morning William Shakespeare, 1st man in world to get approved coronavirus vaccine, dies aged 81 Spain Congress of Deputies committee accepts pro-Armenian motion Ex-PM comments on double-digit growth in Armenia economy Facebook calls Russia, Iran leading purveyors of disinformation Erdogan says meeting with Biden will mark 'start of new era' in relations with Washington Armenia acting Deputy PM on creation of third high-voltage electric communication line with Iran Vladimir Zaynetdinov: CSTO has taken note of application submitted by Armenia acting PM Armenia's Pashinyan says addressing UN Security Council not ruled out Armenia acting FM: International pressure on Azerbaijan is growing Netanyahu tells Blinken that Israel is against reopening US consulate for Palestinians 23 political parties and 4 alliances apply to Armenia Central Electoral Commission ahead of snap parliamentary elections Instagram launches ability to hide likes Iran FM on solutions to problems in the region, territorial integrity Bloomberg: Support for Erdogan's ruling party hits record low Inter-agency commission sums up reports on implementation of roadmap for EU-Armenia CEPA Armenian acting PM on CSTO and Russia and their duties as Armenia's allies Slovakia allows use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V Armenia acting PM on situation in Syunik Province: CSTO still hasn't clearly expressed its position Armenia's Pashinyan: It's very rarely that Baku made provocations in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces on its own Armenia acting PM: There will be no demarcation of borders until Azerbaijani troops are pulled out of territory Record-setting number of political parties register to run in snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Blinken describes Egypt as a "real and effective partner" Armenia's Pashinyan slams opposition again Yerevan court ends trial over Armenia 3rd President's nephew Hayk Sargsyan Armenia President expresses condolences on passing away of Catholicos-Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan Armenia President hosts Iran FM-led delegation Armenia acting PM doesn't see need to declare martial law in the country Iran to send delegation of intellectual companies to Armenia EU demands to fine AstraZeneca for not fulfilling contract Zakharova: Russia is closely participating in settling Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident A group of daredevil teenagers have been spotted risking their lives to take selfies on a 12-storey ledge of a five-star Sydney hotel. Death-defying images of school kids dangling their legs over on the edge of the Hyatt Regency in Darling Harbour were captured by a businessman on Wednesday. The man, who did not want to be identified, was working in an office overlooking the luxury hotel when he saw the teens scaling the tall building. Pictured: Teenagers dangling their feet over the edge of the Hyatt Regency hotel in Darling Harbour A teenager scaling the outside of the 12th story of the Hyatt Regency on January 13 'They proceeded to sit down and started taking selfies while hanging their legs off the edge,' he told the ABC. Hours later, he saw another group walking across the ledge to take selfies. 'I looked closer and there was a whole bunch of school kids on the fire escape stairs,' he said. The hotel's director of marketing and communications Marianne O'Donoghue told the publication that security guards raced to the 12th floor and told the children to get down. They fled the scene before police arrived. 'We were alerted that people had entered the hotel who weren't staying there and our security guards immediately investigated and went and found them and ejected them from the building,' she said. Pictured: The Hyatt Regency in Darling Harbour. The building has 15 floors and is the largest five-star hotel in Australia Ms O'Donoghue said the teenagers got to the 12th floor via public doors and thoroughfares. 'We'll continue to monitor activity in and around the hotel as it happens but this is a rarity and not something we've dealt with on a regular basis.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Hyatt Regency for comment. A NSW Police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia officers are investigating trespassing and malicious damage at the hotel. About four people have died trying to capture the perfect selfie in NSW since 2018. Last year, 21-year-old British backpacker Madalyn Davis plunged 30 metres while posing for a photograph at selfie hotpot Diamond Bay in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Its not enough to simply have the tools and infrastructure to achieve faster time to market, but what is critically important is the way these experiences are created and the context in which the consumer is engaged. Flybits, the leading digital experience platform for financial services, today announces the launch of Experience Studio 2.0. This major update empowers financial institutions to deliver beautifully designed, pre-built, and packaged experiences in real-time, and significantly improve customer engagement at scale. In an era where mobile visits now outweigh branch visits beyond 80:1, it is a critical time for banks to get the digital experience right. The complexity and time required to launch and scale personalized, relevant, and privacy-preserved digital experiences have been an ongoing challenge for banks, and we witnessed how much these stakes were raised last year, says Jordanne Pavao, VP of Product at Flybits. Its not enough to simply have the tools and infrastructure to achieve faster time to market, but what is critically important is the way these experiences are created and the context in which the consumer is engaged. Experience Studio 2.0 is specifically designed to address and overcome these challenges. Customers can now leverage a vast library of pre-built experiences that were developed using strategies required to deliver a best-in-breed personalized experience, from predictive financial insights and proactive nudges to passive financial education and dynamic policy planning. Digital and data teams can now accelerate the design, delivery, and measurement of experiences that drive customer acquisition, adoption, and retention beyond whats possible through traditional PFM and bespoke App development practices. Flybits Experience Studio 2.0 offers the following benefits to digital and data teams at financial institutions: Over 200 digital experiences to choose from across every line of business, including credit cards, primary banking, mortgage lending, personal lending, wealth, SMB, financial wellness, lifecycle marketing, loyalty, and much more Turnkey experience templates that decrease time to market by making it easy to design and deliver digital experiences An updated predictive and analytics view that tracks experience performance, with an in-depth look at how target audiences are engaging with active experiences New export capabilities, enabling users to import their performance data into any business intelligence tool of their choosing In addition to the launch of Experience Studio 2.0, Flybits is excited to release a number of new products and enhancements to be announced in the upcoming months. Learn more about Experience Studio 2.0 Entrepreneurs can now be fined for allowing customers to break health safety rules Employees will also face fines for not wearing a mask. Reporting by UNIAN If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter McConnell Formally Rejects Calls for Early Start for Senate Impeachment Trial Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said on Wednesday that the second impeachment trial for President Donald Trump would not begin until after President-elect Joe Biden has been sworn in next week. His statement formally rejects calls imploring him to return the Senate to Washington early in order to begin the next stage of impeachment. This comes after the Democrat-controlled House voted to impeach Trump over a charge that the president incited an insurrection that resulted in the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Given the rules, procedures, and Senate precedents that govern presidential impeachment trials, there is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial could conclude before President-elect Biden is sworn in next week. The Senate has held three presidential impeachment trials. They have lasted 83 days, 37 days, and 21 days respectively, McConnell wrote in a statement following the impeachment vote. Even if the Senate process were to begin this week and move promptly, no final verdict would be reached until after President Trump had left office. This is not a decision I am making; it is a fact. The President-elect himself stated last week that his inauguration on January 20 is the quickest path for any change in the occupant of the presidency. The Senate is out of session until Jan. 19, a day before Biden is scheduled to be inaugurated. The House voted 232197 to impeach Trump for a second time. Every Democrat voted in favor of impeachment, while 10 Republicans joined their colleagues to impeach the president. Republicans who did not support the impeachment said that moving forward with the proceedings would further divide the nation. McConnell, who did not indicate how he would vote, said that Congress and the executive branch spend the next seven days focused on facilitating a safe inauguration and an orderly transfer of power to the incoming Biden Administration. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) vowed in a statement after the impeachment vote that a trial for Trump will proceed and that the Senate will hold a vote to bar Trump from running for president again. The president of the United States incited a violent mob against the duly elected government of the United States in a vicious, depraved and desperate attempt to remain in power, Schumer said. A number of media outlets, lawmakers, former officials, and other critics have blamed Trump for the U.S. Capitol breach last week. A group of rioters and some protesters waving American and Trump flags illegally stormed the Capitol building. The mayhem on the grounds left at least five people dead, including a police officer, and dozens of police officers injured. A timeline by The Epoch Times shows that Trump was still giving a speech to a large crowd of supporters when rioters began efforts to enter the Capitol building. His speech to the crowd reiterated his allegations about election irregularities and fraud, and his dissatisfaction with the media and several lawmakers. Although he encouraged supporters to make your voices heard at the planned protest at the Capitol, he emphasized the need for the protest to be peaceful. As thousands of protesters moved their demonstration to the U.S. Capitol, small pockets of violence were reported during clashes with police and media. The vast majority of protesters remained peaceful. At around 2 p.m., a subgroup of protesters began rioting, smashing windows in an attempt to enter the Capitol building as other protesters tried to stop them. Shortly after, Trump started posting on Twitter, urging his supporters to stay peaceful. He continued his urge for peace and respect for law enforcement throughout the afternoon and asked his supporters to go home in a video. Rioters ended up breaching the Capitol building, and other protesters followed. Trump has since condemned the heinous attack by intruders on the Capitol, saying the demonstrators who infiltrated the Capitol have defiled the seat of American democracy. Ivan Pentchoukov contributed to this report. Photo: The Canadian Press Dr. Karine Dion, right, poses with her husband, David Daigle, left, and their son, Jacob, in this undated handout photo. Dion's family is speaking out after she took her own life in January 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO David Daigle The husband of a Quebec emergency room doctor who took her own life this month wants to shine a light on the mental health toll endured by those on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. Dr. Karine Dion killed herself earlier this month and her husband David Daigle says he has no doubt the pandemic played a part. Dion, 35, never contracted COVID-19 but found herself on leave twice in the past year once at the end of March after she had suffered a breakdown because of anxiety related to the novel coronavirus. It was Daigle who decided to come forward with Dion's story. He said he hopes anyone who needs help during the pandemic can get access to proper care. "I don't want her death to be in vain," Daigle said in a phone interview Wednesday. "There are a lot of people I know in the health network who are suffering, who are depressed but are continuing to work." Daigle spoke after attending a commemoration for his wife at the local hospital in Granby, Que., where she worked. Hospital staff placed pictures of Dion in a room and colleagues were invited in to write messages in a condolence book. Daigle said his wife had worked in Chibougamau, in northern Quebec, for four years before she had moved to the hospital in the Eastern Townships where she had worked as an emergency room physician for the past six years. He said he has little doubt Dion is a collateral victim of the pandemic and that her mental health suffered because of the virus. She helped plan the hospital's response to the first wave of COVID-19 before she went on leave in late March. She returned to the job after a few weeks too short a time frame, according to her family. "She was not herself anymore," Daigle said. "Afterward, she started to work again too quickly because she felt like she was in a war and wanted to help everyone." That lasted until September, when she went on leave again. "She felt guilty about being home and leaving her colleagues on their own," Daigle said. "She felt a lot of guilt and distress." Dion, who was being supported by family and health professionals, had started an online support group for health-care workers in the Eastern Townships region. Daigle said he felt she was doing better during the days before she died, adding that Dion had planned to return to work in mid-February. Word of Dion's death prompted strong reactions across the country. The Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians wrote on Sunday it was saddened to learn of Dion's death. "This is a tragic reminder of the toll of the pandemic on our physicians and silent suffering that continues to occur within our community," the organization wrote on Facebook. Dr. Dominique Desy, part of the association of general practitioners in Quebec's Yamaska region, where Granby is located, said it's hard to say how bad the situation is among doctors, who she said are trained to work in stressful situations. "And we've seen a lot of suffering," she said Tuesday. "So it takes a while for a physician to call for help, it takes a while for a physician to fall Now it's been 10 months." Dr. Barry Rubin, chair and medical director of the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at the University Health Network in Toronto, said he was horrified when he heard the news of Dion. Rubin spoke Tuesday of a "public health crisis" among doctors, nurses and other health-care staff and he called for immediate support for these workers. He urged colleagues to be on the lookout for each other. "We're in this together," he said. "We have to take care of ourselves if we're going to be able to provide good patient care for the patients that we serve." If there's a reason to speak out, Daigle said, "it's to shine a light on mental health, to take care of our health-care workers." Dion was the mother of Jacob, 7. "My wife was an extraordinary, exceptional woman and mother and I won't ever forget her," Daigle said. Brazil is sending an aircraft to India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to expedite vaccine shipment to the South American country. The Serum Institute of India Pvt., the worlds largest producer of vaccines by volume, will supply 2 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca Plc and the University of Oxford to Brazil, according to the nations Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello. Serums Chief Executive Officer Adar Poonawalla in an interview this month said he expected overseas supplies to only start around March, adding that the government will enable overseas sales after first meeting Indias initial requirements. A spokesman for Serum didnt respond to a text message seeking comment on the sale to Brazil, while an Indian foreign ministry spokesman declined to comment. India will be able to decide on exports of the vaccines within the next few weeks, foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said on Tuesday. Poonawalla said at a conference organized by Reuters on Thursday that Serum expects to start supplying the World Health Organizations Covax initiative that aims to pool vaccines for lower income countries by the end of January. South Africa has also said Serum has agreed to supply it with the vaccine this month. The Pune-based company hasnt publicly confirmed the deal with the African nation. India hasnt reached an agreement with Brazil on the pricing for the vaccine yet, a person with knowledge of the matter said, asking not to be identified before a public announcement. Brazil with more than 8 million cases has the third-highest infections in the world. More than 200,000 people have been killed by the virus. The rush to buy vaccine from India comes at a time President Jair Bolsonaro has refused to be vaccinated, and shown that hes in no hurry to negotiate with drug companies. Meanwhile, Health Minister Pazuello is taking action and said the government is negotiating with vaccine makers. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! There are restrictions on the production of prisoners from four a number of Irish prisons due to Covid-19 outbreaks, the Leader can confirm. At a sitting of Longford District Court on Tuesday, it was revealed by Judge Seamus Hughes that a number of prisoners would not be produced from Castlerea, Portlaoise, Wheatfield and Mountjoy prisons. Judge Hughes noted the outbreaks and adjourned a number of cases, including the case of one man who was due to be served the book of evidence on Tuesday. His case has been put back to January 19. The Irish Prison Service confirmed on Monday that two prisoners in Portlaoise and one prisoner in the Progression Unit in Mountjoy Prison have tested positive for the virus, adding that the prisoners were not recently committed and therefore contracted the virus from within the prison. Outbreak Control Teams (OCT) have now been established in Portlaoise and Mountjoy to agree and oversee the appropriate actions to be taken to mitigate against further possible spread of the disease within those prisons. The Service is working closely with Public Health in the HSE with regard to the management of the current outbreaks including making arrangements for the mass testing of prisoners and staff in both locations. Arrangements are being made for the mass testing of prisoners and staff in Portlaoise Prison on Sunday and Monday, and in Mountjoy on Wednesday and Thursday next week with a further test to be carried out 7 days later. To help prevent the spread of infection a more restricted regime has been introduced in both prisons which may impact on access to video visits and phone calls in the short term for prisoners in precautionary isolation however we are working to ensure that we can continue to facilitate family contact as far as possible. Earlier this month, following the confirmation of a positive cases among staff in Wheatfield Prison, mass testing of staff and prisoners was carried out and additional positive cases were detected among staff and five prisoners. The Irish Prison Service and Wheatfield Prison management have implemented a comprehensive contingency plan to prevent the spread of Covid-19 to the wider prison population. The Irish Prison Service also confirmed that five prisoners tested positive for Covid-19 in Loughan House Open Centre in recent weeks. Four of the five prisoners who tested positive were on Temporary Release and were tested and quarantined on their return to Loughan House. There are no reported positive cases among staff to date. She kicked off her 2021 in style with a lavish getaway to Dubai with pals. And Kelsey Stratford, who landed back in the UK on Saturday, looked sensational as she shared a sizzling bikini snap from her time in the UAE on Thursday. The TOWIE star, 20, showcased her incredible physique in a tiny multicoloured two-piece in the Instagram image, as she posed up a storm at her luxury resort. Stunning: Kelsey Stratford, 20, who landed back in the UK on Saturday, looked sensational as she shared a sizzling bikini snap from her time in Dubai on Thursday Kelsey happily flaunted her taut midriff and slender pins in the bikini as she posed with her arms atop her head for the snap. The reality star allowed her long brunette tresses to cascade over her shoulders in bouncy curls, while she upped the glam with a sleek make-up palette. Captioning the sizzling snap, Kelsey penned: 'Where I belong.' Kelsey recently revealed that she's gained some weight after enjoying 'all the food and drink' on the 'work trip'. Back to reality: Kelsey recently revealed that she's gained some weight after enjoying 'all the food and drink' on her 'work trip' to Dubai over Christmas and New Year The reality star also explained how she's isolating for 10 days at her aunt's house to try and protect her disabled sister Kennedy, eight, from any Covid risk. Taking to Instagram, Kelsey addressed a few questions which had been sent to her by fans. Sharing a stunning snap from her time in the UAE, she penned: 'My Covid test came back negative but I still have to isolate for 10 days. 'I was working out in Dubai with brands which I can't announce just yet... But I also had a lot of work to do at home which is why I have come back. 'I have really missed my family too! Kennedy is doing really well ATM. I haven't gone home just yet until I know I 100 per cent haven't got anything that will harm her. Home time: The reality star also explained how she's isolating for 10 days at her aunt's house to try and protect her disabled sister Kennedy, eight, from any Covid risk 'So I'm staying at my aunts. Miss her sooooo much!' The brunette beauty then addressed how her time indulging during the trip as meant she's put on a few extra pounds. She continued: 'Since being out in Dubai I have gained weight from all the food & drink! So I will be doing workouts which I'll video and share with you all! I know you liked the last one. 'I hope everyones keeping well and safe during these hard times & I'm always here if anyone needs a chat or anything.' The Essex native travelled to Dubai before Tier 4 rules and the nationwide lockdown, which say travel should only be for essential reasons, were introduced. Explaining: Kelsey took to Instagram on Sunday to update her fans now that she's back in the UK after weeks spent in Dubai Just in time: The beauty made it back to the UK just days ahead of a new travel rule coming into effect which will see people having to provide negative COVID tests (pictured in Dubai) It is not currently a requirement for travellers leaving Dubai for the UK to undergo a COVID-19 PCR test prior to arrival in Britain however this is set to change. From Thursday, all travellers will have to provide a negative test before arriving in the UK to prevent the spread of new Covid variants. The results must be obtained less than 72 hours before departure, with 500 fines for those who flout the rules. Kelsey's return to the UK comes after her father revealed that her sister, eight-year-old Kennedy, almost died from coronavirus after it 'impacted her whole body'. Kennedy, who has genetic condition Spinal Muscular Atrophy, was released from hospital in November after battling the virus as well as sepsis. And speaking over a month after the ordeal, Kelsey's dad Paul opened up about the youngster's horrifying ordeal, admitting the family 'didn't know if she was going to make it.' Battle: It comes after Kelsey's father recently revealed that her sister eight-year-old Kennedy almost died from coronavirus after it 'impacted her whole body' The youngster was admitted to Great Ormond Street hospital in November, with the family fearing the worst as Kennedy fought Covid-19 and sepsis in intensive care. It's said that Kennedy, who spent thee weeks in hospital, was one the first SMA type 1 patients to fall ill with the virus. Paul told The Mirror: 'We didn't know if she was going to make it. She went through a torrid time, it literally impacted her whole body. It was awful to watch. 'The doctors told us they were changing the antibiotics they were giving her, and that it needed to work because there was nothing else they could do.' Villagers from Sanlizhuang village in Nangong, northern China's Hebei Province are waiting to take shuttle buses to a quarantine center on Jan. 13, 2021. (Screenshot/Video Provided to The Epoch Times by interviewee) Chinese Province of 38 Million Tells Residents to Isolate at Home as Virus Outbreak Worsens Chinese authorities on Jan. 14 announced the first COVID-19-related death in months. As China faces resurgences of the CCP virus throughout the country, the low fatality count has raised eyebrows. According to the chief doctor of the Hebei Province COVID-19 medical team, Yan Xixin, the 69-year-old patient was diagnosed on Jan. 9 after experiencing a fever. She was taken to the Hebei Chest Hospital for treatment, but her condition deteriorated quickly. She was placed on an ECMO heart-lung machine. She passed away on Jan. 13 with multiple organ failure, Yan said at a Jan. 14 press conference in Shijiazhuang, the city with the most severe outbreak. Shes the first COVID-19 fatality that authorities confirmed since May 2020. The outbreak in northeastern Chinas Heilongjiang Province continued to spread. On Jan. 14, the provincial government told all 38 million residents to self-quarantine at home. It didnt say how long the quarantine period would be, but Chinese authorities typically require at least 21 days of quarantine. A worker sterilizes a path at the Youan Hospital in Beijing on Feb. 14, 2020. (GREG BAKER/AFP via Getty Images) And on Jan. 13, Shanghai ordered all residents to stay in the city and not travel for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday. People from other regions with outbreaks would not be allowed to enter Shanghai. New outbreaks were also reported in other parts of the country. Makeshift Facility State-run media Xinhua reported that the Shijiazhuang government had selected a 3,000-acre plot of land to build a makeshift quarantine facility. According to the Xinhua report on Jan. 14, 3,000 container homes would arrive within three days in Shijiazhuang. Officials said the facility would be used for quarantining people suspected to have contracted COVID-19. But the manufacturersthree companies based in Tangshan city, Hebeitold Xinhua that the containers would be constructed similar to the ones they built for the Huoshenshan makeshift hospital in Wuhan during the epicenter of the pandemic in early 2020. Wuhan authorities spent 10 days to build the facility to treat the large numbers of COVID-19 patients in severe condition. Each container will be over 190 square feetslightly larger than the 177 square-feet rooms in Huoshenshan, according to Xinhua. Authorities did not announce an expected completion date for the facility in Shijiazhuang. The local outbreak continued to worsen. On Jan. 14, the central governments State Council instructed other provinces to provide ambulances to Shijiazhuang for transporting COVID-19 patients, according to a report by state-run newspaper Dahe. Central Chinas Henan Province organized a team of 95 people and 18 vehicles from its capital of Zhengzhou and sent them to Shijiazhuang within several hours, according to Dahe. 80 percent of the staff members had gone to Wuhan in 2020 to assist with transporting patients. As of Jan. 14, over 20,000 residents in Shijiazhuang were forced to leave their homes and be quarantined at hotels, school dorms, and other facilities converted into makeshift quarantine centers. All 11 million residents continued to be locked down at home. Xinhua also reported on Jan. 14 that 55-year-old Li Ruizhi died less than two hours after she suddenly lost consciousness at a community COVID-19 testing site on Jan. 7. The city has required all residents to be tested. Li was one of the staff who helps maintain order. She died of a heart attack, according to Xinhua. Authorities didnt explain why they announced her death days later. Xingtai In nearby Xingtai city, authorities quarantined all who lived in Sanlizhuang village. They were forced to leave their homes and be transported to hotels and hospitals in downtown Xingtai. Readers of the Chinese-language Epoch Times inside China shared videos of villagers dressed in protective suits as they waited to be taken away by shuttle bus. Villagers from Sanlizhuang village in northern Chinas Hebei Province are waiting to take shuttle buses to a quarantine center on Jan. 13, 2021. (Screenshot/Video Provided to The Epoch Times by interviewee) Li Ming (pseudonym) lives in a neighborhood next to Sanlizhuang. He said in a Jan. 14 phone interview that the entire village was sealed off and the villagers were taken to quarantine sites after four of them tested positive for COVID-19 the day prior. They were taken away by the government. We are lucky [that we can stay at home], Li said. Temperatures plunged to lower than minus 8 Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit) in recent days. Villagers posted on Chinese social media platform Weibo that they had to wait in the shuttle buses for hours in the cold as government staff arranged their quarantine rooms. Villagers quarantined at school dorms complained that the heating system didnt work properly and they didnt have food to eat. New Outbreaks On Jan. 14, Hulunbuir city in the far-north region of Inner Mongolia announced that a local hospital had to close down after authorities discovered that environment samples taken from the facility tested positive for COVID-19. The city government told residents who had visited the hospital since Dec. 31, 2020, that they must self-isolate at home, and suspended all passenger transportation to or from Bayantuohai town, where the hospital is located. Authorities didnt say whether people were infected with the CCP virus in the region, or how the virus samples ended up in the hospital. Meanwhile, Nanning city in the southern Guangxi region announced a newly diagnosed patient, an employee at a disinfectant supplier company. The patient experienced symptoms on Jan. 12 but didnt go to the hospital. The next day, the company told all staff to take a test, and the patient tested positive. DALLAS, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Jacobs (NYSE:J) was awarded an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract with the Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center (NAVFAC EXWC) for waterfront facilities inspection and assessment services outside the contiguous United States (OCONUS). "Jacobs has served as a service provider for maritime design and engineer-diver inspections to the Navy since 1988 and as the sole service provider OCONUS since 2012," said Jacobs Federal & Environmental Solutions Senior Vice President and General Manager Tim Byers. "As the industry leader in Marine and Port Facilities, we understand the critical importance of maintaining the structural integrity of the U.S. Navy's waterfront facilities around the world in support of maximizing Naval shore readiness." Jacobs' scope of services under the five-year contract may include: field investigations, including underwater inspections; engineering analysis of waterfront and ocean facility structural, mechanical and electrical systems; design of facility repairs; environmental studies in support of permit applications to federal, state and local regulatory agencies; design of underwater instrument and cable arrays, associated power and data cable installation and termination; construction and installation scheduling; development of maintenance action plans; and underwater geotechnical and above water surveying. A cornerstone of Jacobs' underwater inspection capabilities is a team of engineer-divers who can quickly mobilize to provide high quality underwater inspections and assessments globally. The commercially trained, engineerdivers who conduct the inspections also participate in the engineering evaluation, analysis, development of alternatives, detailed design and construction inspection phases. This multidisciplinary collaboration leads to maximum efficiency in planning, building and maintaining sustainable U.S. Navy waterfront facilities and infrastructure. At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good. With approximately $14 billion in revenue and a talent force of more than 55,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of professional services including consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery for the government and private sector. Visit jacobs.com and connect with Jacobs on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements as such term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbor provided by the same. Statements made in this release that are not based on historical fact are forward-looking statements. We base these forward-looking statements on management's current estimates and expectations as well as currently available competitive, financial and economic data. Forward-looking statements, however, are inherently uncertain. There are a variety of factors that could cause business results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related reaction of governments on global and regional market conditions and the company's business. For a description of some additional factors that may occur that could cause actual results to differ from our forward-looking statements, see our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 2, 2020, and in particular the discussions contained under Item 1 - Business; Item 1A - Risk Factors; Item 3 - Legal Proceedings; and Item 7 - Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, as well as the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company is not under any duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to conform to actual results, except as required by applicable law. For press/media inquiries: Kerrie Sparks 214.583.8433 SOURCE Jacobs Related Links http://www.jacobs.com WASHINGTON - The manhunt for key figures in the storming of the U.S. Capitol apprehended more key figures Thursday, including two men accused of attacking police officers, a Utah man who allegedly recorded the shooting death of one rioter, and a Delaware father and son photographed carrying a Confederate flag. Robert Lee Sanford, Jr., 55, of Chester, Penn., a recently retired firefighter, threw a fire extinguisher at members of the Capitol Police, according to law enforcement. Peter Francis Stager, of Arkansas, is accused of using a large American flag to beat a member of the D.C. police. Kevin Seefried, who was photographed carrying a Confederate flag inside the Capitol, turned himself in to authorities in Wilmington, Del., on Thursday morning, according to an FBI spokeswoman, Joy Jiras. He and his son, Hunter Seefried, are charged with misdemeanor counts of trespassing and disorderly conduct; Hunter Seefried is also accused of destruction of property. John Earle Sullivan, 26, of Utah, was charged after allegedly entering the building and recording when Ashli Babbitt was shot by an officer while she attempted to climb through an opening outside of the Speaker's Lobby. In a video he posted online and gave the FBI, Sullivan could be heard narrating the riot, saying "There are so many people. Let's go. This [expletive] is ours! [Expletive] yeah," and "Let's burn this [expletive] down!" according to charging papers. Newly public arrest affidavits continued to fill in a picture of chaos, violence and gleeful mayhem on part of some rioters, including several who said they came to Washington to rally with President Donald Trump and then "went crazy" when Vice President Mike Pence announced he would not agree to block the certification of Trump's defeat. The extinguisher incident connected to Sanford was captured in two widely distributed videos of the scene outside the U.S. Capitol at the Lower West Terrace. U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who died as a result of injuries sustained in the riot, was hurt in a separate incident. Stanger was identified from videos in which a D.C. officer is seen being dragged down the steps of the Capitol and attacked. He later gave an interview in which he declared, "Everybody in there is a treasonous traitor. Death is the only remedy for what's in that building." According to an affidavit, Stanger told an informant that he did not realize the man he attacked was a police officer and instead believed him to be a left-wing activist. The same informant told the FBI that Stanger planned to apologize to his children and turn himself in to law enforcement. The agent who wrote the affidavit said after watching videos of the attack, Stanger "was able to clearly see the police markings on B.M.'s uniform and was aware that the individual who he was striking was, in fact, law enforcement." In charging papers, the FBI said a tipster in Pennsylvania called Tuesday saying that Sanford, a friend of many years, "had confessed to the complainant that he was the person that the FBI was looking for" in connection with videos showing a man apparently wearing a stocking cap, dark jacket, plaid shirt and backpack hurling an object at a group officers. A Capitol Police officer was struck in the helmet by what he later saw was a fire extinguisher, the FBI said. The officer was evaluated at a hospital and cleared to return to duty. The device also ricocheted off two others, the FBI said in a charging affidavit. The tipster said Sanford told them he traveled on a bus with a group to Washington, listened to Trump's speech, "and then had followed the President's instructions and gone to the Capitol," according to the FBI. Sanford said the group he was with left the Capitol grounds after about 10 minutes, and did not mention having thrown anything, but acknowledged he was the man wearing a hat with the initials CFD, the tipster said, according to FBI Agent Samad D. Shahrani. Sanford recently retired from the Chester Fire Department, the agent said, and the complainant identified him in video to the FBI. The FBI said it had also received an anonymous tip identifying another person as the person throwing the fire extinguisher, but that the Illinois resident did not appear on flight manifests to the Washington area nor was the license plate of his vehicle entered into D.C. logs at the time. "I'm just stunned," said retired Chester Fire Department battalion chief Charles Hopkins Jr. "That's totally out of character for him." He described Sanford as a "quiet guy" who "never messed with anyone ... he did his job and went home." He added, "If you weren't working with him you wouldn't know he was there." In a statement, Chester Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland said Sanford joined the department in 1994, retired last February and is not a current employee. "As the First Amendment of our Constitution outlines the right to free speech and to peaceful assembly, the actions of the rioters in D.C. last week hinged on characteristics of domestic terrorism," Kirkland added. "As such, if any person, be it current or former employee or resident, is confirmed to have participated in last week's event at the Capitol, then we hope our legal system will work according to its purpose and bring them to justice." Kevin and Hunter Seefried were identified as among the first group to break into the Capitol after a colleague called the FBI to report that the younger man had bragged about being at the riot with his father, according to court records. In an interview, authorities say Kevin Seefried acknowledged being the man photographed with the Confederate flag, which normally hangs outside his Delaware home. The men entered the Senate Building through a broken window at about 2:13 p.m., with a helmeted group captured in a widely shared video, according to an arrest affidavit. According to court records, Kevin Seefried said both men came to hear Trump's speech, and then marched to the Capitol led by a person with a bull horn. He also confirmed that because his son was wearing gloves, Hunter Seefried was asked by a stranger to punch out glass from a Capitol complex window after others broke it with a 2x4 wooden plank, giving rioters entry, the FBI said. Also charged was Hunter Ehmke, of California. He is accused of being one of the first to try to break into the U.S. Capitol by breaking a window of the building during last week's riot, according to court documents An officer who was part of a line struggling to hold back the mob on the Capitol's east side at about 2:15 p.m., that he saw Ehmke on the ledge gesturing for others to join him, court documents said. "They're going to break the window" the officer shouted. He then left the line and ran toward Ehmke, according to the affidavit. He used his riot shield to push Ehmke off the ledge, he says, causing them both to fall in broken glass, the affidavit said. About 10 officers made a new line at the window to keep a small crowd from getting through. Ehmke was handcuffed. But the crowd "began to show aggression" and threatened officers, saying, "You're not leaving with him," according to court papers. The officers tried to radio for instructions but "could not be clearly heard or unable to be broadcast due to the many other calls of service by USCP officers." So they let Ehmke leave, after photographing him and the window and seizing his driver's license and advising him they would seek a warrant for his arrest. The Justice Department and the FBI have carried out a nationwide manhunt in the Jan. 6 Capitol breach by Trump supporters, during which a woman was fatally shot by police and an officer died after he was injured. Prosecutors have called the investigation one of the largest ever undertaken by the FBI, and it has led to charges against more than 70 people and the identification of 170 suspects to date. Also Thursday, a New York man who authorities say drove to the Washington area from that state to take part in the protest was denied bail for the second time by Arlington Circuit Court. Moses Geri, 38, of Weedsport, N.Y., was arrested Jan. 1 after allegedly getting in a drunken argument with other guests at his Rosslyn, Va., hotel and then firing a gun outside. He had more than 800 rounds of ammunition, including white phosphorous and armor-piercing bullets, according to prosecutors. Also charged with misdemeanor trespassing and disorderly conduct were Christine Marie Priola of Willoughby, Ohio, who the U.S. Marshals Service alleged was the person photographed wearing a red jacket and blue "MAGA" pants and holding a sign reading "The Children Cry Out for Justice," and apparently photographing a rioter occupying Pence's chair on the Senate dais; and Pete Harding of Buffalo, who was photographed allegedly attempting to set news media equipment on fire and taking credit in a video for joining the Capitol mob, which he said was organized by "Marching Patriots." The US House of Representatives has impeached President Donald Trump for "incitement of insurrection" at last week's Capitol riot. Ten Republicans sided with Democrats to impeach the president by 232-197. He is the first president in US history to be impeached twice, or charged with crimes by Congress. Mr Trump, a Republican, will now face a trial in the Senate, where if convicted he could face being barred from ever holding office again. But Mr Trump will not have to quit the White House before his term in office ends in one week because the Senate will not reconvene in time. Mr Trump will leave office on 20 January, following his election defeat last November to Democrat Joe Biden. The Democratic-controlled House voted after several hours of impassioned debate on Wednesday as armed National Guard troops stood guard inside and outside the Capitol. Imaginostics has partnered with Ideaship to ensure the success of our early products and services via a strong IP portfolio. Our vascular imaging technology is ready to help millions of chronic kidney disease patients..." Said Codi Gharagouzloo, CEO of Imaginostics. Ideaship, a patent leveraged venture capital firm that provides patent development support to early-stage startups, announced it has invested in Imaginostics. The investment will support Imaginostics mission to innovate non-invasive diagnostic solutions that will provide new insight into health and disease. Imaginostics QUTE-CE MRI platform represents a major break-through in medical diagnostics. It provides unparalleled, quantitative vascular imaging, which will significantly transform biomarker detection and change the way we are able to see and understand aging and complex diseases. It will provide unique insights into the vasculature, such as how microvasculature is structured, how blood vessels dilate and mapping any blood-brain barrier leakage, said Robert Bell, Ideaship Venture Partner. Imaginostics has partnered with Ideaship to ensure the success of our early products and services via a strong IP portfolio. Our vascular imaging technology is ready to help millions of chronic kidney disease patients by empowering clinicians with safer tools for vascular imaging. As a startup, we've been flying under the radar. However, large markets draw the attention of big companies. Our go-to-market products are important, and we have a pipeline of innovative diagnostic solutions to reach neurodegenerative disease, to help fight cancer, to expand access to high quality diagnostic imaging to broader patient populations and more. Ultimately, it's not about our success, but about the difference we can make in peoples lives if we are successful, said Codi Gharagouzloo, CEO of Imaginostics. About Imaginostics Imaginostics is a health technology and longevity startup that is pushing the frontiers of medical imaging diagnostics for precision medicine and to expand access to high quality imaging to broader patient populations. Imaginostics vision is to detect diseases years before the apparition of symptom onset and to help prevent them. Its breakthrough MRI, unique physics-based software and quantitative vascular imaging biomarkers for use with existing MRI machines provide clinicians and scientists new diagnostic insights for the early detection and enhanced characterization of complex diseases, that will ultimately revolutionize the aging paradigm and help improve quality of life for a maturing population. To learn more visit https://imaginostics.com/. About Ideaship Ideaship provides patent development capital for early-stage ventures. Ideaship is a collaboration between Global Technology Transfer Group (GTT Group) and Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America (PIPCA). Ideaship combines GTT Groups patent experience with PIPCAs leading patent department expertise, achieving enterprise value premiums. For more information, please visit https://www.ideashipfund.com/. Contact about this news: Ideaship Robert Bell Email: robert@ideashipfund.com Imaginostics Codi Gharagouzloo Email: codi@imaginostics.com Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has warned Google it should be paying Australian news websites, not banning them from search results, after the company admitted to intermittently blocking some content. The technology giant said on Wednesday it had been running "experiments" on searches for newspaper websites, including The Sydney Morning Herald, affecting a small number of its Australian users. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has warned Google to pay Australian news websites for content instead of blocking them for some users. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Mr Frydenberg rebuked Google for preventing some local users from seeing the news websites through its search engine, which runs more than 94 per cent of search traffic in Australia. "Google, Facebook, other digital giants should focus not on blocking users in Australia accessing domestic content, they should focus on paying for it," Mr Frydenberg told reporters on Thursday. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Thunderstorms likely. Low 58F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely. Low 58F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. Denver, Colorado, Jan. 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PHM Brands and its wholly owned subsidiary Panhandle Milling, in partnership with Navajo Agricultural Products Industry (NAPI) donated food for families in need over this past Christmas holiday. In total Panhandle Milling donated over 28,000 pounds of flour to be distributed to the Navajo Nation through non-profit and church organizations. NAPI coordinated the deliveries to each organization and assisted with transporting the donated flour. We believe that during these uncertain times any business that is in a position to help their community has the responsibility to do so. said Peter Bisaccia, president of PHM Brands. Panhandle Milling was honored to be able to provide NAPI and the Navajo Nation with over 28,000 LBS of Navajo Pride All Purpose flour. It was packaged with love and care, from our mill. This is a stressful time for many individuals in our country, and our communities. At Panhandle Milling, we believe no family should go hungry and no parent should have to struggle to put nutritious food on the table for their children. Small acts of kindness done by many can change the world. In May of 2020, the Navajo Nation surpassed New York in COVID-19 cases per capita. As of November 20, 2020, the Navajo Nation had 14,441 positive COVID-19 cases and 623 deaths related to COVID-19. Unemployment in the Navajo Nation is currently 48.5%*. The day of the flour donation to our local Navajo communities was a great experience! Said Derrick Dona, NAPI Sales Coordinator, I had the pleasure of speaking with multiple community helpers, each with inspiring stories of helping the local people. I was excited to meet different groups of people who have a shared passion to help their communities. About Panhandle Milling Panhandle Milling operates mills across the country and specializes in milling, mixing and packaging for grain-based products. Panhandle Milling prides itself as a food creation partner utilizing In-house customized formulation coupled with superior conventional and organic products resourced through local farming relationships to bring exceptional products to store shelves. Panhandle Milling operates the Navajo Pride Flour Mill located at NAPI in Farmington, New Mexico, under contract. About PHM Brands PHM Brands is a vertically integrated agricultural technology company headquartered in Denver, CO that specializes in milling, milling biproducts, ingredients, and food safety. Subsidiaries include product leaders in wheat germ oil, flour, and food sanitization. To learn more visit https://phmbrands.com/. *https://www.agriculture.navajo-nsn.gov/ Email: john.apgar@phmbrands.com Phone: 3033234837 -- Disclaimer: This press release distributor does not accept any responsibility or liability for the content, photo, videos, image license, accuracy, accessibility, and reliability of the information contained in this article. Anyone having any complaints or copyright issues related to this story, kindly contact the source provider above. This news has been published for the above source. PHM Brands [ID=15877] Disclaimer: The information does not constitute advice or an offer to buy. Any purchase made from this story is made at your own risk. Consult an expert advisor/health professional before any such purchase. Any purchase made from this link is subject to the final terms and conditions of the website's selling. The content publisher and its distribution partners do not take any responsibility directly or indirectly. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the company this news is about. Attachment Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2021) - City View Green Holdings Inc. (CSE: CVGR) ("City View" or the "Company"), trading through the facilities of the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") under the symbol "CVGR" and on the OTCQB under the symbol "CVGRF", is pleased to announce that deposits have been advanced for the acquisition of gummy manufacturing equipment and other food manufacturing technology to produce cannabis infused foods. As previously announced on November 24, 2020, City View has placed an order for chocolate edibles equipment. In addition, City View has placed a deposit on gummy edibles equipment to manufacture cannabis infused gummies. Both the chocolate and gummy equipment is expected to arrive at our Brantford, Ontario facility in February, 2021. Production will commence immediately upon receipt of a processing license from Health Canada under the Cannabis Act, which is currently under review. City View is currently investigating the purchase of bakery equipment to produce baked goods and pet snacks. City View's leadership team is currently organizing operational procedures to produce the following confectionary infused foods; chocolates in tablet form and truffle filled centres, gummies in pre-formed child resistant certified packaging, baked goods such as cookies, bake-at-home brownie mixes, protein and granola bars and pet snacks. Rob Fia, CEO & President commented: "City View is poised to become Canada's leading producer of cannabis infused foods in 2021 for both human and pet consumption. Formulations will address both recreational use and health and wellness. We are proud of our team and the depth of our capabilities and we expect that 2021 will be a profitable and exciting year for City View." For further information contact: City View Green Holdings Inc. Rob Fia, CEO & President Email: rob@cityviewgreen.ca Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulations services accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. About City View City View Green is a leading cannabis-infused food company focused on the development of food brands, extraction, and distribution. Upon the anticipated receipt of its Cannabis Act processing and sales licences ("Cannabis Licences"), City View will incorporate cannabis-infused food production and extraction at its Brantford, Ontario facility. Once operational, it is our expectation that City View will produce high quality cannabis-infused food, oils, distillates, and water-soluble products for the food and beverage markets. In addition, City View owns a 27.5% stake in Budd Hutt Inc. ("Budd Hutt"), a retail-focused cannabis company with access to cannabis cultivation and production licences in Alberta and other retail opportunities across Canada. Through its relationship with Budd Hutt, the Company anticipates securing shelf space, product placement, and distribution opportunities for City View's products. For more information visit www.cityviewgreen.ca. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons (as defined in the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration is available. Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the beliefs of management and reflect the Company's current expectations. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMPANY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS PRESS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE THE COMPANY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/72042 [January 14, 2021] GlobalData 5G RAN Innovation and Leadership Insight --GlobalData ranks Huawei's 5G RAN as the market leader LONDON, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovation is the basis for the long-term development and evolution of the mobile communications industry. In the 5G era, mobile communications networks carry more missions and meet diversified requirements for network capabilities, operation efficiency improvement, and business success. 5G continuous innovation becomes particularly important. According to the GlobalData's recent competitiveness evaluation report on mainstream vendors, Huawei 5G RAN ranks No.1 in all dimensions, demonstrating the competitive advantages of products and solutions. In addition, Huawei announced latest 5G network development concept and launched innovative products and solutions. Huawei 5G RAN Leadership GlobalData, a leading market data and analytics company, has rated Huawei's 5G RAN portfolio to be a Leader in the market. In competitive analyses of five major RAN vendors, GlobalData evaluated 5G base station portfolios according to four key areas important to mobile operators: baseband unit (BBU) capacity, radio unit portfolio breadth, ease of installation and technological evolution. GlobalData found Huawei to be a Leader in all four categories and a Leader overall among its peers(the mainstream vendors). Huawei reports the highest BBU cell capacity for both sub-6 GHz and millimeter-wave spectrum of any major RAN vendor. It also offers more radio units and more Massive MIMO options than other vendors and supports a wide array of 5G spectrum bands. To make deployment easier, Huawei has multiple novel solutions, including its Super BladeSite and Bracelet Kit offerings. And to help operators evolve their networks technologically, Huawei has been proactive in commercializing spectrum-sharing capabilities such as its CloudAIR solution, which allows various access technologies (2G/3G/4G/5G) to use the same spectrum, and its SuperBAND solution, which allows these technologies to share network resource blocks. This portfolio is well-suited to meet the diverse needs of the world's mobile operators, and Huawei continues to expand its portfolio to address current and future challenges that operators face on the journey to achieving the 1 + N network. The 1 + N Network: An Intelligent, Versatile Network The 5G era holds enormous potential for mobile operators to grow profitability by expanding into new services and tapping new revenue sources. But the network and business transformation required to capture these opportunities introduces new levels of complexity in network deployment and management and service delivery. There are ways for operators to tackle this complexity with networks that are as diverse and sophisticated as the new world of services the market demands. To help operators capture new opportunities despite the challenges of network complexity, Huawei employs what it calls a "1 + N" concept, vowing to "build one foundational network for high-bandwidth ubiquitous connectivity 'N' capabilities deployed on demand." 1 + N is the concept of a single, unified network addressing an expandable variety of network needs and services. This concept maximizing the revenue generated by a single infrastructure investment is key to how 5G can help operators become more profitable. New innovations added to Huawei's 5G RAN portfolio help operators achieve the 1 + N network, including the Blade Pro solution, the Adaptive High Resolution algorithm, the Mobile Broadband Automation Engine and more. Operators' Network Challenges As operators evolve for the 5G era, they will increase the capacity of their public networks using a range of new spectrum bands. However, making use of these spectrum bands while continuing to support legacy networks poses many challenges, including: Fragmented spectrum assets can breed inefficiency can breed inefficiency Diversified channels and sectors can increase network management complexity can increase network management complexity Differences in frequency-band life cycles can impact operators' ability to use certain radio access technologies in certain spectra can impact operators' ability to use certain radio access technologies in certain spectra Limited Antenna Space brings deployment challenges <>Huawei has developed new offerings within its RAN portfolio to tackle all of these challenges and more. The Blade Pro Solution To help simplify networks and address these challenges, Huawei has long committed to a Single RAN strategy of using a single network to deliver multiple technologies. Its newest RAN offerings, part of Huawei's 1 + N vision, continue to help in these areas. Huawei's Blade Pro offering is designed to help simplify deployment and ease installation and network management, reducing operators' costs. The Blade Pro Ultra-Wideband Remote Radio Unit (RRU) is a pole-mountable 4G/5G RU that supports three low or medium Frequency-Division Duplex (FDD) bands simultaneously: it will support 700, 800 and 900 MHz as well as 1.8, 2.1 and 2.6 GHz, allowing operators to build a single foundational network for ubiquitous connectivity using mid-band spectrum. By supporting three frequency bands in a single 25-kilogram unit, the Blade Pro eliminates the need for two boxes, reducing the load on poles, easing the burden on installers and making deployment faster, smoother and less expensive. The Blade Pro also helps operators address the three challenges cited above. Tri-band support helps reduce the complexity of fragmented spectrum by pulling multiple bands into a single network management point. A software-defined antenna allows operators to change the number of receivers or sectors via software rather than hardware, overcoming the challenges of channel and sector diversity in operator networks. In addition, where operators need to make changes based on which technologies LTE or 5G NR are delivered over which spectrum bands, a software-defined antenna helps to make those changes easier as well. The BladeAAU Pro Solution In addition to the Blade Pro, Huawei has also introduced the BladeAAU Pro solution, a Massive MIMO product with 32T32R and 64T64R antenna array options that supports sub-3 GHz bands. Huawei designed the BladeAAU Pro to ensure high-quality experiences for 5G users while simplifying deployment for operators, minimizing deployment costs and addressing the challenges of antenna space limitations. 5G Software Innovation: Adaptive High Resolution (AHR) Algorithm Huawei further enhances the network capabilities with another offering: the Adaptive High Resolution (AHR) algorithm, which significantly improves the capacity and user experience of Massive MIMO cells in scenarios with high user density and a strong potential for signal interference. However, the above new solutions are not the only way Huawei's portfolio is evolving to fulfill the vision of 1 + N networks. 1 + N O&M One of the most significant challenges operators will face in adopting 1 + N networks is in performing the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) that can address complex, multi-functional networks while limiting the burdens of that complexity on operators' human personnel. In order to achieve both ends, 1 + N networks must embrace new levels of automation. To achieve this task, Huawei envisions what it calls the Autonomous Driving Network, drawing an analogy between self-driving automobiles and the intelligent networks of the future. Huawei's vision for Autonomous Driving Network includes five levels of automation: Tool assistance Partial autonomy Conditional autonomy High autonomy Full autonomy Today Huawei's solutions represent a level of autonomy approaching the third level, "conditional autonomy;" they are projected to gradually evolve over time to include all five levels by 2030. But Huawei's Autonomous Driving Network is already addressing multiple O&M challenges in the 1 + N network. O&M Challenges Some specific hurdles for O&M operations in 1 + N networks include: Managing multiple radio access technologies (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G) simultaneously Effectively delivering new services tailored for business customers Balancing user experience quality with network energy consumption Optimizing network conditions such as latency, bandwidth, uplink and downlink To address these challenges, Huawei's Mobile Broadband Automation Engine (MAE) solution helps operators manage networks comprehensively and intelligently using artificial intelligence (AI). Multi-RAT, Multi-Band Most networks transition over time from one radio access technology (RAT) to the next, forcing operators to manage more than one network at the same time, such as 4G and 5G. This duality increases the complexity of the network and the costs associated with network maintenance. These multi-RAT networks are even more complex because they include multiple frequency bands within those RATs. In addition, government regulators in some countries limit the transmission power of base stations to the extent that operators are forced to allocate power to various frequency bands in ways that are inefficient and can limit coverage. Huawei's MAE helps make multi-band, multi-RAT networks more efficient by coordinating RATs under a unified management scope and automating optimization of the combined network. For example, MAE analyzes network traffic behavior using measurement reports from user equipment and automatically shifts traffic from one band to another based on the optimal performance and energy efficiency parameters. The solution also coordinates power allocation among multiple frequency bands, allowing operators to avoid inefficiency and coverage limitations due to regulatory power restrictions. Even more complex than multi-RAT, multi-band networks are the diverse set of requirements stemming from advanced business services. 5G to Businesses For operators to capture opportunities in offering new services to business clients beyond connectivity, their networks will need to support a variety of capabilities on a case-by-case basis. For example, automated and remotely-operated vehicles that are enabled by wireless networks require low latency to avoid error and collision. Video surveillance use cases, on the other hand, require high-bandwidth uplink connections. Meanwhile, equipment sensors on industrial or agriculture sites might not need high bandwidth or low latency but require high reliability and enough energy efficiency to preserve battery life. Huawei's "5GtoB" suite helps operators address the diversity of business needs in multiple ways at the planning, deploying and management stages. First, Huawei's intelligent planning tools help operators anticipate not only network construction requirements but radio resource slicing considerations, using artificial intelligence analysis of network traffic models, user device types and other large data sets. The solution takes service-level agreements into the planning process in order to ensure networks will have the slicing capabilities to support service performance needs. It also translates network construction requirements, removing barriers in the process. The 5GtoB suite also speeds and simplifies business service provisioning on demand by automatically establishing network characteristics such as cells, features and network resources, allowing operators to launch campus network services in hours rather than days. These automatic processes also allow operators to make changes quickly if needed, with less need for manual intervention. They also make O&M more proactive, using AI to not only monitor but predict performance changes from both the network and device side, forecasting network problems as much as 15 days in advance and presenting visualizations of network performance at the network, slice and enterprise-customer levels. Finally, the 5GtoB suite optimizes the network in order to deliver a range of different service characteristics to each slice of the network ensuring that low latency, high-bandwidth uplink and high-reliability connections are all supported according to their respective needs while coordinated by the 1 + N network to make the most efficient use of network resources. The intelligent network uses AI capabilities to maximize energy efficiency without sacrificing the required quality of experience for each service. Conclusion Huawei recognizes that networks and their operations will need to evolve in order to capture the wealth of diverse opportunities that lie ahead. They will need to evolve in terms of planning, provisioning, installation, management and optimization. The complexity of these combined tasks will require networks to adopt new levels of intelligence and automation. This transformation won't happen overnight but will evolve in stages. And the early stages in that evolution are already happening today within Huawei's RAN portfolio. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1418951/Source_GlobalData_5G_RAN_Competitive_Landscape_Assessment.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] A Victorian MP says an unprecedented level of "fury and anger" is being directed towards politicians online. Reason Party leader Fiona Patten's comments came after a man in Queensland was charged with harassing her on social media. Reason Party leader Fiona Patten. Credit:Paul Jeffers Ms Patten last year reported to parliamentary security a video posted to Facebook in which a man said he would "shave her head" and drag her up the street if she supported the government's COVID-19 omnibus bill. "It was just so extreme and so violent," she said. "It was really outrageous, incredibly threatening and we just thought we can't let that slide." Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Moscow lawmakers suspended sentence for $30,000 embezzlement upheld Moskva city news agency, Kirill Zykov 10:28 14/01/2021 MOSCOW, January 14 (RAPSI) The Moscow City Court has dismissed appeals against sentence of the Moscow City Duma lawmaker Oleg Sheremetyev for embezzling 2 million rubles (about $30,000), the courts press service has told RAPSI. In October 2020, Sheremetyev received a 4-year suspended sentence with further 4-year probation. The Zamoskvoretsky District Court also granted a 2.1 million-ruble civil claim filed by an injured party. A prosecutor earlier demanded a 4-year suspended sentence with 5-year probation for Sheremetyev. According to investigators, from November 2019 to February 2020, Sheremetyev monthly prepared and submitted to the Duma office documents on bonus awards ranging from 350,000 to 600,000 rubles for his assistant. The data contained intentionally false information on the fulfillment of highly sensitive tasks by his subordinate. In fact, Sheremetyev embezzled the funds. He allegedly caused damage worth over 2 million rubles to the Moscow budget. The defendant pleaded not guilty. He claimed that accusations were based on testimony of Irina Kuznetsova who exacted revenge on him for withdrawal of her status of parliamentary assistant. 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. Shares of Indian aerospace and defence company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd jumped nearly 14% on Thursday, a day after the government said it would buy 83 fighter aircraft from the company for over $6 billion in the biggest defence deal for a homegrown company. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has undertaken a flagship campaign for a self-reliant India, under which his government wants companies to reduce imports, increase domestic production and play a bigger role in the global supply chain. About 500 Indian companies in the design and manufacturing sectors will be working with HAL in ... Ugandans voted on Thursday in a hotly contested election that will decide whether President Yoweri Museveni wins a sixth term in office and continues his 35-year rule of the country or is unseated by one of 10 rivals, including a leading opposition candidate, Bobi Wine, a rapper-turned-lawmaker. The vote has been unexpectedly competitive despite fierce government attempts to stifle the opposition moves that have drawn global attention to Mr. Musevenis autocratic rule. Government authorities have arrested and beaten Mr. Wine repeatedly during the campaign, detained his campaign team as well as 600 members of his party and, the day before the election, forced his private security guards to withdraw from protecting his house, according to his lawyer, Bruce Afran. Security forces have justified the arrests of Mr. Wine and other opposition leaders by saying such steps were necessary to enforce restrictions on political gatherings in order to curb the coronavirus pandemic. Ugandas strict rules have kept confirmed, reported cases under 38,000, but human rights groups say the measures have been used as a pretense to crack down on critics. When is a bicycle no longer a bicycle? That was the debate that was peddled at Cork District Court in an unusual case where it was argued that a bicycle was no longer a bicycle. Not since Myles na gCopaleen contemplated how many molecules of a cyclist went into his bike and how many molecules of the bicycle went into the rider, was there such an existential consideration of the nature of a bicycle. It all started when Garda Paul Lynch witnessed a two-wheeled devices whizzing by on Washington Street, Cork, on to Grand Parade and St Patricks Street on January 26. At first it looked like a high-speed mountain bike but when Garda Lynch stopped the cyclist and examined it, he saw that there was a 50cc engine attached to the pedal bike. It was a homemade contraption. I believe it was an mpv, Garda Lynch said at Cork District Court. The significance of it being an mpv a mechanically propelled vehicle was not just a matter of preferred garda parlance. If it is an mpv the cyclist or driver would need a licence and insurance. Garda Lynch prosecuted Willian Dos Santos, aged 28, of Lancaster Quay, Cork, on two charges of having neither a licence nor insurance for the vehicle. Willian Dos Santos said of the garda evidence: What he said is true. He stopped me. However, when Judge Olann Kelleher put it to him that he was driving at speed, he replied in relation to the power of the contraption that it is weak, not strong. You have to use the pedal for the engine to engage. Garda Lynch said he brought it for a test drive after seizing it from the defendant and said there was a throttle on it and it was not necessary to pedal it to get the engine going. He added: It is a petrol engine. Willian Dos Santos said he bought it from a man who delivered food and this previous owner put the engine on it. The defendant said he thought it was a bicycle and did not know it had become a vehicle since the engine was attached. Judge Kelleher said he would put the case back for two months for the defendant to consult with a solicitor. Garda Lynch said that a seized vehicle which is not claimed back, might be destroyed. That was in response to a question from Judge Kelleher who laughed when he asked the guard: Where is the bike now? Are you driving it yourself? New Delhi: A minor fire broke out on the first floor of the Election Commission of Indias (ECI) office in New Delhi on Monday afternoon. A senior officer from Delhi Fire Services said that the flames were erupted in an electrical switchboard. Four fire tenders were rushed to the spot after receiving a call at around 12:00 PM. The fire was controlled within five minutes. No casualties have been reported. With inputs from PTI. ALSO READ | Delhi: Fire breaks out in Aakarsh Exports building in Okhla Phase 1 area, one fireman injured For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Dozens of Reliance Industries retail stores and a giant Walmart outlet face revenue losses of millions of dollars after being forced to shut for more than three months over protests against Indias new farm laws, sources said. Thousands of farmers from states including northern Punjab have camped for weeks on the outskirts of the capital, in a bid to force Prime Minister Narendra Modi to repeal the laws they contend will benefit corporates, rather than cultivators. READ MORE: Farmers' protest enters 50th day amid biting cold, fog at Delhi borders Fears of ... The US Commerce Department said Thursday it added Chinese National Overseas Oil Corporation (CNOOC) to a US economic blacklist, saying it had helped China intimidate neighbours in the South China Sea. The Commerce Department also said Chinese company Skyrizon was being added to the Military End-User (MEU) List for "its capability to develop, produce or maintain military items, such as military aircraft engines." The administration of President Donald Trump has ratcheted up tension with China in his final weeks in office. CNOOC and a legal representative of Skyrizon did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment. "Chinas reckless and belligerent actions in the South China Sea and its aggressive push to acquire sensitive intellectual property and technology for its militarization efforts are a threat to US national Security and the security of the international community," Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said. "CNOOC acts a bully for the Peoples Liberation Army to intimidate China's neighbors, and the Chinese military continues to benefit from government civil-military fusion policies for malign purposes," he said. The Commerce Department said China had been rapidly building artificial islands since 2013 "enabling the Communist Chinese Party's militarization of disputed outposts in the South China Sea to undermine the sovereign rights of US partners in the region." It said CNOOC has "repeatedly harassed and threatened offshore oil and gas exploration and extraction in the South China Sea, with the goal of driving up the political risk for interested foreign partners, including Vietnam." Ross said Skyrizon "A Chinese state-owned companyand its push to acquire and indigenize foreign military technologies pose a significant threat to US national security and foreign policy interests." Meg Ryan was every inch the doting mother as she stepped out with daughter Daisy for an afternoon hike in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The iconic actress, 59, cut a casual figure in a t-shirt and jeans as she spoke with her beloved daughter, 16, before the pair enjoyed a walk in the sun. The Sleepless In Seattle star wore a grey t-shirt which revealed a hint of her taut midriff, paired with skinny jeans and monochrome trainers as she strolled. Special times: Meg Ryan was every inch the doting mother as she stepped out with daughter Daisy for an afternoon hike in Los Angeles on Wednesday The star accessorised with a straw hat, shades and a red star necklace. Meg wore her blonde tresses in soft waves and sported a light palette of make-up for the day. Daisy wrapped up in a grey jumper, chestnut coat and jeans as she spent quality time with her mother. Radiant: The iconic actress, 59, cut a casual figure in a t-shirt and jeans as she spoke with her beloved daughter, 16, before the pair enjoyed a walk in the sun Ryan adopted Daisy in 2006 when she was just 14-months old, during a four-year hiatus from the Hollywood spotlight to focus on family. The duo have been seen out at the occasional public events over the years. The mother of two, who also has a 28-year-old son Jack with ex-husband Dennis Quaid, is currently single after her engagement to rocker John Mellencamp was called off in October 2019. Rom-com boom: Ryan shot to stardom when she starred opposite with Billy Crystal in the romantic comedy classic, When Harry Met Sally... in 1989 Another hit: Ryan was teamed with Tom Hanks in another rom-com classic, Sleepless In Seattle in 1993 In August 2018, Ryan was honored with the Leopard Club Award at the 71st Locarno Festival as an icon of romantic comedy, stating that 'No one could portray irony, kindness, wit and fragility like Meg Ryan did.' Her slew of rom-com hits started with the classic Rob Reiner-directed film When Harry Met Sally... (1989). She went on to play the leading lading in such other high-profile as Sleepless In Seattle (1993), When A Man Loves A Woman (1994), French Kiss (1995), Addicted To Love (1997) and You've Got Mail (1998). Non-invasive imaging technique called 31-phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy used to measure mitochondrial function in patients with motor neuron disease (MND) Evidence shows that mitochondria - often referred to as the cell's battery - are impaired in MND This technique could be used to measure the effectiveness of future treatments for MND Researchers from the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN) have used a new imaging technique to measure the function of mitochondria in patients with motor neuron disease (MND). The research, published today (13 January 2021) in the journal Brain could provide new ways to assess the effectiveness of treatments currently in development for MND. Researchers used an advanced imaging technique called 31-phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure chemicals that are crucial to energy metabolism in the cell. The research was conducted on patients living with MND as well as age and gender matched healthy controls. The patient perceives the procedure as a standard MRI scan but researchers are able to gain a direct measurement of chemicals so that they can calculate a comprehensive picture of the energy status in patients with MND. MND, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as it is also known, is a disorder that affects the nerves - motor neurons - in the brain and spinal cord that form the connection between the nervous system and muscles to enable movement of the body. The messages from these nerves gradually stop reaching the muscles, leading them to weaken, stiffen and waste. There are many barriers to developing effective treatments for MND as we don't yet fully understand how or why it develops in the first place. However, there is good evidence from laboratory data and disease models that the mitochondria - or powerhouses of the cell - may be impaired. Lead author on the study, Dr Matilde Sassani from the University of Sheffield, explains: "It is important to have an effective technique to measure mitochondrial function in vivo in patients living with MND. "In this study we found that phosphocreatine levels were depleted in the brain compared to healthy controls and, in the muscle, we found that inorganic phosphates were elevated in patients with MND. Both of these findings are consistent with mitochondrial dysfunction occurring in these people living with MND." Dr Thomas Jenkins, senior author of the paper and Clinical Senior Lecturer at SITraN, said: "This research has the potential to impact the development of more effective treatments for MND. It appears to be a promising tool with potential to measure the effect of medications acting on mitochondrial function in people living with MND. "Treatments that aim to rescue mitochondrial function in MND are being investigated in labs around the world. This non-invasive tool can demonstrate whether medications in development are successfully targeting mitochondria, which is an important step in selecting treatments to take through to clinical trials." Future research aims to widen the scope of this study to include larger numbers of MND patients. As the mitochondria are also thought to be a factor in a range of other neurodegenerative diseases, there may be potential for this technique to be widened to different patient groups. ### The study was supported by charitable funding from Neurocare, the Ryder Briggs Trust and a British Medical Association Vera Down grant, and by the NIHR Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre. The research is part of the Neuroscience Institute at the University of Sheffield which brings together leading experts in medicine, science and engineering to better understand the nervous system and tackle the biggest challenges in neuroscience. Media contact: Amy Huxtable, Media Relations Officer, University of Sheffield, 0114 222 9859, a.l.huxtable@sheffield.ac.uk Notes to editors: The University of Sheffield With almost 29,000 of the brightest students from over 140 countries, learning alongside over 1,200 of the best academics from across the globe, the University of Sheffield is one of the world's leading universities. A member of the UK's prestigious Russell Group of leading research-led institutions, Sheffield offers world-class teaching and research excellence across a wide range of disciplines. Unified by the power of discovery and understanding, staff and students at the university are committed to finding new ways to transform the world we live in. Sheffield is the only university to feature in The Sunday Times 100 Best Not-For-Profit Organisations to Work For 2018 and for the last eight years has been ranked in the top five UK universities for Student Satisfaction by Times Higher Education. ??Sheffield has six Nobel Prize winners among former staff and students and its alumni go on to hold positions of great responsibility and influence all over the world, making significant contributions in their chosen fields. Global research partners and clients include Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Unilever, AstraZeneca, Glaxo SmithKline, Siemens and Airbus, as well as many UK and overseas government agencies and charitable foundations. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 14) There is no need for the country to revert to a stricter community quarantine at the moment despite the detection of the new coronavirus variant, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III says. Duque said in the Laging Handa briefing on Thursday that a tightening of quarantine measures is not yet necessary based on benchmarks on the daily attack rates, and two-week growth rate recorded by the department. Ayan ang mag huhudyat... to increase the community quarantine status. [Translation: That will be the signal... to increase the community quarantine status.] Duque added that experts are continually monitoring the data analytics of cases and will recommend necessary adjustments in relation to quarantine protocols to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases. Pero sa ngayon, wala pa po tayong hudyat o signal para magtaas ng ating kasalukuyang community quarantine, he said. [Translation: At the moment, there is no signal for us to tighten the present community quarantine.] The Health chief noted that local government units are free to implement localized lockdowns if deemed necessary. The DOH, together with the Philippine Genome Center, confirmed on Wednesday that the B.1.1.7. SARS-CoV-2 variant, also known as the UK variant, has been detected from a Filipino who returned home from the United Arab Emirates on Jan. 7. Duque said on Thursday that the inclusion of UAE in the travel ban will be immediately recommended to the IATF. SACRAMENTO State and local Democratic leaders are pushing for an increase in Californias corporate tax rate to tackle the states homelessness crisis, a proposal that could generate billions of dollars in new funding but faces long odds to becoming law. A coalition of state legislators, big-city mayors and housing advocates introduced a bill Wednesday, AB71, that would raise the tax rate by nearly 0.8% for companies that earn more than $5 million in annual revenue in the state. It would also tax California-based corporations for the revenue they earn from intellectual property, such as patents and trademarks, held by their foreign subsidiaries. Supporters estimate the bill could generate $2.4 billion a year to build supportive housing and emergency shelters, offer rental assistance and provide other services to the more than 150,000 homeless Californians. Our state is facing an unprecedented homelessness crisis that is on the verge of becoming a full-blown catastrophe due to the economic impacts of COVID-19, Assembly Member Luz Rivas, a North Hollywood Democrat who is carrying the measure, said at a virtual news conference. Its clear that our current structure and one-time investments from the state are not always working, and people know it. Under the proposal, an estimated 2,285 large companies would pay a state corporate tax of 9.6% rather than 8.84%, raising the rate back to its 1980 level. The new supplemental tax for California corporations foreign intellectual property would be set at half the corporate tax rate. Proponents said the state needs a dedicated source of funding for homelessness programs. Each year, if we have to fight a budget battle with insufficient dollars and insecure dollars, not knowing where they come from, it makes this work close to impossible, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said. We cant beggar every year to try to get enough dollars. Republicans have long criticized California as unfriendly to businesses, and there have been high-profile corporate defections in recent months. But Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, one of the bills backers, said the tax increase would resolve a common business complaint about the impacts of homelessness on their economic well-being. Business groups, however, issued a letter Wednesday urging the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom to reject any new tax measures. Rob Lapsley, president of the California Business Roundtable, said it was insane to consider raising corporate taxes when the state is projecting a $15 billion surplus in the next fiscal year. He said lawmakers should steer money California already has toward homelessness services, rather than approving Newsoms idea for a $1.5 billion zero-emission-vehicles rebate program. Thats exactly the kind of thinking and governance that people dont want to see, Lapsley said. Assembly Member David Chiu, a San Francisco Democrat who is a co-author on the measure, said it includes funding goals and accountability metrics that create a road map in how we address homelessness in a meaningful way. He has unsuccessfully pursued a dedicated funding source for homelessness programs for several years. Any bill raising taxes requires a two-thirds vote in both the state Senate and the Assembly, a heavy lift even before the coronavirus pandemic pushed California into economic turmoil. Unveiling his budget proposal last week, Newsom said now is not the time to raise taxes. He specifically rejected calls to adopt a wealth tax or raise income taxes for the richest Californians. The governors office did not respond to questions about the corporate tax increase bill. Newsoms spending plan includes billions of dollars in proposed funding for housing and homelessness programs, but much of it is one-time money, including $500 million in grants to pay for housing-related infrastructure such as sewers and roads, and $500 million in low-income housing tax credits. The governor also proposed $750 million to extend Homekey, a pandemic program to convert buildings into permanent supportive housing for homeless people. Local governments that received grants have bought more than 6,000 units so far. Another $1 billion would be made available to apply the same model to mental health and senior care facilities. Another round of Homekey is welcome and it will have an impact, but unfortunately, it wont end homelessness, Sharon Rapport, director of the advocacy group Corporation for Supportive Housing, said Wednesday. This is why we need a permanent funding source to support services and operating expenses for programs like Homekey. Alexei Koseff is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @akoseff The Department of Energy plans to review whether equipment used in the treatment of radioactive waste at the Savannah River Site can be shipped out of South Carolina for commercial disposal, according to a notice circulated Wednesday. Specifically, the department will examine if the contaminated gear, glass bubblers and pumps among the lot, can be classified as non-high-level radioactive waste less hazardous than currently flagged, essentially. Such a ruling, made possible by the Energy Departments recent reinterpretation of the formal term high-level radioactive waste, would open options for accelerated disposition and cleanup of the site south of Aiken. Today, the Department of Energy is announcing further progress in utilizing science-driven solutions to achieve success in tackling the environmental legacy of decades of nuclear weapons production and government-sponsored nuclear energy research, the department said in an emailed announcement. Exactly when a draft environmental review will be ready is unclear. If the equipment is deemed a certain type of less-dangerous waste, it could be sent to Utah or Texas for disposal, Energy Department documents show. EnergySolutions would receive it in the Beehive State; Waste Control Specialists would receive it in the Lone Star State. The same teams were mentioned when the Energy Department debated reclassifying radioactive wastewater tied to the Defense Waste Processing Facility, a mammoth plant at the Savannah River Site that encases nuclear sludge in glass logs. Eight gallons of the wastewater were ultimately trucked to Texas for disposal, marking the first real-world application of the DOEs high-level radioactive waste reinterpretation. The contaminated equipment could, eventually, be the second. Getting the tranche of wastewater out of South Carolina was crucial in demonstrating "that we could do something different and actually get something shipped out of state," Under Secretary for Science Paul Dabbar said last year. Selecting the tainted equipment for study appears to be another nod to the Palmetto State, where officials often rail against becoming a de facto nuclear waste dump. The Energy Department in December issued a report to Congress suggesting more than $200 billion and years of work could be saved by reclassifying certain kinds of nuclear wastes. Upward of $5 billion could be saved at SRS alone, according to the analysis. For years, the department defined wastes by their sources, from where they came. Under the reinterpretation of high-level radioactive waste, a wastes characteristics its radioactivity and the health concerns it poses, for example are chiefly considered. That method is in line with international standards. Boasting pre-existing relationships built on successful R&D work and 5G trials, the collaboration is designed to bring together complementary skills from across the whole mobile media delivery ecosystem from devices to networks to broadcast to content and to venues. The consortium plans to provide enhanced interactive viewing experiences direct to devices in stadia and at other select locations, using 5G broadcast also known as FeMBMS: further enhanced multimedia broadcast multicast service. The objective of the consortium's VISTA (Video In Stadia Technical Architecture) project is to test and demonstrate consumer benefits and technical feasibility of using 5G FeMBMS technology.The project will define use cases which stimulate the development of the device and network ecosystem to support 5G broadcast and by having these features inherent in network architecture it provides built-in efficiencies which are seamless to end-users. It will also demonstrate how 5G broadcast can reduce carbon footprint by reducing the number of base stations and the amount of spectrum needed to deliver content to mass audiences.The partners are confident that the fruits of their work will highlight the potential for delivery of content and ways of watching which can bring about possibilities for collaborative viewing and interplay between venues meaning that watching a sporting event becomes a social occasion. T he efficient nature of 5G deliver y and the low impact on data usage of broadcast technology will mean that it becomes viable to deliver more content, though more channels and to more devices, said Alex Buchan, strategic technologist at the DTG . Leading to increased fan engagement with teams, an all access opportunity for viewers, and increasing the appeal of sport across generations. Derek McManus, COO, of O2 Telefonica added: We are excited to play our part in the development of this ground-breaking initiative; working with industry specialists to create something innovative and exciting that will not only enhance our customers experience at events but add a whole new and exciting dimension to live sports. Programmes like this which harness the power of next generation connectivity, create fresh opportunities that benefit customers and businesses while helping to boost the economy. The 2.3 million project has received 1.3 million from the Government as part of 5G Create , a competition to support innovators exploring new uses for 5G to improve peoples lives and boost British businesses. Pictured, David Davis, MP for Haltemprice and Howden Conservative backbencher David Davis MP has called for the UK Government to distribute vitamin D supplementation to society's most at-risk of Covid-19. Mr Davis says Britain should follow the lead of the Spanish region of Andalusia in the south of Spain, which distributed calcifediol, a vitamin D supplement, to care home residents in November. Since then, Andalusia's figure for deaths per million from Covid-19 has dropped from 187 in November to just 11 at the start of January, and is on track for just 33 for the month, an 82 per cent drop from November. Meanwhile, the UK's comparative toll has escalated from 175 in November to what will be more than 300 for January. Mr Davis believes it is time for the UK Government to renew its interest in vitamin D and roll it out to all at-risk people. Vitamin D is naturally produced in the body when skin is exposed to sunlight, but in many northern parts of the world without much sunlight, vitamin D deficiency is commonplace. It is naturally found in oily fish such as salmon, egg yolks, mushrooms and red meat. The NHS says adults should have around 10 micrograms of vitamin D every day. Scroll down for video Mr Davis says Britain should follow the lead of the Spanish region of Andalusia in the south of Spain, which distributed calcifediol to care home residents in November. Since then, Andalusia's figure for deaths per million from Covid-19 has dropped from 187 in November to just 11 at the start of January However, a UK Government review recently found there is 'not enough evidence' that taking vitamin D supplements can prevent or treat Covid-19. Health Secretary Matt Hancock ordered a rapid review into the vitamin's effect on Covid in October, after coming under fire for previously writing it off without any evidence to back his claims. A panel of experts across multiple Government agencies, including Public Health England, analysed 'the best' scientific studies from around the world, though they did not say which or how many papers they looked at. But the team, led by NHS watchdog NICE, said 'it was not possible' to determine a direct relationship between vitamin D and Covid, citing a lack of high-quality trials. A mountain of studies have found that an overwhelming amount of people who get Covid-19 do not have enough vitamin D in their bodies and the sickest of patients are often deficient. 'To give the Government proper credit they have instigated the provision of a supplement, free of charge, to the clinically extremely vulnerable in care homes,' Mr Davis said today in the House of Commons during an adjournment debate. 'However, if supplementation is to have any serious effect, the dosage has to be sufficient to correct the existing efficiency. 'Sadly, with the Government's programme for the clinically extremely vulnerable, the supplementation falls far short of this.' He explains the Government is supplying 100 international units of vitamin D. One microgram of vitamin D equates to 40 international units. Mr Davis says the existing programme is a 'small step in the right direction' but is merely a 'drop in the ocean'. 'What is needed to provide adequate protection against Covid-19 is a significantly higher dose, up to 4,000 units a day. 'Particularly for those vulnerable groups that tend to be deficient in the vitamin, namely the elderly, the ethnic minorities and those suffering from a number of medical conditions.' A previous study found that 72 per cent of NHS workers in Birmingham who were lacking in vitamin D (left column) tested positive for coronavirus antibodies in the blood. This compared to just 51 per cent for those who had a healthy amount of the vitamin (right column) He calls for a wider scheme to provide supplements to all at-risk populations, including the elderly, the obese, BAME individuals, diabetics, people with high blood pressure etc. A recent study from Australian researchers found many people from ethnic minorities in the UK are severely deficient in vitamin D. It revealed more than half of Asians are severely deficient in winter and more than a third of black Africans suffer an 'alarmingly high' lack of the vitamin. The cost of supplying an individual person with a year's supply of the vitamin would be around 15, equating to 200million for all at-risk people. 'There is now no reason not to act,' he says. 'Vitamin D is cheap, it is safe, it has many other proven health benefits and as the government of Andalusia has shown, it could be a dramatically effective weapon in our fight against Covid. 'There is no more time to waste, the time to act is now.' Researchers from Queen Mary University of London are currently carrying out a randomised trial probing the potential benefits of the nutrient on Covid-19. The scientists gave 5,000 volunteers the vitamin in October and will assess them over six months if they do not already take high doses. Experts will then assess whether participants are at less risk of catching the virus and developing a severe bout of the disease over the winter months. Ms Jo Churchill MP, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Prevention, Public Health and Primary Care at the Department of Health and Social Care, said in the Commons: 'There are several nutrients involved in the normal functioning of the immune system however, there is currently insufficient evidence that taking vitamin D will mitigate the effects of Covid-19. 'The longstanding Government advice is that between October and early March everyone is advised to take a supplement containing 10mg or 400 international units of vitamin D a day.' RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In partnership with the Housing Authority of San Bernardino County (HACSB), Inland Empire Health Plan's (IEHP) Victorville Community Resource Center (CRC) has been designated as the first EnVision Center in San Bernardino County, the first center in HUD Region IX (AZ, CA, HI, NV) to partner with a health plan, and seventh in the state of California. This designation, declared by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), highlights the center's ability and commitment to empower households with resources and support needed to become self-sufficient. Resources pertain to economic empowerment, educational advancement, health and wellness, and character leadership. Enhancing this commitment, HACSB will now be accessible to members and community residents at the health plan's Victorville CRC. "Having HACSB on-site is a win for the community," said Delia Orosco, IEHP Victorville CRC manager. "Their presence will provide access to various affordable housing programs and together, we can work to elevate and empower our neighbors to live the very best lives they can." Established in 2019, IEHP's Victorville CRC is one of three centers in the Inland Empire and includes locations in Riverside and San Bernardino. As a trio, the CRCs refocused their efforts in 2020 to support community residents by hosting various grocery distributions, flu vaccine clinics and more. Traditionally, the centers offer youth mentorship, immigration services, legal services, health and wellness classes, children's programing, and healthcare coverage education in both English and Spanish and have established partnerships with Goodwill Southern California, Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino, TODEC Legal Services, and Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy. "While success on one level may be measured by the number of people served by the Inland Empire Health Plan's Victorville Community Resource Center," said Christopher Patterson, HUD regional administrator, "the true measure of success will be determined by the number of persons who achieve greater self-sufficiency. The extent to which they independently gain the financial means to rent, or even buy, their own homes, is a success we can all celebrate." To qualify for designation, HSCSB participated in an intensive review and application process that evaluated the Victorville CRC's operations plan, including funding sources and strategy, outreach plans and center goals. "As a longtime partner of IEHP, we are thrilled to collaborate in this way and expand resources provided at the Victorville CRC," said Maria Razo, HACSB executive director. "This strategic partnership will allow us to share resources with those in need and open us up to additional collaborations with partners to enhance this commitment throughout our county and beyond. We are grateful to IEHP for their collaboration which will allow our families to conveniently access the comprehensive array of onsite services." IEHP's Victorville CRC will join a short list of seven existing California HUD EnVision Centers, including: NHS Center for Sustainable Communities in Compton, La Familia's Maple Neighborhood Center and Fruit Ridge Community Collaborative in Sacramento, Coalition for Responsible Community Development in Los Angeles, Metro Career Center in San Diego, and Hemet Envision Center in Hemet. "This designation came from the partnership, dedication, acknowledgment of needs, and commitment to the health and wellness of our communities," said Jarrod McNaughton, IEHP chief executive officer. "We are so grateful to have partners like HACSB who truly embody our mission to heal and inspire the human spirit and are willing to collaborate to ensure that our most vulnerable populations have access and opportunities to empower themselves and lead healthier lives." To learn more about HUD EnVision Centers, visit HUD.Gov/EnVisionCenters. About IEHP IEHP, Inland Empire Health Plan, is one of the top 10 largest Medicaid health plans and the largest not-for-profit Medicare-Medicaid plan in the country. With a network of more than 6,400 Providers and more than 2,000 employees, IEHP serves more than 1.3 million residents in Riverside and San Bernardino counties who are enrolled in Medicaid or Cal MediConnect Plan (Medicare-Medicaid Plan). Through a dynamic partnership with Providers and Community, award-winning service and innovative products, IEHP is fully committed to advocating for our Members and providing them with quality, accessible and wellness-based health care services. For more information, visit iehp.org. About HACSB The Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino is one of the nation's most progressive housing authorities in the Country. As the largest provider of affordable housing in the County, we proudly serve over 26,000 people, most of whom are seniors, veterans, disabled individuals, and children. We also work on connecting our families with additional resources needed to achieve their personal goals. For more information, please visit: www.hacsb.com. About HUD HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and https://espanol.hud.gov. SOURCE Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) Related Links http://www.iehp.org Ray Fisher claims that he will no longer be playing Cyborg in "The Flash." The tug of war between the actor and Warner Bros. had finally ended when Ray revealed that he would no longer be portraying the part-human, part-robot in the upcoming solo "The Flash" movie. In a lengthy open letter he posted on Twitter, he began to say that he had received an official confirmation that he will not be returning on the film. Ray wrote, "Despite the misconception, Cyborg's involvement in The Flash was much larger than a cameo -- and while I do mourn the lost opportunity to bring Victor Stone back to the screen, bringing awareness to the actions of Walter Hamada will prove to be a much more important contribution to our world." The actor laid out his issues with Hamada, the president of DC Films, accusing him in a phone call back in June of purposely ignoring and trying to downplay the problems Ray had encountered with the former head of DC Films, Geoff Johns, including producer Jon Berg and director Joss Whedon, of racist and abusive behavior during the filming of "Justice League." Ray described the phone call as a "tastelessly self-aware joke" seems to be the root of his later claims that the current DC Film president had "happily thrown Whedon and Berg under the bus" in favor of Johns. In one tweet, the actor wrote that the on-set treatment of the film's cast and the crew was "gross, abusive, unprofessional and completely unacceptable." Later on, a Warner Bros. investigation said unspecified "remedial action" was taken, and the investigation ended. But no other details were revealed. In Ray's letter, he also said that Walter Hamada is unfit for leadership and even claimed he would be submitting a polygraph test to support his claims against him. This news comes after Hamada's newly extended two-year position with DC Films. Fans have started to react to the situation but have been mixed. Some fans were left curious about the investigation results while a massive number of Ray Fisher's supporters took to their social media pages to express that they're on the star's side. One person wrote, "Ray Fisher's integrity and courage are astonishing. A true hero." Another claimed, "Ray lost his role in The Flash and may never play Cyborg again, but checkmarks swear that he's lying for attention. Even after Jason, Gal, and numerous people who worked on JL confirmed his claims. What's it going to take to believe him?" READ MORE: Liam Hemsworth Birthday: Aussie's New Realization After Wild Years With Miley Cyrus See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles Scientists believe they have found an inhaler (pictured) that blocks coronavirus from progressing in the lungs A mass trial of a repurposed Multiple Sclerosis drug that researchers hope will hugely reduce the chances of coronavirus patients becoming seriously ill has begun at a hospital in Hull. The first patient in the trial of a medicine known as SNG001 received the treatment at Hull Royal Infirmary on Tuesday. Earlier trials produced promising results with just 13 per cent of patients given it going on to need intensive care treatment compared to 22 per cent who received a placebo. Patients treated with the drug were also twice as likely to recover after two weeks than those who didn't, according to the research by Southampton University. SNG001 uses a naturally-occurring protein called interferon beta which the body produces when it fights viral infections. Interferon beta is a treatment for multiple sclerosis and is normally given via an injection. But SNG001 is inhaled into the lungs using a nebuliser to trigger a stronger, more targeted anti-viral response. Kaye Flitney was one of the 98 people enrolled in last year's clinical trial led by Southampton University Scientists believe Covid-19 shuts down the immune system's ability to produce the protein in high doses, with the new treatment giving the lungs an essential 'top-up'. The drug was developed by workers at Southampton University Hospital and is being produced by biotech company Synairgen. Treating a patient could cost in the region of 2,000, which is seen as relatively cheap compared to alternatives. At Hull Royal Infirmary, Alexandra Constantin, 34, was the first person to receive the treatment as part of this new trial, after she was admitted to the hospital with coronavirus on Monday, the BBC reported. The last study into the treatment was published in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal in November and looked at 98 hospital patients with the virus between March and May, at the height of Britain's epidemic. WHAT IS SNG001? SNG001 uses a protein called interferon beta, which our bodies produce during a viral infection. It is inhaled directly into the lungs using an inhaler, where it's thought to trigger a stronger, more targeted anti-viral response. Scientists believe Covid-19 shuts down the immune system's ability to produce the protein in high doses, with the new treatment giving the lungs an essential 'top-up'. The drug was developed by Southampton-based pharmaceutical firm Synairgen and trialled by researchers from the city's university. Interferon beta itself is not new, but the technique by which it is administered is. The protein is given via an injection to patients with multiple sclerosis. Studies trialling injectable interferon beta on Covid-19 have been fruitless. SNG001 is inhaled into the lungs using a nebuliser. The new studies is being carried out by Southampton University to see if giving it to Covid-19 sufferers before they're hospitalised helps. If this proves to be the case, it opens the door for patients to be able to treat themselves at home with a special inhaler. Advertisement They were split in half, with one group receiving the new treatment and the other group being given a placebo. The trial was carried out on a double blind basis, meaning neither the researchers nor the 98 patients knew who was receiving SNG001. In the placebo group, 11 (22 per cent) of 50 patients were moved to ICU or needed mechanical ventilation after a fortnight. Three eventually died. Of those who were given SNG001, just six (13 per cent) of 48 patients developed severe disease and there were no fatalities. Patients on the drug were also twice as likely to return to full health by the end of the two-week period. A total of 21 (44 per cent) in the SNG001 group recovered in that time, compared to 11 (22 per cent) patients in the placebo group. Lead author Professor Tom Wilkinson, professor of respiratory medicine at the University of Southampton, said: 'The results confirm our belief that interferon beta, a widely-known drug approved for use in its injectable form for other indications, may have the potential as an inhaled drug to restore the lung's immune response and accelerate recovery from Covid-19. 'Inhaled interferon beta-1a provides high, local concentrations of the immune protein, which boosts lung defences rather than targeting specific viral mechanisms. 'This might carry additional advantages of treating Covid-19 infection when it occurs alongside infection by another respiratory virus, such as influenza or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) that may well be encountered in the winter months.' The authors have admitted that, while promising, their study had several limitations - most notably its small sample size. There were also differences between the two groups at recruitment - patients in the SNG001 group had more severe disease at baseline and more patients had high blood pressure. Whereas in the placebo group, there were a greater number of patients with diabetes and heart disease. Diabetes and heart disease are two conditions which can make Covid-19 deadlier, which may have skewed the results of the trial. Dr Nathan Peiffer-Smadja, an expert in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases at Imperial College Londo, said larger trials should be able to address these limitations. Reacting to the study, he said: 'The number of patients enrolled in this pilot clinical trial is of course small. 'In addition, this study neither showed any impact of the evaluated treatment on time to discharge nor on mortality, although the study was obviously not powered to respond to the latter question. 'Larger randomised clinical trials are therefore needed to confirm these results.' He also added that the safety of inhaling interferon beta-1a using a nebuliser 'will be of special interest since nebulisation of interferon has no marketing authorisation for any indication yet'. The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. Bacteria are likely triggering greater melting on the Greenland ice sheet, possibly increasing the island's contribution to sea-level rise, according to Rutgers scientists. That's because the microbes cause sunlight-absorbing sediment to clump together and accumulate in the meltwater streams, according to a Rutgers-led study - the first of its kind - in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. The findings can be incorporated in climate models, leading to more accurate predictions of melting, scientists say. "These streams can be seen all over Greenland and they have a brilliant blue color, which leads to further melting since they absorb more sunlight than the surrounding ice," said lead author Sasha Leidman, a graduate student in the lab of co-author Asa K. Rennermalm, an associate professor in the Department of Geography in the School of Arts and Sciences at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. "This is exacerbated as dark sediment accumulates in these streams, absorbing even more sunlight and causing more melting that may increase sea-level rise." The Greenland ice sheet covers about 656,000 square miles - most of the island and three times the size of Texas, according to the National Snow & Ice Data Center. The global sea level would rise an estimated 20 feet if the thick ice sheet melted. With climate change, sea-level rise and coastal storms threaten low-lying islands, cities and lands around the world. YouTube video: Drone flight over a supraglacial stream in Greenland Most scientists ignore sediment in glacial streams that form on top of the Greenland ice sheet as meltwater flows to the ocean, but the Rutgers-led team wanted to find out why they accumulated so much sediment. In 2017, scientists flew drones over an approximately 425-foot-long stream in southwest Greenland, took measurements and collected sediment samples. They found that sediment covers up to a quarter of the stream bottom, far more than the estimated 1.2 percent that would exist if organic matter and cyanobacteria did not cause sediment granules to clump together. They also showed that streams have more sediment than predicted by hydrological models. "We found that the only way for sediment to accumulate in these streams was if bacteria grew in the sediment, causing it to clump into balls 91 times their original size," Leidman said. "If bacteria didn't grow in the sediment, all the sediment would be washed away and these streams would absorb significantly less sunlight. This sediment aggregation process has been going on for longer than human history." The solar energy absorbed by streams likely depends on the health and longevity of the bacteria, and further warming in Greenland may lead to greater sediment deposits in glacial streams, the study says. "Decreases in cloud cover and increases in temperature in Greenland are likely causing these bacteria to grow more extensively, causing more sediment-driven melting," Leidman said. "With climate change causing more of the ice sheet to be covered by streams, this feedback may lead to an increase in Greenland's contribution to sea-level rise. By incorporating this process into climate models, we'll be able to more accurately predict how much melting will occur, with the caveat that it is uncertain how much more melting will take place compared with what climate models predict. It will likely not be negligible." ### Rutgers co-authors include graduate student Rohi Muthyala and School of Engineering Professor Qizhong (George) Guo. A scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder contributed to the study. Opposition stages walkout over gold smuggling case Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 14 (UNI) Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) on Thursday staged a walkout from Kerala Assembly in protest against denial of an adjournment motion on the controversial diplomatic baggage gold smuggling case. Seeking the leave of the House to move the adjournment motion in this regard, Congress MLA PT Thomas said the CM's former principal secretary M Sivasankar was arrested and his additional private secretary CM Raveendran has been questioned by the Central agencies probing the gold smuggling case. Referring the name of Swapna Suresh, a key accused in the case, the Congress MLA asked the CM to disclose the details of the people who had attended a family function of the chief minister recently. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Panaji, Jan 14 : Sanitation workers who have been part of the state Health Department's Covid-19 teams will be the first recipients of the Covid-19 vaccine, when the drive begins on January 16 this year, dean of the Goa Medical College, the state's apex healthcare facility Dr. Shivanand Bandekar has said. "The first vaccines will be administered to safai karmacharis. These are people who have also been at the forefront, handling Covid-19 patients' soiled clothes, clearing their food trays, etc," Bandekar said on Thursday. "We will also administer the vaccine to doctors who work in Covid-19 areas in the first phase," the top official said. On Wednesday, a consignment of 2,350 vials, containing 23,500 vaccination shots landed in Goa and have been stored in secured cold storage facilities, Bandekar said. Nearly 19,000 health department workers and Covid-19 warriors are expected to be covered in the first round of vaccination. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Among the thousands of trucks backed up in Dover last month trying to get across the Channel, one was carrying a painting by Henri Matisse. A piece by the Argentine-born artist Lucio Fontana was also in the queue, along with tens of millions of dollars of other artworks. The owners wanted to get their art back to the continent before the U.K. left the European Unions single market. Before Dec. 31, European artworks could, like all other goods, move freely between the EU and the U.K. with minimal restrictions and without cumbersome tax and customs procedures. At the end of the transition period, galleries and collectors in London had to decide whether to stick with the U.K. or ship their works into the EU before the deadline. Several decided the latter was a better bet. The risk for art dealers is that they could be hit by import duties when bringing works of art into the EU in future, according to Chris Evans, a general manager at shipping firm Cadogan Tate. In an interview, he said that mid-sized galleries and dealers who sell regularly to buyers in Europe have been particularly affected. His company moved about 500 pieces for one client that has shifted about two-thirds of its stock into the EU. Another moved a quarter of its collection -- about $5 million of artworks -- and a third had moved smaller amounts earlier in the year. Quantifying the total amount of art that was shipped out of the U.K. before the turn of the year isnt straightforward because of a lack of data in a market that prides itself on privacy and secrecy. But anecdotal evidence backs up Evanss impression that mid-sized operators and niche pockets of the market have been most affected. The director of another specialist shipping company said that the volume of artworks it moved to the EU in December jumped 75% from the previous year. The firm, which he asked not to be identified due to the sensitive nature of its business, had 34 separate bookings last month as it trucked about 125 artworks to mainland Europe. Each item is wrapped and packed in a special frame to protect it from bumps, changes in temperature, and humidity or dust. The most valuable and delicate paintings sometimes require custom-made cases or even temperature-controlled units. The impact of the departures is likely only a ripple in a U.K. market that in 2019 was estimated to have reached $12.7 billion in sales, according to the authoritative Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report, making it the second-biggest in the world. But its still another example of how is bringing friction to markets where previously there was none. With EU trade accounting for only about 20% of the value of the U.K. art market, some experts argue that the impact of Brexit will be limited, particularly at the top end of the market where global businesses such as large London auction houses will expand procedures they already use for non-EU transactions to their EU operations. The higher up the market, the more global it is, said Anthony Browne, chairman of the British Art Market Federation. Its the smaller galleries and dealers and mid-market ones that have buyers in the EU that will be mostly affected. He said the Covid-19 pandemic has so far had a much bigger impact on the market than Brexit, since major art fairs such as Frieze London have had to be canceled. Haulage trucks at the check in at the Port of Dover Ltd. in Dover, in December. Stewart Hopkirk manages the European road freight team at Martinspeed, a company focused on high-end clients. He said his company had one large shipment that moved a few hundred artworks before the year-end cut-off, but in his segment of the market there was no real noticeable trend. The reasons why some galleries and dealers chose to move their collections vary, according to the people familiar with those decisions. Several calculated that their eventual buyers are more likely to be EU citizens rather than British nationals. Some pieces will eventually return to the U.K. on a temporary basis anyway, using an arrangement known as a Temporary Admission Bond, which allows owners to defer sales tax for up to two years collectors decided that maintaining the pieces European status would better support their financial value in the longer term. A minority considered it would preserve the allure of artworks that were originally from Europe. A small fraction of galleries that operate mostly in the U.K. made the journey in the opposite direction. Mattia Martinelli, owner of the London-based gallery Robertaebasta, said that he had moved as many as 60 pieces of art to the U.K. from Milan because most of the gallerys clients are in London. He added, however, that several of his high net-worth clients, as well as other galleries, had moved their collections in the other direction. I currently have trucks stuck in both Britain and Italy as its still not clear what the rules are, he said. Its a chaotic situation. CLEVELAND, Ohio Christine Priola, a former occupational therapist for the Cleveland schools, was arrested Thursday morning and accused of taking part in last weeks attack on the U.S. Capitol. Priola, 49, made a brief appearance in U.S. District Court in Cleveland before Magistrate Judge Jonathan Greenberg, who transferred her case to the District of Columbia. Thats where federal prosecutors have charged about two dozen others. Priola, of Willoughby, is accused of knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building; violent entry; and unlawful activities on Capitol grounds. She was released on a recognizance bond, with her travel restricted to northern Ohio and Washington for court hearings. Public defenders represented her at Thursdays hearing. Authorities said she was among scores of rioters in Washington who broke through barricades and stormed the Capitol while Congress was in session to certify Joe Biden as the winner of the presidential election. The protesters initially attended a rally outside the Capitol, where President Trump spoke. Many described the storming of the building as an insurrection to support the Trumps attempts to stay in power. Four rioters and a Capitol Hill police officer died in the melee. Priola became a suspect after a photographer for Getty Images took a picture in the chamber of the U.S. Senate amid protesters reveling and trespassing. The photograph showed a woman, at the front of the chamber, carrying a sign that said, The Children Cry Out For Justice. Several people on social media identified the woman as Priola. In an affidavit filed Thursday, David Kasulones, a deputy U.S. Marshal, said said the FBI received an anonymous tip Friday, Jan. 8, that also named Priola as the woman in the photo. Authorities compared the photos taken of the woman in the Senate chambers with other photos of the Willoughby woman. Late Friday night, authorities searched Priolas home. They seized a laptop, two desktop computers and several thumb drives, according to Kasulones affidavit. Agents also recovered clothing, the sign that she held and other materials consistent with the photographs of Priola taken Jan. 6, Kasulones wrote. Investigators also were able to track her movements last week through her cellphone. At one point during the attack, she was standing just northeast of the Capitol building, according to the deputy marshals affidavit. The day after the rally, Priola submitted her resignation from the school district in a conspiracy-laden letter to officials. In it, she said refused to take a coronavirus vaccine to return to classes and did not agree with union dues which help fund people and groups that support the killing of unborn children. She also said she will be switching paths to expose the global evil of human trafficking and pedophilia, including in our government agencies and childrens services agencies. Priola graduated from Eastlake North High School and earned a bachelors degree in biology at Capital University before attending the University of Indianapolis for her graduate degree, according to her personnel file. She began working as an occupational therapist with Cleveland Schools in August 2000. She has a grown daughter. I have known for many years that I wanted to work with children and assist in their development, Priola wrote to school officials. I understand that development in the critical years of childhood help form the foundation for healthy, safe and respectful lives. In performance reviews, supervisors praised her work, dependability and graciousness in helping students with special needs. Christine is a hard-working professional, a supervisor wrote in the early 2000s. She is a team-player who does not complain. [Priola] gets along well with students, parents and teachers. Shes a pleasure to work with. She worked for the district for about a dozen years before taking a year off. She returned in 2014. She was on leave when she attended the rally in Washington, D.C. A spokeswoman for Cleveland Schools said the district does not comment on personnel issues, particularly when they are part of an on-going investigation. The district, however, released a statement that said it deeply condemns the actions of those involved in the riots inside the Capitol and on the Capitol grounds. The right of peaceful protest, as protected by the First Amendment, is a foundation of our democracy. The forcible takeover and willful destruction of our government is not. While Priolas personnel file offers a glowing narrative of her work, court records provide a different view. She changed her last name from Snyder to Priola in 2015, six years after she divorced. I no longer want to have this name, she said in a document filed in Lake County Probate Court. She changed her name to Priola, the maiden name of her grandmother. She later remarried in May 2018. She filed for divorce seven months later, records show. Tallinn, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Jan, 2021 ) :Estonia's pro-business opposition leader Kaja Kallas was nominated Thursday to become the Baltic eurozone member's first woman prime minister, pending the support of parliament. Kallas, leader of the Reform Party, is a staunch europhile and the daughter of former Estonian prime minister Siim Kallas. The 43-year-old would replace Juri Ratas, who resigned on Wednesday after his Centre Party came under investigation for corruption. His resignation brings down the governing centre-right coalition, which includes the far-right EKRE party. "Both the Estonian people and I are expecting that Estonia would quickly have an active and competent government, which focuses on handling the pandemic and the economic crisis," President Kersti Kaljulaid said in a statement. Kallas's party came first in parliamentary elections in 2019 but did not win an outright majority and then failed to build a ruling coalition. Kallas previously served in the European Parliament and was regularly included on lists of the most influential MEPs. She is a passionate proponent of innovation who argues that regulations must not hinder the digital technological revolution. Focused on the rights of small and medium-sized businesses, Kallas believes that borders in the digital world prevent innovative companies from emerging. She now has 14 days to win majority support in parliament. Her Reform Party and the Centre Party have announced that they are starting unofficial coalition talks. The two parties have alternated in government over the nearly three decades since Estonia broke free from the crumbling Soviet Union. Both strongly support Estonia's EU and NATO membership, which they see as a buffer against Soviet-era master Russia. They have favoured austerity to keep spending in check, giving the country one of the eurozone's lowest debt-to-GDP ratios. Astronomers using images from Kitt Peak National Observatory and Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory have created the largest ever map of the sky, comprising over a billion galaxies. The ninth and final data release from the ambitious DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys sets the stage for a ground-breaking 5-year survey with the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), which aims to provide new insights into the nature of dark energy. The map was released today at the January 2021 meeting of the American Astronomical Society. For millennia humans have used maps to understand and navigate our world and put ourselves in context: we rely on maps to show us where we are, where we came from, and where we're going. Astronomical maps continue this tradition on a vast scale. They locate us within the cosmos and tell the story of the history and fate of the Universe: it will expand forever, the expansion currently accelerating because of an unknown quantity called dark energy. Astronomical maps may help explain what this dark energy is and why it exists. Capitalizing on that possibility requires an unprecedented map -- one that charts faint galaxies more uniformly and over a larger area of sky than ever before. To meet that challenge, astronomers have now created a new two-dimensional map of the sky that is the largest ever made in terms of sky coverage, sensitivity, and the total number of galaxies mapped. From among the more than 1 billion galaxies in the map, astronomers will select tens of millions of galaxies for further study with the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), in order to construct the largest 3D map ever attempted. The results from the DESI survey, which will be carried out at Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), a Program of National Science Foundation's NOIRLab, will ultimately provide new insights into the nature of dark energy. The new map is the result of the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys, an ambitious 6-year effort involving 1405 observing nights at three telescopes, years of data from a space telescope, 150 observers and 50 other researchers from around the world, 1 petabyte of data (1000 trillion bytes), and 100 million CPU hours on one of the world's most powerful computers. The images were taken at KPNO and Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), also a Program of NOIRLab, and supplemented by images from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission. The data were reduced at Berkeley Lab's National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC). The map covers half of the sky, digitally sprawling over 10 trillion pixels, which is equivalent to a mosaic of 833,000 high-resolution smartphone photos, and is one of the most uniform, deep surveys of the sky ever undertaken. "This is the biggest map by almost any measure," said David Schlegel, co-project scientist for DESI who also co-led the imaging project. Schlegel is an astrophysicist at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), the lead institution for the international DESI collaboration. Arjun Dey, the DESI Project Scientist for NOIRLab, co-led two of the three imaging surveys, serving as the lead scientist for the Mayall z-band Legacy Survey (MzLS) observed by the Mosaic3 camera on the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope at KPNO, and as co-lead scientist with Schlegel for the Dark Energy Camera Legacy Survey (DECaLS) on DECam on the Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at CTIO in Chile. The third survey is the Beijing-Arizona Sky Survey (BASS) observed by the 90Prime camera on the Bok 2.3-meter Telescope, which is owned and operated by the University of Arizona and located at KPNO. The collective effort of the three surveys, Dey said, "was one of the most uniform, deep surveys of the sky that has ever been undertaken. It was really exciting to participate." The DESI collaboration will select 35 million galaxies and 2.4 million quasars in the map -- some as far away as 12 billion light-years -- as targets for the DESI survey. Over five years of operations, DESI will create a giant 3D map of the Universe by measuring the galaxies' distances and the rate at which they are moving away from us. To make these measurements, DESI will take the fingerprint of a galaxy by measuring its spectrum: the light from individual galaxies will be dispersed into fine bands of color. Capturing the spectra of so many galaxies so quickly requires a high degree of automation. DESI -- equipped with an array of 5000 swiveling, automated robots, each toting a thin fiber-optic cable that can point at individual galaxies -- is designed to measure the spectra of 5000 galaxies at a time. The results will ultimately provide new insights into the mysterious dark energy that is driving the Universe's accelerating expansion. The quest to understand the nature of dark energy has led to major opportunities for discovery in other areas of astronomy. Adam Bolton, Director of NOIRLab's Community Science and Data Center, explained: "To solve some of the biggest mysteries in fundamental physics today, we are driven to create huge digital databases of stars and galaxies, which in turn enable a new data-mining approach to making additional astronomical discoveries." With the completion of the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys, all data have been released to the scientific community and the public. This final data release, known as Data Release 9, has been preceded by eight other intermediate data releases. NOIRLab will host these data products in the Astro Data Archive, from the original images taken at the telescopes to the catalogs that report the positions and other properties of stars and galaxies. Astro Data Lab also serves the catalogs as databases, which astronomers can easily analyze using the Astro Data Lab tools and services, and cross-match them with other datasets, giving more opportunities for discovery. In addition, Astro Data Lab provides astronomers with example scientific applications and tutorials to assist with their research. The DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys data have already been used for many other research projects [1] [2], including citizen science efforts that utilize the wisdom of crowds [3]. ### Notes [1] One study uses a machine-learning algorithm to automatically identify light-bending phenomena known as gravitational lenses in the DESI surveys data. [2] Another study employs spectroscopy from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey together with the Legacy Surveys imaging to reveal the presence of active black holes in galaxies, and giving us a preview of a large population of active galaxies to be discovered with the DESI spectroscopic survey. This work is being led by NOIRLab astronomer Stephanie Juneau. [3] The citizen science project Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 enlists the general public's help in finding a possible ninth planet in our Solar System, by searching for moving objects in the data. Participants have already discovered new cool worlds in the vicinity of the Sun -- objects more massive than planets but lighter than stars, known as brown dwarfs. Several of these are among the very coolest brown dwarfs known, with a few approaching the temperature of Earth and cool enough to harbor water clouds. Recently the largest map of brown dwarfs in our neighborhood was published. Backyard Worlds is co-led by Aaron Meisner, a NOIRLab astronomer and DESI participant. More information NSF's NOIRLab (National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory), the US center for ground-based optical-infrared astronomy, operates the international Gemini Observatory (a facility of NSF, NRC-Canada, ANID-Chile, MCTIC-Brazil, MINCyT-Argentina, and KASI-Republic of Korea), Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), the Community Science and Data Center (CSDC), and Vera C. Rubin Observatory. It is managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) under a cooperative agreement with NSF and is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona. The astronomical community is honored to have the opportunity to conduct astronomical research on Iolkam Du'ag (Kitt Peak) in Arizona, on Maunakea in Hawai?i, and on Cerro Tololo and Cerro Pachon in Chile. We recognize and acknowledge the very significant cultural role and reverence that these sites have to the Tohono O'odham Nation, to the Native Hawaiian community, and to the local communities in Chile, respectively. DESI is supported by the US Department of Energy's Office of High Energy Physics; the US National Science Foundation, Division of Astronomical Sciences under contract to the NSF's NOIRLab; the Science and Technologies Facilities Council of the United Kingdom; the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; the Heising-Simons Foundation; the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA); the National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico; the Ministry of Economy of Spain; and DESI member institutions. The DESI scientists are honored to be permitted to conduct astronomical research on Iolkam Du'ag (Kitt Peak), a mountain with particular significance to the Tohono O'odham Nation. Current DESI Member Institutions include: Aix-Marseille University; Argonne National Laboratory; Barcelona-Madrid Regional Participation Group; Brookhaven National Laboratory; Boston University; Brazil Regional Participation Group; Carnegie Mellon University; CEA-IRFU, Saclay; China Participation Group; Cornell University; Durham University; Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne; Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule, Zurich; Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory; Granada-Madrid-Tenerife Regional Participation Group; Harvard University; Kansas State University; Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute; Korea Institute for Advanced Study; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Laboratoire de Physique Nucleaire et de Hautes Energies; Max Planck Institute; Mexico Regional Participation Group; New York University; NSF's NOIRLab; Ohio University; Perimeter Institute; Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Siena College; SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Southern Methodist University; Swinburne University; The Ohio State University; Universidad de los Andes; University of Arizona; University of Barcelona; University of California, Berkeley; University of California, Irvine; University of California, Santa Cruz; University College London; University of Florida; University of Michigan at Ann Arbor; University of Pennsylvania; University of Pittsburgh; University of Portsmouth; University of Queensland; University of Rochester; University of Toronto; University of Utah; University of Waterloo; University of Wyoming; University of Zurich; UK Regional Participation Group; Yale University. For more information, visit desi.lbl.gov. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the Universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 to promote the progress of science. NSF supports basic research and people to create knowledge that transforms the future. Established in 2007 by Mark Heising and Elizabeth Simons, the Heising-Simons Foundation is dedicated to advancing sustainable solutions in the environment, supporting groundbreaking research in science, and enhancing the education of children. The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, established in 2000, seeks to advance environmental conservation, patient care and scientific research. The Foundation's Science Program aims to make a significant impact on the development of provocative, transformative scientific research, and increase knowledge in emerging fields. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) of the United Kingdom coordinates research on some of the most significant challenges facing society, such as future energy needs, monitoring and understanding climate change, and global security. It offers grants and support in particle physics, astronomy, and nuclear physics. Links Legacy Surveys viewer Photos of DESI Videos of DESI Photos of the Nicholas U. Mayall 4- meter Telescope Photos of the Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope Photos of DECam How to Build a Giant 2D Map of the Universe (video) Berkeley Labs press release Contacts David Schlegel Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) Cell: +1 510 965 3287 Email: djschlegel@lbl.gov Arjun Dey NSF's NOIRLab Cell: +1 520 981 9024 Email: dey@noao.edu Amanda Kocz Press and Internal Communications Officer NSF's NOIRLab Cell: +1 626 524 5884 Email: amanda.kocz@noirlab.edu Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. WORK-based pension schemes took an 8bn hit from the pandemic last year. The value of assets in occupational pension funds have since recovered, but they remain slightly below pre-pandemic levels, according to a new Behind The Data report on pensions from the Central Bank. Occupational pension fund assets make up around 30pc of the assets of households, the Bank said. Jerry Moriarty of the Irish Association of Pension Funds said it was interesting how large a portion of household savings pensions represent, particularly as the figures do not include any value for public sector pensions. The moves by employers to close down defined benefit (DB) pensions and replace them with defined contribution (DC) schemes means households are now more exposed to financial market movements. The transition of pensions from defined benefit to defined contribution also means households are increasingly exposed to financial market shocks, the Central Bank report states. With a defined benefit pension, the risk is borne by the sponsor company. These schemes promise a set level of pension based on years worked and final salary. Any shortfall in meeting this commitment has to be met with higher contributions from the employer, the employee, or both, or a reduction in the promised pension. The expense of these schemes has seen their number fall by half in the last decade. With a defined contribution scheme, the risk is borne by the pension holder. The pay-out at retirement depends on what is paid into the scheme and the return from the investments. The Central Bank report found that the assets in occupational pension funds, made up of DB and DC schemes, was 118bn in June. This figure does not take account of pensions people take out themselves, such as those in personal retirement savings accounts (PRSAs) and retirement annuity accounts (RACs). It also excludes State pension payments, and pensions paid by insurance companies. The report found that the value of occupational pension funds was second only to deposits for households. Residential property assets of households are valued at 542bn. There are 500,000 members of occupational pension schemes, with 75,000 different DC schemes in existence. Central Bank statisticians said the impact of Covid-19 up to the third quarter last year saw pension fund assets experience a sharp 8bn price fall. The number crunchers said that while the onset of the pandemic caused a decline in pension fund asset values, they have largely recovered to sit at 1.8pc below pre-pandemic levels. The report warns that the increasing dominance of DC pension funds leaves households more exposed to financial market movements. BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's health ministry said on Thursday that a flight to India to seek two million off-the-shelf doses of Astrazeneca's coronavirus vaccine has been pushed back a day to Friday. In a statement, the ministry cited "international logistical issues," adding that the flight will take off from the northeastern city of Recife at 11:00 pm local time on Friday and that its return date is still to be decided. (Reporting by Pedro Fonseca; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the ... A writer whipped up a guessing game online as to which Hollywood A-List star bad-mouthed Armie Hammer amid leaked 'cannibalism and rape messages.' Anna Peele tweeted a Hammer anecdote along with the 2017 piece written by Anne Helen Petersen where the former Buzzfeed Senior Culture Writer described 'Ten Long Years Of Trying To Make Armie Hammer Happen.' Hammer began trending online last weekend after a series of sexually graphic Instagram DMs that he allegedly wrote to a woman were leaked publicly by an anonymous, now-private account, House of Effie. Not great: Armie Hammer began trending online last weekend after a series of sexually graphic Instagram DMs that he allegedly wrote to a woman were leaked publicly by an anonymous, now-private account, House of Effie; seen in 2019 Peele tweeted on Wednesday: 'Re: Armie: I once mentioned him during an interview with a much-loved actor. The actor asked me to turn off my recorder so he could talk about how @annehelens Buzzfeed feature got AH exactly right.' Fans have tried to guess the actor in question, which Anna has kept secret. In Petersen's piece, she wrote: 'How many second chances does a handsome white male star get? Ultimately, the problem isnt that Armie Hammer was given this many chances to happen. Its that the system that ensured those chances along with those given to so many other white men also withholds chances, leeway, and faith from those who need and would benefit from them most.' Choices, choices: Anna Peele tweeted a Hammer anecdote along with the 2017 piece written by Anne Helen Petersen where the former Buzzfeed Senior Culture Writer described 'Ten Long Years Of Trying To Make Armie Hammer Happen' Armie was not pleased with the article when it was released and tweeted at Petersen: 'Your chronology is spot on but your perspective is bitter AF. Maybe Im just a guy who loves his job and refuses to do anything but what he loves to do?' Amid multiple accusations, Armie has since dropped out of his latest film Shotgun Wedding with Jennifer Lopez and, broke his silence about the rape fantasies, BDSM and cannibalism accusations waged against him in a statement to DailyMail.com. 'I'm not responding to these b******* claims but in light of the vicious and spurious online attacks against me, I cannot in good conscience now leave my children for 4 months to shoot a film in the Dominican Republic,' he told DailyMail.com on Wednesday. In light of Armie's denial there has been increased attention on his Instagram account, leading to fans uncovering the fact that he follows four hashtags. Deep dive: In Petersen's piece, she wrote: 'How many second chances does a handsome white male star get?' Denial: Amid multiple accusations, Armie has since dropped out of his latest film Shotgun Wedding with Jennifer Lopez and, broke his silence about the rape fantasies, BDSM and cannibalism accusations waged against him in a statement to DailyMail.com; seen in 2020 Eagle-eyed fans noticed that among the tags he followed were provocative terms including 'knifeskills' and 'shibari,' with the latter being a form of Japanese rope bondage. Hammer's ex-girlfriend, Courtney Vucekovich, told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview that the Call Me By Your Name star was into 'master-slave fetishes' and told her he wanted to break and eat her ribs. The Dallas-based app founder said she met Hammer in June through mutual friends, and from the beginning he was 'intoxicating.' 'He's a very charming, intense human being. But once you start talking to him, he's pretty aggressive right from the start. Not violent, but just sexually aggressive in the way he speaks,' she said. Woah: Hammer's ex-girlfriend, Courtney Vucekovich, told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview that the Call Me By Your Name star was into 'master-slave fetishes' and told her he wanted to break and eat her ribs 'He's magnetic, but that has helped him get away with this stuff. He's a very charming, larger-than-life personality. He's very affectionate, he makes you feel very safe and kind of on top of the world. Then little by little it gets deeper and darker. 'He kind of gets obsessed with you. At first you feel really safe, and then it gets a little strange. And then it gets more and more, and little by little you're like 'what's happened?' 'It's very heavy. I just learned the word 'lovebomb' and that's definitely what he does.' Hammer's estranged wife Elizabeth Chambers, whom he split from in July 2020, is said to be currently 'shocked and sickened' over the recent revelations. A close friend exclusively told DailyMail.com: 'Armie had a whole other side to him that she wasn't aware of. Whether it was always there and he kept it hidden, or something happened that changed him completely, she doesn't know.' WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Cepheid, a unit of Danaher Corp. (DHR), said Thursday that it has received a medical device license from Health Canada for Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2/Flu/RSV, a rapid molecular diagnostic test for qualitative detection of the viruses causing COVID-19, Flu A, Flu B, and RSV infections from a single patient sample. The test is now available in Canada and can be used in laboratories and at the point of care. Cepheid noted that the four-in-one test is designed for use on any of the company's almost 30,000 GeneXpert Systems placed worldwide, with results delivered in approximately 36 minutes. 'Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2/Flu/RSV delivers reference lab quality testing in a cartridge that can be run near-patient, often providing results while patients are being seen or admitted. Rapid results help healthcare workers make real-time patient management decisions including qualification for antiviral therapy and triage for emergency procedures,' said Dr. David Persing, Chief Medical and Technology Officer at Cepheid. Cepheid noted it's previously announced capacity expansion program, supported by parent company Danaher Corporation, was designed in part to address anticipated demand for Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2/Flu/RSV. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. A federal judge recently denied a lenders motion to dismiss a class action lawsuit alleging a kickback scheme between a bank and a title company resulted in borrowers paying inflated settlement fees. The plaintiffs claimed the lender made illegal referrals to a title company for title and settlement services, and the title company laundered payments to the bank through third-party marketing companies. The borrowers argued the alleged kickbacks violated RESPA. Read on for details. Seafood - EU to temporarily suspend some Scottish imports EU imports of seafood from smaller Scottish companies have been temporarily suspended after they were impacted by post-Brexit delays. Deliveries have been halted by the industry's biggest logistics provider, Denmark's DFDS, until Monday (18 January) so a backlog caused by additional bureaucracy at border points can be sorted out. The UK government has said it will compensate firms affected by the suspension, which is a result of confusion surrounding the introduction of additional health certificates and customs papers and issues relating to IT systems following the UK's departure form the EU on 1 January. The UK's Guardian newspaper reported that lorry-loads of live seafood and some fish destined for shops and restaurants in France, Spain and other countries have been rejected because they are taking too long to arrive. The article added that new Brexit rules require every box of seafood and fish to be offloaded from lorries and inspected by vets before it leaves Scotland and said it has taken business owners five hours per lorry to obtain a health certificate, which is required to apply for other customs paperwork. Quizzed about the situation, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "I understand very much the frustrations of people who are fishing community and Scottish fishermen and women who are facing what I believe are temporary frustrations, and in so far as there are delays caused by a variety of problems we will compensate those fishing businesses." In response, the Scottish Seafood Association's chief executive Jimmy Buchan tweeted that the organisation welcomed the pledge of compensation for the "nightmarish bureaucratic hurdles that have been erected since 1st January". He added: "This is just what we have been calling for in numerous meetings with government officials over the past few days. We now look forward to engaging with the government on the detail of the package on offer and working with both the UK and Scottish governments to clear the path for exports to resume as normal." UK Environment Minister George Eustice described the issues as "teething problems" adding "when people get used to using the paperwork goods will flow". WASHINGTON Not since the dark days of the Civil War and its aftermath has Washington seen a day quite like Wednesday. In a Capitol bristling with heavily armed soldiers and newly installed metal detectors, with the physical wreckage of last weeks siege cleaned up but the emotional and political wreckage still on display, the president of the United States was impeached for trying to topple American democracy. Somehow, it felt like the preordained coda of a presidency that repeatedly pressed all limits and frayed the bonds of the body politic. With less than a week to go, President Trumps term is climaxing in violence and recrimination at a time when the country has fractured deeply and lost a sense of itself. Notions of truth and reality have been atomized. Faith in the system has eroded. Anger is the one common ground. As if it were not enough that Mr. Trump became the only president impeached twice or that lawmakers were trying to remove him with days left in his term, Washington devolved into a miasma of suspicion and conflict. A Democratic member of Congress accused Republican colleagues of helping the mob last week scout the building in advance. Some Republican members sidestepped magnetometers intended to keep guns off the House floor or kept going even after setting them off. Sorry! This content is not available in your region 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 has signed a contract with ideaForge to procure "undisclosed quantities" of high-altitude variant of SWITCH unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) at a cost of approximately USD 20 million, according to a statement from the Mumbai-based company on Thursday. This fixed-wing UAV, capable of vertical takeoff and landing, can be deployed at high altitude and harsh environments for day-and-night surveillance, said the statement. "ideaForge has been awarded this contract after it emerged as the only vendor that qualified the operational requirements in an evaluation done in real-world conditions, for a fast-track procurement," it mentioned. The company said "undisclosed quantities of a high-altitude variant of ideaForge's SWITCH UAV" will be delivered to the over a period of one year. The statement quoted ideaForge CEO Ankit Mehta saying that SWITCH UAV is the culmination of insights and knowledge the company has gained over years of experience in helping the Indian forces operationalise UAVs in their ranks. "The trials saw about a dozen and global players compete to meet the operational requirements. SWITCH UAV is the only product that cleared the Indian Army's stringent product trials and surpassed expectations," he noted. Summerville, SC (29483) Today Partly cloudy skies. Low near 70F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Low near 70F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Making such publication mandatory would invade in the fundamental rights of liberty and privacy If the couple did not intend so, the marriage officer has to solemnise their marriage forthwith without publication of 30 days notice, the order said. (Representational Photo:PTI) Lucknow: In a judgement that is likely to bring relief to inter-faith couples, the Allahabad High Court Wednesday declared as optional the mandatory publication of notice of intended marriages under the Special Marriage Act, saying it violated the Right To Privacy. Making such publication mandatory would invade in the fundamental rights of liberty and privacy, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court said. It would also affect the couple's freedom to choose marriage "without interference from state and non-state actors", Justice Vivek Chaudhary said in his 47-page order. He said it shall be optional for the parties to the intended marriage to make a request in writing to the marriage officer to publish or not to publish such a notice. If the couple did not intend so, the marriage officer has to solemnise their marriage forthwith without publication of 30 days notice, the order said. A section of the Special Marriage Act, 1954, requires an inter-faith couple to give written notice of the marriage to the district marriage officer. The court was considering a habeas corpus petition alleging that an adult girl is being detained against her wishes to marry her lover who belongs to a different religion. The judgement comes against the backdrop of a recent controversial law enacted by the Uttar Pradesh government which prohibits forcible conversion for the sake of marriage. The Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, prohibits conversion of religion by marriage to be unlawful. The single-judge bench, however, clarified that it would be open for the marriage officer to verify the identification, age and valid consent of the parties or otherwise their competence to marry under the Act. "In case, the marriage officer has any doubt, it shall be open for him to ask for appropriate details or proof as per the facts of the case," the court noted. The judgement came following a petition filed by Abhisek Kumar Pandey, who said that his wife Sufia Sultana, who had changed her religion to become a Hindu and renamed as Simran, married him as per Hindu rites. He alleged that her father was keeping her in illegal detention and prayed that she should be put at liberty. On an earlier direction of the court, Simran appeared before the court along with her father. In the course of hearing, the couple stated that they were major and married out of their free will and wanted to live together. Finally, Simran's father agreed with their marriage. The controversy between the parties ended but the court took notice of the fact that under Special Marriage Act, 1954, it was mandatory to publish 30 days' prior notice before the marriage officer solemnised the marriage of the intending couple. Interpreting various pronouncements of the Supreme Court, the high court concluded that forcing the intending couple to publish the said notice infringed upon their fundamental rights of personal liberty and privacy. It said that marriages in all religions are made either under personal laws or under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. "Under any personal law, no such notice is required and the priest solemnises the marriage on the will of the intending couple and if legal objections arise later, they are free to move the competent court for redress. "Then no reasonable purpose is achieved by putting the provision of 30 days' notice publication under the Special Marriage Act," the court ruled. "Thus, this court mandates that while giving notice under the Special Marriage Act, it shall be optional for the parties to the intended marriage to make a request in writing to the Marriage Officer to publish or not to publish a notice of 30 days and follow the procedure of objections as prescribed under the Act," justice Chaudhary said. "In case the intending couple does not make such a request for publication of notice in writing, the marriage officer shall not publish any such notice or entertain objections to the intended marriage and proceed with the solemnisation of the marriage," the judge said. The Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, which was notified by the Uttar Pradesh government on November 27, provides for a jail term of up to 10 years for any violations. Under the law, which deals with different categories of offences, a marriage will be declared "null and void" if the conversion of a woman is solely for that purpose. The onus to prove that the conversion has not been done forcibly will lie on the accused and the convert. The Supreme Court has, however, agreed to examine controversial new laws of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand regulating religious conversions due to inter-faith marriages. But the bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde refused to stay the controversial provisions of the laws and issued notices to both state governments on two different petitions and has sought response from both the state governments within four weeks. The Uttar Pradesh law seeks to curb 'love jihad', a term coined by BJP leaders and right-wing activists to describe the crime against which Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also spoken out publicly. Addressing bypoll rallies in Jaunpur and Deoria, Adityanath had used the Hindu funeral chant of 'Ram Naam Satya Hai' to threaten those who do not respect daughters and sisters. The Urban League of Greater Chattanooga is marking the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through a series of community outreach events planned for Monday.Urban League Young Professionals, a volunteer branch of the Urban League, is co-hosting the 2021 MLK Day Youth Empowerment Experience: The Past, Present & Future for Economic Justice. This youth-focused webinar will feature a multi-generational group of community leaders, panelists and influencers connecting the past, present and future of Dr.Kings fight for social and economic justice. The event will also address topics such as wealth building, criminal justice and using the power of social media for influence. Participants will be entertained through live music and trivia and have a chance to win one of 20 savings accounts of $100.Additionally, Olivet Baptist Church, in conjunction with the Urban League, is hosting an outreach event on MLK Day. Participants will give back to the community through service projects at the church and in the surrounding area. Gift bags will be available for children and seniors in need.The Urban Leagues virtual event is Monday from 3- 4:30 p.m. Register online at ulchatt.net by Saturday.Olivet Baptist Churchs day of service begins at 10 a.m. and concludes at noon. Participants are to meet at the church, 740 E M L King Blvd. in Chattanooga.The MLK Day Youth Empowerment Experience will feature Ronald Harris, vice president of diversity at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee; John Edwards, founder of the Chattanooga News Chronicle; Candy Johnson, president and CEO of Chattanoogas Urban League; Greg Funderburg, anchor on News Channel 9 and local influencer; and many others. The event is sponsored by Truist Bank, Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union and the Chattanooga Red Wolves. Michigans former Heath Director Nick Lyon has been charged with nine counts of involuntary manslaughter in relation to the Flint water crisis and ex-state Gov. Rick Snyder has been charged with willful neglect. The charges against the two former state officials come as prosecutors revisit how Flints water system was contaminated with lead and bacteria during one of worst human-made environmental disasters in U.S. history. The involuntary manslaughter charges against Lyon were unveiled Thursday, and stem from the deaths of nine people who contracted Legionnaires' disease as a result of the crisis. Former state medical executive Eden Wells, was also charged. Lyon pleaded not guilty during an appearance in Genesee County Court earlier this morning. Each of the involuntary manslaughter counts is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $7,500 fine. Moments later, his old boss, former Gov. Snyder, also pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor charges of willful neglect of duty in Flint. The charges against Snyder carry up to a year in jail each and a $1,000 fine upon conviction. No governor or former governor in Michigans 184-year history had been charged with crimes related to their time in that office, according to the state archivist. In total nine former Michigan officials have been charged with a total of 42 criminal counts 'related to a series of alleged actions and inactions that created the historic injustice' of the Flint water crisis, prosecutors said - including some former members of Snyder's administration Michigans former Heath Director Nick Lyon (left, in 2018) has been charged with manslaughter in the deaths of nine people in relation to the Flint water crisis and ex-Gov. Rick Snyder has been charged with willful neglect Gov. Snyder (shown right in court today), pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of willful neglect of duty in Flint The charges against the two former state officials come as as prosecutors revisit how Flints water system (above in 2018) was contaminated with lead and bacteria during one of worst human-made environmental disasters in U.S. history Flint's troubles began in 2014 after the predominantly African-American city switched its water supply to the Flint River from Lake Huron to cut costs. Corrosive river water caused lead to leach from pipes, tainting the drinking water and causing an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease. The contamination also prompted several lawsuits from parents who said their children were showing dangerously high blood levels of lead, which can cause development disorders. Lead can be toxic and children are especially vulnerable. Authorities counted at least 90 cases of Legionnaires disease in Genesee County during the water switch, including 12 deaths. Experts later found there was not enough chlorine in Flint's water-treatment system to control legionella bacteria, which can trigger a severe form of pneumonia when spread through misting and cooling systems. A civil settlement of more than $600 million was reached with victims of the water crisis in August 2020 and is awaiting court approval. In response to the charges against Snyder Wednesday night, his defense attorney Brian Lennon said: We believe there is no evidence to support any criminal charges against Gov. Snyder. Snyder, a Republican, was governor from 2011 through 2018. The date of his alleged crimes in Flint are listed as April 25, 2014 - the day the city switched water systems. Snyder has repeatedly apologized for the state's poor handling of the crisis, but his lawyer, Lennon, has said any prosecution of the former governor would be politically motivated. 'It is outrageous to think any criminal charges would be filed against Governor Snyder. Any charges would be meritless,' Lennon said. In response to the charges Wednesday night, Snyders defense attorney Brian Lennon said: We believe there is no evidence to support any criminal charges against Gov. Snyder' (Snyder is picture walking past the media after his video arraignment on Thursday) Leon Abdullah El-Alamin (above with a photo of his son) said he would like to see Snyder charged with a felony. El-Alamin's son, now 7, has suffered hair loss and skin rashes due to the contaminated water. He said Snyder 'needs to do some kind of time' Flint's troubles began in 2014 after the predominantly African-American city switched its water supply to the Flint River from Lake Huron to cut costs (Pictured: volunteers load cases of water into vehicles in Flint) Corrosive river water caused lead to leach from pipes, tainting the drinking water and causing an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease The latest charges all stem from evidence presented to Judge David Newblatt, who served as a secret one-person grand jury. Special prosecutor Fadwa Hammoud of the attorney generals office declined to offer details during a news conference but said Snyder had failed to protect the health and safety of Flints nearly 100,000 residents. 'Let me start by saying the Flint water crisis is not some relic of the past," Michigan Hammoud told reporters. 'At this very moment the people of Flint continue to suffer from the categorical failure of public officials at all levels of government who trampled upon their trust and evaded accountability for far too long. There are no velvet ropes in our criminal justice system, Hammoud continued. Nobody no matter how powerful or well-connected is above accountability when they commit a crime. Wearing a mask, Snyder, 62, said little during his brief hearing, which was conducted by video. He replied, Yes, your honor, when asked if he was living in Michigan. Lyon, meanwhile, was charged with involuntary manslaughter. Defense attorney Chip Chamberlain said Lyon relied on the advice of experts when following the Legionnaires spike and forming public policy as head of a sprawling health agency. This is a dangerous day for state employees, Chamberlain said of the charges against his client. This is the second time that Lyon has been charged with manslaughter, but the earlier case involved only two deaths. He was accused in 2017 of failing to timely warn the public about the outbreak but the case was dropped by prosecutors when they decided to take a fresh look at evidence. It's the second time that Lyon (center) has been charged with manslaughter, but the earlier case involved only two deaths. He was accused in 2017 of failing to timely warn the public about the outbreak but the case was dropped by prosecutors Experts later found there was not enough chlorine in Flint's water-treatment system to control legionella bacteria, which can trigger a severe form of pneumonia when spread through misting and cooling systems In total nine former Michigan officials have been charged with a total of 42 criminal counts 'related to a series of alleged actions and inactions that created the historic injustice' of the Flint water crisis. Former MDHHS Medical Executive Eden Wells was arraigned in court this morning on nine counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of misconduct in office and one count of neglect of duty. Wells has entered a please of not guilty and was issued $200,000 bond with stipulations that she must surrender her passport within the next 24 hours, will continue to reside in the state of Maine, must appear in any and all court appearances. Also charged in the scandal is former Emergency Manager of Flint, Darnell Earley, who has been charged with misconduct in office. Rich Baird, a friend and close adviser to Snyder, was charged with extortion, perjury and obstruction of justice. Jarrod Agen, who was communications director before going to work for Vice President Mike Pence, was charged with perjury. He subsequently left government for a job with a defense contractor. Former MDHHS Medical Executive Eden Wells (above) was arraigned in court this morning on nine counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of misconduct in office and one count of neglect of duty Also charged in the scandal is former Emergency Manager of Flint, Darnell Earley (left), who has been charged with misconduct in office. Rich Baird (center), a friend and close adviser to Snyder, was charged with extortion, perjury and obstruction of justice. And Jarrod Agen (right, with VP Pence), who was communications director before going to work for Vice President Mike Pence, was charged with perjury The criminal investigation has lasted five years under two teams of prosecutors. Todd Flood, who got misdemeanor convictions from seven people, was ousted in 2019 after the election of Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat. She turned to Hammoud and Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy, who subsequently dropped charges in eight pending cases and said the investigation would start over. They said the first team had failed to collect all available evidence. Separately, the state, Flint, a hospital and an engineering firm have agreed to a $641 million settlement with residents over the water crisis. A judge said she hopes to decide by January 21 whether to grant preliminary approval. Other lawsuits, including one against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, are pending. Today, tests show that Flint's water is safe to drink but many residents, skeptical of government officials, say they still don't trust the city's water. The Brooklyn Museum thinks it can handle the truth. This spring, it will be installing Nick Caves artwork Truth Be Told (2020) on the outdoor plaza near its entrance, in conjunction with an exhibition beginning May 14 that will feature contemporary work in the collection by some 60 artists. Truth Be Told three words in black vinyl that currently stretch some 160 feet across the facade of an outpost of Jack Shainmans New York gallery called the School has generated months of controversy in the Hudson Valley village of Kinderhook, N.Y. Mr. Cave conceived the work to address issues of racial injustice in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis police custody last spring. The village says the text work is a sign, and hence violates local code and should be taken down. But Mr. Cave and his dealer, Jack Shainman, say its an artwork allowed by their special use permit, and they havent budged since it went up at the end of October. (Bloomberg) --Oil rose to a new 10-month high in New York on expectations that a potential $2 trillion economic relief packaged could get Americans consuming more fuel. U.S. benchmark crude futures advanced 1.3 percent on Thursday. President-elect Joe Bidens advisers recently told allies in Congress about the cost of the package, CNN reported. A weaker dollar also boosted the appeal of commodities priced in the greenback. West Texas Intermediate for February delivery rose 66 cents to settle at $53.57 a barrel. A stimulus package will be putting direct money into peoples pockets, said Josh Graves, senior market strategist at RJ OBrien & Associates LLC. In general, its going to allow them to travel more and do more things, helping support crude demand. Crudes recent gains have stoked concern among some investors that the rally is ahead of itself. Technical indicators suggest oil is likely due for a pullback, with the global Brent benchmark on its longest run of overbought days since 2012. Rising U.S. jobless claims point to the bumpy road ahead for a true recovery in consumption. Europes oil demand is also off to a sluggish start to the new year as renewed lockdowns to curb the spread of Covid-19 limit the use of road fuels. There are also signs that physical markets are softening in Asia, with Abu Dhabis Murban crude at a discount to its benchmark despite continued OPEC+ cuts. To the extent the Covid situation is continuing to push back, its a weight on the market, said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital LLC. This is just a bit of a breather, given how weve come so far so fast. In Asia, Chinas economic recovery gathered pace in December as exports jumped, pushing the trade surplus to a record high. At the same time, Oil imports, however, fell about 15 percent compared with November. While the China import data has many traders and analysts scratching their heads, it seems to be more of a timing issue rather than a structural change in demand from the worlds biggest oil importer, said Ryan Fitzmaurice, commodities strategist at Rabobank. Meanwhile, Royal Dutch Shell Plcs Nigeria unit declared a force majeure on the countrys flagship Forcados crude oil, after the grades pipeline was halted in the wake of leaks. Forcados is the countrys biggest crude export system, with shipments through the terminal running at rate of between 200,000 and 250,000 barrels a day. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. On the other hand, there are some fortunate businessmen like Mr. Do Quang Hien of the T&T Group, for who the Covid-19 pandemic has been a golden opportunity to make a breakthrough in farm produce, and he has seen his company soar at a time when other businesses were collapsing. Success during pandemic The Covid-19 pandemic has been described by experts as a natural sieve that will gradually sift out incompetent companies from those companies with well-prepared long-term plans and strategies. As an example, the T&T Group has seen amazing success during the pandemic. In April 2020, the T&T Groups affiliate T&T Agriculture Company Limited signed an online contract with the US company Marquis Energy Global to import raw animal feed worth USD 115 mn. Later in the month, Marquis Energy Global delivered 48,000 tons of distiller dried grains with solubles to the Vietnamese T&T company, with the remaining amount delivered shortly afterwards. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, business activities had slowed down in 2020 and sources for raw animal feed ran short in the country, resulting in soaring prices of animal feed. This made it very difficult for farmers. Therefore, the T&T Group imports eased animal feed manufacturing in the country and stabilized the market price. In the long run, the T&T Groups remaining imports from Marquis Energy Global will help stabilize the supplies in the market and solve the problem of shortage of raw animal feed. By August 2020, the T&T Group continued to make an even greater impact on the market in the farm produce sector in general and the cashew sector in particular, when it successfully entered into a contract to buy 150,000 tons of raw cashews from the Ivory Coast. It was the total amount of cashews the government of Ivory Coast had at that time. This business deal was the second time that the T&T Group had bought in a record amount, because it had previously bought 176,000 tons of raw cashews from Tanzania under a contract considered the biggest in the history of the cashew industry in the world. Farming not for amateurs Agriculture in Vietnam has great potential. Vietnam has rich soil, and though many companies are doing well in farm produce, it is certainly not a field for amateurs, and not all investment in farming is fruitful. The two above-mentioned trade deals worth millions of US dollars indicate that the T&T Group has not been affected by the pandemic at all, but instead has flourished much more strongly because it dared to take chances and used it advantages, resources and expertise to promote production and grow its business. By the end of 2020, the T&T Group and its strategic partners had imported nearly 2.5 million tons of raw animal feed at a turnover of approximately USD 559 mn, making up 16% of the country's total import turnover of animal feed. The two cashew import contracts set world records and placed the T&T Group as the biggest raw cashew importer in the country. In 2020, the T&T Group also exported a total 400,000 tons of cashew products. In 2021, the T&T Group plans to import 600,000 tons of raw cashews and will continue to increase its manufacture and export of cashew products. Most notably, the T&T Group trade deals were carried out through international bidding. A representative from Tanzania's Cashew Association said that the T&T Group is a prestigious Vietnamese trade name. It has been big in bidding, due to its good understanding of the market and effective coordination and more importantly it has long-term trade strategies and visions in Ivory Coast and Tanzania. The T&T Group succeeded in beating other companies from many countries including India, China, Singapore and UAE and becoming the number one buyer in 2020 in the Ivory Coast and Tanzania. It has made a profound impact on the cashew market in Africa and around the world. It has not only earned a good reputation abroad, but also maintained a stable supply chain of raw cashews, stabilized the price of goods for domestic needs and made it possible for Vietnamese cashew manufacturers to minimize risks and maximize profits for future sustainable development. This will play a pivotal role in making Vietnam the world number one in manufacturing and export of cashew products in the future. A representative from the T&T Group said it is making concerted efforts to stabilize the price of raw cashews in the market and set reasonable prices of delivered raw cashews. Mr. Truong Sy Ba, Chairman of Tan Long Group, a strategic partner of the T&T Group, says that the T&T Group wants to buy as much as possible and stabilize the supply of goods in Vietnam as well as in the world markets in an effort to stabilize the price and income of cashew farmers in Vietnam, while also contributing to stabilizing the supply of cashews, in the most sustainable, effective and ethical way. Minh Hien Kevin Costner is suing a former business partner who helped propel him to stardom for $15 million, after the latter allegedly refused to relinquish stock in a company the actor is attempting to dissolve. Costner, 65, asked Jim Wilson to be his partner at his production company, Good Ones Production, in 1992, but is now attempting to dissolve the organization and retrieve stock Wilson acquired in the company, according to People. However, Costner claims Wilson has refused to turn over the stock. The actor is now suing Wilson for conversion, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and unjust enrichment. Lawsuit: Kevin Costner is suing a former business partner who helped propel him to stardom for $15 million, after the latter allegedly refused to relinquish stock in a company the actor is attempting to dissolve 'Given that Costner and Wilson had not done business together for more than 12 years, and Wilson was no longer an officer of TIG, it made no sense for Wilson to hold bare legal title [Good Ones Production] stock,' reads the legal complaint obtained by People. TIG refers to the company both Costner and Wilson worked at prior to beginning their work at Good Ones together. '[Wilson] indicated he was not interested in producing any of the projects, not interested in any contingent compensation for any of the projects and did not want anything to do with Costner with respect to these projects. However, he refused to sign the agreement,' the complaint continues. The lawsuit alleges Wilson demanded $500,000 for the stocks and 'made derogatory comments' about the actor. Legal battle: The actor is now suing Wilson for conversion, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and unjust enrichment (Costner pictured in 2019) Western epic: The relationship continued over the years, with the pair working together on a string of hit films including The Bodyguard, The Postman, and Dances With Wolves, which garnered them both Oscars Prior to their disintegrating relationship, Wilson and Costner were once firm business partners. Wilson helped Costner land his very first starring role in the 1983 drama Stacy's Knights, according to People. The relationship continued over the years, with the pair working together on a string of hit films including The Bodyguard, The Postman, and Dances With Wolves, which garnered them both Oscars. Nowadays, fans can catch Costner playing John Dutton in the hit Western series Yellowstone. He also starred in the newly released drama Let Him Go opposite Diane Lane. You can watch Yellowstone exclusively on Stan in Australia Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 05:10:05|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- There is deep concern about the plight of hundreds of thousands of the estimated 2.3 million people in Tigray, Ethiopia in need of life-saving aid, UN humanitarians said on Wednesday. "Humanitarian assistance continues to be constrained by the lack of full, safe and unhindered access to Tigray caused by both insecurity and bureaucratic delays," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said. "The United Nations and humanitarian partners in Ethiopia urgently call on all parties to allow the immediate safe passage of humanitarian personnel and supplies to the Tigray region to make sure we are able to reach all people who desperately need assistance," OCHA said in a release. The hundreds of thousands of people who have not received assistance are mainly in areas outside the cities it reached in the two and a half months since the conflict began. The United Nations continues to receive alarming reports of civilians being injured and killed during fighting in rural areas of Tigray, and violations against civilians, including gender-based violence, but verification of this "remains challenging." Aid workers have managed to deliver assistance in some areas, mainly in cities, where authorities have granted access. However, the number of people reached is extremely low compared with the number of people the United Nations estimates to need life-saving assistance, 2.3 million people. "The situation is particularly critical for newly displaced people and refugees, especially those who were living in the Hitsats and Shimelba camps, which are still inaccessible," OCHA said. The humanitarians also warned that bank closures in most parts of rural Tigray before the conflict started had left most of the 270,000 direct beneficiaries of the government's Safety Net Programme without assistance. "These are extremely vulnerable people who rely on these monthly cash transfers to meet their basic needs," OCHA said. Enditem Top UN officials urged the United States to reverse its plan to label Yemens Houthis a foreign terrorist organization, warning the designation will be a death sentence to hundreds of thousands, if not millions of innocent people. We fear that there will be inevitably a chilling effect on my efforts to bring the parties together, UN special envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths told the Security Council on Thursday. The decision will contribute to the prospect of famine in Yemen and should be revoked based on humanitarian grounds at the earliest opportunity. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Sunday that he plans to notify Congress of his intention to designate the rebel group, a move he said would advance peace in the region and punish the Houthis for terrorist activity. The designation is set to take effect on Jan. 19 a day before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. Yemen is embroiled in a six-year-long civil war pitting the Houthis against a Saudi-led military coalition that intervened on behalf of the internationally recognized government in 2015. The outgoing administration of Donald Trump views the Houthis as a proxy of Iran, and the designation is seen as the latest attempt to complicate Bidens pledge to revive diplomacy with Tehran. Relief organizations in Yemen were quick to condemn Pompeos announcement, warning it will delay or entirely halt the delivery of food and medicine in a country where an estimated 80% of the population relies on humanitarian assistance to survive. Under US law, providing support to the Houthis once they are designated a foreign terrorist organization would be illegal and agencies say the blacklisting puts their staff at risk of prosecution. Because the Houthis are the de facto authorities across much of Yemen, relief workers say interacting with them is unavoidable. The International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement Thursday it was concerned that the designation would produce a chilling effect on humanitarian action, including possible de-risking from the banking and private sectors. We hear the concerns that this designation will have an impact on the humanitarian situation in Yemen," deputy US ambassador Richard Mills told the 15-member council on Thursday, adding that the Treasury Department will issue licenses to reduce the designations impact on certain humanitarian activity. It is critical that aid reaches those in need reliably and quickly. We call on all parties to support relief efforts, while also isolating and exposing [Ansar Allah] for the terrorist organization that it is, Mills said. Commercial shippers and suppliers are expected to halt deliveries to Yemen which imports 90% of its food as a result of the designation, triggering a famine on a scale that we have not seen for nearly 40 years, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock told the Security Council. Would licenses and exemptions for aid agencies prevent that? The answer is no. "Aid agencies give people vouchers or cash to buy commercially imported food in the market. Aid agencies cannot they simply cannot replace the commercial import system," he said. David Beasley, the UN food chief, echoed his concerns that the designation would cause even greater food insecurity across Yemen, a country the UN considers to be the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. We are struggling now without the designation. With the designation, its going to be catastrophic, he said. Biden has pledged to end US support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and is expected to quickly reverse the Houthi designation. Still, relief organizations warn the designation will cause irreparable damage to their work on the ground. As Oxfam Americas humanitarian policy lead Scott Paul put it, Shutting down a humanitarian operation is like turning off a light switch, and scaling one up is like rewiring an entire house. We know that the last year hasnt been a great year for anyone, Aisling Hickman Fitzpatrick tells The Kilkenny People, but for our family it has been a nightmare. Over 9,000km of land and sea currently separate Aisling from Hua Hin Hospital, a medical fortress situated in the busy suburbs of bustling Bangkok. It is in Hua Hin where Aislings father, Declan Fitzpatrick, is currently undergoing surgical treatment following a series of frightening health incidents. Declan Fitzpatrick, or Deccy as he is more affectionately known, has contributed much to Kilkenny cultural life over the years. Most people would know Deccy as the face of Fitzpatrick Jewellers, a city business that held its own here for many years. Dad wouldve played a small part in so many peoples lives over the years, providing wedding rings, confirmation bands, you name it, Aisling says. Before the jewellery shop days Deccy wouldve been fondly recalled for his ballroom dancing as a teenager and for his weightlifting pursuits thereafter. He used to deadlift the back of the Ford Cortina sometimes as part of his training, Aisling quips. No joke. Deccy hit it off with pretty much everyone he met thanks to his sociable nature and affable personality. Hes somebody who would do anything for anyone, Aisling says. He always goes above and beyond to help others and always puts others before himself. After pouring his heart and soul into his city centre business over the years, Deccy decided that a lifestyle change was needed to improve his quality of life. He found that lifestyle change in Thailand, moving over there to carve out a niche for himself in the Bangkok bar trade. It was all going well, success followed success, as he had hoped it would do, until, seemingly out of nowhere, things started to take a turn. In March of last year Dad was rushed to Hua Hin Hospital after having a stroke. He stayed in the ICU unit for days not knowing if he had permanent brain damage, if he would walk again, talk again or even recover from that nightmare of a stroke, Aisling says. It was later discovered that Deccy had actually suffered an undetected minor stroke a few months previous this stroke, adding to the severity of his symptoms. Getting this vital information from the hospital was incredibly difficult at first as Aisling explains: No technology was permitted in the ward including communication devices such as mobile phones so in order to hear the latest on Dads condition we had to call the hospital ourselves and the language barrier made it difficult and stressful. Fortunately Dad is a fighter and a man that will never give up. He was isolated for days on his own after having a major stroke with no normal comforts due to Covid-19 guidelines in the hospital, still out of it from the medication but he managed to wrangle the mental and physical strength to push through, get better, get out of ICU and get himself on the mend again. While Deccy appeared to be on the path to recovery in Thailand after this incident; Aisling made headlines back home. Two months into her fathers recovery, while out on a walk with her friends close to the mill in Thomastown, Aisling noticed three young girls struggling in the river. Only for her keen eye and her swift intervention alongside her friends, unfathomable tragedy couldve struck that day. We just did all that we could to help. As anyone should, says Aisling, eschewing the heroism of the rescue effort when brought up. After a few mixed months of recovery, Deccy was readmitted to Hua Hin Hospital in early December when his condition rapidly deteriorated once again. Dad was unable to breathe, exhausted, weak, half the man we are all used to knowing. For five days we were in the dark about what the issue was. We were hoping that it wasnt Covid-19 because Dad wouldve been very high-risk but we knew something more serious was happening with his heart. We still didnt know what was going on though and we were later told that his heart was operating atonly half its capacity. The Fitzpatrick family reached out to the Irish Embassy in Thailand during Deccys second hospital stay and luckily the Embassy was able to provide some much-needed assistance. This included sending an interpreter who could call Deccys doctor and relay the latest medical information on his condition back to the family. Dad needed a stent put into his heart. Its as plain and as simple as that, Aisling says. We had no choice in the matter. Without it he would die. You all probably know somebody who has had heart conditions and if you dont just ask someone and theyll know somebody that has, Aisling explains. Well for our family; coming up with 11,000 surgery is tough but factor in money for aftercare, for the flight home, all that weve paid to get to this point... its a huge mountain to climb. Having such a small family in the face of an unprecedented global pandemic has its disadvantages when it comes to raising funds and it is for this reason that Aisling has decided to reach out via online fundraising platform GoFundMe. We really want to bring Dad home as soon as possible. We are relying on your kindness to help us finish this story. Help us treat Dad bring him home. To make a donation visit the GoFundMe Page: https://ie.gofundme.com/f/286j4kurhc or search for Declans Life Saving Heart Operation on the GoFundMe website. The EU's statistics agency Eurostat published its latest study on Thursday, showing that Luxembourg has seen the highest rise in housing prices in the EU over the last year. The news will come as no surprise to Luxembourg's aspiring homeowners, with the Grand Duchy's housing market having soared in recent years. A yearly comparison between the third trimesters of 2019 and 2020 reveals an increase in house prices of 13.6% in Luxembourg. Link: Eurostat report While Luxembourg tops the ranking, Poland follows in second with a 10.9% increase, with Austria in third after a rise of 8.9%. The most significant price drops occurred in Cyprus (-1.4%) and in Ireland (-0.8%). Overall, the EU saw an average rise of 5.2%. The Eurostat results thus confirm what Immotop already announced in a report issued back in October 2020. A Vietnamese woman has been fined for using another persons high school diploma to enroll in university and work as a teacher in the past 25 years. The Peoples Committee in Buon Ma Thuot City, located in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak, on Wednesday imposed a VND4 million (US$173) fine upon Le Thi Nga, 46, a teacher at Luong The Vinh Middle School. Nga also had her high school diploma revoked by competent authorities and will be dismissed by the school management board over the next days. Information provided by authorities showed that Nga, who hails from the north-central province of Thanh Hoa, had only finished eighth grade. In 1992, Nga borrowed the high school diploma of her neighbor 49-year-old Le Thi Ngoc Chau. Nga, along with her father, then asked a commune-level official to change her name to Le Thi Ngoc Chau, before using the diploma to enroll in a technical school. The woman later advanced to college and graduated in 1997 She went to the Hanoi National University of Education from 2009 to 2013 and graduated with a bachelors degree in music. Nga began teaching music at a middle school in Thanh Hoa Province in 1996, after finishing her courses at a technical school. In 2000, Nga and her husband moved to Dak Lak Province, where she was tasked with teaching at an elementary school in Buon Don District. From 2013, she became a teacher of Luong The Vinh Middle School in Buon Ma Thuoc City. The board of Luong The Vinh Middle School previously convened a working session with Nga to review her wrongdoing in late December. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! WASHINGTON, D.C. Alone among Oregon's U.S. Representatives, Congressman Cliff Bentz voted against the second impeachment of President Donald Trump on Wednesday. Bentz, a Republican, represents the state's massive 2nd District covering most of southern, central, and eastern Oregon. He was sworn in as a member of Congress just days prior to the Capitol insurrection on January 6. Impeaching a President is not something I take lightly, but Donald Trumps seditious actions were a clear violation of his oath of office and led to nothing short of a direct assault on our democracy. He must be held accountable. pic.twitter.com/qjX6YGCY3k Rep Peter DeFazio (@RepPeterDeFazio) January 13, 2021 In a statement, Bentz cited the importance of unifying the nation around a peaceful transition into the Biden administration. I continue to share the emotions many are feeling in the aftermath of the unprecedented and unacceptable violence this past week," the Congressman said. "But the current rush-to-judgment impeachment proceedings have only succeeded in dividing our country even more. "I voted against impeachment because our focus should be on unifying our nation, ensuring a peaceful transition to the Biden Administration, and working to address the pressing issues facing our country and Oregon's Second Congressional District. I came to Congress to stand up for rural communities across my district by addressing the terrible damage caused by recent wildfires, reforming the laws that govern our water rights, and ensuring we help those hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Democrats in the House voted unanimously in favor of Trump's impeachment. All of Oregon's other Representatives are Democrats. Congressman Peter DeFazio representing Oregon's 4th District, which covers areas of western Oregon from Albany south into Curry, Douglas, and Josephine counties voted in favor of impeachment, citing the six deaths that resulted from the Capitol insurrection. Impeaching a President is not something I take lightly, but Donald Trumps seditious actions were a clear violation of his oath of office and led to nothing short of a direct assault on our democracy," said DeFazio. Benjamin Franklin famously warned, as our founders finished drafting the Constitution, that we will only have a Republic so long as we are able to keep it. We are a nation of laws, and our great democratic experiment only works because we all agree to adhere to those laws. "In order to move forward from this dark and painful chapter in our nations history, we must first hold its perpetrators including Donald Trump accountable to the Constitution that governs our nation and that he swore to uphold. He must be held accountable for his efforts to overturn Novembers free and fair election and for his role in inciting this violent insurrection, and he must never be able to hold public office again. Just south of the Oregon border, Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa of California's North State both spoke and voted against Trump's impeachment. "Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the second annual impeachment show extravaganza, brought to you by the censors and left-wing media, the fact-check ministers of shutdown and Big Tech and the Democrat Party," LaMalfa began. LaMalfa went on to claim that the impeachment was not about Trump's words of incitement to his supporters in the lead-up to the storming of the U.S. Capitol, but about an "unbridled hatred" of the President and his defense of conservative values. Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- Its nearly two months since turbulence erupted around China Huarong Asset Management Co.At the end of March, its 4% perpetual dollar bond was trading at 102 cents on the dollar as investors figured the January execution of former chairman Lai Xiaomin for bribery put a line under past wayward behavior. But the failure of the company to release 2020 results by a March 31 deadline, and a subsequent report by mainland media Caixin that the firm will restructure, sparked weeks of turmoil. The same bond is now at 57 cents.The heart of the matter is whether the central government will rescue a state-owned company thats integral to the smooth running of the financial system. While there are signs Beijing wants to ensure China Huarong can repay its debts on time, uncertainty prevails.Heres a look at the key events for China Huarong:May 27Liang Qiang, who currently heads another bad-debt manager, is on track to become president of China Huarong, reports Bloomberg News.May 24China Huarong dollar bonds climb after the managing editor of Caixin Media wrote in an opinion piece that the asset manager is nowhere near defaulting on its more than $20 billion of offshore notes.May 21Some of China Huarongs thinly traded onshore bonds slump after having held up better than the companys dollar-denominated notes, signaling broadening concern about the firms financial health. May 18China Huarong has transferred funds to repay a $300 million note maturing May 20, Bloomberg News reports, the first dollar bond to come due since the delayed 2020 results. Prices for the firms dollar bonds slump earlier in the day after the New York Times reports China is planning an overhaul that would inflict significant losses on both domestic and foreign China Huarong bondholders.May 17The company has reached funding agreements with state-owned banks to ensure it can repay debt through at least the end of August, by which time China Huarong aims to have completed its 2020 financial statements, according to a Bloomberg News report. That as at least two of its onshore bonds see big price declines in recent days, worrying some investors.May 13The firm says its prepared to make future bond payments and has seen no change in the level of government support, seeking to ease investor concerns after a local media report that regulators balked at China Hurarongs restructuring plan.May 6The company says it transferred funds to pay five offshore bond coupons due the following day, its latest move to meet debt obligations amid persistent doubts about its financial health.April 30China Huarong breaks its silence, with an executive telling media it is prepared to make its bond payments and state backing remains intact. The official also says the weeks rating downgrades have no factual basis and are too pessimistic.April 29Moodys Investor Service downgrades China Huarong by one notch to Baa1, adding the firm remains on watch for further downgrade. The cut reflects the companys weakened funding ability due to market volatility and increased uncertainty over its future, according to the statement.April 27China Huarong units repay bonds maturing that day. The S$600 million ($450 million) bond was repaid with funds provided by Chinas biggest state-owned bank, according to a Bloomberg News report.April 26Fitch Ratings downgrades China Huarong by three notches to BBB while dropping the companys perpetual bonds into junk territory. The lack of transparency over government support for the firm may hamper its ability to refinance debt in offshore markets, Fitch said.April 25China Huarong says it wont meet an April 30 deadline to file its 2020 report with Hong Kongs stock exchange because auditors needed more time to finalize a transaction the company first flagged on April 1. Securities and asset-management units said in the days before that they wouldnt release 2020 results by months end.April 22The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission asks lenders to extend China Huarongs upcoming loans by at least six months, according to REDD, citing two bankers from large Chinese commercial lenders.April 21China is considering a plan that would see its central bank assume more than 100 billion yuan ($15 billion) of China Huarong assets to help clean up the firms balance sheet, according to a Bloomberg News report. Peer China Cinda Asset Management Co. was said to be planning the sale of perpetual bonds in the second quarter.April 20China Huarongs key offshore financing unit says it returned to profitability in the first quarter and laid a solid foundation for transformation. Reorg Research reports that regulators are considering options including a debt restructuring of the unit, China Huarong International Holdings Ltd.April 19Huarong Securities Co. says it wired funds to repay a 2.5 billion yuan local note.April 16The CBIRC says China Huarongs operations are normal and that the firm has ample liquidity. These are the first official comments about the companys troubles. Reuters reports Chinese banks have been asked not to withhold loans to Huarong.April 13Fitch and Moodys both put the company on watch for downgrade. The finance ministry, which owns a majority of Huarong, is considering the transfer of its stake to a unit of the countrys sovereign wealth fund, Bloomberg News reports. Chinese officials signal they want failing local government financing vehicles to restructure or go bust if debts cant be repaid.April 9China Huarong says it has been making debt payments on time and its operations are normal. Bloomberg reports the company intends to keep Huarong International as part of a potential overhaul that would avoid the need of a debt restructuring or government recapitalization. S&P Global Ratings puts China Huarongs credit ratings on watch for possible downgrade.April 8China Huarong is preparing to offload non-core and loss-making units as part of a broad plan to revive profitability that would avoid the need for a debt restructuring or government recapitalization, Bloomberg News reports.April 6Selling gains steam in China Huarongs dollar bonds, following a holiday in China. Huarong Securities says there has been no major change to its operations, in response to a price plunge for its 3 billion yuan local bond.April 1China Huarong announces a delay in releasing 2020 results, saying its auditor is unable to finalize a transaction. Stock trading is suspended and spreads jump on the firms dollar bonds while China Huarong tells investors its business is running as usual. Caixin reports the company submitted restructuring and other major reform plans to government officials and shareholders.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. Log on if you are already subscribed or Subscribe... New Delhi: Admission to various AYUSH courses will be conducted through the National Eligibility-cum- Entrance Test (NEET). The amendment will begin from the next academic (2018-19) session. The decision was taken to standardise the admission procedure and attract meritorious students to the AYUSH (ayurveda, yoga and naturopathy, unani, siddha and homoeopathy) stream. The Ministry of AYUSH has sent advisories to all state governments in this regard. "The demand for ayurveda, homoeopathy, naturopathy and unani medicines and yoga have increased worldwide and the number of students pursuing such courses have also risen. So there is a need to maintain standard of education in this stream," Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik said. He said that with the introduction of NEET, private examinations would not be conducted to fill seats in any of the AYUSH colleges. Ahead of International Day of Yoga (IDY) celebrations on June 21, Naik said data showed that there had been a 30 per cent increase in the number of people practicing yoga in the last two years. He said that the government would dedicate 100 parks for yoga activities across the country to promote this traditional practice. These parks will be managed by yoga or other organisations voluntarily. A group of secretaries in a recent meeting had also suggested to the Prime Minister that the Medical Council of India re-frame curricula in order to incorporate elements of AYUSH into allopathy and vice versa. "No decision has been taken in this regards and talks are still on," said a senior Ministry official. Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, will host the main event of International Day of Yoga in 2017. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will participate in it. Apart from the Prime Minister, senior ministers, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and yoga gurus, along with nearly 51,000 people, are expected to take part in the event. Around 150 countries are expected to participate in the mega event, with Indian missions in those nations coordinating the activities. IDY will be observed at some of the major landmarks like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Trafalgar Square in London and the Central Park in New York among others. In Delhi, seven main events are being planned in different places in association with NDMC, DDA and yoga organisations. Apart from this, yoga events will be held in different parts of the country as well as main cities like Paris, London and New York across the globe. The ministry on its official website has requested the people visiting the web page related to IDY to take a pledge to make yoga an integral part of their daily life. The first IDY celebration was organised at Rajpath in New Delhi on June 21, 2015 in which representatives of 191 countries had participated. In 2016, the main function was held in Chandigarh. The United Nations General Assembly, heeding to a call by Prime Minister Modi, had made a declaration in December 2014 to observe June 21 every year as International Day of Yoga. Irans ambassador to the United Nations announced his government has begun preparations to manufacture uranium metal, a fuel used in nuclear reactors that can also be used as a central component in a nuclear warhead, in the Islamic Republics latest violation of the 2015 nuclear deal. Research and Development activities related to the design of an improved type of fuel for the Tehran Research Reactor started, Kazem Gharib Abadi, the Islamic Republics permanent representative to the UN, announced on Twitter on Wednesday. Natural uranium will be used to produce uranium metal in the first stage, he wrote, adding that the UNs nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, was informed of the move and had conducted an inspection of the countrys main nuclear production site at Isfahan. Abadis announcement came as IAEA chief Rafael Mariano Grossi informed member states yesterday that Iranian officials had revealed their government was preparing assembly equipment to produce uranium metal at Isfahans fuel plate fabrication plant. Iranian officials told the IAEA that the material would be enriched up to 20% and used for fuel at Tehrans research reactor, according to the watchdog report, first revealed by Reuters. Iranian officials reportedly did not offer the IAEA a timeline for the activation of the assembly equipment, but the uranium powder necessary to make the fuel could take up to five months to produce, according to The Wall Street Journal. Iran is not believed to currently possess uranium metal and is barred from producing or obtaining the material until at least 2030 under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. The development follows a series of publicly declared breaches in response to the Donald Trump administrations deployment of sanctions against the Iranian regime after the United States walked out of the nuclear deal in 2018. Irans parliament and Guardian Council passed a law early last month requiring the government to ramp up its nuclear activities, including constructing a heavy water reactor and producing 120 kilograms of uranium enriched to 20% if demands for sanctions relief are not met. That law passed after Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, one of the countrys top nuclear scientists, was assassinated in a roadside ambush in the countrys north in November. Iranian leaders have accused Israel of orchestrating the attack. The Islamic Republic has ramped up its JCPOA violations over the last year and a half as the Trump administration and Israel have put increasing pressure on Iran for its activities at home and abroad. Wednesdays violation raises the stakes with the incoming administration President-elect Joe Biden, who has said his government will seek to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal if Iran ceases its violations. Iranian officials in turn have signaled that the United States must also return to full compliance with the deal, including sanctions relief. While both countries indicate interest in rejoining the deal, the time window for negotiations may be brief, with Irans President Hassan Rouhani's time in office set to end with elections in June. Irans Foreign Ministry shot down a senior lawmakers statement this week that the government would expel IAEA inspectors if the Biden administration fails to lift sanctions by Feb. 21. China secured extraordinary performance in its foreign trade against headwinds in the past year thanks to the country's targeted measures to stabilize entities, market share, export orders and the industrial and supply chains. Given the impacts from COVID-19, the Chinese government paid close attention to the trend of foreign trade and timely issued measures and policies to make the sector steady. According to statistics from the customs, China's foreign trade of goods totaled 29.04 trillion yuan (about $4.44 trillion) in the first 11 months last year, up 1.8 percent year on year and the highest January-November figure in history. China's total exports hit 1.41 trillion yuan in April, an uptick of 8.2 percent from a year ago, representing the first recovery of the country's exports after the sector experienced double-digit fall in the first quarter. Two months later, both China's exports and imports achieved positive growth. In the first 9 months of 2020, the cumulative growth of China's foreign trade for the first time turned positive. In November, the country's foreign trade stood at 3.09 trillion yuan, up 7.8 percent and maintaining positive growth for 6 months in a row. Despite the cold weather, the Leliu wharf in Shunde, Foshan, south China's Guangdong province was kept busy. Tractors loaded with newly manufactured containers were being cleared by the customs in an orderly manner at the gate. "Our exports growth has turned positive since May 2020 and is kept rising," said Zhong Bingsheng, who's responsible for customs clearance work at Guangdong Fuwa Engineering Group Co., Ltd., the manufacturer of these containers. However, it was not easy to achieve the recovery. Impacted by COVID-19 which made overseas market chaotic, the company only exported 14,784 containers in the first 4 months of 2020, whose value was only 403 million yuan, down by 39.49 percent from a year ago. After thorough investigation, the office of Foshan customs in Shunde improved the management mechanism and video surveillance system for newly manufactured containers, thanks to which the containers can be monitored remotely and their numbers intelligently recognized. "The customs clearance is now more efficient, which significantly lowered the logistics cost," Zhong said. In the January-November period, the company exported 108,300 containers with a total value of nearly 3.09 billion yuan, up nearly 90 percent from a year ago. China's foreign trade delivered robust performance, from the setbacks in the first quarter, to the stability in the second quarter, and to the comprehensive bounce in the third quarter, said Liang Ming, director of the foreign trade institute of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce. Apart from the new historical high figures, the country also further increased its share in the global market, injecting new momentum to the recovery of global economy, Liang added. "Declaring the cargos on China-Europe freight trains is our major business, and our performance doubled last year," said Yu Xuefei, a customs broker of a company in east China's Zhejiang province. According to him, the China-Europe freight trains attracted many clients for their steady services as COVID-19 impeded international air and marine transportation. Many of the company's clients who used to export their products via sea routes have turned to the freight service, he added. For instance, 7 to 8 trains departed for Central Asia each week in 2020, while the figure was only 5 in previous years, he introduced. According to statistics released by Hangzhou customs department, commodities exported from Yiwu, Zhejiang province via China-Europe freight trains totaled 6.59 billion yuan in the first 11 months of 2020, 1.27 times of those from a year ago. In addition, 673 million yuan of commodities were exported by the city through air transportation, growing 1.66 times. In 2020, China accelerated the speed of fostering new business forms of foreign trade and achieved remarkable results. It began an experimental supervision mode to boost B2B e-commerce export, and launched 17 pilot projects of market procurement trade. In the first three quarters last year, China's import and export through the customs cross-border e-commerce management platform reached 187.39 billion yuan, up 52.8 percent, and the exports via market procurement trade totaled 509.86 billion yuan, up 35.5 percent. The exports via market procurement trade in the first 11 months last year added up to 639.89 billion yuan, up 33.7 percent year on year. China made new progress in the high-quality development of foreign trade over the past year. In the January-November period, the imports and exports of general trade went up 3.2 percent, and the exports of the private sector surged 12.2 percent. The country has consolidated its competitiveness and optimized its export structure, with robust export performance in integrated circuit, computer, medical equipment and other high-tech and high-added value industries. The export growth of the above industries were 14.8 percent, 10.7 percent and 44.5 percent, respectively in the first 11 months of 2020. Washington: US President-elect Joe Biden will no longer be taking an Amtrak train to Washington for his inauguration because of security concerns, a person briefed on the decision says. Bidens decision reflects growing worries over potential threats in the Capitol and across the US in the lead-up to his inauguration on January 20. Joe Biden, a noted train fan, has decided not to ride to his inauguration on the Amtrak because of security fears. Credit:AP Security in Washington, DC, has been ramped up considerably in preparation for the inauguration after the riot at the US Capitol by supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump last week. With crowds urged to stay home so as not to spread the virus even before a violent mob had tried to block the certification of the election, Biden's inauguration promises to take on a different look, tone and feel from those of his predecessors. DODGE CENTER, Minn. - Governor Tim Walz toured the Wasiogja Historic District Wednesday afternoon, sharing his hopes for unity and civility following last week's assault on the U.S. Capitol. Walz says by visiting historic sites that contributed to the foundation of our democracy, he hopes Minnesotans will be reminded of their shared values, and reflect on how they arrived at their current political views, regardless of where they stand on the issues. The governor also took time to ask elected leaders to choose their words more wisely. "I would encourage, plead with elected officials to choose their language carefully," Walz said. "That's not censorship, that's leadership. And to think about what your responsibility is." Governor Walz also shared a message to Minnesotans who may be concerned about the potential for violence ahead of President-Elect Joe Biden's inauguration next week. Walz says his heart breaks for those people, but assures them the state is doing everything it can to keep residents safe. "I can tell you here in Minnesota that we're doing everything possible to make sure both civil order is kept in a physical way, but trying to move this conversation forward." Walz continued, "We have got to get out of this. Our neighbors are not our enemies, our relatives who see things a little differently are not our enemy." The governor adds having civil disagreements in pursuit of a common good is a foundational part of our democracy. Advertisement Footage has emerged of the inside of a five-storey abandoned underground NATO bunker built with 31inch thick concrete walls in Germany allegedly converted by criminal gangs into a high tech data centre to host darknet websites. An Australian man was arrested on Monday accused of running a $220million illegal darkweb marketplace - called the biggest in the world and 'eBay for criminals' - after ha was tracked following the bunker's discovery. The joint investigation by Australian Federal Police, Scotland Yard, the FBI, Europol, and German authorities, among others, arrested the Queensland man, 34, as he allegedly tried flee across the Danish border into Germany. The man, known only as Julian K, is the alleged operator of DarkMarket and has been detained by German investigators. The 5,000sq m former NATO bunker located in south-western Germany (pictured) was built with 31inch thick concrete walls and was converted into a data facility called CyberBunker to host darknet websites after being bought in 2012 A night-vision aerial view of the aboveground portion of the bunker containing a gatehouse, office, helipad and entrance building (pictured) which descends another four levels below the surface A screenshot of the illegal website allegedly run by the arrested Australian man and temporarily hosted on CyberBunker which displays drugs for sale (pictured) German police officers walk through the gate at the perimeter of the former Cold War bunker (pictured) converted into an illegal data centre after it was raided in 2019 DarkMarket was shut down on Monday and its new servers, located in Ukraine and Moldova after relocating from the bunker, were taken off the internet, prosecutors in the city of Koblenz said. 'Until its closure, DarkMarket was probably the largest marketplace worldwide on the darknet, with almost 500,000 users and more than 2400 sellers,' prosecutors said. More than 320,000 transactions were conducted via the website including the sale of drugs, counterfeit money, stolen or falsified credit cards, anonymous SIM cards and malware. The transactions were reportedly worth a total of 4,650 bitcoin and 12,800 monero - two cryptocurrencies - for an equivalent sum of more than $221million. The servers will be forensically examined by authorities to uncover information about the website's operations and criminal network. The solid concrete bunker (pictured) was built to withstand a nuclear blast is located in the south-western German town of Traben-Trarbach Two of the entrances to the disused bunker (pictured) which was raided by police in 2019 after being bought by a private foundation based in Denmark in 2012 The accused man has already fronted a German court and been denied bail - to be transferred to a German prison in the next few days. He has reportedly refused to speak to investigators or court officials. German prosecutors said the man was trying to flee Denmark into Germany when arrested and was travelling through Europe either on holiday or conducting business for the illegal website. They said the investigation around DarkMarket originated after the discovery of the data processing centre run by criminals in the 5,000sqm former unused bunker in south-west Germany. The discovery of the illegal data centre in the bunker led to the arrest of multiple people accused of being part of a criminal network and being an accessory to hundreds of thousands of illegal transactions. Some went on trial in October (pictured) The data facility hosted illegal websites, which included DarkMarket temporarily, and was shut down in 2019. The building, constructed by the West-German military, in the mid-1970s descended five-storeys below the surface and was built with 31inch thick concrete walls to withstand a nuclear blast. A meteorological division of the military used the facility after the Cold War until 2012 to forecast weather patterns where German soldiers were deployed. The building was sold to a foundation based in Denmark in 2012 after officials could find no other buyers for the vacant facility. A number of people were arrested after the discovery of the data centre - accused of being part of a criminal network and being accessories to hundreds of thousands of illegal transactions involving prohibited material such as drugs and hacking tools. Some already went on trial in October. The darkweb was originally developed for the United States military but has been overrun by criminals because they can conceal their identity on the platform. Four leading conglomerate heads greet each other during a New Year ceremony held at the Korea Federation of SMEs Grand Hall in Seoul, Jan. 2, 2019. From left Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun and LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo. / Yonhap By Kim Hyun-bin President Moon Jae-in is scheduled to hold a New Year's press conference later this month, while businesses in the country are on the lookout for comments that could affect their respective sectors. The progressive administration has pushed ahead with the passage of new bills and regulations in recent years aimed at bolstering the rights and welfare of workers, raising the minimum wage and shortening mandatory work hours. But many businesses are complaining that the new regulations have become tougher to follow considering plummeting sales and earnings amid the coronavirus pandemic. Businesses have also accused the government of railroading the passage of these regulations through a National Assembly dominated by the ruling camp. Businesses can hardly be blamed, considering statistics illustrating how hard many of them have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The third-quarter net profit at 687 companies listed on the Korea Composite Stock Price Index fell almost 10 percent compared to the same period of 2019 to 56 trillion, while sales dropped almost five percent to 1,400 trillion won, according to the Federation of Korean Industries. Operating profit also fell more than six percent to 84 trillion won. The figures become even more dismal when semiconductor giant Samsung Electronics is taken out of the equation. Combined net profit sank 21.61 percent, while sales fell 6.73 percent and operating profit plummeted 18.84 percent and if Samsung Electronics is excluded. Businesses are bracing for Moon's announcement of his latest economic agenda in the upcoming the press conference. Many critics and business leaders have called on the Moon administration to soften its approach in dealing with businesses. Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Chairman Park Yong-maan said previously, commenting on the passage of an economy-related bill, "It seems that our stance has been neglected and we expect a one way street." Korea Enterprises Federation Chairman Sohn Kyung-shik said during a press conference last year, "Excluding the 1998 Asian financial crisis, [2020] has been the worst, with the passage of scores of regulations, including commercial and fair trade laws, that have increased the burden on corporate management." George Clooney said the dire critical response to much-maligned superhero film Batman and Robin changed how he approached roles for the rest of his career (Ian West/PA) George Clooney said the dire critical response to much-maligned superhero film Batman & Robin changed how he approached potential roles for the rest of his career. Clooney played the Caped Crusader in Joel Schumachers flamboyant 1997 movie, which has gone down in infamy among Batman fans. The Hollywood star, who has since said he finds watching Batman & Robin painful, revealed his experience on the film made him focus on better scripts. Expand Close George Clooney has discussed the future of cinema and said government should subsidise the industry (Ian West/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp George Clooney has discussed the future of cinema and said government should subsidise the industry (Ian West/PA) Speaking during a BAFTA A Life In Pictures event dedicated to his career, Clooney recalled the build-up to starring in acclaimed comedy Out Of Sight and said: It had been a year, Id gotten killed for doing Batman & Robin and I understood for the first time, because quite honestly when I got Batman & Robin I was just an actor getting an acting job and I was excited to play Batman. What I realised after that was that I was going to be held responsible for the movie itself, not just my performance or what I was doing. So I knew I needed to focus on better scripts, the script was the most important thing. You cant make a good film out of a bad script, its impossible. You can make a bad film out of a good script. Clooneys latest film is sci-fi drama The Midnight Sky, which he also directed. It arrived on Netflix last month to a largely positive reception. The increasingly powerful influence of streaming in Hollywood led to fears over the future of cinemas, fears which intensified after the pandemic closed theatres for months on end. Clooney, 59, said the theatre industry should receive government support during the health crisis but does not believe it faces an existential threat. He said: I know theres this panic about cinemas because theyre not being looked after by our governments, which is a huge industry issue. We subsidise oil companies, we could subsidise the movie theatres for a period of time. Im not worried about us being back, cinema will always exist, were all going to be back together, you still have to go out some time right? You still have to go to a concert, go see a movie. You want a collective. Britain's biggest police force is handing out a record 300 penalties a day with more Covid rule breakers fined in the past few weeks than in the first nine months of the pandemic. Scotland Yard Deputy Commissioner Sir Steve House yesterday revealed the extent of the crackdown as it emerged that officers are doling out 66 times more fines every day than during the first lockdown. When the restrictions were first announced, the Metropolitan Police dished out 4.5 fines a day on average between March 27 and April 13. In comparison, more than 300 people a day are now getting fixed penalty notices, with almost 4,000 penalties handed out so far in London. Scotland Yard Deputy Commissioner Sir Steve House yesterday revealed the extent of the crackdown as it emerged that officers are doling out 66 times more fines every day than during the first lockdown. Pictured: Police in Clapham Common, London Around 200 youngsters took part in a snowball fight in Hyde Park, Leeds, on Thursday afternoon Sir Steve said officers were 'accelerating more quickly' to enforcement rather than listening to excuses from Covid rule breakers this time around. 'We have seen a significant increase in the amount of fixed penalty notices that were issued,' he said. 'The number is increasing quite rapidly day on day. I wish it weren't so. I wish everybody was abiding by the regulations.' Between March 27 and December 20, the force handed out 1,761 penalties for breaking the rules, including for being outside home without a reasonable excuse, not wearing a mask or organising a mass gathering. Home Secretary Priti Patel has told police they can question people if they find them sitting on park benches. Witnesses said the scenes showed a 'blatant disregard' for the strain the NHS is under. Liam Ford shot a brief video of the scene on a walk with his girlfriend (pictured) Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick has ordered officers to take a more hardline approach during this lockdown, saying it is 'preposterous' to suggest that the public would be unaware of the need to follow the rules. Yesterday her deputy said it was clear the public were not taking the rules as seriously this time around and the police had been asked by the Government to step up enforcement. Sir Steve described his frustration at anti-lockdown protests, citing a demonstration in Clapham, south London, last week where protesters were heckled by the public. 'As they were walking down Clapham High Street members of the public who were legitimately out started shouting at them and telling them they were a bunch of idiots,' he said. 'I wouldn't necessarily disagree with that view.' The furloughed retail worker said: 'With what's going on, I can't condone mass gatherings like that.' But Max Powell, a first year student at Leeds Beckett University, described it as 'the most fun we've had sober' Around 20 people on a makeshift sledge cram onto a tarpaulin at Roudhay Park, Leeds today Others were seen on skis and snowboards as snow settled in West Yorkshire on Thursday He also told the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee that his officers urgently needed vaccines and the force were happy to vaccinate their own officers and staff. Around 1,700 Metropolitan Police staff are off sick or self-isolating. On Wednesday night, Met officers broke up a party at an industrial unit in Southwark, south London, where they found at least 20 revellers on top of the building. Local residents cheered when police arrived. Two people were arrested, one on suspicion of carrying an offensive weapon, the other for suspected drug dealing. Five people were handed fines for breaching Covid restrictions. An illegal house party attended by up to 100 people in South Mimms, Hertfordshire, was also broken up by police. Police seized alcohol and music equipment from the organiser. One officer was hurt while trying to disperse the crowd and one person was arrested. At least 12 people were handed fines. Credit: CC0 Public Domain The University of Minnesota aims to become a hub of bioindustrial manufacturing through a new multimillion dollar partnership partially funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. The U's Board of Regents last week approved an agreement to host the Bioindustrial Manufacturing and Design Ecosystem (BioMADE), an effort affiliated with the federal government's Manufacturing USA system. Bioindustial manufacturing uses living organisms, such as bacteria and yeast, to produce more sustainable versions of current products or new inventions. BioMADE, which will focus on nonmedical biomanufacturing, will be housed in a new building on the U's St. Paul campus and university officials say it could be a boon to the state's economy. "This is the most exciting thing I have seen since I started in '92," said Chris Cramer, who became the U's vice president for research in 2018. The Department of Defense granted at least $87.5 million over seven years to BioMADE, which is also receiving more than $180 million from other sources. BioMADE is the 16th such Manufacturing Innovation Institute nationwide, and the cities that host them have seen economic benefits. For instance, Pittsburgh, which hosts an institute focused on robotics, has become a leading city in that field. "We have an opportunity to make the Twin Cities the Silicon Valley of industrial biomanufacturing," said Michael Smanski, a U professor and deputy chief technical officer of BioMADE. The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine recently valued the bioeconomy at around $1 trillion, and a May 2020 report by the consulting firm McKinsey & Co. said the bioeconomy could grow to $4 trillion per year over the next 10 to 20 years. Greater MSP CEO Peter Frosch said the growing bioeconomy could spread across Minnesota. "It is likely to create entire new categories of occupation," Frosch said. "Not just thousands of new jobs doing things that we know about today, but probably new kinds of jobs." Students will also feel the impact, Smanski said, as they will have an "upfront seat" to BioMADE's training programs. Construction is scheduled to begin this year on the 63,400-square-foot building for BioMADE and the U's Biotechnology Resource Center. "I'm really thrilled about how it will energize the St. Paul campus," College of Biological Sciences Dean Valery Forbes said. "It will modernize the campus and make it more than what it has been traditionally." Explore further Study explores diversity-innovation link in pulp and paper industry 2021 StarTribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. California will spend more than $8 million to find safer homes for children returning from troubled out-of-state residential programs, in response to a Chronicle and Imprint investigation into rampant reports of abuse at the facilities. Officials in counties across the state are now spending the money, approved by the state Legislature in December, to recruit foster families and bolster mental health and behavioral support services for the 131 young people California is calling back from treatment programs across the country. But despite a fast-approaching deadline of Jan. 23 to bring the children home, 64 youths remained in these faraway programs last week, even though officials deemed them unsafe more than a month ago. County child welfare and probation officials say they are working as fast as possible to bring the children back to California, but some have challenging mental and behavioral health needs that make treatment difficult. Arranging travel during the pandemic has also posed logistical challenges. I have my fingers crossed, because we have placements lined up for these youth, said Ron Miller, chief probation officer in Riverside County, which has three youths still at out-of-state programs and is making arrangements to get them home by next week. California leaders moved to cut ties with out-of-state treatment facilities in early December, when reporters for The Chronicle and The Imprint shared the findings of their investigation with state officials. That report, Far from Home, Far from Safe, detailed how California had for years sent children to treatment centers run by a for-profit company, Sequel Youth & Family Services, despite state laws that forbid sending youth to for-profit residential programs. Children at these facilities many of whom had been charged with crimes, abused or abandoned suffered bruises and broken bones at the hands of staff. Reporters found that the California Department of Social Services had long known about this abuse: Records showed that since 2017, child welfare officials in California and other states investigated hundreds of alleged violations or deficiencies at Sequel facilities, including complaints that staff members hit, kicked or sexually assaulted residents and placed them in unauthorized and dangerous restraints. Yet California continued to send children to Sequel-run programs, shipping more than 1,240 young people to facilities in Michigan, Iowa, Wyoming, Arizona and Utah since 2015 roughly half of all foster youth sent out of state. Sequel representatives told reporters in November that they take allegations of abuse seriously. In a statement, they said they have increased staff training and will end their practice of physically restraining children. Child welfare officials, youth advocates and former residents applauded the money that California is now providing to local governments, but some said the one-time funds fall short of what is needed to care for the states most vulnerable children. Many of the boys and girls sent out of state grapple with drug addiction, trauma and mental illness on top of abuses they may have experienced or witnessed in treatment programs. Allison Zaucha / Special to The Chronicle The additional funding will help, but its a stopgap to a larger issue we need to deal with, said Chris Stoner-Mertz, CEO of the California Alliance of Child and Family Services, which represents treatment programs and youth service providers. Were going to need to think long-term about what it takes, from a funding standpoint, to truly serve all youth in-state. Youth advocates had for years been pushing state leaders to cut ties with out-of-state programs, saying they hurt traumatized children more than they help them. Maria Ramiu, a senior staff attorney at the Youth Law Center in San Francisco, said the extra dollars could help counties treat young people more effectively through in-home services or at residential placements near their families and communities not thousands of miles away. It is something that should have happened a lot sooner, Ramiu said. The things that are happening to the young people that are being brought back should provide a road map for what should happen for other youth. The state social services agency said it began a review of its certified out-of-state programs after staff at the Sequel-run Lakeside Academy in Michigan killed a boy during an improper restraint in May. Agency officials said they found every program lacking: Staff members intimidated and demeaned residents, failed to get children prompt medical attention and used excessive force during hands-on restraints that caused bruises or injuries, according to letters the department sent to the facilities last month. On Dec. 10, Gov. Gavin Newsoms administration notified the Joint Legislative Budget Committee of unanticipated costs related to the return of foster youth from out-of-state facilities, according to a Department of Finance spokesperson. Six days later, the committee agreed to a one-time allocation of $5.2 million for the California Department of Social Services and an additional $2.9 million for the Department of Developmental Services. The funds for the Department of Social Services, which must be spent by June 30, are intended to help counties quarantine the children as they return to California amid the pandemic, and to secure homes and treatment plans for them. Counties may need to create new programs to care for children who require around-the-clock, one-on-one supervision, said Stoner-Mertz, adding that many questions remain. There are youth who are sexually exploited minors who may be at risk of leaving a facility and trying to go to their exploiter, she said. How do you both staff and provide the specialized service needed to address that young persons needs and keep them safe? The $2.9 million earmarked for the Department of Developmental Services will target the roughly 10 returning youths who have developmental disabilities. In addition to these emergency funds, the governor has requested another $5.8 million from the Legislature for these young people. Far From Home, Far From Safe Local Confronted over abuse, California is bringing 116 kids... While the millions in extra financial support will help the children coming back to California in the weeks ahead, bolstering local programs will require a long-term commitment that California has not yet made, county officials said. Probation and child welfare authorities prefer in-state programs because licensing officials can more easily monitor them, while children can remain closer to their families and communities. Many youth who were sent out of state, however, had been turned away from local programs for running away or acting out. Some had been charged with serious crimes and required intensive treatment not available in California. We have appreciated the states commitment to partnership in addressing these issues, said Rosie McCool, deputy director of the Chief Probation Officers of California. But we know this one-time funding will not be sufficient to invest in long-term solutions. The children with the greatest needs will take the longest to bring home, said Cathy Senderling-McDonald, deputy executive director of the County Welfare Directors Association of California. Officials in San Diego County said they were working with the state Department of Social Services to find a home for one teenager who remained out of state as of Wednesday. Officials with other counties said the pandemic had made it more difficult to find treatment programs in California, as some facilities have barred new admissions. Without a more consistent funding stream and wider reforms, the recent allocations will be like putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound, said DaeJah Seward, a 24-year-old who was sent to a Sequel facility in 2012 and now works with foster youth at a Sacramento law firm. I think that they can do way better than this. Joaquin Palomino and Cynthia Dizikes are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers, and Sara Tiano is a staff writer for The Imprint. Email: jpalomino@sfchronicle.com, cdizikes@sfchronicle.com, stiano@imprintnews.org NC school board considers displaying Ten Commandments near school entrances Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A North Carolina school board is exploring the possibility of putting Ten Commandments displays near the entrances at each of its school buildings, a possibility that has upset a secular legal group. The Cleveland County School Board first discussed the idea at its Dec. 14 board meeting, drawing support and criticism in the last week from opposing national First Amendment legal groups. During the December meeting, board member Ron Humphries "made a motion to prepare, or have prepared, a policy requiring the display of the Ten Commandments ... in a prominent place at or near the main entrance of all of our campuses." In a statement to The Christian Post Thursday, Cleveland County School Board Chair Robert Queen said that the question surrounding the display of the Ten Commandments has been referred to our policy committee for study per the boards vote in December. There is no deadline for the committee to report back to the board about the matter, Queen added. Right now, we are more focused on educating our students during a pandemic, he explained. Supporters of the measure, including Humphries, contend that displays of the Ten Commandments on school grounds are permitted by North Carolina law, as long as they are accompanied by other historical displays. Another board member, Dena Green, expressed concern that posting the Ten Commandments at the schools would lead to "a lot of backlash" as well as "attorneys and legal fees." In response to that concern, Humphries contended that the school district "can't be sued for following the law of the state of North Carolina." On Jan. 7, the Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based legal group that advocates for a strict separation of church and state, sent a letter to Cleveland County School District attorney Colin Shive. In the letter, FFRF threatened legal action against the school district if the push to erect the Ten Commandments displays at its schools was not scrapped. The organization pushed back on Humphries' argument that the district cant be sued for following state law. "The District can be sued for violating the Establishment Clause [of the First Amendment] even if it is following North Carolina law, wrote FFRF Staff Attorney Christopher Line. It would be a flagrant violation of the Establishment Clause for the Board to require all of its schools to display the Ten Commandments." Furthermore, Line argued that no court has upheld the display of the Ten Commandments at a public school even in cases when the Ten Commandments were included with other historical displays. "Although the Supreme Court allowed a long-standing Ten Commandments monument on government property in one unique context, the Court made clear that such displays are unconstitutional, Line asserted. The First Liberty Institute, which describes itself as "the nation's largest law firm dedicated exclusively to defending and restoring religious liberty for all Americans," sent its own letter to the school district on Wednesday explaining why the Ten Commandments displays would not violate the Constitution. The legal nonprofit argued that if the school board rejects the Ten Commandments displays because of their religious content, the board could be engaging in overt hostility toward religion that the U.S. Supreme Court has deemed unnecessary and Constitutionally infirm. In a statement to CP, First Liberty Special Counsel for Litigation and Communications Jeremy Dys contended that "North Carolina law recognizes that The Ten Commandments, like the Magna Carta and Mayflower Compact, have much to instruct students about the development of the rule of law in this country." "The law, state Constitution and U.S. Supreme Court precedent, ensure that their display is perfectly legal and constitutional, Dys said. The Cleveland school board should ignore the plea of secular activists who would rather cancel this part of our history just because it contains religious language at exactly the moment we need to understand the rule of law the most." Dys cited the 2019 Supreme Court decision in American Legion v. American Humanist Association as proof that Ten Commandments displays on school property would not violate the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. "Rather than give credence to a heckler's veto that questions the presence of 'religiously expressive monuments, symbols, and practices' displayed in public, the U.S. Supreme Court explained that such long-standing and historic displays bear a strong presumption of constitutionality, Dys stated. He added that the court found that religious displays "can become embedded features of a community's landscape and identity" which "a community can come to value ... without necessarily embracing their religious roots. Dys also pushed back on the idea that the court's findings in American Legion only apply to existing displays. "No less protection is offered by the Constitution for new displays that are in keeping with the history and tradition of our country. It is well-settled that simply having religious content or promoting a message consistent with a religious doctrine does not violate the Establishment Clause, he added. "The schools within the Board's purview are well-equipped to the challenge of educating their audience. Rather than dismiss these historic documents from public view, canceling them due only to their religious content, the Board should remain committed to the principles of religious pluralism and freedom made possible by the very documents now under consideration." FFRF, which often pressures school districts and government entities to end any perceived endorsement of religion, argues that any person who sees the Ten Commandments display will think that the religious document is being endorsed by the school. Line argued in his letter that the districts promotion of the Bible and religion over non-religion impermissibly turns any non-Christian or non-believing student, parent or staff member into an outsider." "Schoolchildren already feel significant pressure to conform to their peers, Line stressed. They must not be subjected to similar pressure from their school, especially on religious questions." FFRF co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor said in a statement that public school districts have no business injecting religion into their schools or interfering with the rights of conscience of students and their parents. "Students in our public schools are free to have any god they like, as many gods as they like or none at all! In America, we live under the First Amendment, not the First Commandment, she asserted. Yelp is giving customers the power to report whether or not a business is following coronavirus precautions. Companies observed following guidelines on masks and social distancing will receive a green check, while those not following protocol will get an orange question mark. Ratings will only be assigned to businesses when a consensus is reached from several different responses, to 'mitigate potential misuse.' Yelp has also added several new features for restaurants, including 'heated outdoor seating' and 'disposable or contactless menu.' Scroll down for video If several reviewers indicate masks are being worn and social distancing is observed, the business will get a green check. If the majority of responses are negative or mixed, it will get an orange question mark 'As consumers look for ways to continue supporting their favorite local businesses, their personal health and safety remains a critical part of the decision making process,' Akhil Kuduvalli, Yelp's director of consumer product, wrote in a blog post. 'And for businesses, we know it's especially important to efficiently communicate their current service offerings and health and safety practices to customers.' With the new feature, which launched Tuesday, users can report if they saw staff wearing masks and observing social distancing - or if the do not. The tool gives prospective customers 'further confidence to support businesses in their local community,' Kuduvalli said Restaurants can now indicated if they have contact-free menus or heated outdoor dining, and fitness centers can indicate if they offer one-on-one or small-group sessions Feedback is available for restaurants, nightlife, retail, food and beauty businesses, as well as automotive and professional services. To make sure the responses are authentic, only Yelp users who are logged in can report and responses must reach a consensus about whether masks and social distancing are being observed. Each location of a franchise will be judged individually, and only feedback received within the previous 28 days is counted, according to Yelp. If a business is following protocols, a green checkmark will be displayed with text that indicates, 'Social distancing enforced according to most users' or 'Staff wears masks according to most users.' If most responses indicate measures are not enforced, or the feedback is mixed, an orange question mark will be displayed with text that reads, 'Social distancing might not be enforced according to most users' or, 'Staff might not wear masks according to most users.' The 'question mark' has only been displayed on a few hundred businesses, and Yelp says its using advanced technology 'to mitigate potential misuse' of the new feedback feature The 'question mark' icon has only been displayed on a few hundred businesses out of the millions that list on Yelp, and the company says its using advanced technology 'to mitigate potential misuse.' Its already removed more than 4,000 reviews between March and December that violated content guidelines, according to Kuduvalli, thereby preventing unfair harm to businesses. Last summer, Yelp started allowing stores to easily update information about current hours, offerings and safety precautions. Interest in businesses that added COVID-19 updates shot up more than 40 percent, Kuduvalli said. The review hub is now also allowing restaurants to indicate if they offer disposable or contactless menus, heated and/or covered outdoor seating, or other features. Fitness businesses can also list if they offer one-on-one or small group sessions our outdoor services. Yelp says businesses that have actively updated their pages to indicate their current hours, services and safety precautions have seen a spike of more than 40 percent in page activity All businesses can indicate if staff have been checked for coronavirus symptoms. 'As the pandemic continues to change our daily lives, we are relentlessly focused on addressing the needs of both local businesses and consumers by providing helpful and up-to-date information during these uncertain times,' Kuduvalli said. The pandemic has had a devastating impact on brick-and-mortar businesses, with data released by Yelp in September indicating up to 60 percent of stores that were forced to shut during lockdown will never open again. The site reports more than 163,000 total U.S. businesses on Yelp had closed since March, with nearly 98,000 going on to shutter permanently. Even as the harshest lockdowns were lifted, limited capacity and decreased demand drove many small shops permanently out of business, the report indicated. Restaurants have been among the hardest hit, with almost 20,000 closing permanently between March and September alone. Large and densely populated cities have seen higher rates of permanent closures, likely due to higher rents and more stringent pandemic regulations . Los Angeles and New York City had the most, with more than 7,000 each in the seven month period. SHOWS February 22, 2021 10.00 am Bazaar Corporate Radar Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar. By the end of December 2020, the Georgia Northwestern Technical College Foundation raised approximately $250,000 in support of students from private donations, corporate gifts, grants, planned giving and establishment of an endowed fund.At the conclusion of GNTCs Annual and Year-End Giving Campaign: "A Gift of Impact," the GNTC Foundation raised $90,464 in scholarship funds, surpassing the original goal of $20,000 by a large margin. Gifts from GNTC employees alone exceeded $20,000.We are so grateful to the northwest Georgia community for its terrific response to our fundraising appeals," said GNTC President Dr.Heidi Popham. "Because of their donations, many more of our students have been able to stay enrolled and on track to graduate despite the impact of COVID-19.According to Lauretta Hannon, GNTC director of Institutional Advancement, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the number of students who are facing financial hardships.The GNTC Foundation has been working non-stop in the setting up and awarding of scholarships and other forms of financial support for students hit hard by the pandemic, said Ms. Hannon. Thanks to the generosity of donors, weve been able to increase student support by 100 percent.Shortly after the conclusion of the fundraising campaign, the GNTC Foundation awarded 31 qualifying students with scholarships for the Spring 2021 semester. The Foundation also received a donation from the Winn family and established an endowment scholarship as well as a food pantry on the Polk County Campus in honor of the late Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Dan Peace Winn.The GNTC Foundation offers scholarships and financial assistance to eligible students on the GNTC website. Student financial assistance can help with tuition, books, supplies, fees, licensure exams and other needs. For more information on donating to the GNTC Foundation, contact Foundation Administrator Michelle Beatson at 706-802-5850, or visit the Foundations donation page.The GNTC Foundation Trustees are Phil Burkhalter, Floyd County; Valerie Brown, Whitfield County; Linda Case, Dade County; Jay LeGrande, Polk County; Gary McConnell, Chattooga County; Craig McDaniel, Floyd County; Sherrie Patterson, Murray County; Damon Raines, Walker County; Becky Redd, Gordon County; Mitch Sanford, Whitfield County; Jay Still, Whitfield County; Wil Stiles, Catoosa County; Scott Tucker, Floyd County; Carolyn Walker, Walker County; and Doris White, Walker County. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Some Marshall County students are gearing up for their first day back in the classroom in months. In November, the district was one of the first in North Alabama to make the call to switch to all-remote learning for the remainder of the fall semester. "It's a sense of security, it's a sense of normalcy, a little bit of structure," explained Martin Killion, teacher at Marshall County Tech School. Killion said the teachers, staff and students are ready to get back to class in person. "Not to mention the ability to be around other people, their friends," said Killion. Their first chance to see some classmates will come with some extra safety precautions students probably won't even notice. Small air filters are now installed on Marshall County buses. Interim transportation director Mike Glassco explained that it can be difficult to social distance on the bus. A big help, he says, will be the hybrid schedule and the new air filters. DOVER, DE / ACCESSWIRE / January 14, 2021 / Pacific Green Technologies, Inc. (the "Company" or "PGTK," (OTCQB:PGTK)) announces the signing of a Battery Energy Storage System Strategic Manufacturing Framework Agreement Memorandum of Understanding (the "Framework Agreement") with Shanghai Electric Gotion New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. ("SEG"). Under the terms of the Framework Agreement, the parties will work together towards the development of various lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) projects around the world. PGTK, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Pacific Green Energy Storage Technologies, Inc., will manage each project's overall execution, including system design, integration, and commercial optimization, while SEG will produce the battery technology as the equipment manufacturer. Scott Poulter, PGTK's Chief Executive, commented: "The BESS sector around the world is developing at an exponential rate and with the signing of this Framework Agreement, we have now combined PGTK's existing capabilities following the acquisition of UK BESS technology company Innoergy Limited with SEG's capacity, technology, and expertise, to ensure we can meet the demand in this rapidly expanding sector." James Gratton, Pacific Green Energy Storage Technologies, Inc.'s Technical Director, noted: "SEG has established itself as one of the largest and most reputable BESS technology integrators in the world, and with multiple certified production centers, we are confident that they have the capacity necessary to meet the needs of our project pipeline." Gareth Dauley, Vice President of Pacific Green Energy Storage Technologies, Inc., commented: "Lithium-ion batteries, which we have identified as best suited for our projects due to their high-energy density, safety track-record, and long service life, are the cornerstone of state-of-the-art BESS developments. This Framework Agreement will combine our existing experience and industry-knowledge with SEG's long track-record of lithium-ion battery production to ensure commercially optimized and technologically bankable projects." SEG, which is a joint-venture between Shanghai Electric Group Co., Ltd. ("Shanghai Electric") and Guoxuan High-tech Co., Ltd., operates among the largest and most advanced production and supply-chain management centers in the world. Shanghai Electric (SHA: 601727), which has 70,000 employees and over US$20b in operating revenue, provides a strong industrial backing and decades of experience in power equipment manufacturing and integration. About Pacific Green Technologies, Inc. Pacific Green Technologies, Inc. is focused on addressing the world's need for cleaner and more sustainable energy. The Company offers BESS and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) energy solutions to complement its marine environmental technologies and emissions control divisions. For more information, visit PGTK's website: www.pacificgreentechnologies.com About Shanghai Electric Gotion New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. Shanghai Electric Gotion New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. is a joint-venture between Shanghai Electric Group Co., Ltd. and Guoxuan High-tech Co., Ltd. With multiple production facilities and a long-established history in technology manufacturing and supply-chain management, SEG is well-positioned to provide lithium-ion BESS technology around the world. Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains "forward-looking statements," as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements in this news release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things,?the ongoing effects of the pandemic on delays and orders regarding PGTK's technologies, potential business developments around the world, and future interest in our green technologies. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, general economic and political conditions, the continuation of the Framework Agreement with SEG, and the ongoing impact of the pandemic. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that the beliefs, plans, expectations, and intentions contained in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. CONTACT: Scott Poulter, Chairman & CEO Pacific Green Technologies T: +1 (302) 601-4659 SOURCE: Pacific Green Technologies, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/624385/Pacific-Green-Signs-Battery-Energy-Storage-System-Strategic-Manufacturing-Framework-Memorandum-of-Understanding-with-Shanghai-Electric-Gotion-New-Energy-Technology-CO-LTD Sydney virologist Dominic Dwyer is among team of experts heading to China Keen to establish if Covid virus truly started in Wuhan from an animal source The Chines e government has often stated the coronavirus started elsewhere An Australian member of an international team travelling to Wuhan to investigate the origins of coronavirus wants to shine a light on how the pandemic began. Sydney virologist Dominic Dwyer is among 10 experts from the World Health Organisation who flew to China on Thursday. ADVERTISEMENT Professor Dwyer admits they are 'unlikely' to track down patient zero, but is hoping to find some answers. He wants to establish whether the virus truly started in Wuhan or began somewhere else and was then amplified in the Chinese city, which has a population of over 11million people. Professor Dominic Dwyer (pictured above), a leading Sydney virologist is travelling to China to shine a light on how the pandemic began China has angrily refuted suggestions from other nations that the coronavirus started in Wuhan He also wants to know whether Covid came from an animal source and if so which one, as well as what role laboratories played. After completing two weeks of quarantine on arrival in China, Dwyer is hoping to visit the wholesale seafood and animal market linked to an early cluster of patients. He is also keen to visit Wuhan's institute of virology and hospitals that treated the first coronavirus patients. 'The Chinese authorities have told the WHO team that they are happy for people to go where they feel they need to go,' Dwyer told ABC radio this week. Click here to resize this module The trip comes more than a year after the global pandemic began and eight months since China first agreed to let the WHO team into the country. The WHO investigation is being jointly conducted with the Chinese government and Dwyer is keen to avoid the politics that could accompany the study. 'There clearly is political pressure and concern, both within China and outside of China,' he said. The Chinese government is keen to portray the coronavirus as starting elsewhere and wants the WHO to conduct research missions in other countries. In December last year, political representatives from Beijing claimed that the virus may have spawned from outside China. They suggested it travelled to a wet market in Wuhan via frozen food imports from other countries, including Australia. Night markets in Wuhan, China (pictured above) are always teaming with people In November of 2020 as trade tension between Australia and China continued to escalate, Beijing blocked Australian exports, including coal and seafood. ADVERTISEMENT Then they slapped a 212 per cent tariff on Aussie wine, which effectively banned the product. Among the other grievances included Australia's decision to ban Chinese telecommunications firm Huawei from the country's 5G network and blocking foreign investment bids by Chinese companies. Tension first began to mount between the two nations last April last year when Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an inquiry into the origins of coronavirus. New South Wales has recorded zero new local cases of coronavirus as clusters in western Sydney and the Northern Beaches appear to be contained. There were two cases recorded in hotel quarantine after 20,437 tests across the state. Health Minister Brad Hazzard said all ten New South Wales residents who had been in Queensland's Grand Chancellor Hotel where an outbreak emerged have been contacted and told to self isolate. Health Minister Brad Hazzard said all ten New South Wales residents who had been in Queensland's Grand Chancellor Hotel where an outbreak emerged have been contacted and told to self isolate The quarantine hotel is linked to six cases of the UK variant of Covid-19 and has been closed by the Queensland government for deep cleaning. NSW Health on Wednesday urged anyone who had been at the hotel since December 30, as a returned traveller or worker, to immediately get tested and isolate for 14 days regardless of the result. On Thursday, the Queensland government said it would push for quarantine in mining camps - but Minister Hazzard rejected the idea for NSW. He said about 3,500 staff worked in the quarantine system and lived in Sydney, and transporting travellers to regional areas was dangerous because the virus could transmit in buses. Minister Hazzard also said he wants Covid-19 patients to be near major hospitals in case they deteriorate. It comes as Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said it was unlikely coronavirus restrictions across Greater Sydney would be eased in the coming days. She said authorities needed at least another three weeks to ensure the Berala and northern beaches clusters are squashed. 'It would take at least three, maybe four weeks and so I need the community to be on track with us,' Dr Chant told reporters on Wednesday. 'As an epidemiologist, we like to see around two incubation periods before we assess that we are free of the disease.' With AAP Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Two men who were arrested for allegedly taking an AR-15 and a samurai sword to a Philadelphia vote count center in November now face having their $750,000 bail revoked for joining the MAGA mob riot at the US Capitol last week. Joshua Macias, the 42-year-old founder of Vets for Trump, and Antonio Lamotta, a 61-year-old member of the group, are accused of taking part in the January 6 violent insurrection on the Capitol that left five dead - including a DC cop who was hit over the head with a fire extinguisher. Prosecutors say video evidence shows the two men entered a cordoned off area in the Capitol and that Macias 'gave a speech to a crowd inciting a riot' telling supporters to 'defend this constitution' against 'the enemy'. Macias and Lamotta were first arrested back on November 5 outside the Philadelphia Convention Center where votes were being counted after they allegedly traveled from Virginia Beach in a QAnon-decorated vehicle carrying an AR-15 rifle, ammunition and a samurai sword. The two men, who have pushed unfounded claims of election fraud online, have since then acted as bodyguards for far-right Virginia Senator Amanda Chase - who is facing calls to resign after she attended the pro-Trump rally last Wednesday that led to the siege. Two men who were arrested for allegedly taking an AR-15 and a samurai sword to a Philadelphia vote count center in November now face having their $750,000 bail revoked for joining the MAGA mob riot at the US Capitol last week. Pictured Antonio Lamotta (left) and Joshua Macias (right) They are accused of taking part in the January 6 violent insurrection on the Capitol that left five dead Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner's office filed a motion Tuesday to revoke Lamotta's bail, citing evidence that the two men 'participated in the insurrection at the US Capitol.' 'The defendant and co-defendant are visible in media footage that shows them within the security perimeter on the Capitol Grounds in an area specifically marked 'No Demonstration Permitted,' the motion reads, according to the Daily Beast. Prosecutors cite evidence that Lamotta was present at the Capitol along with Macias while the 42-year-old gave his speech 'inciting a riot'. 'With the defendant at his side, [Macias] gave a speech to a crowd inciting a riot,' the motion reads. 'During that speech, the rioters overran the Capitol Police Officers stationed at the door of the Capitol and invaded the building in a manner not seen since the War of 1812.' Prosecutors had already filed a similar motion against Macias last week. In his speech, Macias told the crowd 'domestic enemies are here' and called Vice President Mike Pence a traitor who 'backstabbed these patriots'. 'Defend this Constitution against foreign and domestic enemies,' Macias said, according to a transcript submitted by prosecutors. Macias on stage at DC on January 6. Macias 'gave a speech to a crowd inciting a riot' telling supporters to 'defend this constitution' against 'the enemy' last Wednesday, prosecutors say Macias also branded Pence a 'Benedict Arnold' - the American military officer who betrayed the US during the Revolutionary War 'Those domestic enemies are here The enemy is not at the gate, the enemy is already here.' Macias branded Pence a 'Benedict Arnold' - the American military officer who betrayed the US during the Revolutionary War. 'Mike Pence is a Benedict Arnold. We believed in you, Vice President. We had hope that you would do what's right for our Constitution,' the transcript reads. 'I stood with you on stage, sir. We believed in you. You backstabbed the veterans, backstabbed these patriots. That's why we're here.' During the Capitol siege, the pro-Trump mob chanted 'Hang Mike Pence' and 'Where's Mike Pence?' as they stormed the building, while the vice president and his family were forced to go into hiding. In his speech, Macias also called on Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act and, at one point, gave a shoutout to 'Tony' Lamotta, prosecutors say. 'President Trump, you have the ability to pass, you have the strength sir. The Insurrection Act is now! You have the power sir, and we support you 110 percent,' Macias said. In CNN footage from around 5 p.m. January 6, a man thought to be Lamotta is seen walking passed a reporter with members of the Oath Keepers. A Facebook Live video posted by Chase the night before last week's siege also shows the senator with Macias and leader of the Oath Keepers Stewart Rhodes as they encouraged people to attend the pro-Trump rally. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner's office filed a motion Tuesday to revoke Lamotta's (pictured) bail, citing evidence he 'participated in the insurrection' The Oath Keepers is one of the largest radical antigovernment groups in the US and is based on a set of baseless conspiracy theories that the federal government is working to destroy the liberties of Americans, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Rhodes previously said on right-wing show InfoWars in November that the militia group was ready to storm DC to defend Trump after he lost the election to Joe Biden. In the motion to revoke Lamotta's bail, prosecutors also present cartoon images from his Twitter account including an image of a pitchfork-carrying mob chasing and shooting at an attorney general the night before election day. The motion also says the 61-year-old has a history of posting conspiracy theories and racist commentary online. There is no evidence yet that Macias and Lamottta entered the Capitol last Wednesday - but prosecutors say footage shows them in a prohibited area around the building. Macias told The Daily Beast he was not inside the Capitol, claiming footage shows him dancing to a pro-Trump rap act outside the building at the time. A Facebook Live video posted by right-wing Senator Amanda Chase the night before last week's siege shows the senator with Macias and the head of militia group the Oath Keepers encouraging people to attend the pro-Trump rally It is not clear if the two men entered the Capitol but prosecutors say there is evidence they were in a cordoned off area William J. Brennan, an attorney for Macias, told the Philadelphia Inquirer he will fight the motion arguing that he was not part of the 'criminal lunatics' that stormed the capitol, attacking law enforcement and looting and vandalizing the seat of government. He also defended Macias' speech insisting it was 'not inciting anything' and is simply 'expressing an opinion'. 'He references the vice president. I don't share his opinion, but he has a right to that opinion. 'It's the bedrock of our freedoms as American citizens If you want to look at incendiary speech, look at the president,' he said. The two men are currently out on bail over November's charges after they each posted 10 percent of their $750,000 bail. They were arrested on November 5 after the FBI received a tip off about people heading from Virginia Beach to Philadelphia with weapons. In November Macias and Lamotta were arrested for allegedly traveling to Philadelphia in a Hummer filled with ammunition Lamotta is seen handcuffed on November 5 in Philadelphia near the convention center The Hummer had a sticker supporting QAnon with the 'when we go 1 we go all' QAnon slogan A QAnon hat was visible in the Hummer driven by the two men and one woman Police said they were told that a man and his mother and another person were traveling to the Philadelphia region to 'straighten things out' as votes continued to be counted. Police found an unattended Hummer with Virginia plates, decorated with stickers promoting QAnon. QAnon is the debunked extreme right wing conspiracy theory that claims Satan-worshipping pedophiles are plotting against Trump and are running a global child sex trafficking ring. They then found the two men - and a woman - both of whom were armed with handguns. Macias had a Virginia concealed-carry permit, which is not recognized in Pennsylvania while Lamotta told officers he did not have a gun permit. An inspection of the Hummer then uncovered an AR-style rifle, about 160 rounds of ammunition and a sword. Lamotta and Macias were charged with Concealed Firearm Without a License, a third-degree felony, and Carrying a Firearm on Public Streets or Public Property, a first-degree misdemeanor. They are scheduled to appear in court Thursday on these charges. York County authorities are asking for the publics help finding family of a York County woman who died this week. Coroner Pamela Gay said Tana Wilson, of Pleasant Acres, died in her 70s of natural causes. Wilsons family members or anyone with information on where to find them is asked to call 717-840-7617. READ MORE: How Pennsylvania is getting the state Capitol prepared amid threats of attacks Pa. plans mass clinics, other steps to speed up pace of COVID-19 vaccinations Former Michigan governor pleads not guilty to charges in Flint water crisis Nepal Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali in India on three-day visit India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Jan 14: Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali arrived here on Thursday on a three-day visit during which he will attend the India-Nepal Joint Commission meeting and is expected to discuss COVID-19 cooperation, the boundary issue along with the entire gamut of bilateral relations with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar. Gyawali is the senior-most political leader from Nepal to visit India after Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli triggered a border row last year by publishing a new political map that showed the three Indian territories -- Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipulekh -- as part of Nepal. The joint commission is the highest mechanism between the two countries to discuss the entire gamut of bilateral relations. The sixth joint commission meeting on Friday "will discuss the whole gamut of Nepal-India bilateral relations, including trade, transit, energy, boundary, COVID-19 cooperation, infrastructure, connectivity, investment, agriculture, tourism, culture, among others", Nepal''s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement earlier. During his visit, Foreign Minister Gyawali will also meet with the high-level dignitaries of India, the statement said. Nepal-India relations will reach new height says K P Oli Gyawali is being accompanied by Nepalese Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Poudyal and Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population Laxmi Aryal, according to Nepalese officials. After Nepal released the map last year, India reacted sharply, calling it a "unilateral act" and cautioning Kathmandu that such "artificial enlargement" of territorial claims will not be acceptable to it. India said that Nepal''s action violated an understanding reached between the two countries to resolve the boundary issues through talks. The bilateral exchanges that had stalled due to the bitter boundary dispute were reset in the later part of 2020 with a series of visits, as New Delhi emphasised that it sees itself as the Himalayan nation''s "foremost friend" and development partner. Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla''s maiden visit to Nepal in November was largely aimed at resetting bilateral ties. Shringla met Prime Minister Oli and other top political brass and emphasised that India and Nepal are on the same page and share the same vision. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, January 14, 2021, 18:42 [IST] On Wednesday, though, Mr. Newsom announced that the state was opening up vaccine eligibility to anyone 65 and older, as well as building a new system to alert residents when theyre eligible to be inoculated. Thats set to begin next week. There is no higher priority than efficiently and equitably distributing these vaccines as quickly as possible to those who face the gravest consequences, he said in a statement. To those not yet eligible for vaccines, your turn is coming. We are doing everything we can to bring more vaccine into the state. Some cities and counties are also set to open mass vaccination centers, like at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles although Los Angeles County is set to continue vaccinating only health care workers through at least the end of the month. The move comes not long after the federal government ordered states to start using vaccine doses that were set aside for second shots. [Read the latest story about the shifting federal vaccine rollout guidance.] Dr. David Lubarsky, the chief executive of UC Davis Health, said on Tuesday that while the governor, Dr. Ghaly and others in the state had been doing their best to navigate a challenging situation, perfection is the enemy of the good. The top priority should be getting shots into arms not spending resources ensuring people dont cut the line. If you are so hellbent on making sure Patient A should come before Patient B before Citizen C, you cant get people in the door in a sufficient manner, he said. He said that the state would be better served by allowing health care providers greater shares of doses to administer to patients, rather than counties. [January 14, 2021] Pexip and Logitech Partnership Brings AI-Powered, Immersive Video Collaboration from the Desktop to the Meeting Room OSLO, Norway, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Extends Pexip's data privacy and security-first approach to the meeting room Supports the growth of hybrid work by enabling workers to simply join any meeting on any platform, from home or the office Organizations can deliver a consistent experience across their meeting rooms, whether deploying new video-enabled rooms or expanding their existing video estate Today Pexip, a leading provider of enterprise video conferencing and collaboration solutions, announced a partnership with Logitech to deliver a seamless, secure video conferencing experience for meeting rooms. Pexip will natively integrate with Logitech's new generation portfolio of video conferencing solutions to provide a consistent end-to-end user experience from any location. "We are thrilled to partner with Logitech to bring the Pexip meeting room experience to market. With its new Rally Bar and Rally Bar Mini, as well as the Logitech RoomMate compute appliance, Logitech has created smart, high-quality video room hardware that enables us, for the first time ever, to bring our AI and video stack to meeting rooms of all sizes for a fully native Pexip experience. Logitech's design and engineering philosophy is a perfect complement to Pexip's, and together, we're excited to help teams collaborate smarter, whether working from the office or at home," said Giles Chamberlin, CTO and cofounder, Pexip. With One-Touch Join, users can safely and easily join Pexip Meetings from a Pexip Room, the Pexip app on a mobile device or laptop, or through any web browser that supports WebRTC. The Pexip Room experience is secure by design, so users don't have to enter a pin number or remember to lock the room. It's also built with interoperability at the core so users can join any meeting they are invited to -- even those hosted on different platforms. Everyone keeps their familiar workflows, regardless of how they join. Organizations can use their existing technologies with no need to rip-and-replace, while outfitting new conference and huddle rooms with flexible, interoperable Pexip Meetings. The Pexip Room software will be available on Logitech's video bars, Rally Bar and Rally Bar Mini, as well as Logitech RoomMate which all use the Logitech Tap controller as the user input device. The portfolio of all-in-one video bars and modular conference camera systems delivers the performance, installation ease, and device management tools to video-enable small, medium, large, and multipurpose rooms throughout the workplace. Pexip Room software will be available in Q1 2021, and to start, it will include One-Touch Join for Pexip Meetings, with additional functionality coming soon. "As organizations plan for a post-COVID workplace, the ability to conduct secure, flexible meetings is more important than ever. With Pexip Room and its partnership with Logitech, Pexip can deliver an end-to-end meeting experience for browser, desktop, mobile, and meeting room users, enabling people to meet with anyone from home or the office. Given its security-first approach and unique technology architecture, Pexip is well-positioned to help enterprises, healthcare organizations, and government agencies address users' changing needs in the hybrid work environment," said Ira M. Weinstein, founder and managing partner at Recon Research. "Our customers are demanding high-quality, open, interoperable solutions that can be deployed at scale in the hybrid workplace. We are very excited to partner with Pexip to combine the Logitech Rally Bar and next generation portfolio of products with Pexip Meetings to video enable every meeting space easily and cost-effectively," said Sudeep Trivedi, Head of Alliances and Go-to-market, Logitech. "Pexip breaks down collaboration barriers so everyone can meet, and the Pexip Room experience is an extension of this philosophy. In a time when human connection matters more than ever, Pexip is helping everyone be seen, heard, and included, regardless of whether they're working from home or transitioning back to the office. Our AI-powered video engine provides for more seamless, secure communication from anywhere," said Tom-Erik Lia, CCO of Pexip. About Pexip Pexip simplifies complex video conferencing to empower teams to meet, regardless of location or technology. Our scalable, cloud-native platform enables high-quality video meetings, interoperability with Microsoft and Google solutions, and video system device registration. Customers can deploy Pexip on their own privately-hosted servers, in their own cloud subscription of choice (Azure, Google Cloud or AWS), as a hybrid, or as a service. With a diverse set of APIs, Pexip can be customized to fit customers' unique needs. The solution is sold through 300 channel partners in 75 countries and used in more than 190 countries. About Logitech Logitech designs products that have an everyday place in people's lives, connecting them to the digital experiences they care about. More than 35 years ago, Logitech started connecting people through computers, and now it's a multi-brand company designing products that bring people together through video, music, gaming, and computing. Logitech's Video Collaboration goal is to make video meetings accessible and affordable to every business and every individual, without sacrificing quality. We want to video-enable every meeting room, every workspace, and every home. Find Logitech and more on its video collaboration products at www.logitech.com/vc, the company blog or @LogitechVC. Contact: Gillian Dalslaaen, VP Marketing gillian@pexip.com, tel. +47 40461025 This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/pexip-as/r/pexip-and-logitech-partnership-brings-ai-powered--immersive-video-collaboration-from-the-desktop-to-,c3267810 The following files are available for download: https://news.cision.com/pexip-as/i/pexip-room-offers-a-secure--simple-meeting-experience,c2866794 Pexip Room offers a secure, simple meeting experience View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pexip-and-logitech-partnership-brings-ai-powered-immersive-video-collaboration-from-the-desktop-to-the-meeting-room-301208592.html SOURCE Pexip AS [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] The Alabama Department of Public Health announced Wednesday afternoon that there are no more appointments available to get the coronavirius vaccine at county health departments. People can still call the hotline at 1-855-566-5333 to get put on a waiting list. See the full news release below: The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is aware that the COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline is experiencing difficulties. Staff continues working to expand vaccine scheduling capabilities at the call center. At present there are no more appointments available at county health departments, but the call center will take your contact information and add it to a waiting list. Callers will be contacted as soon as more appointments are available. The demand for COVID-19 vaccine continues to exceed supply as there are more than 326,000 health care workers and nearly 350,000 people in Alabama who qualify for a vaccine because they are 75 years old and older. Hotline personnel are working to schedule persons in the 75-plus age group, law enforcement officers, and firefighters for immunization appointments beginning January 18. General information about COVID-19 is available through the COVID-19 Information Hotline number, 1-800-270-7268, and at alabamapublichealth.gov. India on Thursday described the targeted killing of journalists and civil society members in Afghanistan as an attempt to suppress freedom of expression and pitched for an "immediate and comprehensive" ceasefire to lay the ground for a meaningful peace process in the country. Expressing deep concern over the killings, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said India stands with the people of Afghanistan in their journey towards peace and these attacks are contrary to the spirit of the peace process and should immediately stop. Asked about National Security Adviser Ajit Doval's two-day visit to Afghanistan, Srivastava said at a media briefing that his discussions with Afghan leaders focused on bilateral relations and the Afghan peace process. Doval called on President Ashraf Ghani, and held talks with Afghan peace negotiator Abdullah Abdullah, Afghan National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib, Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar and former president Hamid Karzai. "In the past few weeks, we have received inputs of several attacks on journalists and civil society activists in Afghanistan. The targeted killing of journalists and civil society members, aimed at suppressing the freedom of expression and informed discussion on critical issues related to peace and governance, is of deep concern," Srivastava said. He said people of Afghanistan long for a peaceful future and India stands with them. An immediate and comprehensive ceasefire will lay the ground for a meaningful peace process to establish a peaceful, prosperous and progressive Afghanistan. India stands with the people of Afghanistan in their journey towards peace, he said.The MEA spokesperson said India has invested heavily in peace and development in Afghanistan and it supports all efforts to bring peace and stability there. "The peace process must be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled. India is an important stakeholder and we look towards a peaceful, prosperous, sovereign, democratic and united Afghanistan," he said. India has already invested over USD two billion in aid and reconstruction activities in the country.In November, India announced a new package of over 100 high impact community projects worth USD 80 million for Afghanistan at a global conference on Afghanistan.India has been keenly following the evolving political situation after the US signed a peace deal with the Taliban in February last year. The deal provided for the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, effectively drawing curtains on Washington's 18-year war with Taliban in the country.India has also been maintaining that care should be taken to ensure that any such process does not lead to any "ungoverned spaces" where terrorists and their proxies can relocate. India has been calling upon all sections of the political spectrum in Afghanistan to work together to meet the aspirations of all people in that country, including those from the minority community for a prosperous and safe future. (IMAGE CREDITS:PTI) (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) SANTA ROSA, Calif., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Due to the ongoing pandemic, Sonoma County winegrowers gathered around their laptops and computer screens to review the organization's efforts last year and learn about the future direction from the Sonoma County Winegrowers' president, Karissa Kruse, as the 30th annual Dollars and $ense Seminar and Trade Show went virtual for the first time Thursday morning. Additional speakers included Ray Isle, Executive Wine Editor from Food & Wine magazine; Glenn Proctor from Ciatti Co.; Danny Brager, Brager Beverage Alcohol Consulting; Peggy Gsell, of Nielsen and several breakout session speakers. In recent years, this event has generated significant wine industry news and the 2021 meeting did not disappoint. Kruse used this year's forum to announce that the organization will be establishing the nation's first innovation accelerator for the wine industry to encourage, collaborate and assist in the development and creation of both short-term and long-term vineyard resiliency solutions. Known as Sonoma VITS (Vineyard Innovation Through Science), this effort builds upon the reputation of Sonoma County Winegrowers as a global leader in sustainability and climate adaptation while meeting the objectives of the industry's 100-year business plan to preserve local agriculture. Sonoma County is the nation's first 100% certified sustainable wine region and Sonoma County Winegrowers (SCW) is the exclusive participant in the California Land Stewardship's Climate Adaptation Certification Program which is the world's first program of its kind for agriculture. "Think of it as 'Shark Tank' comes to Sonoma Wine Country. We want to motivate creative solutions to the various challenges facing our industry now and in the future such as water use, habitat protection, climate adaptation and more," said Kruse. She added, "This is our 'man to the moon' call to action to leverage the best thinking from all innovators. Those companies or individuals with the best ideas will present to an advisory group who as 'sharks,' will decide whether our organization will partner in their company and match winning proposals with local growers." Sonoma VITS will serve as a bridge among the scientific, technology and innovation communities and local winegrape growers to encourage and develop the best ideas that will benefit the region's vineyards, wineries, and residents for years to come. The advantage of this cutting-edge effort will encourage the best thinking and creative ideas that will help Sonoma County grape growers pursue a path forward, providing real solutions to some of the most pressing issues facing the industry in the years to come. The first "pitch day" will be this summer. Sonoma VITS is the next initiative of Sonoma County's Center for Ag Sustainability, which was established to problem solve and develop new, fresh ideas that will advance farming not only in Sonoma County, but may also revolutionize grape growing and the larger wine industry across the globe. Kruse also took time on Thursday to update the audience on the organization's additional activities for the year ahead. SCW will be launching a new education series to assist growers in marketing and selling their winegrapes. The series will focus on how to build tech sheets to aid in marketing grapes; how to maximize the Sonoma County's new partnership with the updated EveryVine website and the Grape Marketplace; how to effectively story tell, how to leverage social media; and how to talk about wine to build interest and demand for growers' grapes. Three years ago, SCW launched a "sustainably farmed grapes" label and followed this with a region first of using augmented reality to tell consumers the story of sustainability. In 2021, the label and augmented reality will be expanded. Also, this year, Sonoma County Winegrowers will continue to build on its popular Millennial Ambassador program which coordinates more than 175 local contacts throughout the country who serve as local influencers on behalf of Sonoma County. Kruse also took time to update the audience on the ongoing efforts of the Sonoma County Grape Grower Foundation which is the only non-profit in Sonoma County that solely serves the region's farmworkers. Among its many activities this year, the Foundation will conduct four listening sessions with local farm workers and their families to ensure the Foundation is working to meet the needs of the community. The event ended with the virtual awarding of the Nick Frey Community Contribution Award which was presented to a group of individuals and and organizations who went above and beyond in a challenging year to support local grape growers and farmworkers. The honorees were Ag Health Benefits Alliance; American AgCredit; Atlas Vineyard Management; Bahco; Casa Cristal Nursery, Inc.; Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation; Dave Martinelli of Tolay Vista Vineyards; Dutton Ranch; Exchange Bank; George Petersen Insurance; Grow West; Hinkle Charitable Foundation; Judy Jordan; Judy Newman through the Robert F. Ford Charitable Foundation; Kaiser Permanente Northern California Community Benefit Programs; Peterson Cat; Rodney Strong Wine Estates; Sherry and Pete Swayne; Silicon Valley Bank; Sonoma Clean Power; Sonoma County Vintners Foundation; Vineyard Industry Products; Wilbur-Ellis; Wonderful Nurseries; and The Zenith Agribusiness Solutions. About Sonoma County Winegrowers: The Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, also known as Sonoma County Winegrowers (SCW), was established in 2006 as a marketing and educational organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Sonoma County as one of the world's premier grape growing regions. SCW has oversight by California Department of Food and Agriculture which supports producer regions. With more than 1,800 growers, SCW's goal is to increase awareness and recognition of the quality and diversity of Sonoma County's grapes and wines through dynamic marketing and educational programs targeted to wine consumers around the world. In January 2014, SCW committed to becoming the nation's first 100% sustainable winegrowing region in 2019. As of September 2019, 99% of the vineyard acreage in Sonoma County has completed certification by a third-party auditor making Sonoma County the most sustainable wine region in the world. SCW's sustainability efforts have been recognized with California's highest environmental honor, the 2016 Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA). Learn more at www.sonomawinegrape.org About the Grape Growers Foundation: The Sonoma County Grape Growers Foundation (SCGGF) was first established in 2002 as a 501(c)(3) organization to help fund educational workshops in Spanish for agricultural employees. Relaunched in January of 2016, SCGGF is focused on improving the lives of Sonoma County's agricultural employees and their families, while ensuring Sonoma County remains a place where agricultural workers will continue to live, work, and thrive. SCGGF collaborates with various community-based organizations and government agencies to identify existing resources, leverage available support, and create new programs to assist local agricultural employees and their families. This includes a focus on healthcare, affordable housing, childcare and education. The Foundation is managed by the Sonoma County Winegrowers with a 12-member board of directors comprised of agricultural leaders, vineyard owners, winery executives, and other Sonoma County community leaders. SOURCE Sonoma VITS MYRTLE BEACH Christopher & Banks Corp., a women's clothing chain with an outlet store at Tanger Outlets off U.S. 501, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Wednesday. The publicly traded chain said in a statement that it expects to close "a significant portion, if not all" of its 449 physical stores. Christopher & Banks determined that selling its brick-and-mortar locations "is not viable or achievable under the current circumstances" and will sell off other assets to repay creditors, court papers show. The retailer said it's already in talks with a potential buyer for its e-commerce business. The chain struggled in recent years, racking up losses as e-commerce focused rivals boomed. The pandemic made matters worse Christopher & Banks had to close all of its stores for more than a month last March. Customer traffic at reopened locations remains suppressed, court papers show. "Unfortunately, given the debtors' continued operating losses, decline in sales and the limited runway, the debtors were unable to execute on any out of-court solution for their liquidity constraints," Chief Executive Officer Keri L. Jones said in a court declaration. Based in Plymouth, Minnesota, Christopher & Banks employs almost 3,000 people and operates stores in 44 states, court papers show. Christopher & Banks has South Carolina locations in Gaffney, Columbia and Myrtle Beach. It was unknown how the chain's outlet stores would be impacted. When asked if the Myrtle Beach Tanger Outlets location would be impacted, Carleen Dewey, retailer and customer relations manager for Tanger, said the outlet is not able to speak on behalf of its retailers. A fifth member of Congress has tested positive for COVID-19 following last weeks lockdown at the Capitol a surge of cases that had been predicted as a result of the Jan. 6 occupation. Democratic Rep. Adriano Espaillat of New York, the fourth to test positive, announced Thursday morning that he was isolating, after similar announcements in the past week by Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey, Pramila Jayapal of Washington and Brad Schneider of Illinois, all Democrats. Republican Rep. Chuck Fleischmann of Tennessee tested positive for the virus on Jan. 10, but the announcement from his office indicated that he believes he was exposed by contact with another House member he shares living quarters with, not at the Capitol. The House physician, Dr. Brian Monahan, warned on Sunday of the danger to many members of Congress and staffers who may have been exposed to COVID-19 when they took shelter in some cases huddled together in windowless rooms for several hours during the riot and occupation of the Capitol. Rep. Adriano Espaillat. (Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images) The COVID-19 pandemic had taken a disproportionate toll on Republicans until now. According to GovTrack, 41 Republican House members and seven Republican senators had tested positive for the coronavirus since last March compared with 12 Democrats in the House and none in the Senate. Wearing masks as a precaution has become a signifier of party identity, and many Republicans have treated it as a symbol of disloyalty to President Trump. Too many Republicans have refused to take this pandemic and virus seriously, and in doing so, they endanger everyone around them, Jayapal said in a statement released late Monday night. Only hours after President Trump incited a deadly assault on our Capitol, our country, and our democracy, many Republicans still refused to take the bare minimum COVID-19 precaution and simply wear a damn mask in a crowded room during a pandemic creating a superspreader event on top of a domestic terrorist attack. Story continues The count of positive test results does not include legislators who have tested positive for antibodies (indicating prior exposure) or Rep.-elect Luke Letlow, a Republican from Louisiana who died of the virus in late December before being officially sworn into his seat. Those numbers also do not include Trump or the numerous White House staffers who have tested positive. They also do not take into account the husband of Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., who was at the Capitol during the insurrection. Pressley herself has not contracted the virus. President Trump takes off his face mask as he arrives at the White House from Walter Reed medical center, where he underwent treatment for COVID-19 in October. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images) Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., was filmed during the lockdown attempting to hand masks to a number of Republican colleagues, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Michael Cloud of Texas and Doug LaMalfa of California. They all refused. By the end of passing them out, I only had one left in my hand offering them to everyone, Rochester told CNN. I was disappointed in those who didnt accept the masks but was encouraged by those who did. At least we were a little bit safer. In a Washington Post op-ed published Wednesday, Watson Coleman a 75-year-old cancer survivor who said she felt like she had a mild cold blamed her Republican colleagues for her contracting it. I am angry that after I spent months carefully isolating myself, a single chaotic day likely got me sick, Watson Coleman wrote. I am angry that several of our nations leaders were unwilling to deal with the small annoyance of a mask for a few hours. I am angry that the attack on the Capitol and my subsequent illness have the same cause: my Republican colleagues inability to accept facts. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. (Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images) It is absolutely ridiculous and insane to blame us, Greene told Fox News. [We] did not have COVID or any symptoms. As experts have said for nearly a year, asymptomatic individuals can spread the virus without knowing they have it, which is why masking and social distancing is recommended even for healthy individuals. Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said last week that the riot was a potential superspreader event. I do think you have to anticipate that this is another surge event. You had largely unmasked individuals in a nondistanced fashion who were all through the Capitol, Redfield said in an interview with McClatchy. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Students wait on marked lines outside Lee Elementary School, until they are led in on the first day of in-person classes in September. Lee has moved temporarily to remote learning for all schools amid a post-holiday spike in COVID-19 cases. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With nearly 5 million New York City residents now eligible for the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine, Staten Islanders are flocking to the boroughs vaccination hubs. As of Monday, residents in Phase 1b of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions vaccination schedule which includes first responders, education workers, public transit workers, public safety workers and residents aged 75 and older can now get vaccinated in New York. While these groups are now eligible to receive the vaccine, its important to note that those in Phase 1a health-care workers and residents of long-term care facilities will continue to receive priority. To help city residents find their nearest vaccination hub, the city launched a website, NYC Vaccine Finder, which currently lists 13 Staten Island locations taking reservations for coronavirus vaccinations. While many Staten Islanders will likely drive themselves to and from their vaccination hub, not all members of the community share that same luxury. Thankfully, the vaccination hubs are easily accessible by mass transit, with each location serviced by a local MTA bus route and some in close proximity to Staten Island Railway stations. Heres a look at Staten Islands 13 vaccination hubs and how to access them via mass transit. Advantage Care Physicians, 4771 Hylan Blvd., Annadale Advantage Care Physicians can be reached via the S59 and S78 buses at the Hylan Boulevard/Holdridge Avenue stop. The S59 travels from Port Richmond to Tottenville, with multiple stops along Port Richmond Avenue, Richmond Avenue and Hylan Boulevard. The S78 travels from St. George to the Bricktown Mall in Charleston, with the majority of stops coming along Hylan Boulevard. GoHealth Urgent Care, 4316 Amboy Rd., Eltingville GoHealth Urgent Care can be reached via the Eltingville stop on the Staten Island Railway or the S59 and S79 buses at the Richmond Avenue/Eltingville Boulevard stop. The S59 travels from Port Richmond to Tottenville, with multiple stops along Port Richmond Avenue, Richmond Avenue and Hylan Boulevard. The S79 travels from the Staten Island Mall, New Springville to Bay Ridge, with the majority of stops coming along Hylan Boulevard. Costco Pharmacy, 2975 Richmond Ave., New Springville Costco Pharmacy can be reached via the S55, S56 and S59 stops at Richmond Avenue and Forest Hill Road or via the S61 stop at Independence Avenue/Pathmark. The S55 travels from Rossville to the Staten Island Mall, with stops made throughout the South Shore. The S56 travels from Huguenot to the Staten Island Mall, with stops made throughout the South Shore. The S59 travels from Port Richmond to Tottenville, with multiple stops along Port Richmond Avenue, Richmond Avenue and Hylan Boulevard. The S61 travels from St. George to the Staten Island Mall, with multiples stops along Victory Boulevard. Advantage Care Physicians, 1050 Clove Rd., Sunnyside Advantage Care Physicians can be reached via the S53 stop at Clove Road and Clove Lakes Park. The location is also a short walk from the S61, S62 and S66 stop at Victory Boulevard and Clove Road. The S53 travels from Port Richmond to Bay Ridge, with multiple stops along Castleton Avenue, Broadway and Clove Road. The S61 travels from St. George to the Staten Island Mall, with multiples stops along Victory Boulevard. The S62 travels from St. George to Travis via Victory Boulevard. The S66 travels from St. George to Port Richmond, with stops on Grymes Hill. NYC Health+Hospitals Gotham Health/Vanderbilt clinic, 165 Vanderbilt Ave., Clifton The NYC Health+Hospital Gotham Health/Vanderbilt clinic can be reached via the Clifton stop on the Staten Island Railway or the S52, S76 and S78 stop at Tompkins Avenue and Vanderbilt Avenue. The S52 travels from St. George to Staten Island University Hospital, with stops along the boroughs North and East Shores. The S76 travels from St. George to Oakwood, with multiple stops along Bay Street, Richmond Road and New Dorp Lane. The S78 travels from St. George to the Bricktown Mall, with the majority of stops coming along Hylan Boulevard. Community Health Center of Richmond, 135 Canal St., Stapleton The Community Health Center of Richmond can be reached via the Stapleton stop on the Staten Island Railway or the S52, S74 and S78 bus stop at Canal Street and Wright Street. The S52 travels from St. George to Staten Island University Hospital, with stops along the boroughs North and East Shores. The S74 travels from St. George to the Bricktown Mall via Richmond Road and Arthur Kill Road. The S78 travels from St. George to the Bricktown Mall, with the majority of stops coming along Hylan Boulevard. Community Health Center of Richmond, 235 Port Richmond Ave., Port Richmond The Community Health Center of Richmond can be reached via the S57 and S59 stop at Port Richmond Avenue and Albion Place, the S46 stop at Castleton Avenue and Port Richmond Avenue or the S46, S53 and S66 stop at Castleton Avenue and Heberton Avenue. The S57 travels from Port Richmond to New Dorp, with stops along Rockland Avenue, Brielle Avenue and Bradley Avenue. The S59 travels from Port Richmond to Tottenville, with multiple stops along Port Richmond Avenue, Richmond Avenue and Hylan Boulevard. The S46 travels from St. George to West Shore Plaza via Castleton Avenue. The S53 travels from Port Richmond to Bay Ridge, with multiple stops along Castleton Avenue, Broadway and Clove Road. The S66 travels from St. George to Port Richmond, with stops in Grymes Hill. Community Health Center of Richmond, 439 Port Richmond Ave., Port Richmond The Community Health Center of Richmond can be reached via the S44 and S59 stop at Port Richmond Avenue and Homestead Avenue. The location is also a short walk from the S57 stop at Decker Avenue and Catherine Street. The S44 travels from St. George to the Staten Island Mall via Richmond Avenue. The S59 travels from Port Richmond to Tottenville, with multiple stops along Port Richmond Avenue, Richmond Avenue and Hylan Boulevard. The S57 travels from Port Richmond to New Dorp, with stops along Rockland Avenue, Brielle Avenue and Bradley Avenue. Bay Street Health Center, 57 Bay St., St. George Bay Street Health Center can be reached via the Tompkinsville or St. George stops on the Staten Island Railway, the S42 and S46 stop at Bay Street and Slosson Terrace or all buses that conclude their route at the St. George Ferry Terminal. The S42 travels from St. George to Clyde Place via St. Marks Place and Jersey Street. The S46 travels from St. George to West Shore Plaza via Castleton Avenue. Beacon Christian Community Health Center, 2079 Forest Ave., Mariners Harbor Beacon Christian Community Health Center can be reached via the S48 stop at Forest Avenue and Union Avenue. The location is also a short walk from the S46 stop at Brabant Street and Union Avenue. The S48 travels from St. George to Mariners Harbor via Forest Avenue. The S46 travels from St. George to West Shore Plaza via Castleton Avenue. Port Richmond High School, 85 St. Josephs Ave., Port Richmond Port Richmond High School can be reached via the S46 stop at Innis Street and St Josephs Avenue. The location is also a short walk from the S40 stop at Richmond Terrace and Nicholas Avenue. The S46 travels from St. George to West Shore Plaza via Castleton Avenue. The S40 travels from St. George to Goethals Road North via Richmond Terrace. Staten Island Technical High School, 485 Clawson St., New Dorp Staten Island Technical High School can reached via the S78 and S79 stop at Hylan Boulevard and Lindbergh Avenue. The S78 travels from St. George to the Bricktown Mall, with the majority of stops coming along Hylan Boulevard. The S79 travels from the Staten Island Mall to Bay Ridge, with the majority of stops coming along Hylan Boulevard. RiteAid, 4368 Amboy Rd., Eltingville RiteAid can be reached via the Eltingville stop on the Staten Island Railway or the S59 and S79 buses at the Richmond Avenue/Eltingville Boulevard stop. The S59 travels from Port Richmond to Tottenville, with multiple stops along Port Richmond Avenue, Richmond Avenue and Hylan Boulevard. The S79 travels from the Staten Island Mall to Bay Ridge, with the majority of stops coming along Hylan Boulevard. For help planning your trip on public transit, visit the MTA website or download the myMTA mobile app on Apple or Google Play. President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that government will deploy a comprehensive vaccination strategy that aims to reach all parts of the country. Addressing the nation on Monday on the countrys progress in containing the COVID-19 pandemic, the President described the task as the largest and most complex logistical undertaking in our countrys history. As of this week, South African has recorded over 1.2 million COVID-19 infections and 33 000 related deaths. The country is currently experiencing its second wave of infections. It will be far more extensive than our HIV treatment programme or even our national, provincial and local elections in terms of the number of people who have to be reached within a short space of time, said President Ramaphosa. The task will require the active involvement of all spheres of government, all sectors of society and all citizens and residents of the country. The three-pronged strategy includes, firstly, the acquiring of enough vaccine doses to reach herd immunity. In this regard, the President said the country was in the process of procuring vaccines through three channels: through the World Health Organisations COVAX facility, through the African Unions vaccine initiative and through direct engagements with vaccine manufacturers. South Africa is part of the global COVAX facility, in which countries pool their resources to support the development of vaccines with a view to ensure that all countries receive an equitable supply of effective vaccines, he said. The country is expected to receive vaccine doses for around 10 percent of the population through COVAX. Through intensive engagement with vaccine manufacturers, the Task Team has done tremendous work to secure vaccine doses for countries on the continent, he said. The South African government has also been engaging directly with several vaccine manufacturers for over six months. Added the President: Given the massive global demand for vaccines and the vastly greater purchasing power of wealthier countries, we are exploring all avenues to get as many vaccine doses as soon as possible. While there are several promising negotiations with a number of different manufacturers that are yet to be concluded, South Africa has to date secured 20 million doses to be delivered mainly in the first half of the year. Government will make further announcements as it concludes negotiations with vaccine manufacturers. The second part of the strategy, the President said, is to identify the priority groups that need to be vaccinated with doses throughout the year. In Phase 1, with the first batch of vaccines, 1.2 million frontline health workers will be prioritised. In Phase 2, when more vaccines arrive, we will prioritise essential workers such as teachers, police, municipal workers and other frontline personnel. We will also prioritise people in institutions like old age homes, shelters and prisons, people over 60 years of age and adults with co-morbidities. The total number we plan to reach in this phase is around 16 million people, he said. In Phase 3, with increased manufacturer supplies, government will then vaccinate the remaining adult population of approximately 22.5 million people. We will then have reached around 40 million South Africans, which is considered to approximate herd immunity, he said. The third part of the strategy, said the President, is to distribute the vaccines throughout the country and to administer them to those who have been identified to receive them. Government has set a target of achieving herd immunity through a massive vaccination programme as it charts a path to recovery. We have always said that an effective vaccine will be a game-changer. Vaccines offer to the peoples of the world a means to control the Coronavirus pandemic. A person who is vaccinated has a much reduced chance of becoming ill and dying from COVID-19, he said. Herd immunity or population immunity is when enough of the population is immune to the virus to provide indirect protection to those who are not immune, bringing the spread of the virus under control. While the actual level needed for herd immunity is not known, scientists have estimated that South Africa will likely reach herd immunity once around 67 per cent (40 million) of the population are immune. Government has established a national coordinating committee, which brings together key government departments, the private sector and other stakeholders to oversee the implementation of our national strategy. The President said the state will administer vaccinations through hospitals, clinics, outreach services and mobile clinics, and private settings such as doctors offices, pharmacies and work places. An inclusive partnership has been formed between government, medical schemes and the private sector to support the acquisition, funding and distribution of vaccines, he said. President Ramaphosa welcomed the contributions made by civil society, academics and others towards the development of an effective national strategy, even when such contributions have been critical of government. We are integrating the full resources and capacity of our country into a single effort directed at making vaccines available. This collaboration, which is among the most significant of its kind in our history, is essential as we work together in solidarity to win the war against COVID-19, he said. Vaccine safety Addressing those who are sceptical about vaccines, the President said there is much disinformation and conspiracy theories being spread about the COVID-19 vaccines. This was despite vaccines having been used over the years to eradicate diseases such as small pox and polio. Children get vaccinated routinely against many diseases such as mumps, measles rubella, and travellers are often vaccinated against diseases like yellow fever, said the President. He reiterated that every vaccine that will be used in governments programme will have to be approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority, which applies stringent scientific standards to ensure the safety and efficacy of any drug or treatment. South Africas vaccine strategy is well underway. Understandably, we all want to know when the vaccines will be arriving. As we work to secure the supply of sufficient doses in the midst of a huge global demand, we will do everything possible to ensure that the process is transparent and that all information is available, he said. He urged the public to be part of the monumental undertaking to roll out the Coronavirus vaccine. Although it will be difficult, complex and often frustrating, it is vital that we do this together, for the sake of our country and for the well-being of all our people, he said. A photo book about Vietnamese islands and seas has been published to help younger generations better understand the Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago. Author Nguyen Thanh Tong, deputy chairman of the Vietnamese Association in France, poses for a photo with a soldier on the Sinh Ton Island. Photo vov.gov.vn The 200-page book entitled Bien ao Que Huong (Homeland's Seas and Islands) was compiled by overseas Vietnamese Nguyen Thanh Tong, deputy chairman of Vietnamese Association in France. "Vietnam does not only have many rivers, mountains and beautiful seas but we also have islets and islands in the middle of the blue sea which belong to Vietnamese sovereignty," said Tong. "This includes Truong Sa. The book aims to introduce to people who have not yet had a chance to visit the archipelago about the life of soldiers and their families on the distant islands." "The soldiers guard the sacred sea and sky of the country day and night and their children everyday go to school. There are also pagodas on the islands." Tong took the photos when he visited the islands and DK1 platform in 2016. He was impressed with the officials and soldiers who live there. Despite hardships and difficulties, they grow vegetables and raise chickens, ducks and pigs to eat, alongside the seafood they catch. The book has two parts. The first includes photos with the experiences of the author to the first destination of the journey Da Lon (Discovery Great) Reef. The ship anchored far from the reef and he used lifeboats to land on the islet. The photos in this part also feature the islets of Son Ca, Nam Yet, Sinh Ton, Truong Sa Dong and Truong Sa proper. The author took a photo of the statue of Supreme Commander Tran Hung Dao (1228-1300) on Nam Yet Islet. The last destination in his journey was DK1 platform -- a group of off-shore steel rigs for providing maritime services and research -- where he took photos of the daily lives of the soldiers who live and work at the platform. The second part features historical documents and photos of the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelagoes which reinforces Vietnam sovereignty over Hoang Sa. It also has international opinions and comments about the East Sea. VNS Photographers unyielding love of photography Photographer Tran Quoc Dung has won countless awards during his lifetime, and his latest book, Photography Culture - A Point of View, has won a prestigious award from the Literature and Arts Theory and Criticism Council. Boris Johnson was warned today that Brexit trade rules that have left supermarket shelves in Northern Ireland empty of fresh food risk undermining the Good Friday Agreement. DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson urged the Government to intervene to resolve the issues that have hindered the flow of food products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland since the end of the transition period. Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer and Tesco have all faced supply issues after the new customs paperwork came in following the transition period ending on January 1. Fresh fruit, vegetables and chilled meat are among the products most affected as many food suppliers face delays on getting goods into the country. The Prime Minister said 'teething problems' were to blame for a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables in Ulster in the past weeks - branding the situation as 'absurd'. But Unionist Sir Jeffrey today warned that the 1998 Anglo-Irish deal which ended three decades of bitter violence risks being breached as a result of disruption to post-Brexit Irish Sea trade. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'The protocol (which governs the new arrangements) is damaging the Northern Ireland economy and if it damages the Northern Ireland economy it actually undermines the Good Friday agreement. 'And furthermore, that agreement makes clear that Northern Ireland will remain an integral part of the United Kingdom unless the people of Northern Ireland vote otherwise. 'Therefore this breaches a fundamental element of the Good Friday agreement by increasingly separating Northern Ireland from Great Britain in trading terms - our biggest trading partner, our biggest trading market, and that simply doesn't help anyone in Northern Ireland.' Unionist Sir Jeffrey Donaldson (right) today warned that the 1998 Anglo-Irish deal which ended three decades of bitter violence risks being breached as a result of disruption to post-Brexit Irish Sea trade. The Prime Minister said 'teething problems' were to blame for a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables in Ulster in the past weeks - branding the situation as 'absurd'. Sainsbury's (Bangor, Co Down branch pictured), Marks & Spencer and Tesco have all faced supply issues after the new customs paperwork came in following the transition period ending on January 1. Facing the Commons Liaison Committee Mr Johnson said the Government would invoke Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol - which allows it to unilaterally impose safeguards - if serious issues arise Retailers have warned that shops in Northern Ireland could face further problems unless the EU is prepared to extend the 'grace period' in the Brexit agreement UK fish 'happier' after Brexit, says Rees-Mogg Fish in British waters are 'better and happier' after Brexit, according to Jacob Rees-Mogg. The Commons Leader, responding to concerns from the SNP in Parliament today about the effect on fishing fleets, told MPs: 'What is happening is that the Government is tackling this issue, dealing with it as quickly as possible, and the key thing is we've got our fish back. 'They're now British fish and they're better and happier fish for it.' Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle intervened and noted: 'Obviously there's no overwhelming evidence for that.' SNP Commons leader Tommy Sheppard earlier labelled it the 'Brexit fishing disaster' and asked for a debate on compensation for the Scottish fishing industry. He said: 'Boats confined to harbour, lorry loads of seafood destroyed, the industry losing 1 million a day as firms go bust - all as a result of Brexit red tape imposed by this Government. 'Yet when asked about this yesterday, the Prime Minister refused to answer.' Advertisement Mr Johnson last night sent a clear warning to the EU that he would bypass Brexit trade rules between Britain and Northern Ireland as he blamed 'bureaucracy' for empty supermarket shelves. Facing the Commons Liaison Committee Mr Johnson said the Government would invoke Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol - which allows it to unilaterally impose safeguards - if serious issues arise. 'What I can certainly guarantee is that if there are serious problems in... supplying supermarkets in Northern Ireland because of some piece of bureaucracy that's misapplied, then we will simply exercise Article 16 of the protocol,' he said. 'It is absurd that there should be such difficulties.' Retailers have warned that shops in Northern Ireland could face further problems unless the EU is prepared to extend the 'grace period' in the Brexit agreement. British Retail Consortium director Andrew Opie said problems which had resulted in a shortage of some food products following the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31 had 'just about' been overcome. But he told MPs there could be fresh difficulties in April when a series of exemptions on goods being moved to Northern Ireland from Great Britain comes to an end. Mr Johnson told MPs on the Commons Liaison Committee: 'The situation in Northern Ireland is that trade is flowing smoothly, as I understand it. 'And exporters are benefiting from the unfettered access between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 'Yes, I am not going to deny down that there are teething problems, and there are issues that we need to sort out... but the deal has been of great, great assistance to our businesses in smoothing this.' Earlier Mr Opie warned MPs that 'if we do not find a workable solution for retailers in the next couple of months we do face significant disruption in Northern Ireland'. He told the Commons Brexit Committee that supermarkets which exported to the Republic of Ireland had found the system was 'unworkable' as far as their supply chains were concerned. 'That is why we need to think about Northern Ireland. We should not just be trying to apply the same processes that apply to the EU into Great Britain-Northern Ireland,' he said. 'Sending a lasagne from Great Britain to the Republic of Ireland is so complicated. You have to have authorisation going up through the chain, the vet at the end has to sign it off and he has to see all the authorisations.' Controls on goods moving to Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK are required under the terms of the Brexit settlement agreed by Mr Johnson, to ensure there is no return to a hard border with the Republic. Food and Drink Federation chief executive Ian Wright warned that without changes to the deals, the industry would have to rethink all its supply routes, leading to increased costs and delays. British Retail Consortium director Andrew Opie said problems which had resulted in a shortage of some food products following the end of the Brexit transition period on December 31 had 'just about' been overcome. But he told MPs there could be fresh difficulties in April. 'Unless the deal changes in some material way we are going to see the re-engineering of almost all the EU-UK and GB-NI supply chains over the next six months,' he said. He said that one international supplier had found that the paperwork for a consignment moving from the UK to the EU which would normally have taken three hours to complete had so far taken five days - and they were still working on it. Mr Wright also expressed concern about the potential for delays at the Channel ports as the numbers of lorries making the crossing picked up over the coming months. 'It will get worse. Currently volumes across the short straits are at about 2,000 lorries. They should be around 10,000. So the opportunity for the scale of concerns to rise is huge,' he said. Mr Opie also issued a warning over disruption to goods crossing the Channel, saying 'it will get worse before it gets better'. He said he is on watch for any impact this week and onwards, with British businesses 'still not 100% prepared' for the changes as the French step up customs checks. 'So we are anticipating problems. We're hoping that they will be relatively minor and consumers don't notice a difference,' Mr Opie told the MPs. 'This is our peak import season and I couldn't stress this is probably the worst time of the year to try and manage disruption on the short straits.' Kelly, Nozick said, was out of the district without permission when he went to Washington and had filed a motion to go to Texas. According to that filing, Kelly requested permission to travel to Dallas for the day on Jan. 2 to attend a paid speaking engagement. Kelly has said in a video posted on one of his social media sites that he thought he had permission to travel to Washington, D.C., as well. Three people have been arrested under various sections of the Rajasthan Excise Act, district collector Nathmal Didel said Jaipur: Three more people, taken ill after consuming spurious liquor in Rajasthan's Bharatpur district and undergoing treatment there at a hospital, died on Thursday, raising the death toll in the hooch tragedy to seven, police said. Five others undergoing treatment are in critical condition, they said, adding three persons have been arrested in the case. Seven persons have died so far after consuming hooch whereas treatment of five others is going on at a hospital, Bharatpur District Collector Nathmal Didel said. Three persons have been arrested under various sections of the Rajasthan Excise Act, he added. Illicit liquor supplier Santosh too will be booked, the district collector said, adding he also had consumed hooch and undergoing treatment. Three deceased were identified as Vasudev, Padam Singh and Mangilal. Their bodies have been handed over to their family members after postmortem, police said. Four persons had died on Wednesday at a hospital in Bharatpur while undergoing treatment after consuming hooch in Roopwas area of Bharatpur. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 14) Government officials will make the rounds of all available cold chain facilities next week ahead of the much-anticipated rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in the country. We will make sure that all the vaccines, whether 2 to 8, negative 20 or negative 70 (degrees Celsius) will be taken care of, the countrys vaccine czar, Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. said Thursday during the ceremonial signing for more than 14 million more vaccine doses from British firm AstraZeneca. To ensure efficacy and prevent wastage, vaccines have to be stored at the proper temperature, up to as low as minus 70 degrees Celsius for the ones developed by US drug maker Pfizer. We have seen some reports that we have 30% wastage in some areas in Europe, Galvez said. With the acute shortage of the vaccine, we cannot afford wastage. The government has bought 10 ultra-low temperature freezers as it targets a February rollout for Pfizers vaccines through the COVAX facility. COVAX, a global initiative led by the World Health Organization along with the vaccine alliance Gavi and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, has set requirements the Philippines should meet for the early rollout. Pfizer vaccines may be limited to Metro Manila, Cebu City, and Davao City for now, Galvez earlier said, as these urbanized areas can meet the storage requirements. The national government also reached out to private firms to establish cold storage rooms and walk-in freezers. Meanwhile, 50,000 doses of Chinas Sinovac vaccine are set to arrive on February 20, officials said, followed by the rest of the 25 million doses secured by the national government. AstraZenecas vaccines are also expected to be among the first to be delivered in the country. Vaccines made by Sinovac and AstraZeneca can be kept in standard refrigerators at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius. After closing the deal for a total of 17 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine through tripartite agreements with private companies and local government units, Galvez explained the next step would be agreeing on the logistics. The contract that we have finished right now is only to unlock the supply," Galvez said. "We will have a next agreement which is the supply agreement, wherein the nitty-gritty of the shipment, storage, and also distribution will be undertaken, he said, adding that this is part of negotiations with the vaccine makers. The House of Representatives impeached President Donald Trump Wednesday for incitement of insurrection against the United States. Trump is now the only American president to be impeached two times. Two other presidents also were impeached and found not guilty of charges. Trump received the same ruling last year in his 2019 impeachment. The impeachment comes just seven days before Trump leaves office. President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn-in as president on January 20. The House voted 232 to 197 for impeachment. The vote came a week after thousands of Trump supporters carried out a deadly attack and occupation of the U.S. Capitol Building. The Congress was meeting at the time to officially declare Joe Biden the winner of the 2020 presidential election. Lawmakers and others fled and hid, among them Vice President Mike Pence. Five people died as a result of the violence. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi opened the impeachment debate. The Democrat said, "We know that the President of the United States incited this insurrection, this armed rebellion against our common country. He must go, he is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love." Pelosi added that Trump has repeatedly lied about the results of the presidential election. Trump, she said, raised doubt about democracy." Republican House member Jim Jordan of Ohio led a defense for the president. He said, In seven days there will be a peaceful transfer of power just like there has been every other time in our country, but Democrats are going to impeach President Trump again. This doesnt unite the country. House minority leader, Republican Kevin McCarthy voted against impeachment, but he said, The President bears responsibility for Wednesdays attack. Representative Liz Cheney, a powerful Republican lawmaker, and nine other Republicans joined Democrats in voting for impeachment. Cheney said in a statement before the vote, There has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution. Dan Newhouse of Washington state is another Republican lawmaker who voted for impeachment. He said of the president, Last week, there was a domestic threat at the door of the Capitol, and he did nothing to stop it. Newhouse said, I will vote yes to applause from some in the House. Trump was charged with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress in his first impeachment. At the time, only Democratic lawmakers voted to impeach. The next month, the Republican-controlled Senate cleared Trump of all charges. This second impeachment will now go to the Senate for trial. Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, the outgoing majority leader, said the trial will not start until after January 19. He said it would be best if Congress and the executive branch spend the next seven days completely focused on a safe and orderly transfer of power to the incoming Biden Administration. McConnell was fiercely opposed to Trumps first impeachment. He has expressed no opposition to this one. He told members of the Republican Party that he is undecided about how he might vote in the trial. Several other Republican senators have expressed similar openness. With Vice President-elect Kamala Harris to become presiding officer and tie-breaking vote, Democrats will control the Senate on January 20 for the historic second impeachment trial against Trump. I'm Caty Weaver. Hai Do wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. ________________________________________________ Words in This Story insurrection - n. a usually violent attempt to take control of a government doubt - n. a feeling of being unsure about something transfer - n. a process of moving something to another bear - v. to accept oath - n. a formal and serious promise to do something applause - n. show of approval by striking hands together focus - v. to direct your attention to something HONG KONG, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Paul Chan, financial secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said Wednesday that the Chinese mainland will continue to be the strongest support for Hong Kong's economy. When addressing a forum online, Chan estimated the mainland economy will post strong growth in 2021, which will provide a major support for Hong Kong, citing particularly Shenzhen and other mainland cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The HKSAR government has rolled out multiple measures to help residents and businesses tap into the Greater Bay Area opportunities, such as a youth employment scheme, and will carry out more policies, Chan said. As long as Hong Kong plays well its part in national development, its economic development will be expedited, he said. Chan forecast Hong Kong's economy will pick up momentum in the second half of this year if the epidemic is under control and the social environment remains safe and stable. The forum, organized by the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, was focused on the new landscape of the global and mainland economic development, as well as the economic outlook. WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI Washtenaw County health officials warn residents that the threat of COVID-19 remains high despite a drop in the average number of daily new cases. The Washtenaw County Health Department on Wednesday, Jan. 13, reported 43 confirmed coronavirus cases, including nine hospitalizations, and one death in 24 hours. The number of new cases has slowed since the health department reported an average of 100 to 200 per day throughout the last two months of 2020. Officials are reminding residents that mitigation efforts like social distancing and mask wearing are vital to keep the number of cases down even as thousands of people begin to be vaccinated against the virus. Its a tremendous relief to add vaccination to the resources we have to prevent COVID-19 from causing additional harm, but this process will take time, said Jimena Loveluck, Washtenaw County health officer. We need everyones patience, and we need to keep doing everything possible we can to prevent the spread of illness including wearing face masks, social distancing and isolating or quarantining when needed. Health officials say that the number of new cases in Washtenaw County has remained high, describing the current state of the infection rate as a plateau, since the surge in November, when the health department reported 1,871 cases from Nov. 26 to Dec. 9. In the last two weeks, the health department has reported 1,131 new cases of COVID-19. Of those cases, 7% have been hospitalized and 16 people have died. Were seeing five to 10 hospitalizations per day and some deaths, so those numbers are still pretty high, Susan Ringler-Cerniglia, health department spokesperson, said. The number of cases have remained around the same since the most recent two-week snapshot, when 1,114 cases were reported from Dec. 16-29. But the positivity rate has increased from 5.3% to 8.7%. Of the 1,131 new cases reported as part of the countys two-week snapshot, 62% of the people are white, 12% are Black, 5% are Hispanic and 3% are Asian. People ages 30-64 make up the most significant group of confirmed cases with 49%, followed by individuals ages 23 to 29 and age 65 and older, which are each at 16%. Beginning Monday, Jan. 11, at least 80,000 county residents became eligible for COVID-19 vaccination, and can use this link to request an appointment. This includes people age 65 and older, as well as frontline and essential workers with frequent or ongoing exposure as a part of their work, including: first responders, police officers, jail and prison staff, pre-K12 teachers, and workers in childcare centers and protective services. However, there is not enough vaccine to schedule or vaccinate everyone now eligible, officials said earlier this week. Eastern Michigan Universitys Convocation Center is currently being used as a vaccination site. Health officials said they are working to confirm a second site on the western side of the county, as well as additional, accessible locations that can be activated as soon as vaccine supplies and staffing resources are available. Vaccination is not available at the health department and is provided by appointment only at vaccination sites. READ MORE FROM THE ANN ARBOR NEWS: Washtenaw County asks for patience as 80,000 individuals now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine Washtenaw County prosecutor rolls out new policy to end use of cash bail Michigan to distribute 3.5 million free KN95 masks to protect against COVID-19 NEW DELHI Despite rain and cold, tens of thousands of angry farmers have been camping on the borders of New Delhi for six weeks. In late September, Prime Minister Narendra Modis government hurriedly passed a set of new farm laws in the Indian Parliament. Soon after, protests started in the northern Indian states of Punjab and Haryana, which constitute 3 percent of the countrys land area but produce close to 50 percent of its surplus of rice and wheat. With the government largely ignoring the protests so long as they were largely confined to Punjab, the farmers headed to Delhi at the end of November. Thousands of farmers on tractors swept through the barriers erected and trenches dug by the police to stop them. Water cannons did not deter them. They set up temporary townships, where thousands are being housed and fed among parked tractors and trolleys, free laundromats have been installed, and even foot massagers are being offered after a long day of protest. The laws lay out the framework for private traders to purchase crops directly from the farmers and bypass government marketing boards meant to ensure fair prices. The protesting farmer unions believe the laws will lead to the breakdown of the government marketing boards, which purchase much of the surplus food grain. For the first time in six years, Mr. Modi is encountering opposition that he has not been able to stifle or tar with his extensive propaganda machinery. His government has toned down the initial rhetoric against the protesters and entered into eight rounds of talks with the protesting farmers, but there has been little substantive progress. Africa should see the first COVID-19 vaccine doses in March from the global COVAX effort aimed at helping lower-income countries obtain the shots, the World Health Organizations Africa chief said Thursday, as deaths on the continent are rapidly rising. Matshidiso Moeti told reporters that a larger rollout of the millions of doses from COVAX is expected by June the second major vaccine announcement this week for the African continent of 1.3 billion people as infections surge for a second time. The African Union chair on Wednesday said 270 million doses have been secured from Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca via the Serum Institute of India. Doses of the vaccines are expected to be allocated to countries based on population size and the severity of the outbreak, with health workers considered highest priority after thousands have been infected. The African continent is now recording about 30,000 new virus cases per day overall compared to 18,000 during the first surge months ago. Unfortunately, our deaths are increasing very rapidly, Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director John Nkengasong said in a separate briefing. He said confirmed deaths from COVID-19 have jumped 21% over the past week in Africa, with more than 5,400 reported. The continent has more than 3.1 million confirmed virus cases, including more than 75,000 deaths, as a second wave of infections is hitting very, very hard. The case fatality rate in Africa is now 2.4%, above the global rate of 2.2%. Some 20 African countries have case fatality rates above the global average, including Sudan at 6%, Egypt at 5.5%, Mali at 3.9%, Congo at 3.1% and South Africa at 2.8%. South Africa is one of the worlds hardest-hit countries as a highly infectious variant of the virus now dominates the number of new cases and hospitals struggle. The country has more than 1.2 million cases including 35,000 deaths. Genomic sequencing has now found that new variant in three other countries: Botswana, Gambia and Zambia, the WHO Africa chief said. The importance of a robust genomics surveillance system cannot be overemphasized, she added. The Africa CDC director said the sheer increase in the number of cases means we run into short supplies of oxygen, and he is meeting with the World Health Organization and other partners on Friday on how to increase the supply to Africa, where medical oxygen is not widely available. Nkengasong stressed the importance of getting COVID-19 vaccines to Africa: We have to do it quick. Economies are down. People are dying. Since vaccine doses from the COVAX effort are expected to cover just 20% of the population in Africa, officials have pushed on multiple fronts to secure many more doses to meet the goal of vaccinating the 60% needed to achieve herd immunity against the virus. The vaccinations will require a very massive historic campaign of a kind that the continent has never seen, Nkengasong said. Already there are concerns about how African countries can roll out vaccines that require super-cold storage given the continent has some of the world's worst infrastructure. Nkengasong said African governments are being advised to obtain deep freezers to start the vaccinations at hospitals in their major cities, then to "engage the community, push them, drag them to where vaccination points are. The top diplomat is expected to arrive late January. Foreign Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba and his Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto have agreed to hold talks in Kyiv amid a pressing crisis in relations between the two countries. Minister Kuleba has confirmed to Europeiska Pravda that the visit has been scheduled for the end of the month. "To us, Hungary is an important partner and close neighbor. Neighbors sometimes argue, but then they have to put up, because they remain neighbors. Therefore, we agreed that in late January my colleague Peter Szijjarto will visit Kyiv to discuss the situation in bilateral relations and ways to address issues based on the principle of mutual respect," the minister said in a comment. Other sources of the publication also said that the visit was scheduled for the last week of January, after the Administration reshuffle in the United States. Read alsoBudapest's support for Hungarians in Zakarpattia can't cross "red lines" FM KulebaEP reports this will not be an official meeting of the intergovernmental commission, which was the basis for Kuleba's meetings latest meetings with Szijjarto, but a personal move by the Hungarian minister to find a way out of the crisis. Latest row between Ukraine and Hungary Hungary has been trying to block Ukraine's advance toward stronger cooperation with NATO over the contested issues around the language clause of the law on education adopted in 2017 Hungary has been blocking the Ukraine-NATO Commission meetings claiming the alleged violations of minority rights over the clause of the law obliging schools to have Ukrainian as language of instruction. On November 30, the SBU conducted a number of raids in Zakarpattia region, targeting, among others, leader of the Party of Hungarians of Ukraine Vasyl Brenzovych. Detectives investigate allegedly bogus contracts concluded by Hungarian charitable foundations. According to security officials, some of the investigated actions could have been to the detriment of Ukraine's national security, including state sovereignty. Earlier, observers from NGO Civil Network OPORA reported that Hungarian officials had campaigned for KMKSZ Ukrajnai Magyar Party (the Party of Hungarians of Ukraine) while visiting Zakarpattia region during local elections. Subsequently, Ukraine put two Hungarian officials on the stoplist. Commissioner of the Government of Hungary for Cooperation between Hungary's Szabolcs-Szatmar-Bereg County and Zakarpattia region, Mr. Istvan Grezsa on November 24 was refused entry into Ukraine due to the existing ban. Following SBU searches on November 30, Hungarian authorities summoned the Ukrainian ambassador in Budapest, while Szijjarto referred to the raids as an "incomprehensible political swing in relation to Hungarian parties." Reporting by UNIAN The Kremlin-controlled authorities in Crimea have put up for auction the Koktebel vintage winery with a starting price of 100 million rubles, Crimea.Realities has reported, with reference to the Russian website for posting information on bidding. "The documentation states that the Ministry of Property and Land Relations of Crimea sells real estate of the winery - 73 facilities in Shchebetovka, Koktebel, Kurortne, and Nanikove. Their cost is 80.8 million rubles. It is also noted that the enterprise's land plots are estimated to be worth more than 17.35 million rubles, and movable property is estimated to be worth a little less than two million rubles. The facilities, according to the documentation, are leased from Koktebel Vintage Wine Factory LLC," the report reads. Applications for participation in the auction are accepted until January 20. The auction is scheduled for January 26. Koktebel Vintage Wine Factory LLC was founded in October 2014. It is 99.8% owned by Gatchinsky Distillery LLC from the Leningrad Region of Russia. The company is owned by Mikhail Yakubchik, who is called by Russian media a relative of Sergei Naryshkin, director of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service. On December 14, the occupying authorities of Crimea illegally sold the Ukrainian winery Massandra to Russia's LLC Yuzhniy Proekt, 99.9% of its shares owned by JSC Bank Rossiya. op New Delhi: India on Thursday appeared to contradict reported comments by Brazil s Deputy Health Minister Elcio Franco who said that his country was sending an aircraft to pick up two million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca developed Covishield vaccine that has been manufactured by the Pune based Serum Institute of India. Indian foreign ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava told reporters at the weekly foreign office briefing that it was too early to give a specific response to queries on export to other countries given that Indias own inoculation process was due to begin on Saturday. The vaccination process is just starting in India. It is too early to give a specific response on supplies to other countries as we are still assessing production schedules and delivery and we will take decisions in this regard in due course. This may take some time," Srivastava said. Brazil is one of many countries that have expressed interest in sourcing vaccines from India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing the UN General Assembly session in September had said that Indias vaccine manufacturing capacity one of the largest in the world -- would be put to the use of helping countries. Indian officials had also indicated earlier this week that the decision to begin exports of the Serum Institute manufactured Covishield vaccine was some way away with domestic requirements assessed and dealt with first. Earlier this month, Serum Institutes Covishield and Bharat Biotechs Covaxin had received the go-ahead for vaccination from Indias drug authorities. The US, India and Brazil are the top three countries affected by the covid-19 pandemic that originated in China at the end of last year and spread across the world. Globally, the SARS-CoV2 virus that causes covid-19 has infected more than 92 million people and caused the deaths of almost two million people. In India the number of infections stand at more than 10.5 million while in the case of Brazil, the infections number over eight million. The number of deaths in India and Brazil stand at almost 152,000 and 206,000 respectively according to the US based Johns Hopkins Universitys corona virus tracker. On Wednesday, Brazils Health Ministry said that the vaccination of the countrys population against covid-19 will begin with vaccines imported from China and India as soon as their emergency use has been approved by health regulator Anvisa, planned for Sunday. Vaccination of the countrys population will take 16 months at most, Deputy Health Minister Elcio Franco said at a news conference, according to a Reuters report. Brazil is sending a plane to import 2 million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University vaccine made by Indias Serum Institute and has already imported 6 million doses of the CoronVac vaccine made by China Sinovac Biotech, the report had said. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi discussed on Thursday the latest developments in bilateral relations with a Sudanese delegation led by Sudans ruling Sovereign Council member Shamseldin Kabashi, the Egyptian presidency announced. El-Sisi and the delegation discussed the latest developments concerning the mounting tensions between Ethiopia and Sudan over the disputed eastern border region of Al-Fashqa. Ethiopia and Sudan have been exchanging accusations over ownership rights to the agricultural area. Sudan accused Ethiopia on Wednesday of a dangerous and unjustified escalation after an Ethiopian military aircraft crossed the disputed border area. The Egyptian president also discussed the latest regional developments including the situation in the Horn of Africa and Nile Basin regions. The Egyptian president and the delegation also discussed the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and the necessity of coordinating efforts and stances to achieve the interests of both countries. Sudan pulled out of the latest round of meetings after requesting a larger role for African Union experts. A high-level delegation from the United Arab Emirates concluded a one-day visit to Khartoum on Wednesday in an attempt to break the deadlock over the GERD. During the meeting with the Sudanese delegation, President El-Sisi said that Egypt is looking forward to continuing cooperation and coordination with Sudan in various areas, given the long-standing ties and common interests between the two countries. Kabashi highlighted the distinguished and historical relations binding between Cairo and Khartoum, hailing Egypt's sustained support for Sudan during the current transitional period. Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and head of Egypts General Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel attended the meeting. Kabashi is on a visit to Cairo leading a high-profile delegation that includes Sudanese Information and Culture Minister Faisal Mohamed Saleh, Director of the Sudanese General Intelligence Service Lieutenant General Jamal Abdel-Majeed and Secretary-General of the Transitional Sovereignty Council Mohamed Al-Ghali. Short link: Geojit's report on Agri Picks The USDA has scaled down its estimate for global cotton output for 2020-21 (Aug-Jul) to 112.9 mln bales (1 US bale = 218 kg) from 113.9 mln bales pegged in December. The downward revision in output estimate is mainly due to a fall in production in the US. Robust demand for soymeal and rally in edible oils in the global market will likely see soybean prices hit an all-time high of 5,200 rupees per 100 kg in a couple of months. Soybean prices are already hovering around 4,600 rupees. The government is looking into the possibility of cutting import duties on edible oils to cool off prices in the domestic market, a government official said The Centre urged states that have banned the entry of poultry products to reconsider the decision, as the move is likely to have a negative impact on the poultry industry, according to an official release. The National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Ltd will re-launch steel long futures trading for February, March, and April contracts from Monday, the exchange said in a circular. The US Department of Agriculture has scaled down its estimate for global oilseed production in 2020-21 to 594.5 mln tn from 595.7 mln tn projected in December. Crude oil production in the US will not bounce back in 2021 and average lower than 2020 levels, the Energy Information Administration said in its Short Term Energy Outlook. The US Department of Agriculture has cut its estimate for global maize production to 1,134 mln tn from 1,144 mln tn pegged in December, it said in its latest report. For all commodities report, click here Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Read More A Roma man was fined with 500 for not observing anti-pandemic rules, unlike politicians Ombudswoman Maria Patakyova is already dealing with the case. Police have fined a Roma man who crossed the district border to pick up a necessary delivery of wood. Meanwhile, politicians like Robert Fico, Marian Kotleba and Stefan Harabin have not been fined, even though they participated in mass gatherings at a time such assemblies are forbidden. Lukas Hudak from Moldava nad Bodvou was fined with 500 for breaking lockdown rules after being stopped on the border of the Kosice-okolie and Kosice districts. He was not aware that these were two different districts. Lockdown imposed by the government does not directly ban travelling to another district. I am from Moldava nad Bodvou, Hudak told Sme. I thought that it belonged under Kosice, that it is one district. I was not aware of travelling to another district. Police could have warned him, ordered him to return or have given out a lower fine. The Kosice-okolie district includes towns and villages surrounding the city of Kosice. However, it does not have its own district capital. Instead, Kosice is its district capital. Ombudswoman Maria Patakyova is aware of the case. If you do not agree with the 500 fine, we will fine you 1,600 and send it to the Interior ministry, police officers said, according to Hudak, when he asked why the fine is so high. Hudak lives in a Roma settlement. He and his family live from a monthly 300 material need benefit. It may be a problem for him to pay the fine. You will make an instalment plan, the police officers told him. Police did not notice lockdown exemptions 14. Jan 2021 at 11:37 | Michal Katuska Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK's chief scientific adviser, has said it is possible that the Brazilian Covid variant could make vaccines less effective. The Government's top scientist said he thinks it is unlikely the mutated strain of the virus will have evolved to get past the immune system but 'we don't know for sure'. No10 looks set to finally ban flights from Brazil and potentially the whole of South America today, days after scientists sounded the alarm about the mutation. This could include other countries such as Argentina, Uruguay and Colombia and also apply to travellers arriving indirectly from Europe or the US who have been in South America within the last 10 days. This would mirror beefed-up restrictions brought in for South Africa due to its mutant Covid strain. The Prime Minister yesterday admitted officials were 'concerned' about the variant and claimed the Government was 'taking steps' to ensure it doesn't spread in Britain. Brazil has already banned travellers from the UK, starting on December 25, because of the variant that emerged here. Airlines appear to have taken matters into their own hands, with all five flights scheduled between Brazil and Heathrow cancelled, and none due from other UK airports. Public Health England (PHE) said it hasn't picked up any cases of the variant yet, but wouldn't rule out its already being in Britain. One expert told MailOnline it is 'entirely possible' it has spread here already but likely not in large numbers. Variants can generally only be picked up by detailed examination of randomly-picked test samples so don't show up until they are already widespread. The South African variant, for example, can't be distinguished from others in test results alone. Experts and politicians have raised fears that the Kent and South African mutations which are very similar to the Brazilian strain could make vaccines less effective. Sir Patrick last night revealed SAGE doesn't know whether or not jabs will work against the variant. But top scientists studying the constantly mutating SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, insist jabs currently being rolled-out are 'still likely to be effective'. Pfizer has already tested its own vaccine against the variants that emerged in Kent and South Africa and said that the jab appeared to work just as well, despite the mutations. The mutated variant of coronavirus was discovered in Japan last week in four people who had arrived on a flight from Brazil. It was first detected in Brazil where cases are spiralling rapidly in October. Sir Patrick Vallance, chief scientific adviser to the UK Government, said he couldn't rule out the idea that the Brazilian variant might have evolved to make vaccines less effective The Prime Minister revealed ministers were looking at ways to stop a variant of the variant found in Brazil but dodged questions about whether Britain would adopt a travel ban Pictured: A gravedigger works at the Parque Taruma cemetery amid the coronavirus outbreak in Manaus, Brazil in December WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE BRAZIL VARIANT? Name: B.1.1.248 or P.1 Date: Discovered in Tokyo, Japan, in four travellers arriving from Manaus, Brazil, on January 2. Is it in the UK? Public health officials and scientists randomly sample around 1 in 10 coronavirus cases in the UK and they have not yet reported any cases of B.1.1.248, but this doesn't rule it out completely. Why should we care? The variant has the same spike protein mutation as the highly transmissible versions found in Kent and South Africa named N501Y which makes the spike better able to bind to receptors inside the body. It has a third, less well-studied mutation called K417T, and the ramifications of this are still being researched. What do the mutations do? The N501Y mutation makes the spike protein better at binding to receptors in people's bodies and therefore makes the virus more infectious. Exactly how much more infectious it is remains to be seen, but scientists estimate the similar-looking variant in the UK is around 56 per cent more transmissible than its predecessor. Even if the virus doesn't appear to be more dangerous, its ability to spread faster and cause more infections will inevitably lead to a higher death rate. Another key mutation in the variant, named E484K, is also on the spike protein and is present in the South African variant. E484K may be associated with an ability to evade parts of the immune system called antibodies, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro said in a scientific paper published online. However, there are multiple immune cells and substances involved in the destruction of coronavirus when it gets into the body so this may not translate to a difference in how people get infected or recover. Will our vaccines still protect us? There is no reason to believe that already-developed Covid vaccines will not protect against the variant. The main and most concerning change to this version of the virus is its N501Y mutation. Pfizer, the company that made the first vaccine to get approval for public use in the UK, has specifically tested its jab on viruses carrying this mutation in a lab after the variants emerged in the UK and South Africa. They found that the vaccine worked just as well as it did on other variants and was able to ignore the change. And, as the South African variant carries another of the major mutations on the Brazilian strain (E484K) and the Pfizer jab worked against that, too, it is likely that the new mutation would not affect vaccines. The immunity developed by different types of vaccine is broadly similar, so if one of them is able to work against it, the others should as well. Professor Ravi Gupta, a microbiologist at the University of Cambridge, said: 'Vaccines are still likely to be effective as a control measure if coverage rates are high and transmission is limited as far as possible.' Advertisement If evidence emerges that the Brazilian variant is significantly different to others already in Britain, it could present more obstacles to getting life back to normal. There is no proof that the variant is already in Britain but it is 'entirely possible', said Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at the University of Reading. Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser, told ITV's Peston show there was no evidence any of the variants led to more severe disease. He said: 'Theres no evidence at all with any of these variants that it makes the disease itself more severe. 'So the changes that were seeing with the variants are largely around increased transmission. '[There's] no evidence yet for the UK version that it makes a difference in terms of how the immune system recognises it, and if youve been exposed to the old variant or youve had a vaccine, it looks like thats gonna work just as well with this new variant for the UK one. 'The South African one and Brazilian one, we dont know for sure. Theres a bit more of a risk that this might make a change to the way the immune system recognises it but we dont know. Those experiments are underway.' There are dozens of different variations of the coronavirus circulating in the UK but most cases are caused by a dominant select few the main one, accounting for around two thirds of infections, is now the one which emerged in Kent. Around 30 cases of the South African variant have been spotted in the UK, researchers said this week. Dr Clarke told MailOnline: 'If it is here then I expect it not to be here in great amounts because one in 10 viruses isolated [found in tests] are sequenced. If it was here in any appreciable quantity, it would have been picked up by now. 'But it could be here; people have been flying in from Brazil, people do come in via other countries and it is probably quite widespread over South America.' Amid a row over the Government's response to the latest strain, MPs yesterday accused the Prime Minister of failing to tighten the UK's borders quickly enough. MPs also questioned why new rules requiring all travellers to test negative before they enter the UK are only being brought in ten months after the pandemic began. Other countries have had similar rules in place for months. Asked why the air corridor between Brazil and parts of South America to the UK had not already been closed, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins said: 'Of course, people flying into the UK, whether from South America or elsewhere are required to have a 10-day quarantine period when they land in the UK. That is mandatory. 'In terms of the decision on travel measures, it takes a little bit of time. 'What we need to ensure is that when we make these very, very important decisions that have a huge impact on people's personal lives, but also businesses, we have got to have a little bit of time to let that bed in. 'The Prime Minister was clear that measure will be taken, we have acted decisively in the past with both the Denmark and South African variants, so I wouldn't want to speculate further at this stage.' The requirement for all international passengers coming to the UK to show a negative Covid-19 test had been due to come into effect tomorrow. Passengers including returning Britons will have to get a test within 72 hours of travelling. Border Force guards will carry out spot checks and anyone flouting the rules will be fined 500. But, tweeting after 11pm last night, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps declared that the testing measure was being delayed. 'To give international arrivals time to prepare passengers will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before departure to England from MONDAY 18 JANUARY at 4am,' he said. Adding to the confusion, Mr Shapps added a calendar emoji showing the 17th. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced late last night that is being pushed back to Monday to give people 'time to prepare' In a round of interviews this morning, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins suggested the government was trying to balance 'economic' factors with health protection Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said the situation was 'utter chaos'. 'The Government has lacked a comprehensive airport testing policy through this pandemic and now it is slipping into utter chaos,' he said. 'Issuing statements in the middle of the night, because their proposals are unworkable, causes ever greater challenges for travellers and industry. WHAT COULD THE NEW RULES BE? Ministers have yet to announce what the new measures will be. But they could be similar to the policies used to curb the spread of the South African variant. What were the rules of the South Africa travel ban? Visitors arriving into England who have been in or travelled through South Africa in the previous 10 days will not be permitted entry and direct flights will be banned. British and Irish Nationals, visa holders and permanent residents arriving from South Africa will be able to enter but are required to self-isolate for 10 days along with their household The ban excludes cargo and freight without passengers Any exemptions usually in place - including for those related to employment - will not apply People who share a household with anyone self-isolating after returning from South Africa will now also need to self-isolate until 10 days have passed since anyone they live with was last in South Africa The Home Office will step up Border Force presence to ensure that those arriving to England from South Africa are compliant with the new restrictions Advertisement 'This chronic failure is also putting us at risk yet again, from strains such as those that emerged in South Africa and Brazil. As ever, Ministers are too slow to act and it's putting people at serious risk.' And Scotland's Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the negative test requirement was already in force north of the border - even though it is not due to be until tomorrow. In an interview on BBC Breakfast he was asked what the Scottish position was following the news that rules requiring travellers arriving in England to have a negative coronavirus test have been delayed. He said: 'The position in Scotland is that those restrictions are in place and we want to see people following those restrictions to make sure that we minimise the risk.' Asked, 'So you have to have a test before you travel to Scotland?', he replied 'Yes' and agreed that the restrictions apply now. Home affairs committee chair and Labour MP, Yvette Cooper, savaged Mr Johnson yesterday for failing to act fast enough. At the Liaison Committee hearing, she demanded to know why UK borders were not immediately shut to travellers from Brazil after warnings of the new strain. She asked him: 'Why aren't you taking immediate action on a precautionary basis?' Ms Cooper also criticised the quarantine system for being 'so much weaker' than measures in dozens of other countries which include rigorous border testing. 'She said it meant arrivals being allowed to board public transport to get to where they will self-isolate after landing, with few checks to see if people are quarantining. Ms Cooper added: 'You give the impression each time that you just delay all of the difficult and uncomfortable decisions until the last possible minute and when so many lives are at stake, Prime Minister, is this the leadership we really need?' Mr Johnson claimed 'huge quantities of checks' are being carried out to see if people are self-isolating. It is understood ministers will today consider imposing a complete ban on flights and visitors for the whole of South America to tackle the Brazil variant. Pictured: Guarulhos, Sao Paulo All three of the mutated versions of the coronavirus found in recent weeks the ones from Kent, South Africa and Brazil have had a change on the spike protein of the virus called N501Y, which scientists say makes it better able to latch onto the body and spread TRAVELLER TESTS POSTPONED UNTIL MONDAY Ministers were accused of creating 'utter chaos' and leaving the UK at 'serious risk' today as new rules requiring arrivals to have tested negative for coronavirus were delayed. The border rules were announced last week and had been due to come into force tomorrow, with travellers needing to have been screened within the previous 72 hours. However, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced late last night that is being pushed back to Monday to give people 'time to prepare' - although he managed to tweet an emoji suggesting the date was January 17 rather than 18. MPs voiced fury at the shambles, which means thousands of people will come into the UK without checks and others have spent money on tests unnecessarily. The confusion deepened as Nicola Sturgeon's deputy insisted Scotland has already put the rules in place before the deadline. Meanwhile, ministers will today consider imposing a complete ban on flights and visitors for the whole of South America to combat a worrying new Brazil variant. This would mirror beefed-up restrictions brought in for South Africa due to its mutant Covid. Boris Johnson admitted yesterday that he is 'concerned' about the latest strain which the Government has known about for at least four days amid fears it could dodge current vaccines. Airlines appear to have taken matters into their own hands, with all five flights scheduled between Brazil and Heathrow cancelled, and none due from other UK airports. In a round of interviews this morning, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins suggested the government was trying to balance 'economic' factors with health protection. 'There is a very delicate balancing act here between controlling the virus but also making sure we are not putting too much of a burden on the economy,' she told Sky News. Advertisement The PM said: 'We are concerned about the new Brazilian variant. 'We already have tough measures to protect this country from new infections coming in from abroad. We are taking steps to do that in respect of the Brazilian variant.' He added: 'There are lots of questions we still have about that variant, we don't know for instance, any more than we know whether the South African variant is vaccine resistant.' Dr Simon Clarke said it was not clear how the mutations on the Brazilian strain would change the virus, but they could be compared to those on the Kent and South Africa variants. He said: 'We know where the mutations are. I think it's fair to say we don't have a good picture on how easily it spreads or how quickly it spreads. 'Some of the changes, not all, are in the spike protein. The only one we have good data on in terms of the ability to spread is the Kent strain. 'The changes to the spike mean that they could make it more difficult for antibodies to bind to. If there is an effect, and it's a big if, I would assume it would reduce their [vaccines] efficacy not abolish it, it wouldn't render it useless but it might not be effective.' It is not yet known if the Brazilian strain is present in the UK. Brazil has had one of the world's highest Covid death tolls 205,000. The SAGE sub-group NERVTAG discussed the issue on Tuesday. Brazil has already banned flights from the UK amid the pandemic, so the new move would be a reciprocal one, although it's not likely to affect a lot of people. In 2019, there were around 290,000 visits to the UK from people travelling from Brazil, but there are currently no direct flights running from Brazil to the UK, according to Scanner. Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi told the Commons a new jab could be manufactured in 30 to 40 days if a variant of the virus is found to be less responsive to those available. The Department for Transport published small print of the rules requiring all passengers entering the UK to show a negative test only late last night shortly before they are due to kick in. But they won't be enforced until Monday due to a 'grace period' brought in after a backlash from the travel industry. Before the delay was announced, Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith, chairman of the Airport Operators Association, said: 'It's horrendous. 'We need to support travellers who are facing the issue of needing to get home. 'The industry wants to deliver the safest way to get home, but it needs that guidance and the detail in good time.' Paul Charles, the chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: 'There is not enough clarity around the type of tests allowed, leaving consumers panicking about whether they will be let into the country without a fine, because they have the wrong documentation. Policy on the hoof never works.' Up to 100,000 Britons are estimated to be abroad. Many went in mid-December before the third lockdown. Experts last night questioned why Britain had not brought in testing at the border, despite dozens of countries around the world having had it in place for months. Professor Lawrence Young, a molecular oncologist at the University of Warwick, said: 'You could argue it's too little, too late. We should have been doing this ages ago. 'If you look at where successful lockdowns, in terms of returning back to normality, have happened, that's where people have closed their borders. The horse has bolted. 'It is hard to understand why we haven't been more stringent about international travel and why we're doing testing now and didn't pay as much attention to it last March. Testing has to be a really important part of this.' A Department for Transport spokesperson told MailOnline: 'As the Prime Minister said, we are aware of this new variant and are considering urgent measures to reduce the spread to the UK. 'Arrivals from Brazil are already required to self-isolate for ten days or face a fine starting at 500.' It is normal for viruses to mutate and early signs don't suggest that any of the new variants of coronavirus are more deadly than others, but in some places it is evolving to be able to spread faster. If the virus is faster spreading it will inevitably lead to more cases which will in turn lead to a higher death count, even if the strain itself isn't more dangerous. The variant that emerged in Kent, now estimated to be around 56 per cent more transmissible than its predecessor, has quickly become the dominant form of the virus in England and has led to the country's longest and toughest lockdown since March 2020. There is no evidence to suggest vaccines will be any less effective against this variant. Pfizer, maker of the first jab to be approved, tested theirs on the similar UK and South Africa variants and said it still worked just as well. The mutated variant of coronavirus was discovered in Japan last week in four people who had arrived on a flight from Brazil. It was first detected in Brazil in October. Scientists said it had similarities to that of the highly contagious variants in Britain and South Africa. Namely, it has a genetic mutation called N501Y, which changes the shape of the spike proteins found on the outside of the virus. This mutation makes the virus more able to latch onto the receptors inside the body that it targets, essentially meaning it successfully makes it past the body's natural defences more often. Therefore people who are exposed to the virus become infected more often than they would if the other person was infected with an older, less contagious strain. A World Health Organization report on the variant last week said: 'The variant was identified when whole-genome sequencing was conducted on samples from 4 travellers from Brazil who were tested at the airport... 'Through our regional offices, we are working with both Japanese and Brazilian authorities to evaluate the significance of these findings. 'We are also working with our Viral Evolution Working Group to assess the significance of this, and if this variant as well as others identified in recent months result in changes in transmissibility, clinical presentation or severity, or if they impact on countermeasures, including diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.' It added: 'The same comprehensive approach to controlling Covid-19 works against these variants. 'At an individual level, protective measures work for all identified variants: physical distancing, wearing a mask, keeping rooms well ventilated, avoiding crowds, cleaning hands, and coughing into a bent elbow or tissue.' It is too early on in the variant's discovery for politicians or scientists to be confident about how the changes to the virus will affect outbreaks. Lab testing suggests its N501Y mutation could make it more transmissible the UK variant with the same change is estimated to be around 56 per cent more infectious, but other changes to the virus may affect this, too. And another key mutation in the variant, named E484K, which is also on the spike protein, may be associated with an ability to evade parts of the immune system called antibodies, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro said in a scientific paper published online. However, there are multiple immune cells and substances involved in the destruction of coronavirus when it gets into the body so this may not translate to a difference in how people get infected or recover. There is no reason to believe that already-developed Covid vaccines will not protect against the variant. The main and most concerning change to this version of the virus is its N501Y mutation, which has been linked to faster transmission. Pfizer, the company that made the first vaccine to get approval for public use in the UK, has specifically tested its jab on viruses carrying this mutation in a lab after the variants emerged in the UK and South Africa. They found that the vaccine worked just as well as it did on other variants and was able to ignore the change. And, as the South African variant carries another of the major mutations on the Brazilian strain (E484K) and the Pfizer jab worked against that, too, it is likely that the new mutation would not affect vaccines. This new variant (shown in light green) was first spotted in Brazil in October and accounted for a growing share of infections there in November The immunity developed by different types of vaccine is broadly similar, so if one of them is able to work against it, the others should as well. Professor Ravi Gupta, a microbiologist at the University of Cambridge, said: 'The Brazilian variant has three key mutations in the spike receptor binding domain (RBD) that largely mirror some of the mutations we are worried about it in the South African variant, hence the concern. 'The SARS-CoV-2 RBD is one of the main targets for our immune defences and also the region targeted by vaccines and changes within this region are therefore worrisome. 'Vaccines are still likely to be effective as a control measure if coverage rates are high and transmission is limited as far as possible.' The National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan said in its report that the people infected with the variant were found in airport screening in Tokyo on January 2. They had travelled from Amazonas, a state in the north of Brazil which contains the city Manaus, home to two million people and the first place the variant was found. The disease institute (NIID) said: 'Information on the variant isolate is limited to viral genome sequence data. 'Further investigation is necessary to assess infectivity, pathogenicity, and impact on laboratory diagnosis and vaccine efficacy of this variant strain. 'NIID recommends that persons infected with the variant isolate should be monitored in an isolated room and active epidemiological investigation should be initiated including contact tracing (with source investigation) and monitoring of the clinical course.' Ministers and experts have said the repeated emergence of new variants is a warning sign that the coronavirus is evolving frequently and that some of the evolutions make significant changes to how the virus works. Although the variants spotted already don't seem to make the virus more deadly or have the ability to get past a vaccine, the more different variants there are, the more likely it is than one will have a mutation that spells disaster. Professor Tulio de Oliveira, a virologist at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, in Durban, South Africa, told The Telegraph: 'This variant is a wake up call that we should try to really decrease transmission of SARS-CoV-2 [coronavirus]. 'It is clear that if you leave it circulating, the virus has the ability to outsmart us and become better at transmission and evasion of the antibody response.' Brazils Covid deaths soar back to their first wave peak of over 1,000 a day as new more infectious strain that started in Amazon rips through country By Rachel Bunyan for MailOnline and Matt Roper in Brazil Brazil's coronavirus outbreak is surging again after another new and possibly more infectious strain of the virus was identified in the country. Daily deaths in the country rose back over 1,000 per day this week, around the same level as during the country's first wave this spring, after the country had finally brought down the curves of infections and deaths last year. The new variant has been tracked to the country's coronavirus epicentre of Manaus, where it was hoped that herd immunity had previously been achieved. That raises the troubling possibility that the new variant can reinfect survivors and may therefore be resistant to vaccines, assuming that Brazil's projections estimating herd immunity in Manaus were correct. This week Brazil registered its highest daily average of Covid infections since the start of the pandemic, with 54,784 confirmed cases on average per day - up 51 per cent on two weeks ago. Brazil has also average 993 deaths per day this week, a rise of 49 per cent compared to two weeks ago. The new Brazilian strain of coronavirus is the third to have caused global alarm, after more-infectious variants were also identified in the UK and South Africa. The death toll is creeping higher - with 1,110 Covid-19 victims being recorded on Tuesday. Pictured: Workers bury a victim of Covid-10 while relatives look on from a distance in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil In Manaus, northwestern Brazil, where there were haunting scenes last April of mass graves and corpses piled in refrigerator trucks, the health system is near to collapse again. Pictured: Cemetery workers carry the remains of 89-year-old Abilio Ribeiro, who died of the new coronavirus strain in Manaus on January 6 The Brazilian mutation was first discovered in Tokyo last week in four people who had arrived on a flight from the Amazonian jungle city of Manaus. The city was among the hardest-hit in Brazil, site of the world's worst Covid outbreak outside of the US or India, with shocking scenes of mass graves dug in the Amazon and refrigerator trucks piled high with bodies. So many were infected in the city of two million people during the first wave of the pandemic last year that some scientists thought that the city might have been approaching herd immunity. But that projection has proved well wide of the mark. And the absence of herd immunity in Manaus could be caused by one of two factors - either the infection estimates were wrong first time around or the new variant can reinfect people who have already survived coronavirus. That would also have worrying implications for the prospects of the strain having an ability to resist existing vaccines. Shocking scenes returned to Manaus this week, as local officials warned the health system is near collapse once again. The city of two million people has been placed in a state of emergency for six months as hospitalisations passed the levels seen in the worst days of last year. Hospitals this week ran out of oxygen, with new supplies having to be flown in by Brazilian Air Force jets. Refrigerator trucks have once again been deployed to store bodies, while structures to hold 22,000 coffins in horizontal drawers are hastily being constructed. Manaus registered more hospitalisations in the first week of 2021 than in the whole month of December, with a record 1,524 people admitted to hospital last Saturday. The city has also registered more than 100 burials every day this week, with a record 144 on Sunday - the highest number since the start of the pandemic. A court on Saturday forced the state government to shut non-essential businesses for 15 days as infections and deaths surge. Manaus, where the new mutation detected in Japan is believed to have originated, has been placed in a state of emergency for six months as hospitalisations passed the levels seen in the worst days of last year. Pictured: A gravedigger works at Parque Taruma cemetary in Manaus Meanwhile hospitals in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have recently reported intensive care units more than 90 percent full. The state of Amazonas, where nearly 6,000 people have died from Covid-19, is struggling to cope with the rising number of deaths. Hospital beds for COVID-19 patients in the state reached an occupancy rate of over 98% this week, according to data from the Amazonas state health department. Occupancy in temporary facilities that provide assistance to critical patients for later referral to other points of the health network was at 131 per cent. A court on Saturday forced the state government to shut non-essential businesses for 15 days as infections and deaths surge. Chennai, Jan 14 : BJP President J.P. Nadda said on Thursday that Tamil Nadu is a unique mix of spiritualism and economic development. Dressed in traditional Tami attire -- white dhoti, shirt and angavastram -- Nadda spoke at the `Namma Ooru Pongal Vizha' (our city Pongal festival) organised by the party's state unit and at the 51st anniversary function of Thuglak magazine held here. Nadda said Tamil Nadu is the land of spiritualism with 63 Nayanmars and 12 Alwars hailing from this holy land. He said saints like Ramanuja and Tiruvalluvar were also from Tamil Nadu, adding that Tamil is the oldest language in the world. Nadda said the state had famous kings and empires like the Cholas, Cheras, Pandyas and Pallavas who contributed immensely to its development. According to Nadda, each district of the state had contributed towards the nation's freedom struggle against the British and reeled out several names. "We are proud that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been reciting Tamil poems in different parts of the world," Nadda said. He also informed that Modi has taken great interest in the development of Tamil Nadu. The BJP President said the 13th Finance Commission during the UPA rule gave only Rs 94,000 crore to Tamil Nadu while the 14th Finance Commission under Modi's rule has given about Rs 5,42,000 crore to the state. Nadda said the people of the state have benefited immensely under various Central government schemes, including the Jan Dhan Yojana (94 lakh people from Tamil Nadu joined the scheme), while about 30 lakh gas connections have been given to the poor, 36 lakh LED bulbs have been distributed in the state, about Rs 50,000 crore has been distributed under the Mudra loan, besides the sanctioning of an AIIMS hospital and 11 medical colleges for the state. According to Nadda, the defence corridor coming up in the state is the opening up of the economic corridor. Nadda also praised Modi for leading the nation from the front in the fight against Covid-19. He said the country now has over 2,500 hospitals dedicated to Covid-19, and manufactures over five lakh PPE kits per day. Nadda said that cooperative federalism is working well in Tamil Nadu with the state implementing the Central government's pro-poor schemes. Questioning the opposition parties over changing their stands with regard to the farmers' issues, Nadda said that in their manifestoes, the opposition parties had said that contract farming would be legislated, and APMC would be abolished. He said the opposition parties did not have the political courage to implement their promises but when the Modi government implemented the same, they are opposing that. Nadda said the Modi government's pro-poor policies have fetched poll victories for the BJP across the country, which show that people are with Modi. Nadda also praised Thuglak founder and editor late Cho Ramaswamy for his righteousness which also got reflected in the magazine. Earlier in the day, Nadda was given a rousing reception by the Tamil Nadu BJP unit at the airport. The Irish health system was on the brink of being overwhelmed last weekend by the upward spiral of admissions to Intensive Care Units (ICU). Micheal Martin (credit: Wikimedia Commons) On January 8, a record 8,248 COVID-19 infections and 20 deaths, were registered. Eight further deaths and 6,888 new cases were reported on Monday. In total, there have now been a staggering 135,884 infections and 2,237 people have died. In the last two weeks, more than 50,000 cases have been reported, accounting for 40 percent of all cases recorded since the outbreak of the pandemic last year. Professor Philip Nolan of the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) warned last week, The number in hospitals is now increasing exponentially, so were at the point now where our health services are under threat. The number of people with coronavirus in hospital has more than quadrupled in the last two weeks. Latest figures from the Irish Health Service Executive (HSE) put the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in hospital at 1,575, with 146 of these in ICUs. Of the 274 open and staffed ICU beds, 232 of these are occupied and only 40 available. The head of the ICU at Mid-Western University Regional Hospital in Limerick, Dr Catherine Motherway, questioned last week whether the ICU's would be able to cope. Speaking to the Irish Mail she said, I don't know, nobody knows. We have a finite health resource, there are only a certain number of beds. We are hoping in some hospitals where possible to continue time-critical casesi.e., cancers, high-risk vascular etceterawhere the patients can't wait." She warned, In a surge scenario contingency standards of care replace normal standards of care, and outcomes may not be as good for patients. Enda O' Connor, ICU director at St James's Hospital in Dublin, issued a statement last weekend saying that the surge in ICU admissions could be longer and more severe than the first wave last March due to the increase in cases, and it's possible we could see scenes here like they had in Italy during the first wave. Dr Anthony Staines, a leading expert on the coronavirus, stated last week that the projected August deadline for vaccinating most of the population could be extended to December this year due to the slow rollout of the vaccine. The rate at which the Irish state is currently vaccinating people against COVID-19 is nowhere near what is needed to give the population immunity before next year. Research by the Our World in Data website which is linked to Oxford University showed that Ireland now has the highest daily number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases per capita in the world. The state broadcasting service RTE reported on January 11 that Irelands seven day rolling average is 1,394 cases per million, compared to the UK on 810, Portugal on 735, and the United States on 653. The current Fine Gael/Fianna Fail/Green Party coalition government presided over by Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheal Martin has played Russian roulette with the lives of working people at the behest of business interests and the super-rich. Its priority throughout the pandemic has been to keep the economy open for as long as possible, whatever the risks to the population, in line with the interests of US and European capital, and the dictates of the local ruling elite who support Martin's government as a broker for their class. In early October 2020, Martin's government rejected a call from NPHET and other health experts for the immediate imposition of the highest grade Level 5 restrictions. Two weeks later, October 19, they reversed course and imposed a six-week lockdown to suppress rising infection rates. Even with these new restrictions the government let construction sites remain open and refused to close schools. The restrictions had a downward impact on the number of infections, but these gains were squandered in late November when Martin's government opened the economy again under pressure from business. As infections accelerated over the Christmas period to a thousand a day, Martin's coalition government imposed a third lockdown on December 30. This is planned to last till early March, with periodic reviews. Bars and restaurants have been shut down along with retail outlets. Travel between counties and home visits have been banned. Construction sites closed from January 8 for all but essential building projects. Most schools are closed until the end of January, but secondary school pupils in preparation for their final exams will attend three days a week and roughly 15,000 pupils in special schools and classes remain in school full-time. Martin insisted, All the scientific and public health evidence shows [schools] remain safe environments and Minister for Education Norma Foley promised we are looking at the review [of the school closure policy] at the end of January. The effect of the pandemic is exacerbated by Irelands social and economic crisis. Growing social inequality and the worst housing crisis in the countrys history, as well as a severe deterioration in the health care system, have left the Ireland woefully unprepared for the latest surge in COVID-19 infections. Between 2008 and 2014, successive Fianna Fail and Fine Gael governments carried out massive health spending cuts worth 2.7 billion, which left the health service understaffed and with reduced bed capacity. A decade of attacks on the living standards of the working class has left swathes of society extremely vulnerable. By the end of last month there were almost 529,300 people on the live unemployment register or claiming the pandemic unemployment payment. The housing and homeless crisis has accelerated. Data from the Central Statistics Office which was published by the Saint Vincent De Paul charity showed recently that there were more than 140,000 children living in homes that are cold and damp, with 12.3 percent of Irish children living in fuel poverty. While living standards plummet amid the health and social emergency, the coalition government has looked after its financial backers and friends. Over 4.5 billion have been handed to employers since the pandemic began through the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme. Under the current lockdown introduced at the beginning of this month, a double payment of the Covid Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) was made to businesses, up to a maximum of 5,000 a week. Businesses affected will also be eligible commercial rates relief for the first three months of 2021. Since the pandemic began almost a year ago, the Socialist Equality Group in Ireland and the International Committee of the Fourth International have insisted that the inability of the crisis-ridden capitalist system to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic is rooted in the growth of social inequality and the exploitative nature of the capitalist system, which puts profit before life and the basic needs of working people. Only an international movement of the working class can fight for the fully-funded health service, and effective lockdowns with full income and educational support necessary to save livespaid for by seizing the ill-gotten wealth of big business and the super-rich. This is the fight against capitalism and for socialism. Cathedral Park in the South Okanagan is among the provincial parks being expanded by the government. Okanagan Mountain Park, between Kelowna and Penticton, and Skaha Bluffs Park in Penticton are also being enlarged. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Chinese EV startup Xpeng Motors said it signed a deal with five banks for a credit line worth 12.8 billion yuan ($1.98 billion). Under the new strategic partnership, all parties will make joint efforts to boost the sustainable cooperation between banks and enterprises. Xpeng Motors signing agreements with five banks; photo credit: Xpeng Motors The banks involved in the collaboration include the Guangdong branches of Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China and China Construction Bank, the Guangzhou branch of China Citic Bank, and Guangzhou Rural Commercial Bank. They granted the credit extension to help Xpeng Motor build its business operation, production, sale and service systems. He Xiaopeng, founder of Xpeng Motors, said the newly-formed partnership is of much significance to a further improvement in the cash utilization efficiency and the cost management. The agreement came after the company completed its first public follow-on offering in December 2020, raising approximately $2.5 billion. Xpeng Motors achieved quite a few milestones last year. In November 2020, the companys second manufacturing base broke ground in Guangzhou, make it the first Chinese EV startup with two self-owned plants. In December 2020, the startup delivered the first batch of 100 G3 smart SUVs to customers in Norway, representing a milestone for its international business. Xpeng Motors delivered a total of 27,041 vehicles through 2020, a year-on-year hike of 112%. Cumulative P7 deliveries for the year reached 15,062 with mass delivery beginning at the end of June. The company's third production model, a new smart EV sedan, is expected for launch and customer delivery in 2021. The has rejected a plea seeking extension of deadline for filing of returns but observed that the CBDT may take a lenient view on penalty for late filing of tax audit reports. The Income Tax Department had on Monday rejected demand for further extension of the deadline for filing returns where audit is required beyond February 15. According to an oral order on January 13, 2021, the court said it has reached the conclusion that it should not interfere in the matter after hearing all the parties. "In the result, both the writ applications fail and are hereby rejected. At this stage, we may only observe that the CBDT may consider issuing an appropriate circular taking a lenient view as regards the consequences of late filing of the Tax Audit Reports as provided under Section 271B of the Act. We leave it to the better discretion of the CBDT in this regard," it said. As per Section 271B of the Income Tax Act, if any assessee fails to get his accounts audited in respect of any previous year(s) or furnish a report of such audit as required under Section 44AB, the Assessing Officer may direct the person to pay by way of penalty a sum equal to 1.5 per cent of the total sales, turnover or gross receipts of the business, as the case may be. On January 8, the court in the case of the All India Gujarat Federation of Tax Consultants versus Union of India directed the finance ministry to look into the issue of extension of due dates for filing of audit report under Section 44AB of the Income Tax Act. Following the direction, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) passed an order dated January 11, 2021 under Section 119 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 disposing of the representations for extension of due date for filing of audit report under Section 44AB. The court observed that if the CBDT has looked into the matter and arrived at the conclusion that extension of time limit would not be in the interest of revenue, then it cannot be said that the CBDT has failed to exercise its discretionary powers under Section 119 of the Act. "Upon due consideration of all the relevant aspects of the matter, if the Board has taken the final decision not to extend the time limit any further, then it is difficult for this Court to issue a writ of mandamus to the Board to extend the time limit on the assumption that undue hardship would be caused to the taxpayers and the tax professionals, more particularly, in view of the latest data put forward before us...," it said. Taking cognisance of difficulties faced by taxpayers owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government pushed the deadline for filing (ITR) thrice -- first from the normal deadline of July 31 to November 30, 2020, and then to December 31, 2020. On December 30 last year, the government extended the deadline to file ITR for individuals by 10 days to January 10 and for businesses where audit is required till February 15. As per the provisions of the Act, the due date for filing of the audit report under Section 44AB is one month prior to the due date of filing of ITR. (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 Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, told Westminster yesterday that his Government "will have no hesitation in invoking Article 16" of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol "if there are problems that we believe are disproportionate" in its operation. His assurance came in response to a question from Sir Jeffrey Donaldson outlining some of the difficulties that have been encountered in the movement of goods across the Irish Sea since the end of the Brexit transition period. And these are early days yet. Could Article 16 really be a magic bullet to fix the so-called Irish Sea border? Article 16 of the Protocol is about "safeguards" and the mechanism for putting them in place. Such safeguards are often found in trade agreements. A similar provision is included, for example, in Article 112 of the Agreement on the European Economic Area. Such measures are, however, rarely used. This is because the bar for invoking them is necessarily high. The purpose of safeguards is to create a temporary breathing space to resolve serious issues arising out of the implementation of an agreement. Their purpose is not to set aside, or revoke, the agreement. On the contrary, safeguards are intended to avert a major crisis in a way that ultimately secures the operation of the agreement for the longer term. Article 16 is one of the last provisions of the Northern Ireland Protocol; it is best thought of as a last resort. The necessary assumption is that, having negotiated the Protocol, both sides are committed to its application. And so, if there are problems arising from its operation, these are to be raised, in the first instance, through the proper channels - in this instance, the Specialised Committee, which then should make recommendations to the UK-EU Joint Committee. A key purpose of these joint bodies is to find agreed UK-EU responses to difficulties in implementing the jointly agreed Protocol. What is distinct about Article 16 is that it permits the UK and the EU to act unilaterally, but only where the application of the Protocol is leading to "serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties" that are "liable to persist". Article 16 does not specify what constitutes a "serious" difficulty. Nor does it define what constitutes a "diversion of trade" - the second justification provided for adopting safeguard measures. However, as safeguards, such measures are not intended to address either temporary disruptions, or reasonably foreseeable challenges. If the UK, or the EU, does deem it necessary to adopt unilateral safeguard measures, Article 16 is clear that these are to be "restricted with regard to their scope and duration" and to what is "strictly necessary" to address the difficulty, or difficulties, being faced. The overall intention of any safeguard is that it "disturbs" the functioning of the Protocol as little as possible. Article 16 is not, therefore, a route to the unilateral disapplication, or suspension, of the Protocol. Even if it were triggered, the Protocol's provisions continue to apply and this includes those on monitoring and enforcement. Furthermore, if one side does introduce unilateral safeguard measures, the other may adopt "rebalancing" measures. If it were to invoke Article 16, the UK Government would need to be clear about three things. What are the serious difficulties and what specific measures would it propose to address them? How would those unilateral actions be necessary and preferable to solutions agreed with the EU? And what would be the likely EU re-balancing measures and would this be a risk worth taking? The UK Government should also be clear that this is no "quick fix". Annex 7 of the Protocol sets out the process to be followed when invoking Article 16. First, if either party is even "considering" unilaterally adopting safeguard measures, it must notify the other party "without delay" and through the Joint Committee. Consultations between the two sides follow. Only if a common solution cannot be found can safeguards be adopted (normally only after a further three months). Also, safeguards must be strictly limited in their scope and duration. Even when triggered, the UK-EU Joint Committee will monitor their application with a view to abolishing them as soon as possible. Article 16 is a "big red button" that exists for good reason. But those calling for its use should be absolutely clear about what it can and cannot do. It is certainly not a quick fix, nor is it a get-out clause from the realities of Brexit and the Protocol. To invoke it in the wrong conditions could give rise to far greater problems than those it would seek to address. Katy Hayward is Professor of Political Sociology at Queen's University, Belfast and Senior Fellow at the UK in a Changing Europe think-tank. David Phinnemore is Professor of European Politics in the School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics at Queen's. This is a shorter version of an article originally published on the Brexit blog of the London School of Economics [January 14, 2021] Paycor Uncovers Most Pressing Areas of Interest for Human Resources and Business Leaders in 2020 CINCINNATI, Jan. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Human Capital Management (HCM) company Paycor today revealed top priorities and concerns for human resources (HR) and business leaders in 2020. By looking at the most frequently accessed content in its resource center , the company determined primary areas of interest in 2020 to be communication, health and safety, change in the workplace, layoffs and furloughs, and payroll. The past year has been marked by a number of significant events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrest, the election, and natural disasters. The pandemic had a remarkable impact on the workforce, as many organizations switched to a remote work model temporarily or indefinitely, and unemployment soared as high as 14.7%. During turbulent times like these, employees turn to business leaders and HR for support and information on what the future holds for them and the business as a whole. Based on Paycor's most frequently referenced resources, the top five themes for HR and business leaders in 2020 were: Communication Communication became more important than ever this year. In the wake of life-disrupting events like those mentioned above, transparent and effective leadership is essential. HR and business leaders were tasked with mitigating the challenges of remote work, making sure their employees were kept safe and informed, and, of course, continuing to push their businesses forward. One of the top resources addressing communication was Paycors Coronavirus Return To Work Letter . For companies planning on bringing employees back to a physical workplace, letters such as this serve as a means to welcome the workforce back and brief them on new procedures and protocols. Its critical that business leaders and HR communicate effectively with employees so they feel comfortable upon their return to work and can confidently navigate the complexities of the business new normal. Health and safety The health and safety of business employees and customers was a top priority in 2020 and will carry into the new year and beyond. As COVID-19 rates climbed throughout the year, companies quickly realized they needed plans in place for if and when employees got sick or tested positive for the virus. One such plan is outlined in Paycors 6 Steps To Take If An Em p loyee Tests Positive For COVID-19 document. Every business needs a contingency plan that outlines its policies around COVID-19 testing, paid time off (PTO) and sick leave, sanitation, self-isolation measures, and more. Companies who prioritize getting their ducks in a row can save themselves from unnecessary business interruption down the line. Change in the workplace The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented change to the workplace as many companies shifted to a remote work model and made significant adjustments to how their business operates. Almost overnight, much of the workforce grappled with how not only to work from home, but be a parent, babysitter, teacher, and employee all at once. But even prior to 2020, employees have long been resistant to change, and the primary reason why is often poor management of change in the workplace. As organizations coped with change in 2020, HR and business leaders turned to Paycors resource on Overcoming Employee Resistance To Change In The Workplace to better understand the why behind aversions to these shifts. By recognizing employees hesitations surrounding change, leaders can better communicate and work toward their objectives with as little friction as possible. Layoffs and furloughs Unfortunately, layoffs and furloughs were abundant in 2020. Paycors Coronavirus Layoffs And Furloughs: Letters, Templates And Forms served as a valuable resource for leaders challenged with determining how to handle layoffs and furloughs from both a personal and business perspective. However, as things have begun to improve for some companies, HR and business leaders increasingly looked to information from Paycor on How To Rehire Furloughed Employees . All returning employees are likely to have lots of questions, so communicating whats changed (and what hasnt) regarding their place in the organization, their salary and benefits packages, and workplace safety, is a top priority for HR and business leaders. Payroll Payroll and pay periods are an integral part of running a business, and 2020 was no exception as companies both lost and gained new employees throughout the year. HR and business leaders sought out information on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Minimum Wage By State And 2021 Increases as they addressed their approach to payroll. As rates of unemployment increased this year, companies also required details around Understanding Employer Responsibility For Unemployment Benefits . Small businesses especially are not always aware of their responsibilities when it comes to filing or responding to claimswhich can result in hefty penaltiesso access to this information is vital. For additional articles on the topics above, and much more, visit Paycors resource center . Supporting Quotes This year completely transformed the workplace as we know it, and HR and business leaders have been at the forefront of keeping employees informed and safe as companies navigate these challenging and uncertain times, said Karen Crone, CHRO at Paycor. Leaders from companies of all types and sizes can turn to Paycors resource center as a trusted source of information for tackling their top challenges now, and in the future. Supporting Resources About Paycor Paycor creates HR software for leaders who want to make a difference. Our Human Capital Management (HCM) platform modernizes every aspect of people management, from the way you recruit, onboard and develop people, to the way you pay and retain them. But what really sets us apart is our focus on business leaders. For 30 years, weve been listening to and partnering with leaders, so we know what they need: HR technology that saves time, powerful analytics that provide actionable insights and dedicated support from HR experts. Thats why more than 40,000 medium & small businesses trust Paycor to help them solve problems and achieve their goals. FOR MORE INFORMATION Katy Bunn (513) 307-6392 Kbunn@paycor.com MEDIA CONTACT Marta Debski Offleash for Paycor (810) 956-4501 paycor@offleashpr.com The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. A passenger wearing a Union Flag face mask waits to board one of the few flights departing at Gatwick Airport in London, on Nov. 27, 2020. (Leon Neal/Getty Images) Concerned Over Brazil Variant, UK Bans Travel From South America From tomorrow, the UK is banning travel from all South American countries, hoping to stop a new variant of the CCP virus that has emerged in Brazil. Announcing the new restrictions, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that they do not apply to British or Irish Nationals or people with UK residency rights. But passengers returning from these destinations must self-isolate for TEN DAYS along with their households, he said in the announcement on Twitter. Travel from Portugal to the UK will also be suspended given its strong travel links with Brazilacting as another way to reduce the risk of importing infections, said Shapps. However, there is an exemption for hauliers travelling from Portugal (only), to allow transport of essential goods. In addition to all countries in South America, the list also includes neighbouring Panama. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said earlier this week that he was very concerned about the Brazil variant of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as novel coronavirus. Unlike the variant currently thought to be pushing a surge of the pandemic in the UK, there is not yet any evidence of faster transmission in the Brazil variant. However, scientists are concerned that it appears to be similar to the variant which emerged in South Africa, which scientists are concerned about. The Brazilian variant has three key mutations in the Spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) that largely mirror some of the mutations we are worried about it in the South African variant, hence the concern, said Prof. Ravi Gupta, Professor of Microbiology at the University of Cambridge. The SARS-CoV-2 RBD is one of the main targets for our immune defences and also the region targeted by vaccines and changes within this region are therefore worrisome. Vaccines are still likely to be effective as a control measure if coverage rates are high and transmission is limited as far as possible. The announcement of the travel ban from South America comes with the government accused of dragging its feet over travel restrictions. Today, Shapps announced that the introduction of mandatory pre-travel COVID-19 tests had been postponed until Monday. Within the three-day period before boarding trains, planes, or boats bound for England, passengers must take a test for the CCP virus. They must present proof of a negative test to their carrier. The Department for Transport has now also issued full public guidance, including which types of tests are acceptable. Such tests include PCR and LAMP tests, which detect key chemical markers, and antigen tests from lateral flow devices. Specifically, the tests are required to have 97% specificity, [and] 80% sensitivity at viral loads above 100,000 copies/ml. The government says the new requirements, which also apply to UK passport holders, will help stem the influx of new strains of the CCP virus. On top of the new measures, arrivals from countries outside the air corridor list will still have to quarantine for 10 days. Transport operators will also be fined if they are found to have transported passengers who have not followed the rules. Englands new rules will not affect travellers from other parts of the UK (which can set their own travel restrictions) or from Ireland, the Isle of Man, Jersey, or Guernsey. Children under the age of 11 are exempt. The government said that the very restricted number of other exemptions includes flight crews and employees manning boats and trains. Social media users have highlighted an urgency to gather signatures on a petition to scrap the tampon tax on period pants. Rubina Raut who founded UK-based period pants brand WUKA in 2017, has racked up almost 18,000 signatures on an online petition to recognise the reusable underwear as entitled to being taxed fairly. While sanitary pads and tampons are exempt from tasks, period pants - which are marketed as a more sustainable choice because they can be washed and reused - are not because they're classed as an item of clothing. The petition follows Chancellor Rishi Sunak's confirmation that menstrual products such as pads and tampons will no longer be taxed at 20 per cent, after Britain leaves the EU on 31 December 2020. People from around the nation have taken to Twitter, pleading for the additional 82,000 signatures that are needed for the petition to be debated in parliament. Social media users have encouraged others to sign a petition to scrap the 20 per cent tax on period pants. Pictured: Period pants from Modibodi According to The Independent, scrapping the tax on tampons will save the average woman almost 40 in her lifetime. Raut has accused the government of 'unfairly penalising period pants' because the change in law only applies to 'any sanitary protection product that is designed and marketed solely for the absorption or collection of menstrual flow or lochia', without the exception of clothes. 'By removing VAT from tampons and pads only, the government is indirectly encouraging the purchase of disposable period products. 'This is irresponsible - our planet is overwhelmed by waste created by humans and we are in the midst of an environmental crisis. Sustainable periods are not a luxury and should not be taxed as such,' Raut said. The environmental scientist and WUKA founder has voiced the importance of making period products accessible. A study by WUKA recently found over a third of women, trans and non-binary people who menstruate are facing period poverty and nearly half are predicted to lose income during the pandemic. Rubina Raut who founded WUKA, took to Twitter urging people to show their support for the petition which needs 100,000 signatures to be debated at parliament Many people argued period pants shouldn't be taxed because they're more environmentally friendly than disposable alternatives Fellow period-proof underwear brand Modibodi, has also racked up over 8,000 signatures on their petition to force the government to employ zero VAT on all period products. In their recent study, it was revealed 25 per cent of women are concerned about running out of sanitary products part way through their period and just under 24 per cent say they worry about the cost of continually restocking the essential products. They argue for many frontline workers, those working shifts or those wanting a more sustainable and eco-friendly option for their sanitary needs, reusable and washable period underwear are a vital and cost-efficient option. Kristy Chong, CEO & Founder Modibodi said: 'Period underwear has the capacity to drive fundamental change for the environment, significantly improve the quality of life and period dignity for millions of people around the world who may be struggling to access bathrooms or suffer a disability, whilst reducing waste and contributing positively to body confidence. 'Data shows that there is a strong growth in the demand for period underwear, and yet the government is failing to recognise how vital such products are in helping to overcome major issues like climate change, not to mention disabilities and sport related needs, it's important that the UK population have a choice to use reusable period products and without being penalised with a tax.' The period pants petition has racked up almost 18,000 signatures and is set to close on 20th January According to Modibodi, the demand for period pants is set to increase by 28 per cent by 2026. Raising awareness of her petition on Twitter, Rubina wrote: 'Sadly period pants are still recognised as luxury and taxed at 20 per cent, could you please help me sign the petition? A stream of responses have shared the link to the petition with hopes of getting ministers to consider making period pants 0 per cent VAT, along with disposable menstrual products. One person wrote: 'FFS! Any item that allows you to leave the house without fear of messing your clothes, a bus seat, your chair at work should be tax free. If not free' 'Period tax is gone on pads and tampons - awesome! But period pants, a far more environmentally friendly period product aren't included. Sign below to get this changed,' another said. A third added: 'The petition closes on January 20th, so if you bleed or know anyone who bleeds, I urge you to sign this petition.' Earlier this week, the Federal Aviation Administration announced it will raise enforcement of rules against interfering with or assaulting airline crew members or other passengers. The FAA said that for the next two months it will stop giving warnings to violators and will instead refer their cases to law enforcement for potential charges, fines and jail terms. The idea of an artificial intelligence (AI) uprising may sound like the plot of a science-fiction film, but the notion is a topic of a new study that finds it is possible and we would not be able to stop it. A team of international scientists designed a theoretical containment algorithm that ensures a super-intelligent system could not harm people under any circumstance, by simulating the AI and blocking it from wrecking havoc on humanity. However, the analysis shows current algorithms do not have the ability to halt AI, because commanding the system to not destroy the world would inadvertently halt the algorithms own operations. Iyad Rahwan, Director of the Center for Humans and Machines, said: If this happened, you would not know whether the containment algorithm is still analyzing the threat, or whether it has stopped to contain the harmful AI. In effect, this makes the containment algorithm unusable. Scroll down for video A team of international scientists designed a theoretical containment algorithm that ensures a super-intelligent system could not harm people under any circumstance, by simulating the AI and blocking it from wrecking havoc on humanity AI has been fascinating humans for years, as we are in awe by machines that control cars, compose symphonies or beat the worlds best chess player at their own game. However, with great power comes great responsibility and scientists around the world are concerned about the dangers that may come with super-intelligent systems. Using theoretical calculations, an international team of researchers, including scientists from the Center for Humans and Machines at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development, shows that it would not be possible to control a super-intelligent AI. The team used Alan Turnings 1936 halting problem during the analysis, which focuses on the issue of whether or not a computer program will reach a the conclusion and answer the problem this being the halt. However, the analysis shows current algorithms do not have the ability to halt AI, because commanding the system to not destroy the world would inadvertently halt the algorithms own operations Or if the system will forever loop looking for an answer. In their study, the team conceived a theoretical containment algorithm that ensures a super-intelligent AI cannot harm people under any circumstances, by simulating the behavior of the AI first and halting it if considered harmful. But careful analysis shows that in our current paradigm of computing, such algorithm cannot be built. Based on these calculations the containment problem is incomputable, no single algorithm can find a solution for determining whether an AI would produce harm to the world. Researchers also demonstrated that we may not even know when super-intelligent machines have arrived, because deciding whether a machine exhibits intelligence superior to humans is in the same realm as the containment problem. A state board on Wednesday suspended the license of a Wisconsin pharmacist accused of ruining more than 500 doses of COVID-19 vaccine because he believed in apocalyptic conspiracy theories and thought the drug would mutate people's DNA. Steven Brandenburg, 46, was working at Advocate Aurora Health in Grafton, about 20 miles north of Milwaukee, when he was arrested last month following an investigation into the 57 spoiled vials of the Moderna vaccine. He has not been criminally charged. A status conference in the case is scheduled for Tuesday. The Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining Board said in its order that Brandenburg cannot practice pharmacy while the suspension is in place. Steven Brandenburg, 46, is accused of spoiling 57 vials of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which officials say contained enough doses to inoculate more than 500 people The Moderna vaccine (seen in this January 5, 2020, file photo at a clinic in Livingston, Montana) is viable for 12 hours outside refrigeration, so workers used the vaccine to inoculate 57 people before discarding the rest It said Brandenburg agreed to the action 'in order to focus' on possible charges against him. Brandenburg's attorney, Jason Baltz, did not immediately respond to a phone message left Wednesday evening by The Associated Press. Advocate Aurora Health Care Chief Medical Group Officer Jeff Bahr has said Brandenburg admitted that he deliberately removed the vials from refrigeration at the Grafton medical center. A detective wrote in a probable cause statement that Brandenburg, 46, is an admitted conspiracy theorist and that he told investigators he intentionally tried to ruin the vaccine because it could hurt people by changing their DNA. Misinformation around the COVID-19 vaccines has surged online with false claims circulating on the vaccines' ingredients and possible side effects. One of the earliest false claims suggested that the vaccines could alter DNA. The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine as well as the Moderna vaccine rely on messenger RNA or mRNA, which is a fairly new technology used in vaccines that experts have been working on for years. MRNA vaccines help train the immune system to identify the spike protein on the surface of the coronavirus and create an immune response. Experts have said there is no truth to the claims that the vaccines can genetically modify humans. Brandenburg's wife of eight years filed for divorce in June. The couple has two small children. Brandenburg has since been fired from Advocate Aurora Health in Grafton, 20 miles north of Milwaukee, after the spoiled vials were discovered last week According to an affidavit his wife filed on December 30, the same day Brandenburg was arrested in the vaccine tampering, he stopped off at her house on December 6 and dropped off a water purifier and two 30-day supplies of food, telling her that the world was 'crashing down' and she was in denial. He said the government was planning cyberattacks and was going to shut down the power grid. She added that he was storing food in bulk along with guns in rental units and she no longer felt safe around him. Bahr has said Brandenburg admitted that he deliberately removed the vials from refrigeration at the Grafton medical center overnight on December 24 into December 25, returned them, then left them out again on the night of December 25 into Saturday. A pharmacy technician discovered the vials outside the refrigerator on December 26. Bahr said Brandenburg initially said he had removed the vials to access other items in the refrigerator and had inadvertently failed to put them back. The Moderna vaccine is viable for 12 hours outside refrigeration, so workers used the vaccine to inoculate 57 people before discarding the rest. Police said the discarded doses were worth between $8,000 and $11,000. Bahr said the doses people received on December 26 are all but useless. But Ozaukee County district attorney Adam Gerol said during a virtual court hearing last week that the vials were actually retained and Moderna would need to test the doses to make sure they were ineffective before he can file charges. Dr. Jeff Bahr, president of Aurora Health Care Medical Group in Wisconsin, revealed that Brandenburg Brandenburg admitted that he deliberately removed the vials from refrigeration at the Grafton medical center Brandenburg's attorney, Jason Baltz, did not speak on the merits of the case during the hearing. Gerol held off on filing any charges, saying he still needs to determine whether Brandenburg actually destroyed the doses. Judge Paul Malloy ordered Brandenburg to be released on a $10,000 signature bond, surrender his firearms, not work in health care and have no contact with Aurora employees. A court commissioner last week found that Brandenburg's children were in imminent danger and temporarily prohibited them from staying with him. He was arrested on suspicion of reckless endangerment, altering a prescription drug and criminal damage to property. Charges are still pending and the FBI and FDA are also investigating. Those who received the vaccine from the tampered vials have been notified and the company is working with Moderna and the FDA on a strategy to properly vaccinate those individuals. Officials have said there should be no negative effects from receiving the vaccines that were rendered ineffective. 'Moderna reassured us there are no safety concerns with administering a vaccine that has been out of the fridge too long. We will partner with them and the FDA to figure out a strategy on the future vaccination of the affected 57 individuals,' Bahr said. There is also 'no evidence' Brandenburg tampered with the vaccine in any other way other than removing it from the fridge, Bahr said. Were used to BBC Chairs being rather lofty types. Stately, magisterial creatures whose cherry noses have been nourished and ruddied by various boardroom decanters. The post has certainly welcomed its fair share of Pugin-wallpapered poohbahs. Duke Hussey, Sir Christopher Bland. Lords Patten and Grade. Former FT executive Rona Fairheads tastes were so grand, Im told, colleagues dubbed her Rona Overhead. Ex-banker Richard Sharp, however, appears cut from a slightly different cloth. Droopy eyed and softly spoken, he seems reassuringly unflappable. Modest even. A wardrobe likely stuffed with suede loafers and lightly frayed shirt collars. Sort of fellow who arrived in the office on Black Wednesday and insouciantly declared the markets a bit of a rum do. Ex-banker Richard Sharp, however, appears cut from a slightly different cloth. Droopy eyed and softly spoken, he seems reassuringly unflappable. Modest even Yesterday, he made his first appearance in front of the Department for digital, culture, media and sport committee. Unlike his predecessors, Mr Sharp is an unknown quantity. We dont know much about him other than he made stacks at Goldman Sachs, and is pals with Chancellor Rishi Sunak. He actually used to work for me, Sharp informed the committee nonchalantly with the fondness a crofter might reserve for their favourite spaniel. Committee chair Julian Knight (Con, Solihull) asked which BBC shows he watched. Or consumed as he put it as though referring to the bill of fare at McDonalds. Mr Knight, like everyone else, was beaming in remotely and had positioned himself far too close to his computer appearing like a wasp crawling over a camera lens. Sharp, 64, admitted to being a fan of Andy Pandy. Crikey, thats going back a bit. Anything more recent? Well, he liked Line of Duty and (inhales) sport, apparently. Sharp said he also enjoyed Phoebe Waller-Bridges saucepot creation Fleabag, though had found it a bit embarrassing watching it with his mother. I know the feeling. We dont know much about him other than he made stacks at Goldman Sachs, and is pals with Chancellor Rishi Sunak. He actually used to work for me, Sharp informed the committee nonchalantly with the fondness a crofter might reserve for their favourite spaniel The SNPs John Nicolson (Ochil) had come spoiling for a fight. He flew at Sharp like slurry off a shovel, asking about the panel who had selected him, which he pointed out was made up almost entirely of City bigwigs. There was someone from the National Lottery fund too, Sharp politely interjected. Oh, and that makes the difference then, Nicolson scoffed. Sharps donations to the Conservative Party were raised. How much had he given them? Sharp was finding this all a little baffling. Around 400,000 came the reply. You know, a few quid here and there. Nicolson summoned the grandeur of an outraged QC. George Carman could not have been hammier: Four. Hundred. Thousand. Pounds! he gasped. He suggested such funds may have been better used on more needy causes. Heaven forbid we should all one day have to bow before Mr Nicolson and justify what is an appropriate use of our money. Two Labour MPs, Alex Davies Jones (Pontypridd) and Julie Elliott (Sunderland C), raised the thorny issue of pay equality. Sharp made polite noises about getting to grips with it. Both women seemed impressed he was at least acknowledging a problem. Kevin Brennan (Lab, Cardiff W) then engaged Mr Sharp in some rugby banter. We discovered that hed broken his nose on the rugger pitch as a teenager. I think I could make out the snap mark at the end of his hooter. Ouch. Brennan then asked about Sharps 160,000 salary. Would he have done the job for less? He was hardly short of a bob or two. Sharp insisted he would be donating it to charity. Good for him, though I trust the beneficiary will meet with Commissar Nicolsons requirements. He was disappointingly wet on the licence fee. When Steve Brine (Con, Winchester) pressed him about it, Sharp said he thought that generally the British public were quite relaxed about it. Utter rubbish. Its just something were forced to endure. Like queuing or Thought For the Day. Brine advised Sharp to take a look at something called Dude Perfect. Apparently its one of those online channels children now spend their afternoons watching rather than the BBC. This is what youre up against, he warned. Indeed so. And thats before Sharp gets to all those hundreds of backbiters waiting for him in Broadcasting House. The current year saw a 22pc rise in acceptances by CAO applicants with disabilities and a 15pc rise by socio-economic disadvantaged students. More students with a disadvantage, whether socio-economic or a disability, are going to college, and many of them with the benefit of two schemes that allow for entry on reduced points. The current year saw a 22pc rise in acceptances by CAO applicants with disabilities and a 15pc rise by socio-economic disadvantaged students. Both groups can seek a points waiver to compensate for the impact of disadvantage on their education, While many may not need to rely on that, it is a great cushion for those who come up shy on points. Most colleges reserve places for reduced points offers for both the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) and Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) schemes. Last year, 6,132 offers were made to DARE eligible applicants including 1,738 on reduced points. There were 5,444 offers to HEAR eligible applicants, including 1,579 on reduced points. DARE covers a range of illnesses and conditions and many young people who meet the criteria may not consider themselves to have a disability, so it is worth exploring. It is important to realise that many applicants who may not qualify for DARE can still access support in college. DARE eligibility is based on both evidence of a disability and educational impact of this disability. DARE will prioritise applicants who are eligible for both the HEAR and DARE schemes as well as those who have a physical or sensory disability. The extent of the points reduction depends on a number of factors including the size of the course. HEAR is for applicants whose level of socio-economic disadvantage has had a negative impact on their educational attainment. When in college, successful applicants may also receive a variety of academic, personal and social supports. Some prioritise HEAR students for on-campus accommodation. Bursaries and scholarships are commonplace. Applicants for HEAR must meet a combination of a number of criteria in order to qualify, the first of which is family income. The threshold varies and, as an example, the limit is 45,790 if there are four or fewer children in the family. If an applicant does not meet the family income criterion, there is no point proceeding to the others, which include holding a medical card, a parent or guardian being in receipt of means-tested social welfare payments, attending a DEIS school or coming from an under-represented socio-economic group or area. For more information on these criteria and the different acceptable combinations, interested applicants should visit accesscollege.ie. Children who are or have previously been in the care of the state will also qualify. To apply for either of these programmes, applicants must indicate their intention on their CAO form no later than February 1. Then they will be able to access an online form where they will be asked to enter more information about their personal circumstances, to be completed no later than March 1. Finally, applicants will be required to submit an educational impact statement and evidence of disability document (for DARE) or other supporting documents (HEAR). These documents must reach the CAO no later than March 15. Deadlines are quite strict. Thermal screening to spot people infected with coronavirus is more reliable when scanning the eyeball and fingertip than taking body or forehead measurements. Experts in human physiology published a scientific article on the usefulness of thermometers which scan a person's skin to detect a fever. They say the current process is fundamentally flawed and produces a large number of false negatives, as well as some false positives, and also because not all people infected with the coronavirus develop a fever. Taking two measurements from specific locations on the body with ample blood flow allows for a more reliable estimate of the true core body temperature and if it is elevated due to fever, the researchers believe. A fever is defined as a temperature of greater than or equal to 100.4F (38C) if spotted outside of a healthcare environment. In healthcare settings, such as a hospital, a fever is technically defined as anything greater than or equal to 100.0F (37.8C). Scroll down for video Instead of using thermal technology on the forehead to gauge body temperature, the researchers say adapting the apparatus to get temperatures from the fingertip and eye would be a quick fix that has drastic improvements to reliability (pictured) Using temperature scanners as a screening mechanism in offices, restaurants and at airports is unreliable and inaccurate, researchers have stated (stock photo) Forehead-scanning thermometers have become ubiquitous as a way of detecting a fever, the most common symptom of coronavirus infection. Instead of using thermal technology on the forehead to gauge body temperature, the researchers say adapting the apparatus to get temperatures from the fingertip and eye would be a quick fix that has drastic improvements to reliability. Professor Mike Tipton from the University of Portsmouth, co-author of the research published in the journal Experimental Physiology, points to four major issues with the current scanners. Detecting an elevated body temperature itself is an unreliable indicator of coronavirus infection, as at least 11 per cent of those with Covid-19 do not have a fever, they say. This drops to less than half for people with Covid admitted to hospital. Also, the researchers point out, if a person does produce a high body temperature, this is not a guarantee they have Covid-19, as it could be the result of another infection, the weather, recent exertion or consumption of alcohol, for example. These external factors are more likely to affect temperature measurements from the forehead compared to the fingertip and eyeball. Professor Tipton told MailOnline: 'If you are hot due to having exercised, or got warm in a hot environment/by wearing too many clothes, or flushed due to having consumed alcohol, your forehead temperature and finger temperature will both be increased. 'If you have a fever your head will be hot and your hand cool. So, we think the difference between the two sites is more sensitive to identifying a fever than just measuring the forehead. 'The good news is that the same kit can be used to get the temperature from both sites - you just need a bit of software to calculate the difference.' As well issues with the fever as a symptom, the non-contact infrared gadgets being employed also do not give an accurate measure of 'deep' body temperature. To get a true gauge of a person's internal body temperature a catheter is the best possible technique, with rectal thermometers the next best substitute. This, the researchers say, is impractical as a Covid-19 screening method as it is highly-invasive and time-consuming. Also, taking a single measurement is always fraught with reliability issues, and taking two measurements from different parts of the body would instead be better, the new study states. For example, using retinal temperatures in conjunction with measurements taken from the fingertip would be a more robust method, the academics advise. Professor Tipton said: 'Using a surface temperature scanner to obtain a single surface temperature, usually the forehead, is an unreliable method to detect the fever associated with Covid-19. 'Too many factors make the measurement of a skin temperature a poor surrogate for deep body temperature; skin temperature can change independently of deep body temperature for lots of reasons. 'Even if such a single measure did reflect deep body temperature reliably, other things, such as exercise can raise deep body temperature. 'The pandemic has had a devastating global effect on all aspects of our lives, and unfortunately, it's unlikely to be the last pandemic we face. 'It's critical we develop a method of gauging if an individual has a fever that's accurate and fast.' The researchers looked through the vast reems of research now available on the symptoms of Covid-19 in patients and found that in a February 2020 study from China, fever was the most common symptom of 55,924 confirmed Covid-19 cases. But one in ten did not have a fever and people were infectious several data before they developed a fever. These individuals would therefore have a window where they would pass thermal screening while spreading the virus to others. Infrared scanners are ineffective as a screening tool for Covid-19 and have done very little to prevent the spread of the disease, experts said previously (file) Forehead-scanning thermometers have become ubiquitous as a way of detecting a fever, the most common symptom of coronavirus infection A recent MailOnline investigation found thermal-scanning devices registering temperatures up to 1.4C (2.5F) lower than recommended methods. MailOnline tested seven thermometers and obtained readings for the same healthy person which ranged from 36.2C to 37.6C. The infrared readings were the farthest from the measure considered most reliable by experts. A reading greater than or equal to 38C (100.4F) is considered a fever when taken outside of a healthcare environment, and a high temperature is cited by the NHS as one of the main symptoms of coronavirus. In an opinion piece published in December, Dr William Wright at the Johns Hopkins University and Dr Philip Mackowiak, Emeritus professor of medicine at the University of Maryland, criticised the use of thermal screening and said the devices 'lull people into a false sense of security'. Dr Mackowiak told MailOnline the true reading for body temperature can only be obtained via a highly invasive procedure, reserved solely for seriously ill hospital patients, which inserts a thermometer into the pulmonary artery via a catheter. He said a rectal thermometer was the next most accurate method, but its obvious practical limitations make it unsuitable for screening. He suggested an oral reading is the most accurate option. But, again, it 'would not be practical in massive screening applications, especially when you're concerned with a highly infectious pathogen such as Covid-19'. CITIC Telecom CPC Expands ASEAN Points of Presence to support Regional Proliferation of Innovative Technology Businesses and Smart Cities SINGAPORE, Jan 12, 2021 (ACN Newswire) CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited (\CITIC Telecom CPC\), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited (SEHK: 1883), has recently completed its Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta network gateway deployments for its TrueCONNECT(TM) Hybrid (SD-WAN, Software Defined Wide Area Network) enterprise connectivity solution. These latest SD-WAN gateways, powered by VMware, follow CITIC Telecom CPC\-\-s ongoing initiatives to anticipate and address demand for innovative, high performance, and agile Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions in the fastest-growing markets in ASEAN. In 2016 the company expanded Russian and Eastern European coverage to serve its customers better, encompassing CITIC Telecom CPC\-\-s full range of end-to-end managed services, including MPLS, cloud, and managed network security solutions. By further enhancing the footprint and capacity of TrueCONNECT(TM) Hybrid in ASEAN, CITIC Telecom CPC (CPC) is catering to the significantly growing base of Innovative Technology Businesses and Smart Cities being created in the region. TrueCONNECT(TM) Hybrid\-\-s ASEAN coverage now includes Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok and Jakarta. \We have always focused on identifying and serving the most important needs in the most important market segments,\ said Mr. Taylor Lam, Senior Vice President of Product Development & Management from CITIC Telecom CPC. \Within a year of its launch, TrueCONNECT(TM) Hybrid already covers nearly 50 gateways across 49 cities in 15 countries, including six (6) in Southeast Asia. These new ASEAN gateways in Malaysia and Indonesia underscore our commitment to ASEAN customers and highlight our continued strong SD-WAN partnership with VMware. More network gateways translate to better link quality, lower latency and overall improved performance.\ With TrueCONNECT(TM) Hybrid, a fully managed and better secured SD-WAN connectivity solution, customers can leverage the most cost-effective bandwidth available without compromising QoS delivery. Enterprises can dynamically create hybrid networks that bind multiple access technologies into single logical paths, taking advantage of MPLS linkages\-\- reliability, security, and performance, yet limiting associated expenses. Network traffic is steered intelligently on optimal paths at the best times to increase performance and reduce costs. It improves business agility, application performance, bandwidth conservation and maximizes business application accessibility. TrueCONNECT(TM) Hybrid achieves these compelling advantages without requiring the high traditional costs, additional in-house staffing or other ongoing overhead expenses, often prohibitive for companies with tight budgets and timeframes. IT managers also gain more visibility, traffic routing control, rapid deployment and recovery, all with almost zero on-site IT personnel. The new Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta network gateways significantly enhance TrueCONNECT(TM) Hybrid performance across ASEAN, long popular as an ideal region for world leading technology companies expanding physical presence. In particular, Singapore\-\-s political and legal stability and transparency have attracted considerable investment from MNCs and global technology pioneers to the city-state, including purchasing significant real property in the central business district and establishing innovation research labs. ASEAN as a whole is receiving increasing venture capital from around the world. \A huge percentage of the ASEAN population is digitally savvy,\ said Mr. Derek Ung, General Manager, Enterprise Sales, CITIC Telecom CPC. \Companies and people are eager to embrace and enjoy new technological products and services. ASEAN is still relatively under-represented in terms of tech startups. The potential for solutions that support all these new businesses and government projects especially smart city initiatives is huge, and creates opportunities for win/win/win for our company, our partners such as VMware, and our customers.\ The latest Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is setting out the framework for becoming the largest free trade area in the world. It is a potential window to reshape the future of trade as well as to propel enterprises to capitalize new opportunities across Asia Pacific. Further, analyst research has pointed to potentially immense ASEAN growth of its digital economy to some $300 billion over the next five years, likely encompassing multiple areas including smart products and services in mobility, e-commerce, travel, social media, telecommunications and even healthcare, the latter driven by telehealth demands in Southeast Asian countries lacking sufficient medical workers, and COVID-19 social distancing impacts. The \Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025\ has also forecast up to $625 billion in annual economic impact in ASEAN by 2030, through disruptive technologies such as mobile Internet, Big Data, Cloud and Internet of Things applications. \We may also see tremendous growth in fintech as the financial sector leverages new connectivity and computing technologies to innovate banking and investment services,\ added Derek, CPC. \Manufacturing is yet another area that will evolve, with many regional companies relocating or building out their supply chain in ASEAN. With our latest gateway deployment, we want to be ready to serve our customers in ASEAN and those moving to ASEAN.\ The new ASEAN gateways for TrueCONNECT(TM) Hybrid fortify CITIC Telecom CPC\-\-s ability to maintain its high-quality SLA commitment to ASEAN enterprise customers, enabling high network performance without compromising on responsiveness or reliability. The enhanced network capacity is also crucial for the region\-\-s emerging new digital businesses and smart cities, including the New Normal \Work From Home\ approach being adopted worldwide. Robust network performance without sluggishness or outages is especially relevant for organizations migrating applications and workloads to cloud platforms via business digitalization initiatives. \We are very excited to partner with CITIC Telecom CPC and help them deliver TrueCONNECT(TM) Hybrid to ASEAN customers,\ said Abe Ankumah, senior director, SD-WAN and SASE Business, VMware. \VMware SD-WAN Gateways are a unique and key component of our architecture, and for even the most demanding connectivity requirements, enterprises will be well-supported by the many high-performance gateways deployed by CITIC Telecom CPC throughout this region.\ \We are fully committed to the long-term success of our customers,\ said Taylor, CPC. \From Q1 2021, we plan to expand our network gateways to 10 more cities including in the Philippines, to ensure that we deliver the best experience to our customers.\ About CITIC Telecom CPC We are CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited (\CITIC Telecom CPC\), a wholly owned subsidiary of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited (SEHK: 1883), serving multinational enterprises the world over by addressing their specific ICT requirements with highly scalable tailored solutions built upon our flagship technology suites, comprising TrueCONNECT(TM) private network solutions, TrustCSI(TM) information security solutions, DataHOUSE(TM) cloud data center solutions, and SmartCLOUD(Tm) cloud computing solutions. As a leading Global Local ICT Solutions Partner with worldwide footprint across East to West and native presence, we truly live our motto, \Innovation Never Stops.\ Being a preferred Digital Society Enabler, we lead our key markets at the forefront of pioneering ICT development, embracing AI, AR, Big Data, IoT, and other cutting-edge emerging technologies to transform technical potential into real-world value for our customers, helping them achieve higher productivity, agility, cost-efficiency, and ultimately, Digital Globalization. As one of the first managed service providers in Hong Kong to achieve ISO 9001, 14001, 20000, 27001, and 27017 ICT-related certifications, CITIC Telecom CPC delivers on our superior quality commitment through a broad global self-managed infrastructure encompassing some of the highest growth markets in Asia, Europe and America, with over 140 points of presence, 18 Cloud service centers, 30+ data centers, and two dedicated 247 Security Operations Centers. For more information please visit www.citictel-cpc.com VMware, and VMware SD-WAN are registered trademarks or trademarks of VMware, Inc. in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies. Media Contact: June Tay CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited (65) 6692 8357 Email: june.tay@citictel-cpc.com Kolkata: Calcutta High Court judge Justice C S Karnan, whom the Supreme Court has sentenced to six months prison for contempt and has not been seen in public since then, retired from service on Monday. A customary farewell by the high court administration to a retiring judge could not be held as Justice Karnan was not present. A farewell given by the administration is held, which is attended by judges and senior lawyers and speeches are given as per custom. This was not held as he was not present, Calcutta High Court registrar general Sugato Majumdar said. Asked about clearance of Justice Karnans dues on retirement, Majumdar said all formalities will be completed as per law. A retiring judge is also given a farewell by the Bar (lawyers), though not mandatory. ALSO READ: Supreme Court refuses to hear Justice CS Karnan's plea to stay order Had Justice Karnan been here, the Bar would have considered. There is a procedure by which invitation is sent to a retiring judge and if he accepts, necessary arrangements are made. Since we do not know where he is, the question does not arise, Additional Advocate General Abhratosh Chowdhury told PTI. Owing to the unprecedented condition prevailing after the Supreme Court order and owing to his absence, a farewell could not be considered, Calcutta High Court Bar Association president Suranjan Dasgupta said. On May 9, a seven-judge bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar, had sentenced Justice Karnan to six months jail for contempt of court and ordered the West Bengal police to take him into custody forthwith. The controversial judge has not been arrested yet. A representation was made to the President on behalf of Justice Karnan on May 21 seeking suspension of the Supreme Court order sentencing him to imprisonment, according to a lawyer representing him. The lawyers took the ground in the application that Justice Karnan will be unable to exercise any remedy if he is arrested. ALSO READ: Justice CS Karnan approaches president for suspension of Supreme Court order For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The new, more infectious, UK strain of Covid-19 is better at finding victims, driving much of the illness and misery that has engulfed the country. Although lockdown has shut off so many avenues for people to meet and pass it on to each other, the new form of virus has led to heightened levels of risk even going for a walk in busy park on a Sunday afternoon is risky. It has taken root here and will become even more dominant. What are the new rules for avoiding its grip? Slip-ups The new variant means people have to be even more strict with themselves when following the basics of physical distancing, mask wearing and washing hands. It will exploit any shortcuts. Donning a face mask is second nature to us now, but many of us have got careless about wearing it correctly. Professor Kingston Mills, of the Department of the School of Biochemistry at Trinity, said masks need to be fitted properly. It should cover your nose and mouth and be secure under your chin. Fit it snugly against the sides of your face, slipping the loops over your ears or tying the strings behind your head. Shopping A trip to the supermarket or corner shop is still one of the few outings allowed. But trolleys and baskets are touched by multiple people every day. Prof Mills said he always disinfects and wipes down handles. Some (shops) can get busy and others regulate numbers. It is a higher risk than being outside, he said Supermarkets may have better ventilation than smaller shops but they will have a greater number of people increasing the chances of some being infected. Air can also be stagnant in shops. Sanitising hands at the doors should never be neglected. The alternative to in-store shopping is to order online. Walk in the park Walking in town or a city park, or even a popular beauty spot, is increasingly an exercise in dodging clusters of people. Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan recently endorsed a call by Taoiseach Micheal Martin to wear face masks outside. Given the 5km limit and the fact people have no option but to congregate in the same nearby recreational space, the advice now is to wear one for a walk in the park. Prof Mills said he would find somewhere else to exercise if walking lanes in the local park were busy. If thats the case I would avoid it, he said. Read More Queueing outside Transmission risk outside is lower, but it is not zero. Keep your distance. This new variant may be associated with higher viral load and thats what makes it more likely to transmit. The more virus a person in their cough or sneeze, the more viral particles they release. The bigger the chance they then have of infecting somebody. Public transport A flow of air is essential on buses and trains, although passengers who must travel on public transport can attest to the frequent failure to take this simple measure. Passengers may be distanced, but windows are shut. There should be a cross breeze with windows open at each side of the bus or train. This allows fresh air to enter and replace stale air. People also need to be more mindful of touching surfaces and holding on to rails, which can be unavoidable on a bus. Other passengers may have coughed or sneezed into their hands before grabbing rails. Having a small bottle of hand sanitiser at the ready is one way of cutting risk. Superspreader The new variant has been described a superspreader. It is 56pc-70pc more transmissible. Scientists point to scenarios where one person with the virus could lead to another 150 new infections in a month nearly four times that of the previously dominant strain. The World Health Organisation said the new variant has spread to 50 countries. The more infectious South African strain, found here last week, is also in 50 countries. There is also a third new coronavirus variant of concern found in Japan. These variants make the speedier roll out of Covid-19 vaccines even more urgent. The big test will be when lockdown measures ease: will the new strains just reignite the pace of infection again as people mix more? Close contacts The HSE is no longer testing close contacts of people confirmed with the virus. A person who is told they are a close contact needs to restrict their movements. A portion of these will have picked up the virus. Given the more infectious nature of the new strain, that is likely to mean a significant number of close contacts could have the infection and may not have symptoms. If they are not all restricting their movements, thousands of people could be taking a chance by going out and about and increasing the risk of spread. This means a potentially large pool of untested people who are not following the rules could have been exposed to the virus. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Amazonas state in northern Brazil on Thursday announced a 10-day curfew to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus, as cases soar and hospitals run out of beds and oxygen. Authorities warned of a dire situation across the vast state. In its capital Manaus, the health system has been pushed to breaking point. The city has "run out of oxygen and some health centers have become a type of suffocation chamber," Jessem Orellana, from the Fiocruz-Amazonia scientific investigation institute, told AFP. "Here there aren't any empty beds left, any oxygen tanks, nothingall we have left is faith," Manaus resident Luiza Castro told AFP. Amazonas governor Wilson Lima said the state was "in the most critical moment of the pandemic." The 7:00 pm to 6:00 am curfew will begin Friday. "These are difficult but necessary measures," Lima said. "We are in a war operation." According to official figures, Manaus on Wednesday saw a fourth straight day of record burials198, with 87 of them deaths from COVID-19. Oxygen is needed to treat COVID-19 patients suffering from respiratory complications. Amazonas produces "significant quantities of oxygen, but now our people need oxygen and solidarity," said Lima, who added some patients would be transferred to other states. Military personnel delivered 400 oxygen cylinders to Amazonas over the last five days. Brazil has recorded more than 205,000 deaths from COVID-19, second only to the United States. The national average is 98 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, but in Amazonas the figure is 142 per 100,000, surpassed only by Rio de Janeiro (158) and Brasilia (145). An expert studying coronavirus mutations in Amazonas told AFP a new strain detected in the state is "very probably" more contagious than the original virus, just like new strains found in Britain and South Africa. Felipe Naveca said the variant, which the World Health Organization described as "worrying," may have spread throughout Brazil and could already be the dominant strain in Amazonas. The worsening situation in Manaus was not due only to one variant, he added, noting that authorities were expecting a rise in virus cases due to end-of-year parties. "We need urgent support from the population to reduce the transmission and slow down the virus's evolution," Naveca said. Experts worry new mutations could eventually show resistance to the vaccines developed to combat the original strain. However, "right now there's no evidence that this line prejudices the vaccine's response," Naveca said, and Brazil aims to start its vaccination campaign sometime this month. There is concern, though, the new variant could already have spread throughout Brazil, and it has been detected as far afield as Japan. Britain on Thursday said it was suspending all arrivals from South America due to the new coronavirus variant. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size Article body An Auburn University faculty member is among a group of experts recognized by a major scientific organization for a groundbreaking book about invasive wild pigs. Steve Ditchkoff, the William R. and Fay Ireland Distinguished Professor in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, along with his co-editors, won The Wildlife Societys 2020 Wildlife Publication Award in the edited book category for the book, Invasive Wild Pigs in North America: Ecology, Impacts, and Management, published by CRC Press in January 2020. Rick Spaulding, chair of The Wildlife Societys Wildlife Publication Awards Committee, praised the volume. It is a fantastic book, both in terms of content and presentation, Spaulding said. Founded in 1937, The Wildlife Society, or TWS, is an international organization that addresses national and international issues affecting the current and future status of wildlife in North America and throughout the world. In addition to co-editing the book, Ditchkoff authored or co-authored four chapters. The chapters were authored by the leading authorities on wild pigs in North America, Ditchkoff said. The book is considered the seminal reference on information relating to wild pig biology and management. Ditchkoffs co-editors were Kurt VerCauteren, who leads research on invasive wild pigs at the National Wildlife Research Center; James Beasley, an associate professor at the University of Georgia; John Mayer, manager of the Savannah River National Laboratory in Aiken, South Carolina; Gary Roloff, a Michigan State University professor; and Bronson Strickland, an extension professor of wildlife, fisheries and aquaculture at Mississippi State University. The book addresses a gamut of issues and data surrounding wild pigsciting the animals as the most destructive introduced vertebrate species in the United Statesincluding their biology, ecology, damage and management. Wild pigs are responsible for an extraordinary amount of damage in both natural and anthropogenic systems throughout North America and represent one of the greatest wildlife management challenges North America faces in the 21st century. The books aim is to establish a foundation for managers, researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders to build on their future. It provides comprehensive coverage of wild pig biology and ecology, techniques for management and research and regional chapters. It is an asset to readers interested in wild pigs, the resources they affect and how to mitigate those impacts, and it establishes a vision of the future of wild pigs in North America. This book certainly deserves the acclaim it has received, said Janaki Alavalapati, dean of the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. Dr. Ditchkoff and his team have contributed an unprecedented resource for those who are affected by invasive wild pigs and the dangers, threats and widescale destruction they present. Ditchkoffs research focuses on the ecology and management of large mammals, primarily white-tailed deer and wild pigs. He has authored or co-authored more than 90 peer-reviewed scientific articles and has published more than 40 popular articles in outlets such as Deer & Deer Hunting and Wildlife Trends. In addition to his research, he teachers undergraduate and graduate wildlife courses at Auburn. (Written by Teri Greene) New Delhi: A plane carrying two million doses of Covishield will leave for the country from Mumbai on Friday evening in response to the request of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for Indian vaccines. The vaccine, Covishield (AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine) produced by India's Serum Institute of India, will help kick start Brazil's vaccination program next week. Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs, when asked about the development said, "Vaccination process is just starting in India, to early to give a specific response on the supplies to other countries. We will take the decision in this regard on due course and this may take some time." "To enable the immediate implementation of our National Immunization Program", the Brazilian President had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting, "two million doses of the immunizer produced by the Serum Institute of India". He explained in the letter that, "Brazilian government has launched the National Immunization Program against Covid-19" and "among the vaccines selected by the Brazilian government, are those from the Indian company Bharat Biotech Internacional Limited (Covaxin) and AstraZeneca at the University of Oxford (Covishield), also produced by the Serum Institute of India". It is important to note that Brazil will be producing 100 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine by its national health institute/laboratory Fiocruz. Fiocruz is right now acquiring ready vaccines from the Serum Institute in India, one of the production centres for the vaccine. Earlier in January 2021, Bharat Biotech signed an agreement with Brazil's Precisa Medicamentos for Covaxin COVID-19 vaccine. A team from Precisa Medicamentos visited the Bharat Biotech facility in Hyderabad. The company in a statement said, "In principle, it is understood between both parties that supplies of Covaxin to be prioritized for the public market, through a direct procurement by the Govt. of Brazil". Supplies to the private market would be based upon receipt of market authorization from ANVISA, the Brazilian regulatory authority. India is known as the pharma capital of the world, a position it reaffirmed during the covid pandemic by sending HCQ and paracetamol to around 150 countries around the world. Indian PM has said that India's vaccine will be for humanity, with priority to the developing world and the neighbourhood. Sean Urbanski was sentenced to life in prison Thursday afternoon in the 2017 stabbing death of Richard Collins III - a case that drew widespread attention amid racial tumult nationwide and prompted lawmakers to revise the hate-crime statute in Maryland. After hours of raw, emotional speeches from friends and family of Collins, as well as a stoic speech from Urbanski and a tearful one from his mother, Prince George's County Circuit Court Judge Lawrence Hill Jr. denied the state's request for a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Hill said he reviewed dozens of letters and victim impact statements on behalf of both men, telling the court he believed his decision to be "fair and just." "Both their lives ended that night," the judge said. But Hill also spoke plainly about issues at the center of the case - racism, white supremacy and hate speech - and made clear that he believed prejudice was a factor in Collins's murder, despite his previous dismissal of a hate-crime charge in the case. Urbanski, who is White, was arrested on May 20, 2017, soon after he attacked 23-year-old Collins, who was Black, with a three-inch pocket knife at a bus stop on the University of Maryland campus in College Park. Collins was there visiting friends and was just days from graduating from Bowie State University with a business degree. He had also been commissioned into the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant through the ROTC program, following in the military footsteps of the father and grandfather who share his name. Urbanski, now 25, was a U-Md. student at the time of the stabbing. Prosecutors said that after a day of drinking, Urbanski approached Collins and two friends, a White man and an Asian woman, about 3 a.m. "Step left, step left if you know what's best for you," Urbanski said to Collins, according to court documents. When the young man refused, Urbanski stabbed him. He was charged with first-degree murder and a hate crime after authorities discovered that he belonged to a white-supremacist Facebook group called "Alt-Reich: Nation" and had racist memes stored on his phone. But the hate-crime charge was ultimately dismissed by Hill after the state closed its case - ruling that it had not met its legal burden outlined in the state statute, which at the time was narrowly defined and rarely applied in criminal court cases. The decision was a crushing blow for Collins's family and the prosecutor's office at the time, State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy said in a recent interview, and they spoke with raw emotion about the toll of that decision during the sentencing hearing Thursday. "In my opinion," Dawn Collins said, "my son's greatest crime was that he said no to a White man." Said Principal Deputy State's Attorney Jason Abbott: "On May 20, 2017, Richard Collins's Black life did not matter to the defendant." Abbott tied the defendant's racist social media activity to the "poison" the country encountered last week, when a mob of pro-Trump rioters violently overtook the U.S. Capitol. At trial and again during the sentencing hearing Thursday, Urbanski's attorneys acknowledged that he killed Collins but said he was acting on an alcohol-fueled impulse. His blood alcohol content was three times the legal limit, defense attorney John McKenna said, and to this day Urbanski says he has no recollection of the stabbing. McKenna said Thursday that Urbanski and his counsel had never denied that he interacted with the racist content, but countered the idea that he wasa"hate-filled, right-wing nut." Urbanski's mother told the judge she was "furious" with her son for engaging with "heartless" ideas but insisted that he was not raised to be hateful. She said that growing up, her son's idol was her father, a civil rights attorney who helped desegregate schools. She also spoke directly to the victim's parents, Dawn and Richard Collins. "There is so much I have wanted to say to you over the last three years, but I honestly don't know how I am going to put that into words," Elizabeth Urbanski said. "Your son Richard should be here, and it's my son Sean's fault he is not." Much of the stories shared Thursday before the judge were about the life of Richard Collins III - and the anguish his family and the Black community more broadly has felt over his death. In speeches and statements, his sister, his cousins, his family friends and his parents spoke of the duty he felt to serve his country patriotically, how he wanted to be a father and husband one day, how he was murdered, in their minds, for being a Black man in America. His parents said that they still wake up in the middle of the night every day, around the same time their son was stabbed. They said they cannot remove from their mind the image of state troopers knocking on their door to say their son was dead. They shared that their son's grandfather, the first Richard Collins, was a Korean War veteran. He, too, was murdered by a White man. "Richard, my son, was proud to step into the footsteps of his father and his grandfather to serve this country," Dawn Collins said. "I often visit the location where my son was murdered at the University of Maryland College Park," she said. "Just sit on that bench and look to the heavens and ask, God why? Why?" When it was his turn to talk at the end of the hearing, Urbanski said there was "no excuse" for what he had done. "Mr. and Mrs. Collins, I am so sincerely sorry for what I've done," he said. "If I could switch places with your son, I would in a heartbeat." He told the judge: "I and I alone am fully to blame for this tragedy. Your honor, I deserve punishment for my actions, and I deserve any punishment you decide is acceptable." Before he offered his sentence, Hill said he was struck by the parallels of the Urbanski and Collins families. Both men had good parents, both were raised to value higher education,the judge said. But he said there were clearly things about Urbanski that his family did not know. "Alcohol was a factor, that's without question, but I don't believe frankly that this case is everything either side has made it out to be," the judge said. "Alcohol did not cause Mr. Urbanski to murder Lt. Collins. It was an element, it was a factor. Alcohol does not cause someone to do something that is not within themselves." The judge, who is Black, said that "race is always amongst us." He told Urbanski that the detail from his mother's letter about his grandfather stood out to him. "How disappointed your grandfather would be, for you to be here today," the judge said. Urbanski nodded. Collins's parents were the first family Braveboy met with when she took office two years ago, she said in a recent interview. "It was, I knew, the biggest case I was going to have, at least in my first term here as state's attorney," Braveboy said. "And it was a case that was very near and dear to me. I went to the University of Maryland . . . and so for this to happen on a campus that I walked on at one point, it touched me." Just months after the conviction, Braveboy's office and the Collins family fought for a bill, the 2nd Lieutenant Richard Collins III's Law, to be introduced in the General Assembly that expanded the definition of a hate crime to include a motivation "in whole or in substantial part" based on someone's identity. The bill passed last spring and became law. "His legacy lives on through his parents, through a foundation that they set up, and really through this case and through this new law," Braveboy said. "He is going to live forever." Collins was posthumously promoted to first lieutenant in the Army. In October, Bowie State and U-Md. announced a partnership to promote social justice and honor Collins's legacy by studying racism and making recommendations for criminal justice system reforms. The remains of 62 people killed when an Indonesia plane plunged into the ocean have been sprayed down with disinfectant after being recovered from the wreckage. Pictures from Jakarta showed 36 body bags laid out on the ground, as Red Cross workers sprayed them down at Tanjung Priok port, which has acted as a base of operations for the rescue efforts. Workers wearing hazmat suits and chemical tanks on their backs were seen walking between the bodies, spraying disinfectant as they moved up and down the rows. Rescuers have found parts of the plane and human remains at a depth of around 75ft after the Sriwijaya Air flight SJ182 plunged 10,000ft into the Java Sea within four minutes of takeoff from Jakarta last weekend. On Thursday, the funeral for one of the victims of the air crash - Okky Bisma, a flight attendant - was also held, with pictures showing his wife in mourning as his coffin was carried to his grave before being lowered into the ground. Workers wearing hazmat suits and chemical tanks were seen walking between the bodies, spraying disinfectant as they moved up and down the rows on Thursday. 36 body parts and one bag of debris have been recovered from the crash site of Sriwijaya Air flight SJ182 Pictures from Jakarta showed a reported 36 bodies laid out in rows on the ground of a dock, and disaster response workers spraying the body bags with disinfectant An Indonesian Red Cross worker sprays disinfectant on bags containing body parts of passengers of the Sriwijaya Air flight SJ 182, which crashed into the Java sea, at Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta, Indonesia, January 14 The images came on Thursday as Indonesian divers resumed a search for the remaining bodies of the 62 victims and the cockpit recorder, officials said The search at the crash site of the Boeing 737-500, which was travelling from Jakarta to Pontianak, had been temporarily suspended on Wednesday after bad weather whipped up high waves. A team of divers recovered one of the plane's black boxes, the flight data recorder (FDR), from the seabed earlier this week and efforts were underway on Thursday to retrieve the cockpit voice recorder (CVR). With the cause of the fatal crash of the nearly 27-year-old plane unclear, investigators will rely heavily on the black boxes to determine what caused it to lose control minutes after take-off. Indonesia National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) head Soerjanto Tjahjono told Reuters the FDR information was still being processed and a preliminary report would be published within 30 days of the crash in line with international standards. Tempo newspaper on Thursday reported the plane had experienced recurring problems with the autothrottle system that automatically controls the engine power settings since returning from storage last month. Sriwijaya did not respond immediately to a request for comment. Tjahjono said if the autothrottle system was not working, the pilots could control the settings manually with their hands. Indonesian divers have resumed a search for the remaining bodies of the 62 victims and the cockpit recorder, officials said on Thursday An Indonesian rescue worker stands in front of bags with body parts of passengers of the Sriwijaya Air flight SJ 182, which crashed into the Java sea, at Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta, Indonesia, January 14 An airline pilot who was not authorised to speak publicly said it was considered acceptable for a plane to fly when the autothrottle system was not working, though it would increase the pilot workload and could prove distracting in an emergency situation. Most air accidents are typically caused by a range of factors that can take months to establish, according to safety experts. The Sriwijaya crash is the biggest airline disaster in Indonesia since 189 people were killed onboard a Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX that plunged into the Java Sea minutes after take-off in 2018. Indonesia's transport ministry revealed on Tuesday that the Sriwijaya Air jet had passed an airworthiness inspection last month, having been grounded between March and December because of the pandemic. Members of Indonesian search and rescue (SAR) carry bags containing human body parts from Sriwijaya Air flight SJ182 at Tanjung Priok port, north of Jakarta on January 14 The plane - a Boeing B737-500 - is understood to have fallen 10,000 feet in less than 60 seconds just four minutes after it took off The Boeing 737-500 passed its inspection on December 14, flew five days later with no passengers and then resumed commercial flights on December 22, the transport ministry said. Initial findings by Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) showed a jet engine was running when it hit the water, based on damage seen on parts retrieved from the sea. 'The damage on the fan blade showed that the engine was still working on impact,' KNKT chief Soerjanto Tjahjono said - ruling out a mid-air break-up as the explanation for Saturday's disaster. 'This is consistent with the hypothesis that the plane's system was still working at an altitude of 250ft,' he said, noting the plane was transmitting data at that altitude. The flight data recorder was found after a navy ship picked up pings being emitted by the black boxes, at least one of which was buried in seabed mud under tons of sharp objects in the wreckage. Aldha Refa, wife of Okky Bisma, a flight attendant and one of the 62 people aboard Sriwijaya Air flight SJ182 which crashed shortly after takeoff on January 9, mourns at the grave of his husband during a funeral ceremony in Jakarta on January 14 People carry the coffin of Okky Bisma, a flight attendant and one of the 62 people aboard Sriwijaya Air flight SJ182 People place the coffin of Okky Bisma, a flight attendant and one of the 62 people aboard Sriwijaya Air flight SJ182 Actually coloured bright orange, the boxes are built to survive at vast depths and in extreme heat, and are fitted with a beacon which can emit a signal for one month. Navy chief admiral Yudo Margono said at least 160 divers were searching for the devices on Tuesday, while more than 3,600 rescue personnel, 13 helicopters, 54 large ships and 20 small boats also search the area. So far, the searchers have sent 74 body bags containing human remains to police identification experts who on Monday said they had identified 29-year-old flight attendant Okky Bisma as one of the victims. His wife, Aldha Refa, who is also a flight attendant for Sriwijaya Air, shared her grief in a series of posts on social media. 'My husband is a loving, devout and super kind man,' she wrote on Instagram. 'Heaven is your place, dear ... be peaceful there.' The Indonesian navy vessel KRI Semarang looms over rescue boats piloted by navy divers and other rescue workers on Tuesday A rescue worker wearing a mask holds a piece of wreckage after the Boeing 737 came down in less than a minute on Saturday Navy divers stand on a rubber boat during the search and rescue operation, as it emerged that the plane had passed an airworthiness inspection only weeks before the catastrophe Indonesian rescue workers move a plastic container carrying one of the black boxes off their rubber boat in waters off Jakarta Family members have been providing samples for DNA tests and police say results are expected in four to eight days. A child's Marvel backpack was among the items found by the search team as they sifted through the wreckage from the plane which had plunged 10,000ft in a minute before the crash. National Police spokesman Rusdi Hartono said about 53 samples for DNA testing have been collected but more are still needed, especially from parents and children of victims. All 62 passengers and crew aboard the flight were Indonesian, including seven children and three babies. The plane's captain, Afwan, a 54-year-old father of three, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, was a former air force pilot with decades of flying under his belt. His nephew Ferza Mahardhika told BBC Indonesia that the pilot had left home quickly on the day of the flight, complaining that 'his shirt hadn't been ironed, when usually he is really neat'. Afwan also apologised to his children for having to leave home to board the doomed flight. Ferza Mahardhika said: 'He was a very good man. He often gave advice, wise advice. He was a prominent figure in his neighbourhood and was well-known for his kindness.' Indonesian divers scouring the Java Sea for the wreckage of the plane which crashed on Saturday have found a huge amount of debris and passenger belongings A child's Marvel backpack was among the distressing items found by the search team as they sifted through the wreckage Underwater footage of their rescue mission shows the divers examining the huge amount of debris from the Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737-500 Shrapnel from the Sriwijaya Air plane was lifted from the crash site around the Thousand Islands as investigators say the jet was likely intact when it smashed into the water Health workers spray disinfectant over body bags containing human remains recovered from the crash site of Sriwijaya Air flight SJ182 at the port in Jakarta on January 10 Another passenger, Ratih Windania, posted a selfie with her three children laughing as the family boarded the plane from the Indonesian capital. She said: 'Bye bye family. We're heading home for now.' Her brother Irfansyah Riyanto said the family were originally planning to take a different flight but they changed at the last minute. 'Pray for us,' he wrote on Instagram. His sister and her two children had been at the end of a three-week holiday and were taking the 460 mile trip home to Pontianak on the island of West Kalimantan. 'I was the one who drove them to the airport, helped with the check-ins and the luggage ... I feel like I still can't believe this and it happened too fast,' Irfansyah said. Rapin Akbar, who gave a blood sample to the hospital to help police identify any bodies retrieved, had five relatives on board including an older sister, a nephew and his wife and their seven-month-old baby. '(My nephew) had planned to go back to Pontianak on Sunday but changed his mind and decided to fly on Saturday instead,' the shocked Akbar told AFP. 'He called me to say the flight was delayed and sent me a picture of their baby. It was (their) first.' At the police hospital, the brother of co-pilot Diego Mamahit said he had been asked for a blood sample. 'I believe my younger brother survived, these are just for the police procedure,' Chris Mamahit said. 'Diego is a good man, we still believe Diego survived.' On his LinkedIn profile, Mahamit had written 'I really love to fly.' Underwater divers were searching for the plane's black boxes which will help explain why the jet plunged so quickly An investigator with Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) said the jet possibly broke apart when it hit waters based on debris found so far Investigators have so far been unable to say why the 26-year-old plane crashed just four minutes after takeoff from Jakarta The plane's captain, Afwan, a 54-year-old father of three, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, was a former air force pilot with decades of flying under his belt Ratih Windania posted a selfie with her three children laughing as they boarded a plane in Indonesia on Saturday in a heartbreaking final message The family's final message was sent just before they boarded the plane from the Indonesian capital after a three-week holiday They were originally planning to take a different flight but they changed at the last minute Irfansyah said his relatives (pictured at the airport) had originally been due to take an earlier flight operated by Sriwijaya's unit NAM Air and he was unclear why that was changed Also on board was Dinda Amelia, who had gone to Jakarta on holiday for her 15th birthday, seaman Angga Fernanda Afrion who became a father for the first time last week, and newly-married couple Ihsan Adhlan Hakim and Putri Wahyuni. Agus Minarni and Muhammad Nur Kholifatul Amin travelled to Jakarta to attend the funeral of Amin's father and visit their son at boarding school. A family of five is also missing from the flight, with Rizki Wahyudi, 26, his wife Indah Halimah Putri, also 26, their 7-month-old son, and Wahyudi's mother and cousin all on board the flight. They were due to fly home on January 5 but were made to take a Covid test which delayed their flight until Saturday. Minarni's brother Yudiansyah Yunus said he will now take care of the couple's orphaned teenage children. Father and businessman Yohanes Suherdi is also feared dead after he took a work trip to Jakarta and was due to fly back to his family. His wife Susilawati Bungahilaria told CNN she spoke with him shortly before take off. 'His last message to me was not to forget to take our son to see a doctor because he had a fever,' she said. Indonesian Navy sailors are seen on the KRI Semarang as it is docking and preparing to continue rescue process for Sriwijaya Air flight SJ 182 A health worker sprays disinfectant at a large part of a plane recovered from the waters off Java Island where Sriwijaya Air flight SJ-182 crashed on Saturday, at Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta, Indonesia Rescuers have discovered body parts and pieces of clothing during a desperate search for Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 Indonesian rescue members check a body bag as a huge team continues their search to find wreckage and passengers Officials are seen inspecting one of the engines recovered from the crash of Sriwijaya Air flight SJ18 A fisherman named Solihin told the BBC that he had been at sea when he witnessed the plane crash into the water near to his ship. 'The plane fell like lightning into the sea and exploded in the water. It was pretty close to us, the shards of a kind of plywood almost hit my ship. 'We thought it was a bomb or a tsunami since after that we saw the big splash from the water. 'It was raining heavily and the weather was so bad... We were very shocked and directly saw the plane debris and the fuel around our boat.' Locals on a nearby island said they heard two explosions before discovering metal pieces, cables and fragments of a pair of jeans floating in the sea. President Joko Widodo offered sympathy to all of the victims on Sunday. 'We are making our best efforts to find and rescue the victims and we all pray that they can be found,' he said. The missing plane is an older model than the Boeing 737 MAX jet involved in two earlier fatal crashes - including the Indonesian Lion Air crash in 2018 which killed 189. That accident - and another in Ethiopia - saw Boeing hit with $2.5 billion in fines over claims it defrauded regulators overseeing the 737 MAX model, which was grounded worldwide following the accidents. Sriwijaya Air, which flies to destinations in Indonesia and Southeast Asia, has said little about the plane, which was previously flown by US-based Continental Airlines and United Airlines. The Indonesian carrier has not recorded a fatal crash since it started operations in 2003. Rescuers are seen bringing up one of the engines. At 2.40pm - just four minutes after takeoff - the Boeing B737-500 plunged nearly 10,000ft in less than 60 seconds Navy divers are seen retrieving wreckage from the aircraft. Police asked families to provide information to help identify any bodies retrieved such as dental records and DNA samples Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi on Sunday said authorities launched a widespread search for the Boeing 737-500 after narrowing down 'the possible location of the crash site' The Boeing B737-500 plunged nearly 3,300 metres in less than 60 seconds to an altitude of just 75 metres. Pictured: debris discovered in the ocean Navy divers pull out a part of an airplane out of the water during the search operation for the Sriwijaya Air passenger jet A medical officer sprays disinfectant onto the washed up debris as rescuers desperately search for survivors The National Search and Rescue Agency of Indonesia (BASARNAS) conduct a search and rescue operation A plane flies over Indonesian search and rescue teams scattered in several points as they look for debris Police asked families to provide information to help identify any bodies retrieved such as dental records and DNA samples Donald Trump is the first president in American history to be impeached twice. House Democrats, along with 10 Republicans, believed his actions in gathering and encouraging the mob that attacked Congress on Jan. 6 deserved the strongest remedy available under the Constitution.In recent days, rhetoric has run hot, with Democrats accusing the president of treason and his followers of insurrection. Congressional Republicans, for the most part, have wanted to turn the page, calling for unity and complaining that Democrats rushed the impeachment process and turned it into a political weapon.Although theres been a lot of commentary in recent days that these events are unprecedented, many of the themes now convulsing the nation are not new. The actual attack on the Capitol may have no exact analogue, but theres been violence in American politics before as well as efforts to move quickly past division in hopes of minimizing guilt.To get a sense of how much the current moment is rhyming with the historical past,spoke with Jonathan Earle, an expert on the antebellum, or pre-Civil War, period. The dean of the Ogden Honors College at Louisiana State University, Earle is the author or editor of several books, including Bleeding Kansas, Bleeding Missouri: The Long Civil War on the Border andAn edited transcript of our conversation follows:Earle: In that secession winter, President Lincolns life was in danger. Having to lock down a train and take diversionary tactics traveling through Baltimore, it was quite dangerous for him. We know how it ended for President Lincoln, and there were other assassination attempts during his presidency.Until last Wednesday, I would have said the only time in our nations history when things were this tense and violence-prone in the Capitol building was the 1850s. This was an attack on our form of government in the building where we practice it. The pictures were seeing today of soldiers turning the Capitol and other federal buildings into literal barracks are jarring.Theres a really great book that came out a couple of years ago from Joanne Freeman, a Yale historian, called. She found 70 different instances in the decade before the Civil War of physical violence in the Capitol. Everybody knows about the caning of Charles Sumner in 1856, but theres more than that, including a melee on the House floor Thats why historians like me are talking about divisions and how political strife can morph into physical violence. If you study that period in history, you can see how arguments can turn into distrust and physical violence.I do think since the Tea Party movement started a decade ago, theres been a fascination on the right wing, not just among extremists, that there is a language and ways to act from the 18th century that are applicable now.There are so many misquotations, but Jefferson did say , the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. There is a sense, even though he didnt say it in 1776, that thats what 1776 meant. The dont tread on me imagery, the fact that they were chanting 1776 as they broke into the Capitol that period of history has a hold on the imagination of right-wing extremists.I think there are two ways to look at what happened on Jan. 6. One is that its the culmination of a longstanding big lie that Trump was treated badly, to use his words, and was robbed of his rightful landslide.You can also look at it as the beginning and this is what Im really terrified about, that theres more to come. There is a planned demonstration of the woman who was shot going through the window at the Capitol. Thats what you can really make a new Lost Cause out of, that patriots rose up to stop the theft of the government.When I hear people say that we should just have unity now and move forward, thats exactly what we did in 1877. The Republicans got a presidency that they probably didnt legitimately win and the South got the end of Reconstruction . Thats when you can begin to step-by-step build an alternative history, that martyred southerners were protecting their homes from avaricious northerners. There was an agreement in 1877 to sacrifice Black political participation and civic participation in order to have reconciliation among white people.I do think that theres real peril in voting for both sides of the impeachment. People are in danger in MAGA-land if they vote against the president. Imagine what would have happened if the mob had found Mike Pence or Nancy Pelosi or Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. It could very easily have become a kidnapping event, a torturing event or even a murdering event.One of the bedrocks in talking about Tea Party ideology is the idea of extreme American exceptionalism. I dont know of any historian who will say that we cant have political violence here because our democracy is so balanced and perfect.In the 1950s, there was a school known as consensus history , the idea that our political strife is solved in the public square and we dont have putsches and stormings of the capitol, that that doesnt happen here. But it has happened. EgyptAir Company urged its passengers willing to travel to the UK to provide a negative PCR test carried out within 72 hours. The decision will be effective as of January 18 excluding children less than 11 years of age. EgyptAir also urged its passengers traveling to the UK to fill out the Passenger Locator Form available on (https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-contact-details-before-travel-uk). The company also urged its passengers willing to travel to the US to provide a negative PCR test carried out within 72 hours. The decision to be mplemented starting from January 26 excludes children less than two years old. EgyptAir also called on all its passengers to commit to all protective measures within efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Short link: The above picture shows the conference scene. (Photo by Chen Aiping) By Gao Xudong and Chen Yan BEIJING, Jan. 14 -- Recently, the Fifth Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital hosted a military medical forum on protection against nuclear, biological and chemical weapons (NBC). It is learnt that the Center is the only strategic unit in Chinese military that undertakes NBC medical rescue missions. A total of 25 experts from medical institutions inside and outside the Chinese military and over 150 representatives in the field of liver diseases attended the meeting. The meeting focused on the characteristics of biological agent-related injury under the new international situation, the new changes in the development of military NBC protection, the latest progress in Hepatology and the reorganization of advantageous subjects. The meeting covered five major topics, namely, future battlefield and military medicine, modern futuristic technology and NBC protection, tumor molecules and immunotherapy, transformation of traditional treatment for liver diseases, and new technologies and developments in liver disease treatment. It is said that extensive and in-depth discussions and exchanges have been conducted at the meeting, which would greatly contribute to the efficient integration of cutting-edge science and technology with clinical treatment and military medical service. 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 60% rise in Christians killed worldwide in 2020: Open Doors report Governments use COVID-19 as excuse for persecution of Christians Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment 2020 continued a trend of rising persecution around the world, with governments often using COVID-19 restrictions as tools of repression, Christian persecution watchdog Open Doors USA announced in its annual report. Open Doors' 2021 report revealed two important persecution trends in 2020. The number of Christians killed has increased by 60% this year, mostly because of Islamic violence against Nigerian Christians. Secondly, anti-Christian governments around the world use COVID-19 restrictions to persecute Christians. This past year 2020 has been a year of uncertainty and fear. Weve been all fighting a virus that we cannot see with the naked eye. Less known but equally as viral has been the discrimination, isolation and violence against Christians by using COVID-19 as a leverage and as justification, Open Doors President and CEO David Curry told the conference. In Nigeria, over 2,200 Christians were murdered by radical Islamists. This number makes up slightly less than half of the 4,761 Christians killed for their faith worldwide, according to Open Doors statistics. Most of the Christians killed in 2020 gave up their lives to extremist groups, not governments, Curry said. Extremists [] are emboldened by government weakened by COVID-19 restrictions, knowing that they can steal food and medical supplies from already embattled Christian communities around the world, he said. Violence by Islamists in Nigeria amounts to genocide, Curry said. Attacks have spilled over into neighboring countries. Across Africa, even countries with sizeable Christian majorities like Mozambique and Burkina Faso have suffered from Islamic persecution. It only takes a few extremists to commit violence against Christians. Other persecution hotspots around the globe include China and India, Open Doors announced. In China, the Communist Party has cracked down on Christians by using surveillance technology. In the last year, it has integrated its social credit and video security system, enabling it to track its people and punish them for attending church. In India, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party has encouraged persecution of Christians by sanctioning Hindu extremism, Open Doors research found. The party has told its nation that only Hindus are truly Indian, Curry told The Christian Post. Political leaders have discouraged police from responding to attacks on Christians. I put the responsibility at the feet of the ruling party, the BJP, which is very nationalistic. Their message to the population has been, we want India to be a Hindu nation, said Curry. I have a strong belief that if most Indian citizens knew what was happening in these Christian communities they would vote for different people. COVID-19 restrictions have covered up persecution in many places, Curry said. In many countries, Christians lose their jobs because of COVID-19. Then, governments refuse to provide aid to believers and employers dont hire them back. It looks like more suffering caused by COVID-19, but its a quiet persecution. In the northeast of Nigeria, Christians have been reporting only 15% of the emergency rations that others have gotten. COVID has clearly affected all of us around the world, yet for some their faith has made them more vulnerable, he said. Similar events have happened in India, he said. For the first time, every country in Open Doors list of the top 50 persecutors has very high or extreme levels of persecution, the report said. This trend will likely continue, Curry added. The embedded forces that are driving these scores up, religious extremists, Hindu extremism in Nepal, Hindu extremism in India, the Islamic extremist groups which we most recognize as ISIS or al Qaeda, thats an ideology that does not need a territory. When ISIS was conquered, that cancer has metastasized around the world. That trend is growing in strength. You also have governments now who have the ability to use surveillance to watch private behavior, said Curry. Christians face the most persecution worldwide because they are the largest minority faith in many countries, he said. The sheer number of [Christians persecuted] is significant, he said. You do have other faiths and we want to speak up that everybody should have the right to choose their own faith. This is about freedom of conscience. Bill-pay customers could be losing out by up to 100 a year A price war among Irish mobile networks is now in full effect after Vodafone launched a separate, cut-price mobile operator today. Clear Mobile is to offer all calls, texts and 'unlimited' data for 12.99 per month without any contract. This is less than half the price of Vodafone's ordinary monthly tariffs for such features. The move means ordinary mobile customers can now get all calls, texts and data for under 15 per month on each of the three major mobile networks, the first time this has happened. Mobile call rates have fallen rapidly in recent years, from an average of around 40 to under 20. An analysis of operators' mainstream plans compared to their budget ones show that customers who are still paying over 30 for monthly plans are losing out by at least 100 per year. The Vodafone move is also a direct response to recent discount operator introductions from Eir and Three. Eir's cut-price GoMo operator, which also charges 12.99 per month for calls, texts and 120GB of data without a contract, snatched over 150,000 customers in its first year, an event that saw Vodafone and Three lose around 1pc of their Irish market share. Three, Ireland's second largest network, responded with a revamped cut-price deal through its discount brand 48, which currently offers all calls, texts and 100GB of data for 8 per month without a contract. The Vodafone move could put further pressure on rivals such as Tesco Mobile and Virgin Mobile, which charge from 20 per month, to reduce their pricing. There is one catch to Clear Mobile that may limit its appeal to key youth markets. Vodafone says it will limit the new service's speed to 5Mbs, effectively ruling out activities such as Netflix or Disney+ without the likelihood of buffering or freezing. Expensive The new discount operator's speed limit, which is a fraction of that offered on a normal 4G service, may reserve it for older people who simply want to use Google, email and a range of lighter activities. The speed cap is to stop Vodafone customers leaving more expensive services, such as Vodafone X, which costs 20 per month and offers maximum speeds of 10Mbs. Both GoMo and 48 have speeds up to 100Mbs on the 4G networks of their parent companies. An Post Mobile, which is the only other Irish operator to use Vodafone's network, offers speeds of up to 60Mbs for 15 per month. As with other discount Irish operators, Clear Mobile will have its own website and customer service. It will not offer subsidised phones or 'upgrades' and has a 12.99 'joining fee' in addition to a first month's payment. "For Vodafone, in the context of Covid-19, it felt like the right time to provide more choice for consumers in this space," said a spokesperson. "It's a simplified sim-only offering that suits the requirements of customers who want a paired back, low-cost option." Aideen Chambers, Vodafone's head of consumer strategic products, has been appointed as Clear Mobile's general manager. In view of the global COVID-19 situation, the Centre has decided not to have a foreign dignitary present at the Republic Day celebrations this year. It will be for the first time in over five decades that there will be no chief guest at the Republic Day parade The Centre and state governments stepped up their preparations for the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive scheduled for Saturday (16 January), as the trend of daily new cases remaining under 20,000 continued for the seventh day on Thursday. In a statement on Thursday, the Union health ministry said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the vaccination drive via video conference and a total of 3,006 session sites across all states and Union territories will be virtually connected during the launch. The ministry added that around 100 beneficiaries will be vaccinated at each session site on the first day. The government is also making arrangements for the Budget Session of Parliament, which is set to begin on 29 January. The Lok Sabha Secretariat on Thursday said that the Union Budget will be presented on 1 February and the session will end on 8 April. Like the previous session, both the Houses are likely to sit in shifts with Rajya Sabha meeting in the morning and the Lok Sabha in the evening. Meanwhile, in view of the global COVID-19 situation, the Centre has decided not to have a foreign dignitary present at the Republic Day celebrations this year. It will be for the first time in over five decades that India will not have a chief guest at the Republic Day parade. "Due to the global COVID 19 situation, it has been decided that this year there will not be a foreign head of state or head of government as the chief guest for our Republic Day event," MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said at a media briefing. The decision was taken after UK prime minister Boris Johnson's last-minute decision to cancel his visit due to having to deal with the spread of a mutant strain of the coronavirus . Giving information on the spread of the new COVID-19 strain in India, the Centre said that the number of people who have tested positive for it in India has climbed to 109. States prepare for massive inoculation drive Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal were among the states which set up the required number of vaccination centres for the 16 Jan inoculation. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said the Delhi government has completed all preparations for the roll-out of the coronavirus vaccine. Over 8,000 health workers will be vaccinated on every scheduled day in the city, PTI reported. The Delhi government has received 2.74 lakh doses of the vaccine so far from the Centre, which will be sufficient for 1.2 lakh health workers. There are a total of 2.4 lakh health workers in Delhi and more vaccine doses are expected to arrive soon, Kejriwal said. Vaccination will begin at 81 centres on Saturday and the number of centres will be increased after a few days to 175 and finally to 1,000, he added. The vaccine will be administered on four days of the week: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. As per reports on Thursday, the government has extended the rule for mandatory quarantine of 14 days for UK returnees till 31 January. In Uttar Pradesh, which received about 10.75 lakh doses of coronavirus vaccine, 311 centres across 75 districts have been set up. Additional Chief Secretary of Health Amit Mohan Prasad said, "Vaccination will be held at 311 places in all the 75 districts of the state on January 16. The drive will start at 9 am and will continue till 5 pm." "In districts where the vaccine has not reached, the delivery will be ensured by this evening," he said, adding that all protocols will be followed while administering the vaccine. In West Bengal, Kolkata has been allocated 93,500 doses for the first phase of the drive, which is the highest number of COVID-19 vaccines in the state. North 24 Parganas district has been allocated the second-highest number of COVID vaccines at 47,000, followed by Murshidabad at 37,500, officials said. "All necessary preparations are on the track for the vaccine rollout. The district-wise allocation has been made as per data uploaded on CoWIN portal as on January 12, 9.45 am for the first dose of COVID vaccination of health workers and personnel of armed forces," the Health Department said in a communication to the CMOHs in all the districts. West Bengal has been allocated 6,44,500 vaccines for the first phase of the drive. Meanwhile, in Mumbai, the BMC is aiming to vaccinate 50,000 people daily as the vaccination exercise picks up pace, Bloomberg-Quint reported. The report quoted BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal as saying that initially, around 12,000 people will be given the jab at eight vaccination centres and the number will then be scaled up in a week. Additionally, The Times of India reported that the Telangana government has stipulated that people receiving the Bharat Biotech's COVAXIN jab will need to sign a consent letter, while those receiving the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, 'Covishield', need not do so. WHO scientists visit Wuhan to probe COVID origin Thirteen international experts of the WHO arrived in Wuhan on Thursday for the long-awaited probe into the origins of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, while two others did not board the flight from Singapore to the central Chinese city after they tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies. "The international team of 13 scientists examining the origins of the virus that causes COVID-19 arrived in Wuhan, China, today. The experts will begin their work immediately during the 2 weeks quarantine protocol for international travellers," the World Health Organisation said in a tweet. The 13 WHO experts will go through a 14-day quarantine. They are set to interview people from research institutes, hospitals and the seafood market linked to the initial outbreak, PTI reported. The WHO team includes virus and other experts from the US, Australia, Germany, Japan, Britain, Russia, the Netherlands, Qatar and Vietnam. Pope receives coronavirus vaccine, says Vatican The Vatican has confirmed Pope Francis received the first shot of the coronavirus vaccine on Thursday. No photos of the 84-yer-old pontiff receiving the shot have been released. The pope has advocated that everyone should get the vaccine, calling it an ethical option performed not only for ones own health but for the lives of others. The Vatican has beefed up coronavirus restrictions amid a spike in cases in Italy. The pope, who is missing part of one lung since a surgery in his 20s, has been saying the traditional Angelus blessing from a library in the Apostolic Palace, and not a window overlooking St. Peters, in a bid to prevent gatherings. The Vatican launched its vaccination program this week, administering the Pfizer vaccine. Vatican City has had at least 27 confirmed cases of the coronavirus , including a cluster among the Swiss Guards, AP reported. COVID-19 caseload details The ongoing trend of contraction of India's daily new COVID-19 cases continued with the country recording less than 20,000 daily new infections since the last seven days, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday. In a span of 24 hours, only 16,946 people were found to be infected with COVID-19 . The country also registered 17,652 new recoveries in the same period, ensuring a net decline of 904 cases in the active caseload, the ministry said. Less than 300 daily deaths have been registered for the last 20 days, it added. India's case fatality rate stands at 1.44 percent as on date. The active caseload of the country stands at 2,13,603. The share of the active cases in the total cases has further shrunk to 2.03 percent. India's total recoveries stand at 10,146,763, the ministry said, adding that 82.67 percent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 states and Union territories. Kerala has reported the maximum number of single-day recoveries with 5,158 newly-recovered cases. A total of 3,009 people recovered in Maharashtra in the past 24 hours, followed by 930 in Chhattisgarh. Kerala continues to report the highest daily new cases at 6,004. It is followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka with 3,556 and 746 new cases, respectively. A total of 198 case fatalities have been reported in a span of 24 hours. Six states/union territories account for 75.76 percent of the new deaths. Maharashtra saw the maximum of 70 casualties. Kerala and West Bengal followed with 26 and 18 daily deaths, respectively. Shocking footage shows the villager being restrained by police in Hebei, China The OAP reportedly refused to cooperate with mandatory COVID-19 screening Four officers, including two in SWAT uniforms, are seen tackling the elderly man They held him down while a hazmat-clad medic forcibly performed the virus test This is the shocking moment an elderly man was wrestled to the ground by four police officers in China after he reportedly refused to take a test for the coronavirus. Footage shows the silver-haired villager in northern China's Hebei Province being tackled and restrained by the quartet, including two in SWAT uniforms, who were shouting aggressively and ordering him to remain still. ADVERTISEMENT The officers then held the pensioner down on the floor while grabbing his face as a hazmat-clad medic forcibly performed the screening. Shocking footage shows the pensioner being restrained by four officers in Hebei The villager reportedly refused to cooperate with the mandatory virus screening Click here to resize this module The disturbing scene is said to have occurred on January 11 in Hebei's provincial capital Shijiazhuang, according to reports. The northern region surrounding Beijing has become China's new COVID-19 epicentre in recent weeks as a fresh wave of infections has rocked the country that had largely contained the outbreak. Authorities have imposed stringent lockdowns on more than 20million people while conducted large-scale testing to curb the new outbreak. The Saturday incident took place after the elderly man had allegedly refused to undergo a nucleic acid test for the virus. It remains unclear why he had disobeyed the government measure. In the video obtained by Henan Television, the elderly man can be seen standing in front of a house, seemingly holding a brick in his hand, as the four officers approached him. The Saturday incident took place after the elderly man had allegedly refused to undergo a nucleic acid test for the virus Four officers are seen tackling the man to the ground, ordering him to stay still The officers suddenly tackled the pensioner, with one of them head-locking the villager from behind while others trying to grab his arms. A man, who appeared to be an officer filming the video, can be heard shouting: 'Put down the brick!' The elderly man first tried to resist before eventually being wrestled to the ground by the officers who were aggressively ordering him to remain still. One officer said: 'Now [we are] conducting a mandatory nucleic acid test on you.' A health worker donning full-body protective suits rushed to collect swab samples as the police held the villager down while grabbing his face to prevent him from moving away. The northern region of Hebei Province surrounding Beijing has become Chinas new COVID-19 epicentre in recent weeks as a fresh wave of infections has rocked the country that had largely contained the outbreak. A man is seen in file photo being tested in Shijiazhuang on Tuesday The man was finally freed after the medic confirmed that the testing had been completed. ADVERTISEMENT The footage, which has circulated widely on Chinese social media, sparked a heated discussion online, with some web users condemning the authorities for their rough approach. One commenter wrote: 'He is an old man, is this really necessary?' Another one agreed: 'Maybe he didn't understand the testing and was scared. They should have been more patient and tried to reason with him.' Chinese authorities have imposed stringent lockdowns on more than 20million people while conducted large-scale testing. In this file photo taken on Tuesday, residents in Shijiazhuang line up to register for coronavirus tests during the city's second round of screening But other netizens approved the officers' action, claiming that people need to follow the order amid the virus outbreak. One of such comments read: 'Everyone has the responsibility to help stop the virus. [We] must obey the anti-virus measures during these unusual times.' The news comes as China has recorded its highest coronavirus daily figures today in 10 months with 124 new local infections. It also reported the first death caused by the coronavirus since May, bringing the country's death toll to 4,635. Madrid: Striker Karim Benzema has not represented France since November 2015. The Real Madrid star has been excluded from the national team program as he faces trial over a blackmail case relating to a sex tape said to involved former France team-mate Mathieu Valbuena. The striker is also accused of trying to extort money from Valbuena ahead of a friendly match against Armenia five years ago. Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has said that it will be good news if the striker can make a return to France's national squad. A website quoted Zidane as saying, "That Benzema can return to the France team is good news." Michel Moulin, who is one of the candidates running against incumbent FFF president Noel Le Graet, has already said that he would work to bring Benzema back to the France team. Real Madrid is currently placed at the second spot in La Liga standings, trailing Atletico Madrid by four points. Real Madrid will next lock horns with Alaves on January 24 in La Liga. Also Read: UAE-Ireland ODI suspended again due to corona AFC announces Sportradar as official video, data distribution partner Rankireddy, Shetty bow out of Thailand Open Closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High 'impacts our entire town' The Washington County Board of Education held a public hearing on the closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High School; the crowd pleaded against it. A freight train leaving Zhengzhou, central China's Henan province, for Europe runs through the Inner Mongolia prairie. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] ZHENGZHOU -- A total of 1,126 cargo train trips were operated linking the city of Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan province, with European cities in 2020. The trains carried 714,900 metric tons of goods worth $4.3 billion. In mid-February 2020, the China-Europe freight train service via Zhengzhou took the lead in resuming operation following the disruption brought by the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic. In November 2020, a new China-Europe freight train route linking Zhengzhou with Helsinki in Finland was launched, marking the fifth route to Europe from Zhengzhou. Launched in July 2013, the logistic network of China-Europe freight train services originating from Zhengzhou has operated 3,886 train trips, handling more than 2.1 million tons of cargo worth $16 billion. California Officials Respond to Trump Supporters Attack on U.S. Capitol Last week, after a violent mob of President Trumps supporters attacked and invaded the United States Capitol while protesting President-elect Joe Bidens win of the 2020 election, Capitol Police officers evacuated members of Congress to an undisclosed area nearby. I am safe in a secure location, Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA-37) posted on Facebook shortly after. The President of the United States is inciting a coup. We will not be intimidated. We will not be deterred. That night, after the breach of the Capitol and hours after rioters broke windows, defaced art, stole items, broke furniture, set small fires in the building, among other crimes the United States Senate reconvened to certify President-elect Bidens win. Leaders from both parties said they hoped the move to complete the work they began that morning would project resilience and inspire confidence, reassuring Americans and the world that the countrys system of democracy, regarded by many as the standard throughout the world, was strong and unshaken. The next day, Bass, who represents a Southern California district that covers parts of Los Angeles, Inglewood and Culver City, called for the immediate removal of the president. ADVERTISEMENT Donald Trump should be removed from office today, Bass posted on Facebook. That can happen one of two ways. First, Vice President Pence can step up and get the Presidents Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment. Unfortunately, I believe members of the Cabinet are as corrupt and unpatriotic as the president and, though the president is clearly unfit for office, they lack both the courage and the commitment to our Constitution. Under the 25th Amendment, if the President of the United States dies, resigns or is unable to carry out the duties of his job, the Vice President will assume the presidency. If the Cabinet does not invoke the 25th Amendment, Bass urged her congressional colleagues to impeach the President for the second time. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who represents Californias 12th congressional district, an area that spans parts of southwestern San Francisco down to and across parts of San Mateo County to the south, has called on President Trump to resign. Last week, Pelosi also reached out to Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff to walk through precautions that would prevent President Trump from launching nuclear weapons or taking unilateral and unapproved military action abroad. This weekend, Pelosi followed up with a letter to members of the House of Representatives. She told them to be prepared to return to Washington this week to possibly begin impeachment proceedings. When we take our oath of office, we promise to the American people our seriousness in protecting our democracy, she wrote. For that reason, it is absolutely essential that those who perpetrated the assault on our democracy be held accountable. There must be a recognition that this desecration was instigated by the President. Then on Monday morning, the House of Representatives introduced an article of impeachment against President Trump for inciting the violence that erupted at the Capitol last week. But Republican members blocked Speaker Pelosis push to prompt Vice President Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment. ADVERTISEMENT The mayhem at the Capitol began the afternoon of Jan. 6, when hundreds of President Trumps supporters overpowered officers, broke through barriers and stormed the Capitol building. Five Americans died during the riots, including a police officer. So far, there has not been an official estimate of the damage but, according to several news reports, taxpayers will have to pick up the tab for repairs because the building that houses the United States Legislature is not insured. This past weekend, U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA-13), whose district covers Oakland and other parts of Alameda County, announced that she joined another member of Californias congressional delegation, Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA-14), and 45 other colleagues to pen a letter to the Speaker. Speier represents an area covering parts of San Francisco and San Mateo counties. The members of the House of Representatives called on Speaker Pelosi to conduct an in-depth investigation of the security breach. Despite promises made to Members of Congress that every precaution was being taken and that there was adequate manpower and coordination, hundreds of people were able to easily enter restricted parts of the Capitol grounds, including the steps, and break into the building itself, the lawmakers wrote. Even before yesterdays events, it was clear that security at the Capitol was inadequate to address current security threats. From the same secret location that Rep. Bass posted Wednesday during the attack, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA-43) also spoke by phone to her constituents. I know that I could be a target. It was only a few days ago that another threat came in to kill me, Waters, who represents parts of southern Los Angeles County, said to L.A. Magazine. I know that I should be careful as much as I possibly can, Waters continued. Im a target. As a Black controversial woman, I have the White supremacists and others who are constantly after me, threatening me, saying terrible things about me, and lying about my stance on issues. I live with this and so Im not surprised that we have protesters. But I am surprised that they have the support of the President of the United States of America. Republican California U.S. Congressmen Devin Nunes (D-CA-22) and Kevin McCarthy (D-CA-23), who supported the pro-Trump public protests and legislative objections to President-elect Bidens certification were among the lawmakers in Washington that day that were ushered away from the Capitol into hiding. Both men represent inland congressional districts in the San Joaquin Valley. Nunes district includes parts of Tulare and Fresno counties and McCarthys district covers parts of the foothills and elevations of the Tehachapi Mountains and the Sierra Nevada. Gov. Newsom ordered the flags at the California State Capitol to fly at half-staff on Sunday. He said it was a salute to the U.S. Capitol Police officer who died as a result of wounds he suffered when a mob attacked him during the riots. Our democracy rests on our common civility. As we work to heal from the aggressions that occurred against our seat of democracy this past week, we honor U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who lost his life in defense of our democratic institutions, the governor said. Our hearts are with his family and all of our fellow public servants, our Congressional delegation and the brave men and women in uniform who protect us. Houston pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell, formerly the senior pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church, will be going to prison for six years for his role in a multi-million dollar scheme. In March of 2020, the pastor plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. HOUSTON MEGACHURCH & A PPP LOAN: Want to know how much money Joel Osteen's megachurch received? A judge in Shreveport, Louisiana sentenced him to six years in federal prison Wednesday. The former pastor is accused of conspiring to persuade multiple victims to invest nearly $3.5 million in Chinese bonds. The defendants in this case abused the trust that the victims had placed in them, Acting United States Attorney Alexander Van Hook said in a statement. This defendant used his status as the pastor of a megachurch to help convince the many victim investors that they were making a legitimate investment but instead he took their hard-earned money from them and used it for his own personal gain. This office will continue to investigate and prosecute those who scheme and prey upon the elderly and others. Caldwell's co-defendant, Gregory A. Smith, an investment advisor, pleaded guilty to the same charge back in 2019. The faulty investments were reportedly in historical Chinese bonds issued by the former Republic of China before losing power to the Communist government in 1949. Currently, the bonds aren't recognized by China's government, so they hold no actual investment value. Investors were told that they would be receiving partial ownership in the bonds, and a large return on their investment, but according to the Securities Exchange Commission, Chinese bonds are considered collectibles, with no value other than memorabilia. The investors were also given an agreement that if the bond sales failed to occur, the funds would be returned. The investors were then told to wire funds to bank accounts controlled by Caldwell. By 2014, approximately $3.5 million had been invested in the bond deals. The funds were distributed between Caldwell, Smith and others. Caldwell personally received around $900,000. He used some of those funds for personal gain-- paying down debts, mortgages, and credit cards, as well as maintaining his lifestyle according to the DOJ. As time went by, investors began to ask questions as to why that hadn't received their returns, and both Caldwell and Smith offered different excuses as to why the deals had yet to close. Investors never received their returns. Caldwell was ordered to report to the Bureau of Prisons on June 22, 2021. WASHINGTON - American leaders have debated how to address climate change for decades, weighing scientific warnings about a warming planet against the economic and social ramifications of shifting the world from a fossil fuels, an energy source on which it has depended for centuries. Unable to agree on a national plan to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, political leaders have settled for a hodgepodge of state and federal policies to promote carbon-free energy such as wind turbines and solar panels without penalizing oil, natural gas or coal. Now, President-elect Joe Biden is promising change when he takes over the White House next week. With a hand-picked team of climate progressives and control over both houses of Congress, Biden will have the chance to move the nation away from fossil fuels to a degree that far exceeds the efforts of past presidents. As Houston and other places have been slammed by hurricanes and flooding storms, and the West is inundated with heat waves and wildfires, this has become reality to people in a way that wasnt true 10 years ago, said David Doninger, a senior director at the Natural Resources Defense Council. I credit Barrack Obama, who up to this point did the most to protect the climate, but Biden is going to start from a higher platform. A long-time senator from Delaware with a reputation for working across the aisle, Biden was far from the first choice of most climate activists when he won the Democratic nomination for president last year. Even after he put out a plan to spend $2 trillion over the next four years to expand clean energy and shift cars and trucks away from gasoline and diesel, questions arose whether he had the stomach to carry through on changes that would lead to job losses in places such as Texas, where hundreds of thousands are employed in the oil and gas sector. But since winning election over President Donald Trump in November, Biden has assembled a cabinet that is universally on record that the U.S. economy needs to decarbonize and quickly. His team includes vocal climate voices from the Obama administration, with former Secretary of State John Kerry, who negotiated the Paris climate agreement, named Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. Former EPA administrator Gina McCarthy, under whom the agency adopted tough greenhouse gas emissions standards, was appointed to the newly created position of National Climate Advisor. On HoustonChronicle.com: Biden faces competing strategies on climate Heading the EPA will be Michael Reagan, an agency veteran under the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations who spent eight years at the Environmental Defense Fund. And Bidens pick to head the Department of Interior, Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., drew outrage from her own states oil and gas sector in November when, in response to a question about the new administrations plan to halt oil and gas leasing on federal lands, said, We dont need drilling everywhere. Theyre progressives, Scott Segal, a Washington energy attorney, said about Bidens cabinet picks. Its hard to look at people like Gina McCarthy, John Kerry and Brenda Mallory (Bidens pick to head the Council on Environmental Quality) and think theyre going to do anything but make environmental concerns front and center. With a razor thin majority in the Senate, the new administration will be limited under current rules from passing any major climate legislation without agreement from at least 10 Republican senators. But the administration has plenty of other options to go after oil companies and other fossil fuel producers. Biden can bypass Congress through executive orders, which presidents have increasingly used to make policy at times of a divided Congress. Such initiatives are expected to include not only Bidens promise to halt federal oil and gas leasing and toughen car emissions standards, but also new financial rules that raise borrowing costs for companies extracting fossil fuels - for which support is growing among progressives. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, who is expected to take over the powerful Senate Banking and Housing Committee, said in a recent statement, I will demand and push regulators, the administration, and the entire financial services industry to account for climate change's impact on the economy." While a sweeping national climate bill is unlikely to pass. Democrats could use their majorities in Congress to direct federal spending toward clean energy goals such as modernizing the power grid and building electric vehicle charging stations. We expect Biden will direct all his cabinet members to come up with a plan to prioritize climate change, and the good thing with the majority in the Senate is having the funding to carry things out, said Christina DeConcini, director of government affairs at the World Resources Institute. Weve never seen a president make climate a central tenet. On HoustonChronicle.com: Texas Democrats keep quiet on Bidens pledge to halt oil and gas leasing The question now is how quickly the new administration can get its low-carbon policies in place. Biden is expected to go immediately after Trump-era regulations that loosened emissions restrictions on everything from power plants to oil and gas drilling operations. But as Trump found out when he took office, undoing the previous administrations work is a lengthy and complicated process, involving stakeholder meetings, public comment periods and often litigation. Theres pending suits going back into the Obama administration that are still out there, said Lee Fuller, executive vice president of the Independent Petroleum Association of America. There is clearly an enormous amount of left-wing pressure for the administration to use every tool it has to suppress fossil energy. But the reality is fossil energy is a critical part of the economy and will be for several decades, probably more than that. With oil companies and other industries opposing much of the new administrations climate agenda, convincing Republicans to come along would appear a hard sell. But Doninger, the NRDC director, said there are signs they that Biden and his allies could win over some centrist Republicans. Last month, Congress passed bipartisan legislation to phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbons, a greenhouse gas used in refrigerators and air conditioners. And in recent years, Republicans in Congress have shifted from questioning mankinds contribution to climate change, instead arguing for free market solutions over government mandates. Weve been operating under the premise that at some point climate change becomes so real that even Republicans have to change their stance, Doninger said. Will we see a giant economy-wide climate bill? Probably not right away, but interesting things can be done. james.osborne@chron.com Twitter.com/@osborneja Guangzhous Liwan district carried out nucleic acid tests throughout Wednesday night and Thursday in a bid to control the spread of Covid-19. The southern metropolis is under pressure to prevent imported infections, after a person was confirmed Friday to have contracted a strain of the coronavirus first found in India. The city reported three new cases, one local and two imported, on Wednesday May 27, 2021 05:09 PM TORONTO, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Retained executive search firm The Caldwell Partners International Inc. (TSX: CWL) announced changes to its senior leadership team as the company expands operations after its merger with IQTalent Partners, a technology-driven talent acquisition and executive search firm. John Wallace has relinquished the role of President of Caldwell, and the Board has appointed Chris Beck in his place. Mr. Wallace will continue in his role as Chief Executive Officer of Caldwell Partners and Mr. Beck will continue in his role as Chief Financial Officer of Caldwell Partners. In his expanded role, Mr. Beck will be responsible for all financial and investor relations functions of the enterprise, and will provide day-to-day leadership and management of the executive search business. His chief areas of focus are the firm's growth strategies, processes and fostering a success-oriented environment inside the firm. He will also continue to lead Caldwell's diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. David Windley has been appointed as President of IQTalent Partners, responsible for the day-to-day leadership and management of IQTalent Partners and focused on the firm's continued growth. He will also join Caldwell Partners' executive leadership team. Mike Falagario has been appointed Vice President, Finance of Caldwell Partners, responsible for the finance and accounting functions of both Caldwell and IQTalent Partners. He will remain as Corporate Secretary of Caldwell Partners. "These changes are part of an overall growth strategy as we continue to transform into a technology-powered talent acquisition firm specializing in recruitment at all levels," said John Wallace, chief executive officer of Caldwell. "By combining our two firms' capabilities, expertise, network, and resources, our teams will have the ability to strengthen our client offerings and create a seamless recruiting experience all the way through the C-suite and the boardroom for our clients. Chris, David and Mike are experienced Caldwell and IQTP employees who are well-placed to usher in this exciting new era of growth for our combined organizations and to ensure that our teams are able to remain wholly focused on one thing: putting clients together with the right talent to fuel their success." These changes are effective immediately. About Caldwell Partners Caldwell Partners is a technology-powered talent acquisition firm specializing in recruitment at all levels. Caldwell, a retained executive search firm, enables clients around the world to thrive and succeed by helping them identify, recruit and retain the best people. Our reputation 50 years in the making has been built on transformative searches across functions and geographies at the very highest levels of management and operations. We are a leading licensed certified partner of The Predictive Index (PI), an award-winning talent optimization platform with a suite of talent strategy and assessment tools that when integrated with our search process helps clients hire the right people, then manage and inspire them to achieve maximum business results as fast as possible. IQTalent Partners offers consulting, candidate sourcing, candidate research, and full lifecycle recruiting to its clients. Using a unique on-demand business model, IQTP augments the client's in-house talent acquisition team in a partnership without commissions or long-term contracts. Founded in 2009 with a mission to find a better, more cost-effective, and efficient way for organizations and candidates to find a match, the company has partnered with more than 300 corporations from Fortune 500s to startups. IQTP's IQTalent Xchange is an original market concept using advanced artificial intelligence combined with human expertise to create a passive candidate marketplace. The proprietary talent exchange platform includes more than 300 million global professionals, offering clients unprecedented access to the most qualified candidates. Caldwell's Common shares are listed on The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: CWL). Please visit our website at www.caldwellpartners.com for further information. Forward-Looking Statements Forward-looking statements in this document are based on current expectations that are subject to the significant risks and uncertainties cited. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by use of statements that include phrases such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "foresee," "may," "will," "likely," "estimates," "potential," "continue" or other similar words or phrases. Similarly, statements that describe our objectives, plans or goals also are forward-looking statements. The Company is subject to many factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the relevant forward looking statement including, but not limited to, software that we license from third parties, our ability to successfully recover from a disaster or other business continuity issues, successfully integrating or realizing the expected benefits from our acquisitions, adverse operating issues from acquired businesses, our ability to attract and retain key personnel; exposure to our partners taking our clients with them to another firm; the performance of the US, Canadian and international economies, including the impact of pandemic diseases; competition from other companies directly or indirectly engaged in executive search; liability risk in the services we perform; potential legal liability from clients, employees and candidates for employment; cybersecurity requirements, vulnerabilities, threats and attacks; damage to our brand reputation; our ability to align our cost structure to changes in our revenue; adverse governmental and tax law rulings; our ability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations to support our growth and fund any dividends; technological advances may significantly disrupt the labour market and weaken demand for human capital at a rapid rate; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; affiliation agreements may fail to renew or affiliates may be acquired; marketable securities valuation fluctuations; increasing dependence on third parties for the execution of critical functions; volatility of the market price and volume of our common shares; potential impairment of our acquired goodwill and intangible assets; and disruption as a result of actions of certain stockholders or potential acquirers of the Company. For more information on the factors that could affect the outcome of forward-looking statements, refer to the "Risk Factors" section of our Annual Information Form and other public filings (copies of which may be obtained at www.sedar.com). These factors should be considered carefully, and the reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Although any forward-looking statements are based on what management currently believes to be reasonable assumptions, we cannot assure readers that actual results, performance or achievements will be consistent with these forward-looking statements, and management's assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Except as required by Canadian securities laws, we do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf; such statements speak only as of the date made. The forward-looking statements included herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary language. SOURCE The Caldwell Partners International Inc. Related Links http://www.caldwellpartners.com by Nirmala Carvalho Fr Purushottam Nayak, AsiaNews contributor, is tasked with the process. A list of 105 martyrs, including seven Catholics, is already ready. The rest are Christians from other denominations, Hindus, Muslims and more, killed because they helped, hosted, and defended their Christian brothers and sisters. Some widows tell their story. One of them is about Rajesh Digal, killed at 26. Cuttack-Bhubaneswar (AsiaNews) Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar started the diocesan process for the martyrs of the anti-Christian pogrom of 2008 in Odisha (Orissa). Fr Purushottam Nayak, a contributor to AsiaNews, is in charge of collecting testimonies and evidence of martyrdom. He is the pastor at Our Lady of Charity parish in Raikia (Kandhamal), where many of the killings occurred during the pogrom. The diocesan process is only the first step. After all the collected material is gathered, it is sent to the Vatican for further examination and research, ending finally in beatification and canonisation. So far, he has a list of 105 martyrs, including seven Catholics; the rest include Christians of other denominations, as well as Hindus, Muslims and more, killed because they helped, hosted and defended their Christian brothers and sisters. The diocese wants to honour non-Catholics and non-Christians because it recognises and appreciates the sacrifice of their lives out of love, Fr Nayak said. A group of six people is helping the clergyman, following a standard procedure in collecting information. The process involves: First, drafting a critical biography of the martyred candidate; then [filing] a report on his virtues: faith, hope, charity, generosity; then another report on his holiness, on the favours obtained through his intercession. Lasty, a list of possible obstacles to the cause is made. To do their job, The group collects public information about the candidates and their martyrdom, citing a list of witnesses, both for and against their cause. One of the greatest difficulties is the fact that survivors are afraid to speak out: their wounds are still open, and they are still forced to live with people who do not value the martyrdom of Christians. In addition, many of those who survived the Kandhamal pogrom are missing, having fled to never return to their homes and villages. Despite this, we are making every effort to meet the survivors, both individually and together with their families, collecting as much data as possible about the martyrs of Kandhamal. The widows of many of the men killed are among the most important sources for the diocesan process. Fr Nayak met a group of them on Christmas Day and last Sunday in the village of Tiangia. After the Eucharist, they gathered around the martyrs' memorial, a yellow column surmounted by a cross, with seven names of worshippers killed in 2008. One of the guests is Anita Pradhan, 36, widow of Sibino Pradhan, from Our Lady of Charity parish, in Raikia. Sibino Pradhan was murdered in 2008, during the anti-Christian violence, the priest said. Anitas faith is strong, even if her life is full of difficulties. Even now, the government hasn't given her the compensation it promised. Her economic hardships have also increased with COVID-19. Asmita Digal, 35, was married to Rajesh Digal, from the village of Bakingia, about 7 km from Raikia. On 26 August 2008, Rajesh was pulled off the bus he was travelling on and killed in Paburia. He had attended a meeting of Protestant pastors in Hyderabad and was returning to his village. Hindu radicals realised he was Christian because they found a Bible in his backpack. They threatened to kill him, beat him and then threw him into a well. They demanded he renounce his faith, but Rajesh refused, preferring to die. He was 26. Asmita only learnt about her husband's death two days after the killing. All of them speak about their experience, about persecution, their eyes filled with tears, Fr Nayak said. It is really moving for me to see their faith and strength in the Lord. I feel a lot of sadness, and I share in their pain, but I am also comforted to see their hope and hear their testimony. WASHINGTON - President-elect Joe Biden has chosen former Senate candidate Jaime Harrison of South Carolina to be the next chair of the Democratic National Committee and a host of his top allies to be vice chairs as he moves to remake the national party infrastructure to better compete with Republicans. The slate of Democratic Biden allies who will take over the upper ranks of the party under Harrison include Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Rep. Filemon Vela of Texas. Harrison, 44, a former chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party who lost his bid for national chair in 2017, raised more than $130 million in his effort to defeat Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., last year, making himself a well-known name among Democrats nationwide. His candidacy for the DNC chairmanship had been promoted by Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., who played an instrumental role for Biden during the Democratic primary contest. "This group of individuals represent the very best of the Democratic Party," Biden said in a statement Thursday. "We need to elect Democrats across our country and up and down the ballot. To do that is going to take tireless leadership committed to strengthening Democratic infrastructure across our states. These leaders are battle-tested and ready for this immense task. I know they will get the job done." The proposed party leadership, which is not expected to face an internal challenge, will arrive as the Biden transition effort has begun planning for a renewed focus on party-building at the national level in the coming years. It also comes amid a desire for strengthening the party structure after an election that, while it resulted in Biden's victory and narrow control of the Senate, saw Democrats lose ground in the House, complicating efforts to push through his agenda. President Barack Obama had initially housed his own political operation at the committee, a decision that many Democrats now blame for allowing a weaker party structure that made it possible for Republicans to catch up and in some cases pull ahead in the race for data and organizing. "I'm thrilled by this slate of officers, all battle-tested, brilliant leaders that build on our party's successes, reflect the great diversity of the Party, and will work to expand our successes up and down the ballot," incoming deputy White House chief of staff Jen O'Malley Dillon, who previously served at the DNC and as manager of Biden's recent campaign, said in a statement. "These leaders know what we need to do to ensure the party is strong, inclusive, and continues to expand our coalition of support across the states." The DNC by tradition does not have competitive internal elections after winning the White House, giving the incoming president the power to shape the party. This year, the election rules for open positions were not announced until Monday, three days before candidates were required to submit their names and 10 days before members were set to vote. The seats up for reelection must be as "equally divided by gender as practical," under party rules, and are also expected to represent a broad range of racial and ethnic diversity. Bottoms and Harrison are Black, Vela is Hispanic, and Duckworth is Asian. Bottoms, Duckworth and Whitmer were considered as possible vice-presidential nominees by the Biden team. Biden will support another term for Chris Korge, the national finance chair, and Jason Rae, who serves as secretary of the party. Virginia McGregor, the current deputy national finance chair and a native of Biden's hometown of Scranton, Pa., would become the party's treasurer. All of Biden's nominees must now collect signatures by Monday from party membership to appear on the official party ballot by next week. The voting for a replacement, which will be done virtually, will be completed Jan. 21, the day after Biden's inauguration. Under Democratic Party rules, the chair wields enormous power, especially when the party has a president in the White House. Harrison, if elected, would have unilateral power over most major decisions and be able to directly appoint members to key governing bodies within the party, such as the Rules and Bylaws Committee, which sets the calendar and rules for the presidential nomination process, and the Budget Committee, which tracks how money is spent. The Rules and Bylaws Committee is expected to take up the question of whether to change the Democratic nomination process for the 2024 election. While a perennial topic of conversation, the nomination system raised broad concerns within the party after complicated caucuses last year in Iowa and Nevada. Nevada party leaders have taken steps to shift to a presidential primary in 2024 - a move that, depending on the timing they sought, could upset New Hampshire, which has long vowed to maintain its place as the first primary contest. The Rules and Bylaws Committee is required to produce a report about problems with the 2020 nomination - which included a lengthy and flawed count after the Iowa caucuses - by the end of March. Harrison will play a role in shuffling that panel's membership, probably at the summer meeting of the party this year. Another major position up for grabs next week is the chair of the party's Association of State Democratic Committees, who is elected directly by state party chairs instead of all party members. Ken Martin, the group's current president and the head of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, is seeking reelection to the post, which he is expected to retain. "It is an exciting time to be a Democrat," said Martin, who added that the party would need to grapple with downballot losses in the last election. "We need to also reflect on this last election, which in a lot of ways reminds me of that Rolling Stones song 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' - but you get what you need." He said that conversations about the future of the Democratic nomination process had already begun and that he supports a full discussion within the committee. "The biggest question is: What does President Biden and Vice President [Kamala] Harris think about it, because they are the leaders of the Democratic Party," Martin said. WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump's exhortation for his supporters to attack the Capitol on Jan. 6 has galvanized a nationwide extremist movement and fueled those determined to disrupt the transfer of power to President-elect Joe Biden and violently challenge the legitimacy of the election for months - and possibly years, according to U.S. officials and independent experts. U.S. officials have warned authorities nationwide to be on alert for potential acts of violence at state capitols, as well as a possible second attack on the U.S. Capitol or on the White House. Law enforcement authorities have said extremists may use firearms and explosives and are monitoring online calls to rally in cities nationwide beginning Sunday. Security at the inaugural ceremony in Washington on Jan. 20 probably will be the most intense ever. At the center of the amorphous but increasingly motivated extremist movement sits the current president, twice impeached, deprived of his social media megaphones but still exerting a powerful influence over his followers who take his baseless claims of election fraud as an article of faith. "It has begun to shift from 'We are going to win this' to 'This fight is going to be a long one,' " said Rita Katz, executive director of SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors extremist groups and their use of social media to inspire and organize adherents. "The prevalent consensus across the movements involved in or supporting the Capitol siege is that they will keep pushing forward." As Trump spends his final days in office, some of his followers, bereft of his directions via Twitter, are unsure where to focus their energy, experts said. Some events planned in Washington and in state capitals have been canceled, partly out of fear that the events were actually organized by federal authorities as a "false flag" operation meant to trap Trump's followers. The organizer of the "Million Militia March" appears to have abandoned an Inauguration Day demonstration in Washington, warning followers on his personal website to "STAY FAR AWAY FROM DC & ALL STATE CAPITALS . . . IT IS A TRAP." Social media platforms and Web hosting services have removed accounts and chat apps that Trump supporters used to coordinate the Jan. 6 assault. But that has made it harder for law enforcement officials to monitor those who might be planning violence. It's a measure of Trump's influence that the extremists are expressing frustration that they are left without clear guidance by any central figure about what to do and when and where to gather. But they are adapting. "What they're now seeing is a fragmentation, a frustration among some of the followers because they don't even have Trump giving instructions," said one congressional aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive government intelligence, including warnings contained in a joint intelligence bulletin issued by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. It concluded that there is "a great degree of uncertainty" about the timing and location of potential attacks, even as the volume of online extremist chatter has increased significantly. The Anti-Defamation League said it has been tracking an uptick in calls for nationwide armed protests beginning this Sunday. Experts said far-right extremists have called on their followers to loot and burn buildings and engage in physical violence against those they perceive to have aided Biden in illegitimately seizing the presidency. Several of the groups appear to have been deterred from hosting another protest in Washington, at least for now, because of a massive show of military force. By next week, the D.C. police chief said, more than of 20,000 National Guard members are expected to be deployed in Washington. On TheDonald.win, a forum that attracted some of Trump's most zealous and threatening supporters in the run-up to the Jan. 6 attack, users appeared to accept that law enforcement officials probably would crush any protest in the near future. Participants on the forum discussed when the next opportunity for armed protest might arise. "We won't sit on our hands for the next four years but we can pick and choose our battles moving forward," read one message allegedly written by Enrique Tarrio, the chairman of the far-right Proud Boys and sent to subscribers of the group's Telegram channel, an encrypted messaging app. Thousands of users have flocked to Telegram as social media companies have taken steps to expel far-right groups and conspiracy theorists from their platforms. Twitter shut down more than 70,000 accounts affiliated with QAnon, a conspiracy theory that claims that a secretive cabal of Democratic Satan worshipers runs the government. Amazon suspended Parler, a conservative alternative to Twitter, from its website-hosting services. Telegram has cracked down on its sizable number of white supremacist and neo-Nazi users, experts said. On Telegram, some users have called on followers to abandon plans for a second protest in Washington in favor of surprise attacks nationwide. "These lizards have addresses outside of DC, all over the country, hell maybe nearby in your flyover state," one channel administrator wrote. "Is the military going to deploy in mass everywhere? They can't." Some members of Congress have sought private personal security after Trump supporters harassed them at their homes, said one person familiar with matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect the lawmakers from becoming bigger targets. There are some indications that in the absence of clear direction from Trump, groups are taking it upon themselves to organize in their communities. One Telegram message purporting to be an "intel drop" from the "boogaloo boys," another prominent extremist group, told followers to "get a feel for your local area and get your friends together." The message said they should find others who are outraged about the death of Ashli Babbitt, who was shot by a police officer while storming the Capitol. "No, we're not going to tell you 'show up on XX day and do XX,' " which would risk alerting authorities, the message continued, advising followers to "have some damn ingenuity and autonomy." In the week since the attack on the Capitol, members of the Boogaloo channel have been cheering the erosion of Trump supporters' reverence for police and calling for continued actions. Boogaloos have long been advocates of violence against police and have not had the same qualms as other far-right groups about turning on law enforcement officers. Experts said that although extremist groups are loosely organized, they are firmly united in their belief that the election was stolen, an idea that will persist long after Trump leaves the White House. "This animating narrative that something has been taken away from them, stolen from them, is essentially a gift that has been given to them by the president, by others and will likely animate some extremists for the next four years at least," said Oren Segal, the vice president of the Center on Extremism at the Anti-Defamation League. Katz, the terrorism researcher, said: "This movement isn't something we are going to simply delete from social media or evaporate by keeping them off mainstream media. Just as we have seen with other extremist movements, the extremists behind the Capitol siege will become further radicalized as they are pushed into less-moderated online venues." - - - The Washington Post's Ellen Nakashima and Marissa J. Lang contributed to this report. ADVERTISEMENT A Customary Court sitting in Mapo in Ibadan, on Thursday dissolved a 15-year-old marriage between a mother of two, Olubunmi Faseyitan, and her husband, Kolawole, over witchcraft suspicion. The president of the court, Ademola Odunade, dissolved the marriage after Faseyitan admitted that she asked a witch doctor to tie her husband spiritually to milk him dry. Delivering judgment, Mr Odunade, said: men and women intending to get married should seek Gods approval in their relationship before forging ahead. He said that he dissolved the union in the interest of peace. The judge granted custody of the two children to Faseyitan. The arbitrator ordered Kolawole to pay N6,000 monthly for the childrens upkeep. Earlier, Faseyitan said:I never wished death on my husband. All I wanted was to him in bondage and make him sick, until he serves his purpose. READ MORE: Kano govt shuts down witchcraft centre I only told the witch doctor so that people would be convinced that his second wife was responsible for the calamity that befell him. Earlier, Kolawole, a factory worker prayed for the dissolution of his 15-year-old marriage on grounds that his wife was into black magic. I did everything possible to please her. But it was not enough. I abandoned the home to her she confessed to me, he said. Hew tendered the recorded conversation between his wife and the alleged witch doctor as exhibit before the court. (NAN) We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form HOUSTON, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Each year, Goodman Financial Corporation, a fee-only financial advisory and wealth management firm in Houston TX, selects multiple non-profit organizations to provide a donation to. Goodman team members each select an organization to donate with such donation funded by the firm. This year, team members selected 14 organizations, and each received a donation in the amount of $500 to $2000. The organizations selected this year include: Arms Wide Adoption Service Brookwood Community Christian Community Service Center (CCSC) Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP) Dillon International, South Korea program program Dress for Success Houston Houston Food Bank Houston SPCA Limbs for Life Mosaic in Action Paws for Heroes PTSD Foundation of America Camp Hope St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Team Luke Hope for Minds "We were committed to keeping our annual giving tradition alive, despite the pandemic. In many cases, organizations need our support now more than ever. We are pleased to continuously support our local, and in some cases, international communities, and look forward to continuing this tradition for years to come," said Steve Goodman, CEO, Goodman Financial. Goodman Financial is committed to philanthropy and giving back to the community, referring to their philanthropic commitment as "Doing Good Things for Good People." This philanthropic spirit is exercised in many ways throughout each year, including: Donating to charitable organizations, Actively volunteering our professional time to non-profit organizations, Assisting and advising philanthropically-inclined clients in the areas of planned giving, charitable beneficiary selection, and the creation of private foundations. About Goodman Financial: Goodman Financial is a fee-only investment management and financial advisory firm located in Houston, Texas, serving clients nationwide. Founded in 1988, Goodman Financial has over 30 years of experience in helping clients achieve their long-term financial goals. Goodman Financial has no affiliation with insurance companies, banks, mutual funds or brokerage firms, and investment decisions are made with our clients' best interest as our top priority. With a personalized approach and prudent investment decisions, fiduciary services include financial planning, retirement planning, tax efficiency, portfolio management, pension funds, foundations, endowments and associations. Clients include individuals and institutions such as trusts, family limited partnerships, endowments, non-profits, pension plans and private foundations who appreciate personalized service and solutions tailored to their unique goals. Media Contact Jennifer McDaniel 832-928-8598 [email protected] SOURCE Goodman Financial This year our dine and drink business locations throughout the Gorge have suffered with closures. You can help support your favorites by purchasing take out and gift cards. Many of these business will offer curb-side delivery and some will deliver to your home. Lets keep the Gorge going strong! New Delhi, Jan 14 : The ninth round of talks between the government and protesting farmer unions will take place on Friday as scheduled. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the Centre is looking forward to positive discussions with the farmers. Tomar said the government is ready to hold discussions with farmer unions leaders with an open mind. Earlier, talks between the farmer unions and the government did not make much headway in breaking the deadlock. Also, earlier this week the Supreme Court appointed a four-member expert panel to hear farmers' grievances. However, a key member of this proposed committee subsequently recused himself. In this backdrop, Tomar said the talks between the government and the farmer union representatives will take place as scheduled on January 15 at Vigyan Bhavan. Bharti Kisan Union (Lakhowal) general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal, who is part of the farmers delegation, said the farmer unions will hold discussions with government on Friday as scheduled. When queried on the main point of discussion during the talks, Lakhowal replied that farmers have two demands, the first is the repeal of the three farm laws, once this is met then the farmers will place their second demand. However, farmer unions have consistently maintained that they won't appear before the court-appointed panel, as the members favour the laws. The three controversial laws are the Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020. Earlier today, Bhartiya Kisan Union president Bhupinder Singh Mann said he is recusing himself from the four-member committee. Expressing gratitude to the Supreme Court for nominating him on the panel, Mann said he would give up any position to prevent farmers' interests from being compromised. In a statement, he said that in view of the prevailing sentiments and apprehensions amongst the farm unions and the public in general, he is ready to sacrifice any position so as to not compromise the interests of Punjab and farmers of the country. "I am recusing myself from the committee and I will always stand with my farmers and Punjab," Mann added. On Tuesday, the top court had stayed the implementation of the three farm laws until further orders. In order to resolve the impasse, the top court also appointed a four-member expert panel, which had been tasked to submit its report before the court within two months. Apart from Mann, Shetkari Sanghatana (Maharashtra) president Anil Ghanwat, International Food Policy Research Institute's Pramod Kumar Joshi and agricultural economist Ashok Gulati have been appointed by the apex court on the expert panel. Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh, have been agitating at various Delhi borders since the last week of November. --IANS ss/ash Get Outlook for Android Measures for detecting ordnances abandoned while fleeing by the Armenian army are continuing in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan, according to the Barda regional group of the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Thus, on the territory of Sugovushan village, employees of the Tartar Regional Police Department found one 60 mm mortar, 72 rounds for it, 5 AGS-17 grenade launchers, 2 PKT units of 12.7 mm caliber, one Kalashnikov machine gun, as well as the IGLA ready-to-launch anti-aircraft missile system, an RPG-18 grenade of the Mukha brand, three RPG-7 anti-tank mines, a sniper rifle, 2 boxes of cartridges of 12.7 mm caliber, a hand-held radio station and a charging device for it. But what we saw this past summer was an uprising primarily by minority groups that had long been oppressed in America. It was a demand that the government treat everyone equal, and that police be held accountable for killing George Floyd, who was held face-down on the pavement with an officers knee pressed on his neck. BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - At 7.30 am ET Thursday, the European Central Bank is slated to release the account of the monetary policy meeting of the Governing Council held on December 9 and 10. Ahead of the release, the euro showed mixed trading against its major counterparts. While it rose against the franc, it retreated against the pound and the yen. Against the greenback, it was steady. The euro was worth 126.35 against the yen, 1.0808 against the franc, 1.2151 against the greenback and 0.8897 against the pound at 7.25 am ET. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. A natural gas explosion at a Dallas home that killed a 12-year-old girl came after an energy company failed to find a damaged line despite two nearby homes being destroyed in gas-related fires on the two previous days, federal officials said. National Transportation Safety Board officials said that after those first two incidents, Atmos Energy should have isolated the natural gas line and evacuated residents. The disaster could have been prevented if Atmos Energy had done what they needed to do, NTSB Chairman Robert Sumwalt said following a board meeting. NTSB officials said Atmos didnt adequately investigate the first two fires. Linda Michellita Rogers was killed and four others were injured in the Feb. 23, 2018, explosion in a neighborhood near Dallas Love Field. NTSB officials said that gas had leaked from a steel line running down an alley that had degraded after being dented, likely by heavy equipment during the replacement of a sewer line more than 20 years earlier. Officials said the gas migrated through the soil and into the house, where it was ignited by an unknown source. Sumwalt said that in the weeks after the explosion, Atmos found about 1,260 leaks in area lines. All together it is endemic of an organization that is not properly managing its pipeline system, Sumwalt said. Atmos said in a statement that their number one priority is the safety of the public, our employees, and our natural gas distribution system, and that they are resolved to learn from this tragic accident. Atmos said they are reviewing the NTSBs complete findings and recommendations from the explosion, and say that but for the unreported damage, the pipe would not have failed. In 2019, Atmos settled a wrongful death lawsuit brought by Rogers family that accused the company of gross negligence by not fixing leaks in its mismatched Frankensteinian pipeline system ahead of the explosion. Terms of the settlement werent revealed. The NTSB issued more than a dozen safety recommendations related to the explosion to Atmos and other organizations including regulatory agencies. Among the recommendations is that the Texas Railroad Commission, which regulates Atmos, conduct a comprehensive audit of the companys incident reporting practices and their policies and procedures for responding to leaks and fires and explosions and emergency calls. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Transportation Barn destroyed by Wednesday morning fire Fire destroyed a barn about five miles southeast of Watertown Wednesday, according to a report from Watertown Fire Rescue. A group of President Trumps most strident allies in the House is calling on Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the No. 3 Republican, to resign from her leadership post after she voted to impeach Mr. Trump, dramatizing the bitter rifts within the party and setting up a messy internal feud that could define its future. Members of the ultraconservative Freedom Caucus, including the chairman, Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona, as well as Representatives Jim Jordan of Ohio and Matt Gaetz of Florida, are circulating a petition calling on Ms. Cheney to step down from her role as chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, arguing that her vote to impeach Mr. Trump had brought the conference into disrepute and produced discord. Ms. Cheney was one of 10 Republicans to break with the party on Wednesday and vote to charge the president with incitement of insurrection for his role in urging on a mob that stormed the Capitol. One of those 10 cannot be our leader, Mr. Gaetz said in an interview on Fox Newss Hannity on Wednesday evening. It is untenable, unsustainable, and we need to make a leadership change. Authorities continue to patrol Perth's Swan River for a second day after a shark attacked swimmer Cameron Wrathall on Thursday. Cameron Wrathall was bitten on the leg by what is believed to be a bull shark in the Swan River. Credit:Facebook Kayakers returned to the water at Blackwall Reach in Bicton on Friday morning, as Fisheries officers recommenced water and land patrols. It follows Mr Wrathall being bitten on the thigh by a suspected bull shark while swimming in the river around 8am Thursday. A Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesman said drumlines would not be used to try and catch the shark that attacked Mr Wrathall due to the narrow section of river and high boat traffic. Posted Thursday, January 14, 2021 11:19 am OLYMPIA Washington is moving toward a "new normal" that will be more equitable, better prepared for climate change and have more opportunities for housing and careers, Gov. Jay Inslee told the Legislature on Wednesday. In a pre-recorded video shown to a virtual joint session of the Legislature, Inslee delivered his third inaugural address, touting big ideas, but few specifics, for moving the state through the COVID-19 pandemic. The video featured Inslee speaking, as well as photos of the capitol during non-pandemic times. His speech came shortly after statewide elected officials were sworn in, some in-person and some remotely. Inslee, donning a mask, took his oath in person in a room not open to the public. "We are on a path in this legislative session to a more just normal, a healthier normal," Inslee said. "And we're not just talking about the pandemic." Throughout his speech, Inslee remained optimistic about the state's future, praising Washington residents for the work they've done since the start of the pandemic. "Washington is a resilient state," he said. "Washington knows how to recover." While Republicans agreed with Inslee's goals, they disagreed on how to get there. Republicans criticized Inslee for not talking enough about his budget proposals. Inslee has proposed imposing a capital gains tax, as well as a new tax on health care premiums to fund public health, but mentioned neither in his speech. In the Republican response, Rep. Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn, criticized Inslee for his use of emergency powers and proclamations since the beginning of the pandemic and said the work of this Legislative session must focus on pandemic relief. Senate Minority Leader John Braun said it was legitimate to say the governor has overstepped his powers, as he said there was no path for the Legislature to weigh in. "We cannot undo past decisions, but we can stem the tide," he said. Stokesbary also called on the Legislature to use $200 million of the Rainy Day Fund to fund grants and rebates for COVID-19 relief. His relief proposal would allocate money for small businesses, schools and rental assistance. Republicans also criticized Inslee for not mentioning plans for unemployment insurance or the state's vaccine distribution plan, which Stokesbary called "abysmal." In his speech, Inslee said he wants to reduce increases in the unemployment tax on businesses. He also said students will get back into the classroom in a safe and healthy setting, calling on the Legislature to help remediate the effects students have suffered during the pandemic. "No one has a single answer, but we must provide the supports the students need, whether it's academics, mental health or nutrition," he said. In his proposed budget last month, Inslee pushed for the Legislature to immediately pass pandemic relief to businesses and rental assistance. He didn't mention any specifics for relief in Wednesday's speech. House Minority Leader J.T. Wilcox said the Washington Legislature needs to remain "laser focused" on the issues surrounding COVID-19 right now. "We all believe the Legislature and the governor should all be putting every ounce of efforts into this," he said. In his speech last year, Inslee called on lawmakers to fight homelessness with a statewide response. This year, he again called on lawmakers to "stand in solidarity" with people living in unsafe or inadequate housing, and commit to providing mental health or chemical addiction treatment to young people. As tenants and landlords face unprecedented economic challenges in the pandemic, Inslee said "we live in a time of great housing insecurity." Inslee called on the Legislature to act on climate change, something he's done throughout the last eight years as governor. Climate change is creating extremes that "cannot be denied or ignored," he said. "Both the virus and climate change have fatal results," Inslee said. "Both can be solved through science and ingenuity." Inslee said the future of the state's economy will be led by clean and renewable energy, which he said will create jobs and a healthier environment. As part of this, Inslee also called on lawmakers to recommit to the cause of environmental justice, which disproportionately affects disenfranchised communities. Inslee didn't go into specifics of his climate change plans, but in his legislative proposals, he has put forward a bill to create a comprehensive climate program that would establish a cap on greenhouse gas emissions, create a climate investment account to support clean transportation and emissions reduction, and analyze policies with a particular focus on how it affects people of color and economically disadvantaged communities. Inslee has pushed in the past for a low-carbon fuel standard for transportation fuel and will continue to do so this year. Democrats already have outlined climate change as one of their top priorities this legislative session. Inslee called for incorporating equity into how laws are applied and how institutions are run, ensuring that Washington residents of all backgrounds and communities are included in decisions. He mentioned a police reform proposal for creating an independent investigation and prosecution process, something he has included in his legislative proposals for the session. The police-citizen violence in 2020 "traumatized the nation" and the state needs not only conversations but action, he said. "We all share this struggle, and we will also reap its benefits," Inslee said. "Out of the darkness and anxiety of 2020, will come the relief of a new era. Our recovery will be robust and equitable." ------ The gyrating price of bitcoin has made headlines again this year, as has growing interest from institutional investors. But most vanilla financiers have more to lose than win by diving into digital assets. Open interest in CMEs bitcoin futures has surged by more than 250% since the beginning of October. Large trade sizes and the fact that bitcoin doesnt have to be held directly mean CMEs system is considered a benchmark of activity by institutional investors. Crypto-focused hedge funds and individual buyers are free to invest as they like, of course. Buying a volatile asset without cash flow in a euphoric market is a risk they are willing to take. It has certainly paid off for those with iron stomachs. The calculation for mainstream institutions should be very different. Many will take a small allocation that will make little difference to their bottom line if prices surge, but they will still be left to explain to clients why they invested in an entirely speculative asset if things go sour. By investing in such small amounts, they are crossing the Rubicon without getting to enter Rome. Eighty-one percent of investment into the funds run by Grayscale Investments in the third quarter came from institutional investors, according to the company. Grayscales flagship Bitcoin Trust had assets under management of $1.9 billion at the start of 2020, $4.7 billion by the end of September and $21.1 billion as of Tuesday. View Full Image Bitcoin outlook Grayscale CEO Michael Sonnenshein told Bloomberg last week that pension funds were helping to drive the growth. Insurers are getting involved, too. Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance is one high-profile recent example, having purchased $100 million of bitcoin. The company says it is comfortable with the exposure, which makes up around 0.04% of the $235 billion it recorded in assets at the end of September. Estimates by Digiconomist suggest that the bitcoin network consumes around as much electricity as Chile, 77.78 trillion watt hours on an annualized basis. Bitcoin mining is often concentrated in places with abundant renewable energy such as Chinas Sichuan province and Iceland, but increasingly climate-conscious governments will nonetheless likely take a dim view of bitcoin minings social utility as a priority for energy use. The prospect of more onerous regulation may take the shine off digital assets, too. The Treasury Departments plan to make trading platforms keep more stringent identity and transaction records is just one example of how the attractive anonymity of the system could be undermined. Freewheeling individual investors willing to take the risk may still enjoy the ride. But with the regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies still unfurling and the bitcoin rally already long in the tooth, the upside for big institutions looks far less clear. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. The taxes levied by the central and state governments on petrol and diesel are again on the spotlight with domestic petrol prices hitting record highs. In Delhi, petrol prices today retailed at 84.70 a litre while diesel was retailing at 74.88 per litre, after an overnight hike of 25 paise. Besides taxes, in India, the price of petrol and diesel you pay at the pump is dependent on international product prices, rupee-dollar exchange rate and other factors like dealer margin and freight charges. Petrol and diesel do not come under the purview of goods and services tax (GST). Based on the January 1 price of petrol in Delhi of 83.71 per litre, the base price of the fuel was 27.37 per litre, according to Indian Oil website. Including freight levy of 0.37 per litre, price charged to dealers (excluding excise duty and VAT) was 27.74 per litre. Add to it excise duty of 32.98 per litre and dealer commission, which averaged 3.67 per litre. On this, further add VAT or value added tax (including VAT on dealer commission) of 19.32 per litre. Then comes the final retail selling price of petrol of 83.71 a litre ((January 1 price) in Delhi. Diesel Let us consider January 1 diesel retail selling price of 73.87 per litre in Delhi. According to Indian Oil website, the base price was 28.32 per litre. Add to it freight charges of 0.34 litre, the price charged to dealers (excluding Excise Duty and VAT) comes to 28.66 per litre. Then add excise duty of 31.83 per litre, dealer commission (average) 2.53 litre and VAT (including VAT on Dealer Commission) 10.85 litre, the final retail selling price in Delhi comes to about 73.87 per litre (January 1 price). India's fuel consumption in December rose for a fourth straight month as economic activity and transport demand continued to recover from a coronavirus-led hiatus. Petrol and diesel rates are to be revised on a daily basis in line with benchmark international price and foreign exchange rates. The central government had raised excise duty by 13 per litre on petrol and by 15 a litre on diesel in two instalments in March 2020 and May 2020 to meet the expense of coronavirus fight. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. City Officials Ramp Up Effort to End Short-Term Rentals in Irvine The City of Irvine has taken an extra step to reduce short-term rentals on properties in the Southern California city. The City Council unanimously passed a zoning code amendment to prohibit online platforms such as Airbnb and Homeshare from allowing transactions within city limits. According to the ordinance, the platforms must prevent anyone seeking to rent an Irvine property for less than 30 consecutive daysor face litigation. Our job is to protect the people of Irvine, its to protect neighborhoods, its to protect the quality of life that Irvine has become known for, Councilmember Anthony Kuo said at the Jan. 12 meeting. Whatever happened to knowing who your neighbor was? If youve got a short-term rental next door, you literally dont know who your neighbor is. It might change every night. Keri Bullock, the citys neighborhood services administrator, pointed out that previous regulations adopted since 2018 have made an impact. In May 2019, Irvine had over 1,500 short-term rentals being advertised; now there are fewer than 600 listings. Bullock, who supervises the citys code enforcement team, suggested even more can be done to eliminate short-term rentals, which she said have impacted neighborhoods and generated calls for parking issues, loud parties, and property neglect. She said the city has issued several citations during the past year and a half, but has made an effort to avoid citing owners who were unaware of the law. She was only aware of one case of a property owner who wound up in court. They knew it was against the law, [but] they just kept doing it, Bullock said, adding that the citys focus is to make sure everyone is aware of the law before we punish or enforce against someone. Irvine is the first city in Orange County to enact such regulations. The new ordinance was modeled on measures taken in Santa Monica and San Francisco. Deputy City Attorney Noam Duzman said officials in Santa Monica reported significant improvement in decreasing short-term rentals since they began working alongside online platforms. All five of the public comments submitted at the council meeting supported the new ordinance. One resident said the initiative was very welcome, and alleged that a short-term renter had operated an illegal drug operation nearby. The Irvine police investigated, and this illegal activity ceased, the resident said. While the city has been willing to investigate these cases, catching the offenders in the act proves to be difficult. Another resident said short-term rentals have become a big problem. We have to play [Whac-A-Mole] and report each listing, the comment said. Most times, the listing will later reappear [and] we have to report the same listing over and over again. Not to mention the parking, noise, and trash issues. These visitors dont care and leave our HOA [homeowners association] to deal with their mess after their stay. Vice Mayor Tammy Kim raised concerns about identifying listings that appear in other languages. In a matter of five minutes, I was able to find multiple listing sites for Irvine-based short-term rentals in Chinese, and I dont even speak Chinese, she said. Kim asked what steps were being taken by Host Compliance, the company contracted by Irvine to track short-term rental listings across 50 online platforms, to address this issue. Bullock said the companys software does not handle 100 percent non-English websites, but theyre working on improvements. What other vendors are we looking at right now? Kim asked. Because if theyre not able to do this, or if they dont have the software, maybe they just have to get a human being to do this for the time being. Bullock said the citys contract with Host Compliance runs through the end of the year. We can absolutely look at other vendors, she said. [But] were trying to improve the service that we currently have. Fullerton, Newport Beach, and Costa Mesa are among the other Orange County cities that have also passed recent ordinances regulating short-term rentals in their areas. He's been holed up with Aussie girlfriend Vanessa Valladares in a $22million love nest in Byron Bay since September 2020. And now a source claims Zac Efron is now planning to take their romance to new heights, whisking Vanessa, 25, away on an international adventure. An insider told Daily Mail Australia Zac is scheduled to fly to Dubai in the next month to finalise a 'huge endorsement deal'. Things getting serious: Zac Efron, 33, (left) reportedly wants to take his Australian girlfriend Vanesa Valladares, 25, (right) with him to Dubai in the next month 'He will travelling with his new Australian team and his girlfriend Vanessa,' the source alleges. Zac met Vanessa last year when she was working as a waitress at Byron Bay's General Store & Cafe, and the part-time model appeared to seamlessly fit into the star's circle of high-profile friends. In November, The Sun newspaper inaccurately reported that Zac and Vanessa had called it quits after five months together. Mile-high romance! An insider told Daily Mail Australia that Zac is scheduled to fly to Dubai within the next month to finalise a 'huge endorsement deal'. However, the couple were spotted putting on a united front just one month later, as they jetted into Sydney together. The pair were returning from Adelaide, where Zac was filming his new Stan Original movie Gold. The High School Musical star relocated to Byron Bay in March last year in an attempt to escape the pandemic, and now reportedly plans to make the move more permanent. Romance: Zac met Vanessa last year when she was working as a waitress at Byron Bay's General Store & Cafe, and the part-time model appeared to seamlessly fit into the star's circle of high-profile friends Last month, it was reported Zac had purchased land in Tweed Valley, a town on the Tweed River in north-eastern NSW, for $2million. He's apparently planning to build a home on the site and settle down. In yet another sign the Hollywood heartthrob is here to stay, Zac also recently put his Los Angeles property on the market for $7.8million. Zac purchased the four-bedroom house seven years ago for $5.8million. COLUMBIA Gov. Henry McMaster on Wednesday urged sweeping changes to the qualifications and oversight of South Carolina magistrates after a joint investigation by The Post and Courier and ProPublica exposed abuse and incompetence among the states front-line judges. McMaster pointed to that reporting while dedicating a portion of his annual State of the State address to what he described as needed reforms to fend off further corruption and misapplication of the law by the state's cadre of more than 300 magistrates. Every magistrate would be required to be a practicing lawyer with a clean record, McMaster stressed. As it stands, a large majority of these judges have never practiced law in their lives. McMaster also called on lawmakers to revamp their process for screening and approving candidates, who need little more than the support of local politicians to sit in judgment on hundreds of thousands of criminal and civil cases each year. The first step in reform is transparency and accountability, McMaster said. A 2019 series by The Post and Courier and ProPublica exposed how a flawed system of selection and oversight provided fertile ground for misconduct on the bench. Hand-picked by politicians, some magistrates were found to have accepted bribes, stolen money, flubbed trials, trampled over constitutional protections and mishandled even the most basic elements of criminal cases. In the wake of The Post and Courier and ProPublicas reporting, some lawmakers moved quickly to propose a set of reforms. Sen. Tom Davis, a Beaufort Republican, is spearheading an effort that would mandate magistrates undergo more formal legal training and tighten the Legislatures scrutiny around their appointments. McMaster on Wednesday insisted lawmakers should take the matters a step further, placing even stricter requirements on magistrates qualifications and appointments. His comments, while brief, amount to the most significant proposal to date for what advocates have said are long-needed changes to an antiquated system of justice, one that has remained virtually untouched for more than a century. Still, several key lawmakers in interviews expressed doubts about passing ambitious reforms anytime soon, with this year's legislative session dominated by the state's recovery from a pandemic-wrecked economy. And not everyone is convinced that South Carolina has widespread issues among its magistrates. Defenders of the current system contend magistrates perform an essential function of the states justice system clearing dockets of minor cases so that the states circuit judges have time to handle major felony and civil cases. And, supporters say, non-lawyer magistrates have proven themselves capable of performing their duties. Judge Danny Singleton, president of the statewide association of magistrates and other local judges, didn't return a message seeking comment Thursday. Sen. Luke Rankin chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, which would consider any proposal before a floor vote. He said he has seen no set of "examples that show me that theres a pattern of abuse." Rankin said no senator has broached the subject of magistrate reform with him since The Post and Courier and ProPublica published its investigation. When asked, Rankin said he had not read that article, and he asked a reporter to send it to him. "It may be far more of an issue than I'm aware of," Rankin, a Conway Republican, said. Some of Rankin's colleagues have already proposed reforms. That includes Davis and Sen. Tom Young, an Aiken Republican, who has proposed legislation to close a loophole that allowed magistrates to hide prior ethical offenses while applying for new terms. A dozen sitting judges who have been disciplined for misconduct by the states judicial watchdog skated through their last appointment, no questions asked, The Post and Courier and ProPublica found. South Carolina magistrates preside over cases involving petty thefts, drunken driving, domestic violence, assaults and disorderly conduct. They also issue arrest warrants, set bail and conduct preliminary hearings to assess if there is sufficient probable cause to support felony charges such as murder, rape and robbery. But about three-quarters of the states magistrates have never practiced law, the news investigation found. Their ranks have included construction workers, insurance agents and pharmacists. Before taking the bench, they are required to undergo fewer hours of training than the Palmetto State requires of its barbers and hair salon technicians. McMaster, a former state attorney general, has largely been quiet on the subject of magistrate reform. Presented with the findings of the news investigation in 2019, McMaster declined to be interviewed. But he has acknowledged the governors limited role in their selections. While the state constitution places appointments in the governors hands, in practice the executive office acts as nothing more than a rubber stamp. State senators hold broad authority to hand-pick candidates of their choosing, and selections are almost never questioned outside of local delegations. McMaster, during Wednesdays remarks, urged a process with more scrutiny, one that would require candidates to be screened in legislative hearings. That would place magistrate appointments in line with the states circuit judges, who handle all felony cases and are required to be seasoned attorneys. Sen. Shane Massey, the Republican state Senate Majority Leader, said he welcomed the governor's call for reforms. But he and others cautioned that the proposals raise significant questions about how they'd be implemented. For one, the state would likely need to raise magistrate salaries to attract practicing attorneys who otherwise might have to swallow a drastic pay cut to take the bench. And some rural counties have very few lawyers to fill those positions. Tiny McCormick County, part of Massey's district, has just three licensed attorneys, but two magistrate seats. "Requiring lawyers that works great in Charleston," Massey said. "It doesn't work so well in McCormick." Through a spokesman, McMaster on Thursday urged lawmakers to study the issue, rather than use the challenges "as an excuse to not do what needs to be done." "It's perfectly reasonable for South Carolinians to expect greater accountability and transparency in the selection of judges they may appear before," spokesman Brian Symmes said. Rep. Murrell Smith, a Republican and the top budget writer in the state House of Representatives, said lawmakers should follow the governor's lead. "Nobody's really been willing to take on and improve the magistrate system," Smith said. "Now, the governor has made that call." Smith, also an attorney, co-sponsored legislation in 2018 that would have mandated magistrates have law licenses only in counties with populations above 75,000, which would cover 18 of the states 46 counties. The bill didnt make it to the House floor. Turkey, Pakistan, and Azerbaijan have agreed to formulate a joint strategy to stem the rising wave of hatred against Muslims in the world and curb terrorism, including its state-sponsored form, with Baku inviting both allies to help rebuild the Nagorno-Karabakh region, TRT World writes in the article Azerbaijan invites Pakistan, Turkey to rebuild Karabakh. The agreement on Wednesday was reached at the second trilateral meeting between the three countries, attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, and his Pakistani and Azerbaijani counterparts, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Jeyhun Bayramov, according to a statement from the Pakistani Foreign Ministry. Azerbaijan's Bayramov hailed the support of Turkey and Pakistan in solving the Karabakh conflict and invited Pakistani and Turkish firms to help rebuild the Karabakh region recently liberated from the Armenian occupation. "They raised their voices in the international arena to restore justice and we highly appreciate this principled position by Turkey and Pakistan," he said. Bayramov said the three nations shared very strong bonds, the most important of which was a common vision and a "solid foundation for growing cooperation." Convergence over Karabakh, Kashmir, Cyprus The three sides discussed a variety of issues, including trilateral cooperation in the areas of peace and security, trade and investment, science and technology, education, and cultural cooperation. Expressing concern over "grave" human rights violations in the disputed India-administered Kashmir, and rising anti-Muslim sentiment, they agreed to launch joint efforts to defend Islamic values. The three foreign ministers, the statement said, also discussed the ongoing Afghan peace process, which aims to bring an end to a 19-year conflict in the war-torn country. Throwing their weight behind the fragile process, the meeting hailed Pakistan's role to facilitate the talks. The meeting, it added, decided to work out plans to cope with the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Pakistan's Qureshi thanked his counterparts for attending the meeting, noting that the top diplomats decided to intensify and deepen the trilateral cooperation. He thanked Ankara for its consistent support to Islamabad on the Kashmir dispute. Reiterating Islamabad's support to Turkey on the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, he said they demand the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue in line with the UN Security Council resolutions. Turkey wants 'dynamism' Later, addressing a joint press conference, Cavusoglu said Ankara wants to bring "dynamism" in its economic relations with Islamabad by increasing the bilateral trade volume. The current trade volume between the two countries, he said, is a mere $800 million, which does not reflect the true potential of bilateral trade. "We talked about the importance of developing infrastructure especially in the field of transportation and energy," he said. He recalled that the first summit was held in Azerbaijan's capital Baku in 2017, adding that the third edition will be held in Turkey. "Today we have decided to hold meetings in this format more frequently. So we don't have to wait three to four years," he added. Referring to trade and business agreements signed during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's last visit to Islamabad in February last year, Cavusoglu said the deals would help increase the bilateral trade and investment volume in the days to come. Defence deals The two sides, he noted, have increased defence and security cooperation in terms of military hardware. In July 2018, Pakistan Navy signed a contract for the acquisition of four MILGEM-class ships from Turkeys state-run defense firm ASFAT. In October 2019, Turkeys President Erdogan had cut the first metal plate of the first MILGEM Ada class corvette during a ceremony in Istanbul. Ankara has bought 52 Mashahk training aircraft from Pakistan. Currently, Cavusoglu said, some 100 Turkish companies are operating in Pakistan in different sectors, including health, education, construction, tourism, and services. Ankara intends to extend its trade and investment with Islamabad, he maintained. Please note The Sun Chronicle is providing this story and all of our local coronavirus coverage for free so that all readers have access to this important information about the pandemic. Please visit our dedicated coronavirus coverage page for more stories. If you'd like to support our mission, please subscribe. According to health department officials, on day one of the vaccination drive, each centre will inoculate 30 persons with their first dose. The number of people receiving the vaccine will increase with each day. (Representational DC Photo) Hyderabad: It will not be a doctor or a nurse who will get the first Covid-19 jab in the state. It will be a sanitation worker at Gandhi Hospital, the Covid-19 care centre of excellence in the city, when the vaccination drive begins on the morning of January 16. At every one of the 139 vaccination centres, designated as session centres, in the state, it will be the safai karmacharis who will get the first dose of the vaccine. According to health department officials, on day one of the vaccination drive, each centre will inoculate 30 persons with their first dose. The number of people receiving the vaccine will increase with each day. It is expected that the second day will see 50 persons receiving their first vaccine dose, followed by 100 on day three and so on. Currently, the plan is to hold the Covid-19 vaccination drive for four days a week with the other three days dedicated to the normal vaccination programmes. Officials said that as on Wednesday, 3.3 lakh healthcare workers had registered their names to receive the vaccines. This sector of employees, both in government and private hospitals, will be the first to receive the vaccines, followed by staff in other frontline departments such as the police, and then those older than 50 years and those younger than 50 but with comorbidities. The turn of the normal public will only come after that, possibly sometime late this year. With the safety of the vaccines both Covishield from Serum Institute of India and Covaxin from Bharat Biotech yet to be fully understood though both were approved by the Drugs Controller General of India as being safe, the state health department has set up separate Covid-19 Vaccine ICU beds to handle any odd adverse reaction. Credit: Julia Ryeland Scientists at Western Sydney University and University of Tasmania have mapped the historic shifts in the distribution of Australia's iconic emus (Dromaius novehollandiae), to project how regional emu populations are likely to change in the next 50 years. Researchers used a range of cutting-edge analysis tools to determine what the future looks like for Australia's emu populations. The results of the analysis, published in Nature Scientific Reports, show how past climatic changes over the last 6,000 years led emus to expand their populations northward, across central Australia, as well as reduce their range east of the Great Dividing Range (GDR). Julia Ryeland, Ph.D. candidate within the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment at Western Sydney University and lead author on the study, said climate change is in large part responsible for the historic changes in the range of populations the findingsindicating that the future for east coast emu populations is potentially fragile. "Changes in rainfall patterns over the last several thousand years have significantly reduced their distribution that were once widespread east of the Great Dividing Range, leaving remnant niche populations on the eastern coast of Australia. This makes the east coast population susceptible to potential threats such as further habitat fragmentation and predation by feral pests," said Ms Ryeland. "On the eastern coast, the remnant emu populations are right at the limit of their climatic suitability as the changes in rainfall patterns and threats from predation, habitat loss and other causes is putting pressure on these populations." Emu populations are projected to remain stable overall into the future under climate change scenarios, but east of the ranges, populations are likely to be further threatened by increasing urbanization, and increasing losses from feral predators. According to Associate Professor Ricky Spencer from the School of Science at Western Sydney University, who also contributed to the study, the population in north-eastern Australia is listed as endangered, and this is where efforts to conserve the remaining emu population is of paramount importance. "The impacts on east-coast emu communities since European settlement have been dramatic, with much fewer emu populations east of the ranges. With targeted efforts to increase our knowledge of at-risk populations, we can continue to monitor population changes and ensure their long-term success," said Associate Professor Spencer. Explore further Weedy Seadragon genomics reveal highly distinct populations More information: Julia Ryeland et al. Past and future potential range changes in one of the last large vertebrates of the Australian continent, the emu Dromaius novaehollandiae, Scientific Reports (2021). Journal information: Scientific Reports Julia Ryeland et al. Past and future potential range changes in one of the last large vertebrates of the Australian continent, the emu Dromaius novaehollandiae,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79551-0 Paxton, IL (60957) Today Thunderstorms likely. A few storms may be severe. High 74F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Thundershowers overnight following a period of rain early. Low 52F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. NEW DELHI : Automobile exports from India declined 18.87% in 2020, a year marked by coronavirus pandemic induced disruptions across the globe, according to the latest figures by Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). Overseas shipments of vehicles in the January-December period last year stood at 38,65,138 units as against 47,63,960 units in the same period in 2019, SIAM said. Also Read | Digital bank account sparks off a disruption One of the main reasons for the drop in automobile exports was the dip in shipments of passenger vehicles, which were down 39.38% last year at 4,28,098 units as compared to 7,06,159 units in 2019. Passenger cars exports dropped by 47.89% at 2,76,808 units last year as against 5,31,226 units exported in 2019. Utility vehicles exports also dropped by 12.60% at 1,49,842 units as compared to 1,71,440 units in the previous year, according to SIAM. Another category that contributes majorly to the export basket, two-wheelers, also suffered a dip of 12.92% last year at 30,06,589 units as compared to 34,52,483 units in 2019, with scooters witnessing a decline of 37.28% at 2,33,327 units as against 3,72,025 units in the previous year. Motorcycle exports were also down 9.87% in 2020 at 27,64,301 units as compared to 30,67,153 units in the previous year. Similarly, overseas shipments of three-wheelers were down 27.71% at 3,82,756 units as compared to 5,29,454 units in 2019. SIAM said total commercial vehicles exports declined by 36.80% at 44,687 units as compared to 70,702 units in 2019. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Workers freshen up the paint on the NASA logo on the Vehicle Assembly Building before the arrival of NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on May 20, 2020. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) NASA Researcher Pleads Guilty to Concealing China Ties A senior NASA scientist pleaded guilty on Jan. 13 to lying about his ties to a Chinese-backed program designed to harvest talents from the West and transfer intellectual property to China, the Justice Department announced. Meyya Meyyappan, 66, joined NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) in 1996 and has been the chief scientist for exploration technology at NASAs Ames Research Center in Californias Silicon Valley since 2006. He was charged with one count of making false statements and could face a maximum five-year prison sentence and up to $250,000 fine if convicted, according to a Justice Department press release. The court hearing is scheduled for June 16. Prosecutors said that Meyyappan had participated in Chinas state-run Thousand Talents Plan and held positions at universities in China, South Korea, and Japan without NASAs knowledge. The Thousand Talents program has recruited thousands of experts globally since its inception in 2008, according to Chinese state media reports. NASA prohibits any outside employment activities without approval, including engagement as a speaker or teacher, U.S. attorney Audrey Strauss said in the court complaint. As a NASA employee, Meyyappan is also required to report annually any additional income exceeding $5,000, gifts, and travel reimbursements. Meyyappan failed to disclose these activities to NASA. Around 2016, he applied for and was accepted into the Thousand Talents Plan, through which he traveled to China and recommended other candidates into the program, according to prosecutors. Beginning in 2014, he worked as a visiting professor at a Chinese research university, giving lectures, writing research papers, and receiving compensation for his travel. He also started similar engagements at a South Korean university from 2009, and at a university in Japan from 2013. When questioned by federal investigators in October 2020, Meyyappan denied his membership in the Thousand Talents Plan and his Chinese employment. Members of U.S. government agencies are strictly prohibited from maintaining undisclosed affiliations with foreign entities, especially those that are actively seeking our intellectual property and technological advances, said FBI Assistant Director William Sweeney Jr. Actions like those carried about by Meyyappan can have security implications, and his charges should serve as a warning to others thinking about engaging in the same type of activity. While the court complaint didnt name the specific universities, public records show that Meyyappan had repeated speaker appearances in Chinas southeastern Suzhou city. He made a themed speech as a nanotechnology expert at the 2016 CHInano Conference and Expo in Suzhou, which aims to share the latest scientific and technological achievements, cutting-edge information and development trends, according to its website. Meyyappan was again featured as a celebrated guest in 2020 during the same conference, which convenes annually under the directive of Chinas government-funded agencies. Meyyappan also made a presentation about the applications of nanotechnology in May 2014 at the Soochow Universitys College of Nano Science and Technology. His name has appeared in multiple scientific papers co-authored with Soochow University-affiliated scholars. He is also listed as a distinguished visiting professor at the division of IT convergence engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology, a top private university in South Korea. Regardless, at the end of the day, every wife wants to hear her husband say, Babe, if I had to marry you all over again, Id do it in a heartbeat. But I know that he genuinely does not feel this way. And because of that, I feel less secure. Should I be worried? Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) provide a new genomics resource that details the small RNA transcriptomes (gene expression) of four bio-medically important mosquito species. This is the first study to provide a platform for biologists to compare the characteristics of these small RNAs between these four mosquitoes as well as the most widely used insects for genetic experiments, the fruit fly, Drosophila. Although previous studies looked at each of the individual mosquito species separately, this study is the first to allow comparisons between all four species. Although mosquitoes are related to Drosophila, they have very different genomes. In addition, mosquitos bite humans for blood meals that allow them to reproduce and but unfortunately allows serious human pathogens like viruses to infect us and cause diseases like yellow fever virus, dengue fever virus, zika virus and eastern equine encephalitis virus." Nelson Lau, PhD, Corresponding Author, Associate Professor of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) The researchers obtained cell cultures and dissected samples of the mosquito species Anopheles gambiae, Culex quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. They extracted and purified the small RNA molecules, created libraries for high-throughput sequencing, and then developed a special bioinformatics platform to provide thorough genomic analysis of these small RNAs. They provide all this analysis in a database website for the public to access at https:/ / laulab. bu. edu/ msrg/ . The four mosquito species have global impacts on human health. Anopheles is the major vector for the parasite causing malaria, but is not known to transmit many viruses. In contrast, Culex and Aedes mosquitoes are well known to pass viruses between humans during mosquito bites, but it is still unknown why there is this difference between mosquito species for this capacity to spread viruses. According to the researchers this study will allow for better biochemical studies in mosquito cells. "If we can find weaknesses in the small RNA pathways of mosquitoes to make them more intolerant of viruses, perhaps they won't be so able to pass the virus from biting one human to the next human victim." 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. Protesters at the U.S. Capitol were not waving guns open carry of firearms is prohibited in the District of Columbia, as it is in Illinois and two other states. Officials in Michigan acted Monday to ban the practice in the Capitol building itself, which is just about the least they could have done to discourage radical Trump backers from making an ugly scene. Jessa Duggar Seewald recently became a pastor's wife as her husband Ben Seewald got ordained. Jessa Duggar Seewald is now officially a pastor's wife after her husband Ben Seewald got ordained to be a pastor to a church whose name remains unknown as of the moment. The names of the church officials who officiated the ordination also remain undisclosed. On Jan. 11, Guinn Seewald, Jessa's mother in law posted photos of her son on Facebook. The photos showed Ben getting ordained by two men, probably church leaders. Rejoicing in Gods abundance of mercy and grace as we attended the ordination of Ben as pastor to a precious church.... Posted by Guinn Seewald on Sunday, January 10, 2021 One of the photos shows Jessa standing with her head bowed down beside her husband as the two men prayed for him. The caption clearly stated that the photo was taken from Ben's ordination ceremony. "Rejoicing in God's abundance of mercy and grace as we attended the ordination of Ben as pastor to a precious church, praying for the Lord to be glorified through the teaching of the word and faithful care of the body of Christ," Guinn wrote, Christian Post reported. The family still did not share more details up to now, where Ben will be serving as a pastor as well as the names of those who officiated the ordination. Both Ben and Jessa did not share anything in public or in social media about the ordination yet although they are both active social media influencers sharing their faith to the online community. Jessa Duggar Seewald, who grew up in a God-fearing family shared in a video how her spiritual journey went through not just being like a mountain but even came to the point of plateau and valley. Through her almost half-hour clip, Seewald gave a glimpse of how she made it through and continues to do so while encouraging others to be transparent of their spiritual walk. Looking back, the American TV personality said she got to know the Lord when she was six years old. She added, that during her early days as a Christian she did believers' stuff just because she was expected to do so. The mom of three revealed that seeing how her siblings live their Christian life made her doubt her own salvation. She admitted that she did not bear the fruit of the spirit during those days, living in the pattern of sin, self-seeking, and selfish living. "If anybody was ever the problem child in the family, I probably could claim that title," the 28-year-old author said. "I always joke that I probably gave my parents more gray hairs than any of the rest of them combined," she added, according to CP. She said that when she started letting go of her unrealistic expectations she burdened herself about her Christian life was when she started to find freedom in Christ. She also encouraged believers to be more open to spiritual leaders or trusted Christians about their real spiritual status. "I think if Christians were more open about the hard times, I think if Christians were more raw, you might find that more people go through this," the pastor's wife stated. The State and Catholic Church both need to follow up with actions on the publication of the landmark report on the 'attrocities' Mother and Baby homes, according to a Laois county councillor. Cllr Thomasina Connell welcomed the publication of what she said was the long-overdue report on the Mother and Baby Homes in Ireland. The report notes that 9,000 children died in the Mother and Baby Homes between 1922 and 1998. It notes that more than 8% or 500, of the women who went through Sean Ross Abbey in Roscrea, were from Laois. Cllr Connell said this very high rate of infant mortality is probably the most disquieting feature of these institutions the report found. "Events surrounding the atrocities that occurred in Irelands Mother and Baby Homes have been kept in the dark for too long. This represents a stage in this process where the long overdue truths regarding these inexplicable events have been laid bare. "While I welcome the State Apology to survivors to be given by of An Taoiseach Micheal Martin in the Dail, I also firmly believe that the Catholic Church have a part to play in this and I would call on them to issue an unequivocal apology of their own, accounting for the cruelties which were committed within the walls of their institutions," said the Fine Gael representative. She said it is vitally important that the Government is not found wanting following the publishing report. "A survivor-centred approach must be to the fore of the Governments next steps in healing the hurt that has been caused for almost a century now and I am keen to review the proposed suite of measures," said the Portlaoise Municipal District councillor. Welcome To SpoilerTV We bring you a comprehensive and up to date spoiler service on all the major US TV shows and Movies. You can find specific show content by clicking the menu system at the top of the screen. We scour the Internet for spoilers as well as posting our own exclusive spoilers (Scripts, Casting Calls, Set Photos etc) as well as recaps and other fun articles and polls. We hope you enjoy your stay. How to become a successful digital banker in Thailand Digital banking is a rapidly developing field. In Thailand, new opportunities for finance careers are emerging. Here is what you need to succeed. By In Conjunction Thursday 14 January 2021, 05:28PM Boost Your Career as a Digital Banker The global pandemic has spurred digitization across the financial sector globally, and Thailand is no exception. While the country is yet to see independent virtual banks, digital payments are being provided by local and foreign lenders. The economy is increasingly cashless, and consumers are embracing the convenience of virtual methods. You, too can leverage this trend by becoming a digital banker. The Budding Market Thailand has a growing demand for digital banking services. The coronavirus gave this industry the strongest impetus so far. The Bank of Thailand in cooperation with various parties is working to implement electronic lending and other services in 2021. Last year, Singapores UOB launched its first mobile-only bank. Named TMRW, it now operates in Thailand. Digital banking will go far beyond basic transfers. The local population is increasingly interested in digital transactions and money-making systems. For instance, the country has a rapidly growing forex trading sector. Thanks to international brokers like ForexTime, anyone can make money using a laptop or smartphone with MetaTrader 4. Financial literacy is improving. Since the onset of the pandemic, cashless payments in Asia have increased in scale significantly. To help contain the virus, central banks encourage the local population to choose virtual methods over physical money. As a result, the volume of transactions registered on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in India reached a peak in October. The potential is undeniable, but how is one to become a digital banker? Definition of Digital Bank Conventional banks have physical offices that clients can visit. Virtual banks operate without branches: they offer the same range of financial services, but without a physical centre. Clients have full access to their accounts via online banking and smartphone apps. Such banks embody innovation in the sector. Huge well-established banks have traditionally dominated the financial services industry. Now, they have new strong rivals that render the same services remotely. Thanks to the internet and mobile banking, UPI, ATMs, etc., there is no need to visit an office. What Digital Bankers Do These professionals help the new generation of banks to acquire new customers. This is done through mobile registration. As a banker, you will be responsible for meeting sales targets concerning activation and use of mobile banking. These experts take part in product campaigns to boost brand awareness. They make sure their clients have full information about the employers services and provide guidance when necessary. Collection of feedback on the products and services is also part of the job. Besides, virtual bankers deal with: sales of products and services via mobile banking; documentation and KYC in compliance with current standards. Overview of the Industry The recent data shows that an overwhelming majority of consumers have started using digital payments more often. They also expect to continue making cashless payments. Today, consumers around the world can transact at a click or a tap. Thailand should learn from the experience of India. In 2020, its Reserve Bank announced its intention to boost the volume of virtual transactions from 10% to 15% by 2021. The Government also wants to see 1 billion transactions daily. Education of a Digital Banker Candidates with a commercial background may need to upgrade their skills with an advanced diploma in banking and finance. Essential subjects for digital banking include Digital Payments, Score-Based Lending, Electronic KYC, Virtual Meetings, Collaborate Office, Cryptocurrency, API Banking, Cyber Fraud, AI in Finance, etc. Technical skills are also a must due to the nature of virtual banking. You need to be well-versed in mobile technologies. Besides, a salesperson needs strong interpersonal skills and a talent for persuasion. Digital bankers have a profound understanding of how sales work. They have impressive analytical skills and numeric abilities. How to Get Hired The banking sector offers a broad range of roles and positions. Well-established banks need professionals who excel in finance and digital transactions. Fintech companies like Paytm, PhonePe, GooglePay are also in search of talent. A course teaching online banking, digital payments, UPI, digital wallets, etc., will help you get hired by a respectable firm. How Much You Can Earn In the finance sector, salaries are generally healthy. This is particularly true for development and project management teams. As you gain experience, your position and remuneration will both rise. Digital banking is a promising field which is guaranteed to provide job security in the future. Graduates in Thailand should consider the opportunities it offers. A day after advancing to the second round of ongoing Thailand Open, Kidambi Srikanth on Thursday confirmed that he will take no further part in the tournament. The shuttler confirmed the development on his official Twitter account and said that he has been advised to take rest due to a strain on his calf muscle. "Very sad to let you all know that I have been advised to pull out of Thailand Open due to a calf muscle strain. I am hoping to be fit by next week for the next round of the Thailand leg," tweeted Srikanth. Very sad to let you all know that I have been advised to pull out of Thailand Open due to a calf muscle strain. I am hoping to be fit by next week for the next round of the Thailand leg. pic.twitter.com/jXTr4P25QF Kidambi Srikanth (@srikidambi) January 14, 2021 The world no 14 was slated to lock horns against Malaysia's Lee Zii Jia in the second round, but with the Indian shuttler pulling out, Jia has progressed into the next stage. Srikanth on Wednesday had breezed into the second round of the Thailand Open after a comfortable win over compatriot Sourabh Verma, which he closed in straight games. After Srikanth's exit, Saina Nehwal remains the only Indian who will feature in the single's event of the tournament. She will be taking the court for her second-round clash against local star Busanan Ongbamrungphan later in the day. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. More than 1800 patients are being treated in Irish hospitals for the virus. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA Wire A junior doctor warned that medical staff have been battling to cope with "carnage" in Irish hospitals since Christmas because of the explosion in Covid-19 cases. The doctor said that nurses, medics and support staff in Cork University Hospital (CUH) are now "out on their feet" due to exhaustion in trying to cope with the combination of soaring case numbers and roster pressure due to personnel being off work. CUH is one of six acute hospitals in Ireland struggling to cope with more than 100 Covid-19 cases. As of this morning, 1,838 patients are being treated in Irish hospitals for the virus. More than 170 patients have required intensive care treatment putting enormous pressure on the national emergency treatment system. Read More At one point, more than 140 CUH staff including 100 nurses were off work having either tested positive for the virus or been a close contact of a positive case. A further 14 Irish hospitals each have 50 or more cases of the virus. The CUH junior doctor who asked to be unnamed said staff were called to a meeting and briefed that they were now facing "the peak crisis of the entire pandemic". "There are times you look around and you wonder how much more pressure the system can take. You can see the strain on the faces of doctors and nurses," she said. "It has been very tough. It was tough last April and May when the first wave peaked but this has been something else altogether." Even medical rotations have effectively been suspended as doctors struggle to cope with the demands of soaring patient numbers. On Tuesday, patient numbers spiraled at CUH to the point where the hospital was one of three nationwide which had no available critical care bed capacity. Letterkenny became the first Irish hospital to trigger its "last resort" option asking staff who had gone off work because of being designated a close contact of a positive case to return to duties once they were not symptomatic and were subject to precautionary tests. "The commitment of doctors, nurses, hospital support staff and managers has been incredible but you can see the toll it is taking on everyone," she said. "I left a ward a few days ago and went into a store room to find a nurse crying. I still don't know if it was exhaustion, stress or worry about a loved one with Covid." Junior doctors have borne the brunt of the pandemic third wave by working longer hours, extra shifts to cover for sick colleagues and postponing leave. "A few of my classmates opted to work as junior doctors in Australia and New Zealand and their work demands are like night-and-day compared to ours." "When I chat to them on social media and explain what it has been like here since Christmas they just can't believe it and some of them worked here throughout the first wave of the virus." The junior medic has a simple plea for the public. "Please listen to the Government and HSE advice obey the rules, socially distance, wear a mask and wash your hands regularly. All of this carnage could have been avoided if people had just done what they were asked." "Hospitals just cannot take this kind of pressure of numbers. "Nurses and doctors have been doing everything in their power but there is a limit to the strain the system can take." Whether it's a country at war, a criminal organization like the Mafia, or a dysfunctional family, the most loathsome within any group is a traitor. I thought of that when hearing Wyoming rep. Liz Cheney announce that she'll vote to impeach President Trump and is urging other Republicans to do likewise. Giving weight to Cheney's effort is the fact that she's the third ranking Republican in the House. Cheney's rationale for impeachment centers on the events after the Stop the Steal rally, of which she said: On January 6, 2021, a violent mob attacked the United States Capital to obstruct the process of our democracy and stop the counting of the presidential electoral votes. This insurrection caused injury, death and destruction in the most sacred space in our Republic. Much more will become clear in the coming days and weeks, but what we know now is enough. The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack. Everything that followed was his doing. Such a wild mischaracterization of that protest is more worthy of the left-wing paid propagandists on CNN than a Republican leader. The misinformation and distortions that Cheney is now using to smear Trump are reminiscent of the lies her father Dick Cheney used to involve the U.S. in the Iraq war. The fact that Trump called out Dick Cheney and the rest of the Republican war hawks in 2016 for that folly, one of the greatest in U.S. history, still grates on daughter Liz. Like her daddy, Liz is a proponent of the American Empire regardless of the cost in U.S. blood and treasure. Whenever Trump tried to pull troops home from Afghanistan, South Korea, and Germany, she was there to lead the GOP opposition. You would think the people in a state like Wyoming could find a better representative than the likes of Cheney. As much as anything, Cheney's behavior crystallized all that is wrong with the Republican establishment. It is filled with people like her. The sooner they are all purged from office, the better. The problem Trump had from day one with enacting his MAGA agenda was he had enemies before him (Democrats, the media) and backstabbers behind him (GOPe). It's a wonder the man accomplished as much as he did. Image: Milonica. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal The COVID-19 vaccination will be done at 81 locations in Delhi on January 16, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on January 14. Around 100 people will be vaccinated at each of these locations in a day, he said. The vaccination will be done on four days a week - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, the chief minister said in a virtual press conference. We will begin with 81 centres, it will then be increased to 175 in a few days and then to 1000 centres across Delhi, he said. Follow our LIVE blog for the latest updates of the novel coronavirus pandemic Kejriwal said that so far, the Delhi government has received 2,74,000 doses of vaccine from the Centre. Each person will be administered two doses. The Centre provides 10% extra vaccine, taking damage into account. So the 2,74,000 doses will be sufficient for around 1,20,000 health workers, he said COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show On January 13, Kejriwal said that the COVID-19 vaccines would be available free of cost for all the residents of Delhi, even if the Centre did not make it free for everyone in the country. Read | COVID-19 India vaccine news today: About 3 lakh healthcare, frontline workers to get shot on January 16 Delhi recorded 357 fresh COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths on January 13. As many as 534 people recovered from the disease. The total cases in the national capital are 6,31, 249 and total fatalities are 10,718. The Delhi police has made security arrangements for the smooth transportation of the vaccines in the city. The first batch of Covishield vaccine reached Delhi's central storage facility at Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital on November 12. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarth (R-Calif.) speaks during a press conference on the steps of the US Capitol in Washington, on Dec. 10, 2020. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) McCarthy Rebuffs Effort to Remove Cheney From Leadership Team Over Impeachment Vote House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is not backing the effort to remove Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) from the GOPs House Conference. President Donald Trump supporters want Cheney to resign or be removed from her position as conference chair because she voted with Democrats and nine other Republicans to impeach Trump on Wednesday. But McCarthy, a Trump ally, will not support that effort, a spokesman for the Californian told The Hill on Thursday. McCarthys office hasnt responded to requests for comment. Cheney, the No. 3 Republican in the House, shocked many inside and outside the caucus when she announced Tuesday shed vote to impeach Trump. Cheney blamed the breach of the Capitol that took place last week on Trump, claiming he summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack. A timeline shows that the breach started while Trump was still speaking at The Ellipse, which is about 45 minutes walking distance from the Capitol. Some Republicans, including Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), and Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) called for a fresh vote on the House GOP chair position after Cheney staked out her position. Cheney did not tell colleagues of what she planned to do, Biggs and Rosendale said in a joint statement. She is weakening our conference at a key moment for personal political gain and is unfit to lead. She must step down as Conference Chair, they said. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) speaks during a news conference at the Capitol in Washington on July 21, 2020. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images) A spokesman told The Epoch Times via email that Cheney responded, saying: Im not going anywhere. This is a vote of conscience. Its one where there are different views in our conference. But our nation is facing an unprecedented, since the civil war, constitutional crisis. Thats what we need to be focused on. Thats where our efforts and attention need to be, she added. Jason Miller, a Trump campaign adviser, said on War Room on Thursday that Cheney and the nine other Republicans who voted to impeach Trump must have plans not to run again in 2022. This is not someone who plans on running for reelection, he said. Because I will tell you that the voters are going to hold all 10 of these folks accountable. He also wondered why Cheney is still part of the House GOP leadership. I would hold a conference meeting this morning, he said. They should do that immediately. They cannot have her in that position any longer. She is a Danish supermodel with impeccable fashion sense. And so it was only fitting that Helena Christensen would supercharge her outfit during a Wednesday errand run with an eye-catching fuzzy pink coat. The 52-year-old model and photographer was spotted out in New York City as she ran errands with her Australian Shepherd, Kuma. Pretty in pink: Helena Christensen, 52, added some color to her casual ensemble with a fuzzy pink jacket as she ran errands in NYC on Wednesday with her Australian Shepherd Kuma Helena was dressed in a chic yet functional beige jumpsuit with baggy pant legs. She had the top few buttons undone to reveal a black top underneath, and she added some extra flair with white trainers featuring bright red and pale green accents. The 5ft10in beauty's pink jacket was left unbuttoned with the collar turned up playfully. She mirrored the relatively casual ensemble by tying her brunette locks back in a bun held down with a navy, yellow and red headband. Flowing: Helena was dressed in a chic yet functional beige jumpsuit with baggy pant legs Standing out: She had the top few buttons undone to reveal a black top underneath, and she added some extra flair with white trainers featuring bright red and pale green accents Helena sported two different masks during the day, including a pale green one while walking Kuma, and a blue and white gingham design while she picked up a white skirt from the dry cleaners. The catwalk star also grabbed a coffee while she was out and about for a pick-me-up. Her relatively muted outfit might have inspired her to embrace more colors on the following day as she shared a stylish set of photos of herself in a multicolored striped sweater to Instagram on Thursday, which she simply captioned, 'Good morning.' The Danish star was bathed in shadow while the sun illuminated her bright sweater and overalls. She looked ready to brave the elements in a follow-up image of herself in a gray jacket and a fuzzy mask for added warmth. Splash of color: She contrasted the jumpsuit with a multicolored striped sweater in an Instagram post from Thursday Staying toasty: She looked ready to brave the elements in a follow-up image of herself in a gray jacket and a fuzzy mask for added warmth In contrast to her more casual looks, Helena channeled her classic glamour in a post shared Wednesday. The Staerk and Christensen co-founder was elegantly made up with smoky eyes and delicately wavy hair. Although she opted for more conservative outfits amid New York City's chilly weather, the model told The Times of London that she 'doesn't give a flying f***' what people think of her showing off her body. According to her, her early years in Denmark instilled confidence in herself and gave her a 'natural approach' to her body, which was an asset during her modeling career. 'In Denmark we are brought up with a natural approach to our bodies. We are not taught that its anything to hide. In modeling it was never an issue for me,' she said. 'I look at it as an artistic approach, showing the beauty of the female body, the life-giving body, which is a miracle in so many ways.' A 3D-printed Facebook logo is placed on a keyboard in this illustration taken March 25, 2020. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration) Judge in Facebook Antitrust Lawsuits Sets Deadlines for Response The judge overseeing two separate lawsuits against Facebook by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a group of state attorneys general set a March deadline for the social media company to respond, according to a court filing on Jan. 13. U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in the District of Columbia said that Facebook has until March 10 to respond to the two complaints, and the states and FTC then have until April 7 to respond. The regulator and state attorneys general sued Facebook in December 2020 with allegations that the company broke the law to disadvantage smaller rivals. Both the FTC and a large group of state attorneys general, led by New York, filed lawsuits against Facebook in December 2020 before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that the social media giant violated antitrust law. Facebook was accused of using its dominance to crush smaller rivals. The FTCs complaint (pdf) alleges that Facebook has engaged in a systematic strategy to eliminate threats to its monopoly. Part of the strategy includes Facebooks acquisition of up-and-coming rival Instagram, snapping up the mobile messaging app WhatsApp, and the imposition of anti-competitive conditions on software developers. This course of conduct harms competition, leaves consumers with few choices for personal social networking, and deprives advertisers of the benefits of competition, the FTC said in a statement. The lawsuit seeks a permanent injunction in federal court that would force Facebook to sell off some of its assets, including Instagram and WhatsApp. It would also prohibit the social media giant from imposing anti-competitive conditions on software developers, and require Facebook to get approval before future mergers and acquisitions. Personal social networking is central to the lives of millions of Americans, Ian Conner, director of the FTCs Bureau of Competition, said in a statement. Facebooks actions to entrench and maintain its monopoly deny consumers the benefits of competition. Our aim is to roll back Facebooks anti-competitive conduct and restore competition so that innovation and free competition can thrive. This combination of photos shows Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, in 20192020. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Evan Vucci, Jeff Chiu, Jens Meyer/AP Photo) Facebook has responded to the FTCs lawsuit, labeling it revisionist history and arguing that its acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp had already faced regulatory scrutiny and were approved. Regulators correctly allowed these deals to move forward because they did not threaten competition, Facebook said. It also argued that the FTC lawsuit risks sowing doubt and uncertainty about the US governments own merger review process and whether acquiring businesses can actually rely on the outcomes of the legal process and that it would punish innovative companies for making risky and costly investments in new products and services, while reducing the likelihood that they would make such investments in the future. For about the past year and a half, the Houses top antitrust subcommittee has been probing Facebook, alongside Apple, Amazon, and Google, to decide if a change is needed in Americas century-old antitrust laws, or if the companies should be broken up because of the dominant market power they enjoy. At a July 2020 hearing before the U.S. House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee, the panels chairman, Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), said each platform controlled by the four companies is a bottleneck for a key channel of distribution. Whether they control access to information or to a marketplace, these platforms have the incentive and ability to exploit this power, he said. They can charge exorbitant fees, impose oppressive contracts, and extract valuable data from the people and businesses that rely on them. A sweeping report followed the 16-month probe, which lays out a detailed case for stripping Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google of the power that has allowed them to dominate their respective fields. In the report, lawmakers say Congress should overhaul laws that have let the companies become so powerful, beef up existing antitrust regulations, and consider breaking them up. Following the issuance of the report, the four tech giants issued responses generally opposing the recommendations and defending their practices. Facebook said in a statement cited by NPR that when it comes to its acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp, a strongly competitive landscape existed at the time of both acquisitions and exists today. Regulators thoroughly reviewed each deal and rightly did not see any reason to stop them at the time. Amazon published a blog post arguing against fallacies at the core of regulatory spit-balling on antitrust, and saying that consumers would face less choice and higher prices. Far from enhancing competition, these uninformed notions would instead reduce it, Amazon wrote. Apple said in a statement that it vehemently disagrees with the reports conclusions, while Google said the reports proposed remedies would cause real harm to consumers, Americas technology leadership and the U.S. economyall for no clear gain. Reuters contributed to this report. New Jersey is giving smokers access to the COVID-19 vaccine before the general public because, its health officials say, smokers are more likely to get gravely ill and quicker. There are two million smokers in New Jersey. As of Wednesday, they are now eligible to get the vaccine along with people over the age of 65, and people who have underlying health conditions. Health officials have defended the decision, saying their data proves that people who smoke get sicker more quickly from COVID than those who don't. It is unclear how they will check whether or not a person is a smoker when they show up to receive the vaccine. To date, there has not been any widespread study done on how smokers are worse affected by COVID. In fact, early research indicated that smokers were not adversely affected by COVID - a result that left scientists baffled. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy last week touring a COVID-19 vaccination site in Rockaway. As of Wednesday, smokers get access to the vaccine in NJ Outside the Morris County vaccination site, in Rockaway, NJ, Friday, Jan. 8, 2021. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy tours the opening of the Morris County vaccination site In a statement defending New Jersey's decision, the state's Department of Health Director of Communications Donna Leusner said: 'Nicotine is one of the most powerful addictions. 'Smoking put individuals at higher risk for more severe disease. If an individual who smokes gets COVID, they get sicker much quicker.' 'Smoking puts you at significant risk for an adverse result from COVID-19 and there are 2 million smokers in New Jersey who fit into these categories,' state Department of Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said on Tuesday as they announced the decision. Now, 4.75million in New Jersey are eligible to receive the vaccine. 'The state has only been given 500,000 vaccines. So far, it has administered more than 123,000. The NJ Department of Health has not shared the data it has on how COVID-19 affects smokers worse than anyone else. The decision was met with widespread criticism on social media The CDC has never shared data on how it affects smokers. The decision to include smokers outraged many who said it isn't fair that they should be given access to the vaccine before teachers. Health officials have defended the decision, saying their data proves that people who smoke get sicker more quickly from COVID than those who don't 'When will NJ teachers be eligible for the COVID vaccine? We have been pushed back in line, behind 2 million smokers,' one critic asked after the announcement. 'So y'all are going to prioritize the smokers who clearly dont care about their health to begin with to get the vaccine first because theyre now at higher risk after knowingly picking a poor life choice that would make themselves higher risk? 'Make it make sense,' another said. New York Times reporter Mark Mazzetti tweeted: 'My parents in New Jersey are technically eligible today for vaccine, but state is also expanding eligibility today to...heavy smokers. 'Hope they get in line before the dude who proves his eligibility by showing a receipt for a carton of Winstons.' Monday 05 September, 2016 Reliable information reaching Biafra writers desk has it that the life of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indi... 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. Sydney's upper north shore was hit with two-centimetre hailstones and there were reports that trees had fallen as thunderstorms hit Sydney's north and Central Coast on Thursday. The NSW Bureau of Meteorology issued a warning on Thursday afternoon for severe thunderstorms, which were detected on the weather radar near Gosford, Woy Woy, Mona Vale and Terrey Hills at 5.35pm. "These thunderstorms are moving towards the east to northeast. They are forecast to affect Palm Beach, Wyong and waters off The Entrance by 5:50pm and waters off Norah Head, waters off Palm Beach, Toukley and Gorokan by 6:05 pm," the Bureau said. Forecaster Jiwon Park said there was a report of two-centimetre hail falling at Normanhurst during the storm. ADELPHI, Md. -- Last year had its share of science and technology advances from Army researchers. The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, now known as DEVCOM, Army Research Laboratory, the Army's corporate research laboratory, has the mission to operationalize science for transformational overmatch. "The COVID-19 pandemic challenged us all this year," said the lab's chief scientist, Dr. Alexander Kott. "Despite that, our scientists and researchers made groundbreaking discoveries in 2020 that will strengthen and protect our future Soldiers." The lab's leading scientists picked the coolest advances to showcase how Army scientists and researchers are supporting the Soldier of the future with a top 10 list from 2020. View the Top 10 video on YouTube: https:/ / youtu. be/ 6sg-4CxNbBk Number 10: X-ray-like imaging system to see through barriers How about Superman-like X-ray vision in the form of goggles for Soldiers? New Army-funded research is looking at how to make this a reality. Researchers created an imaging system to see objects through environmental barriers, like sand. They shine an ultra-fast laser through a barrier and read back the reflected photons, assembling an image of what was behind the barrier in just fractions of a second. Existing imaging capabilities are limited to relaying back objects in two dimensions, but this new research will show objects in three dimensions, giving Soldiers more accurate situational and threat awareness in degraded visual environments. This could help future pilots fly through sandstorms, and robots navigate through fog. "Previous efforts were at very small distances, and with very heavy and complex methodology," said Army researcher Dr. Hamid Krim. "This is more of a macro scale, and it could be used on large or small moving platforms." Number 9: Levitating, freezing atoms to further quantum networking Using laser beams, Army researchers levitate atoms and freeze them to the coldest temperatures on earth, nearly absolute zero. Patterns of quantum information are stored in the frozen atoms, creating quantum holograms that can be retrieved. From this, researchers developed a new way to solve a critical challenge in quantum entanglement. The resulting holographic quantum memory is a building block for future Army quantum networks with exponentially more powerful capabilities in computing, sensing and communications. "Quantum networks are completely different than anything that currently exists," said Army researcher Kevin Cox. "The internet is the network right now, and it possesses certain capabilities. Quantum networks will have completely different capabilities and will access a piece of the universe that we have not been able to access before. It will lead to computing power that will be orders of magnitude more powerful than anything that currently exists." Number 8: An ultra-thin, flexible switch to access highest 5G frequencies A new ultra-thin radio-frequency switch could provide access to the highest 5G frequencies and enable 6G connectivity and beyond. Building off a material the Army discovered 10 years ago, research partners developed an atomic switch that is capable of connecting to the best available frequencies. It is more than 100 times more energy-efficient than what is used today and can transmit data at speeds up to 100 gigabits per second--speeding up how quickly users can do things like stream high-definition media and increasing average battery life substantially. "This switches between frequencies, similar to tuning frequencies on a radio," said Army researcher Dr. Chakrapani Varanasi. "The increased bandwidth and frequency range are unmatched--yet it consumes a fraction of the energy than what is currently used." The one-atom-thick switch is a fraction of a nanometer, and flexible, so it is easily integrated onto wearable systems as a laminate on Soldiers' uniforms with negligible extra weight. This could revolutionize the way the Army communicates, and could be integrated into satellite systems, smart radios and across the Internet of Things. Number 7: Autonomous sensors configuring mesh radio network Imagine autonomous, independent sensors could create their own radio network in a remote location. Army scientists are working on technology that will provide Soldiers with situational awareness through a unique autonomous mesh networking solution. Dropped sensors on a battlefield autonomously form their own network to route communications back to a place of interest, whether it is a command post or a lone Soldier. This radio network created on-the-fly requires little to no user intervention, adapts to local conditions and is more than 20 times more energy efficient than conventional Army radios--meaning Soldiers can carry less and communicate better. "Soldiers carry so much weight, and radio and batteries comprise a significant amount of that load," said Army researcher Ron Tobin. "A capability like this could be much more energy-efficient, which could improve communications for longer durations but also lighten the load for Soldiers." Number 6: Real-time object detection model Like autonomous cars are able to detect their surroundings, Soldiers need real-time scene understanding at the tactical edge. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning, Army researchers developed a novel object recognition model to immediately detect objects of interest. Sensors deployed on platforms such as drones or ground vehicles capture images and video. The model locates and identifies these objects, processing information on the spot--even where computational processing is limited. Soldiers are then alerted to suspicious activities in the surrounding area. "Our model can process five to six frames per second, which is comparable to the current state-of-the-art," said Army researcher Dr. Heesung Kwon. "But we use multiple classifiers that can detect objects better than existing models." This capability enables rapid decision-making, reducing mission risk, and could be integrated into future Soldier eyewear. Number 5: Electrical nudge to help brain Sometimes we could all use a little stimulation to kick-start our brains. Army and academic researchers found how a subtle electrical nudge helps the brain reorganize its activity to rapidly adapt and better make decisions. Inspired by dynamic network techniques, researchers used this nudge to bypass the normal human sensory and cognitive pathways. "This is changing the information flow through connections in the brain and can help us understand how the brain operates, especially in groups," said Army researcher Dr. Javier Garcia. This research lays the groundwork for improved teaming with intelligent agents--with possible future neuro-technologies that could prevent or predict behavioral mistakes or assess individual cognitive performance to keep our Soldiers sharp. Number 4: AI to predict aircraft damage and failure Army helicopters perform some of the most daring maneuvers in some of the most dangerous places in the world. Keeping the fleet in peak performing condition is critical. Army researchers studied 15 years of flight patterns--more than 1.3 million flights from 4,000 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters--and identified more than 100 different types of maneuvers. They connect which specific aircraft parts undergo the most wear and tear during these maneuvers. The result is a robust AI model predicting with nearly 100% accuracy which critical parts will fail, how and when. "We know critical parts on an aircraft have finite life," said Army researcher Dr. Mulugeta Haile. "We can use this data to effectively predict the best time to maintain an aircraft--by looking at how it has been flown rather than how much it has been flown." This significantly reduces costs to sustain the existing fleet--and most importantly, also identifies catastrophic damage before failure, improving mission outcomes and protecting our pilots. Number 3: Intelligent swarming drones Researchers look to nature to emulate the perfect dynamic flying formation. Army and academic researchers develop autonomous, omniscient-like, swarming drones that can reason and make the best decisions without human interference. Equipped with cameras, these drones look around and see each other, and independently reason about each other's size, distance and motion. The agents then communicate with each other. Through a form of machine learning, they imitate each other and decide how to reach the ideal collective goal. "The agents have to learn how to process what they see, how to talk to each other and how to move, all through imitation," said Army Senior Research Scientist Dr. Brian Sadler. This could lead to completely autonomous cohesion and decision-making to assist our Soldiers in the most critical situations. Number 2: 3D printed munitions 3D printing revolutionized the convenience and speed at which everyday people create everyday objects. Army scientists pioneer the 3D printing frontier with first-of-its-kind polymers for energetics and metals--including the highest-strength steel ever made--to develop the next generation of munitions. They were first in the world to demonstrate 3D structural circuit manufacturing that will revolutionize munition fusing and sensing, while also saving weight and space. "We are printing materials no one else has ever printed, and new geometric designs that open up the trade space for munitions," said Army researcher Dr. Jason Robinette. But how durable are they? These 3D printed munitions have high-G survivability--withstanding the most extreme accelerations that even current munitions can't match. This will help soldiers in extreme environments and tomorrow's battlefield. Number 1: Intelligent, navigating munitions Army researchers use the latest technologies to create the most intelligent munitions that navigate to and hit moving targets. With onboard sensors, actuators, and an imager, a munition runs an algorithm on the tip of the artillery piece as it flies to its target. Current systems rely on GPS to navigate to a specified coordinate. This munition enables moving the flight path--both in initial guidance and mid-flight--improving the munition's range and speed to hit a moving target. "This research will enable us to penetrate faster and have more maneuverability so that we can evade threat systems and reach the target," said Army researcher Dr. Frank Fresconi. This will be a crucial element to ensure the Army's dominance on land, on sea, and in the air. ### DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory is an element of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command. As the Army's corporate research laboratory, ARL is operationalizing science to achieve transformational overmatch. Through collaboration across the command's core technical competencies, DEVCOM leads in the discovery, development and delivery of the technology-based capabilities required to make Soldiers more successful at winning the nation's wars and come home safely. DEVCOM is a major subordinate command of the Army Futures Command. Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2021) - TrustBIX Inc. (TSXV: TBIX) ("TrustBIX") is pleased to announce that it intends to complete a non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of up to 7,5000,000 units ("Units") at a price of $0.20 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to $1,500,000, subject to regulatory approval. Each Unit is comprised of one (1) common share in the capital of TrustBIX ("Common Share") and one (1) Common Share purchase warrant ("Warrant"), whereby each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one (1) Common Share at a price of $0.30 for a period of one (1) year from the date of closing. If the closing price of the Common Shares on the principal market on which such shares trade is equal to or exceeds $0.50 per Common Share for twenty (20) consecutive trading days, TrustBIX will have the right to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants. In the event of acceleration, the expiry date will be accelerated to a date that is thirty (30) days after the date that written notice has been given to the warrant holder or the date that TrustBIX has issued a press release announcing the exercise of the acceleration right; and thereafter, no further notification will be provided by TrustBIX to the subscribers. Certain insiders of TrustBIX will sell up to $500,000 in common shares from their personal holdings through the facilities of the TSX Venture Exchange and these insiders will use all of the net proceeds from the sale of these shares to purchase Units under the Private Placement. The issuance of Units to insiders pursuant to the Private Placement will constitute a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101, Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Offering will be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101. In particular, TrustBIX anticipates that the exemptions set out in paragraphs (a) and (b) in section 5.5 of MI 61-101 are applicable since the aggregate consideration to be paid by the related parties will not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of TrustBIX and TrustBIX is not listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, but only on the TSX Venture Exchange. In addition, regarding the minority shareholder approval exemptions, the independent directors have determined that the exemptions set out in paragraphs (1)(a) and (b) in section 5.7 of MI 61-101 are applicable in that the aggregate consideration to be paid by the related parties will not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of TrustBIX, the distribution of the securities to the related parties will have a fair market value of not more than $2,500,000 and TrustBIX is not listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, but only on the TSX Venture Exchange. TrustBIX will use the proceeds from the Private Placement for general working capital and growing its business. About TrustBIX (TSXV: TBIX) As an innovative leader, TrustBIX provides agri-food traceability. By addressing consumer and agri-food business demands, the Company has a goal to become the most trusted and largest source of third-party food traceability and sustainability information globally - Gate to Plate. TrustBIX Inc.'s focus is to create a world where we trust more, waste less and reward sustainable behaviour. The Company's proprietary platform, BIX (Business infoXchange System), is designed to create trust without compromising privacy through innovative use of data and technology. Extensive R&D has allowed TrustBIX to create a new blockchain-derived technology to complement its mature and proven traceability systems. By leveraging BIX and its unique use of incentive solutions, the Company can deliver independent validation of food provenance and sustainable production practices within the supply chain. ViewTrak Technologies Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, provides a suite of hardware and software solutions to the livestock industry in Canada, United States, Mexico and China, such as Auction Master Pro, Market Master, Feedlot Solutions and pork grading probes. For more information, visit www.trustbix.com, or follow us on Twitter twitter.com/@TrustBIX_Inc, Facebook at www.facebook.com/BIXSco, or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bixsco-inc-/. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Hubert Lau President and CEO Telephone: (780) 456-2207 Email: info@trustbix.com 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 of accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/72075 The expansion activities will nearly double the capacity at Cognate's existing Global Manufacturing Facility & Headquarters, located only minutes from Memphis International Airport, the world's second busiest cargo airport. In Memphis, Cognate will add two separate facilities a distribution center to help manage global supply chain needs, and a third site focused on commercial manufacturing capabilities all totaling nearly 250,000 square feet of space. Construction has already begun on Cognate's GMP Distribution Center and is expected to finalize in early 2021; build out of the commercial manufacturing location will begin in 2021 with the goal of coming online as quickly as possible. "Our expansion plans in cell and gene therapy, in the US and Europe, and the close proximity to a global shipping and logistics hubs, provide Cognate BioServices, together with Cobra Biologics, a unique competitive advantage not available to other CDMOs. This is critically important to our clients around the world who are commercializing cell and gene therapies that require rapid turn around and often utilize real-time shipping and handling," said J. Kelly Ganjei, Chairman & CEO of Cognate. "We are committed to rapidly expanding our global reach and capacity, allowing us to further our mission of developing, manufacturing and delivering leading-edge living therapeutics of the highest quality to patients around the globe." Cognate initially outlined these US expansion plans in connection with its application for a 15-year Expansion PILOT (payment-in-lieu-of-taxes) approval from the Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE) for Memphis and Shelby County. "As our economy continues to recover in the midst of a pandemic, Cognate BioServices' decision to expand in Memphis is great news for our state and the citizens of West Tennessee," Tennessee Governor Bill Lee said. "The creation of more than 550 high-quality jobs means new opportunities for area residents, and I appreciate Cognate BioServices for its continued investment and job creation in Tennessee." "Over the past three years, healthcare and life sciences companies have invested nearly $200 million in our state," Bob Rolfe, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, said. "Growth in this sector results in high-wage, high-growth job opportunities for Tennesseans, and we thank Cognate BioServices for adding hundreds of new jobs in Memphis." In addition, Cobra Biologics, the gene therapy division of the Cognate BioServices' group, is undertaking a multi-phase augmentation of its plasmid DNA services as a continuation of its Gene Therapy services' expansion project for viral vectors and plasmid DNA. This includes a four-fold increase in HQ (High Quality) DNA manufacturing capacity alongside new clinical and commercial GMP DNA facilities at its European facilities. The HQ plasmid manufacturing service provides a rapid six-week delivery time for the clinical manufacture of immuno-oncology therapies, for example products utilizing AAV, lentiviral vector and CRISPR products. After its acquisition of Cobra Biologics in January 2020, Cognate has positioned itself as a global provider of end-to-end capabilities in the development and manufacturing of cell & gene therapy products. This expansion is in direct response to the great demand of commercial capacity within the biologics industry. About Cognate BioServices, Inc. Cognate BioServices is the leading CDMO for the development and manufacturing of autologous and allogeneic cell and gene therapy products. We are a dynamic, results-driven, organization focused on providing the broadest range of commercialization services to regenerative medicine, cellular immunotherapy and advance cell therapy companies. Cognate provides a unique combination of custom services to companies across all points of clinical and commercial development specializing in mid to late stage clinical trials and supporting our clients through product scale-up into commercial manufacturing. Cognate applies the knowledge and expertise of its business, scientific and technical teams to successfully develop autologous and allogeneic products across multiple cell-based technology platforms from start to finish. Cognate's business and expansion activities are supported by leading shareholder EW Healthcare Partners, as well as Medivate Partners, Blackrock, and a Middle East Sovereign Wealth Fund. www.cognatebioservices.com About Cobra Biologics Cobra Biologics, the gene therapy division of Cognate BioServices company, is a leading international gene therapy CDMO with GMP approved facilities in both the UK and Sweden, each with an extensive track record in serving our global client base. Cobra offers a broad range of integrated and stand-alone services for both the clinical and commercial gene therapy market. As a trusted provider and a key partner in the drug development and commercialization process, Cobra takes pride in manufacturing excellence and comprehensive range of services to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. For more information please visit: www.cobrabio.com For more information, please contact James Wilkerson at [email protected] SOURCE Cognate BioServices; Cobra Biologics Related Links http://www.cognatebioservices.com New tariffs that went into effect Tuesday will impact French and German wines that were already en route to Charleston, as well as future bottles imported, distributed and consumed on American soil. The newest fee, a 25 percent levy announced by the U.S. Trade Representative, is the latest in a series of tariffs on French, German, Spanish and U.K. wines issued as part of a trade dispute with the European Union over aircraft subsidies. Charleston-based wine distributors, retailers and restaurants are among those bearing the brunt of those tactical maneuvers, which according to local industry leaders are disproportionately harming American businesses. "For every one European company you hurt, youre hurting three in the United States," said Harry Root of wholesaler Grassroots Wine, referencing the importer, distributor and retailer. "And there's been no movement from the Trump administration to recognize this." While the European Union has imposed $4 billion of its own tariffs on American products, including ketchup and tractors, the U.S. response has been a cultural attack of its own. Root is a founding member of the U.S. Wine Trade Alliance, a group that has been fighting the tariffs by lobbying in Washington. His most recent battle began in October 2019, when European wines under 14 percent alcohol were first hit with a 25 percent tariff. The January expansion applies to those wines that exceed 14 percent as well, including Cognac and Armagnac. Root's latest wine import, ordered back in November, arrived just two days after the latest tariff went into effect, costing him an unexpected additional $14,000. And while the consumer can expect to pay considerably more than a 25 percent increase, American-owned restaurants, already struggling to manage the thin margins of the pandemic era, are perhaps being hit worst of all, according to Root. "We have plenty of great restaurants in Charleston that rely on French and Spanish wines in particular that are frankly irreplaceable," Root said. "Those restaurants built their business models on serving these wines and making them a part of the revenue and profit stream, and now that opportunity is lost." Sign up for our food & dining newsletter. We publish our free Food & Dining newsletter every Wednesday at 10 a.m. to keep you informed on everything happening in the Charleston culinary scene. Sign up today! Email Sign Up! Joshua Walker of Wine & Company on Meeting Street has absorbed some of the costs of the new tariffs to avoid losing loyal customers. As far as what they look like to Charleston consumers, Walker suggested it's more than just a $3 price jump on a $10 glass of your favorite Bordeaux at Chez Nous. It's European exporters dropping out of the business entirely. "It's more than us taking prices and throwing them through the roof," said Walker. "It's slowly losing producers we love. We're just seeing them missing in the market now." The impact is felt when Walker can't serve a loyal patron their favorite glass of wine during one of the most stressful times our country has faced in recent history. "Not only do you have to come into the bar thinking about masks, social distancing and hand sanitizer. Now your favorite wine after a terrible week isn't here anymore," he said. "Psychologically, it's been the most taxing." U.S. sales of wines affected by the previous tariffs are down 53 percent, according to the U.S. Wine Trade Alliance, not boding well for those hit by this new expansion. But there is hope that the Biden administration will reverse some of the tariffs, lifting one burden off an already struggling industry. Leading up to the change of power, Root has been in touch with lawmakers, though he won't make any physical appearances at the Capitol any time soon. "Going to D.C. right now is not really possible unless you beat yourself in," he said. "But from my talks with lawmakers, there does seem to be bipartisan recognition that these tariffs are unfair and misguided." Theoretically, the tariffs could be withdrawn by the executive branch without Congressional input at any time. Root said he knows the Biden administration has a lot on its plate at the start of this term. At the end of the day, repealing these tariffs is not one of the most important things, but is one of the simplest things to do, he offered. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 14) The Philippines on Thursday logged 1,912 new coronavirus infections, with the overall count rising to 494,605. The Department of Health said of the total infected, active cases are at 25,614 or 5.2%. It listed the top contributing areas as Davao City with 136 more patients, Quezon City with 107, Agusan del Sur with 61, Dagupan City with 57, and Cavite with 54. Forty more people also died due to the disease, bringing the total fatalities to 9,739. The DOH said that of this number, 14 were earlier tagged as recoveries and were corrected as deaths. Meanwhile, the nationwide recovery count is now at 459,252 with another 746 reported survivors. Seven testing laboratories failed to submit data on time and were not yet included in the latest figures, the department said. It added that after final validation, five duplicates, as well as two cases found to have tested negative, were removed from the case count. In a media briefing, a health expert warned of a possible rise in Metro Manila's COVID-19 reproduction rate, from 1.17 to 1.5, due to the recent Feast of the Black Nazarene, which drew hundreds of thousands of devotees to the Quiapo Church despite the cancellation of the Traslacion. The reproduction rate refers to the average number of people who can be infected by a single COVID-19 patient. Experts also said the country should brace for local transmissions of the new and more contagious COVID-19 variant, which was first reported in the United Kingdom. This is after officials confirmed on Wednesday the presence of the UK variant in a 29-year-old Quezon City resident, who returned home from Dubai on Jan. 7. READ: Infectious disease expert urges vigilance against new COVID variant Among Filipinos abroad, cases climbed to 13,498 after the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed another 120 patients. The number of recoveries and deaths remained unchanged at 8,585 and 935, respectively. Global deaths are nearing two million, out of around 92.3 million infected, the Johns Hopkins University tracker showed. Recoveries are now at more than 51 million. City council President Bill Gaughan said he will not seek a third four-year term on city council this year. Though Gaughan said he remains interested in serving the public and wants to explore other opportunities, he wont run for mayor this year either, he said in an interview Wednesday. No, no, Im not running for mayor, Gaughan said, dismissing rumors of a possible run. In a statement, Gaughan, 33, called serving as a council member one of the greatest honors of my life, one that afforded me the opportunity to meet and work with so many wonderful people. I cannot thank the residents of Scranton for the support and trust they placed in me, he said in the statement. He will serve out his current term, but said he does not have specific other opportunities in mind and did not rule out running for public office again. I think public service is really important, he said. So I just want to take a step back and take a look at some other things at this point. As a councilman, Gaughan successfully advocated for putting lengthy council meeting agendas online instead of printing copies that cost the public 25 cents a page. The move saved tens of thousands of dollars in paper and printing costs. I just saw how inefficient that was. So I worked at and led the charge at moving really all those documents online, he said. And now if youre a citizen, you can literally see every single thing that council votes on, all the backup. Its on our website, which was never done before. So Im really proud of that. Because in terms of transparency, its huge. Gaughan also fought for reviving the citys Board of Ethics so residents could officially complain about unethical behavior by city officials. Just fighting for everyday people citizens in Scranton, who couldnt get an answer, maybe from an administration and I would go out and meet with them in their home, sit across the table from them, he said. That was one of the most satisfying things for me. An American government teacher at Commonwealth Charter Academy, Gaughan and his wife, Kellie, have four young children, but he said his growing family had little to do with his decision. I mean my wife ... loves politics, loves government. So that wasnt really it. It was just, you know, eight years is a long time. And I just want to explore other opportunities, other interests in my life, he said. Colleagues praised Gaughan and said they will miss his presence. Councilwoman Jessica Rothchild said he works hard and with integrity for Scranton residents. Councilman Kyle Donahue called Gaughan a dedicated public servant and a consistent and tireless advocate for a government that works for all city residents. Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti, with whom Gaughan sharply disagreed over the citys 2021 budget, said his departure will be a loss to the city, but expects he will find other ways to serve residents. City voters will choose nominees for three council seats, mayor and tax collector in the May 18 primary election. Besides Gaughans, the seats of Donahue and Councilman Tom Schuster are up for election. The Space Race an informal competition of the 20th centurys Cold War inflamed the imagination of a better part of the world back in the 1950s and 1960s. It led to incredible technological achievements in many fields, and it all culminated on that historic day (July 20, 1969) when the Apollo 11 mission managed to land the first humans on the Moon.Just a year before that faithful moment, a 1968 Ford Galaxie 500 was born with a fastback body as part of the series designed by the Blue Oval to both celebrate and take advantage of the sympathy towards space exploration. The Galaxie 500 was Fords midship representative of the family from around 1965 until the nameplates retirement in 1974.This example, in particular, was manufactured for the 1968 model year and is now a great and very affordable, according to the listing representative of the classic full-size segment from the era. Although its now more than half a century old, this Galaxie 500 is only showing less than 300 miles (483 km) on the odometer.Its no mistake, though, because the 68 has been fully restored to new car levels before reaching the inventory of Cars Remember When, a Colorado-based, family-owned business dedicated to classic car enthusiasts. Even so, the Galaxie 500 is not going to break the piggybank of the next owner, because the asking price is a mere $21,900.For the cash, this Ford cruiser is offered in green over white vinyl top exterior and interior combination which is quite fitting of its evergreen status. In addition, the Galaxie 500 has a Y code 390 double-barrel V8 engine thats mated to a U code C-6 automatic transmission sending power to the rear wheels.The drive is going to be relaxed at all times, thanks to the powered steering and front disc brakes, while the original style radio will feed the 1960s atmosphere with its tunes. Still, one might consider a visit to a tire station first, as the description notes the matching whitewall tires are in need of a replacement procedure. A Brazilian nurse who fought off coronavirus and got reinfected with the country's new variant has sparked fears the mutation could hamper immunity. The variant, which today spooked ministers into banning all flights to the UK from South America, carries a mutation that may make the virus able to get past immunity developed from older versions of the virus. The unnamed 45-year-old fell ill with the new variant in October five months after she recovered from Covid caused by an older strain, and her symptoms were worse the second time. Researchers from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, a science institute in Rio de Janeiro, warned that mutations on the new variant could increase the risk of reinfection. They wrote that 'viral evolutions may favour reinfections', claiming recently spotted variants 'have raised concern on their potential impact in infectivity and immune escape'. Amid growing fears about the Brazilian variant, the UK Government today banned all travellers from Portugal, South America, Panama and Cape Verde in a bid to stop it from wreaking havoc in Britain. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he had broadened the ban from just Brazil in order to 'reduce the risk of importing infections'. A virus researcher today told MailOnline it was 'entirely possible' there are already cases here but Public Health England said it had not yet detected any cases. And the UK's chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, admitted last night that 'we don't know for sure' how the new variant will affect vaccines and immunity. The new variant to have emerged in Brazil looks extremely similar to the ones that were found in Kent and South Africa, but it has not yet been discovered on British soil (stock image) All three of the mutated versions of the coronavirus found in recent weeks the ones from Kent, South Africa and Brazil have had a change on the spike protein of the virus called N501Y, which scientists say makes it better able to latch onto the body and spread The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation paper which hasn't been peer-reviewed by fellow scientists last week reported the case of a woman in Salvador, Brazil, who got Covid a second time amid an outbreak of the new variant. She had been diagnosed with coronavirus for the first time on May 26, 2020, when she had diarrhoea, muscle aches and general weakness. She took an asthma steroid called prednisone and recovered within three weeks without any long-lasting problems, the researchers said. But in October, she became ill again with similar symptoms diarrhoea, headache, coughing and a sore throat and again tested positive for coronavirus. Her symptoms got even worse than they had been the first time around and she developed breathing difficulties, shortness of breath, muscle pains and insomnia. WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE BRAZIL VARIANT? Name: B.1.1.248 or P.1 Date: Discovered in Tokyo, Japan, in four travellers arriving from Manaus, Brazil, on January 2. Is it in the UK? Public health officials and scientists randomly sample around 1 in 10 coronavirus cases in the UK and they have not yet reported any cases of B.1.1.248, but this doesn't rule it out completely. Why should we care? The variant has the same spike protein mutation as the highly transmissible versions found in Kent and South Africa named N501Y which makes the spike better able to bind to receptors inside the body. It has a third, less well-studied mutation called K417T, and the ramifications of this are still being researched. What do the mutations do? The N501Y mutation makes the spike protein better at binding to receptors in people's bodies and therefore makes the virus more infectious. Exactly how much more infectious it is remains to be seen, but scientists estimate the similar-looking variant in the UK is around 56 per cent more transmissible than its predecessor. Even if the virus doesn't appear to be more dangerous, its ability to spread faster and cause more infections will inevitably lead to a higher death rate. Another key mutation in the variant, named E484K, is also on the spike protein and is present in the South African variant. E484K may be associated with an ability to evade parts of the immune system called antibodies, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro said in a scientific paper published online. However, there are multiple immune cells and substances involved in the destruction of coronavirus when it gets into the body so this may not translate to a difference in how people get infected or recover. Will our vaccines still protect us? There is no reason to believe that already-developed Covid vaccines will not protect against the variant. The main and most concerning change to this version of the virus is its N501Y mutation. Pfizer, the company that made the first vaccine to get approval for public use in the UK, has specifically tested its jab on viruses carrying this mutation in a lab after the variants emerged in the UK and South Africa. They found that the vaccine worked just as well as it did on other variants and was able to ignore the change. And, as the South African variant carries another of the major mutations on the Brazilian strain (E484K) and the Pfizer jab worked against that, too, it is likely that the new mutation would not affect vaccines. The immunity developed by different types of vaccine is broadly similar, so if one of them is able to work against it, the others should as well. Professor Ravi Gupta, a microbiologist at the University of Cambridge, said: 'Vaccines are still likely to be effective as a control measure if coverage rates are high and transmission is limited as far as possible.' Advertisement When the researchers compared her positive test samples from the two episodes they found that the latter one had mutations now known to be a key component of the Brazilian variant. The genetic mutation, called E484K, changes the shape of the spike protein on the outside of the virus in a way that might make it less recognisable to an immune system trained to spot versions of the virus that don't have the mutation, scientists say. E484K is thought to change the virus in a way which makes it more difficult for antibodies to bind to it and prevent it entering the body. Antibodies are a part of the immune system that can cripple viruses or attach to them and flag them up as targets for other killer white blood cells. In this case, the part of the spike protein that gets changed is called the 'receptor binding domain', or the RBD, which the virus uses to latch onto the body. The Oswaldo Cruz researchers wrote: 'Mutation analysis demonstrated, for the first time, a reinfection case with a viral variant harboring the mutation E484K, located in a key residue of the receptor binding domain, that seems to modestly enhance binding between the Spike protein and the [body].' The scientists said this woman's case was the first time that someone had been infected for a second time with the variant, with the second case coming from this new variant. They suggest the differences the mutation caused to the spike protein meant that the natural immunity her body developed after the first infection did not protect her from the second one. The woman is thought to have recovered from her illness, and tested positive for antibodies to the new strain on November 23, the paper said. Her case report has emerged as scientists debate whether the discovery of the new variant is likely to affect how well Britain's existing Covid vaccines work. Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser, told ITV's Peston show last night there was no evidence any of the variants led to more severe disease or could get around the immune system. He said: 'Theres no evidence at all with any of these variants that it makes the disease itself more severe. 'So the changes that were seeing with the variants are largely around increased transmission. '[There's] no evidence yet for the UK version that it makes a difference in terms of how the immune system recognises it, and if youve been exposed to the old variant or youve had a vaccine, it looks like thats gonna work just as well with this new variant for the UK one. 'The South African one and Brazilian one, we dont know for sure. Theres a bit more of a risk that this might make a change to the way the immune system recognises it but we dont know. Those experiments are underway.' Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at the University of Reading, told MailOnline today that even if the mutation did affect the immune system it wasn't likely to scupper existing vaccines completely. He said: 'We know where the mutations are. I think it's fair to say we don't have a good picture on how easily it spreads or how quickly it spreads. 'Some of the changes, not all, are in the spike protein. The only one we have good data on in terms of the ability to spread is the Kent strain. 'The changes to the spike mean that they could make it more difficult for antibodies to bind to. If there is an effect, and it's a big if, I would assume it would reduce their [vaccines] efficacy not abolish it, it wouldn't render it useless but it might not be effective.' In response to the new variant the UK is banning all travellers from South America, Panama and Cape Verde, as well as Portugal. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said he was taking 'urgent' action in an effort to prevent the mutant version getting into Britain. No-one who has been in any of the listed countries in the previous 10 days will be granted entry. The measures are even wider than had been expected - although British and Irish nationals will not be subject to the total block, and must merely isolate for 10 days. Mr Shapps tweeted: 'I've taken the urgent decision to BAN ARRIVALS from ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, BOLIVIA, CAPE VERDE, CHILE, COLOMBIA, ECUADOR, FRENCH GUIANA, GUYANA, PANAMA, PARAGUAY, PERU, SURINAME, URUGUAY AND VENEZUELA from TOMORROW, 15 JAN at 4AM following evidence of a new variant in Brazil.' He added: 'Travel from PORTUGAL to the UK will also be suspended given its strong travel links with Brazil acting as another way to reduce the risk of importing infections. 'However, there is an exemption for hauliers travelling from Portugal (only), to allow transport of essential goods.' The curbs, confirmed by the Covid O Cabinet sub-committee, mirror beefed-up rules brought in for South Africa due to its own mutant Covid strain, which is extremely similar. Boris Johnson admitted yesterday that officials were 'concerned' about the variant and claimed the Government was 'taking steps' to ensure it doesn't spread in Britain. Brazil has already banned travellers from the UK, starting on December 25, because of the variant that emerged here. Airlines appear to have taken matters into their own hands, with all five flights scheduled between Brazil and Heathrow cancelled, and none due from other UK airports. Public Health England (PHE) said it hasn't picked up any cases of the variant yet, but wouldn't rule out its already being in Britain. Variants can generally only be picked up by detailed examination of randomly-picked test samples so don't show up until they are already widespread. The South African variant, for example, can't be distinguished from others in test results alone. (Natural News) Supporters of President Donald Trump, including those who did not vote for him, had the best champion of the little guy and gal in the Oval Office in our lifetimes. And thats the main reason why the political and media establishment hate him so much: Its us they really hate, and they were incensed that the American people would dare to make him our president a political outsider who was such a threat to their protected, elitist world they cheated just to beat him this election cycle. Now, on his way out, Democrats and the RINO class have falsely accused him of inciting an insurrection last week and leading an assault on the U.S. Capitol Building. They want to further punish him with a second baseless impeachment, so they can tar him for all eternity as a doubly failed president, despite the fact that his policies made our country better, stronger, safer and wealthier. But again, these lunatics, these representatives of the people, also want to punish those who put Trump in office and stood by him through thick and thin by redefining any dissent against their left-wing extremism as domestic terrorism. Trending Politics reports: If the coronavirus pandemic has been the best thing to ever happen to Democrats then events in Washington on Wednesday have given their authoritarian tendencies an injection of steroids. The same people who have locked down the nation and endorsed the idea of sending armed police to break up Thanksgiving dinners are moving with lightning-fast speed to eliminate those who oppose their anti-American agenda by redefining dissent as terrorism. The brief occupation of the U.S. Capitol Building admittedly, a tactical error on the part of patriots simply because it turned deadly opened a Pandoras Box and will be used by Democrats to stifle the First Amendments guarantee of peaceful assembly and political expression. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), a poster child for congressional term limits, announced last week he would reintroduce the Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act (an otherwise pointless piece of legislation since terrorism is already against U.S. law), which will likely pass after Democrats stole the two Georgia elections earlier this month and will now control both chambers of Congress after they ditch the filibuster in the Senate. After the attack on the Capitol, I hope that congress can finally come together and do something to address this threat, Durbin said. According to Fox News Chicago, the legislation calls for the establishment of new offices within the Justice Department, Department of Homeland Security and the FBI that focus specifically on domestic terror threats (though elements of those departments and agencies already do that). It would require these offices to regularly assess the domestic terrorism threat, Durbin said. The Illinois Democrat isnt the only one who wants to quash civil and constitutional liberties for Trump supporters. CIA asset-turned-Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan will be pushing for this new legislation, too. (Related: Scary Video: Antifa protesters terrorize Senator Josh Hawleys family, pound on front door as his wife and newborn are inside.) The post 9/11 era is over. The single greatest national security threat right now is our internal division. The threat of domestic terrorism. The polarization that threatens our democracy. If we dont reconnect our two Americas, the threats will not have to come from the outside, she wrote in Twitter in a post featuring a video message as well. The post 9/11 era is over. The single greatest national security threat right now is our internal division. The threat of domestic terrorism. The polarization that threatens our democracy. If we don't reconnect our two Americas, the threats will not have to come from the outside. pic.twitter.com/ADgGcf7qEo Rep. Elissa Slotkin (@RepSlotkin) January 8, 2021 So how do we know that this legislation is going to be directed solely at Trump supporters and conservative patriots? Simple; its because Democrats are pushing for it, and we know from their past attempts to quash conservative talk radio, censor people online, and attack Fox News they dont much care for dissent from the other side. And who seriously believes that this legislation will be applied to the Democrat lefts shock troops Antifa and BLM? See more reporting like this at DomesticTerrorism.news. Sources include: TrendingPolitics.com Terrorism.news Investors who bet on tropical forest conservation and reforestation to solve global warming by storing carbon in wood face huge uncertainties because the science behind predicting carbon stocks is still shaky. Even the best Earth Systems Models fail to predict how carbon stored by tropical forests varies from place to place. The New Phytologist invites scientists doing the "most-exciting, ground-breaking research" to review timely topics in a way that non-scientists can understand. Helene Muller-Landau, staff scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) was chosen to write the authoritative Tansley Review of carbon accounting in the tropics. She worked with Kristina Anderson-Teixeira, also a STRI staff scientist at STRI's Center for Tropical Forest Science-Forest Global Earth Observatory (Smithsonian ForestGEO), post-doctoral fellows from Columbia University and Princeton University, and two STRI interns to sift through dozens of studies to synthesize patterns of how tropical forest productivity and carbon storage varies across the globe. They conclude that warm, wet tropical forests with moderately fertile soils store more carbon. "Ecologists have been studying tropical forests for over a hundred years," said Muller-Landau, "but most studies focus on a single forest type or a single region, making it hard to see the big picture of how carbon flows through forests. We lacked a synthesis of how tropical forests vary with climate, soils, and disturbance regime, and of what we know about the mechanisms underlying this variation." The authors gathered studies from tropical forests around the world that measured variables such as carbon stocks, forest productivity and carbon residence time in eight or more sites differing in temperature, precipitation, elevation, and/or soil fertility. STRI interns Eva Arroyo and Bogumila Backiel contributed to the literature review and analyses. KC Cushman, a post-doctoral fellow with funding from the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiments-Tropics, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Research determined the geographical location of each study and obtained climate information for every site from the global CHELSA climate datasets so the team could evaluate the ranges of climate variables for all of the studies. "One of the challenges is that the older studies don't estimate carbon or report results in terms of carbon," Cushman said. "But they often report other quantities that are reasonably good proxies; for example, canopy height is a good predictor of forest carbon stocks." Some big take-away's emerged: In wet tropical forests, trees grow faster and store more carbon than in drier forests. Low elevation forests are taller and store more carbon than high elevation forests. And when soils are more fertile, trees are more productive, which would, all else being equal, be expected to lead to higher carbon stocks. But when soils are more fertile, trees also die faster, which, on its own, would lead to decreasing carbon stocks with higher fertility. But putting those two things together, carbon stocks should be greatest at intermediate fertility, which would explain why previous studies do not agree upon whether carbon stocks increase or decrease with soil fertility. Another big takeaway is that little is known about tree mortality, even though it is essential for predicting carbon stocks. In areas where the forest is disturbed more often, or tree mortality is higher for other reasons, less carbon is stored as biomass, and it flows through the system faster. Although the patterns of carbon storage in tropical forests differ from place to place, the general patterns are surprisingly consistent. African and Asian tropical forests have higher biomass in areas where the climate is similar to that in American forests, for example. Certainly, there are important exceptions to the rules-for example, some high-elevation forests are very high in biomass. But the exceptions help researchers to identify the general mechanisms underlying these patterns. As she began the review, Muller-Landau consulted former STRI staff scientist Egbert Leigh's classic text Tropical Forest Ecology, for a summary of general understanding before her synthesis. Leigh noted that dry forests (those with dry seasons of 5 or more months) had lower productivity and biomass, but considered all other lowland forests, including those with shorter dry seasons as well as ever-wet forests, to have similar leaf productivity, mortality and biomass. Her new synthesis shows that, in fact, there is a lot of variation among these forests, and that this variation is structured by climate and soils, with broadly consistent relationships across regions. "This synthesis enormously widens our sense of how above-ground carbon stocks vary with climate and soil fertility," Leigh said when asked to comment, "and makes it much easier to ask questions about the causes of these relationships." ### Conservative Republican lawmakers on Wednesday made their presence known on the Government Administration and Elections Committee, opposing a plan to keep using COVID-era, no-excuse-absentee-ballots for upcoming special and municipal elections. The committees Democratic majority crushed Republican opposition, setting the proposal on track for a public hearing. The debate set the tone for a possibly contentious session over election reforms at a time when GOP allegations of fraud in the presidential election were rejected as unfounded in courts throughout the nation. During the September special session of the General Assembly, lawmakers approved a law to allow all state voters to vote through mail-in ballots contributing to the 80 percent turnout in Novermber. The Constitution limits absentee ballots to those serving in the military, suffering from illness, or out-of-state on Election Day. Sen. Rob Sampson of Wolcott, ranking Republican on the committee, said state voters need assurances. It will be my focus to restore the publics confidence in our election cycle, he said. Our system is breaking down, and each one of us knows this. There are people on the right that believe that Donald Trump is an absolutely perfect human being and he can do no wrong and the election was stolen from him. And then there are people who are on the left who believe that Trump is pure evil and any mention of an election-fraud issue or problem is completely contrived and made up. Sampson said the truth is in the middle. I supported President Trump, but not 100 percent of the time, Sampson said. Hes a human being, just like the rest of us. I would like to make it quite clear that election fraud is a legitimate and real thing, and it does happen. Was the election stolen from Donald Trump? I doubt it, but thats not enough to dismiss every issue or accusation or potential case of voter fraud and we must remember that. There is half of the country out there and a good portion of our state that believes that the election was stolen, whether it was right or wrong. Sen. Mae Flexer, D-Willimantic, said the proposal to continue the mail-in balloting was being accelerated because of the pending special session in February for a Stamford Senate seat, as well as upcoming May elections in some towns and cities, to allow residents to avoid polling places in the pandemic. There is a lot of concern that voters got used to the protocols that were followed for November of last year, Flexer said. There was some urgency to raising this concept and potentially getting it going in the committee process. This conversation is going to happen one way or another in the next couple of weeks, whether thats here in this committee or through an emergency certification process. After the meeting, Cheri Quickmire, executive director of Common Cause in Connecticut, the election watchdog group, disagreed with Sampsons premise. To my knowledge there was no verified election fraud in the state, Quickmire said in an interview. None. We had a very successful election system with a high turnout rate. Gabe Rosenberg, general counsel for Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, said Sampson seems to be subscribing to refuted fraud theories. Refusing to confront and repudiate the conspiracy theories that the election was stolen from Donald Trump is a direct attack on the thousands of hard-working local election officials and poll workers across the state of Connecticut, from both parties who came together to ensure every Connecticut citizen has a voice in our democracy, Rosenberg said. Allowing these conspiracy theories to flourish, despite the lack of supporting evidence, has helped to create the political environment of fear and mistrust that led to last weeks violent insurrection in our nations capital. There are pending proposals to change the state Constitution to allow a range of election reforms to make it easier for voters, but they will require statewide votes in 2022 or 2024, and will come before the committee later in the session, which ends June 9. An executive order from Gov. Ned Lamont allowed no-excuse mail-in balloting in the party primaries last summer. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT House votes to impeach Trump for the second time Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump Wednesday afternoon, making him the first president in American history to be impeached twice. The impeachment of Trump comes just one week before he is set to leave office. The impeachment article presented against the president accused him of committing an incitement of insurrection after a group of his supporters stormed the Capitol building and committed acts of vandalism and violence following a speech where he called on the crowd to protest the certification of the 2020 presidential election results. Throughout his speech and in the two months following the election, Trump alleged that the results of the election were tainted by fraud. The impeachment vote comes one day after the House passed a resolution urging Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment and declare the president unfit for office, a move that he declined to make. When all the votes were counted, 232 members of the House of Representatives supported the impeachment effort while 197 members voted against it. Unlike the last attempt to remove Trump from office, which was ultimately unsuccessful, the second impeachment effort has attracted some support from members of the presidents own party. All 222 House Democrats supported the impeachment vote Wednesday, in addition to 10 Republicans. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., a frequent Trump critic and the only House Republican to support the 25th Amendment push, was one of the Republicans who supported the presidents impeachment. The President of the United States encouraged an angry mob to storm the United States Capitol to stop the counting of electoral votes. This angry mob turned violent and caused destruction to our nations symbol of democracy. This insurrection led to countless injuries and the death of several people, including two of our U.S. Capitol Police Officers, he said in a statement. After arguing that there is no doubt in my mind that the President of the United States broke his oath of office and incited this insurrection and used his position in the Executive to attack the Legislative, Kinzinger indicated that he would vote in favor of impeachment. The nine other Republicans who voted to impeach were Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Mich., Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., Rep. John Katko, R-N.Y., Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, R-Ohio, Rep. Tom Rice, R-S.C., Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Wash., Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash. and Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, a newly elected member of Congress who flipped a district previously held by a Democrat, voted against the impeachment effort. She explained her intention to vote against impeachment in a statement Wednesday. I believe the President bears responsibility and that is why I urged him personally to call off those who were violently storming the Capitol last week, she said. I wish he had spoken up sooner, but he did not. Words matter; there must be accountability for those who feed into the dangerous rhetoric on either side of the ideological spectrum. Impeachment is the wrong path forward for several reasons, she added. Speaker Pelosi is bypassing regular order including the process of collecting evidence, conducting committee hearings, and having preliminary votes to rush toward a second impeachment of President Trump. Just a week out from a new Administration, impeachment will only serve to feed the flames and further divide our nation. I will oppose the effort to impeach President Trump. Full Statement??https://t.co/f8I8pMLMsFpic.twitter.com/bv9DqlCv41 Ashley Hinson (@RepAshleyHinson) January 13, 2021 Following the Houses impeachment vote, the articles of impeachment will head over to the Senate, which will then conduct a trial. Trumps removal from office would require the support of two-thirds of the Senators. Currently, Republicans and Democrats each have 50 seats in the Senate, meaning that 17 Republicans would have to vote in favor of his conviction in order to successfully remove him from office if all Democrats vote in favor of his removal as expected. With less than a week left until President-elect Joe Biden takes office, it remains almost certain that the president will finish out his term. Explaining that the Senate process will now begin at our first regular meeting following receipt of the article from the House, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., indicated that such a trial will not conclude before next week as he laid out the path forward for impeachment. Given the rules, procedures and Senate precedents that govern presidential impeachment trials, there is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial could conclude before President-elect Biden is sworn in next week, he said in a statement. The Senate has held three presidential impeachment trials. They have lasted 83 days, 37 days and 21 days, respectively. However, by the time the impeachment trial actually gets under way, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., will have become Majority Leader because Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will serve as the tie-breaking vote in the Senate, where both parties have 50 seats. Currently, Vice President Pence casts the tie-breaking vote, giving the Republicans the Senate majority for the time being. A Senate trial can begin immediately, with an agreement from the current Senate Majority Leader to reconvene the Senate for an emergency session, or it will begin after January 19th. But make no mistake, there will be an impeachment trial in the United States Senate; there will be a vote on convicting the president for high crimes and misdemeanors; and if the president is convicted, there will be a vote on barring him from running again, Schumer said in a statement. Donald Trump has deservedly become the first president in American history to bear the stain of impeachment twice over. The Senate is required to act and will proceed with his trial and hold a vote on his conviction. pic.twitter.com/mCPjQ8pfCp Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 13, 2021 Whether or not a president can be convicted in an impeachment trial after he leaves office is a subject of debate among legal scholars. Alan Dershowitz, a Harvard Law School professor emeritus, told Fox News Maria Bartiromo that the Constitution specifically says the president shall be removed from office upon impeachment and therefore the Senates jurisdiction is limited to a sitting president, meaning that it will not have the ability to conduct an impeachment trial after Trump leaves office. However, based on McConnell and Schumers statements, the Senate appears certain to conduct a trial of Trump despite the fact that he will be out of office soon. According to CNN, the president is looking at hiring his attorney and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Dershowitz to defend him in a Senate impeachment trial. Dershowitz contended that Trumps remarks that his critics argue amount to an incitement to violence comes within core political speech, and to impeach a president for exercising his First Amendment rights would be so dangerous to the Constitution. According to CNN, Trump is likely to make a statement addressing the impeachment later Wednesday evening. But she is hoping they can still find more corporate sponsors or other businesses that have flourished despite the pandemic to sponsor more local businesses. In duck terms, Lockport is hoping more big businesses will take the small ones under their wings until theyre ready to soar once again with some recognition in the form of a plaque along with the ducks, as well as a social media shoutout from the City. Earlier on Thursday, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh claimed the government's decision to purchase 83 Light Combat Aircraft Tejas from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is likely to help in creating more than 50,000 jobs in the country. The deal, cleared on Wednesday by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, puts the government-owned aerospace and defence company HAL in the forefront of the 'Make In India' movement. The frontrunner of 'Make In India' movement "Aircraft were the only weapon platforms which we either imported or assembled. So, this is the first time that we will have an indigenous aircraft," pointed out Retd Vice Admiral Shekar Sinha (PVSM, AVSM, and Nao Sena Medal and Bar for Gallantry). Sinha pointed out that making the design of the aircraft is in itself a big achievement and the DRDO (Defence Research And Development Organisation) scientists have done it efficiently. " Another thing that has been made in India is the fly-by-wire system. The aeroplane controlled surfaces move on the electrical impulses, so that is a very complex technology which was entirely developed by our scientists. Apart from that, the weapon system it carries is also indigenous - be it the air-to-air missiles, or air-to-surface missiles," he added. Sinha said that these aircraft are a good replacement for MIG-21. Their indigenous content right now is at 50%, therefore, the newer ones have the scope of adding another ten per cent of such component. "It (aircraft) will certainly be exported. I know some customers who are waiting for its operationalisation. It can be sold to other countries too," pointed out Sinha. "Now, the government has cleared on a case-to-case basis that India will become an exporting nation. For other weapon systems, India has already started that - be it the small arms, or missiles etc. The Prime Minister is really trying to make Bharat Atmanirbhar. In this field, it is a success story made by us," he said. Not just export opportunities, the demand for Tejas aircraft has been made by the navy already, pointed out Retd Vice Admiral Madanjit Singh (PVSM, AVSM). "The Navy has expressed interest in the same aircraft (Tejas) and wanted its naval variant for a while. In fact, 20 years ago, we had given Rs 450 crore for its development and therefore, parallel trials have been also going on, for the naval version. The engine thrust requirement for the naval variant is somewhat different from the existing aircraft because it lands on an aircraft carrier in a limited space. So, hopefully, someday, we will also get a naval variant of this," said Singh. Singh pointed out while aircraft are now being made in India, it was the Navy where the initiative to indigenize truly started. "Navy was the first service to get into indigenization in a big way. We made our first indigenous frigates, INS Nilgiri, at the Mazagon Dock in 1970s," he added. Progress of The Aircraft Manufacturing Industry Air Marshal Anil Chopra (PVSM, AVSM, VM, VSM) said this deal will give a fillip to the aircraft manufacturing industry, and also smoothen the path for the roll-out of LCA Mark-2, and AMCA. "Undoubtedly, it is a huge step, though a little delayed. After the completion of 83 LCA Mark-1, the HAL would have progressed the aircraft manufacturing industry significantly. Eighty-three is a large number, and it means from forty we will go to 123 LCAs, and it will positively roll on. There were several next steps which were held up, like LCA Mark-2, the AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft) etc, because this was a hurdle. If the order was not placed now, the LCA line, which had only 40 aircraft, would have been on hold or would have come to a complete halt," said Chopra. "Indian air force is in desperate need of fighting squadron, we have 30 squadrons instead of 42. This would obviously help, " he added. "Ultimately Indian air force wants close to 300 LCA out of which 123 will be Mark-1, and Mark-1As and the remaining will be LCA Mark-2," pointed out Chopra. Chopra said that this deal also helps several private sector businesses too. "This deal will not only give a big boost to public sector aircraft industry, but also to the private sector. HAL has nearly 70 to 80 vendors from whom it is buying items or outsourcing part of the job," he explained. What Is Expected From HAL? All three experts agreed that the primary expectation from HAL is to deliver on time and quality. "The expectation is that HAL would ramp up production so that more aircraft can come to the air force. This year, they will make 12 aircraft but a good number would be 18-20 each year. Second is the design and development of Mark 1A. The work is already going on, and they should accelerate the process. The last thing that is expected from HAL is to maintain good quality. As of now, LCA quality is very good, and air force is very happy. I am a test pilot, and I have been very closely associated with this program when I was in service. So, I have spoken to a large number of pilots who have actually done the flight testing and they are all very happy with the quality of the aircraft," said Chopra. He pointed out this deal will undoubtedly give a boost to aviation R&D. A lot of state-of-the-art technology will come in, which will facilitate the jump to LCA Mark-1 to LCA Mark-2 and AMCA. "No country in the world makes aircraft that are entirely manufactured from indigenous parts. Even China doesn't. Therefore, the goal is to make as much in India as possible, so that we can be self-reliant. Ultimately, things like radar and the engine must be made in India. There are only five countries in the world which can make engines - France, UK, Russia, China and America. And, we should be one of those countries too," said Chopra. WUHAN, China - A global team of researchers arrived Thursday in the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic was first detected to conduct a politically sensitive investigation into its origins amid uncertainty about whether Beijing might try to prevent embarrassing discoveries. Passengers wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus line up at a boarding gate at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. China is seeing a new surge in coronavirus cases in its frozen northeast as a World Health Organization team was due to arrive to probe the origins of the pandemic. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) WUHAN, China - A global team of researchers arrived Thursday in the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic was first detected to conduct a politically sensitive investigation into its origins amid uncertainty about whether Beijing might try to prevent embarrassing discoveries. The group sent to Wuhan by the World Health Organization was approved by President Xi Jinping's government after months of diplomatic wrangling that prompted an unusual public complaint by the head of WHO. Scientists suspect the virus that has killed more than 1.9 million people since late 2019 jumped to humans from bats or other animals, most likely in China's southwest. The ruling Communist Party, stung by complaints it allowed the disease to spread, has suggested the virus came from abroad, possibly on imported seafood, but international scientists reject that. Fifteen team members were to arrive in Wuhan on Thursday, but two tested positive for coronavirus antibodies before leaving Singapore and were being retested there, WHO said in a statement on Twitter. The rest of the team arrived at the Wuhan airport and walked through a makeshift clear plastic tunnel into the airport. The researchers, who wore face masks, were greeted by airport staff in full protective gear, including masks, goggles and full body suits. Members of a WHO team arrives in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. The global team of researchers arrived Thursday in the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic was first detected to conduct a politically sensitive investigation into its origins amid uncertainty about whether Beijing might try to prevent embarrassing discoveries. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) They will undergo a two-week quarantine as well as a throat swab test and an antibody test for COVID-19, according to CGTN, the English-language channel of state broadcaster CCTV. They are to start working with Chinese experts via video conference while in quarantine. The team includes virus and other experts from the United States, Australia, Germany, Japan, Britain, Russia, the Netherlands, Qatar and Vietnam. A government spokesman said this week they will "exchange views" with Chinese scientists but gave no indication whether they would be allowed to gather evidence. China rejected demands for an international investigation after the Trump administration blamed Beijing for the virus's spread, which plunged the global economy into its deepest slump since the 1930s. After Australia called in April for an independent inquiry, Beijing retaliated by blocking imports of Australian beef, wine and other goods. One possibility is that a wildlife poacher might have passed the virus to traders who carried it to Wuhan, one of the WHO team members, zoologist Peter Daszak of the U.S. group EcoHealth Alliance, told The Associated Press in November. A worker in protective coverings directs members of the World Health Organization (WHO) team on their arrival at the airport in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. A global team of researchers arrived Thursday in the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic was first detected to conduct a politically sensitive investigation into its origins amid uncertainty about whether Beijing might try to prevent embarrassing discoveries. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) A single visit by scientists is unlikely to confirm the virus's origins; pinning down an outbreak's animal reservoir is typically an exhaustive endeavour that takes years of research including taking animal samples, genetic analysis and epidemiological studies. "The government should be very transparent and collaborative," said Shin-Ru Shih, director at the Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections at Taiwan's Chang Gung University. The Chinese government has tried to stir confusion about the virus's origin. It has promoted theories, with little evidence, that the outbreak might have started with imports of tainted seafood, a notion rejected by international scientists and agencies. "The WHO will need to conduct similar investigations in other places," an official of the National Health Commission, Mi Feng, said Wednesday. Some members of the WHO team were en route to China a week ago but had to turn back after Beijing announced they hadn't received valid visas. That might have been a "bureaucratic bungle," but the incident "raises the question if the Chinese authorities were trying to interfere," said Adam Kamradt-Scott, a health expert at the University of Sydney. Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) team arrive at the airport in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. A global team of researchers arrived Thursday in the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic was first detected to conduct a politically sensitive investigation into its origins amid uncertainty about whether Beijing might try to prevent embarrassing discoveries. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) A possible focus for investigators is the Wuhan Institute of Virology in the city where the outbreak first emerged. One of China's top virus research labs, it built an archive of genetic information about bat coronaviruses after the 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. According to WHO's published agenda for its origins research, there are no plans to assess whether there might have been an accidental release of the coronavirus at the Wuhan lab, as some American politicians, including President Donald Trump, have claimed. A "scientific audit" of Institute records and safety measures would be a "routine activity," said Mark Woolhouse, an epidemiologist at the University of Edinburgh. He said that depends on how willing Chinese authorities are to share information. "Theres a big element of trust here," Woolhouse said. An AP investigation found the government imposed controls on research into the outbreak and bars scientists from speaking to reporters. The coronavirus's exact origin may never be traced because viruses change quickly, Woolhouse said. A year after the virus was first detected in Wuhan, the city is now bustling, with few signs that it was once the epicenter of the outbreak in China. But some residents say they're still eager to learn about its origin. "We locals care about this very much. We are curious where the pandemic came from and what the situation was. We live here so we are keen to know," said Qin Qiong, owner of a chain of restaurants serving hot and sour noodles. She said she trusts in science to solve the question. Although it may be challenging to find precisely the same COVID-19 virus in animals as in humans, discovering closely related viruses might help explain how the disease first jumped from animals and clarify what preventive measures are needed to avoid future epidemics. Scientists should focus instead on making a "comprehensive picture" of the virus to help respond to future outbreaks, Woolhouse said. "Now is not the time to blame anyone," Shih said. "We shouldnt say, its your fault." Wu reported from Taipei, Taiwan. Corrects that the Communist Party has "suggested" the virus came from abroad. It has not definitively said this. NORTH CHICAGO (dpa-AFX) - Abbott Laboratories (ABT) said Thursday it will launch NeuroSphere myPath, a digital health app designed to track and report on patient perceived pain relief and general well-being associated with spinal cord stimulation (SCS) or dorsal root ganglion (DRG) therapy. During the device trial period required before the permanent implant, the app allows patients to record their outcomes on pain and well-being while trialing their neurostimulation therapy. Abbott expects NeuroSphere myPath will provide relief to the millions of Americans currently living with chronic pain that are eligible for SCS or DRG therapy. This new digital health app will allow patients to use their Apple mobile device to connect with Abbott support, access educational resources, and track the progress of their trial pain relief journey. Prior to committing to full implantation of a neuromodulation device, patients will undergo a trial period to test device capabilities and capacity for pain relief. During the trial, temporary leads are placed and connected to an external generator, allowing patients to experience first-hand the impact of neuromodulation on their chronic pain and related symptoms. Abbott noted that NeuroSphere myPath fits within the company's broader NeuroSphere Digital Care connected health management platform. It will be compatible with Abbott's Proclaim XR SCS System for patients living with chronic pain in the trunk and limbs, and Proclaim DRG Neurostimulation System for patients with chronic pain in the lower limbs caused by complex regional pain syndrome or causalgia. Abbott said the NeuroSphere myPath will be available on the Apple App Store in the coming weeks. It is expected to be available on Android devices in the second quarter of 2021. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Hundreds of migrants have slept in the open or in abandoned buildings in freezing temperatures this month as snow has blanketed the mountains of northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to humanitarian organizations. Some of those staying in a destroyed migrant camp have had to resort to washing themselves in the snow for lack of heated facilities or lining up barefoot to receive food. Many are suffering from scabies and high fevers. The mayor of the town of Bihac, 15 miles north of the camp, has refused to reopen a housing facility for the migrants funded by the European Union, which operated for nearly two years until it was closed in the fall. Now, aid organizations and the military are scrambling to provide humanitarian relief as temperatures have fallen below 15 degrees Fahrenheit at night. Its an unlivable place. Were not talking about even meeting the basic humanitarian standards here, said Nicola Bay, the country director for the Danish Refugee Council, which has provided winter clothes and medical assistance to the migrants. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Inteligencia Mexico workers protest unpaid wages outside Cancun city hall who says bill is paid, collect your pay from the company Cancun, Q.R. A large group gathered outside Cancun City Hall Wednesday protesting unpaid wages by their employer, Inteligencia Mexico. Those protesting accused the city of Cancun of failing to fully pay Inteligencia Mexico, which in turn, means they have not been paid. The group also demanded the reinstatement of the concessionaire for the citys garbage collection, reiterating that they have not been paid since December 15. However, city hall was quick to respond to the angry group, confronting them with copies of the documents that show full payment to Inteligencia Mexico on behalf of the municipality. Flor Ruiz Cosio and Heyden Cebada Rivas address workers of Inteligencia Mexico The citys general secretary Flor Ruiz Cosio and Benito Juarez trustee Heyden Cebada Rivas, provided the documents to their union representative Armando Cobian, showing the last full payment of nearly two million peso to Inteligencia Mexico. Not a penny is owed to Intelligence Mexico and the work of these people is not being blocked, he said adding that workers of Inteligencia Mexico have been invited to work for the citys current garbage collection company, Red Ambiental, whose workforce is made up of approximately 60 percent of former Inteligencia Mexico employees. Even the union leader himself has attended these meetings and knows very well that they have priority in hiring, a topic that he avoided addressing, Heyden Cebada Rivas pointed out in front of the group. Inteligencia Mexico union representative, Armando Cobian He explained to the Inteligencia Mexico workers that now, it is a legal matter in which a judge recently allowed the city to contract, through a third party, a company to take charge of the garbage collection after Intelligence Mexico breached their contract. Flor Ruiz Cosio added that a provisional suspension of protection exists, which is why Inteligencia Mexico is prevented from continuing with the garbage collection service in the municipality. Until the last day of the intervention, Intelligencia Mexico was paid just under two million pesos, she said. The general secretary reminded their union head that city council has covered all its debts with the concessionaire and that the company has to cover the outstanding salaries and benefits of their workers. She also said that 70 people from Intelligencia Mexico have already been hired by Red Ambiental, since there is priority for people who have experience in the garbage collection process. Flor Ruiz added that so far, Red Ambiental has a nine-month provisional contract to collect the citys garbage. Only Red Ambiental is going to operate unless a judge tells us otherwise, she said. While on site, Inteligencia Mexico workers denied intentionally blocking the landfill, instead claiming they are there with their units waiting to be allowed access. The new study launched on November 16, 2020, details how SMBs are still being affected by the pandemic. Key insights and statistics show which industries were affected the most, how many businesses had to make adjustments, and the consensus on making those adjustments permanent after the pandemic. The data revealed that 87% of SMBs need additional stimulus for 2021. In late December 2020, Congress passed a second stimulus bill which includes renewed funds for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to help the country's smallest businesses weather the hardships brought on by the pandemic. "The new data shows that two-thirds of SMBs believe their business won't completely recover one year from now," said Gordon Henry, Chief Strategy Officer at Thryv . "These findings are concerning, but as small business supporters and advocates, we hope to change that outlook by raising awareness for the small business sector and providing resources to help business owners navigate the situation in 2021." Thryv a SaaS and marketing solutions company with over 350,000 small business clients nationwide and America's SBDC conducted a previous study among small businesses from March 20 to July 2, 2020, where 4,244 small businesses participated. That study found that 82% of small businesses were "extremely concerned" about the current business environment due to the COVID-19 outbreak. According to the recent data, now 45% of SMBs fear they will need to close their business, lay off employees or close locations if restrictions continue without additional government aid into 2021. In an effort to advocate for small businesses, Thryv and America's SBDC compiled key data points from the original study into a letter addressed to Congress in July 2020 pushing for support. The study showed small businesses that received their first stimulus loan started to change for the better quickly. Further results showed that three-fourths of small businesses that received the loan believe more stimulus was needed for their business to survive. These studies by Thryv, Inc., and America's SBDC will continue as new surveys go out each week to collect more data in 2021. The full results of the study can be found on Thryv's website, here. About Thryv Holdings, Inc. Thryv Holdings, Inc. owns the easy-to-use Thryv end-to-end customer experience software built for small business that helps over 40,000 SaaS clients with the daily demands of running a business. With Thryv, they can get the job, manage the job and get credit. Thryv's award-winning platform provides modernized business functions, allowing SMBs to reach more customers, stay organized, get paid faster and generate reviews. These include building a digital customer database, automated marketing through email and text, updating business listings across the internet, scheduling online appointments, sending notifications and reminders, managing ratings and reviews, generating estimates and invoices and processing payments. Thryv supports franchise operators and multi-location business owners with Hub by Thryv, a software console that enables businesses managers to oversee their operations using the Thryv software. Thryv also connects local businesses to consumer services through our search, display and social media management products, our print directories featuring The Real Yellow Pages tagline, and our local search portals, which operate under the DexKnows.com, Superpages.com and Yellowpages.com URLs and reach some 35 million monthly visitors. For more information about the company, visit thryv.com. Thryv delivers business services to more than 360,000 SMBs across America that enable them to compete and win in today's economy. About America's SBDC Program: America's SBDC (Small Business Development Center) Network is a partnership uniting private enterprise, government, higher education and local nonprofit economic development organizations. It is the Small Business Administration's largest partnership program, providing management and technical assistance to help Americans start, run and grow their own businesses. Learn more at www.americassbdc.org. Media Contact: Paige Blankenship Thryv, Inc. 972.453.3012 [email protected] SOURCE Thryv Holdings, Inc. COLUMBIA Jaime Harrison will be the next chairman of the Democratic National Committee after falling short in his campaign against U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham last year, with President-elect Joe Biden picking him to lead the party. The long-expected development could prove to be a boon for South Carolina Democrats, who have sought to get more national attention and resources for years and will now have one of their own helming the party apparatus. In a statement announcing his pick of Harrison as well as several other party posts, Biden said they "represent the very best of the Democratic Party." "We need to elect Democrats across our country and up and down the ballot," Biden said. "To do that is going to take tireless leadership, committed to strengthening Democratic infrastructure across our states. These leaders are battle-tested and ready for this immense task. I know they will get the job done." In a series of tweets, Harrison said he was "humbled and excited" that Biden had chosen him. "Together, well organize everywhere, invest in state parties, expand the map, and elect Democrats who will be champions for the working people of this country," Harrison said. " A former South Carolina Democratic Party chairman, Harrison shattered fundraising records and garnered national attention for his race against Graham, R-S.C., though the incumbent ended up defeating him by 10 percentage points. Harrison was the immediate frontrunner for the DNC job, aided by his experience as a state party chairman, prolific fundraising ability and close relationship with House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-Columbia, who holds substantial influence with Biden after helping lift him to his Democratic primary victory last year. Clyburn praised the selection Thursday. "I've known Jaime Harrison for years I know his heart, his passion for our party, his unmatched work ethic and I commend President-elect Biden on an excellent choice," Clyburn said. Graham also took notice of the pick, issuing words of congratulations. "This is a big honor and Im confident he will do a good job representing the Democratic cause," Graham said. "Jaime will be a formidable opponent." Graham said he always likes it "when South Carolinians are recognized for their talents and accept leadership positions." Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! "Good luck," Graham said to Harrison, "but not too much luck!" In the months since his failed bid, Harrison launched a new political fundraising group called the "Dirt Road PAC" to support Democratic candidates in other races around the South. The group achieved its first success earlier this month with Democratic victories in two U.S. Senate runoffs in Georgia, which gave Democrats the Senate majority. He made no secret of his interest in the job, pointing to his diversity of experiences in Democratic politics working for Clyburn on Capitol Hill, leading a state party and running as a statewide candidate that have allowed him to build an expansive network within the party. Current S.C. Democratic Party chairman Trav Robertson said his predecessor's rise in the national party would be "exciting for South Carolina." "Jaime brings a breath of fresh air because he understands what state parties go through, especially state parties in a state that might not be as purple or blue as other states, and that's welcome news across the country," Robertson said. Before running for Senate, Harrison ran for the DNC job once before in 2017 but dropped out before committee members began voting and endorsed the eventual winner, Tom Perez. He went on to become an associate chairman under Perez for the past four years. The news of Harrison's upcoming ascension to DNC chair was first reported Thursday by the New York Times, and also reported by Politico and The Washington Post. Over almost two decades of work in South Carolina politics, Harrison has been at the forefront of efforts to expand the political battleground to include more southern states, including his own. During his Senate campaign, Harrison often touted his humble upbringing in Orangeburg. He rose from poverty there to attend Yale and Georgetown Law School before going on to work in state and national politics. Harrison would be the first South Carolinian to lead the DNC since the late Don Fowler, another former S.C. Democratic Party chairman who took the reins of the national party for two years in the 1990s during former President Bill Clinton's administration. Robertson lamented that Fowler would not be there to see his longtime friend follow in his footsteps. "It's bittersweet," Robertson said. "His wisdom and counsel is something that would have been greatly valued." After spending a year listening to womens #MeToo stories about being sexually harassed, assaulted and marginalized in New Jersey politics, a committee of top female politicians and lobbyists released a report Thursday calling for the creation of an independent investigative unit to handle complaints involving political campaigns and government. The new investigative team would be overseen by the nonpartisan Election Law Enforcement Commission, the respected state agency that polices campaign finance laws. The commission, better known as ELEC, would allow victims to bypass campaign and party officials to file complaints about sexual harassment, bullying or discrimination in state and local politics, the report said. The creation of the new investigative unit is one of five recommendations to help change the toxic culture in New Jersey politics and government outlined in the 76-page report by the Workgroup on Harassment, Sexual Assault and Misogyny in New Jersey Politics. For women in New Jersey, putting up with groping, unwanted propositions even sexual assault was the entry price for participation and advancement in the world of government and politics, the report concluded. The 15-member workgroup which includes Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver and other top female politicians, lobbyists and state officials was created by state Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg. The veteran lawmaker quickly put together the group days after a December 2019 NJ Advance Media investigation published on NJ.com and in The Star-Ledger revealed widespread sexual harassment and misogyny in state politics and government. The NJ Advance Media story brought us together as an ad hoc workgroup to seek ways to address the issues they raised issues so many of us already knew all too well, the report said. READ THE FULL REPORT The proposed ELEC investigative team would bypass the states male-dominated political power structure to create a new place for women to turn to if they are harassed or assaulted, the recommendations said. Complaints could be made against anyone ELEC regulates, including elected officials, campaign operatives and lobbyists. Any criminal findings would be turned over to law enforcement. Legislation creating the new unit in ELEC, which comes with a $2 million price tag, would have to be approved by the state Legislature and signed by Gov. Phil Murphy. The workgroups other recommendations include: Requiring state, county and local political parties to post and enforce a sexual harassment policy. Violators would face sanctions, which may include denying candidates financial support and refusing to allow them to appear on the election ballot representing the party. Mandating sexual harassment training for everyone who runs for elective office, as well as party officials, consultants and volunteers. Prohibiting non-disclosure agreements and mandatory arbitration clauses in campaigns or other devices designed to silence people who bring sexual harassment complaints. This would strengthen the law Gov. Phil Murphy signed in 2019 that bans non-disclosure agreements in the state. Ensuring the New Jersey League of Municipalities and the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce follow the new rules theyve established to make the states biggest political events the leagues annual convention and after-parties in Atlantic City and the annual Chamber Train trip safer for women. The chamber barred hard liquor from being served on the Amtrak train to Washington, D.C., last year and created a phone line to report sexual harassment complaints in response to the 2019 NJ Advance Media story detailing years of groping and sexual comments aimed at women on the trip. In March, Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg and the Workgroup on Harassment, Sexual Assault and Misogyny in New Jersey Politics held a public forum at Rowan College at Burlington County. Those testifying included Katie Brennan, left, who accused a former member of Gov. Phil Murphy's campaign of rape.Michael Mancuso | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com The workgroups report, which was released during a video meeting Thursday afternoon, also included an endorsement for a series of bills introduced last month that would improve sexual assault investigations and strengthen the state Legislature sexual harassment law. The package, with Weinberg as a lead sponsor, passed the full Senate last month. The bills include the creation of a restorative justice program that would enable victims to resolve their cases outside of law enforcement and the courts. Another bill would require county prosecutors to notify victims whether charges will be filed in a rape case. All of the bills await action in the state Assembly. Most of the legislation is based on recommendations from Katie Brennan, chief of staff to the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, who alleged she was raped by a senior adviser to Gov. Phil Murphys campaign when she was a volunteer in 2017. The alleged assailant was investigated twice and never charged with a crime, though Brennan settled a $1 million lawsuit against the state and the Murphy campaign last year. Brennan was one of dozens of people who testified before the Workgroup on Harassment, Sexual Assault and Misogyny in New Jersey Politics in a series of public and private hearings over the last year. The first few hearings were in person, before moving to online Zoom meetings after the start of the pandemic. Some sessions were not open to the public to allow people to testify confidentially. Those who testified included political candidates, party leaders, union officials, state workers, inmates from the state womens prison and others tied to state and local government. The women, and a few men, shared their experiences with sexual harassment, assault, retaliation and the difficulties of reporting sexual misconduct. Weinberg said she deliberately created the all-female workgroup outside of state government to avoid the influence of the male-led state government. We wanted to create a firewall between the panel and the states male-dominated political power structure to assure women that we would truly be independent, that their voices would be heard, and that their confidentiality would be respected, Weinberg said in the report. The Star-Ledger/NJ.com investigation in December 2019 featured the accounts of more than 20 women who had been sexually assaulted and harassed in state politics but declined to report their mistreatment to authorities because most said they feared it would jeopardize their careers and they would not be believed. An online survey led by the New Jersey Coalition for Sexual Assault released last summer in conjunction with the workgroups activities found 64% of the 505 women who participated said they had experienced harassment. The survey found the most common types of harassment cited were verbal remarks of a sexual nature (23%), followed by sexist or misogynistic comments (22%) and unwanted touching (15%). About 3% of those responding to the survey said they had been raped or sexually assaulted. The workgroups report featured highlights from the testimony of women who spoke to the committee in public hearings and behind closed doors. Amanda Richardson, head of the Harding Township Democrats, spoke during the first hearing of the Workgroup on Harassment, Sexual Assault and Misogyny.George McNish | For NJ Advance M Liz Foley, director of online content for the grassroots political committee Action Together New Jersey, testified about her experiences dealing with county party chairmen whose misogyny short-circuited the political careers of young women aspiring to be involved in politics. As someone who is new to New Jersey, I really do want to be clear that this sort of toxic atmosphere exists in a lot of places. But its real special in New Jersey, Foley said, alleging women entering politics through county political committees are regularly bullied into submission. They took their seats and they were immediately ordered how to vote, told what to think and not to ask questions, told that if they did anything, stepped out of line, they would be removed from the committee, Foley said. Sabeen Masih, a young lobbyist who is also a member of the workgroup, spoke about what it is like for young women to try to navigate New Jersey politics, said she and her colleagues take defensive steps to protect themselves. We create group texts to check in with our colleagues at conventions and conferences. We never walk alone or accept drinks from anyone but ourselves. Our guard is constantly up and we have to evaluate if one more event, one more connection, one more part of our night is worth walking into the unknown, Masih said. Amanda Richardson, the 35-year-old Harding Township Democratic chair, was among the first to testify before the workgroup publicly. She described the unwanted touching and sexual comments from male colleagues at political events and on social media. I received texts and Facebook messages that implied or outright suggested sex, and I read texts, Facebook messages, Snapchats and emails to other women that were worse than I had received. I was propositioned and groped at the League of Municipalities convention, Richardson said. Another female politician, who also asked the workgroup not the publicly identify her, testified about her male running mate in a legislative race publicly insulted her intelligence and would put his arm around her against her will. When she complained to party leaders, she said she was told she was overreacting and should apologize to him for objecting because he raised more money for the campaign than she did. I wonder for how long or how much we are expected to remain silent, she said in her testimony, adding that if political parties want young women and women of color to run for office they need to do a better job vetting who is part of campaigns. The workgroup kept its report and recommendations confidential until Thursday afternoon. Its not clear whether the recommendations, which will soon be introduced as legislation, will pass the state Legislature and ultimately be signed into law. The sexual assault victims bills won unanimous support in the Senate in December. Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, praised the workgroup efforts and said he will consider the legislation once it is introduced. I commend the tireless and critically important work of Senator Leader Weinberg and the panel the Majority Leader convened, Coughlin said. I am committed to ensuring a safe, inclusive and tolerant work environment for everyone. There is no place in politics, or anywhere else, for misogyny, harassment or discrimination. Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, also said he give the recommendations his attention. Loretta has been a longtime champion on issues of gender violence and workplace equity and I am hopeful her work with this committee will improve the environment for everyone in and around the Statehouse, Sweeney said. The workgroup hinted in its report that it does not intend for its recommendations for changes in New Jersey to die in Trenton without a vote. The report cited a similar effort by female lawmakers in Illinois who created a committee to propose bipartisan sexual harassment reforms in 2018 after a series of #MeToo allegations in the state government. The Illinois legislation was stalled by the male state Senate speaker who refused to bring it up for a vote. It was an objective lesson that the Workgroup wants to make sure is not repeated in New Jersey, the report said. The recommendations for reforms in how sexual harassment allegations are handed in political campaigns comes as Murphy is launching his reelection campaign. Criticized for failing to police misogynistic and harassing behavior during his 2017 run for governor, Murphy recently announced Mollie Binotto will run his campaign and a human resources firm has been hired to handle any personnel issues. Culturupt, a South Orange firm, will implement an HR program that includes mandatory sexual harassment and bias trainings for Murphy campaign staff members and consultants. Julie Roginsky, a Democratic political operative and a workgroup member, publicly said Murphys 2017 campaign was the most toxic workplace environment I have ever seen in 25 years of working on political campaigns. Murphy later apologized to those we failed during his successful 2017 campaign and promised that future campaigns will lead the nation in progressive workforce policies and be a model of a respectful workplace. Weinberg, who announced Wednesday she would not seek re-election when her term ends in January 2022, said she would remain the leader of the workgroup, and the groups work would continue. This is not a subject where we can say our work is done, Weinberg said. This group is going to stay together and monitor how these bills get into law and how they get implemented. Veteran lobbyist and workgroup member Jeannine LaRue said as she winds down her career, she feels relieved these discussions about sexual harassment were taking place and solutions are on the table. I just feel we are leaving behind a better landscape for young women who just want to do their jobs, LaRue said. All they want to do is do their jobs and persevere. In addition to Weinberg, Oliver and Roginsky, the members of the workgroup are: Alison Accettola, Senate Majority general counsel; Laurel Brennan, secretary-treasurer of the state AFL-CIO; Elizabeth Coulter, director of public health for the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey; Sonia Delgado, a partner with the Princeton Public Affairs Group; Rosa Farias, deputy executive director of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority; Jeannine LaRue, senior vice president of the Kaufman Zita Group; Sabeen Masih, vice president of public affairs with the Capital Impact Group; Debbie Parks, international vice president of AFSCME; Crystal Pruitt, member of the Franklin Township Council; Lisa Randall, commissioner of the Bergen County Improvement Authority; Christine Shipley, executive director of the New Jersey Senate Minority Office; and Patricia Teffenhart, executive director of the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Tell us your experiences with allegations of sexual harassment in New Jersey: Heres how to share your story. Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development opening office in Yerevan US Department of State issues statement on detention of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces Armenia 1st President says Aliyev is certain that Pashinyan won't win elections and is trying to get all that he can UN calls for $ 95 million in aid to Palestinians Twitter is concerned about safety of its employees in India Artsakh hero: Impotent and perhaps also treacherous authorities of Armenia need to be removed from power immediately France MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to show maximum restraint Azerbaijani attacks Russia citizen of Armenian descent in Moscow Armenia acting MOD provides President with information about capture of Armenian servicemen Lithuania MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to go to de-escalation of situation and pull out troops Russian Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia acting FM resigns Acting Deputy FM: Armenia reserves itself the right to take necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity China speaks on dark history of US intelligence in connection with Biden's order Netanyahu slams hypocritical and deceitful moralizing statements of French FM Turkish authorities issues new arrest warrant for mafia after his scandalous revelations of Erdogan's entourage EU-Armenia Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security holds 11th Meeting Armenia acting PM deletes statement on Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers "being intertwined" from Facebook post 6 Armenian soldiers captured: situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border is tense, May 27 digest Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff deputy chief explains difficulties with settlement of border with Azerbaijan UN: Israeli forces may have committed war crimes during 11-day war with Hamas Nikol Pashinyan presents plan for resolving border situation Dollar gains value in Armenia Opposition party leader: Armenia Security Council to convene session with heads of parliamentary factions this evening His Holiness Karekin II receives newly appointed UK Ambassador to Armenia Greece and Turkey FMs to meet in Athens Armenia acting PM says he will present plan for peaceful solution to border situation very soon Armenia Parliament Speaker sends letters to counterparts of partnering legislatures Zarif: Iran welcomes willingness of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tension Armenia acting Deputy MOD on news about soldiers being ordered to not open fire ANCA calls on US Congress to block financing of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Armenia to allocate lands in Syunik Province to Russian border guards Armenia Armed Forces General Staff deputy chief: We can destroy all Azerbaijani soldiers who invaded territory Armenian advocates file lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan Army general staff deputy chief: About 1,000 Azerbaijan soldiers are illegally in Armenia Army general staff: Armed forces can capture Azerbaijani soldiers who marched into Armenia Armenia legislature approves several amendments to laws Armenian opposition MP: Villages mentioned by ruling bloc's deputy are Armenia's buffer zone Armenia Gegharkunik Province villager to acting PM: Over 50% of our pastures are now under Azerbaijan control Armenia Kotayk Province has new governor Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US ambassador, discusses border situation NEWS.AM BREAKING: 6 Armenian soldiers are captured by Azerbaijan military in early morning European Council head says process of implementing sanctions against Belarus is launched Armenia acting MOD leaves for Moscow Armenia President, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces discuss current situation on border Armenia acting PM to residents of borderline village: If we cede our border, Azerbaijanis will get more excited Armenia MOD not confirming reports about Azerbaijan firing shots at Tavush Province Ex-President Kocharyan meets with Yerevan residents, "Armenia" bloc members (PHOTOS) Armenia petitions to European Court to ensure fundamental human rights of 6 soldiers captured by Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier: We need to unite in this situation Serj Tankian makes statement on Azerbaijans displayed horrific racism Man detained in US for intending to commit attempt on Biden Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD continues disseminating disinformation Erdogan to visit Baku and Shushi Two Armenia legislature committees to hold closed joint meeting regarding tense situation on Azerbaijan border Holy Etchmiadzin on capture of Armenia soldiers: Such behavior of Azerbaijan authorities is strongly condemnable Gegharkunik Province village border area situation very tense, says Armenia enlarged community leader Armenia opposition MP: Shots are heard Gegharkunik Province Armenian National Congress party electoral list is announced Armenia MFA: Azerbaijan leadership bears responsibility for consequences of actions by its armed forces Opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament demands convening Security Council special session 140 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Acting premier: Our servicemen were abducted from Armenia territory Armenia MOD announces names of 6 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan military early morning Armenia parliament majority leader to CSTO: Our international partners do not call it like it is Armenia parliament manages to have quorum in 2nd attempt World oil prices falling Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan popularity rating consistently drops over the past week Newspaper: Russia peacekeepers commander does not return from Azerbaijan with encouraging news for Armenia MOD: 6 Armenia soldiers are surrounded, captured by Azerbaijan military early morning William Shakespeare, 1st man in world to get approved coronavirus vaccine, dies aged 81 Spain Congress of Deputies committee accepts pro-Armenian motion Ex-PM comments on double-digit growth in Armenia economy Facebook calls Russia, Iran leading purveyors of disinformation Erdogan says meeting with Biden will mark 'start of new era' in relations with Washington Armenia acting Deputy PM on creation of third high-voltage electric communication line with Iran Vladimir Zaynetdinov: CSTO has taken note of application submitted by Armenia acting PM Armenia's Pashinyan says addressing UN Security Council not ruled out Armenia acting FM: International pressure on Azerbaijan is growing Netanyahu tells Blinken that Israel is against reopening US consulate for Palestinians 23 political parties and 4 alliances apply to Armenia Central Electoral Commission ahead of snap parliamentary elections Instagram launches ability to hide likes Iran FM on solutions to problems in the region, territorial integrity Bloomberg: Support for Erdogan's ruling party hits record low Inter-agency commission sums up reports on implementation of roadmap for EU-Armenia CEPA Armenian acting PM on CSTO and Russia and their duties as Armenia's allies Slovakia allows use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V Armenia acting PM on situation in Syunik Province: CSTO still hasn't clearly expressed its position Armenia's Pashinyan: It's very rarely that Baku made provocations in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces on its own Armenia acting PM: There will be no demarcation of borders until Azerbaijani troops are pulled out of territory Record-setting number of political parties register to run in snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Blinken describes Egypt as a "real and effective partner" Armenia's Pashinyan slams opposition again Yerevan court ends trial over Armenia 3rd President's nephew Hayk Sargsyan Armenia President expresses condolences on passing away of Catholicos-Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan Armenia President hosts Iran FM-led delegation Armenia acting PM doesn't see need to declare martial law in the country Iran to send delegation of intellectual companies to Armenia EU demands to fine AstraZeneca for not fulfilling contract Zakharova: Russia is closely participating in settling Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident Some speak of concern about the newness of the vaccines. Others are worried about how the vaccine might affect their health, especially those who are pregnant, have allergies or have already survived Covid-19. Underlying the hesitancy is a lack of trust in authorities the federal government, politicians, even their employers that have failed for the past year to get the virus under control. Sherry Perry, a certified nursing assistant who works in a long-term care facility near Memphis, said she had talked to many nursing assistants around the country who were skeptical. Ms. Perry, who said she would probably take the vaccine eventually, said the doubts were a rational response to the way health care workers like her had been treated for a long time. We are left behind in the dust no one sticks up for us, she said. When Ms. Perry was bedridden for weeks with a bad case of Covid-19, she said, she had to use vacation days to cover some of her time off, and a portion of her sick leave was completely unpaid. I dont want to hear what the government has to say about it we dont trust them anyway, she said. Kevin Boyd, 54, a janitor at NewYork-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan Hospital, has been offered the vaccine by his hospital but is on the fence about taking it. On one hand, Mr. Boyd is terrified of getting sick and vividly remembers the hospitals morgue filled to capacity last year. As a diabetic, he recognizes he is at higher risk of becoming severely ill if he is infected with the coronavirus. On the other hand, Mr. Boyd said he was generally skeptical of the federal government and wary of the speed with which the vaccines were brought to market. Im kind of waiting, he said. Im not rushing to take it. Haiti - FLASH : 3-day Congress of the Diaspora on the Constitution (Petion-ville) In order to participate in the realization of the project of a new Constitution of Haiti, Haitian Diaspora Organizations with the support of the Ministry of Haitians Living Abroad (MHAVE) are meeting in the "Constitutional Congress of the Diaspora" which opens January 14, 2021 until 16, at the Ritz Klnam II hotel. This congress named "Dyaspora ladan l tou" is intended to support organizations in the Diaspora and to convey their demands, but above all to define their involvement in the development of the project of the new Constitution. Besides the presence of representatives of Diaspora organizations at this Congress, it is also necessary to underline the virtual participation by videoconference of representatives of organizations which cannot physically participate in the debate. HL/ HaitiLibre 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 COLUMBUS, Miss. (WTVA) - The pandemic continues to impact the lives of many, but especially affects those in the medical profession. The emergency room nurse manager at Baptist Memorial Hospital Golden Triangle, Sandy Holman, tells explains what it is like to be behind the hospital doors. When it first started, everybody was like, Oh, its just another flu. This is how its going to be,'" said Holman, "but as we learned more about the disease, learned more about the virus, we realized that this was not the same. Holman has worked at Baptist for 17 years but this pandemic has brought a new meaning to the medical profession for her. We want to fix everybody and sometimes were not able to," she said. "Thats hard because we are pouring our hearts into this to try to help every single individual thats struggling from this and we havent been able to do that. On Tuesday alone, Mississippi saw 98 deaths from the virus. Two of those were in Lowndes County. However, Holman has hope for her patients as health care workers at Baptist started giving out the first round of the vaccine to the public. We know that thats the only way to battle this," she explained, "Give people that immunity so that if they do contract the virus then their body is already ready to start fighting that. Holman said at first, she and her coworkers were skeptical of the vaccines because of how fast companies produced it but they quickly changed their opinions. Once it got here, after we had lived the life of taking care of these patients and just being so exhausted and you know seeing so many patients that didnt do well, we realized that hey this is whats best for our patients. Its whats best for our community," said the health care worker. Governor Tate Reeves announced on Tuesday that citizens 65 and older can now get the vaccine. Holman hopes this wider range of vaccinated patients will decrease the number of people in their ICU department. We want to make sure that we have ICU bed and bed availability for things other than just COVID because we know life doesnt stop," she said. "People continue to have wrecks. People continue to have heart attacks and people continue to need surgeries. Baptist was able to give around 220 vaccines to the public on Tuesday and will continue to administer the vaccines on Wednesday and Thursday. The Republican Party killed itself. The particular poison it swallowed is the hatred it harbors for its own voters. Sooner or later, all that hatred was going to burn it up. When Republican lawmakers turned their backs on Republican voters protesting for free and fair elections and endorsed election fraud by ignoring it, they blew up any remaining illusion that the Red-Blue divide in D.C. is real. Republican voters struggled for over a decade to give the Republican Party all the power it needed to fight for the Constitution and American liberty and against the quickening assault of totalitarian state control. Republican voters repeatedly urged Republican lawmakers to stomp out Big Tech's censorship and strangling of free speech before it was too late. Republicans in office have done nothing. When voters turn a blind eye to their suspicions that only a UniParty exists in D.C., actively support Republican lawmakers, and find themselves inevitably betrayed by those same lawmakers nonetheless, the sting is particularly fierce. From the point of view of a Trump-supporter, the Republican Party has wasted a tremendous opportunity. The "stupid party" looks as if it's achieved peak stupidity. But from the point of view of D.C. Republicans who have worked to thwart President Trump's agenda for four years, it is a certainty that the only stupid Republicans they see are their own voters. It didn't have to be this way. Republicans in Washington could right now be in the majority with a strong president in the White House. Instead, they spent years using Trump-supporters when their votes were needed and giving little in return. It was a betrayal that leaves deep scars. Did Republicans finally pay the price with their voters in Georgia? With turnout in pro-Trump areas diminished, that seems the case, and after most Senate Republicans spent the last two months surrendering the presidency, rather than fighting for it, who could blame Georgia voters for choosing not to care? On the one hand, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock seem like shoe-ins to supercharge Obama's socialist legacy. On the other hand, in a Republican Party that overwhelmingly prefers Donald Trump's handling of domestic and foreign policy issues to the ways in which establishment Republicans have handled those spheres in the past, neither David Perdue nor Kelly Loeffler looked very "Trumpy." Neither Georgia senator jumped up in fury after an avalanche of suspicious voting irregularities led the national press corps to anoint Joe Biden as "president-elect" a full four days after the election had ended, and when Senators Perdue and Loeffler finally pledged to challenge the results of the presidential election a day or two before their January 5 runoff, their commitments reeked of desperation, not righteousness. After their losses and subsequent refusals to see their promises through the next day in D.C., it seemed Trump voters had pegged them correctly. President Trump won more votes in November than any other sitting president, crushing his own 2016 victory by adding over ten million new voters to his coalition. He expanded his support from minority voters, sustained his gains with blue collar laborers, and attracted former Democrats disgruntled with the socialist direction of their former party. For the first time since President Reagan, a Republican leader came along who strengthened the GOP. And how have establishment Republicans in D.C. mostly treated this unexpected gift horse? They've stymied President Trump and his agenda for four straight years. When they weren't denying him funds for an effective border wall or undermining his promises to end Obamacare permanently, too many Senate Republicans spent their time before television cameras publicly bemoaning the president's efforts to fight communist China's growing economic power, his insistence on reinvigorating American manufacturing, and his refusal to allow the Democrats to win every battle of the Culture War. Instead of seizing the opportunity President Trump handed them in 2016 to prove to Americans that they were capable of tackling the immigration, trade, and health care issues Republican voters prioritized, Republican leaders decided to waste most of the president's first two years in office by giving Obama and Clinton cover for a Russia hoax that was designed and utilized by Democrats both to spy on Donald Trump's campaign and hamstring his presidency. More effort was given by Republican congressional leadership to obfuscate potential crimes committed by Obama's administration and Clinton's campaign than to tackle any of the "America First" policy proposals that had delivered President Trump victory. If there were a prize for lost opportunities, stalwart NeverTrump Republicans in Washington have no competition. Somehow the only Republicans who don't understand that voters have repeatedly rejected their preferred policies are the same D.C. lawmakers who have spent four years battling the president. It is hard to believe now, but prominent Republican leaders in Washington repeatedly warned before and after his election that Donald Trump would (1) ruin Republican outreach to black and Hispanic voters, (2) lead America into violent conflicts abroad, and (3) undermine conservative policy through his nominations and executive orders. Instead, President Trump won over more minority voters than any Republican presidential candidate since 1960; judiciously avoided wars with North Korea, Iran, and Venezuela (while utilizing a mixture of unexpected outreach and diplomacy, economic warfare, and firm deterrence); and presided over arguably the most staunchly conservative administration in a century (strongly supporting religious leaders, protecting the lives of unborn babies, and appointing constitutionalists to the federal courts). If the Mitt Romneys, Paul Ryans, Ben Sasses, or any of the other consistent NeverTrump naysayers who all predicted the worst from Trump's presidency had any professional credibility, they would recognize how repeatedly wrong they have been about their doom-and-gloom predictions for five years. That they have only doubled and tripled down on their hatred for President Trump while, in Senator Romney's case, astonishingly turning potential Biden family financial crimes into a Trump impeachment has only made them (and, by extension, their Republican colleagues) increasingly repugnant to ordinary Republican voters. It is difficult to pull the lever for the Republican members of a legislative body that stubbornly refuses to understand why voters elected President Trump and how the president has succeeded for those voters despite the intractable efforts at sabotage by NeverTrump Republicans in Congress. It is hard to imagine ever supporting members of a political party who see ordinary Americans protesting for free and fair elections as a greater threat to the Union than their own totalitarian colleagues pushing censorship and socialism in the halls of Congress. For some Trump-supporters, the choice between authoritarian Democrats and turncoat Republicans is a coin toss. They may abhor the way Democrats are destroying America's constitutional foundations and freedoms, but they also detest the weak-willed Republicans in office who are complicit in the Democrats' efforts to fundamentally transform the country by failing to actively fight back tooth and nail. Was that not why Donald Trump rose to power in the first place? Because Republican voters had become so fed up with thirty years of slow but consistent betrayals by their own party that they finally decided to bring in someone new willing and able to fight? For anyone not residing in D.C., that was the obvious lesson of 2016. Over four years later, too many elected representatives still haven't figured that out. Washington Republicans have worked tirelessly to make President Trump go away, and they have done so at great cost to the future of the Republican Party. When Republican leaders constantly countermand the voters of their own party, many voters would rather destroy the party and start from scratch than reward the very people who seem to hate them most. Image via Max Pixel. Australians are being promised a two-stage strategy to protect the population from COVID-19 under a federal commitment to pursue herd immunity while making vaccines available as soon as possible. Health Minister Greg Hunt confirmed the ambition on herd immunity after scientists raised questions over the effectiveness of the AstraZeneca vaccine to achieve the objective when compared to alternatives from Pfizer and others. Health Minister Greg Hunt says Australia will pursue a herd immunity strategy as it waits to see how effective the COVID-19 vaccines are. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen In another day of debate over vaccine options, health giant CSL shot down talk about Australian production of the potential Novavax vaccine by saying it could not make it and the AstraZeneca vaccine at the same time. The developments cement the government plan for a widespread roll-out of the AstraZeneca vaccine to most of the population and a more limited roll-out of the Pfizer vaccine to up to five million people, subject to final test results for both. The Palaszczuk Labor government passed laws in 2018, backdated until before the 2017 Queensland election , banning property developers from donating money to state and council politicians, candidates and parties. The Electoral Commission of Queensland has asked the Supreme Court to decide whether businessman Clive Palmer is a property developer and therefore banned from making political donations. Credit:Attila Csaszar The Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) has filed an application in the Supreme Court asking for a ruling on whether former federal MP Mr Palmer is a property developer. Controversial businessman Clive Palmer has accused top-ranking members of the Queensland government of being behind attempts to get him declared a property developer and therefore banned from donating money to his own political party. "Political opponents of the respondent [Mr Palmer] and the United Australia Party, including the Australian Labor Party and members of the Queensland government, have made repeated and sustained allegations that the respondent is a 'property developer' and called for the respondent to be investigated and prosecuted by the applicant for alleged breaches of the Act," the notice reads. "It is a reasonable inference that the proceedings have not been issued for a proper purpose but have been issued either at the direction and/or request of the Queensland government or its executive, the Australian Labor Party and/or members of the federal Labor government [sic] or as a result of such parties exerting undue or improper pressure on the applicant [ECQ] to commence these proceedings. "And that the proceedings have been commenced for the sole or dominant purpose of causing harm, loss and damage to the respondent, and not for the purpose of quelling any alleged controversy regarding whether the respondent is a 'property developer'." Mr Palmer has demanded any reports, emails, written correspondence or memos produced, sent or received between January 1, 2019 and December 3, 2020 recording meetings or communication with members of the Queensland government, Australian Labor Party, federal MPs including Chris Bowen, any political party, and any other person or company, about the issues, the United Australia Party, Mr Palmer or any of his companies. Under the Electoral Act, people who knowingly flout the property developer donation ban face penalties of up to 10 years in jail or a $195,825 fine, and the state may recover up to twice the value of the prohibited donation from the recipient. BEIJING/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China's total crude oil imports surged 7.3% in 2020 despite the coronavirus shock early in the year, with record arrivals in the second and third quarter amid plunging oil prices and expanding refineries, data showed on Thursday. For 2020, the world's top oil buyer brought in a record 542.37 million tonnes of crude oil, or 10.85 million barrels per day (bpd). December shipments were 38.47 million tonnes, equivalent to 9.06 million bpd, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs on Thursday. That was down about 15% ... The ongoing smart water meter installation program in The Woodlands has led to irritation among some residents after cellular transmitter poles were erected near their homes with no notice. Jim Stinson, general manager for The Woodlands Water Agency, said the construction of new transmitter poles and attaching of transmission devices to existing structures is necessary for the smart meters to function with out having humans manually check them as in the past. The poles and transmitters will be installed at 16 locations around the township, some on land owned by the San Jacinto River Authority, local municipal utility districts or The Woodlands. On HoustonChronicle.com: Shift to smart water meters set for The Woodlands They are related to the automated metering infrastructure upgrade throughout the woodlands. they are constructed via an inter-local agreement between The Woodlands Water Agency and the San Jacinto River Authority. We also have some towers that will be constructed under an inter-local agreement with The Woodlands Township, Stinson said. As far as resident notification, I know there was not any public notification made regarding the construction and I dont know that it is required. The meters have low frequency batteries and they transmit signals to various towers around The Woodlands. We have quite a few, some are under construction and some have been put on existing infrastructure. Those towers receive the detailed water usage data from all the meters in The Woodlands. Some residents in the Village of Indian Springs said a tower was installed behind homes on Split Rail Place in the summer, prompting numerous homeowners to seek information from the SJRA, the townships Covenant Administration Department and The Woodlands Water Agency. Riyaz Papar, who lives in a home near where a tower was built, said neither he nor other local residents were informed of the tower being installed near their homes on an easement owned by the SJRA. He said the tower is an eye sore and he did not understand why no notice was given to residents it was being installed. I have also been in several email communications with Kathleen Eaton, Covenant Administration Supervisor at the Woodlands Township, and we were the first ones to bring this issue to their attention around Dec. 17, Papar wrote in an email. The final conclusion by their office is that they really cant do anything about it or represent or help us in anyway. Heather Ramsey Cook, a spokesperson for the SJRA, declined to offer much information on the poles. Woodlands Water Agency asked SJRA for permission to use our property for their Smart Water Meter Program. Its a (Woodlands Water Agency) program, not SJRA, Cook stated in an email. Smart meter installation The new ultrasonic meters have no moving parts, unlike traditional water meters, Stinson said in an August 2020 interview. The meters, called the Neptune MACH 10 Ultrasonic Residential Water Meter, are manufactured by a company called Neptune Technology Group. The cost of the project, he added, is not an issue because the replacement of old meters had already been budgeted into Woodlands Water expenditures because replacing the meters is a regular task. A benefit of the new smart meters is that physical readings of meters will no longer be necessary, resulting in, Stinson added, the $420,000 a year in savings to Woodlands Water. The physical readings by workers are not done by local employees, but have been outsourced for decades to various firms in the Houston region. Although the new meters mean no people will be required to read water meters, no one will lose jobs because Woodlands Water does not employ that type of staff. Nick Wolda, the communications director for The Woodlands, said the agreement between The Woodlands Water Agency and the township was approved by directors on Sept. 23. He reiterated that the poles are generally not located on township land except in certain instances and that no notice of construction is required to be shared with residents. Property owned by (The Woodlands Water Agency) and SJRA as governmental entities are exempt from the covenants. Therefore, they are not required to submit applications to the township, Development Standards Committee (or) Residential Design Review Committee or to provide notice to the public, Wolda said. The township board authorized an agreement to be drafted with Woodlands Water for the use of the existing tower at Fire Station No. 3 and Terramont Park for the installation of a new tower, and other locations that may be identified as mutually beneficial for both agencies communication systems and return to the Board of Directors for final approval. On HoustonChronicle.com: Smart water meter project continues in Woodlands The installation of the meters has been underway since August and is going well, Stinson said in December. We have covered just about all of Harpers Landing, most of Grogans Point and we are working in (the village of) Panther Creek (now), he said in mid-December. For progress reports or other information about the project, Stinson advised residents and business owners to check out the special website at: https://woodlandswater.org/ami/about-the-project. Or, residents can telephone the agency at: 855- H2O-SAVE. jeff.forward@chron.com "This is a critical step in our state's economic and health recovery," said Matt Maddox, CEO Wynn Resorts. Tweet this Initially, the UMC COVID-19 Vaccination Center will only offer the vaccine to people 70 and older, healthcare workers, and first responders. To ensure efficiency, appointments are required by UMC and can be scheduled in advance at www.umcsn.com/COVIDvaccine or by calling (702) 383-2619. Eligible Nevadans may need to book their appointments several weeks in advance. To determine eligibility for the vaccine under the current state guidelines, please visit https://nvhealthresponse.nv.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/NEVADA-COVID-19-VACCINE-PLAYBOOK-V3-BRIEF_011121.pdf. This unique partnership was formed to increase distribution of the vaccine throughout the Las Vegas Valley at a convenient location, and to assist in the state's recovery from the pandemic. "We offered Encore as a vaccination location to help facilitate vaccine distribution as quickly and efficiently as possible throughout the Las Vegas Valley," said Matt Maddox, CEO of Wynn Resorts. "Our partnership with UMC began with our extensive onsite employee testing program. Based upon the success of that program with UMC, we look forward to hosting this critical step in our state's economic and health recovery." "The UMC COVID-19 Vaccination Center at Encore will serve as a valuable asset to our community as we work together to protect our most vulnerable populations and eventually bring an end to the COVID-19 pandemic," said UMC CEO Mason Van Houweling. "UMC's world-class health care team members look forward to working alongside our trusted partners at Wynn Resorts to build a brighter, healthier future for Southern Nevada." The Encore location will replace UMC's existing COVID-19 vaccination clinic at UMC's Delta Point Building. All UMC vaccination appointments scheduled on or after January 18 will take place at the Encore location. The UMC COVID-19 Vaccination Center is equipped to offer hundreds of vaccinations each day. Additional information is available at www.umcsn.com/COVIDvaccine. About Wynn Resorts COVID-19 Relief Efforts Wynn Resorts is committed to protecting our employees, working for the health and safety of our guests, and taking care of our communities impacted by COVID-19 with relief efforts that fill financial and supply chain gaps where they matter most. The donation and volunteer strategies follow an extensive financial protection plan implemented by Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox that began with a $250 million investment that ensured all 15,000 Wynn employees in North America received their full wage during the government-mandated shutdown. To provide relief to first responders and protection to those suffering the financial impact of the crisis, the Company procured and donated more than $3 million worth of financial aid, personal protective equipment, food and prepared meals, and essential cleaning and hygiene supplies to dozens of health care facilities and local nonprofit organizations throughout Las Vegas and Greater Boston. In May 2020, Wynn Las Vegas began providing all employees with direct access to reliable and accurate COVID-19 tests on-site at no cost; and in early 2021 will debut a custom-built state-of-the-art COVID-19 testing lab and mobile health app available to resort guests. SOURCE Wynn Las Vegas Related Links http://www.wynnlasvegas.com Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 14) - President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday said he again cautioned his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio not to follow in his footsteps, noting this time that being a president is not a woman's job. "My daughter inuudyok naman nila, sabi ko, 'My daughter is not running' (They are pushing my daughter, but I said, 'My daughter is not running'). I told Inday not to run kasi naawa ako sa dadaanan niya na dinaanan ko (I told Inday not to run because I feel bad for her that she would have the same experience that I had). Hindi ito pambabae (This is not meant for women)," Duterte said following calls for his daughter to succeed him in 2022. Duterte made the statement while expressing his frustration over corruption in the government. "The emotional setup of a woman and a man is totally different. Maging g*go ka dito (You will be foolish here). That's the sad story," he added. The presidential daughter recently topped a survey for possible presidential bets in 2022. However, Duterte-Carpio herself said in an interview that she would want to have her name removed from similar surveys in the future. READ: Women leaders are doing a disproportionately great job at handling the pandemic. So why aren't there more of them? Duterte also said during the event that he is hoping his successor would be "forceful and resolute" to address corruption in the government. In 2019, Duterte said he regretted running for the highest position in the country due to the problems he was facing. This is not the first time Duterte discouraged his daughter from gunning for the presidency. He told Sara last year that she should let go any plans of running unless she believes she can improve everyone's lives. Duterte also said back then that her daughter won't get rich from being president. Meanwhile, Institute for Political and Electoral Reform executive director and political analyst Ramon Casiple said that Dutertes statement could be a way to put the spotlight on his daughter. Basically, ang epekto ng ganyang klaseng balita ay nailagay siya sa sentro ng atensyon. Kaya hindi ako magugulat kung sa susunod na panahon na ito ay pabalik-balik sa media si Sara Duterte. Hindi ko pa sinasara ang usapin na posible siyang tumakbo, said Casiple in an online forum. [Translation: Basically, the effect of this kind of news is that she is being the center of attention. So I will not be surprised we will hear again Sara Duterte in media. Im not closing the chance that she might run.] The Philippines only had two female presidents in history: Corazon Aquino and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. CNN Philippines' correspondent Crissy Dimatulac contributed to this report [January 13, 2021] CES 2021 Tresl's Data Intelligence Platform, Segments Analytics, Helps E-Commerce Brands on Shopify Understand Their Customers Better to Optimize Marketing Efforts E-commerce has fundamentally changed the way people shop and buy, with over 2 billion digital customers and an estimated 12 to 24 million e-commerce sites across the globe in 2020. Shopify, the fastest growing e-commerce platform, has been a major driver of e-commerce trends, hosting over a million brands and 300M shoppers. Tresl's data intelligence platform makes data-driven marketing easy Tresl, a tech startup founded in Palo Alto (News - Alert) in 2018, makes data-driven marketing easy for e-commerce brands. Its hero product, Segments Analytics, is an e-commerce intelligence platform on the Shopify App Store that allows businesses to easily dig into their customer data, not only helping brand owners understand their customers better but also providing actionable insights with prebuilt customer segmentations to optimize marketing efforts. While Shopify has made it easy for businesses to sell online, many brands struggle to use their business data to make smarter marketing decisions and convert more customers, ultimately leaving money on the table. This is because the digital customer journey is complex with hundreds of touchpoints across internet browser sessions, email, social media, and other marketing channels. Although brands are allocating increasing budgets for marketing, marketing expenditures often have a minimal impact on sales. In fact, the top 10% of Shopify stores alone probably spend a combined $6B on marketing each year. With customer acquisition costs on the rise, e-commerce brands need to spend their marketing dollars more wisely and efficiently in order to reach and convert more customers. Tresl levels the playing field by empowering brand owners with a deeper understanding of their data. How does it work? E-commerce brands may install Segments Analytics directly via the Shopify App store. After a one-clck, simple installation, Segments Analytics accesses the brands' Shopify store data and automatically pre-builds 30+ different customer segments based on RFM and customer lifetime value across their customers' entire purchasing lifecycle. Segments Analytics powers data intelligence for hundreds of brands and is the #1 segmentation solution on Shopify with 100% 5-star reviews Access to highly targeted customer segments, give brand owners the ability to precision-target customers with special offers when they are most likely to purchase and to optimize their marketing campaigns. Tresl provides step-by-step marketing optimizations across complex digital customer journeys to help brands take effective steps to monetize their data. Instead of spending weeks creating spreadsheets or hiring an expensive data team, Shopify brands can easily plug and play these customer segments into their marketing campaigns. Best of all, Segments Analytics directly syncs targeted customer segments across various marketing channels such as email, Facebook (News - Alert) , and Google. In gaining a better understanding of how their consumers shop, Tresl's clients have seen tremendous results. Brands using Segments Analytics have increased click through rates on abandoned cart flows by 30%, re-engaged 20% of their loyal customers who've churned, and increased sales by 40% MoM within just one month of starting to use Tresl's platform. This is why Tresl is the #1 segmentation solution on Shopify and is already used by hundreds of brands. Their business model is simple. Tresl offers a subscription pricing plan starting at $79/month, with a more advanced enterprise plan available to brand owners that want deeper customer insights and advanced analytics. Tresl customers gain access to the same analytics tools used by much larger enterprises at a fraction of the cost. Led by LinkedIn (News - Alert) data scientists with decades of experience Founded by two LinkedIn data scientists, Tresl's mission is to make data-driven marketing easy and accessible. Their team has decades of experience in data science, data analytics, predictive modeling, and engineering. John Chao, CEO and Co-Founder of Tresl, received his Masters in Statistics from Stanford University and has worked as a data scientist for 15 years. At LinkedIn, John was responsible for building predictive models for the sales and marketing team. Tony Yin, the CTO and Co-Founder of Tresl, holds degrees in Computer Science and Economics from the University of Chicago. Tresl is backed by strong investors, including Silicon Valley Angel and Broadvision CEO Dr. Pehong Chen, Cornerstone Ventures, and SparkLabs Taipei. The company currently has offices in the US and Taiwan, with the R&D team based in the Taiwan Tech Arena. Tresl's vision is to enable any e-commerce brand to achieve its greatest sales potential with easy-to-use, data-driven marketing tools. CES 2021 TTA (News - Alert) -VR Pavilion: https://pse.is/3amvs9 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210113005990/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] According to information published by the Yonhap News Agency on January 13, 2021, South Korea plans to conduct tests of its new local-made submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) in 2021, after successfully tests of the surface-to-surface version. According to information published by the Yonhap News Agency on January 13, 2021, South Korea plans to conduct tests of its new local-made submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) in 2021, after successfully tests of the surface-to-surface version. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link Test-launched surface-to-surface Hyunmoo-2A Ballistic Missile. (Picture source Republic of Korea Armed Forces) The new submarine-launched ballistic missile developed by the South Korean defense industry is based on the surface-to-surface Hyunmoo-2B ballistic missile. A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of being launched from submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs) each of which carries a nuclear warhead and allows a single launched missile to strike several targets. Submarine-launched ballistic missiles operate in a different way from submarine-launched cruise missiles. The Hyunmoo is a series of short-range ballistic missiles fully designed and developed by the South Korean Defense Industry. The Hyunmoo-1 was first tested by South Korea in 1986 with a payload of 480 kg and a range of 180 km. The Hyunmoo-2B ballistic missile is an upgraded variant of the previous version that into service with South Korea in late 2009. The missile has now a range of 500 km. The missile is propelled by solid-fueled and two-stage solid rocket motor The Hyunmoo-2B features inertial guidance and control system that can reach the heart of its intended targets under any weather conditions without any commands from the ground after the fire. The missile has a length of 12 m, a diameter of 0.9 m, and has a launch weight of 5,400 kg. The missile can be equipped with HE (High Explosive) or submunitions warhead with a maximum payload of 997 kg. According to the Missile Threat website, a new variant of the Hyunmoo-2B missile has been developed that can be launched from a submarine and will be mounted aboard the latest generation of attack submarine Jangbogo-III (KSS-III), currently under construction for the South Korean Navy. London, Jan 14 : Another 1,564 people have died in the UK within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test, the highest increase in daily fatalities since the pandemic began in the country early last year, according to official figures. The new figure increased the country's overall death toll to 84,910, Xinhua news agency reported. The previous highest daily rise of the coronavirus-related deaths was 1,325, which reported on January 8. In the last 24 hours, at least 47,525 people tested positive for the virus in the country, bringing the total infection tally to 3,220,953, the figures showed. London had the most reported deaths at 202. London Mayor Sadiq Khan confirmed that the British capital's total number of coronavirus deaths has topped 10,000. Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Wednesday that there was a "very substantial" risk of intensive care capacity in hospitals being "overtopped". The situation was "very, very tough" in the National Health Service (NHS) and the staff were under "colossal" pressure, Johnson told the Commons Liaison Committee. The Prime Minister once again appealed to the public to follow lockdown rules which require Britons to stay at home and only go out for essential reasons. Johnson also told British lawmakers that the NHS will launch a 24/7 vaccination service as soon as possible, noting "at the moment the limit is on supply" of the vaccine. According to Yvonne Doyle, Public Health England's medical director, there have now been more deaths in the second wave of the pandemic than the first. "With each passing day, more and more people are tragically losing their lives to this terrible virus, and today we have reported the highest number of deaths on a single day since the pandemic began," she said. "There have now been more deaths in the second wave than the first." England is currently under the third national lockdown since the pandemic began in the country. Similar restriction measures are also in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. ALBANY -- The perennial push to allow direct sales of electric vehicles like Tesla and the new Rivian truck should get some traction this year as a major green energy group has joined the effort. Tesla Motors and traditional auto dealers have for several years now battled over whether vehicles can be sold directly to consumers, similar to how Apple computers operates its Apple stores. The dealers, who are typically franchisees and agree to purchase and retail cars ranging from Chevrolets and Fords to BMWs, oppose that idea because it cuts them out of the equation. They have since 2014 successfully fended off bills in the state Legislature that would allow Tesla to operate a fleet of statewide direct-to-consumer stores. Tesla currently has only five stores in the New York City metropolitan area. This year, however, New Yorks burgeoning solar and wind energy industries are backing the effort for direct sales, since electric vehicles or EVs like Tesla, run on electricity rather than fossil fuels. The legislature passed this super-ambitious climate law two years ago. Renewable energy is not that easy but there is a pathway to get there, said Anne Reynolds, executive director of the Alliance for Clean Energy, which represents solar, wind and other renewable energy producers. We really need some policies to jump start deployment, she explained, adding that her organization is supporting the push to let Tesla, as well as other electric vehicle makers including Rivian and Lucid, open their own direct-sales stores. While Tesla is well-established as the nations leading all-electric plug-in car, Rivian is building electric pickup trucks which people can order on-line with June or July delivery dates. Lucid Motors is also taking orders for their sedans. But with no direct stores or showrooms, consumers cant easily test drive the Rivian or Lucid offerings. Traditional auto dealers oppose the direct-sale model. By being in communities across the state, dealers say fill the servicing and repair needs of consumers once a vehicle is sold. Many dealerships also are locally-owned small businesses, in contrast to big publicly traded firms like Tesla. They put the sweat equity and brick-and-mortar facilities that are there for the public, Chris Neuber, president of the Eastern New York Coalition of Auto Dealers, said of his members. They are machines and they are going to break down, he said of cars and trucks. If you dont have a facility where you can bring the vehicle, what do you do? Flatbed it back to the factory? Those pushing for more Tesla and other EV stores say they are willing to work with local auto dealers. I want to protect the franchises, Albany Democratic Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy, who has co-sponsored the Tesla bills, said. The original push began in 2014 with a measure sponsored by Rochester Assemblyman Joe Morelle, who is now in Congress. He noted that people in western New York had to travel to the New York City area to see a Tesla showroom. That is still the case. Fahy noted that New York State isnt even in the top 10 nationally for sales of electric vehicles. If the state is to meet its ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals, more consumers need to embrace plug-in cars and trucks. Weve got to up our game, she said. Fahy also supports provisions that would prevent other car makers from selling their EVs alongside and in competition with franchises. More for you News Tesla, seeking more stores, launches road trip in Albany For instance, the law they will likely disallow companies like Nissan Motors, which makes the Leaf EV, or Chevrolet with the Bolt EV, from selling outside of the franchise system. And helping Tesla expand its offerings should only spur interest in electric vehicles in general which should benefit legacy car makers like Chevrolet and Nissan. The dealers will do well to because there is more of a market for them, said Rich Schrader, state legislative director for the Natural Resources Defense Council. Transportation, he added, is the biggest source of both pollution and greenhouse gas in New York State. The entry into force of the new measures applicable at the entry on the territory of England (originally scheduled for Friday, morning, local time 4:00) has been postponed to Monday, the same time, according to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE)'s release issued to AGERPRES. However, the quoted source said, the measures apply for entering Scotland as of Friday, at 4:00. Thus, all persons traveling to the United Kingdom may enter the territory of England on condition that they present a test with a negative result for SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, carried out no more than three days prior. Molecular tests, such as PCR or derived technologies, LAMP or antigen are accepted. The result of the negative test must be originally written in English, French or Spanish, as translations are not accepted.At the same time, the certificate attesting the negative result must be presented in the original and must include the following information: name of the person tested, date of birth or age, test result, date of taking or receiving the sample, name of laboratory conducting the test, contact details, etc and the name of the test device. All currently available information on test requirements can be found at www.gov.uk.According to the British authorities, the presentation of a negative test for SARS-CoV-2 virus infection does not exclude the mandatory self-isolation measure for a period of 10 days after arrival in England.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminds that Romanian citizens can request consular assistance at the telephone numbers of the Romanian Embassy in London: 0044 20 76027328; 0044 20 7602 9833; 0044 20 7603 6694; 0044 20 76025193; 0044 20 7603 0572; 0044 20 7602 2065, of the Consulate General of Romania in Edinburgh: 0044 (0) 131 524 9491, 0044 (0) 131 524 9492 and of the Consulate General of Romania in Manchester: 0044 (0) 161 236 0478; 0044 (0) 161 237 5513, 0044 (0) 161 236 9687; 0044 (0) 161 236 8995, the calls being redirected to the Contact and Support Center of Romanian Citizens Abroad (CCSCRS) and taken over by the Call Center operators on a permanent basis.Also, Romanian citizens who are facing a difficult, special, emergency situation have at their disposal the permanent telephone number of the Romanian diplomatic mission in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (0044 7738716335), the Consulate General of Romania in Edinburgh (0044 (0) 7951 858 445) and of the Consulate General of Romania in Manchester (0044 (0) 75 35 604 342).The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also recommends consulting the websites londra.mae.ro, edinburgh.mae.ro, manchester.mae.ro and www.mae.ro. Dr Evgeny Kobelev, First Vice President of the Russia - Vietnam Friendship Association (Photo: VOV) Moscow - A leading Russian expert on Vietnamese studies expressed his belief in a bright future for Vietnam in an article published in the Multipolar World magazine on January 12. In the article, entitled 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam - Path to new success, Dr Evgeny Kobelev, First Vice President of the Russia - Vietnam Friendship Association, noted that the 6th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) in 1986 created a historic turning point with the approval of the Doi Moi (Renewal) policy to ensure successful development and social stability. That policy has generated considerable outcomes, he wrote, and after only 10 years of implementation, Vietnam had become one of the leading countries in terms of economic growth. Over the last 25-30 years, the country has been able to sustain growth of 5-7 percent. Despite COVID-19, its economy still grew, while most other countries recorded contractions to GDP. It has succeeded in bringing the pandemic under control and has so far recorded only 35 fatalities in a population of nearly 100 million, Kobelev said. Vietnams successful development has also been promoted by its multilateral diplomacy policy, he wrote, adding that a responsible foreign policy has greatly helped maintain regional peace and stability, realise socio-economic development targets, and safeguard its sovereignty. Vietnam is now a member of almost all international and regional organisations and has signed agreements and statements on strategic partnerships with many countries. It also successfully performed its dual roles in 2020 of non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and Chair of ASEAN, he noted in the article. The scholar voiced his belief that under the CPVs leadership, the country will achieve the goal of becoming a prosperous and happy nation and, by the mid-21st century, a socialist-oriented developed country. MONTREAL - Canada's new COVID-19 testing requirement for international travellers has caused hundreds of people to miss flights in just the first week of the program's rollout. A couple makes their way through Montreal Trudeau Airport in Montreal, on Thursday, January 7, 2021. Canada's new testing requirement for international travellers has prompted hundreds of people to miss flights in the first week of the program's rollout.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson MONTREAL - Canada's new COVID-19 testing requirement for international travellers has caused hundreds of people to miss flights in just the first week of the program's rollout. Under the new restrictions, all passengers flying to Canada from another country must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken at most 72 hours prior to departure. Since the testing mandate went into effect on Jan. 7, WestJet has denied boarding to at least 385 guests because they did not meet the requirements, said spokeswoman Morgan Bell. Similarly, Air Transat has denied boarding to at least 245 passengers for testing-related reasons since Jan. 7, said Debbie Cabana, a spokeswoman for the airline. Bell said the travellers were turned away due to improper tests antigen or antibody tests, rather than the required PCR test common in Canada no test at all, or one taken more than 72 hours before departure. "Our teams have been doing everything they can to assist guests and problem-solve in destinations across our network," Bell said. "Our WestJet Vacations team is working in destinations with our hotel partners to facilitate and arrange PCR tests whenever available to best assist our guests." At the time the testing mandate was announced, Canada's major airlines asked the government unsuccessfully for an 11-day extension to implement the new rules, warning that they would lead to confusion for passengers. The Canadian government has already been forced to make a temporary exception to the testing requirement in response to a shortage in supply of accepted tests in Jamaica. The government of Jamaica said this week that it was working to increase the availability of COVID-19 PCR testing at private labs and on-site at select resorts in Ochos Rios, Montego Bay and Negril. Hotels elsewhere in the Caribbean, such as the Bahamas' Baha Mar resort, have begun offering COVID-19 testing on-site in an effort to help international travellers comply with testing restrictions. On Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a measure similar to Canada's, ordering all international airline passengers to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test before boarding flights to the country. Rocky Racco, the CEO of Toronto-based travel agency TTI Travel, said he expected the availability of testing at tourist destinations in the Caribbean to ramp up in light of the new U.S. requirement. "Given the announcement that this is also required now by U.S. citizens, its going to get the hoteliers' and tourist boards' fullest attention," Racco said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2021. Companies in this story: (TSX:TRZ) Closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High 'impacts our entire town' The Washington County Board of Education held a public hearing on the closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High School; the crowd pleaded against it. In a few days the nation will mark the 176th anniversary of the first arrival of immigrants from India on May 30, 1845. They would come every year up to 1917, except for a short break between 1848 and 1851, transforming the local society. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Auburn, IN (46706) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 48F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 48F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch. Britain's youngest EuroMillions winner has responded to backlash surrounding photographs she posted on social media showing herself partying in Dubai. Jane Park, 25, from Edinburgh, was branded 'selfish' after posting a series of photos and videos of herself drinking in bars and nightclubs and posing in bikinis on the beach since jetting to Dubai just before New Year's Eve. She took to Instagram to defend being in the United Arab Emirates while Scotland is in lockdown after she was hit with negative comments from her followers. 'Can everyone stop with the Dubai abuse. I'm over here now won't be returning,' Jane said. Jane park, 25, (pictured) from Edinburgh, has responded to negative comments on Instagram about her decision to move to Dubai 'I also can't see my mum. I had to move out before I left as she was high risk. 'It's safer for me to be here than UK and I'm following the rules here. If Dubai was to go into lockdown then I'd be in one too. 'I'm sick of message requests saying I'm selfish etc when all I've done is move somewhere to better my life and try and make 2021 more positive than 2020. 'I'm sorry that some people aren't in a position to do so but I don't feel you should hate someone who is. 'I'm not saying go to Dubai and party, I'm not always partying. I'm business focused and no one knows what is going on.' The Euromillions winner said she left Scotland because her mum is high risk and she's focused on business. Pictured: Jane in Dubai Jane was just 17 when she won 1 million after getting lucky with her first-ever Euromillions ticket in 2013. She claims her decision to move to Dubai is permanent and is focused on business opportunities. Jane said: 'There is stuff going on behind closed doors. I want everyone to be aware of that I haven't just been partying. 'I follow the Dubai rules and that's all I can do. 'Please stop the abuse because you're not in a position to do the things I do.' Jane who splurged her winnings on cosmetic surgery and luxury holidays, has repeatedly claimed the Euromillions prize ruined her life Jane has repeatedly stated winning the Euromillions prize ruined her life and even threatened to sue lottery operators Camelot for negligence, claiming someone her age shouldn't have been allowed to win. She has confessed that it was only the advice of family members which stopped her going bust after she went on a spending spree. The jackpot winner paid for a boob job, Brazilian bum lift and splashed out on a string of luxury holidays and fashion accessories. In 2019, she revealed she was making money by selling racy topless pictures of herself on subscription site OnlyFans. Appointment 14 January 2021 Commonwealth Hotels is excited to announce the promotion of Shannon Blackburn to General Manager at the Hampton Inn Louisville North/Clarksville. The 120-room property - located at 1501 Broadway Clarksville, Indiana 47129 - is just minutes away from downtown Louisville, Churchill Downs, the Louisville International Airport and the University of Louisville, but far enough into the Louisville suburbs to maintain a quiet intimacy. Shannon specializes in creating memorable guest experiences while maintaining a positive work environment for her staff. She has a history at Commonwealth Hotels of improving operational procedures, marketing strategies and generating high dollar profits. During the hectic year that was 2020, Shannon was promoted to Task Force Manager, where she assisted a number of properties in virtually every department, wherever she was needed. Her success proved her vigilance as a full-time General Manager. Austrian minister resigns after plagiarising thesis at a Slovak school Austrian Labour Minister Christine Aschbacher received her PhD degree at STU faculty in Trnava. STUs Faculty of Materials Science and Technology in Trnava. (Source: TASR) Austrian Labour Minister Christine Aschbacher resigned from her post after doubts about the quality of her final theses emerged. She completed one of them, for which she later received a PhD degree, at the Slovak University of Technology (STU) in Bratislava. These are allegations and I reject them, Aschbacher responded to the claims she had plagiarised her theses, as quoted by the ORF website. She said she made the decision to resign to protect her family. 21 percent allegedly copied Asbacher studied at STUs Faculty of Materials Science and Technology in Trnava. She wrote her thesis in German and defended it last August, when she already held the ministerial post and the country was continuing to deal with the coronavirus, the Sme daily reported. 11. Jan 2021 at 11:34 | Compiled by Spectator staff Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. LONDON, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Crestbridge, the agile alternative for private equity and real estate administration solutions, has appointed Alex Di Santo as Group Head of Private Equity. In his new role, Alex is responsible for the development and implementation of Crestbridge's private equity fund services strategy including maintaining the highest levels of client care. He will have additional responsibilities in raising the business' profile in the private equity fund services space, as well as identifying and targeting new and strategically important revenue opportunities. Based in Jersey, Alex brings with him over 17 years' experience in the financial services industry, of which, 14 years have been focussed on private capital fund administration. He has significant specialist expertise in private capital covering private debt and private equity (spanning venture, growth and buyout). This announcement follows an impressive series of recent hires and expansion for Crestbridge. The business has continued to grow, despite the global pandemic, driven, in large part by private equity, venture capital and real estate fund managers seeking the high levels of service, expertise and technology driven processes that Crestbridge is known for. Additionally, Michael Johnson becomes Group Head of Institutional Services. Michael will lead the business's Private Equity Services, Real Estate Services, Management Company Services, Corporate Services and Governance Services teams, comprising over 300 members of staff across seven locations. Michael commented, "It's a pleasure to welcome Alex Di Santo to the Crestbridge team. In an industry with increasingly complex requirements around regulation, transparency and technology, his extensive knowledge and experience in private capital fund administration will make him an asset to the business. His appointment represents a positive step in Crestbridge's ongoing strategy to continue to identify and hire world-class expertise." Alex commented, "Fund administration services for private capital is a highly active and exciting space and I am delighted to be joining Crestbridge, one of the fastest growing players in the industry globally. I look forward to working with Michael and the rest of the Crestbridge team." Notes to editors We are a leading global administration, management & corporate governance solutions business. We provide a broad range of outsourced fiduciary, administrative, accounting and compliance services globally - our expertise spans services, asset classes and jurisdictions. Since 1998, we have been putting our insight and experience to work for clients who include leading corporations, sovereign wealth funds, investor groups, asset managers and ultra-high net worth families. Crestbridge employs over 350+ people and has seven international offices: Bahrain , Cayman, Jersey, London , Luxembourg , New Jersey and New York . , Cayman, Jersey, , , and . We are regulated in our locations (see here for more details) For further information, please contact: Nicola Nicholson, Head of Marketing at Crestbridge on tel. +44 (0) 1534 835014 or e-mail Nicola.Nicholson@crestbridge.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1420328/Alex_di_Santo.jpg Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2021) - Origen Resources Inc. (CSE: ORGN) (FSE: 4VX) (the "Company" or "Origen") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Hawthorn Resources Corp., ("Hawthorn") a private British Columbia Corporation engaged in mineral exploration, to acquire a 75% interest in its Broken Handle project located 50km north of Grand Forks, BC. "The business plan adopted at the Company's inception of partnering with capable groups to advance certain assets is starting to gain momentum. The signing of this option agreement with Hawthorn is yet another milestone achieved in generating value for our shareholders," states Blake Morgan, President. Option Terms Hawthorn can earn a 75% interest in the Broken Handle property by paying Origen a total of $250,000, issuing 1 million shares and incurring expenditures of $500,000 over a 3 year period. Hawthorn intends on applying for a listing on a Canadian stock exchange in the near future. Origen and Hawthorn have one common director whom has abstained from board voting in relation to this transaction. About the Broken Handle Project Located 50km north of Grand Forks B.C. the Broken Handle project covers historical and new mineral showings similar in nature to those found at the prolific Franklin Camp1 located 3 km north. Over a 76 year period, the Franklin Camp produced greater than 1,392,000 oz. Ag and 55,500 oz Au2 (UNION Minfile 082ENE003 Production Detail Report). Two distinct styles of mineralization are evident at the Project; polymetallic epithermal veins (Ag-Pb-Zn-Cu +/- Au), potentially related to the regional Granby Fault and Cu-Pb-Zn-Ag-Au skarns associated with limestone and marble lenses in contact with intrusive rocks. Exploration work over the last two years resulted in the discovery of several new showings, and the rediscovery of old mineral workings. The most significant achievement was locating the Morrell Camp that is a series of mineralized historical workings that have not seen exploration work since the late 1920s. Patrick McLaughlin, P Geo., a Qualified Person as that term is defined in NI 43-101 has prepared, supervised the preparation or approved the scientific and technical disclosure in the news release. About Origen Origen is an exploration company engaged in generating, acquiring and advancing base and precious metal properties. The Company currently holds a property portfolio of four 100% owned precious and base metal projects in southern British Columbia including a 100% interest in the 26,771 ha LGM project and an option to acquire a 100% interest in the 3,971 ha Wishbone property in the mineral rich Golden Triangle of British Columbia and a 100% interest in the Middle Ridge Pond project in Newfoundland. On behalf of Origen, Blake Morgan President For further information, please contact Blake Morgan, President at 236-878-4938 or Gary Schellenberg, CEO at 604-681-0221. 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 press release. Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may constitute "forward-looking information." In particular references to the private placement and future work programs or expectations on the quality or results of such work programs are subject to risks associated with operations on the property, exploration activity generally, equipment limitations and availability, as well as other risks that we may not be currently aware of. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. (1) Camp refers to a colony of miners settled in proximity to a mine, or series of mines or workings. (2) Referenced nearby historic resources, deposits and mines provide geologic context for the Project, but are not necessarily indicative that the Project hosts similar potential, size or grades of mineralization. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/72017 The New Orleans area has earned an unwelcome financial distinction during the coronavirus pandemic: more homeowners here are at risk of losing their homes due to unpaid mortgages than in any other major American city. More than one-in-ten borrowers in the New Orleans-Metairie metro area are now at least 30 days late with mortgage payments and could be at risk of foreclosure on their properties, according to federal data. The risk isn't spread evenly either. Data from the Federal Reserve from earlier in 2020 show that forbearance and mortgage delinquency rates in ZIP codes like 70127, which includes New Orleans East, are about twice the metro area's average, whereas those in areas that include Old Metairie and Mandeville are closer to the national average. Actual foreclosures in New Orleans and elsewhere in the country have fallen during the pandemic because of a federally mandated moratorium for the two-thirds of U.S. mortgages backed by government agencies. And many private sector lenders also have put forbearance programs in place to give borrowers breathing room. But housing advocates warn that those debt leniency programs have only put off the problem. Once they run out, they predict, a flood of foreclosures threatens to add to the looming renter-eviction crisis, which also has been forestalled by a temporary federally-mandated freeze. "Our numbers for folks seeking help with evictions already are through the roof up 300% since the pandemic started," said Laura Tuggle, executive director of Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, a non-profit legal aid provider for low income Louisianans. "The deluge on mortgages is going to come." With a relatively high concentration of low-income households, the New Orleans area already had one of the nation's highest mortgage delinquency rates before the pandemic, according to Andy Walden, economist and director of market research at Black Knight, a Jacksonville, Florida, firm that tracks mortgage trends nationwide. +2 Year in Review: Eviction crisis looms over New Orleans renters Despite a one month extension to a federal eviction moratorium, thousands of New Orleanians are entering the New Year much like they spent nea New Orleans and more broadly Louisiana and Mississippi has traditionally struggled with delinquency rates due to lower income levels and higher poverty," said Walden. "Borrowers in these areas rely more on lower-down-payment FHA lending, which has not only seen larger impacts from the pandemic but traditionally has higher delinquency rates than the broader mortgage market." In February, the city's mortgage delinquency rate was 5.7%, making it the third-highest major metro area in the country at the time. That had risen to 10.1% by November, according to the latest available Black Knight data. The national average over the same period rose from 3.1% to 6.3%. Other cities that are reliant on tourism, including Miami and Las Vegas, have also seen delinquency rates rise sharply as travel dried up during the pandemic, leading to job losses in hospitality-related industries. Mortgage distress has risen nationwide, with a five-fold rise 1.8 million additional households in seriously delinquent mortgage payments since the start of the pandemic, according to Black Knight. But just as with unemployment, mortgage distress has hit lower income people hardest. Survey data from the U.S. Census show that for homeowners who earn less than $50,000 a year, the delinquency rate went from one-in-ten in May to one-in-four by mid-December. For borrowers with incomes above $100,000, the rate rose from below 5% to about 9%. The survey also tracked mortgage delinquency responses by race and ethnicity. It found delinquency rates had doubled across the board from May to December, but from a much higher base for Black and Hispanic respondents, who were at delinquency rates of 40% and 20%, respectively, by the end of the year. For those identifying as White, the rate was 7% by year-end. "Those on edge before COVID are far below it now and are going to have a much more difficult time climbing out of the hole they are in," said Joe Distefano, CEO of UrbanFootprint, which tracks demographic data in U.S. cities and advises on public policy. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up A study by UrbanFootprint in October estimated that 36,000 households (nearly 10% of all owner-occupied households) in the New Orleans and Baton Rouge metro areas were unable to pay their mortgage in the previous month, leaving greater New Orleans alone facing a $34 million monthly mortgage gap. Distefano said that with many borrowers likely out of work and several months behind on payments, it could be impossible for many to climb out of the hole. "Even those who have come back to work are likely coming back to lower income jobs," said Distefano. "If you're six, seven, eight months behind on mortgage payments it's not like you're suddenly going to find the money to catch up." One of the biggest worries for struggling borrowers is uncertainty around when federal programs protecting them from foreclosure might end. The Department of Housing and Urban Development last month extended the freeze on both evictions and foreclosures by another month, through Feb. 28. First put in place by the $2 trillion CARES Act federal relief program last March, the law has given some protection to homeowners with mortgages backed by federal agencies by stalling lenders from starting foreclosure proceedings. The law also has given those with federally-insured mortgages the right to seek forbearance, allowing them to push the pause button on mortgage payments for up to a year. But like private sector borrowers, the postponed payments are still owed and a repayment plan must ultimately be worked out with the lender. It is not yet clear if the incoming Biden Administration will further extend the foreclosure freeze or if it will try to push for more permanent measures to help those hardest hit by the pandemic. There are currently no state-level programs to help those behind on mortgages. New Orleans government to offer $1.5M in mortgage help for landlords The city of New Orleans will offer $1.5 million in mortgage assistance to small landlords who have struggled to collect rent and can't cover t Orleans Parish has about $700,000 available for mortgage assistance from a Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS grant. Also, it set aside $1.5 million last year for the Landlord Assistance Program, which will give grants up to $15,000 for small-unit landlords who qualify so far, just under $250,000 has been distributed to 29 landlords, most of whom "are elderly or middle-income individuals struggling to cover mortgage payments," according to LaTonya Norton, spokesperson for Mayor LaToya Cantrell. The city has requested more state and federal funding, Norton said, including direct requests to the U.S. Treasury through the most recent $900 billion stimulus package. But that is primarily for funds to assist tenants rather than mortgage holders. "Rental assistance is beneficial to both tenants and landlords," she said. Housing advocates are pushing for a more radical approach than in previous crises. Andreanecia Morris, President of HousingLOUISIANA, said that measures now must avoid the mistakes of those after Hurricane Katrina and the 2008 financial crisis, when many low-income homebuyers were left "cost-burdened" by loan programs, meaning they ended up having to spend more than 30% of their incomes on household costs. HousingLOUISIANA and others, including the Center for Policy Excellence, are lobbying for federal policies that would force lenders to modify loan agreements with borrowers. That would mean instead of requiring them to make up the missed payments all at once or with a series of higher monthly payments, the arrears would be added to the loan principal and spread out for the full loan term. A foreclosure crisis likely would be more costly than dealing with it upfront, Distefano argues. "It makes more sense to keep someone in their home than it does to pay for the ripple effect when they become unhoused and their children can't go to school," he said. CORRECTION: In referring to ZIP codes, an earlier version of this story incorrectly called them area codes. Colorado Springs, CO (80903) Today Sun and clouds mixed. High 74F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 47F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Good morning. First: It turns out, he alone could break it the impeachment record that is. Trump became the first president to be impeached twice yesterday. Heres how it all shook out. Then: We also needed to speak to the impeachment manager from Pa. so we got on the phone with her last night. And: Why this Philly Congressmans vote against impeachment is so surprising. Ashley Hoffman (@_ashleyhoffman, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com) In the most concrete consequence of the attack on the Capitol yet, Trump became the only President to be impeached twice yesterday. (The first time was different than this bonus round. Heres how.) Yesterdays news came after he failed to will election fraud conspiracies into reality for months. Persisting with his baseless claims, he incited a mob attack on democracys temple that resulted in five deaths. And the tense political climate is far from over. The number of Pa. Republicans who broke with Trump matter. We break down what you need to know about the proceedings and where Pa. representatives stood on it. Meet Montgomery Countys Congresswoman Madeleine Dean who will help bring the case against Trump. Pennsylvanias only Republican member of Congress from the Philly region, Brian Fitzpatrick, may have been a vocal critic of Trump, but he voted against impeaching him yesterday. That surprising move came after he called the mob attack on the Capitol nothing short of a coup attempt and introduced an entire resolution to formally censure Trump for trying to unlawfully overturn the 2020 Presidential election and violating his oath of office. Fitzpatrick had recently broken from all the other Pa. House Republicans who voted to throw out Pennsylvanias election results when he voted to certify Bidens win in Pennsylvania in the months-old presidential election. But when it came to Trump crossing a new line by inciting a mob that turned deadly, there was a line he would not cross. To put this in perspective, a historic ten of the 211 House Republicans joined Democrats in the vote to impeach Trump. Helpful COVID-19 Resources What you need to know today Through your eyes | #OurPhilly This looks like a fun scenario to take part in as soon as possible. Thanks for sharing @sarahbrowningpoet. Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and well pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout-out! Thats interesting Opinions To survive as a nation, we must transform our democracy from one in which a minority can exert more power than a majority; where lies are spread about noncitizens voting to justify the suppression of votes; where politicians can draw district lines to ensure their own re-election; and where lawmakers can be unduly influenced by big donors and corporate elites, to a democracy that enshrines the principles of fairness, equality, and participation at its core. Michael Pollack, Executive Director of March on Harrisburg, and Adam Eichen, Executive Director of Equal Citizen, write to call on Senators Toomey and Casey to support the For The People Act to safeguard voting from threats to democracy. We need a plan to clean up the harmful Philly refinery site before the deadline, Joseph Otis Minott, Esq. chief counsel of Clean Air Council writes. The vaccine prevents symptomatic infection, but we still dont know to what extent people who get vaccinated could still carry and promote spread of the virus to other people, writes medical director for patient experience-regional practices at Penn Medicine Jeffrey Millstein. What were reading Your Daily Dose of | Community He sees a need and meets a need. What could be more simple than that, or more beautiful? Meet the man leading an effort to support Black Philly moms by doing things like coming through with free refrigerators. Supreme Court Rules on Seized Property in Bankruptcy The Supreme Court has ruled that debtors arent entitled to have impounded property immediately returned to them as soon as they declare bankruptcy. The 80 opinion in the case known as City of Chicago v. Fulton was written by Justice Samuel Alito. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who wasnt yet a member of the high court when the case was argued on Oct. 13, 2020, didnt participate in the case. Justice Sonia Sotomayor filed a separate, concurring opinion. When a debtor files a petition for bankruptcy, the U.S. Bankruptcy Code protects the debtors interests by imposing an automatic stay applicable to all entities on efforts to collect pre-petition debts outside the bankruptcy proceeding. Efforts to exercise control over the property of the bankruptcy estate are forbidden. The question in this case is whether an entity violates that prohibition by retaining possession of a debtors property after a bankruptcy petition is filed. We hold that mere retention of property does not violate section 362 of the code, Alito writes. The case comes out of four bankruptcy proceedings. Robbin Fulton and three other people failed to pay fines levied against them for motor vehicle infractions and Chicago seized their vehicles. They declared bankruptcy, expecting their vehicles would be returned, but Chicago refused to do so. A bankruptcy court found Chicagos refusal violated the bankruptcy law, and that ruling was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, which found the city had acted to exercise control over respondents property in violation of the law. A spokesperson from the City of Chicagos Law Department said in a statement the city was very pleased with the ruling. This decision allows the City to continue to work to reform enforcement and collections procedures, while preventing abuse of the law. The use of bankruptcy to avoid City debt often set off a vicious cycle that left both the City and debtors worse off than before. This ruling ensures that there will be fewer unnecessary Chapter 13 bankruptcies, particularly fraudulent filings, by confirming that all creditors interests are protected when a debtor files bankruptcy, the spokesperson said. The City looks forward to continuing to work with those in a difficult financial position, especially with the Fresh Start program and City payment plans. The Fresh Start program is truly that, allowing those who owe debt to the City to work directly with the City to actually get free of that debt. Eugene R. Wedoff, counsel of record for Fulton, told The Epoch Times via email that there was a silver lining to the Supreme Courts ruling. In one of the bankruptcy cases before the court, that of Timothy Shannon, the bankruptcy court found that the Citys retention of the debtors car also violated two other provisions of the automatic stay, Wedoff said. The City argued against this ruling of the bankruptcy court, but the Seventh Circuit did not decide that aspect of the case, so it is still an open issue, he said. The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, which filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case, wasnt pleased with the ruling. The Supreme Courts decision in the Fulton v. Chicago case is a real disappointment and fails to recognize that states and cities, including Chicago, are crushing residents with exorbitant fines and fees in order to balance the budgets, Nusrat Choudhury, the groups legal director, said in a statement. Chicagos reliance on fines and fees buries people under mountains of debt, drives them to bankruptcy, and then keeps people from the vehicles needed to work their way out. As more people get vaccinated and states begin to roll back some of the restrictions put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic schools, agencies and workplaces are working on a plan on how to safely return to normal. Dehradun: The National Security Guard (NSG) Commandos will be deployed in Haridwar for safety ad to take action against the anti-national elements during the Kumbh Mela 2021. This was announced by the Uttarakhand police on Wednesday. The announcement came after Major General VS Ranade, NSG (IG Operations) met Uttarakhand Police Commissioner Ashok Kumar and discussed the deployment of NSG during the Kumbh Mela. Ashok Kumar said that "to take action against the anti-national elements, two NSG teams will be deployed during Kumbh Mela. The NSG teams will also train our Anti-Terrorist Squad, he said. "Meanwhile, Uttarakhand High Court has asked the state government to present before it a plan concerning crowd control and other arrangements related to Kumbh Mela in Haridwar in view of COVID-19 pandemic. The court asked the state government to present the plan on January 13 and asked Chief Secretary, Health Secretary, District Magistrate of Haridwar and Kumbh Mela Officer to be present in the court. A bench of Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari was hearing petitions stating that quarantine centres and covid care centres in the state were in a bad shape. The bench directed the Haridwar District Judge to submit a report by February 21 giving particulars of ventilators, ICUs, hospital beds, equipment, staff capacity, etc. In the district in view of the religious congregation slated for March-April. The court has asked the District Judge to file a report so as to bring out the true state of Kumbh Mela arrangements. Earlier, the high court had directed the Health Secretary, the fair organiser and the district magistrate to convene a meeting to set guidelines and submit a report before it. State Urban Development Minister Madan Kaushik had said last month that the Kumbh Mela will be held for 48 days in Haridwar instead of three-and-a-half months due to the pandemic. Live TV Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Subscriber content preview By STAN CHOE, DAMIAN J. TROISE and ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writers Stocks notched modest gains Wednesday following another choppy day of trading on Wall Street, leaving the market near its recent record highs. The S&P 500 inched up 0.2% after flipping between small gains and losses in the early going. Gains in several Big Tech companies, including Intel, Apple and Amazon, helped nudge the S&P 500 higher, even tough most of the stocks in the index fell. Those gains outweighed losses in industrial, materials and other sectors. . . . A group of doctors and scientists on Thursday hit out at the critics of the government's approval to two COVID-19 vaccines, especially the one produced indigenously by Bharat Biotech, alleging that their "reprehensible" utterances are causing huge credibility crisis for the Indian scientific community. In a statement signed by 45 medical professionals and scientists, the group expressed shock at the "irresponsible statements of vested interests" and accused these critics of casting aspersions on Indian experts' integrity by making politicised statements to doubt the recent research in the field of COVID-19 vaccines. The statement, whose signatories include former AIIMS directors TD Dogra and MC Mishra, former CSIR-IICT, Hyderabad, chief scientist A Gangagni Rao and Manipal Education and Medical Group's Chairman of Board Ranjan Pai, said these vaccines are our gift to the humanity. India had recently approved two vaccines, Oxford-Astra Zeneca's Covishield being manufactured by Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin, for emergency-use authorisation. Some experts and a few opposition leaders had questioned the decision, noting that the phase three trial of Covaxin was not yet complete and its efficacy data was not available. The government has insisted that it has followed all procedure. "We urge upon our fellow countrymen to reject the manipulations of vested interests aimed at politicisation and defamation of our nation's scientists, doctors and scientific community for their narrow vested interests. They need to realise that by doing so, these vested interests are wrecking the highly valued and credible scientific edifice created by us, which has made India a global leader in the export of vaccines all over the world," the statement said. "Such reprehensible utterances are causing huge credibility crisis for the Indian scientific community who have devoted their lifetimes to make India a name to reckon with in export of vaccines all over the world," it added. The statement's signatories noted that India has emerged as a global leader in supply of vaccines to the world due to the efforts of its doctors and scientists. Vaccines are exported from India to over 188 countries, and the Indian vaccine market reached a value of Rs 94 billion in 2019 and has still got unused potential for the future, they said. Defending the vaccines, they said Covaxin has been developed on 'Vero cell platform', which has a well established track record of safety and efficacy globally. Phase I and Phase II clinical trials of Covaxin were conducted in approximately 800 subjects and the results have demonstrated that the vaccine is safe and provides a robust immune response, they noted and said more than 22,000 volunteers have been enrolled to determine its efficacy for phase three studies. Though efficacy data is not available for Covaxin but safety parameters are very good, and there is a robust immune response seen with this vaccine, they said. "Further this vaccine is a whole virus inactivated vaccine which may have better protection even against mutant strains of the virus as the immune response will be against multiple antigens and not only against spike protein," the experts said. They noted that Covishield still needs data from India on immunogenicity and efficacy but has been given emergency use authorisation keeping in mind the difficult times due to COVID pandemic. This vaccine has undergone phase I, II and III clinical trials of safety, immunogenicity and efficacy abroad, and its overall efficacy was found to be 70.42 per cent, they added. A Muslim train driver has lost his religious discrimination claim after suing a security firm for using a fake bomb with the words 'Allahu Akbar' on it as part of a training exercise. Anis Ali, 36, launched a claim for compensation after he discovered that the fake suspicious package planted to test security procedures had the Arabic words for 'Allah is Greater' on it, an employment tribunal heard. Mr Ali - who worked for Heathrow Express at the time - said that seeing the words of Islam connected to a simulated terror device 'violated his dignity' and created a 'hostile environment' for him. However, the tribunal ruled he had not been discriminated against and it was unreasonable for him to take offence because 'this phrase has been used in connection with terrorist attacks'. Muslim train driver Anis Ali sued a security firm for religious discrimination after it used a fake bomb with the words 'Allahu Akbar' on it as part of a training exercise. Mr Ali's name was put up in lights above London's Oxford Street (pictured) in acknowledgement of his work as an NHS volunteer during the Covid-19 pandemic It ruled that in two other incidents he had been a victim of religious discrimination when colleagues complained about him wearing 'a Sikh kara bracelet'. Since leaving Heathrow Express, which operates services between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport, Mr Ali has won plaudits for his NHS volunteer work during the coronavirus pandemic. In acknowledgement of the hundreds of hours he volunteered in 2020, Mr Ali's name was even put up in lights above London's Oxford Street. The tribunal heard that in August 2017 staff for Redline Assured Security Limited - which has a contract with Heathrow Airport for security-related services - concealed a carrier bag at one of Heathrow Express's stations as part of a test. This was open at the top, and contained a cardboard box and some electric cabling. At the top of the bag, so as to be visible on close inspection, was a piece of paper with the words 'Allahu Akbar' written in Arabic. The proper translation of this is 'Allah is Greater' and this was described by the tribunal as 'an important and significant phrase for Muslims, which may be used many times a day by Muslims in the context of religious devotion'. The tribunal heard that Mr Ali was not on duty at the time of the exercise but when he discovered the nature of the note 'he considered this to violate his dignity and created a hostile [...] environment for him'. Mark Rutherford, operations director of Redline, told the tribunal: 'The only purpose of the note is to ensure that the package looked obviously suspicious [...] to reflect just one of the current threats that were present in the UK at the time.' He added that Redline would also use English phrases in their fake suspicious packages, such as 'Animal Testing must STOP now' or 'No Third Runway'. Mr Ali, from Morden, south London, claimed that Redline had discriminated against him because of his religion by using the words Allahu Akbar in this context. However, his claim was dismissed by employment judge Laurence Antsis, who ruled this was not directed at Mr Ali, saying: 'Regrettably, this phrase has been used in connection with terrorist attacks.' He added that it was 'legitimate' for Redline to reinforce the suspicious nature of its packages by 'referring to known threats and matters connected with previous terrorist incidents' and it was 'not reasonable' for Mr Ali to take offence. Mr Ali, who now works for Great Western Railway, made two other claims of unlawful harassment related to his religion by colleagues at Heathrow Express and was successful in these. In November 2016, a duty station manager called Davinder Hare complained to Heathrow Express about Mr Ali - known as Anis - wearing a Sikh kara bracelet despite being a Muslim. He claimed that Muslim men would wear a kara to attract and then rape Sikh girls. He emailed bosses and attached an article, which was extremely critical of the religion of Islam. In March 2017, another Sikh colleague - a train driver called Narinder Rai - made similar remarks about why Mr Ali would wear a kara. Mr Ali - who worked for Heathrow Express at the time (file image)- said that seeing the words of Islam connected to a simulated terror device 'violated his dignity' and created a 'hostile environment' for him The tribunal, held at Reading, Berkshire, ruled that Heathrow Express and Mr Hare would have to pay Mr Ali a total of 2,000 for 'injury to feelings' on grounds of religious discrimination for the first incident. For the second incident, the tribunal ordered Heathrow Express and Mr Rai to pay combined 2,000 on the same grounds. In November last year, Mr Ali was celebrated for his 'selfless' volunteer work during the coronavirus pandemic, completing 733 tasks for the NHS since March and donating more hours than any other volunteer in London. As an result, the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), which runs the programme with NHS England, nominated him to have his name appear in Oxford Street's Christmas lighting display. Catherine Johnstone, chief executive of RVS, said: 'The dedication and selflessness of volunteers like Anis has been incredible. 'Although there is one name up there today, we would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every NHS volunteer responder who has contributed to keeping this country safe.' Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In . Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In. A man is arrested by police after 8 p.m. as a curfew begins in the province of Quebec to counter the spread of COVID-19 on Jan. 9, 2021 in Quebec City. (Jacques Boissino/The Canadian Press) Opposition Party Calls for Changes to Quebec Curfew After Homeless People Ticketed MONTREALQuebecs second opposition party is calling for people experiencing homelessness to be exempt from the government-imposed curfew. Alexandre Leduc, a member of Quebec solidaire, said Wednesday his party is concerned after hearing reports that homeless people have been ticketed in Val-dOr and Montreal for violating the health order. With the majority of Quebecers following the curfewwhich requires people to stay home between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.Leduc said there should be more flexibility for people on the street, who he said are already disadvantaged. Hes said hes worried about people with addictions because most shelters dont allow people to use drugs or alcohol. People who are homeless should not be subject to the curfew, he said. Laury Bacro, a community organizer with an advocacy group for people experiencing homelessness, the Reseau daide aux personnes seules et itinerantes de Montreal, said shes heard about two people experiencing homelessness receiving tickets for being outside after curfew, including one person who was ticketed Tuesday night. Shelters are running out of space, Bacro said, adding that some people are avoiding them because theyre worried about getting COVID-19. Other homeless people, she said, have been banned from shelters. We cant force people to go stay in a shelter, Bacro said. Were talking about people, not objects that we can move from one place to another. Fining homeless people, she said, wont help anyone. Montreal police spokeswoman Const. Annabelle Prato said police officers have been asked to use their judgment when dealing with homeless people who are outdoors after 8 p.m. In an email Wednesday, she said police are looking at the context of each situation and, when possible, helping homeless people access available resources. Premier Francois Legault imposed a curfew until at least Feb. 8 as a way to limit peoples contacts and reduce COVID-19 transmission. Health officials say hospitals, especially in the Montreal area, are overwhelmed with COVID patients and risk having to ration care. Essential workers who have to be outside between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. are required to carry a letter from their employer explaining their status. Sarah Vresk, who works in snow removal, said she was on her way to work shortly before 4 a.m. on Jan. 12, when police stopped her. She said she gave the officer her employers letter. Then, she said, he asked to look inside her lunch bag, which she said was sitting on the passenger seat. When she refused, she said the officer told her the letter was just a piece of paper and threatened to give her a ticket for violating the curfew. It really felt like he didnt believe me because I didnt want to open my bag, she said in an interview. It felt very much inferred that if I didnt open the bag, then he would have more questions about the letter, or then the letter would not be valid. She said the police let her go without a ticket shortly after she showed them the contents of the bag. Michael Bryant, executive director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, said his group has been concerned Quebec police would abuse their power during the curfew. This is exactly what we were worried aboutthat police were going to abuse this power and use it to wrongly search and seize peoples property, he said in an interview Wednesday. Bryant said his organization is also worried about how the homeless would fare under the new rules. They should only be ticketing as a last resort, he said of people experiencing homelessness, and theyre not, theyre ticketing as a first resort. Its an abuse of their power. Montreal police refused to comment Wednesday on specific incidents related to curfew enforcement. Last week, Public Security Minister Genevieve Guilbault said she trusted police to use their judgment when enforcing the curfew. Police across Quebec have done an excellent job, Amelie Paquet, Guilbaults spokeswoman, said Wednesday. Were talking about only a few cases out of the hundreds of interventions this weekend, she said in an email. No one wants to over-police our citizens in situations of homelessness. People outside during the curfew must show proper documents to police and answer their questions, she said, adding that if police dont judge those answers credible, they can issue a ticket. Anyone who believes they have been unfairly ticketed can challenge the fine in court, she added. Alexandra Pierre, president of a Quebec civil liberties advocacy group called the Ligue des droits et libertes, said when she heard Guilbault during a news conference ask police to use their judgment and discernment when enforcing the curfew, it worried her. For us, all those words mean arbitrariness, she said in an interview Wednesday. Since the beginning of the pandemic, social profiling, racial profiling hasnt disappeared. By Jacob Serebrin BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - After a flat start and a subsequent weak spell that lasted still about a couple of hours past noon, the Swiss market emerged into positive territory, but gave up most its gains in the closing minutes of the session on Thursday. The mood was largely cautious with investors tracking news about the spread of coronavirus infections in the country, and looking ahead to an announcement from U.S. President-elect Joe Biden about additional relief package. The benchmark SMI, which rose to 10,891.87 in late afternoon trades, ended the day with a small gain of 3.93 points or 0.04% at 10,850.81. Swatch Group, up nearly 3%, was the top gainer in the SMI index. UBS Group, Swiss Life Holding, Alcon, Swiss Re and ABB gained 0.6 to 1.1%. LafargeHolcim, Richemont, Novartis and SGS also ended on firm note. Geberit shares tumbled more than 5.5% after the company said a stronger franc stripped out 136 million Swiss francs ($153.15 million) from its sales during 2020. Sika ended lower by 2.3% and Givaudan lost 1.4%, while Swisscom and Lonza Group lost 0.9% and 0.7%, respectively. In the midcap space, Dufry rallied 3.2% and Straumann Holding gained 2.1%. Vifor Pharma, AMS, Julius Baer and Helvetia gained 1.4 to 1.5%, while Galenica Sante slid 1.4%. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Joe Biden will no longer take the train to Washington D.C. for his swearing-in but did get an invitation to stay at Blair House, the official guest residence across the street from the White House where president-elects traditionally spend the night before the inauguration ceremony. The invitation was extended by the State Department, where the Office of Protocol oversees the 70,000 town house at 1651 Pennsylvania Avenue. Blair House is also used for foreign leaders and important guests. The Bush family stayed there when in Washington D.C. for former President George H.W. Bush's state funeral. Biden hasn't accepted the invitation to stay there, The Washington Post reported. Trump and his family stayed at the residence the night before his inauguration. Inauguration Day typically begins with a breakfast for friends and family at the residence. The staff at Blair House attend to guests' needs and wants, offering service and hospitality as luxurious as a five-star hotel, according to the State Department website. Blair House also employs a team of chefs who offer the best of American cuisine, featuring locally sourced food and the best American wines. The president-elect is due to arrive in Washington D.C. on January 19th, but not by his beloved Amtrak, a change in plans that comes amid heightened security at the Capitol and reports of threats to his inauguration ceremony. The decision was made this week, CNN reported. Biden was scheduled to leave from his namesake train station in Wilmington, Del., on Tuesday for the 90 minute ride to the nation's capitol. There were concerns, however, about his arrival at Union Station in Washington D.C., which is only blocks from Capitol Hill. Security has increased around the complex after last week's MAGA riot that left five people dead, a trail of destruction throughout the building and resulted in President Donald Trump being impeached a second time - this time for betraying his oath of office by inciting the mob. The decision was likely a difficult one. Biden is known for his love of trains. During his decades-long Senate career, he commuted on Amtrak almost daily from Wilmington to Washington D.C. to be home for his sons after his first wife and young daughter died in a car accident in 1972. In October of last year, he took a train tour through Ohio and Pennsylvania as part of his presidential campaign. President-elect Joe Biden will no longer take the train to Washington D.C. for his inauguration The State Department has extended an invitation for Joe Biden to stay at Blair House (the white townhouse above); it's the guest residence across the street of the White House and it's tradition for president-elects to stay there the night before inauguration Joe Biden is known for his love of trains - he commuted nearly daily on Amtrak as a senator Joe and Jill Biden took a train tour through Ohio and Pennsylvania as part of his presidential campaign in October 2020 In January 2009, then-President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joseph Biden took a train into Washington D.C. for their inauguration ceremony National Guard members walk in front of the U.S. Capitol - 20,000 will be on hand for inauguration day amid heighten threats The president-elect and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris are still scheduled to take the oath of office outside on January 20th, on the West Front of the Capitol facing the National Mall. Biden told reporters last week: 'I'm not afraid of taking the oath outside.' But the sight before him next Wednesday when he becomes the 46th president will differ from those of his predecessors'. Instead of thousands of cheering supporters, Biden will see thousands of National Guardsmen brought in for extra security. An eight-foot anti-climbing fence has been installed around the Capitol Complex and has been extended down the National Mall, the area where - traditionally - a president-elect's supporters watch him take the oath. There remains, however, some of the traditional elements of an inauguration ceremony, including celebrity performances. Biden's inauguration team announced Thursday that Lady Gaga will sing the national anthem at the ceremony on the West Front and Jennifer Lopez will give a musical performance. Additionally, Tom Hanks will host a 90-minute primetime TV special celebrating Biden's inauguration on the evening before the ceremony with performances by Justin Timberlake, Jon Bon Jovi, Demi Lovato and Ant Clemons. Biden and his team have encouraged supporters to stay home, a plea originally made because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. But now there are reports of increased threats after last Wednesday's insurrection. The FBI has warned of armed protests being planned in Washington and all 50 state capitals in the run-up to the inauguration, including three separate plots to attack the Capitol. 'The FBI received information about an identified armed group intending to travel to Washington, DC on 16 January,' read a memo, a copy of which was obtained by ABC News. There will also be no public access to the Capitol grounds during the inauguration. The city is also under a 6 p.m. curfew. And officials are increasing the number of National Guard members who will be deployed in Washington from 15,000 to 20,000, about three times the number of U.S. troops currently deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan combined. There are already 6,200 troops on the ground in DC and at least 10,000 more will arrive by Saturday. On Wednesday evening. armed camouflage-clad troops were seen resting on the marble floors of the Capitol building and patrolling the grounds with their rifles ahead of next week's ceremony. Hundreds of National Guard members were spotted cradling their rifles and riot gear as they slept on the cold, marble floors between shifts. It is the first time soldiers have billeted in the Capitol since the Civil War. President Trump and first lady Melania Trump leave Blair House in November 2018 after visiting the Bush family, who stayed there for former President George H.W. Bush's funeral Hundreds of National Guard troops were sleeping on the stone floor of the US Capitol on Wednesday morning as security in Washington intensified a week out from Joe Biden's inauguration The troops could be seen spreading out inside the Rotunda of the US Capitol on Wednesday morning On Wednesday, Biden received a briefing from senior officials at the FBI, the Secret Service and members of his national security team about the threats and plans for January 20th, his transition team said in a statement. 'In the week since the attack on Congress by a mob that included domestic terrorists and violent extremists, the nation has continued to learn more about the threat to our democracy and about the potential for additional violence in the coming days, both in the National Capital Region and in cities across the country,' the statement reads. 'This is a challenge that the President-elect and his team take incredibly seriously.' President Trump announced last week that he will be a no-show Biden's inauguration ceremony, a break with historical tradition. 'To all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th,' he declared. He is expected to leave Washington D.C. ahead of time. Biden indicated he was glad Trump wasn't attending. 'One of the few things he and I have ever agreed on. It's a good thing him not showing up,' he said. He noted Vice President Mike Pence, who is expected to attend, is welcome. The last president not to attend his successor's swearing-in was President Andrew Johnson in 1869 - who had also been impeached. Both John Adams and John Quincy Adams snubbed their successors too. Shortly after Trump announced he wouldn't be there, Barack and Michelle Obama and Bill and Hillary Clinton announced they would attend. George W. Bush and wife Laura had already confirmed they would attend. Jimmy Carter, 96, and wife Roslynn, 93, will not attend, the first inaugural they have missed since 1977, while they attempt to keep safe from COVID. Biden and his team are planning a scaled-back inauguration - plans that were already in the works before the increased threats. Workers have disbanded stands built around the White House for the inauguration parade, which will now be a virtual event. Instead, Joe and Jill Biden, along side Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff, will participate in a socially distanced Pass in Review on the Capitol's West side. Those are military traditions where Biden will review the readiness of military troops. Biden will also receive a traditional presidential escort with representatives from every branch of the military from 15th Street in Washington to the White House. After that, the incoming president will lay a wreath at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery with former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama joining him in a show of unity. Jill Biden will also be there as will Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, incoming Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff - part of Biden's inauguration theme of 'America United.' It will be one of Biden's first acts as president in a display of bipartisanship. Inaugurations are classified National Special Security Event, which involves a closed air space and massive police and military presence. Several federal agencies are involved in the planning. The Secret Service is the agency responsible for the event. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf, in one of his last acts before he resigned, gave the federal government an additional week to get the security crackdown in place. 'I have instructed the U.S. Secret Service to begin the National Special Security Event operations for the 2021 Inauguration effective Wednesday, January 13 instead of January 19. Our federal, state, and local partners will continue to coordinate their plans and position resources for this important event,' he announced. Credit: CC0 Public Domain Australian sea lions are an endangered species. New research suggests endemic tuberculosis might be another health threat facing the pinnipeds. Dr. Rachael Gray is working to help save our sea lions. Researchers from the University of Sydney have reported the first case of tuberculosis in an endangered, free-ranging juvenile Australian sea lion in South Australia. The type of disease is not the typical presentation of tuberculosis, as this was not found in the animal's lungs, but in its abdomen. "This finding is significant because tuberculosis is a zoonotic disease, which means it is transferable to humans, so there are public health risks to consider," said Dr. Rachael Gray, from the Sydney School of Veterinary Science. "There is risk of transmission for researchers handling the animals, as well as anyone involved in animal rescue or washed-up carcass disposal, or those working at rehabilitation centers and involved in the disease diagnostic process," she said. The discovery has been published in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases. Finding the young male The discovery was made after a three-year-old juvenile male Australian sea lion died in 2017 shortly after hauling itself onto Kingscote beach, Kangaroo Island, South Australia. During an autopsy, the animal was determined to have small intestinal perforation and partial obstruction due to a strangulating fibrous mass. Dr. Gray said: "This unusual finding means we need to maintain constant vigilance around zoonotic disease risk for any person in close contact with free-ranging pinnipeds [seals, sea lions and walruses] of juvenile age or older, independent of presenting signs Breeding colonies Dr. Gray, who conducted the study with Mr Scott Lindsay, a veterinary pathologist at the University of Adelaide and a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Sydney, said the location where the diseased sea lion was found was close to the breeding colony where the animal was born. Mr Lindsay said: "A review of tuberculosis in Australian sea lions and other pinniped species suggests the disease is likely endemic in the population and is now confirmed in a geographical region contributing to the majority of pup births in this endangered species. "Increased serological surveillance of the population is recommended to assess the species' risk from this and other endemic diseases," he said. Australian pinnipeds Dr. Rachael Gray and her team of scientists have been conducting world-class research in South Australia in order to save the endangered sea lion. The Australian sea lion is the only pinniped species endemic to Australian waters, ranging from the Houtman Abrolhos islands off the west coast of Western Australia to the Pages Islands in South Australia. The species is endangered, with a decreasing population trend (International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List) from a low baseline attributed to 19th century commercial sealing. The small population size increases the species' risk of catastrophic disease impact, as seen in the New Zealand sea lion where Klebsiella pneumoniae-associated neonatal septicaemia and meningitis contributed to 58 percent of pup deaths between 2006 and 2010. Hookworm infection provides an existing disease pressure for the Australian sea lion. Further, recovery from a significant disease impact would be limited by the species' low reproductive rate. The majority (86 percent) of pup births occur in South Australia where there is dependence on just eight large breeding colonies, including Seal Bay, Kangaroo Island. Explore further Saving Australia's sea lion population More information: Scott A. Lindsay et al. A Novel Presentation of Tuberculosis with Intestinal Perforation in a Free-Ranging Australian Sea Lion (Neophoca cinerea), Journal of Wildlife Diseases (2021). Journal information: Journal of Wildlife Diseases Scott A. Lindsay et al. A Novel Presentation of Tuberculosis with Intestinal Perforation in a Free-Ranging Australian Sea Lion (Neophoca cinerea),(2021). DOI: 10.7589/JWD-D-20-00104 Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. TOKYO, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FUJIFILM Corporation (COO: Kenji Sukeno) and the Center for Advanced Biological Innovation and Manufacturing (CABIM), today announced that it has secured $76 million in financing and signed a lease for a 40,000 square-foot site in Watertown, Massachusetts at The Arsenal on the Charles, owned and operated by Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. The Center will advance research and development in cell and gene therapy, gene editing, immunotherapy, and biotechnology. FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, the Bio CDMO1 subsidiary of FUJIFILM Corporation, will provide GMP2 contract process development and manufacturing services as part of its role in the new manufacturing and innovation center. Previously announced in November 2019, CABIM aims to help new therapeutics, medicines, and technologies reach patients faster and strengthen Greater Boston's position as the world's life science capital. The industry-academia research and development consortium was established with an equal investment each from Fujifilm, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cytiva (formerly part of GE Healthcare Life Sciences), and Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. to shorten the path to implementation of therapies, and to accelerate the practical application and commercialization of these therapies. The consortium will work with other collaborators including Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, and MilliporeSigma. The manufacturing facility is planning for eight cleanrooms, with a configuration that will produce both cell and viral vector products within its physical space. The site will also offer quality control, lab, office, and convening space to facilitate collaboration between the region's academia, industries and hospitals. The Center will also focus on developing a pipeline of talent in the field of biopharmaceutical manufacturing to expand Greater Boston's base of specialized workers, offering training and curricula to emerging professionals. "Fujifilm is pleased to partner with leading academia, industry, and teaching hospitals, to explore the application of genetically modified cell therapies, and bring new treatment options to the market," said Takatoshi Ishikawa, senior executive vice president and chief life science officer, FUJIFILM Corporation. "This collaboration supports our larger healthcare strategy to utilize the combined strength of the Fujifilm Group's products and services to offer personalized life-altering treatment options to clinicians and their patients." The initial $76 million fundraising round will contribute to the build of the space, support 40 full-time employees, and will maintain the Center's daily operations. The Center will commence operations in early 2022. On January 4, FUJIFILM Corporation announced a new, separate state-of-the-art $40 Million viral vector and advanced therapy facility in the greater-Boston area. Additionally, as FUJIFILM Corporation has announced previously, the company continues to invest in growing its CDMO business across several modalities including microbial and most recently, in cell culture, with a capital investment of $2 Billion to build a large-scale cell culture manufacturing facility in the U.S. The new facilities will be operated by FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies. 1 Abbreviation for Contract Development & Manufacturing Organization which refers to companies offering services to pharmaceutical companies ranging from cell line and process development, stability testing, development and manufacturing of clinical trial drugs in addition to commercial drug manufacturing. 2 Good Manufacturing Practices Overview of CABIM 1. Name Center for Advanced Biological Innovation and Manufacturing, PBLLC 2. Location The Arsenal on the Charles, Watertown, Massachusetts 3. Investors AcademiaHarvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Companies: Fujifilm, Cytiva and Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. each with an equal investment of 20% 4. Summary of activities The Center will advance research and development in cell and gene therapy, gene editing, immunotherapy, and biotechnology. SOURCE FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies Related Links fujifilm.com Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesBy JOHN PARKINSON and BENJAMIN SIEGEL, ABC News (WASHINGTON) -- Just days after last week's riot, Republicans are decrying new metal detectors Capitol Police placed outside the doors to the House of Representatives chamber as a violation of their Second Amendment rights. The new security measure, implemented Tuesday afternoon, requires all members and staff pass through the magnetometers before they go onto the House floor, where on Wednesday the Trump impeachment debate was underway, and near where gunfire rang out near Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office last Wednesday. Democrats, in control of the chamber, say they worry about their safety and a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the detectors were installed on her orders. On the House floor Tuesday evening, Republicans expressed their opposition to the new metal detectors, accusing Democrats of trying to score political points while diverting Capitol Police resources. Pelosi, however, doubled down on her new rule a day later with the threat of hefty fines. Florida Republican Rep. Greg Steube called the new security measures "appalling" and warned the new protocol is "what you have to look forward to in a Biden administration." "Don't touch me," Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., told a Capitol Police officer as he entered the chamber. GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, a conservative whose insistence on carrying her Glock pistol around Capitol Hill has alarmed Democrats -- as well as some members of her own party -- refused to allow Capitol Police officers to search her bag. After a couple of minutes, she was allowed into the chamber, but it's not clear if she was searched, according to pool reporters on the scene. "This is horses---" Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., the top Republican on the House Administration Committee, told House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer in front of reporters. "Rodney, we're all going through magnetometers," Hoyer, D-Md., replied. "I just went through one. You know the threat on the interior side of the building. You'll taking valuable resources completely away from where it needs to be, and you did it without any consultation with the minority," Davis shot back. Despite the protests, Pelosi said Wednesday night that the new measures will remain and the House will vote on Jan. 21 on a rule that would fine any member who refuses to abide by them. If the vote passes, violators will be fined $5,000 for the first offense and $10,000 for the second offense, with the money coming directly from the member's salary, the speaker said in a statement. "Sadly, just days later, many House Republicans have disrespected our heroes by verbally abusing them and refusing to adhere to basic precautions keeping members of our Congressional community, including the Capitol Police, safe," she said in a statement. At the beginning of each session of Congress, every member receives a packet of official documents, including items such as their member pins required for security access and license plates. They also must sign a form acknowledging receipt of the packet, which includes "Capitol Police Board Firearms Regulations." "Members are reminded that pursuant to the firearms regulations that Members received on opening day, firearms are restricted to a Members Office," acting Sergeant-at-Arms Timothy Blodget wrote in a memo Tuesday. In an interview last week, freshman Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina revealed he was armed with a firearm during the assault on the Capitol -- an apparent violation of the firearm regulations. We didn't have our Capitol police escort so there were multiple times we needed to change the route we were taking just to be safe, Cawthorn told the Smokey Mountain News as he described his evacuation from the House chamber. Fortunately, I was armed, so we would have been able to protect ourselves. At just 25 years old, Cawthorn is the youngest member of Congress. Tuesday night, reporters noted that he was searched as he entered the House chamber. Its [C]ongressman Cawthorns general posture to practice his Second Amendment rights, as well as the rights afforded to him as a member of Congress, a spokesman told ABC News. Congressman Cawthorn also abides by all Capitol Police regulations that he is made aware of. Currently, visitors and staff are screened when they enter the Capitol building, but before Tuesday, members were never screened before they entered the chamber. There are already metal detectors in place for visitors to the House galleries, which have been shuttered since March because of the pandemic. ABC News' Ivan Pereira contributed to this report. Copyright 2020, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Given the incredible time and resource pressures that Operation Warp Speed vaccine sponsors are facing, CISCRP decided to donate staff time and expertise; its editorial panel of patients; and print production and distribution costs, said Ken Getz, CISCRPs founder and board chair. The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) today announced that it is providing plain language communication consulting and services to companies involved in Operation Warp Speed vaccine studies. Late last year, CISCRP pledged to donate its expertise and production capabilities to assist Operation Warp Speed sponsors. At that time, companies soon-to-receive emergency use authorizations and those in late-stage clinical trials began collaborating with CISCRP. Public, patient, and health care community demand for plain language information about the results of COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials is extremely high. At the same time, health officials and Operation Warp Speed vaccine sponsors believe that transparency and disclosure of clinical trials results and information is essential to engendering public trust and facilitating broad support for vaccination programs that are now rolling out globally. For more than ten years, CISCRP a non-profit organization has been translating scientific clinical trial results information into plain, non-technical language for patients and the public around the world. To deliver on its pledge, CISCRP is assisting Operation Warp Speed vaccine sponsors in a variety of ways including sharing best practices; developing, producing, and distributing plain language trial results summaries; and preparing plain language content to be communicated in print and digital formats. Given the incredible time and resource pressures that Operation Warp Speed vaccine sponsors are facing, CISCRP decided to donate staff time and expertise; its editorial panel of patients; and print production and distribution costs, said Ken Getz, CISCRPs founder and board chair. Were very pleased to be collaborating with so many COVID-19 vaccine sponsors. And in the process, CISCRP is able to ensure consistent, high quality and compliant practices across sponsor companies, he added. For more information about CISCRPs pledge to support Operation Warp Speed vaccine studies, contact Jill McNair, Senior Director, Health Communication, CISCRP via email jillmcnair@ciscrp.org or phone at 617-725-2750 (Ext 101). About the Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP) CISCRP is a Boston-based, globally focused, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization providing public and patient education and advocacy. CISCRPs mission is to inform patients and the public about clinical research and the important role that it plays in advancing public health and to help stakeholders in drug development engage with patients and the public as clinical research partners (http://www.CISCRP.org) Contact: Joan Chambers Senior Director, Marketing jchambers@ciscrp.org 617-725-2750 (Ext. 202) The National Commission For Protection of Child Rights issued notice to former Madhya Pradesh minister and Congress legislator Sajjan Singh Verma over his comments on minor girls on Wednesday. The rights body has requested Verma to provide an explanation within two days giving reasons and justifying his intention for making such discriminatory statement. During a press conference, Verma said, girls are capable of bearing children by the age of 15-17 years and there was no need to raise the legal age for marriage to 21, is Shivraj a doctor or a scientist. What is the logic behind this?. Further accusing the BJP government in the state of failing to protect minor girls, he added, Madhya Pradesh tops in the number of rapes against minors. Instead of taking strict action in such cases, the chief minister is playing politics full of hypocrisy. National Commission For Protection of Child Rights issues notice to Congress leader Sajjan Singh Verma, requesting him to "provide an explanation within 2 days giving reasons and justifying his intention for making such discriminatory statement against minor girls and law..." https://t.co/llPjYyQa40 ANI (@ANI) January 14, 2021 Drawing flak from the opposition, Vermas comments caused an uproar following which BJP demanded an apology. To which the Congress said that the BJP was bent on making an issue out of nothing. Verma's statement came in response to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhans recent proposal of a national-level debate on parity in the legal age of marriage for both sexes. Reacting to Verma's remarks, Madhya Pradesh BJP's media panelist Neha Bagga said the MLA had insulted daughters of India. "Did he forget that his party's president is a woman? Priyanka Gandhi is also a woman? I urge Sonia Gandhi to direct Verma to apologise in public and sack him from the party," she said. On Monday, Chouhan sought a debate on whether a woman's current legal age for marriage (18 years) be raised at par with men (21 years), while launching the state government Samman campaign. Linking the issue to various crimes against women, the chief minister said there was need to create a respectful and conducive environment for the women and children in society. Connecticut State Police / Contributed Photo NEW HAVEN A city man has been charged after police said he was identified as a heroin supplier for several Bridgeport narcotics dealers. Around 5 a.m. Tuesday, several police agencies served a search warrant at a Huntington Road residence in New Haven. And it is another New Year So, lets look at the news: In the news land of USA La La: The House of Representatives voted to formally impeach the president (yes Trump again) over the January 6 unrest at the US Capitol.LOL! Germany, yet Russian news: Alexey Navalny says he will fly to Moscow on Sunday! Yes, he is coming back home to Russia? ~~ I guess so they can finish the job of killing him ~~ EU News: EU Food Safety Agency (EFSA) definitely desires all the EU peasants to munch on BuGs! Now I see why Britain left the EU In Russian news: I ask you to launch mass vaccination for the whole population starting next week and come up with the respective schedule of work, as is done with other infections like flu, said Putin.looks like everyone in Russia gets vaccine now? USA news of sanctions against Russia as always: We are trying to inform companies of the risk and urge them to pull out [of the project] before its too late, a US government source told Reuters.talking about more sanctions on Russia over Nord Stream 2 pipeline And last but not least as I woke up this morning: It is snowing like crazy and I wanna go play in the snow! WtR Apple has big news, and it isnt about a new phone. The tech giant announced a series of investments designed to combat systemic bias in the computing industry. Alabama-native Tim Cook appeared on CBS This Morning for an extended interview where he explained the decision to suspend Parler from the App Store and ambiguously called for accountability for the storming of the Capitol. It was a sad and shameful day, said Cook. Then Cook went on to share the latest elements of their $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (originally announced last June after the killing of George Floyd). The three pieces of the initiative include a developer academy in Detroit, venture capital funding for Black and brown entrepreneurs and the Propel Center, which they dub a first-of-its kind global innovation and learning hub for Historical Black Colleges and Universities located at the Atlanta University Center. The Propel Center will receive a $25 million contribution, and Apple is also establishing two new grants, plus 100 scholarships to people from underrepresented communities, Apple said in a news release. Their developer academy will feature 30-day and 10- to 12-month programs, which are expected to service close to 1,000 students per year and host an inaugural Entrepreneur Camp for Black Founders and Developers in February, the release said. Apple also announced investments in Harlem Capital ($10 million) and Siebert Williams Shanks Clear Vision Impact Fund ($25 million) to provide capital to Black and brown entrepreneurs. The company said it will also invest in The King Center, following similar investments in the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama. ___ (c)2021 SFGate, San Francisco Visit SFGate, San Francisco at www.sfgate.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. New Delhi, Jan 14 : With construction in full swing on the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, the first depot has started taking shape in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad, officials said on Thursday. The 82-km project being implemented by the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) has started the construction at Duhai in Ghaziabad, which will have the capacity for stabling of 12 RRTS trains, three inspection bay lines and two workshop lines of the standard gauge with a running test track of around one km. The officials said that the Duhai depot will have advance facilities for maintenance of trainsets including an automatic train washing plant for the thorough cleaning of trains, administrative building, depot control centre (DCC), backup operational control centre, Engineering Train Unit (ETU), effluent treatment and sewage treatment plants, driver training facility including train simulators for training and familiarisation purposes, and periodic maintenance facilities for train sets. The officials said that the RRTS trains will be stabled overnight at the depot and all maintenance, cleaning, and repair of RRTS trainsets will be carried out in the depot. The official said that the depot construction activities have been taken up by NCRTC on the land already purchased. "The remaining acquisition is progressing well and will be completed soon," the official said. According to NCRTC officials, some of the trainsets of this corridor will have a base at the upcoming Modipuram depot in Meerut. The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor will have two depots, one at Duhai and Modipuram each. The officials said that one stabling yard is being constructed at Jangpura in Delhi, which will provide services to all the three corridors of RRTS. Construction on Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor is going at a rapid pace. The RRTS is a first-of-its-kind project in India and it will use many state-of-the-art technologies for the first time, including ETCS Level-2 signalling systems and ballastless tracks suitable for speeds up to 180 kmh. Rolling stock for the project is being designed and manufactured in Gujarat's Savli under the Make in India initiative of the government. The 17-km-long priority section between Sahibabad and Duhai of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor is scheduled to commence operations in 2023. The full 82 kms of the corridor will be opened for public by 2025. Officials said that foundation work of the four stations at the priority section namely Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, Duhai, and Guldhar has been completed on the Sahibabad-Duhai section. Viaduct of more than one km has been completed on this corridor. "And as of today, around 302 pillars have been erected," an official said. Commenting on the Duhai to Shatabdi Nagar section of the corridor, he said that foundation work on more than 8-km stretch has been completed and around 40 pillars have been erected. Similarly, on the Shatabdi Nagar to Modipuram section, foundation work is underway on this stretch and various utility diversions are also in progress. The official said that for the Sarai Kale Khan to Sahibabad section of the project, foundation work for the viaduct near Dharamshila Marg in New Ashok Nagar area of Delhi has started recently. He said, in this 4.3-km elevated section of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor, there will be the construction of a viaduct from Sarai Kale Khan RRTS Station to New Ashok Nagar down ramp, including Jangpura entry ramp to the stabling yard. The official said that two elevated RRTS stations -- Sarai Kale Khan and New Ashok Nagar -- will also be constructed, including a bridge over the Yamuna river. On August 18 last year, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) had approved $1 billion funding for the project. The New Development Bank (NDB) had also approved $500 million (about Rs 3,700 crore) for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) in November last year, which aims to significantly reduce pollution and congestion. The Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS is an 82.15-km-long, under-construction, semi-high speed rail corridor connecting Delhi with Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. It will have a total of 24 stations and will be elevated for around 70.5 kms while 11.5 kms will be underground. (Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in) Wagstaff Media and Marketing has been named North American PR firm for The Italian National Tourism Board. Wagstaffs team, led by agency director Ernst Flach, will assist the organization as it aims to increase the number of American travelers to Italy. The agencys work will focus on introducing some of the lesser-known and undiscovered experiences Italy has to offer, as well as promoting such developments as the launch of Milans new official convention bureau, YesMilano, which will support the country's hosting of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics. "Wagstaffs expertise, creativity, and connections in the travel trade, consumer marketing, and media worlds will give us the competitive advantage we need to help accelerate our recovery in the U.S. market," said Caterina Orlando, country manager for the Board. Wagstaff has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Vancouver, Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. I Hope to Live Long Enough to See Freedom Restored in China: Duncan Smith Sir Iain Duncan Smith, former Conservative Party leader in the UK, on Wednesday said he hopes to see the day when freedom and common sense are restored in China. Speaking at a webinar that marks the launch of Darkness Deepeneda report (pdf) by the Conservative Partys Human Rights Commission on the worsening human rights situation in China, the Conservative backbencher said that governments of the free world have to take a stand over human rights abuses in China. Duncan Smith recalled the start of the so-called Golden decade of Sino-British relations, when he was a government minister. I had my suspicions that there was something fundamentally wrong with this, it was as though we wanted to invent a concept of China that didnt exist, and then trade with that, rather than trade with the reality. Duncan Smith said he sat through a lecture in Parliament that was given by the visiting Chinese leader. He really lectured us all about how basically we werent democratic in the sense that he considered China to be democratic, which I thought was really rather absurd, he recalled. And we got a lecture about how we shouldnt meddle in other peoples affairs, and how this relationship will be based on the basis that we didnt interfere in what was going on. Duncan Smith said he almost stood up and walked out, but was persuaded to remain seated to avoid embarrassing the then-Prime Minister. The one regret that I had is I never walked out on that particular performance, he said. Chinese leader Xi Jinping addresses the UK Parliament during a state visit, in Westminster, London, on Oct. 20, 2015. (Parliamentlive.tv/Screenshot) Duncan Smith said the West has to stop divorcing elements that benefit the Chinese regime, such as trade and finance, from the reality of what happens to the people in China. Surely, we dont want to interfere in the workings of every country. But there are moments when countries cross the line, he said, adding that the moment is when the citizens of a country are no longer in power and dont have the right of free speech. Rahima Mahmut, representative of the World Uyghur Congress, is one of the speakers in the webinar. Mahmut said that she worked as a consultant and a translator for the documentary film Undercover: Inside Chinas Digital Gulag, which was broadcasted on ITV in July 2019. I was horrified when a Chinese official was asked whether he felt Uyghers human rights were being violated. And he responded by saying: they dont have human rights. It is not about violations, they just dont have human rights,' Mahmut recalled him saying. And this is a situation that our very basic rights are taken away from us by this brutal, cruel regime, she said. Where have we heard that before? Duncan Smith asked rhetorically. Oh, that would be back in the 1940s, when the Germans, the Nazi Party decided that the Jews were Untermensch, subspecies, people that should be herded, and used, and then got rid of. And we didnt pay any attention to it, he said. A farmer picks cotton from a field in Hami, Xinjiang, on Nov. 1, 2012. (China Daily/Reuters) Duncan Smith said it had been impossible to deal with genocides because they had to be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) by the UN Security Council. However, the referrals would never happen because they will always be vetoed, often by China and Russia. Therefore, for 80 years, we have spent our time condemning genocide, but doing absolutely nothing about it, he said. The list of countries that has continued to abuse its people and to commit genocide is quite a long one, and not once have we held them to account on the basis that it is genocide. Duncan Smith urged MPs to support an amendment to the Financial Services Bill, which he said, would be the first time that a government has given the power to a domestic court to rule on whether or not genocide is happening in a particular country. Duncan Smith said he believed that even if the bill doesnt have an immediate effect, it would send a signal. So if we can pass this amendment, I think we will fire a shot, he said, a shot I hope will resonate around the world, that we can no longer turn a blind eye or tolerate these abuses that leave human beings in such desperate circumstances. No matter where they live and no matter how far away from us that they live. They are part of the human race, and we need to stand up for them. Duncan Smith said that he heard the United States was considering similar legislation. And then who knows, maybe we can persuade the Europeans and others to follow suit, he added. I hope to live long enough to see the day when we see those freedoms restored, and the common sense of man restored in China again. No One Is Safe While introducing the report, Benedict Rogers, co-founder and deputy chair of the Commission, said that it is significant for a number of reasons. Benedict Rogers talks to The Epoch Times American Thought Leaders program in July 2019. (The Epoch Times) Firstly, it illustrates a massive deterioration in the human rights situation in recent years, reaching the levels of, increasingly experts argue, of genocide in the case of the Uyghurs; and serious breaches of an international treaty in the case of Hong Kong. Apart from Uyghurs and Hongkongers, Rogers said that the persecution against Christians, Tibetans, Falun Gong practitioners are also severe, and the elimination of any form of dissent including human rights defenders, lawyers, bloggers, citizen journalists, whistleblowers demonstrated that no one today is safe, including foreign nationals such as Simon Cheng and Gui Minhai. Secondly, what we found is that the regime has developed in recent years, new tools of repression, Rogers said, These tools include the endemic slave labor, the development of surveillance technologies to create essentially an Orwellian surveillance state, the use of forced televised confessions, the implementation of new laws that allow within the so-called legal system for arbitrary detentions and disappearances, and the continued widespread use of torture and forced organ harvesting. Calling on the UK government to conduct a wholesale and comprehensive review of its relationship with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime, Rogers said those who interact with the regime should do so in the knowledge that they are interacting with a criminal state,' as Sir Geoffrey Nice QC, chair of China Tribunal, said. President Donald Trump exits the White House to walk toward Marine One on the South Lawn in Washington on Jan. 12, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Trump Strengthens Ban on US Investments in Chinese Military Companies President Donald Trump signed an order late Wednesday requiring U.S. investors to completely divest their holdings of securities of Pentagon-blacklisted Chinese military companies by Nov. 11, 2021. The amendment order expands the scope of the initial November executive order (E.O.) 13959, which initially only restricted U.S. investors from buying securities of companies designated by the Pentagon as owned or controlled by the Chinese military by Nov, 11, 2021. [A]ny transaction entered into on or before 11:59 p.m. eastern standard time on November 11, 2021, solely to divest, in whole or in part, from securities that any United States person held as of 9:30 a.m. eastern standard time on January 11, 2021, in a Communist Chinese military company is permitted. Effective at 11:59 p.m. eastern standard time on November 11, 2021, possession of any such securities by a United States person is prohibited, the order reads. The amendments also prohibit possession of any securities that are owned or controlled by any Pentagon-designated communist Chinese military company one year after a company is determined to be as such. The amendments also allow the Secretary of Defense publicly to list whether a company is a Communist Chinese military company using the criteria in section 1237(b)(4)(B) of Public Law 105-261, as amended by section 1233 of Public Law 106-398 and section 1222 of Public Law 108375, regardless of whether the Secretary must report that determination under section 1237(b)(2), Trump wrote in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Vice President Mike Pence. The executive order Trump issued in November (pdf) sought to boost a 1999 law that mandated the Pentagon to compile a list of Chinese military companies. The Pentagon, which began complying with the mandate in 2020, has so far designated 35 companies as Chinese military companies operating directly or indirectly in the United States, including those owned or controlled by the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). Among those listed as such are oil company CNOOC Ltd. and Chinas top chipmaker, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment when reached by Reuters. Earlier on Wednesday, news outlets reported that Chinese tech giants Alibaba, Baidu, and Tencent have so far been spared from being put on the list. In late December 2020, the Treasury Department released a notice regarding the November executive order that said that the Trump administration would prohibit exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and index funds from financing communist Chinese military companies and any subsidiaries that are owned or controlled by the Chinese military. [The prohibition] ensures U.S. capital does not contribute to the development and modernization of the Peoples Republic of Chinas (PRC) military, intelligence, and security services, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement at the time. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), through its aggressive national strategy called Military-Civil Fusion, uses Chinese companies to strengthen the PLA, Trumps November executive order states. The November executive order also noted that the Chinese companies, though remaining ostensibly private and civilian, directly support the PRCs military, intelligence, and security apparatuses and aid in their development and modernization. It adds, At the same time, those companies raise capital by selling securities to United States investors that trade on public exchanges both here and abroad, lobbying United States index providers and funds to include these securities in market offerings, and engaging in other acts to ensure access to United States capital. In that way, the PRC exploits United States investors to finance the development and modernization of its military, the president warned. Reuters contributed to this report. Sanaa, Jan 14 : Dozens of fighters have been killed in clashes between the Yemeni government forces and Houthi rebels intensified in the central province of Marib, a government source said. The clashes took place in the district of Jabal Murad in southern Marib "as the government forces recaptured a chain of hills", the source told Xinhua news agency on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV said the Saudi-led coalition, which backs the Yemeni government forces, launched a series of airstrikes on the Houthi fighters in the hills of Jabal Murad district on Wednesday. Jabal Murad district is one of the several frontlines between the Yemeni rival forces in and around the government-held province, about 170 km east of the Houthi-held capital Sanaa. Yemen has been mired in civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthis seized several northern provinces and forced the internationally-recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi out of Sanaa. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text South Africa: SA COVID-19 death toll surpasses the 35 000 mark COVID-19 is showing no signs of slowing down in South Africa, with the death toll now exceeding 35 000. The Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, reported a new record for most COVID-19 deaths in a single day since the outbreak. This after 806 people lost their lives to the respiratory disease on Wednesday. According to the latest data, 235 fatalities occurred in KwaZulu-Natal, 211 in Gauteng, 151 in the Western Cape and 150 in the Eastern Cape. Twenty-four people died in Free State, 14 each in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, while seven were recorded in the Northern Cape. The latest figure pushes the death toll to 35 140 since the first case was recorded in March last year. We convey our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the healthcare workers who treated these patients, said Mkhize. Also, 18 558 patients were confirmed to have contracted the virus since the last 24 hours, which brings the growing number of COVID-19 cases to 1 278 303. Meanwhile, the active cases stand at 212 233, of which 69 599 patients are based in KwaZulu-Natal, followed by Gauteng with 47 919, while 42 473 are found in the Western Cape. The North West currently has 12 090 active cases, Limpopo 11 620, Free State 9 045, Mpumalanga 8 621, Eastern Cape 7 050 and Northern Cape 3 816. Mkhize said the total number of tests conducted to date is 7 358 741, with 71 681 performed since the last reporting cycle. Our recoveries now stand at 1 030 930, representing a recovery rate of 80.6%, he added. According to the World Health Organisation, there have been 90 335 008 confirmed global cases of COVID-19, with 1 954 336 deaths, to date. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-01-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Retired Gen. Lloyd Austin speaks after being formally nominated by President-elect Joe Biden to be secretary of defense, in Wilmington, Del., on Dec. 9, 2020. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Biden Team Urges Senate to Quickly Confirm National Security Nominees Officials for Joe Bidens transition team are urging the Senate to quickly confirm the president-elects national security team. Our national security is at stake as the United States fights its way out of this unprecedented public health crisis and historic economic downturn, Andrew Bates, spokesman for the team, told Fox News. And in the face of urgent threats, including more actions planned by violent extremists after the storming of the Capitol, we cannot afford gaps in national security leadership or more delays on the part of Senate Republicans. Democrats stalled hearings for most of Trumps nominees four years ago and most nominees, apart from his defense secretary and Department of Homeland secretary picks, took days or weeks to confirm, but Biden hopes Republicans will move faster, especially in light of the Jan. 6 Capitol breach. Biden has announced his picks for all Cabinet positions, as well as a range of other roles. But the Senate could face a dilemma: The House of Representatives impeached Trump just seven days before he was due to leave office, setting up an impeachment trial in the upper chamber sometime in the future. That could gum up plans from Senate Democrats to hear from and confirm Bidens nominees, a key priority when Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) soon becomes majority leader. Biden announced Wednesday night that he supports the impeachment but called on the Senate to take time to address other matters. President-elect Joe Biden speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del., on Jan. 8, 2021. (Susan Walsh/AP Photo) This nation also remains in the grip of a deadly virus and a reeling economy. I hope that the Senate leadership will find a way to deal with their constitutional responsibilities on impeachment while also working on the other urgent business of this nation, he said in a statement. From confirmations to key posts such as secretaries for Homeland Security, State, Defense, Treasury, and Director of National Intelligence, to getting our vaccine program on track, and to getting our economy going again. Too many of our fellow Americans have suffered for too long over the past year to delay this urgent work. Biden had previously suggested the Senate spend half of each day on the trial and the other half hearing from and confirming his nominees. For now, Republicans remain in control of the Senate. Its officially out of session until Jan. 19, though the Senate Intelligence Committee will convene on Jan. 15 to hear from Bidens Director of National Intelligence nominee Avril Haines. The Senate Finance and Foreign Relations committees also have hearings planned for Treasury Secretary nominee Janet Yellen and Secretary of State nominee Antony Blinken. For Bidens team, thats not enough. While a few hearings have now been scheduled, the American people deserve assurances that swift floor votes will follow, Bates told Fox. Progress toward confirmations still lags significantly behind where it was at this point during the last two presidential transitions, and it is essential that key national security and economic leaders are confirmed and in place on day one. Leitrim GAA is lending its substantial support to the #Bestshot campaign to have the Covid-19 vaccine administered into the community by local pharmacies. The campaign by the Leitrim Observer and the Iconic Newspaper Group is in direct response to the pandemic raging in Ireland at the moment. It is calling the government to step up with a vaccine roll out plan that will see the vaccines administered widely in our communities through our local pharmacies. Chairman of the Leitrim County Board, Enda Stenson said the GAA is fully behind any campaign that would see local pharmacies, health centres and other facilities delivering the vaccines into the community. "The country is dead on its feet and the quicker this can be done, the better," he said. He said a delay in getting the vaccine out into the community will have a knock-on effect on the GAA and will push back the National Leagues and affect club arrangements for later in the year. "We've got to get this up and running and moving straight away and try and get back to some form of normality," Enda told the Observer. He said it is of paramount importance for the health and wellbeing of young people and young adults to get back training and playing Gaelic games as soon as possible. "It's their lifeblood. We need to get them out and moving and circulating with their friends. There is so much they are missing out on. It's a terrible time to be young," he said. See our campaign and sign the online petition: https://www.leitrimobserver.ie/news/home/601673/sign-our-online-petition-save-lives-businesses-and-our-future-get-the-vaccine-out-in-leitrim.html?fbclid=IwAR2BCwv2LynoEXN5ezSf_qtpLrhaJboJLZRTzO6_hmvLDkxd_E8zs_MR7ww Chairman of the Diaspora Patriots in Ghana Foundation (DPG), Mr Prince Ofosu Sefah has urged Ghanaians to rally behind Nana's 2nd government and the newly sworn-in Speaker and the 8th Parliament of Ghana's 4th Republic, for the development of Ghana. According to Chairman Sefah, the growth and development of the country is paramount and therefore all hands should be put on deck to ensure the realization of the development agenda, as led by Nana Addo's Government. He also called on all Ghanaians to be hopeful that this current NPP Government will work cohesively with the 8th Parliament, to deliver on its promise of ensuring sustainable development for the country. He made this known at a well-attended NPP Victory Party organised by DPG. In attendance were many CEOs, Party Officials, DPG Executives and other dignitaries including Honourables Barbara Oteng Gyasi, Carlos Ahenkorah, Patrick Boamah and Alwasi Afrifa-Mensa, Stephen Ntim, as well as Mr. Akwasi Awua-Ababio, Director of the Diaspora Affairs Bureau at the Office of the President. The event was chaired by the top Patron of DPG, Mr. Alex Dadey. Director of Communications for DPG, Hajia Nana Fatima High also explained that the Ceremony sought to celebrate the hard-fought victory of the NPP in the just ended 2020 elections and begin awarding key Members of the group for their contributions towards the NPP's one-touch win in the Presidential race and majority control of the seats in the 8th Parliament. 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 MIAMI, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Oceania Cruises, the world's leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line, unveiled its 2023 Around The World in 180 Days voyage which opens for public sale on January 27th. Departing San Francisco on January 15, 2023, world travelers sailing on this voyage aboard the 684-guest Insignia will experience 96 fascinating destinations in 33 countries across four continents. Guests will have myriad in-depth and immersive experiences with multi-day stays in 20 ports of call from South America to Africa to Asia and Alaska as well as the unprecedented opportunity to witness the splendor of Antarctica first-hand with three full days cruising in Admiralty Bay, Paradise Bay, and Half Moon Island. "We now know how irreplaceable these experiences are and cherish the privilege of travel more than ever," stated Bob Binder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Oceania Cruises. "Travel connects us through shared experiences, creates lifelong bonds, and enriches us in ways we never would have imagined. That was the mindset that guided us in crafting this epic around the world voyage for our guests." The itinerary provides access to more than 60 UNESCO World Heritage sites and guests sailing the full world voyage will have the opportunity to take part infive included shoreside events. An Argentinian Cultural Exposition in Buenos Aires including an equestrian show and tango lessons, fine food and wine, capped off by a grand display of music and dance. including an equestrian show and tango lessons, fine food and wine, capped off by a grand display of music and dance. An afternoon at the renowned Boschendal Winery in Cape Town with an elaborate farmer's market featuring exquisite cuisine, Boschendal's acclaimed wines and live music. with an elaborate farmer's market featuring exquisite cuisine, Boschendal's acclaimed wines and live music. An evening at Al Maha Desert Dune in the Arabian Desert outside of Dubai where guests take part in the ultimate Bedouin experience featuring tribal music and dance, a private falcon show and an amazing dinner under the stars catered by the famed Al Maha Luxury Resort and Spa. where guests take part in the ultimate Bedouin experience featuring tribal music and dance, a private falcon show and an amazing dinner under the stars catered by the famed Al Maha Luxury Resort and Spa. A Burmese Monk Donation Ceremony in Yangon, Myanmar . Duringhis once-in-a-lifetime experience guests have the privilege to witness one of the most sacred rituals of Buddhism the Donation Ceremony, where we will make a special contribution in support of more than 200 robed monks present along with more than 100 villagers. After the ceremony, guests will enjoy an elaborate spread of canapes and refreshments accompanied by traditional music and dance. . Duringhis once-in-a-lifetime experience guests have the privilege to witness one of the most sacred rituals of Buddhism the Donation Ceremony, where we will make a special contribution in support of more than 200 robed monks present along with more than 100 villagers. After the ceremony, guests will enjoy an elaborate spread of canapes and refreshments accompanied by traditional music and dance. A candlelit evening at Vung Duc Cave in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ha Long Bay outside of Hanoi . The evening starts off with a captivating welcome Dragon Dance followed by an ethereal candlelit dinner show featuring local entertainers and music. Guests will be treated to an elaborate feast of local delicacies accompanied by specially selected wine pairings. Voyage Highlights Continents visited: 4 Countries visited: 33 Time zones crossed: 24 Islands visited: 27 Ports visited: 96 UNESCO World Heritage sites accessible: 61 Overnight stays (including two-night stays): 20 Oceans cruised: 3 Seas cruised: 14 Number of times equator crossed: 4 Largest population: Tokyo, Japan Smallest population: Puerto Chacabuco, Chile All guests on the Around the World in 180 Days voyage will receive their choice of 64 FREE shore excursions, or a FREE beverage package, or a FREE $6,400 shipboard credit. In addition to the extraordinary value of the inclusions listed above, all guests will receive Oceania Cruises' Exclusive Prestige Package which includes: Free first-class roundtrip airfare from more than two dozen select North American air gateways Free pre-paid gratuities a value up to $8,200 Free onboard medical care Free unlimited internet Free laundry services Free exclusive shoreside events Free visa package Free luggage delivery for guests from the U.S. and Canada Free 1-night pre-cruise luxury hotel stay in the port of embarkation Free roundtrip transfers for all guests and for residents within 50 miles from the cruise departure port Savor the Experience and Sail Longer For guests who wish to extend their travels, Oceania Cruises offers travelers the ability to extend their Around The World experience up to a total of 218 days. January 15, 2023 180 Days San Francisco to San Francisco January 15, 2023 200 Days San Francisco to New York December 28, 2022 198 Days Miami to San Francisco December 28, 2022 214 Days Miami to Miami December 28, 2022 218 Days Miami to New York For additional details on Oceania Cruises' 2023 Around The World Voyage, please contact your preferred Travel Advisor, view the itinerary online, or browse the comprehensive 56-page brochure. About Oceania Cruises Oceania Cruises is the world's leading culinary- and destination-focused cruise line. The line's six small, luxurious ships carry only 684 or 1,250 guests featuring the finest cuisine at sea and destination-rich itineraries that span the globe. Expertly curated travel experiences aboard the designer-inspired, small ships call on more than 450 marquee and boutique ports across Europe, Alaska, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, New England-Canada, Bermuda, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Tahiti and the South Pacific in addition to the epic 180-day Around the World Voyages. The brand has two 1,200-guest Allura-class ships on order. SOURCE Oceania Cruises Related Links https://www.oceaniacruises.com Manitobas COVID-19 vaccine rollout has been adjusted almost daily, as the federal government buys more vaccines, experts clarify when doses are needed and the province updates its projections. Manitobas COVID-19 vaccine rollout has been adjusted almost daily, as the federal government buys more vaccines, experts clarify when doses are needed and the province updates its projections. Heres where things stood as of Wednesday. 1) How many doses do we have, and where have they gone? Manitoba had received a combined 38,890 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines as of Wednesday, and had administered at least 32 per cent of them. The province says its not currently collecting data on how First Nations have used their allocated Moderna doses. If all 5,300 doses have been administered, the percentage of doses Manitoba holds that have been administered would be closer to 46 per cent. The Health Department did not specify Wednesday when asked how many doses in cold storage have been designated for a specific future use, such as the 2,000 personal care home residents set to get shots. Both approved vaccines require a second dose for full immunization, and so far, 1,660 Manitobans have received both doses. 2) When are we expected to get more? Manitoba says Ottawa has told it to expect 215,300 doses by March 31. Beyond that, timelines could shift dramatically based on how many doses Ottawa purchases, and whether Health Canada approves another vaccine. Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, who is overseeing the federal rollout, said last week the winter months involve "a limited and steady supply before we see a significant ramp-up leading into April and the rest of the second quarter of the year." The Trudeau government expects to have enough doses on hand to immunize 20 million Canadians, more than half the population, by Canada Day. 3) Whats the holdup? Manitoba has been among the slowest to use the doses it has received, and most provinces had an underwhelming start, in part, because vaccines arrived weeks before Ottawa had told them to prepare for it. Some flexibility involving when the second dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines must be administered has allowed provinces such as Manitoba to get more people their first shot. Manitoba is still planning to hold on to the doses it has scheduled for the coming five to 10 days, in case of a sudden break in the supply chain. The provinces phone-in booking system originally had medical staff waiting hours to book an appointment, but the province says the wait is only about 10 to 15 minutes now. Manitoba has been proactively training people to administer vaccines, and allowing professions such as veterinarians administer the vaccine. The province says it hasnt tapped pharmacists to help with administering doses because of manufacturer restrictions on the movement of vaccines. The government hopes to eventually contract out vaccination to pharmacists. 4) Premier Brian Pallister claims there isn't enough supply; is he correct? Premier Brian Pallister. (Winnipeg Free Press) Sort of. Premiers have argued that the slow drip of vaccine deliveries imposes an onerous duty to figure out who should get access to a scarce supply of vaccines. They claim the average Canadian could just queue up for doses if provinces were given an abundant supply. However, Canada has not yet invented any approved vaccine, and in fact lacks the capacity to manufacture the type of doses used in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. That puts us behind countries such as the United States and India. Yet Canada has done a better job signing contracts than the European Union. 5) How many doses do we need to administer by end of year to vaccinate all adults? It would require 2,137,106 doses of the currently approved vaccines to immunize all 1,068,553 Manitobans aged 18 or older. As of last week, Manitoba could only account for enough doses to reach 74 per cent of Manitoba adults by Dec. 31 but Ottawa expects to have more doses of the approved vaccines on hand, and probably at least one other candidate. 6) How do the two vaccines differ, and what do they cost? Both vaccines contain genetic code that the human body uses to detect the prickly spike of the coronavirus, so that the immune system creates the antibodies to kill the virus before a person gets sick. That code, called mRNA is encased in fats to keep its shape. Both the Moderna and Pfizer require extremely cold temperatures to keep this shape in place, as the mRNA can easily break down and have no effect. The Pfizer vaccine is trickier, requiring temperatures of -70C until its thawed, at which point it lasts just five days in a fridge. The first doses came from Belgium. The Moderna vaccine, which comes from the U.S., can last in a typical freezer at -20C, for six months, and once thawed, lasts a month. We dont know the cost Canada is paying for either, which is a negotiated price that includes the speed of delivery. A Belgian assistant minister accidentally tweeted that her country has paid 12 (about $18.50 Canadian) for each Pfizer dose and 18 ($27.75) for Moderna shots. Canada could be paying more, as a country that is receiving doses faster and had almost no contribution to developing either shot. 7) Is Manitoba planning to vaccinate teens? Dr. Joss Reimer, a member of Manitobas COVID-19 vaccine task force, said the province is only vaccinating people 18 years and older at this time, even though the vaccine is approved for people 16 and older. "Right now, in order to get us the most accurate ongoing data based on that variation in product approval, weve decided to use the adult population (for immunization projections)," she said Wednesday, adding that this might change as the science evolves, and more vaccine doses become available. COVID-19 reactions tend to be more deadly among the oldest Canadians, and children tend to have the mildest symptoms. With files from Danielle Da Silva dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca michael.pereira@freepress.mb.ca Migrants: Bosnia, EU diplomats visit Lipa camp 'Reception also regards candidate countries for EU accession' (ANSAmed) - SARAJEVO, JANUARY 14 - Nearly 2,500 refugees are currently living in extremely precarious conditions in northwest Bosnia-Herzegovina, wandering outside in the icy cold and snow with no end in sight to the migrant crisis there, said Amnesty International. EU Ambassador to Bosnia-Herzegovina Johann Sattler and the ambassadors of Germany and Austria discussed the problem on Wednesday in Bihac, in the Una-Sana Canton at the border with Croatia. The diplomats, accompanied by Bosnian Security Minister Selmo Cikotic, visited the Lipa camp, which was destroyed by a fire on December 23 and where the Bosnian Army subsequently built a tent camp currently hosting 750 migrants who were left without shelter after the fire. Despite snow and below-zero temperatures, preparations are already underway at Lipa for remodeling the camp, which will become a permanent reception centre suitable for winter conditions. Cikotic said now it is critical to create ways to manage the crisis, with a planned and organized mechanism across the country, which will not be easy. He said the migrant problem is not merely a humanitarian or security issue, but is already taking on the dimensions of a serious political crisis. The EU representatives on Thursday said EU member states as well as candidate countries for EU accession must take care of migrants, clearly referencing the two entities that make up Bosnia-Herzegovina: the Croat-Muslim Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and the Republika Srpska (RS). The Serbo-Bosnian leader Milorad Dodik, in a recent telephone meeting with EU High Representative Josep Borrell, said the RS does not intend to receive migrants and refugees in any way in its territory, while the majority Croat-Bosnian authorities of the cantons of western Herzegovina have also avoided receiving migrants in various ways. (ANSA). Bharat Biotech received order for 55 lakh doses from the Centre. It donated 16.5 lakh doses to the govt. Each Covaxin vial contains 20 doses Bharat Biotech delivered 20,000 doses to Telangana state, sending the supplies to the state vaccine store at Koti here. Wednesdays deliveries were made to Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. (Representational Photo) Hyderabad: Bharat Biotech, on Wednesday, became the second vaccine manufacturer in the country to airlift its Covid-19 vaccine to different states. The city-based company sent its Covaxin to 11 cities. While one set of shipments was sent from the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport here in the morning, another set of deliveries was sent in the evening. Bharat Biotech received order for 55 lakh doses from the Centre. It donated 16.5 lakh doses to the government. Each Covaxin vial contains 20 doses. The company delivered 20,000 doses to Telangana state, sending the supplies to the state vaccine store at Koti here. Wednesdays deliveries were made to Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Covaxin is an indigenous Covid-19 vaccine developed in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Researchs National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune. The vaccine, the company said, has demonstrated long-term immune responses to multiple viral proteins and its ability to potentially reduce or eliminate escape mutants of the virus. With respect to safety, Bharat Biotech said Covaxin demonstrated a safety profile, which is significantly lower than that of several other vaccines. Earlier, the company also announced it has entered into an agreement with Brazil for supply of its Covid-19 vaccine to the South American country. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 11:18:21|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- A World Health Organization (WHO) expert team is traveling to China on Thursday to work with Chinese scientists on origin-tracing of the novel coronavirus. By hosting the WHO team, China has demonstrated its open and supportive position for a scientific and fact-based origin-tracing of the deadly virus, as well as the country's longstanding commitment to work with the international community to end the pandemic. China has been working closely with the WHO ever since the outbreak. In February and July last year, Beijing twice invited WHO experts to carry out cooperation on origin-tracing. In October, the Chinese side reached an agreement on the makeup of the international expert team, and experts from both sides have maintained frequent interactions since then. Since the outbreak, a handful of Western politicians, particularly China-hawks in Washington, and news media have launched a campaign to smear China. They have actively peddled unfounded rumors on the origins of the novel coronavirus and called for international investigations on the presumption that China is somehow to blame. The joint research between the WHO and China will by no means be manipulated into an investigation based on the presumption of guilt regarding the origin of the virus, but rather redouble a collective effort by both sides to help deepen the understanding of the virus and better prevent the spread of infectious diseases in the future. Furthermore, such joint research should be carried out simultaneously in other places around the world to gather as much information as possible to decode the mystery of this cunning lethal pathogen. Claiming without evidence that the outbreak began in a single country is extremely dangerous and counterproductive. The virus should be seen as humanity's common enemy, not a political weapon to demonize others. Welcoming the WHO team is not the first step China has taken in the global fight against the virus, nor will it be the last. As a country which has been calling for respect for science, impartiality and solidarity in the face of the pandemic, China will continue to work with the WHO and the international community on origin-tracing and bolster global cooperation until humanity secures a final victory against this unprecedented global health crisis. Enditem The New York Times MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan Ammunition was depleted inside the bedraggled outposts in Laghman province. Food was scarce. Some police officers hadnt been paid in five months. Then, just as U.S. troops began leaving the country in early May, Taliban fighters besieged seven rural Afghan military outposts across the wheat fields and onion patches of the province, in eastern Afghanistan. The insurgents enlisted village elders to visit the outposts bearing a message: Surrender or die. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times By mid-month, security forces had surrendered all seven outposts after extended negotiations, according to village elders. At least 120 soldiers and police were given safe passage to the government-held provincial center in return for handing over weapons and equipment. We told them, Look, your situation is bad reinforcements arent coming, said Nabi Sarwar Khadim, 53, one of several elders who negotiated the surrenders. Since May 1, at least 26 outposts and bases in just four provinces Laghman, Baghlan, Wardak and Ghazni have surrendered after such negotiations, according to village elders and government officials. With morale diving as U.S. troops leave, and the Taliban seizing on each surrender as a propaganda victory, each collapse feeds the next in the Afghan countryside. Among the negotiated surrenders were four district centers, which house local governors, police and intelligence chiefs effectively handing the government facilities to Taliban control and scattering the officials there, at least temporarily. The Taliban have negotiated Afghan troop surrenders in the past, but never at the scale and pace of the base collapses this month in the four provinces extending east, north and west of Kabul. The tactic has removed hundreds of government forces from the battlefield, secured strategic territory and reaped weapons, ammunition and vehicles for the Taliban often without firing a shot. The base collapses are one measure of the rapidly deteriorating government war effort as one outpost after another falls, sometimes after battles, but often after wholesale surrenders. The surrenders are part of a broader Taliban playbook of seizing and holding territory as security force morale plummets with the exit of international troops. Buyoffs of local police and militia. Local cease-fires that allow the Taliban to consolidate gains. A sustained military offensive despite pleas for peace talks and a nationwide cease-fire. The government is not able to save the security forces, said Mohammed Jalal, a village elder in Baghlan province. If they fight, they will be killed, so they have to surrender. The surrenders are the work of Taliban Invitation and Guidance Committees, which intervene after insurgents cut off roads and supplies to surrounded outposts. Committee leaders or Taliban military leaders phone base commanders and sometimes their families and offer to spare troops lives if they surrender their outposts, weapons and ammunition. In several cases, the committees have given surrendering troops money typically around $130 and civilian clothes and sent them home unharmed. But first they videotape the men as they promise not to rejoin the security forces. They log their phone numbers and the names of family members and vow to kill the men if they rejoin the military. The Taliban commander and the Invitation and Guidance Committee called me more than 10 times and asked me to surrender, said Maj. Imam Shah Zafari, 34, a district police chief in Wardak province who surrendered his command center and weapons on May 11 after negotiations mediated by local elders. After the Taliban provided a car ride home to Kabul, he said, a committee member phoned to assure him that the government would not imprison him for surrendering. He said, We have so much power in the government and we can release you, Zafari said. The Taliban committees take advantage of a defining characteristic of Afghan wars: Fighters and commanders regularly switch sides, cut deals, negotiate surrenders and cultivate village elders for influence with local residents. The current conflict is really dozens of local wars. These are intimate struggles, where brothers and cousins battle one another and commanders on each side cajole, threaten and negotiate by cellphone. A Taliban commander calls me all the time, trying to destroy my morale, so that Ill surrender, said Wahidullah Zindani, 36, a bearded, sunburned police commander who has rejected Taliban demands to surrender his nine-man, bullet-pocked outpost in Laghman province. The negotiated surrenders are part of a broader offensive in which the Taliban have surrounded at least five provincial capitals this spring, according to a Pentagon inspector general report released May 18. The offensive has intensified since the U.S. withdrawal began May 1. The Taliban have used their control of several major highways to cut off bases and garrisons, leaving them vulnerable. The surrenders have a profound psychological effect. They call and say the Taliban are powerful enough to defeat the U.S. and they can easily take Laghman province, so you should remember this before we kill you, Rahmatullah Yarmal, Laghmans 29-year-old governor, said of the Taliban committees during an interview inside his barricaded compound in Mehtar Lam, the provincial capital. Its an effective propaganda tactic, the governor conceded so effective that some outpost commanders now refuse to speak to elders or Taliban negotiators. He said many elders were not neutral peacemakers, but hand-picked Taliban supporters. Yarmal said 60 police officers who surrendered and took refuge in his government center are now primed to fight to retake the seven lost outposts. I think well have them back in a month, he said. But just hours after the governor spoke on May 19, a nearby district center, Dawlat Shah, surrendered without any resistance after negotiations. By the next morning, five more outposts had surrendered the same way in the district of Alishing, also in Laghman, district officials said. Those Taliban victories were facilitated, in part, by a 30-day cease-fire negotiated by elders on May 17 in the heavily contested district of Alingar, allowing the Taliban to shift resources to the Alishing, where they forced the negotiated surrender of the five outposts just two days later. (On May 21, the Taliban violated the cease-fire with renewed attacks in Alingar, Khadim said.) The series of base collapses represented the second wholesale surrender in a Laghman district in two weeks. On May 7, three outposts and a military base collapsed the same way without a fight, said Nasir Ahmad Himat, the Alingar district governor. The soldiers simply dropped their weapons, got in their vehicles and went to the district center or provincial capital, said Faqirullah, a village elder who goes by one name. As Taliban fighters advanced on the provincial capital Sunday, Yarmal announced that 110 security force members who had surrendered, and several commanders who were supposed to supervise them, had been detained for negligence. Also Sunday, the Afghan military announced that troop reinforcements and the military chief of staff had rushed to Laghman to try to repel the Taliban assault. In Ghazni province, Hasan Reza Yousofi, a provincial councilman, said he begged officials to send reinforcements to an outpost and a military base that ultimately fell to the Taliban this month. He played a recorded phone call from a police officer, Abdul Ahmad, who said his ammunition was gone and his men were drinking rainwater because the base water tower had been destroyed by a rocket. We have been sold out we make calls for reinforcements, but officials dont help, the recorded voice said. The Taliban sent us tribal elders who said, Surrender, you are sold out, no one will help you. Yousofi said he did not know whether Ahmad survived after his outpost fell. Negotiations have proved remarkably fruitful for the Taliban in Baghlan province, where at least 100 soldiers surrendered, and in Wardak province, where about 130 security force members surrendered following negotiations, officials said. In Laghman province, negotiations leading to the surrender of the seven outposts stretched over 10 days. Khadim, the village elder, said different elders negotiated with commanders of each outpost. We guaranteed they would not be killed, he said. There was nothing written, just our word. A few miles away, Zindani refused to surrender his forlorn outpost near the front line. He said officers who had negotiated surrenders at three nearby outposts had betrayed their country. One of his men, Muhammad Agha Bambard, said he would fight to avenge the deaths of two brothers he said were killed by the Taliban. He would never surrender, he said. Zindanis nine men were down to a machine gun, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and one AK-47 rifle each inside a ramshackle outpost with bloodstained walls. But he said he intended to fight on as he told the Taliban commander who regularly phoned to demand his surrender. I told him, Im a soldier of my country, the commander said. I am not here to surrender. Four days later, on Sunday, the outpost was overrun during a firefight with the Taliban, a member of the provincial council said. One police officer was shot dead and Zindani and his outgunned men were taken prisoner. A few hours later, the Taliban released a video showing Bambard being questioned by a Taliban commander as he lay on a mattress, his face and neck bandaged. In a mocking tone, the commander asked why Bambard had posted on his Facebook page that he would not let the enemy capture his outpost while he was alive. The wounded officer responded, This is Afghanistan. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 2021 The New York Times Company Australia's Acting Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly (left) and Minister for Health Greg Hunt in the Mural Hall at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia on Dec. 8, 2020. (Sam Mooy/Getty Images) Enough AstraZeneca CCP Virus Vaccine For Entire Australian Population: CMO Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly has responded to concerns over the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine arguing that once regulators approve the vaccine, Australia will be a prime position to achieve herd immunity. Some of Australias medical community have raised concerns that the AstraZeneca vaccine does not meet the efficacy standards to effectively counter the CCP virus citing a report published in The Lancet in December 2020 that said the vaccine efficacy ranged from 62 to 90 percent. Kelly noted that the Australian government was collecting more data beyond the Lancet report and that the Therapeutic Goods Administration was giving it a thorough assessment. Weve had three more months of data that will be available to the TGA, and more data from the real-world information thats coming from the UK, in particular, who are already rolling out that vaccine. So, well look at that, well wait for that, Kelly told ABC News Breakfast on Wednesday. One thing is clear though from those interim results is that this vaccine is very effective against severe disease. Just exactly the same as the Pfizer and the Moderna data, he said. The other advantage is that the vaccine will be made in Australia. The CSL facility in Melbourne, Victoria will deliver 3.8 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine for the early part of this year, and then manufacture another 50 million after, plenty to vaccinate the entire population of Australia twice according to Kelly. He added the rollout is expected as soon as the TGA has approved the viral vector vaccine, which is likely to be in about four weeks. Logistically the Australian-made vaccine will be easier to roll out than the Pfizer mRNA, which requires importing and maintaining a temperature of minus 70 degrees Celcius. Vials with a sticker reading COVID-19 / Coronavirus vaccine / Injection only and a medical syringe are seen in front of a displayed AstraZeneca logo in this illustration taken on Oct. 31, 2020. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo/Reuters) This comes as the World Health Organisations Chief Scientist Soumya Swaminathan said that we could not expect to reach herd immunity this year globally. We are not going to achieve any levels of population immunity or herd immunity in 2021, said Swaminathan it may happen in a few countries but not across the world. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. 2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning -- 4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS. We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover. We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. ADVERTISEMENT The Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has explained how Ile-Ife was able to manage the crisis that characterised the #EndSARS protest against police brutality. Mr Ogunwusi disclosed that the traditional security mechanism of resolving crises in the town did not allow the protests to turn bloody in Ile-Ife as against what was obtained in other parts of the country. The monarch said this when hosted the newly deployed Osun State Commissioner of Police, Olawale Olokode, at his Ile Oodua Palace on Thursday. Unlike some places where buildings were burnt, properties looted and police structures attacked, we swung into action and our existing traditional security structure supplied necessary intelligence which we used to stop crimes from happening. Mr Ogunwusi said all that was done to ensure that there was peace was with the supports police officers in the town. He also urged the police boss to help pocket security challenges particularly in the areas of cultism and drug abuse. We need you to help us in this area and others identified by you and I am sure that you have the capacity to perform optimally, the monarch. Responding to the monarch, the police boss, Mr Olokode said Cultism, thuggery, and a pocket of kidnapping have been identified to be the challenges here and we are equal to the task. We only seek your continuous support, especially in the execution of community policing as directed by the Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu. PREMIUM TIMES reported that how #EndSARS protests rocked the country in October, forcing youth to demand an end to SARS and also reached some concessions with the protesters. One of such concessions was the setting up of judicial panels of inquiry by state governments to look into cases of alleged violations of human rights by SARS, now disbanded, and other units of the police. The protest, however, turned bloody on October 20 when the military opened fire on protesters at Lekki Toll Gate, Lagos and it led to burning of police stations and other properties. A man contacted police from Sky Zoo, 5709 Lee Hwy. He said his phone was stolen while he was there the night before. He said he last had it around 11 p.m. when he set it down somewhere. He doesnt remember where exactly - maybe a table or in his coat. Later, around 11:30 p.m., he said he noticed he couldnt find it and he's not sure if someone took it from his coat or a table. He ... (click for more) Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Shana M. griffins art exhibition on the second floor of the Contemporary Arts Center isnt the sort of show you can rush through. Theres lots to read and absorb in order to appreciate the context of the stacks of bricks, the nails pounded into a wooden plank, the old-fashioned office desk, and other ordinary objects arranged in the gallery. Its an exhibit that requires an investment of time and attention. But rest assured, the more you give, the more youll take away. MLK weekend programming at the Contemporary Arts Center "Dreaming While Awake," the Contemporary Arts Center's virtual and in-person celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. is set for the weekend of J The artist, who spells her last name with a lower-case g, observes that the rules governing home ownership in New Orleans arose in an era when most Black people were enslaved and couldnt own anything at all. In terms of housing, the deck was stacked against them from the start, and, she said, it has remained so right into the era of gentrification in the 21st century. New Orleans could not exist without slavery, griffin said. The city stands on African burial grounds. Current eviction is tied directly to the slavery. Over-policing, premature death, poor health outcomes: Its the afterlife of slavery. The show, titled DISPLACING Blackness: Cartographies of Violence, Extraction, and Disposability is meant to map that history of inequity. The coarse wooden plan bristling with nails is a symbolic roadmap of the Crescent City. The strange, square 19th-century nails pop up like the sprightly pins on a Google Maps interface, but instead of marking chic restaurants and quaint apartments, they mark the sites of slave markets. The two small piles of bricks in the exhibit are remnants of the government-subsidized Iberville housing development, which, griffin points out, was named for a colonialist who helped institute slavery and the subjugation of the native population. The development provided homes for low-income residents from the 1940s onward, until it was largely demolished in the 2010s. When it was redesigned and rebuilt, it was ironically renamed the Bienville Basin, after another colonialist, griffin points out. Growing up in the Iberville development, griffin, 46, crossed Rampart Street each day to attend McDonogh 15 elementary school in the French Quarter. The distinctions between the two adjoining neighborhoods were conspicuous, she said, with White people occupying much of the prime real estate in the Quarter and Black people predominately in the low-income Iberville development. The word rampart, griffin pointed out, means a barrier, and in certain ways, the street was just that. Residents of the Iberville neighborhood worked hard, but they werent respected for their contributions, griffin said. I grew up in a very nurturing environment, she said, but in a society where it was the focus of shame. The heavy wooden desk, rolling chair and antique telephone that griffin installed in her exhibit are meant to remind visitors of a housing administrators office and the bureaucratic hurdles Black families faced as they strove to find homes they could afford to rent or buy. A small map and magnifying glass on the desk are supposed to suggest that Black people were particularly scrutinized and excluded from certain sections of town. For griffins family, the Iberville apartments provided a sense of stability for 25 years, she said. Her late mother served on the developments tenant rights organization, striving to improve the community. Before her mother arrived there, griffin said, shed moved from house to house to house, having to relocate for various reasons, including the creation of the Interstate 10 overpass, hospitals on Tulane Avenue, and Armstrong Park. The best conceptual display in the show is a grid of photos of the 15 addresses griffins mom occupied from 1959 to 2020. In most of the photos, the modest houses where she lived are long gone. These are photographs of my mothers personal experiences of displacement in the city, griffin said. Griffin calls the loss of affordable housing of all sorts erasure. When the structures are gone and the people are gone, then the history is gone. A few artifacts, such as the apartment mailboxes hung like fine art in the exhibit, poignantly illustrate the point. Griffin attended McDonogh 35 High School. She graduated from the University of New Orleans with a bachelors degree in history and sociology, then earned a masters degree in sociology. Understanding the historical displacement of Black people in the context of racism and feminism is a focus of her career as a researcher, artist and arts administrator. She currently serves as interim executive director of Antenna Gallery in the Bywater. I dont separate my activism and artwork, she said. Griffins suite of paintings at the rear of the show crumpled New Orleans maps, glued to canvas and brusquely brushed with conflicting yet interlocking patches of black and white seem to express the essence of her sociopolitical view. What recently happened in the Capitol didnt happen overnight, she said, referring to the Jan. 6 riot in Washington, D.C. The country can be seen as a welcoming place for some and a place where some dont belong. Griffins exhibit DISPLACING Blackness: Cartographies of Violence, Extraction, and Disposability will be free to the public from Jan. 16 to 18, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., during the Contemporary Art Centers Dreaming While Awake, three days of programming dedicated to the legacy of civil rights crusader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tickets must be purchased in advance and social distancing protocols will be in place. Griffin will appear in a virtual panel discussion titled Art and Activism in a Democratic Future on Monday, Jan. 18, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. via the center's Facebook page. Griffin and the other panelists, poet Kalamu Ya Salaam, artists Andre Fuqua and Ariel Rene Jackson, and CAC Executive Director George Scheer will be moderated by Dr. David Robinson Morris. DISPLACING Blackness continues through April 25. The Contemporary Arts Center is located at 900 Camp St. For tickets and more detailed information, visit the CAC website. Other Dreaming While Awake presentations include: The CAC Teen Board Instagram Takeover: Young people from across the city will share their views of art and activism while touring the CACs Make America What America Must Become exhibition of Gulf South Artists on Sunday, Jan. 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. And the Youth Shall Lead: A virtual panel discussion hosted by CAC Teen Board members Renee Angerer, Justine Lelani Allen and Monica Garcia, who will interview Make America What America Must Become artists Langston Allston, Caroline Sinders, and Derrick-Woods Morrow, about how art relates to democracy. The discussion takes place on Sunday, Jan. 17, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. DJ Raj Smoove's specially-curated MLK Weekend playlist on Spotify will feature songs and beats from the Civil Rights era. (Bloomberg) --Oil rose to a new 10-month high in New York on expectations that a potential $2 trillion economic relief packaged could get Americans consuming more fuel. U.S. benchmark crude futures advanced 1.3 percent on Thursday. President-elect Joe Bidens advisers recently told allies in Congress about the cost of the package, CNN reported. A weaker dollar also boosted the appeal of commodities priced in the greenback. West Texas Intermediate for February delivery rose 66 cents to settle at $53.57 a barrel. A stimulus package will be putting direct money into peoples pockets, said Josh Graves, senior market strategist at RJ OBrien & Associates LLC. In general, its going to allow them to travel more and do more things, helping support crude demand. Crudes recent gains have stoked concern among some investors that the rally is ahead of itself. Technical indicators suggest oil is likely due for a pullback, with the global Brent benchmark on its longest run of overbought days since 2012. Rising U.S. jobless claims point to the bumpy road ahead for a true recovery in consumption. Europes oil demand is also off to a sluggish start to the new year as renewed lockdowns to curb the spread of Covid-19 limit the use of road fuels. There are also signs that physical markets are softening in Asia, with Abu Dhabis Murban crude at a discount to its benchmark despite continued OPEC+ cuts. To the extent the Covid situation is continuing to push back, its a weight on the market, said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital LLC. This is just a bit of a breather, given how weve come so far so fast. In Asia, Chinas economic recovery gathered pace in December as exports jumped, pushing the trade surplus to a record high. At the same time, Oil imports, however, fell about 15 percent compared with November. While the China import data has many traders and analysts scratching their heads, it seems to be more of a timing issue rather than a structural change in demand from the worlds biggest oil importer, said Ryan Fitzmaurice, commodities strategist at Rabobank. Meanwhile, Royal Dutch Shell Plcs Nigeria unit declared a force majeure on the countrys flagship Forcados crude oil, after the grades pipeline was halted in the wake of leaks. Forcados is the countrys biggest crude export system, with shipments through the terminal running at rate of between 200,000 and 250,000 barrels a day. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. PHILADELPHIA (AP) A retired Pennsylvania firefighter was arrested Thursday on federal charges that he threw a fire extinguisher that hit three Capitol Police officers during the violent siege on the Capitol last week. Robert Sanford, who recently retired from the Chester Fire Department, was arrested on charges that include assault of a police officer, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, civil disorder and unlawfully entering the Capitol. The charges against Sanford are not related to the widely publicized attack on Officer Brian Sicknick, who also was hit with a fire extinguisher during the siege and died. Court documents did not show whether Sanford has an attorney who can speak on his behalf. A phone number for a listing in his name had been disconnected. Sanford is due in federal court in Philadelphia on Thursday afternoon, but authorities said the case will be prosecuted in Washington. The FBI asked the public this week to help identify a man seen in video stills who wore a hat with the letters CFD, picked up a fire extinguisher and threw it at police outside the Capitol on Jan. 6. According to the charging documents, the extinguisher bounced off the heads of three officers, two of whom wore helmets. Sanford, 55, traveled by bus with other people to the Capitol, according to documents. He told a friend when he returned home that he had been on the grounds for 10 minutes before leaving but did not mention throwing anything at officers, authorities said. The friend saw the photos released by federal authorities and contacted police. More: Capitol violence: Pa. members of Congress describe day of chaos in Washington How Pennsylvania is getting the state Capitol prepared amid threats of attacks SPECIALIST detectives are investigating how a number of men gained access to a schools online class before engaging in inappropriate behaviour on the video feed. The incident occurred during a Microsoft Teams class this week which was organised for second year students at a post-primary school in Meath. Its understood a small number of male adults were involved in the breach, which occurred on Wednesday, and the class was stopped immediately. The school have also reported the matter to gardai, the family agency Tusla, and the Department of Education. Gardai have confirmed that detectives are now investigating the incident which took place on the online platform. A Garda spokeswoman said: An Garda Siochana can confirm an investigation is being conducted by the Divisional Protective Services Unit into an incident which occurred on an online educational forum. The Divisional Protective Services Units are made up of specially trained detectives who deal with a wide-range of crimes including alleged offences around child protection. The Co Meath school has also sent a message to the parents of the pupils, who are aged about 14, advising them of what happened and offering any supports necessary. It is understood a small number of male adults were involved in the breach. The school, which operates under the patronage of Louth Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB), also shut down the use of the Teams platform pending its ongoing investigation into the matter The incident has prompted LMETB to review security settings on the platform to ensure online events cannot be breached in this manner. A spokesperson for LMETB said the incident was very regrettable and that nothing like this had happened before. He said they were continuing to look into the matter from an IT perspective to establish exactly what occurred . In the meantime, they believe they have removed any possibility of a further instance through the application of robust security measures on the online platform. The spokesperson said Wednesdays incident had been reported to the relevant authorities. Both the gardai and Tusla have been informed, as a precautionary measure. LMETB has also advised the Department of Education, with a view to ensuring that any lessons to be learned from it are shared with schools nationwide. The incident has emerged only days after more than 900,000 pupils in 4,000 primary and post-primary schools returned to remote learning as a result of high Covid infection rates Now LMETB has sent out guidance to every staff member in relation to settings on the platform, specifically about control over who can admit guests. LMETB runs about 20 post-primary schools and details of the incident were shared with principals at a meeting yesterday. Separately, a routine meeting of senior officials from education and training boards was briefed. T he Foreign Offices top mandarin has apologised for unprofessional and unacceptable language used by officials in internal emails about Harry Dunns bereaved family. Documents seen by the PA news agency showed a number of upsetting communications criticising his relatives and their media campaign. One email sent in reaction to a call by the teenagers mother for Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to resign in May last year labelled her language totally excessive. The familys spokesman was also described as evil, aggressive and erratic - despite admitting he had played a media blinder. Harry Dunn, 19, was killed when his motorbike was in collision with a car outside US military base RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in August 2019. US citizen Anne Sacoolas, 43, who has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving, has been able to return to her home country after diplomatic immunity was asserted on her behalf by the US Government. Harrys mother Charlotte Charles had said you wouldnt treat an animal the way Government treated us, following a smoking gun text message from a senior diplomat at the Foreign Office to their US Embassy counterpart saying they should feel able to put suspect Ms Sacoolas on the next flight home. But commenting on Mrs Charless words, one official wrote: Even aiming for someone bereaved that line about being treated like animals is totally excessive! Harry Dunns parents Charlotte Charles and Tim Dunn have campaigned for justice for their son / ITV The teenagers mother is understood to be deeply upset at the documents she has seen. The Dunn family have been represented by spokesman Radd Seiger since September 2019, but documents show Foreign Office officials have described him as evil, aggressive and erratic - despite admitting he had played a media blinder. The documents were obtained by the family through subject access requests sent to the Foreign Office and Home Office. One email read: Everything the family say is completely wrong. The trouble is they dont understand anything at all of the wider context - and the evil R (Radd) Seiger has not explained it to them... And so convinced are they of everyones bad faith that it never crosses their mind that anything of that we are telling them might be true. The familys campaign for justice has led to Ms Sacoolas being charged with causing death by dangerous driving, an extradition request being sent to the US by the Home Office, and the diplomatic immunity agreements at American military bases in the UK being altered. Mrs Charles and the teenagers father, Tim Dunn, are in the process of appealing over a High Court ruling on the immunity asserted on behalf of the suspect. After the family had seen the latest documents to emerge, they received a letter of apology from Permanent Under-Secretary for the FCDO Sir Philip Barton, who described the emails as isolated comments. In his letter, he wrote: As you will see, the digest contains some unprofessional and unacceptable language that you may find upsetting. I want to offer my sincerest apologies for the hurt that this may cause. I also want to emphasise that these isolated comments are from a handful of officials and do not in any way reflect the wider views of the FCDO or the core team working with you to deliver justice for Harry. As you would expect, I have ensured that appropriate management action has been taken with the authors of these emails. The Foreign Office was criticised after court disclosure documents showed a briefing note copied to Mr Raabs private secretary from three days after the fatal crash - which revealed concern for some very unpalatable headlines. A witness statement from the senior investigating officer at Northamptonshire Police said an official at the government department had requested the force delay telling the family that a waiver for Mrs Sacoolass diplomatic immunity had been declined by the US - adding that it would help if they could get their ducks in a row beforehand. Charlotte Charles at a news conference joined by family members in New York in October 2019 / AP Sir Philips letter continued: In my four months as Permanent Under-Secretary, I have seen the importance that the FCDO (Foreign Office) places on helping to secure justice for Harry and the respect we hold for the way the family have dealt with this terrible tragedy and the way you have supported them. I would once again like to reiterate how sorry I am for any upset these unprofessional emails may cause. Reacting to the comments made about the family, Mr Seiger told PA: The campaign remains laser-focused on securing justice for Harry and remains willing to work with all parties involved to ensure that justice is done as soon as possible. However, it is impossible for us to overlook this unprofessional conduct on behalf of certain officials at the FCDO. It is appalling to see that whilst we were seeking justice for Harry as anybody would, these officials thought it was appropriate to engage in baseless keyboard warfare. I am more than happy to bear the brunt of any criticism, but to attack a bereaved, grieving mother who has never put a foot wrong in the campaign is scandalous. A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: We are very sorry for the offence caused to the Dunn family and their spokesperson. The views expressed by a small number officials were deeply inappropriate, and in no way represent the views of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The Pentagon is deploying 20,000 National Guards with lethal weapons here, a week ahead of the inauguration, to prevent any violence as experienced on January 6, with intelligence agencies receiving information about move to create violence and chaos across the country. As many as 15,000 have already been deployed in and around the Capitol Hill and another 5,000 would be added around the January 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden. This is now twice the number of American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq combined. Also Read | Donald Trump on brink of unprecedented second impeachment As US House of Representatives started the impeachment proceedings against Trump, security was tightened in and around the Capitol Hill. Not only metal detectors were installed, but also eight-feet high metal walls were erected overnight around the Capitol Hill. There are significantly more US troops currently deployed on Capitol Hill than in Afghanistan and Iraq combined, a staggering statistic that underscores just how massive the security presence already is, CNN said reflecting on the gravity of the situation in the country. I think you can except to see somewhere upwards beyond 20,000 members of the National Guard that will be here in the footprint of the District of Columbia, acting DC police chief Robert J. Contee III told reporters at a news conference here. Also Read | Trump calls for 'no violence,' amid reports of further demonstrations Guardsmen, who are responsible for security around the Capitol building complex, were armed with lethal weapons, the Politico reported. Major news outlets on Wednesday flashed pictures of guardsman inside the US Capitol guarding the temple of democracy, a scenario that was undreamt of before January 6, when thousands of supporters of Trump stormed the building and disrupted the constitutional process of counting and certification of electoral college votes. Officials are bracing for uncertainty and preparing for the potential of violence in the days ahead, The New York Times reported. About 16 groups have registered to stage protests and officials said that law enforcement agencies were preparing for the possibility of armed conflict, the daily reported. National Guard Bureau Chief Gen. Daniel Hokanson told reporter that the troops are authorized to do law enforcement if thats requested from the supporting agency. Thiruvananathapuram, Jan 14 : Coronavirus pandemic took a toll on the famous 'Makaravilakku' prayers held on Thursday morning at Sabarimala in Kerala, as authorities had restricted the number of devotees at the hill shrine amid strict adherence to health protocols. The state government had allowed only 5,000 devotees to pay obeisance at the temple -- compared with an estimated crowd of around 6 lakh in normal times -- and that too by following all COVID protocols, including RT-PCR tests. Image Source: IANS News The Sabarimala temple is a major destination for devotees set for a spiritual journey. Devotees from as far as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Hyderabad throng the hill shrine in Pathanamthitta district, where Lord Ayyappa, the eternal 'Brahmachari', is worshipped. 'Makaravilakku' celebrations are connected with 'Makar Sankranti' festival and involve 'Makarasankrama Pooja', which was held at 8.45 am on Thursday. Image Source: IANS News The temple's revenue from donations too has plummeted, which earlier was more than Rs 400 crore during the nearly 60-day period stretchin from mid-November to mid-January, which was a money-spinner not only for the Travancore Dewaswom Board but also the state. Image Source: IANS News Dewaswoms Minister Kadakampally Surendran told the media at the Sacrifices temple: "We had to take this extreme measure (of restricted number of devotees) as we cannot compromise on the health of people who throng the temple." Image Source: IANS News There was a major dip in the temple revenues but the people's safety and health was more important for the government, he added. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- Syndicated from IANS Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Unlike several men seeking donations for a new church, Bryan James walked the lanes of clogged traffic at Marbach Road and Southwest Loop 410 on Saturday afternoon seeking what most people take for granted. Under gray skies, James held a brown cardboard sign with a message that beseeched motorists for help, any help. Some drivers slipped him a few coins; most stared straight ahead as if any eye contact might turn them to stone. James, sometimes homeless, was used to being invisible to passersby. But he wasnt ready for the friendly African woman clad in colorful robes and head wrap who drove up to a corner gas station in a white pickup filled with provisions. The woman, Pastor Shetigho Nakpodia, 68, beckoned to James, who was clothed in a well-worn blue hoodie, black sweat pants, scuffed sneakers and a protective mask. After she asked about his welfare, the pastor of Redeemers Praise Church handed him a bag of food, a green blanket and two pairs of thick black socks. Then she pressed a hand to James chest and prayed aloud for him. As he cradled his gifts, the man shed a tear. This gives you a piece of hope, James, 24, said as the pastor blessed another man on a bike before she left. There is light at the end of the tunnel. On ExpressNews.com: You dont know their stories - San Antonio homeless get help from Air Force veteran who was once on the streets herself The humanitarian stop at the busy intersection was part of Nakpodias and her East Side churchs extended ministry to the unsheltered living in the suburbs. Last year, while driving across the city, she noticed encampments at areas along Walzem, Wurzbach and Perrin Beitel roads. In June, Nakpodia began expanding her meal deliveries beyond downtown streets. According to San Antonios most recent Point-in-Time Count, conducted in January 2020, there were 2,932 homeless in the city. The report stated 57 percent of people experiencing homelessness the night of the count were sheltered, such as at Haven for Hope, and 43 percent were unsheltered. Robin Jerstad, San Antonio Express-News Mayor Ron Nirenberg supports faith-based efforts to help the homeless, such as Nakpodias work. The bottom line is folks who are living on the street need help and we need to treat them as members of family, Nirenberg said. Its an intense effort that requires working with the individual to resolve the situation, that is what a compassionate approach requires. Treating them like Gods children, like all of us. For the past six years, the pastor and team of volunteers have left the church at 107 S. Pine St. every Saturday to deliver meals to the homeless at several places in and around downtown. The caravan stops at the corner of Pine and Iowa streets, the Salvation Army on Nolan street, Travis Park, Central Library and ends at the Haven for Hope parking lot. At each location, clusters of people swarm the church members when they arrive. Nakpodia said volunteers deliver 250 plates to people living on downtown streets. Robin Jerstad, San Antonio Express-News On Jan. 23, the church will take part in DreamWeek, the 10-day summit with hundreds of events across the city that celebrate humanity, civil and civic engagement, inspired by the works of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Their event, titled 1,000 Plates for the Hungry, calls for 50 people to each pick up 20 meals at 12:30 p.m. at Redeemers Praise and distribute to the hungry in their neighborhood. Nakpodia said the first 50 volunteers will receive food that is designated for anyone in need, including the homeless, seniors, disabled and the homebound. On ExpressNews.com: Church Under the Bridge serves San Antonio homeless population In addition to their work downtown on Saturday mornings, Nakpodia and members of her team now spend Saturday afternoons some 13 miles away from the church, in the Marbach Road area to reach out to the people who live on the margins there. Recently, she ventured to the area by herself as volunteers delivered meals downtown. But she wasnt alone, she emphasized. Her faith, she said, is always by her side. She stopped at a fenced-in lot where derelict lean-tos rested upon cracked-concrete slabs. Nakpodia announced herself as she stopped near two people buried beneath plastic sheets and metal debris as chill winds whipped across the empty square. No one stirred. Robin Jerstad, San Antonio Express-News She said the people staying there didnt know her purpose yet and hadnt been around enough for them to trust her. Nakpodia said shell keep stopping by so theyll come to realize that when they see her white pickup labeled with her churchs name she means them no harm. She kept driving along the Loop 410 access road and stopped at a sidewalk where a woman slept, cloaked in blankets atop a flattened, gray tent. Only one side of her face was visible. Nakpodia tucked new blankets around the silent woman. She left food and socks beneath an orange-shopping basket packed with bags, spray bottles and an umbrella. It was the pastors second stop this week to see the woman. She had followed through on her promise to bring the woman, who previously had no shoes, size 9-and-a-half sneakers. May God bless you, Nakpodia said, as she held her palms above the half-hidden woman. And help you when you cant see a way. Robin Jerstad, San Antonio Express-News The pastor was undeterred by vehicles that zipped past her barely 5 feet away as she prayed for the woman. Behind a nearby wooden fence, Miguel Valle, 20, sat on the curb outside of a Motel 6, wrapped in a Spider-Man blanket. He was waiting for his wife to arrive with their car, in which they have lived for eight months with her two sons, 3 and 5. He said they have a baby on the way. His eyes filled with tears when Nakpodia surprised him with a care package. I see it as a blessing, Valle said, as he clutched the red and blue cartoon blanket tighter around his shoulders. It warms my heart. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio pastor ministers to those in need at East Side Church As Nakpodia prepared to return to her East Side church, two men from the homeless community walked by the truck. She asked them if they were in need of some food and a blanket. Robin Jerstad, San Antonio Express-News One man, who said his name was C.B., said yes. She reached in the bed of the truck and filled their arms with socks, bags of food and blankets. The man called C.B. said he was a 58-year-old Army veteran who is getting back on his feet, leaning on faith. He said Nakpodias gift was ordained from on high. She already knew what to do, he said. It gives me joy. Its love. vtdavis@express-news.net This April 12, 2016 file photo shows the Microsoft logo in Issy-les-Moulineaux, outside Paris, France. Microsoft took five hours to resolve a major outage of its workplace applications on Monday, but has not clarified what caused the outage. The company said the outage, which affected users' ability to log into Office 365 applications, began early evening Monday Eastern time. Microsoft did not reply to questions Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020 about what caused the outage, but said on its service-status Twitter account that it had identified a "recent change" that caused problems. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File) This week, Microsoft had a big test on its handshow to help transform the world's biggest gadget show into an online-only event. The choice of Microsoft to power this year's CES and create a virtual showcase for its 1,800 exhibitors gave the tech giant a big promotional boost over its best-known cloud computing rivals, Amazon and Google. But it also posed reputational risks, as organizers of this week's event tried to cobble together a trove of web content and mostly prerecorded panel discussions in a way that could at least partially evoke the gaudy, high-energy convention that takes over the Las Vegas strip each January. At times, it was hard to pretend this year's virtual CES was a live event. "Don't tell people we're recording in December," said panel moderator and venture capitalist Rajeev Chand, jokingly admonishing a Twitter executive after his comments revealed that their debate on user privacy, aired Tuesday, was taped nearly a month earlier. The Consumer Technology Association, the trade group that runs CES, said it made a final decision in July that its premier event would be virtual, then put out a request for bids and evaluated more than 40 digital platforms before announcing its choice of Microsoft in October. The tech company already had some experience hosting its own big events virtually during the pandemic, including last year's Build and Ignite conferences, each of which had roughly 200,000 participants. But Microsoft's marquee involvement in CES is a change from recent years when Google and Amazon dominated the annual Las Vegas convention with ubiquitous marketing and splashy displayseven a theme park-style rideas they competed against each other to showcase their digital voice assistants. Microsoft, by contrast, has kept a lower profile as it's shifted from a consumer-focused business to one focused on selling its software and services to big organizations. "Microsoft as a partner might have affected a couple of companies who view themselves as competition, I'm not sure," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the CTA. Neither Google nor Amazon has said if they had sought to win the contract to run this year's digital CES, but both companies were mostly sitting out the show this year and showcasing their latest wares elsewhere. "We talked to all the leading tech companies," said Jean Foster, CTA's senior vice president of marketing and communications. "Many of these companies were taking the physical world and putting it online. They had avatars walking around a virtual show floor. That's just not consistent with what we're doing." The event also needed a cloud computing provider that could handle a huge volume of attendees from around the world. And it needed to be able to create a system to register, bill and authenticate attendees. "We needed high performance and security, so obviously that's built into the Microsoft brand," Foster said. But the job required Microsoft to accomplish some tasks that went beyond what it did for its own events namely, to recreate, or replace, the experience of a giant showcase of gadgets and technology. "How could we bring a large group of exhibitors together and show off what they had to say and their value propositions in a way that's not an expo," said Bob Bejan, the Microsoft executive who runs its global events and production studios and is leading the CES project. "Because you can't translate this stuff. You have to reinvent in this medium." Anchored at Microsoft's production studio in Redmond, Washington, the event is designed to turn a typical directory of exhibitors into an interactive digital experience using a mix of video, audio and chat. It's a test for Microsoft products such as Teams, the workplace communications app that the company is trying to make a must-have service for workplaces during the pandemic. Conference attendees could send each other messagesno more than 250 of themand use Teams for virtual meet-and-greet sessions that Bejan said was supposed to work like a "digital parallel to what you would do at an expo or a hotel lobby bar." Even when the pandemic wanes, Bejan said Microsoft is pivoting to a future in which he expects digital experiences will remain an important component of conferences and other live events. Explore further Major CES gadget show turns to tech for virtual salvation 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Our policies are applied to everyone, Sheryl Sandberg, Facebooks chief operating officer, said in a recent interview with Reuters. The policy is that you cant incite violence, you cant be part of inciting violence. Twitter, which has about 190 million daily users globally, said its rules for world leaders were not new. When it reviews posts that could incite violence, Twitter said, the context of the events is crucial. Offline harm as a result of online speech is demonstrably real, and what drives our policy and enforcement above all, Jack Dorsey, Twitters chief executive, said in a post on Wednesday. Yet, he said, the decision sets a precedent I feel is dangerous: the power an individual or corporation has over a part of the global public conversation. There are signs that Facebook and Twitter have begun acting more assertively. After the Capitol attack, Twitter updated its policies to say it would permanently suspend the accounts of repeat offenders of its rules on political content. Facebook took action against a number of accounts outside the United States, including deleting the account of a state-run media outlet in Iran and shutting down government-run accounts in Uganda, where there has been violence ahead of elections. Facebook said the takedowns were unrelated to the Trump decision. Many activists singled out Facebook for its global influence and not applying rules uniformly. They said that in many countries it lacked the cultural understanding to identify when posts might incite violence. Too often, they said, Facebook and other social media companies do not act even when they receive warnings. In 2019 in Slovakia, Facebook did not take down posts by a member of Parliament who was convicted by a court and stripped of his seat in government for incitement and racist comments. In Cambodia, Human Rights Watch said the company was slow to act to the involvement of government officials in a social media campaign to smear a prominent Buddhist monk championing human rights. In the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte has used Facebook to target journalists and other critics. Alabama has been provisionally selected as the host of the new Space Command headquarters, disappointing five other states vying to house the military command, and delighting Donald Trump's supporters in the strongly Republican state. The new site will be in at the Huntsville, at the Redstone Arsenal - a Second World War-era site of 38,000 acres, which currently serves as the center for the U.S. Army's missile and rocket programs. The Department of the Air Force said the decision to move to Huntsville will become final pending the results from the required environmental impact analysis. That is expected in the spring of 2023. The headquarters will remain in Colorado until then. Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, will be home to Space Command if the impact survey is passed Redstone Arsenal was founded in 1941 and is currently home to the Army's missiles program Redstone Arsenal, near Huntsville, already has substantial infrastructure for Space Command Space Command was founded in 1985 and mothballed in 2002. Trump revived it in August 2019. Space Command is not to be confused with Space Force, which was founded by Trump in December 2019 and is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services. The role of Space Command is to conduct operations such as enabling satellite-based navigation and troop communication and providing warning of missile launches; one of 11 unified commands, such as AFRICOM and SOUTHCOM. Space Force is a distinct military service like the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Huntsville's nickname, Rocket City, is thanks largely to Wernher von Braun and his team of fellow German-born rocketeers who settled there in the 1950s. The city is also home to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. Trump and Pence are pictured in August 2019 with General John "Jay" Raymond, Commander of USSPACECOM (far left), and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper showing off the signed document for the Establishment of the U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM) Barbara Barrett, Air Force Secretary and a Trump appointee, announced the decision days before leaving office. Officials in the state - which voted 62.2 per cent for Trump - were delighted at the news, which came after months of lobbying from all candidates. 'I couldn't be more pleased to learn that Alabama will be the new home to the United States Space Command,' said Kay Ivey, the Republican governor. 'Our state has long provided exceptional support for our military and their families as well as a rich and storied history when it comes to space exploration,' she said. SPACECOM said in a statement that 'Huntsville compared favorably across more of these factors than any other community, providing a large, qualified workforce, quality schools, superior infrastructure capacity, and low initial and recurring costs.' They added: 'Additionally, Redstone Arsenal offered a facility to support the headquarters, at no cost, while the permanent facility is being constructed.' Kay Ivey, governor of Alabama, has been a loyal supporter of the president Trump shakes hands with SPACECOM Commander Jay Raymond in December 2019 Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said the city is honored to have been selected. Colorado officials condemned the move, saying military officials had recommended to Trump that Space Command remain at the Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, but they were 'overruled for politically motivated reasons.' Colorado, once solidly Republican, is now purple. The state voted for Joe Biden 55-41. 'This move threatens jobs, could cause serious economic damage, and upend the lives of hundreds of military and civilian families that were counting on U.S Space Command staying at home in Colorado Springs as well as harm military readiness,' said Jared Polis, the Democrat governor, and Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera. SPACECOM was founded in 1985, mothballed in 2002 and revived 17 years later, in 2019 In a letter, Rep. Doug Lamborn of Colorado urged Biden to reverse the decision upon taking office, saying moving Space Command from Colorado would 'damage America's national security' at a time when Russia and China are actively competing with the U.S.'s space capabilities. Mo Brooks, congressman representing Alabama, said Barrett told him the decision was based 'solely on merit and the interests of national security.' Brooks suggested politics will be at play if the site gets moved back to Colorado under the new administration. 'Partisan politics should not play a role in national security. Time will tell what happens in a red state when the federal government is totally dominated by Democrats,' the Republican congressman said. Other finalists for the site were Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico; Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska; Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado; Port San Antonio in Texas; and Patrick Air Force Base in Brevard County, Florida. Thoses site will remain alternative locations until the final announcement. The US Commerce Department said Thursday it added Chinese National Overseas Oil Corporation ( CNOOC ) to a US economic blacklist, saying it had helped China intimidate neighbors in the South China Sea. The Commerce Department also said Chinese company Skyrizon was being added to the Military End-User (MEU) List for "its capability to develop, produce or maintain military items, such as military aircraft engines." The administration of President Donald Trump has ratcheted up tension with China in his final weeks in office. CNOOC and a legal representative of Skyrizon did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment. "Chinas reckless and belligerent actions in the South China Sea and its aggressive push to acquire sensitive intellectual property and technology for its militarization efforts are a threat to US national Security and the security of the international community," Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said. "CNOOC acts a bully for the Peoples Liberation Army to intimidate China's neighbors, and the Chinese military continues to benefit from government civil-military fusion policies for malign purposes," he said. The Commerce Department said China had been rapidly building artificial islands since 2013 "enabling the Communist Chinese Party's militarization of disputed outposts in the South China Sea to undermine the sovereign rights of US partners in the region." It said CNOOC has "repeatedly harassed and threatened offshore oil and gas exploration and extraction in the South China Sea, with the goal of driving up the political risk for interested foreign partners, including Vietnam." Ross said Skyrizon "A Chinese state-owned companyand its push to acquire and indigenize foreign military technologies pose a significant threat to US national security and foreign policy interests." This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Last month, a threat intelligence task force created by IBM Security X-Force uncovered a global phishing campaign targeting organisations associated with a COVID-19 cold chain. This component of the vaccine supply chain ensures the safe preservation of vaccines in temperature-controlled environments during their storage and transportation. The phishing attack worked like this: The adversary impersonated a business executive from Haier Biomedical, a member company of the COVID-19 vaccine supply chain and qualified supplier for the Gavi vaccine alliance's Cold Chain Equipment Optimisation Platform (CCEOP) programme. Disguised as this employee, the adversary sent phishing e-mails to organisations believed to be material support providers to meet transportation needs within the COVID-19 cold chain. In a blog later, Claire Zaboeva, Senior Strategic Cyber Threat Analyst at IBM, assessed that the purpose of this COVID-19 phishing campaign may have been to harvest credentials, possibly to gain future unauthorised access to corporate networks and sensitive information related to the COVID-19 vaccine distribution. The campaign started in September 2020 and spanned across six countries and targeted organisations likely associated with Gavi, the global vaccination alliance, and CCEOP programme. ALSO READ: Health ministry warns people against fake Co-WIN apps India is not among the list of these countries, but that does not mean the country's digital vaccine delivery and distribution (VDD) infrastructure - the backbone of its national level COVID-19 vaccination plan, is safe. The key to the success of the pan-India roll out of COVID-19 vaccination drive, scheduled to be launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 16, will be the cybersecurity framework India has readied, experts say. "The fears are not misplaced. In 2020, Indian firms' digital architecture has been put to the test by many hacker groups. Last month, IBM's cybersecurity arm notified the United States Department of Homeland about the possibility of a sophisticated state-sponsored attack on government organisations involved in vaccine delivery across the globe," says Supratim Chakraborty, Partner, Khaitan & Co. According to him, alongside these well-coordinated attacks,there have also been many instances of small groups or individuals looking to extract data or money from unsuspecting citizens and organisations through phishing and through malware attacks. "This has prompted firms across India to focus on onboarding specialised cyber security specialists or teams to guard against external attacks as well as internal leaks through unsuspecting employees," he says, adding that "the good news, however, is that these are not novel threats." ALSO READ: How does Co-WIN app for COVID-19 vaccination work? India also has an agency to deal with cyber security threats. The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), within the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, is mandated to strengthen India's security-related defence of the internet domain. GV Anand Bhushan, Partner at Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, says that the tensed situation with China and Pakistan last year had seen a sudden spike in the number of cyber-attacks. Going by the trend in the past, he sees a high possibility of attacks on the players involved in the VDD infrastructure manifested in the form of a ransomware attack, malware attack, phishing attack, an attempt to steal confidential information etc. He wants the government to ensure that an over-arching cybersecurity framework is implemented to prevent the occurrence of such attacks. "It is absolutely critical for the government to ensure, with the assistance of CERT-In, that it has a full proof Crisis Incident Response Plan in place that clearly lists down the strategy to be adopted in case of a cyber-security incident," he says. The CoWIN (Covid Vaccine Intelligence Work) App may also need to be shielded from cyber attacks. Ram Seethepalli, CEO, Cyberior by Europ Assistance India, points out that the entire ecosystem for CoWin was conceptualised by the Indian government in the last two to three months. ALSO READ: PM Modi to virtually roll out COVID-19 vaccination drive on Jan 16 "While it has not yet been rolled out for all the citizens, we expect the technology infrastructure to resemble that of our election voting systems. The AarogyaSetu app was a major success in terms of adoption, but being an information only app, the implications of cybersecurity lapses aren't as huge as it could be with CoWin. The technology rollout should have ideally begun along with physical inventory stock-taking as that would have given time to prepare for all situations and better readiness", Seethepalli says. According to Seethepalli, the robustness of the security framework around the platform deployed will depend a lot on the public-private partnerships that evolves in the coming days. "Due to the rapid requirement for prototyping and development, the responsibility lies on partners to ensure that no corners are cut and that the systems aren't susceptible to dangerous threats such as hacking from the foreign state and rogue actors that wish to target the data of citizens and also potentially disrupt the entire vaccination process," he says. Seethepalli points out that there are already many fake versions of the CoWIN app and the government has already warned the citizens against downloading them or sharing any information. "As a country with over a billion people, we mustn't be in a situation where the vaccinated citizens' data is not only hacked but also erased thus rendering a chunk of the population as unvaccinated. Another scenario of duplication could lead to the opening up of a huge black market for the vaccine. Pandemonium could ensue and may significantly derail the objective and the government's recovery efforts," he cautions. ALSO READ: What scientific papers on Bharat Biotech's Covaxin say While all experts have their own recommendations to make, IBM Security X-Force has some tips for organisations to increase their cyber readiness amidst the risks outlined in its blog: Campbell- impacted by Covid As we move into 2021, just-food continues to provide daily updates on how the Covid-19 pandemic is still affecting the world's packaged food sector and how the industry's executives see the market and consumer behaviour taking shape in the months ahead. Don't subscribe to just-food? Click here for a trial This article is now closed. These rolling updates built on our previous bulletins, published throughout 2020. Wednesday 10 March Campbell expecting sales slowdown as world emerges from lockdown US food giant Campbell Soup Co. has said it expects its full-year sales to fall as Covid vaccines lead to society opening up again. It is forecasting fiscal 2021 sales will fall between 3.5% and 2.5% as consumers gradually return to their pre-pandemic lives and, by leaving their homes more regularly, reduce their reliance on ready-to-eat soups and snacks. Reporting its Q2 results today (10 March), Campbell revealed that net sales rose 5.4% to US$2.28bn in the three months to 31 January, compared to the same period last year, but the company missed estimates of $2.30bn, partly because of declines in its foodservice segment due to the Covid lockdown. Adjusted EBIT was up 8%, year-on-year, to $393m. Mark Clouse, Campbell's president and CEO, said: "We delivered another quarter of strong results, with top-line growth in both segments - partly tempered by foodservice and supply constraints caused by Covid-19 - as well as continued growth in EBIT and EPS." Thursday 4 March Olymel's Alberta pork plant starts phased reopening Canadian pork and poultry processor Olymel said its Red Deer plant in Alberta province will resume slaughtering operations today (4 March) as it plans a phased reopening following a temporary 14-day closure due to a Covid outbreak. Cutting room operations will recommence on Friday, Olymel said in a statement, following inspections on Monday and Wednesday this week by Alberta Health Services (AHS), the Occupational Health and Safety authority (OHS), and the Environmental Public Health department. "AHS made several recommendations aimed at adjusting and reinforcing certain measures that were already in place and gave the green light to gradually resume operations," the company said. It added: "The employees that are needed to ensure that the gradual restarting of operations goes smoothly will be recalled in accordance with applicable collective agreement provisions. Since March 3, employee groups have been recalled to take part in training sessions covering all implemented health measures, adjustments and additions made to some of them, and the action plan developed for reopening. The training sessions also focus on the important role information plays in compliance with all the health measures that are in place at the plant." Olymel, which is majority-owned by the Sollio Cooperative Group, will continue to work closely with AHS and the OHS throughout the entire gradual reopening process." The processor said "most of the employees" who had Covid-19 have since recovered, while three "have unfortunately passed away". "Although 1,370 employees at the Red Deer plant have been tested since January 1, 2021, AHS experts will be on site when operations resume and will offer rapid testing to anyone who has not tested positive and wishes to be tested," Olymel said. -- Wednesday 3 March Two Hilton workers die from Covid after outbreak at UK seafood plant Two employees of UK-based Hilton Food Group have died after contracting Covid-19. The workers were employed within the company's Hilton Seafood division and were based at a processing facility in Grimsby in north-east England. -- B&G to invest in online operations following Covid sales surge US-based B&G Foods has said it plans to invest in its e-commerce operation this year to build on sales momentum achieved during the Covid lockdown period. Talking to analysts after the release of its full-year 2020 results, The Green Giant and Clabber Girl brands owner said online sales had grown substantially in 2020, CEO David Wenner said: "The great majority of our brands grew in fiscal 2020 substantially because of the dramatic effects of Covid on consumer buying and dining patterns. E-commerce was a growing driver of those trends and we invested during the year to follow consumers as they bought more through various online means and we saw sales through those means of buying grow and return. "Although, there's no precise way to measure this, using IRI and other data sources, we believe that our online sales grew by roughly 150%, albeit from a relatively modest base. We expect that trend to continue in 2021 and are investing further in building out our online presence and on marketing with various retailers on their site so that we can be at the forefront of this new way of selling." B&G's 2020 net sales were up 18.5% to US$1.97bn, while its adjusted EBITDA was up by 19.4% to $361.2m. UK government urges regular food industry Covid testing The UK government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has called on the country's food manufacturers to introduce regular Covid testing for asymptomatic employees. In a letter to food businesses signed by environment secretary George Eustice, it said: "We now have a roadmap to open up our communities and restart our lives, but we need to remain vigilant and continue to protect our sectors and the workforce as we go forward. "That means taking all necessary precautions to reduce the risk of transmitting the infection in the workplace." Defra has called on employers to adopt the government's workplace testing programme. "Providing the tests is quick and easy, and results are received rapidly. Employers should be aiming to test staff members twice each week," Eustice said in the letter. The programme of free tests is open to all employers of more than 50 staff and will run until 30 June but firms must register by 31 March. Tuesday 2 March Lindt & Sprungli forecasts sweeter sales in 2021 Covid-19 soured Lindt & Sprungli's sales in 2020 but the Swiss chocolate maker is expecting its top line to recover this year. The Lindor owner saw its sales fall more than 6% on an organic basis last year, with its retail business hit by lockdown-related closures and gift sales hampered by families being less able to get together. However, Lindt today (2 March) forecast a 6-8% rise in its organic sales in 2021. The upmarket chocolatier added it's "convinced that it will master the current economic downturn and emerge even stronger from this global crisis". In 2020, Lindt's sales fell 10.9% on a reported basis to CHF4.02bn (US$4.38bn), which equated to a 6.1% decline on an organic basis. The company's EBIT tumbled to CHF420.3m, contributing to a 37.5% slide in net income to CHF320.1m. Lindt's EBIT margin was 10.5% and the business today forecast that would return to 13-14% this year. During 2020, Lindt's online sales doubled to account for around 5% of its business. -- FrieslandCampina profits hit by Covid-19 Dutch dairy major FrieslandCampina said that the coronavirus pandemic has led to it recording a "significantly lower profit" in it full-year 2020 results. Announcing its results this morning, the dairy revealed its profit has declined by 71.6% year-on-year to EUR79m (US$95m). Revenue also declined, by 1.4% to EUR11.1bn. CEO Hein Schumacher said: "The direct and indirect impacts of the corona pandemic that really became evident within the company starting in March, overshadowed the excellent results in the first quarter. "FrieslandCampina's operating profit was hard hit by this." He added: "While there is light at the end of the tunnel now that vaccination programmes are getting underway throughout the world, for the next couple of months we are still totally immersed in the corona crisis. In the first half of 2021, the results will therefore still be under pressure." Monday 1 March Coming to the crunch during Covid-19 UK snack bars deep dive, part one On our analysis pages today, Andy Coyne takes a close look at the UK snack bar category and at how it has adapted to the unique trading conditions created by Covid lockdown restrictions. Many people have assumed the UK snack-bar category would have come under significant pressure over the last year as the on-the-go market has been hammered by the slump in mobility wrought by Covid-19, with a huge chunk of the population working from home, emptying city centres with their express supermarkets and meal-deal outlets. However, the stats suggest UK snack bar manufactures have adapted to change more successfully than was widely thought. -- Maple Leaf to relaunch plant-based brands after Q4 sales disappointment Canada's Maple Leaf Foods is planning to relaunch its Field Roast and Lightlife brands after seeing sales from its meat-free division slow while the company also pointed to the pandemic as a factor in the "category deceleration" it saw. Friday 26 February A2 Milk Co. has reacted to pressure on its sales in China, a key market for the New Zealand-based dairy and infant-formula business, and lowered its forecasts for annual sales. The changes to the forecasts came alongside half-year financial results that included a slide in sales and profits. In the first six months of the company's current financial year, revenue fell 16% to NZD677.4m (US$491m), with its EBITDA down 32.2% at NZD178.5m. A2 Milk Co.'s net profit after tax stood at NZD120m, versus NZD184.9m a year ago. A factor in the first-half results was, A2 Milk Co., said "challenges resulting from Covid-19 disruption experienced in the daigou/reseller channel with a flow on impact to the cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) channel". Wednesday 24 February Trident Seafoods resumes operations at Alaska facility US-based Trident Seafoods has resumed operations at its Akutan, Alaska, processing plant following a Covid outbreak-enforced temporary closure. The outbreak among its employees at the plant, which processes seafood such as crab and pollock, spurred a pause on operations on 21 January but now the facility is back up and running. Trident said surveillance testing, symptoms screenings, PPE and distancing protocols will remain in place. It added that additional measures are in place to support a swift response if Covid-19 risk is detected again in the future. These include a redesign of shift and break schedules to limit instances of close contact and capacity limits to allow distancing in all areas outside work stations. Stefanie Moreland, the company's VP of government relations, said: "The management team on site has been working to make sure these operational changes do not come as a surprise, and to ensure our employees know their safety is our priority." Monday 22 February UK food manufacturers respond to roadmap for easing lockdown After UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson this afternoon (22 February) set out the Government's "roadmap" for removing lockdown measures, the trade body representing food manufacturers in the country has given its response. A phased timetable includes a plan to allow hospitality venues to serve punters outside from 12 April at the earliest, the Government said. From 17 May at the earliest, indoor hospitality is slated to re-open. Hotels, as well as indoor entertainment venues such as cinemas, are also lined up to open again from this date. Next week, UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak will announce the country's Budget, which will include details on how the Government plans to support businesses and employees affected by the lockdown measures and the phased lifting of the restrictions. The measures announced today apply to England but the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are setting out similar plans. Ian Wright, the chief executive of The Food and Drink Federation, the association representing food and soft-drink manufacturers in the UK, said: "It is disappointing but wholly expected that the Prime Minister's roadmap shows no signs of taking account of any input from business. "For a great many of the food and drink manufacturers supplying the hospitality and food service sectors, a return to 'business as usual' seems an awful long way off. As such, it is only correct that the Chancellor outlines significant extensions to the furlough and credit insurance schemes as part of his Budget announcement next week. The food and drink industry is the UK's largest manufacturing sector. It will therefore be key to the country's economic recovery, with a footprint in every region. "Now is the time for government to provide additional support to ensure those businesses most at risk can play their part in putting the country back on its feet." -- Australian rice grower SunRice warns of possible sales pressure SunRice Group, an Australia-based rice grower, has warned disruption to shipping traffic linked to Covid-19 could impact its sales in the second half of the fiscal year, exacerbating what it says are already "difficult market conditions" driven by the pandemic. -- Olymel shifts production to US after Canada plant closure The Canada-based pork processor, which has had to temporarily close a factory after a Covid-19 outbreak among staff, has issued an update on the changes it has made to production. Olymel said its hog production division, which supplies the Red Deer plant in Alberta now closed, will "move a substantial amount of company-owned production" to the United States to create enough plant capacity. The company, majority-owned by Sollio Cooperative Group, made the comments in a statement framed as a "message to Alberta pork producers". It said: "The temporary shutdown of Olymel's hog slaughtering, cutting and deboning plant in Red Deer is affecting the many Albertans hog producers, including Olymel's company owned farms that ship market hogs to Red Deer on a weekly basis. The company understands the strain this has put on their operations as we estimate the backlog to be approximately 80-90,000 animals. The company has implemented several strategies to mitigate the impact as much as possible including a clear path to reducing the backlog as quickly as possible." The meatpacker added: "With the added capacity Olymel anticipates that the backlog of market ready hogs will be cleared up within 4-5 weeks after the plant is able to resume activities." Last week, Olymel said its hog slaughtering, cutting and deboning plant in Red Deer had seen "a resurgence of positive cases of Covid-19 among plant employees". Olymel said that, despite close collaboration with Alberta Health Services to deal with the problem, it believed the conditions meant it could not continue normal operations in a safe and efficient manner. The company, which has suspended all pending deliveries at the plant until further notice, has not said how many workers have been affected by the outbreak. 19 February Fazer assesses staff count again at Finnish candy plant Finland's Fazer Group is planning another round of potential lay-offs linked to Covid-19 at its confectionery plant in the city of Vantaa, located in the south of the country. 18 February US meal-kit firm Blue Apron sees sales soar during lockdown Blue Apron, the US meal-kit firm saw its year-on-year sales increase by 22% in Q4, 2020, to US$115m, partly as a result of stay-at-home consumers ordering its products during the Covid-19 lockdown. But the company has cautioned that growth levels may dip as lockdown restrictions ease. The fourth quarter marked the third consecutive quarter of double-digit year-on-year year increase in net revenue for the business. The company said that there have been changes in consumer behaviour due to the pandemic as customers ordered more frequently and added more meals per order. "Since late March 2020, Blue Apron has experienced increased demand for its meal kits reflecting, in part, changes to consumer behaviour in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to meet the increased demand, the company continued to focus on increasing capacity at its fulfilment centres, including hiring new employees, increasing wages for frontline workers, and temporarily reducing menu options, which limits the need to change production lines and allows for more time to pack meal kits," it said. But it added a note of caution. "Management continues to monitor the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the company's business, including changes to consumer behaviour relating to cooking at home. While the company believes that a portion of the increased demand it has experienced over the last few months can be sustained through the first half of 2021 and potentially beyond, this will likely occur at varying levels as the impact of the pandemic changes over time," it said. 16 February Canada's Olymel temporarily closes Alberta meat plant Canadian meatpacker Olymel has announced the temporary closure of its plant in Red Deer, Alberta, following a Covid outbreak The hog slaughtering, cutting and deboning plant has seen "a resurgence of positive cases of Covid-19 among plant employees", Olymel said in a statement. Olymel said that, despite close collaboration with Alberta Health Services to deal with the problem, it believes that the conditions are such that it cannot continue normal operations in a safe and efficient manner. After notifying the union, Olymel management drew up a temporary closing plan for an indefinite period. Over the next few days, plant management will mobilizs the staff necessary to cease operations and complete the facility closure as soon as possible. Olymel said it will strongly encourage all staff to get tested before returning to work. In the meantime, it will continue ongoing investigations to determine what may have caused such a large outbreak of Covid-19 cases since 20 January. Olymel, which has suspended all pending deliveries at the plant until further notice, has not said how many workers have been affected by the outbreak. 15 February JBS reveals 700 workers vaccinated at US plant Brazilian meat giant JBS has announced that 700 workers at its Beardstown, Illinois, pork production facility in the US have been vaccinated against Covid-19. In partnership with the Cass County Health Department, employees were vaccinated on site at the plant in what is understood to be the largest vaccination effort to date at a US red-meat facility. Bob Krebs, president, JBS USA Pork, said: "We remain committed to providing a safe working environment for our team members and doing all we can to ensure our workforce across the country is given the opportunity to be vaccinated as soon as possible. They have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to provide food for all Americans, and their access to the vaccine should absolutely be prioritised." Vaccination at the Beardstown facility is voluntary and all employees who choose to be vaccinated receive a US$100 incentive bonus. Vaccines were administered on site by trained third-party nurses and the second dose of the vaccine will be provided to Beardstown workers in March. -- 2 Sisters poultry plant in Devon comes down with cases again 2 Sisters Food Group's Willand plant in Devon, south-west England, has once again seen a number of cases of Covid-19 following a bout of infections at the same site last summer. The poultry-processing facility in the town of Cullompton, which employs around 1,000 workers, saw a cluster of cases emerge a few days ago. Local media reported workers as saying a testing centre had been set up in the car park of the plant. A spokesperson for the 2 Sisters' Cullompton site said in a statement provided to just-food: "Colleague safety remains the number one priority at our Willand site. "We are currently working closely with external agencies and are offering our colleagues the opportunity of voluntary Covid-19 testing. This testing opportunity further strengthens our Covid prevention measures, which have been in place for almost a year and are regularly independently assessed." 12 February US baker Flowers Foods sees sales going stale in 2021 Another major US-based food company is, perhaps unsurprisingly, cautioning its sales in 2021 may fall after pandemic-fuelled growth in 2020. Flowers Foods, one of the country's largest bakery businesses, has forecast a 2-4% decline in its sales in 2021 after a 6.4% rise last year, which was also helped by an extra selling week. As well as lapping a year when Covid-19 boosted at-home consumption, Ryals McMullian, Flowers' president and CEO, said other factors could also dampen sales. "Our guidance for fiscal 2021 incorporates our expectation of some mix reversion during the year as the impact of the pandemic dissipates, as well as the potential for a higher promotional environment, back-half commodity headwinds, and investment to implement our digital initiative. Partly offsetting those factors are expected benefits from our brand investments and continued savings from portfolio optimisation and operational efficiencies. We are investing in our business at a time when visibility may be more limited than normal, but it is clear that we are on the right path." Flowers, home to brands including Dave's Killer Bread and Tastykake, generated sales of $4.39bn in 2020. The company's net income fell 7.4% to $152.3m amid expenses linked to a pension-plan settlement. Income from operations stood at $321.5m, up from $225.4m in 2020. Expo West goes digital, while Expo East will go ahead in person in September Expo West, the annual organic food industry event normally held in March in Anaheim, California, will now be held virtually in May after the organisers decided against holding a physical gathering due to Covid-19. The event had been pushed back to May, but will now be held digitally instead from 24-27 May, Informa Market's New Hope Network, which organises the trade fair, said. Meanwhile, New Hope is promoting its "enhanced" Natural Products Expo East trade show as an opportunity for people to get together in person, designed to serve both Expo East and Expo West customers. It will be held from 22-25 September in Philadelphia. 11 February Kellogg expects dip in underlying sales in 2021 With lockdowns seeing most meals switch to being made and eaten indoors, breakfast-cereal giant Kellogg saw its sales rise in 2020 but the US group is forecasting a decline this year. The Corn Flakes and Coco Pops owner today (11 February) forecast its net sales would fall 1% on an organic basis in 2021, pointing to a comparison with "unusually-strong, Covid-related growth" last year. In 2020, Kellogg's net sales rose 6% in on an organic basis to US$13.8bn. Kellogg, home to brands including Pringles snacks and Eggo frozen waffles, said a 1% decline would still mean "a two-year compound annual growth of about 2.5%". The company also said it expects its adjusted operating profit to fall in 2021, forecasting a drop of around 2%, Again, Kellogg pointed to Covid-19 but also said the 2020 fiscal year had 53 weeks. In 2020, Kellogg's adjusted operating profit rose 2.6% to $1.81bn. The company made a net income of $1.25bn in the year to 2 January 2021, up from $960m 12 months earlier. 10 February Londoners leading surge in home delivery of snacks during lockdown - research New research has revealed a surge in the home delivery of snacks in London during the Covid lockdown period. Analysis firm The NPD Group's research showed that demand for home delivery of snacks and coffee in London was up by 95% in 2020 compared to the previous year. This is significantly ahead of the 11% increase in orders placed by families across the country as a whole. Dominic Allport, insights director (foodservice) at The NPD Group said: "The main reason is the greater use of delivery subscriptions such as Deliveroo Plus in the capital, where customers pay a flat monthly fee for unlimited free deliveries. "As these subscriptions become increasingly common across the country, we expect to see a growth in people ordering snacks and drinks to be delivered to their homes more regularly." The average amount spent per person on snack delivery increased by 20% nationally in 2020 vs. 2019 to reach GBP5.66. The number of items bought during each snacking occasion in London has increased significantly and is now +18% higher than the national average. Allport added: "Once lockdown is over, this trend is likely to remain embedded in the population." Danish Crown closes German slaughterhouse after 13 Covid infections Meat processor Danish Crown has closed a beef slaughterhouse in Germany for a week after 13 of the approximately 300 workers tested positive for Covid-19. The facility in the town of Husum, situated in the county of North Frisia near the border with Denmark, has been shut as a precautionary measure to prevent the further spread of the virus, a spokesperson for Danish Crown confirmed. Danish Crown plans to reopen the site on 14 February subject to prevailing conditions at the time. -- 8 February Covid cases identified at Cargill meat plant in Canada US agri-food giant Cargill has seen a small number of its employees at a meat plant in Canada test positive for Covid-19. Some six employees at the company's High River facility in Alberta have tested positive for the virus, Cargill told just-food. They are in isolation and receiving medical care and support. The High River facility, which employs more than 2,000 people, is continuing to function as normal. It is the second Covid outbreak at the plant. It was shut down for two weeks in April 2020 because of an outbreak that affected more than 350 of its workers and saw two employees die. In relation to the newly-announced Covid cases amongst its High River workforce, a Cargill spokesperson said: "We continue to learn how to help slow the spread of the virus and are working with Alberta Health Services (AHS) to add safety measures as they become available to safeguard our valued co-workers." 5 February 2 Sisters recruiting 500 workers as pandemic pushes up poultry demand 2 Sisters Food Group plans to hire hundreds of workers to meet growing demand for poultry products in the UK with consumers confined to the home due to the Covid-19 pandemic. With factories situated around the UK, 2 Sisters said it had hired approximately 800 workers over the past 12 months to across the entire business to cater to the increased demand. But Covid has also taken a toll, with a number of sites seeing staff test positive for the virus. 3 February Premium Brands-owned Belmont Meats shuts Toronto plant amid Covid outbreak Belmont Meats, a protein business owned by Canada's Premium Brands Holdings, has seen an outbreak of Covid-19 at its factory in Toronto. The Toronto Public Health agency said 78 cases of the virus have been confirmed at Belmont's North York site, a district in Toronto, and two of those workers have been identified as having the B.1.1.7 strain of the virus, a variant that first appeared in the UK. -- Baxters to close visitor centre and retail outlet in Scotland Baxters Food Group, the UK-based soups-to-condiments maker, plans to close its visitor centre, restaurant and retail outlet in Edinburgh, Scotland, as the pandemic curtails foot traffic across the hospitality sector. The Highland Village centre is located in the same village as Baxter's headquarters in Fochabers, Moray, in north-east Scotland. The site employs around 30 people, according to a media report, all of whom face the prospect of losing their jobs. 2 February Nestle seeking to help with Covid vaccine rollout Food giant Nestle is seeking ways to help with the Covid-19 vaccine programme in countries in which it operates. News agency Reuters reported the Switzerland-based company's chief executive Mark Schneider as saying that while it has already donated to the Red Cross and other organisations to help cover the financial cost of vaccination programmes, it wants to go further. Schneider told the Forum Horizon event in Lausanne: "We will also try to find ways to either sponsor the payment for the vaccine or sponsor the way it gets applied in communities where we are present. "The price of a vaccine for an advanced economy is negligible...but to a developing country which has been struggling already with all the impacts of Covid, on top of that to pay for the vaccine and for the services to get it applied is going to be very significant," he said. Reuters reported that the specific details of how Nestle will help still need to be worked out, according to Schneider, who described the project as a "work in progress". 1 February US Congress probing meatpackers over Covid deaths A US Congress panel is investigating three of the country's largest meatpacking businesses in relation to worker deaths at their facilities during the Covid-19 pandemic. -- Muller reports fatality at another UK plant Another UK plant owned by Germany headquartered dairy giant Muller has been affected by Covid-19. An employee at the facility run by Muller Milk & Ingredients in Droitwich, a town in the English Midlands county of Worcestershire, has died from the virus, although the staff member had been off work since 30 December due to a "personal matter", a company spokesperson confirmed in a statement. A further 26 workers are currently self isolating out of a total employee count in Droitwich of 607. "It is important to stress that fresh milk processing is highly automated, ensuring no risk to products," the statement read. 26 January Greencore's food-to-go revenues slide in Q1 amid lockdowns Greencore, a major supplier of food-to-go products to UK retailers, has reported an across-the-board drop in revenues for the group and its business units due to Covid-19-related restrictions. In a trading update this morning (26 January) for the first quarter to 25 December, the Ireland-based private-label manufacturer said reported group revenues fell 15% to GBP312.7m (US$425.9m) and were down 15.1% on a pro-forma basis, "impacted by the reduction in mobility arising from tiered restrictions and lockdowns in the UK". The food-to-go category saw reported and pro-forma revenues decline 21.7% to GBP188.5m, while other convenience foods fell 2.1% to GBP124.1m. "[The] latest lockdown significantly impacting demand in food-to-go categories, though not as marked as the initial lockdown in March 2020. Currently, pro-forma group revenue is approximately 20% below prior year levels, with performance in food-to-go categories down approximately 35% on [the] prior year, while other convenience categories remain stable," Greencore said. "The recovery in demand that was evident at the end of FY-20 was impeded by the tiered regional restrictions on mobility introduced across the UK in October, and then by a subsequent national lockdown until early December, followed by the implementation of tiered regional lockdowns." Greencore also provided an early assessment of the impact of a free trade deal reached between the UK and the EU on Christmas Eve. "The operational impact has been modest to date as the group had completed extensive Brexit planning and was well prepared for any near-term volatility in the supply chain. "The ongoing uncertainty regarding the duration and impact of Covid-19 on the group's trading environment, and in particular on demand in its food-to go-categories, continues to make it difficult to predict FY-21 performance. In this context, the group's financial guidance remains suspended." -- Chocolate maker Godiva to close North America retail outlets Chocolate maker Godiva, owned by Turkey's Yildiz Holding, plans to close or sell its 128 retail stores in the US and Canada after consumers switched to online purchases during the pandemic. "Demand for the in-person shopping experience offered through Godiva's brick-and-mortar locations has waned as a result of the pandemic and its acceleration of changes in consumers' shopping behaviour. In response to these market dynamics, Godiva will exit its 128 brick-and-mortar locations in North America, partially through sales and partially through closures, by the end of the first quarter," it said in a statement. However, Godiva's products will still be available online in those North American markets, along with grocery and drug stores and other retail outlets. Europe, the Middle East and China are not affected by t 25 January Food companies among UK Covid testing scheme Meat company Moy Park and sugar refiner Tate & Lyle Sugars are among what the UK says are "dozens" of employers in the country to have signed up to a scheme testing workers without symptoms who cannot work from home. Lateral flow tests are being used to see if staff have Covid-19 without realising they are carrying the virus. The UK government said around one in three infected people have no symptoms and may be unknowingly spreading the virus. More than 730,000 tests have been distributed across the UK public and private sectors so far. Frozen-food group Apetito and cheese-products maker Primula are also among the companies to have joined the scheme. Gerald Mason, senior vice president of Tate & Lyle Sugars, said: "Mass testing has really helped us get one step ahead of the virus by identifying colleagues who were infectious but showed no symptoms. This has been especially welcome over the last few weeks at our east London factories as the levels of virus in the local area have been extremely high." 22 January Trident Seafoods closes Akutan plant for three weeks Trident Seafoods, which claims to be the largest vertically-integrated seafood harvesting and processing company in North America, has had to temporarily close a plant in Alaska amid a number of Covid-19 infections. The first of four cases at the processing facility in Akutan became apparent last weekend with an employee testing positive, and the other infections were discovered when the worker's three room mates were tested. All four had tested negative for the virus two weeks earlier. In a statement issued yesterday (21 January), privately-owned Trident, headquartered in Seattle, Washington, said it will pause operations for three weeks while it undertakes "comprehensive" testing and to "support a preventative quarantine" for the 700 workers. -- JBS, Pilgrim's Pride offer US workers $100 vaccine incentive Meat packers JBS and Pilgrim's Pride are offering to give US employees a US$100 bonus if they voluntarily take a Covid-19 vaccine. "The new initiative is designed to encourage maximum participation in the Biden administration's accelerated pandemic response efforts and ensure that every JBS USA and Pilgrim's team member who wants to get vaccinated can do so as soon as vaccines are made available," the two companies said in a joint statement. JBS, headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil, is the majority-owner of US poultry processor Pilgrim's Pride. Both companies have, in the recent past, reported Covid-19 cases at their plants in the US and the UK. "With nearly 66,000 US team members, we are hopeful this initiative will lead to high vaccination participation rates that will benefit our workforce and the rural communities and cities in which they live and work across America," said Andre Nogueira, the CEO of JBS' US division. "Throughout the pandemic, JBS USA and Pilgrim's have adopted industry-leading measures to protect our essential frontline workers who continue to provide food for the nation. Our goal in offering this extra pay to our team members is to remove any barriers to vaccination and incentivise our team members to protect themselves, their families and their co-workers." China confirms first cases of Covid among meat workers - report China has reportedly detected its first cases of Covid-19 among meat workers, with ten confirmed cases at a poultry factory owned by Thailand's Charoen Pokphand Foods. The facility in question is located in Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang province in China's north-east region. Reuters reported from an official Chinese news briefing that a further 28 employees at the plant, along with three family members, were asymptomatic amid a wider community outbreak in the region. The news agency added that samples taken from inside the slaughterhouse, its cold storage area and the outside of product packaging earlier this week came up positive for the virus. Officials at Charoen Pokphand's Bangkok headquarters "made no immediate comment", Reuters said. 21 January Muller hit by Covid-19 infections at UK plant, worker dies Unternehmensgruppe Theo Muller, the Germany-headquartered dairy giant, has confirmed a slew of Covid-19 infections at one of its UK plants, along with the death of an employee. 20 January Trident Seafoods reports cases at Alaska plant Trident Seafoods, headquartered in Seattle, Washington, has reported four cases of Covid-19 at a processing plant in Akutan, Alaska, despite "rigorous preventative measures". CEO Joe Bundrant, the son of Trident's founder Chuck Bundrant, said in a statement: "Health and safety are our absolute priority. We have said from the beginning of this pandemic that if we have an issue, we're going to shed a light on it. We want to be sure people are aware and know that we are taking this very seriously." The first case became apparent last weekend with an employee testing positive, and the other infections were discovered when the worker's three room mates were tested. All four had tested negative for the virus two weeks earlier. One of the workers is currently in hospital, while the three others are self-isolating. Stefanie Moreland, Trident's vice president of government relations and sustainability, said the company is working to try and establish the source of the infections among the 700 staff at Akutan. "We have notified the state of Alaska, the city of Akutan and our medical partners and are coordinating with all to conduct further tests, implement protocols and contain exposure," Moreland said. 19 January Lindt & Sprungli annual sales drop on pandemic-related challenges Lindt & Sprungli, the premium chocolate maker based in Switzerland, has reported a 6.2% decline in annual organic sales to CHF4.02bn (US$4.53bn). The drop minus 10.9% on a reported basis - was put down to "major global challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic", namely the closure of its store network and reduced shopping visits, and also strength in the Swiss franc. Still, the decline in organic sales was within the company's expectations for a 5% to 7% decrease (Stifel -5.2%), while the company said it notched up market share gains in "practically all countries" in which Lindt & Sprungli operates. "The global restrictions and regulations to contain the pandemic unfortunately had an impact on important areas of Lindt & Sprungli's business. The restrictions on the foodservice area in North America and the traditional speciality stores in Italy had a major impact on sales. The travel retail business also recorded a sharp drop in sales due to the restricted air traffic," it said in a statement. Sales in Europe fell 2.9% on an organic basis and were down 6.8% in North America. It was worse in the rest of the world segment, where sales dropped 16.1%, although China and Japan posted growth. Lindt & Sprungli said the medium- and long-term organic growth targets remain unchanged at 5-7% per year, while the operating profit margin of 10% realised in 2020 is expected to "return to a level of around 15% in 2022". 18 January UK trade bodies lobby government to support foodservice suppliers A group of trade associations are pressing the UK government to provide financial support for food manufacturers supplying the out-of-home sector, warning they risk going out of business without some form of aid. The 18-strong group is led by the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) which have written a letter to Chancellor Rishi Sunak and other government ministers pointing out how pubs, restaurants and cafes have received extended financial support but the businesses that supply them have not. They are calling for an extension to the 12-month exemption period for local business rates for companies operating in the hospitality and foodservice sector and the introduction of capital and tax break allowances aimed at retaining staff. The group is also pressing the Government to formalise the deferment of PAYE and NI payments until the end of 2021 for the sector. And to increase the level of funding for the Additional Restrictions Grant and to make the funding accessible, along with providing grants for those companies that have had to dispose of stock because of lockdown restrictions. BFFF CEO Richard Harrow said: "England's national lockdown, plus restrictions in the UK's other nations, have been devastating for our many businesses supplying the hospitality and foodservice markets and they are facing a bleak winter. Their continued existence will be critical as the economy starts to recover." 14 January Bakkavor annual revenues decline on pandemic impact trading update Private-label fresh food supplier Bakkavor has said revenues fell in the fiscal year through December amid a new round of Covid-19-related lockdowns in the final quarter. In a trading update today, the London-based business said group revenues were down 4.9% on both a reported and like-for-like basis in the 12 months ended 26 December ahead of the final results on 16 March. The decline was more protracted in the UK, where like-for-like sales fell 5.3%. On the international front, revenues dropped 21.6% in China, which was the Bakkavor division "most severely impacted by the pandemic", offsetting a 12.7% increase in revenues in the US. Bakkavor currently anticipates adjusted EBITDA will be in line with the previous annual print of GBP138m (US$188.3m). CEO Agust Gudmundsson said: "Notwithstanding the ongoing impact of Covid-19, we have a sound business model and solid platform that leaves us well-placed to navigate the current environment and achieve long-term sustainable growth." 11 January Maple Leaf Foods to acquire facility for plant-based unit Greenleaf Canadian meat processor Maple Leaf Foods is set to purchase a production facility in the US for its plant-based unit Greenleaf Foods amid challenges to its expansion strategy in the country caused by Covid-19. 8 January Cases rise at 2 Sisters' Coupar Angus facility in Scotland 2 Sisters Food Group, a UK-based poultry processor, has seen the number of Covid-19 cases rise at its Coupar Angus facility in Scotland. Earlier this week, the company reported five infections amongst workers at the poultry plant in South Lanarkshire and now, according to NHS Tayside, the number has since climbed to 30. The same site had to be closed temporarily last August after a number of employees tested positive. A spokesperson for 2 Sisters said the company had nothing to add to the statement from NHS Tayside when contacted by just-food. Dr Emma Fletcher, a director of public health for Tayside NHS, said a "comprehensive risk assessment" has been conducted at the facility a noted the safety measures 2 Sisters has put in place to protect workers. "For several reasons the public should be reassured that it is possible for the factory to remain open at this time as we are in a very different position to when there were Covid-19 cases at the factory last August. The rate of community infection is much higher compared to August's outbreak," she said. "The factory is continuing to work closely with NHS Tayside's Public Health team and Food Standards Scotland to help manage the situation." 7 January BMPA urges UK government to prioritise meat workers for vaccines The British Meat Processors Association is urging the UK government to prioritise "frontline workers in meat factories" for the coronavirus vaccines. "The risk of more rapid spread of the virus amongst key workers, coupled with expected disruption of food supplies at our ports as the full effects of Brexit begin to unfold, pose a severe challenge to the industry and to the smooth running of the nation's food supply chain," the BMPA said in a statement today. As well as the meat industry, BMPA members also include some of the major UK supermarkets, food retailers and ingredient suppliers. It said there is an increased risk that meat plants could close as the new strain of coronavirus pushes up absenteeism rates, which could possibly lead to food shortages. "Given the specialised nature of the meat-processing industry, if absences go above a certain level, it becomes impossible for a plant to continue operations. If this starts happening, plants would be forced to close entirely and a sizeable chunk of food supply would disappear from supermarket shelves," it said. Nick Allen, the CEO of BMPA, continued: "As the new coronavirus variant takes hold across the whole of the UK, we are hearing widespread reports of rapidly rising absences in the food-supply chain. In some cases, notably in the supermarket sector, companies are seeing a tripling of staff having to take time off work through illness or enforced self-isolation. "We are therefore calling on Government to include meat-factory workers in the initial roll-out of vaccinations. This would provide much-needed protection and comfort to this at-risk group and the communities in which they live, as well as ensuring that the critical food-supply chain continues to run smoothly." 6 January Thai Union says all plants operating amid dozens of Covid cases The seafood giant has issued a statement to say it is "proactively testing" employees in a province south west of Bangkok and confirmed some 69 of its staff at its sites in the region have tested positive for the virus. Thai Union Group said it had tested 23,630 out of 27,552 employees in the province of Samut Sakhon, with the rest of the workers to be tested by next week. "We have comprehensive protocols in place in case of positive test results; these protocols include ensuring taking care of the affected employees while isolating them according to government guidelines, identifying and testing close contacts and deep cleaning of visited work areas," Thai Union CEO Thiraphong Chansiri said. "It is very important to note that, due to the extremely small number of impacted employees, all Thai Union's factories currently remain open and operational at capacity." Samut Sakhon province is one of the regions the Thai government has designated as a "red zone", or area with high infection rates. It is also Thailand's chief hub for seafood production. -- Foster Farms faces lawsuit from workers union over Covid-19 safety The US poultry processor, has become the subject of a lawsuit filed by the United Farm Workers union, which claims the company "refused" to follow safety guidelines after a number of workers died from Covid-19 at two of its plants in California. 5 January UK announces grants for retail, foodservice businesses The UK government has said it will make available "one-off, top-up grants" to the country's retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in the wake of the country's the fresh lockdown measures. Firms can apply for grants worth up to GBP9,000 (US$12,200), with the Government suggesting the cash will benefit more than 600,000 companies. "This will help businesses to get through the months ahead and crucially it will help sustain jobs, so workers can be ready to return when they are able to reopen," Rishi Sunak, the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, said. "Throughout the pandemic we've taken swift action to protect lives and livelihoods and today we're announcing a further cash injection to support businesses and jobs until the spring." The UK's furlough scheme had already been extended until the end of April. -- 2 Sisters plant operating "as normal" amid Covid cases The UK food manufacturer has reported a fresh clutch of positive cases of Covid-19 at a plant in Scotland that was hit by the virus during the summer. 2 Sisters said its Coupar Angus facility was "working as normal", with five of its staff having tested positive. Last August, the site, located in south Lanarkshire, halted production for two weeks to after a number of employees caught the virus. -- Cargill re-opens Covid-hit Canada plant The US agri-food giant has resumed production at a meat plant in Canada closed before Christmas due to dozens of cases of Covid-19 among staff. Cargill called a halt to output at the facility in Ontario in the week before the festive period. The company said at the time around 60 of its workers at the site in Guelph in Ontario had been diagnosed with Covid-19 amid a "community spread" of the virus. Approximately 1,000 staff are employed at the factory, which is located in the city of Guelph. According to the Cargill website, the plant processes 1,500 head of cattle per day and is one of its two beef facilities in Canada. Combined, the plants make up 55% of the beef processing market in Canada, Cargill says. "The health and safety of our employees continue to be our top priority," Cargill said in a statement on the re-opening of the factory. "In addition to safety measures we implemented at our facilities months ago, we have taken time during the idle to conduct a full, deep-clean of the facility as an additional step to respond to the community-wide impacts of the virus." Like food manufacturers across the industry, and particularly in the meat sector, Cargill saw its production affected in the early months of the pandemic after positive cases were diagnosed among staff. 4 January Nestle to expand US site to meet Covid demand Nestle is to up the production capacity of a plant in the US to meet changes in demand sparked by the virus. 23 December FDF calls for compensation for exporters following border "chaos" UK industry association The Food and Drink Federation has called on the country's government to compensate businesses affected by the closure of the border between Britain and France. 21 December "We see consumer behaviours evolving in ways we think will stick beyond the pandemic" General Mills' CEO Jeff Harmening on H1 results General Mills reaped rewards from Covid-19 shopping behaviours in its fiscal first half as organic growth notched up a print of 8% compared to last year's flat performance. And the benefits look set to continue judging by the emergence of a new strain of the virus in the UK and Italy, while the US still grapples to contain the disease. Simon Harvey looks at the key talking points behind the results. -- FDF warns of disrupted food supplies as France closes border with UK The Food and Drink Federation is warning that supplies of food into the country face disruption as a result of France closing its border with Britain. 18 December Cargill halts output at Canada meat site amid Covid-19 cases Cargill has called a halt to production at a meat-processing facility in Canada after dozens of staff tested positive for Covid-19. The US agri-food giant said around 60 of its workers at the site in Guelph in Ontario had been diagnosed with Covid-19 amid a "community spread" of the virus. Approximately 1,000 staff are employed at the factory. -- Tyson Foods in spotlight over Covid protective measures Following cases of Covid-19 at a number of Tyson Foods' meat plants since the virus erupted, the comptroller for New York City is calling on the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to investigate the company's methods to protect workers. Comptroller Scott Stringer has criticised Arkansas-headquartered Tyson of "flagrantly misrepresenting its poor pandemic response" to investors. He has called out Tyson's Form 10-K, a financial results document presented to the SEC annually, for containing scant information on the company's workplace safety measures. Tyson has been plagued by Covid-19 infections at a large number of plants, some of which have been forced to temporarily shutdown or pause production as the appropriate cleaning and sanitisation processes are carried out. The affected sites have included factories in: Portland, Maine; Waterloo, Iowa; Goodlettsville and Shelbyville, Tennessee; Pasco, Washington; Dakota City, Nebraska; and Longansport, Indiana. Six workers died from coronavirus at the Waterloo site, which witnessed more than a 1,000 infections. "There is human cost to Tyson's failures preventable deaths, hospitalisations and sick workers," Stringer said in a letter to Tyson. "These failures have material impacts on its business operations that carry serious risks for shareholders." Tyson has yet to respond to just-food's request for comment. 17 December Tyson Foods sacks seven managers linked to Covid-19 betting pool Tyson Foods has sacked seven plant management employees at the US meat giant's site in Waterloo, Iowa, following an independent probe into a betting pool linked to Covid-19 infections. 16 December Greencore's Nottingham factory hit by Covid Greencore, a food-to-go manufacturer headquartered in Ireland, has a "number" of Covid-19 cases at a UK plant in the county of Nottinghamshire. In a statement, the ready-meals to sandwiches maker said coronavirus infections in the Bassetlaw district in north Nottingham have been rising and Greencore now has an unspecified number of cases at its Manton Wood facility. All are currently self-isolating. "We have arranged for testing to be carried out at the site, and have wide-ranging social-distancing measures, stringent hygiene procedures and regular temperature checking in place," the statement read. "We are liaising closely with the Director of Public Health for Nottinghamshire County Council and Public Health England. Our thoughts are with all those affected, who are currently recovering at home, and we will continue to monitor their welfare as the situation develops." Jonathan Gribbin, a director of public health for Nottinghamshire County Council, added in the same statement provided by Greencore: "We have been carefully studying the cluster of cases across Bassetlaw district. We are working with Greencore and Public Health England to provide testing and to understand more about how people are acquiring the infection. Greencore has an extensive range of controls in place, has responded quickly and decisively to the situation and is working closely with us." Other Greencore sites have seen cases of Covid during the year. 15 December EU food-manufacturing workers "should be priority for vaccines" FoodDrinkEurope, the trade body for representing food manufacturers operating in the EU, has called on the bloc's member states to take up a recommendation from The European Commission to include workers in the agri-food sector as "a priority group" for vaccines against Covid-19. A joint statement issued with European trade union federation EFFAT said the Commission had provided guidelines to member states when developing their vaccination strategies and had included agriculture and food sector workers as one of six priority groups. "The approval and availability of vaccines against Covid-19 is a huge step forward in the fight against the global pandemic. Vaccinating the entire EU population will take significant time, and due to the limited number of doses available not everybody can be immunised immediately," the statement read. "Food security can only be ensured when the health and safety of the workers in the food and drink industry is protected and production can run smoothly. This holds true in the workplaces, as well as when considering a vaccination strategy." Quoting an unnamed German government source, Reuters said The European Medicines Agency is set to issue a positive verdict on the first Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine next Wednesday (23 December). 9 December Six new Covid cases confirmed at Bakkavor's Tilmanstone plant since Friday Bakkavor, a UK private-label supplier, has said its salads plant in south-east England where two workers have unfortunately died after contracting Covid-19 has seen a further six new cases since last Friday (4 December), although numbers are declining. A two-day mass-testing exercise was started at the Tilmanstone site in Kent on Monday (7 December) with 375 staff out of a workforce of "over 900" tested so far. In an update provided by Bakkavor yesterday afternoon, the company said 48 employees are now off work having tested positive, with another 44 self-isolating as a precautionary measure. The testing programme was due to end at midnight yesterday. The Tilmanstone plant is currently operating at "reduced capacity", the company said, although a spokesperson for the business told just-food it is "a temporary adjustment, [with] no impact on service levels". Bakkavor said in a statement: "As a business, we have fully followed PHE guidelines for the duration of the pandemic. We are currently working closely with Public Health England (PHE) South East and Kent County Council to monitor the situation and we will take whatever appropriate action is necessary to limit the spread of Covid-19 and to ensure that our staff on site are safe. We will follow PHE advice and, if and when further steps need to be taken, we will communicate any new developments." -- 4 December Bakkavor to test all staff at Covid-hit plant The UK private-label manufacturer is to test all staff working at a factory in south-east England for Covid-19 in the wake of two employees at the site dying after being diagnosed with the virus. After talks with local government and health officials this week, Bakkavor will start conducting the tests at the facility, located in Tilmanstone in Kent, on Monday. On the two members of staff who died, the company said: "We have sadly had two colleagues pass away following positive tests for Covid-19. These were valued members of our team and we are doing everything to support their families during this tragic time. At this early point in our investigation there is no evidence that either case was contracted in the workplace." More than 900 employees work at the factory, which manufactures salad products. Bakkavor said 59 staff that have tested positive for Covid-19 are off work and a further 54 are self-isolating as a precautionary measure. -- Survey reveals Covid, Brexit outlook for UK hospitality A UK business survey reveals Covid-19 has "wrecked confidence" among company chiefs in the hospitality industry, with the majority (82%) downbeat on prospects for the coming year. The poll by Manchester-based research consultancy CGA and Fourth, a provider of cloud-based cost control solutions to hospitality, shows the figure was up from 40% in a similar survey conducted in February. "Extended restrictions on trading and socialising over the autumn have led more than a quarter (27%) of multi-site business leaders to predict their groups will be unviable within the first six months of 2021 if current levels of support continue. Single-site businesses are at even greater risk of failure," the survey reveals. Looking at the impact on the hospitality sector when the Brexit transition period ends this month, the majority of company chiefs anticipate a hit to profits (65%) and increased costs on imports (80%). In terms of investment, the survey of 121 business leaders across management roles, reveals "widespread closures" are expected next year, with 38% having no plans to open new sites. "Substantial market churn, especially in London, where closures of offices, retail and tourist venues has hit footfall, can be expected," the researchers said. CGA's research and insight director Charlie Mitchell said: "As we near the end of hospitality's toughest year in memory, the bleak picture of the sector will come as little surprise. Suffocating restrictions across Britain will devastate trading in what should be businesses' busiest time of the year. "Leaders' optimism is at least rising from the rock bottom level of our last survey, and news of a vaccine is a reason for cautious hope of recovery in 2021. However, this week's Tier 2 restrictions in England and strict new limits in Wales could be fatal for smaller business in particular, making the case for more relaxed trading conditions and better government support even more urgent." 3 December Second Covid death reported at Bakkavor salad plant A second employee at a UK salad plant owned by private-label major Bakkavor has died after contracting Covid-19. -- PepsiCo 'temporarily closed US plant due to Covid outbreak' US food and beverages giant PepsiCo is reported to have temporarily closed a Frito-Lay snacks plant in its home market due to an outbreak of coronavirus. On Tuesday (1 December), media outlets in the US quoted Clark County officials as confirming 17 cases among employees at the plant in Vancouver, Washington State. Public health officials said the first worker tested positive on 29 October. PepsiCo confirmed in a statement emailed to local media that multiple employees had tested positive for the virus although it did not list a specific number. It described the decision to close the Vancouver plant as "a precautionary measure and in partnership with the Clark County Health Department". It said that the plant was being sanitised during the closure. Reports suggested the plant was closed from 25 November but was due to re-open on Tuesday evening. just-food has asked PepsiCo for an update on the situation at the plant. 1 December Union calls for mass testing at Bakkavor UK site after Covid outbreak The GMB trade union has called on private-label major Bakkavor to introduce mass Covid-19 testing at a salad facility in southern England after an outbreak of the virus among workers there. -- BRF plant hit by Covid outbreak cleared to resume exports to China A plant in southern Brazil operated by meat major BRF has been given the all-clear to resume exports to China following an earlier Covid-19 outbreak. BRF said on Monday (30 November) its Lajeado pork unit has been authorised to resume exports to China, according to a statement sent to news agency Reuters. The plant, which saw an outbreak of the virus among workers in May, employs about 3,000 people. The unit should resume exports over the coming days, the statement said. "After an inspection by the Chinese authorities, it was possible to prove the commitment that all of us at BRF have always had regarding the health and safety of our employees and our products," Reuters quoted BRF as saying. The news agency reported that least three other Brazilian meat factories remain blocked by China over coronavirus concerns, All are located in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul. BRF's Lajeado unit had been suspended by China since July. Workers manufacture partitions made from cardboard and chipboard material at TEC Business Solutions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Mississauga, Ont., on Wednesday, January 13, 2021. The company has made mask wearing and gloves mandatory along with providing hand sanitizing stations through out the factory. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette HALIFAX - On the factory floor, masks were optional. Until last month, workers at TEC Business Solutions's corrugated packaging plant in Mississauga, Ont. underwent a COVID-19 screening, had a temperature check and sanitized their hands but once inside and at their own stations, they could remove their masks. "It gets really warm in there and it can be hard to breathe with a mask," said Mike Prencipe, the chief operating officer at TEC Business Solutions. "We said if workers can physically distance, they can remove their masks." Then two shop workers tested positive for COVID-19, followed by two office employees. "Everyone around them had to quarantine," Prencipe said, noting that the bulk of the plants workforce had to stay home for two weeks. "Weve now made it our own policy that if youre in the plant, you have to wear a mask at all times." The small outbreak at the Ontario packaging plant illustrates how workplaces are emerging as a driving force in the second wave of the pandemic. A growing number of infections can be traced back to workplaces, including in manufacturing, warehouse and shipping facilities, according to Ontario data on active outbreaks by setting. More than 10,000 workers have contracted COVID-19 due to work-related exposures, statistics from the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board show. The province declared a second state of emergency Tuesday amid rising COVID-19 case counts and tightened rules around masks in workplaces among other measures. The more stringent regulations appear to address at least one of the problems potentially fuelling workplace infections the lack of clarity or consistency surrounding mask-wearing rules in workplaces. Across the country, each province and in some cases individual health units or workplace safety boards offer varying guidance on masks at work. Generally, any business or front office that is open to the public must enforce the use of masks. But the rules surrounding masks in private workplaces where physical distancing can be maintained are murkier, with each province taking a nuanced approach to COVID-19 safety measures. Its a patchwork that can be confusing. Multiple business operators say they want to stick to the rules and keep workers safe, but have found some of the regulations unclear. The "ambiguous" messaging around mask-wearing in the workplace prompted the office manager at TEC Business Solutions to repeatedly call public health over the last several months to ensure they were following rules, Prencipe said. "We wanted to follow the protocols and keep our employees safe," he said. "They told us we were taking the right precautions." Still, Prencipe made the call to tighten the mask rules in his workplace following the December outbreak, a move that Ontario appears to have followed. In response to the "alarming and exceptional circumstances," the province said individuals are now required to wear a mask or face covering in the indoor areas of businesses at all times. Ontario is also stepping up enforcement measures. Provincial workplace inspectors are expected to focus on areas of high transmission, including break rooms, and issue tickets to those not wearing a mask indoors. Indeed, Prencipe said the virus may have been spread in either the company's lunchroom or bathroom, spaces where both plant and office workers co-mingle. Yet other provinces continue to only require masks in workplaces where employees are interacting with the public, or if two meters of distance cannot be maintained between workers. In Nova Scotia, for example, the provincial mask requirement only applies to spaces the public has access to not private spaces. "We encourage business owners/employers to set their own policies for private spaces," Health Department spokeswoman Marla MacInnis said in an email. At a commercial machining and welding shop in the Halifax-area, workers arent required to wear masks. Sean MacPhee, president of Nova Scotia firms Techtronics Machine Works and Velocity Machining, said there is ample space between machines to physically distance. When one of his workers tested positive for COVID-19, he said he was worried others may have fallen ill. But no one else tested positive, and the COVID alert app suggested the worker was exposed outside of the workplace, MacPhee said. Still, he had to shut down a portion of his Dartmouth plant for two weeks and opted to continue paying his workers in quarantine so they wouldnt suffer financially over Christmas while waiting for federal support. "We were behind as it was because of the shortage of machinists," MacPhee said, "so it was certainly difficult." Dennis Darby, president and CEO of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, said its a blow for any company to have to shut down part of their operations for two weeks. While most manufacturers are trying to follow all the rules in their area, Darby said the bottom line is "its not zero risk." "There's a huge amount of stress on these companies because most of them are owner-operated and they want to do whats right. They want to protect their workers." Meanwhile, as workers return to his shop, MacPhee said they can wear a mask if they want but he wont "force anybody." "Were following guidelines and theres no mandate that says everyone has to wear a mask on the shop floor when theyre more than six feet apart," he said. "There's some ambiguity and some things are open to interpretation, but we're following all the province's rules." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 13, 2021. Credit: Nicole Matson, Climate Change Coalition of Door County, LNRP A new study co-authored by researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society's (WCS) Global Conservation Program and the University of British Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Forestry introduces a classification called Resistance-Resilience-Transformation (RRT) that enables the assessment of whether and to what extent a management shift toward transformative action is occurring in conservation. The team applied this classification to 104 climate adaptation projects funded by the WCS Climate Adaptation Fund over the past decade and found differential responses toward transformation over time and across ecosystems, with more transformative actions applied in forested ecosystems. The RRT classification addresses a continuum from actively resisting changesin order to maintain current or historical conditionsthrough accelerating ecological transitions through approaches such as translocating species to new areas. Results show a shift from more resistance-type actions to transformative ones in recent years. Most transformation-oriented projects involved translocation of trees or other plants, commonly in forest ecosystems, with exceptions including, for example, translocating seabird species to habitat where they may be more likely to survive. Other ecosystems with more transformative projects occurred in coastal aquatic and urban/suburban ecosystems. Unprecedented environmental changes such as increased frequency and severity of heatwaves, droughts, storms, heavy rainfalls, and wildfires, have degraded ecosystems, disturbed the economy, and led to the loss of lives and livelihoods. Conventional conservation strategies may be ineffective in dealing with changing environmental conditions: wildfires could decimate protected old-growth forests and endangered species, and coastal conservation easements could become inundated by rising seas. Novel conservation actions aimed specifically at helping ecosystems adapt to the mounting impacts of climate change contrast with approaches that aim to maintain current or historical conditions. Transformative actions, such as species translocation, were once more controversial than they are today; they are now increasingly highlighted as necessary components of conservation in an effort to implement projects that are more robust to future climates. However, few studies have systematically examined on-the-ground conservation adaptation projects to assess the extent to which such transformational adaptation actions are being implemented, through what approaches, and in what ecosystems. This study, published in Nature Communications Biology, assessed projects implemented within the United States but the authors see broader applications. "Our classification could be applied to a suite of conservation projects across the world to determine if a global shift in practice is occurring," said co-author Lauren Oakes, a Conservation Scientist at WCS and Adjunct Professor at Stanford University. Guillaume Peterson St-Laurent, the lead author and a postdoc at the University of British Columbia, says the team is interested in creating an online platform for tracking projects assessed with the new classification around the globe. "We hope to be working with international teams in the not-so-distant future as we envision this new tool could be applied to many different ecological scenarios," says Peterson St-Laurent. The interdisciplinary research team was supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and the study was conducted in partnership with the IUCN Species Survival Commission's Climate Change Specialist Group. Precautionary actions aimed at resistance or resiliencesuch as protecting intact ecosystemsare incredibly valuable in the suite of responses needed to address current and future climate change. But the authors suggest that degraded ecosystems or working landscapes may require more transformative actions and the public support to do so, in an effort to meet the shifting goals in a changing climate. This research provides evidence of a paradigm shift, as practitioners and funders move more in this critical direction. Explore further Could private investment finance conservation? More information: Guillaume Peterson St-Laurent et al, RRT (resistanceresiliencetransformation) typology reveals differential conservation approaches across ecosystems and time, Communications Biology (2021). Journal information: Communications Biology Guillaume Peterson St-Laurent et al, RRT (resistanceresiliencetransformation) typology reveals differential conservation approaches across ecosystems and time,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01556-2 Overseas travellers have been evacuated from a quarantine hotel after a laundry caught on fire. Guests at the Sudima Hotel in Rotorua, south of Auckland in New Zealand, fled the building at 1.05pm NZDT on Thursday after smoke was seen billowing from the roof. Three of the six blocks in the hotel were evacuated with the help of Managed Isolation and Quarantine workers, along with security and police. A MIQ spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia that authorities followed strict Covid-19 safety procedures to avoid the spread of the virus while removing quarantined guests from danger. Guests at the Sudima Hotel in Rotorua (pictured), south of Auckland in New Zealand, fled the building at 1.05pm on Thursday 'Strict infection prevention controls, developed by the Ministry of Health, [were] followed to manage the risks of spreading Covid-19,' she said. 'These protocols include use of PPE and masks and physical distancing rules.' A photographer told the New Zealand Herald he heard a roll call being taken behind white screens at the back of the hotel. Guests were slowly returned to their rooms throughout the afternoon. The blaze marked the second time in six months the Sudima Hotel (pictured) had a quarantine disaster The blaze marked the second time in six months the Sudima Hotel had a quarantine disaster. In September, a man who was supposed to be in isolation after flying to Rotorua from Brisbane escaped the facility through a security fence. He was found after half an hour, but the situation had authorities racing to find out where he went and who he came into contact with during that time. The man posed a low public health risk and tested negative for the virus three days after arriving in New Zealand. Authorities assured residents there would not be another quarantine escape. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Infinite Leap is pleased to name Nemours Children's Health System as its client for its Real-Time Location Technologies to strengthen operational effectiveness. Launched in August 2020, the Nemours Sidekick program aims to help Nemours' associates perform their work efficiently and effectively through the use of a Real-Time Location System (RTLS). Nemours Children's chose to brand their RTLS initiative as "Nemours Sidekick" to highlight that this technology tool is always there for staff when they need it and is helping them make a positive impact on the lives of their patients. "We worked in partnership with Infinite Leap to develop a multi-phase, multi-year strategy and implementation plan to fully leverage IoT technologies to help our staff to be more efficient, deliver the highest level of safety for our patients, and enable us to personalize their experience while on our campuses," said Bernie Rice, Enterprise Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Nemours Children's Health System. RTLS-enabled Temperature Monitoring, Asset Location, and Asset Management, powered by CenTrak, have been deployed at Nemours Children's Health flagship hospitals: Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando, Florida and Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware. The RTLS system provides real-time location and status for 6,000 pieces of mobile medical equipment and monitors over 1,000 temperature-controlled units, including low-temperature medical refrigerators. Infinite Leap was responsible for the installation and configuration of the RTLS system and will provide ongoing system maintenance to ensure optimum performance of the RTLS infrastructure. In addition, as part of the Managed Services Agreement, Infinite Leap will also provide RTLS program management guidance to assist Nemours Children's Health System with generating the greatest sustainable value from the program and executing on the organization's IoT strategy. "Working with hospitals is what we do, but it is always a special pleasure when we get to work with those who specialize in caring for children. It's always meaningful to help healthcare to use IoT to make things more efficient, reduce costs, and improve compliance, but it's doubly special when we can lend our experience to an organization, such as Nemours Children's, that raises the bar on caring for their pediatric patients, and spends the effort to make sure their staff has every advantage available for them to do so," said Mark Rheault, CEO and Founder of Infinite Leap. About Infinite Leap Infinite Leap is the premier healthcare solutions provider for Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, such as Real-Time Location Systems (RTLS). The company delivers industry leading patient and staff workflow software as well as end-to-end services from solution design and business planning to deployment, training, 24/7 support, and managed services. Infinite Leap has helped healthcare providers successfully implement hundreds of projects and dozens of unique use cases, including patient flow optimization, asset management, environmental monitoring, staff safety, wayfinding, and more. More information: www.infiniteleap.net. About Nemours Children's Health System Nemours is an internationally recognized children's health system that owns and operates the two free-standing children's hospitals: the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del., and Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando, Fla., along with outpatient facilities in five states, delivering pediatric primary, specialty and urgent care. Nemours also powers the world's most-visited website for information on the health of children and teens, KidsHealth.org, and offers on-demand, online video patient visits through Nemours CareConnect. Nemours ReadingBrightstart.org is a program dedicated to preventing reading failure in young children, grounded in Nemours' understanding that child health and learning are inextricably linked, and that reading level is a strong predictor of adult health. Established as The Nemours Foundation through the legacy and philanthropy of Alfred I. duPont, Nemours provides pediatric clinical care, research, education, advocacy and prevention programs to families in the communities it serves. Media Contact: Joanna Wyganowska 1-866-235-3940 [email protected] SOURCE Infinite Leap Related Links https://infiniteleap.net/ 1. Yes. The public must have assurances that ethical standards are met by everyone. 2. Yes. As long as an independent board hears the grievances, its a worthwhile idea. 3. No. The concept is too broad. It should be limited to the citys elected officials. 4. No. There are plenty of stipulations in place already. An ordinance is a waste of time. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say without seeing how it would be structured and applied. Vote View Results Post Malone donates sold-out Crocs to frontline workers Syracuse native Post Malone is donating 10,000 pairs of Crocs from his sold-out collaboration to frontline workers. Billboard reports Posty partnered with the nonprofit Musicians on Call to gift Duet Max Clog II shoes, his fifth sold-out line of Crocs, to staffers at 70 U.S. hospitals to thank them for their efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic. He also donated a pair to every student at his former high school in Grapevine, Texas, last month. Thank you @PostMalone for always giving back to your community! Your fellow @Grapevine_HS Mustangs are so proud of your success! #ThanksPosty #Posty pic.twitter.com/a71tqvEAAO Alex Fingers (@AlexFingers7) December 8, 2020 Vanilla Fudge bassist dies Deadline reports Tim Bogert, who was the bassist for 60s psychedelic rock band Vanilla Fudge, is dead at age 76. Carmine Appice, who was also his bandmate in Cactus and the Jeff Beck supergroup Beck, Bogert & Appice, confirmed Bogert died of cancer Wednesday. Bogert was considered one of the great rock bassists in the 60s and 70s, and later collaborated with artists like Bo Diddley, Bob Weir and Rick Derringer. He became a faculty member at the Musicians Institute, a music school in Hollywood, in 1981 and was recognized by the Hollywood Rock Hall of Fame in 1999. MORE BUZZ: Elizabeth Smart unmasked on The Masked Dancer ( E! SAG Awards postponed due to new Grammys date ( BB Foo Fighters release new song Waiting on a War ( RS Armie Hammer drops out of movie, slams vicious internet rumors ( E! Ryan Adams cleared of sexting underage fan in FBI investigation ( DM Miley Cyrus says she once climbed Hollywood landmark naked ( E! Buckaroo Banzai sequel coming as a novel ( SF Dua Lipa appears on cover of Rolling Stones February issue ( RS Election actress Jessica Campbell dies at 38 ( E! HBOs Insecure ending after season 5 ( Deadline Ray Fishers Cyborg removed from The Flash movie ( DM Riz Ahmed reveals he married novelist ( ET Survivor contestant Angie Jakusz dies at 40 ( E! Buzz is a daily roundup of entertainment news about movies, TV, music and celebrities. NEWS PROVIDED BY Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights Jan. 14, 2021 NEW YORK, Jan. 14, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- Catholic League president Bill Donohue comments on the American Civil Liberties Union's (ACLU) call for the impeachment of President Donald Trump: Over the weekend, on January 9th, the ACLU's board of directors met to discuss the impeachment of President Trump. On January 10th, it unanimously decided he must be impeached. It is one thing for politicians, pundits and newspapers to call for the impeachment of the president, quite another when an organization that claims to be the preeminent free speech institution in the nation agrees. Among its complaints against Trump, the ACLU cites "false statements" he has made. This is ironic given the false statements the Union itself makes in its impeachment resolution. It opens by saying the board of directors touts its "commitment to nonpartisanship." This is manifestly false. As I documented in two books published by Transaction Press, "The Politics of the ACLU" and "Twilight of Liberty: The Legacy of the ACLU," the Union has always been the legal arm of the liberal-left; it was never non-partisan. Moreover, it was neverfrom its founding in 1920a consistent free speech advocate. Indeed, a few years after it was founded it threatened a libel suit against a magazine when it published an article that merely criticized its alleged non-partisan record! The resolution also says that Trump "urg[ed] an unruly mob to riot." Similarly, the House impeachment resolution accuses the president of "inciting violence against the Government of the United States." Neither the ACLU resolution nor the one proferred by the House offers any proof of Trump's alleged incitement to riot. In both cases, they simply assert he has done so. Yet as I pointed out previously, and as constitutional scholars Alan Dershowitz and Jonathan Turley have said, it is flatly wrong to accuse the president of inciting a riot. He did no such thing. His speech may have been offensive, but it clearly fell within the parameters of protected speech. Referring to Trump's speech on January 6th, Dershowitz said on TV, "as much as I disapprove of it and many people disapprove of it on its merits, is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution. It comes within core political speech. And to impeach a president for having exercised his First Amendment rights would be dangerous to the Constitution. It would lie around like a loaded weapon ready to be used by either party against the other party." "Like many," Turley wrote, "I condemned that speech as it was still being given, calling it reckless and wrong. I also opposed challenges to electoral votes in Congress. However, Trump's speech does not meet the definition of incitement under the U.S. criminal code. Indeed, it would be considered protected speech by the Supreme Court." This is rich. The same ACLU that accuses Trump of making "false statements" is now falsely accusing him of fomenting a riot. "As a matter of organizational policy, the ACLU does not regularly call for the removal of public officials." That is what its impeachment resolution says. This is true. It is also true that it only does so when the public official is a Republican. The ACLU previously called for Trump to be impeached in 2019. In the 1970s, it called for the impeachment of President Richard Nixon following the Watergate revelations. The founder of the ACLU, Roger Baldwin (the current ACLU claims that he was only one of ten who founded the organizationanother false statement), labeled that decision "hysterical." "It's not in keeping with the Union's way of behaving, which is to go to the courts." Baldwin touched on something very important. So did some board members at the time. They argued that it was wrong for the ACLU to claim that Nixon was guilty. After all, an impeachment proceeding is not a trial. This alone should convince a principled civil liberties organization not to call for impeachment. But the ACLU is not driven by principle; it is driven by politics. Astonishingly, the ACLU even voted to deny Nixon the right to claim his First Amendment privilege against self-incrimination. As I wrote in "The Politics of the ACLU," this was "the first and only time in its history that the Union went on record advocating the suspension of civil liberties guarantees for any individual." We are living in one of the most dangerous times in American history, making the McCarthy era look positively innocent. This time those calling for sanctions against those whose views they abhor comprise a Who's Who of the Left. Adding to this spectacle, we now have the ACLU making accusations of guilt absent the kinds of civil liberties protections traditionally afforded the accused. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 18:53:11|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JUBA, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan and Sudan have reached a deal to increase oil production from the current 170,000 barrels per day (BPD) to 300,000 BPD within the next three years from 2021. Awow Daniel Chuang, South Sudan's Undersecretary of the Ministry of Petroleum said that they aim to increase production in the northern oil fields of the youngest nation which were disrupted by more than six years of conflict. "We have discussed issues related to the production increase because we know that the production has dropped and those challenges are technical in nature," Chuang told journalists in Juba on Wednesday evening after meeting with Hamid Suleiman Hamid, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Mining of Sudan. "The current production is between 165,000 to 170,000 BPD, but we want to increase it to 300,000 BPD within two to three years from 2021," Chuang disclosed. He acknowledged the challenge of meeting the target, adding that neighboring Sudan has the requisite capacity to help South Sudan to increase production and also address logistical challenges. "We hope that the steps that we will be taking to implement the resolutions of the meeting will take us to the next level where we will realize stable production and cooperation with Sudan," said Chuang. Suleiman said that his country wants to benefit from crude oil in South Sudan to operate the El Obeid oil refinery. The technical committee between the petroleum ministries of the two countries entered into three-day joint meetings in Juba to discuss ways of cooperation that would serve the interests of the peoples of the two countries. Suleiman said the agreement signed will strengthen bilateral relations focusing on oil production and investment to help mitigate economic shocks in the two countries. The two countries agreed to establish a joint company for seismic surveys, analysis and sharing of information. They also said they will open a coordination office to facilitate engagement between the two ministries of petroleum. Chuang said South Sudan is looking forward to benefiting from the Sudanese expertise in technical fields and training cadres by Sudanese oil experts. Enditem Tens of thousands of doses of Oxford University/AstraZeneca's Covid vaccine may be binned because of confusion over which bureaucratic rules to follow, doctors fear. As part of the mission to vaccinate 13million of the most vulnerable by mid-February and get the UK out of the endless cycle of lockdowns, medics will visit the homes of around 200,000 housebound Britons to administer the jabs. Guidance currently says they must take one vial of the vaccine which can contain up to ten doses to each home. After giving the injection, doctors involved in the roll out told MailOnline they would then have to throw away the remaining seven to nine doses because rules ban them from going door-to-door with leftover supply. They pointed to guidance from the Specialist Pharmacy Service which provides expert advice for Primary Care Networks, which are groups of GP surgeries that says: 'Partially used vials must not be onwardly transported (the vial contains no preservative and there is a risk of microbiological contamination if the vial is transported).' The Royal College of GPs says that doctors who are administering jabs and helping to organise the vaccine roll out should use the NHS's Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). But this 46-page document gives no details on whether opened vials can be moved between homes, only saying each must be used within six hours. The vial contains ready-to-go vaccine, with the lid simply needing to be punctured and the fluid put into a syringe before the doses are administered. The UK's medicines regulator which approved Oxford's vaccine on December 30 pointed MailOnline to NHS England when approached over which guidelines doctors should be following. They added it must be used within six hours and stored at between 2C and 25C (35.6F to 77F). NHS England insisted the Oxford vaccine could be moved between homes 'where necessary', providing it was used within six hours of being opened. The Government is aiming to get 13million Britons vaccinated by mid-February. But teams will have to travel to the homes of housebound members of society, and will possible be forced to discard doses. Pictured above is the vaccination centre in Birmingham. One doctor, from the Midlands, told MailOnline the SPS guidance has put a spanner in the works for the vaccine rollout in their area. The team are determined not to waste a single dose but say they will have no option but to dispose of leftover supplies because of the bureaucratic rules. The doctor who said they are yet to start binning doses because of difficulties around giving jabs to the housebound is now instead urging all housebound patients to find a way to travel to clinics where possible, such as through the help of family members. 'If they gave us a gazebo and chairs we could start vaccinating neighbours and people on the street,' a senior doctor involved in the roll out told MailOnline. They added that NHS England's claim made 'no difference' because 'we still have to follow [the guidance] and destroy doses because that's the guidance we have'. The SPS says online it provides guidance 'for commissioners, providers of NHS services and healthcare professionals in their day to day work'. SOP guidance also points doctors to the SPS for advice on how to administer doses of the vaccine when visiting the homes of housbound Britons. Under the section entitled 'Housebound residents: Delivery of vaccination' it reads: 'Preparation and administration of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine as per guidance in SPS.' The Government's plan for the largest vaccine roll out in British history says local vaccination services including GPs will be responsible for getting the vaccine to those who are housebound. 'They will also coordinate and deliver vaccination to people who are unable to attend a vaccination site, including visiting care homes, the homes of housebound individuals and other settings,' the 47-page document says. A man pictured receiving his vaccination at the centre in Stevenage, Hertfordshire Almost a quarter of a million people 240,000 aged 65 and over in England are unable to get out of their home, according to Age UK. It is not clear how many of these are 70 and over or in the vulnerable group, who are first in line to get the vaccine. Another 910,000 people in the same age bracket can't leave their home without assistance because of medical conditions including hip problems. A spokesman for NHS England said: 'The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is able to be transported between houses where necessary and subject to infection prevention and control procedures. 'This will enable those who are housebound to get vaccinated and after the vial has been punctured, the vaccine should be used as soon as practically possible, within six hours.' When contacted by MailOnline, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) pointed to its guidance stating: 'After first dose withdrawal, use the vial as soon as practically possible within six hours. Discard any unused vaccine.' It added: 'Final preparation of the product for administration is subject to NHS governance arrangements and standard operation procedures that ensure the safety, quality or efficacy of the product is not compromised.' FLINT, MI -- Former Flint Department of Public Works Director Howard Croft has become the second person charged this week with crimes tied to the citys water crisis. Genesee District Court records show Croft, who had responsibility for oversight of the Flint water system while the city was being run by emergency managers appointed by former Gov. Rick Snyder, was charged Wednesday, Jan. 13, with two counts of willful neglect of duty, misdemeanors punishable by up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine. In addition to Croft, Snyder was also charged Wednesday with neglect of duty, and Attorney General Dana Nessel and special prosecutors are expected to announce additional charges in an announcement at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 14. Earlier this week, Jamie White, the attorney representing Croft, confirmed he was told by prosecutors that his client would be among those charged in the investigation led by state Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. Croft was also charged in late 2016 with false pretenses and conspiracy to commit false pretenses in connection to the citys water emergency. A charge of involuntary manslaughter was later added before all charges against him and seven other former city and state officials were dismissed and the water crisis investigation restarted under Nessel. White said this week that there has been no credible evidence that Croft, 55, committed any crime while overseeing Flints aging water system. Most troubling is the process, or lack of due process, the prosecutors chose to pursue in this second prosecution, White said in a written statement. Croft was appointed by former Flint emergency manager Michael Brown to lead Flints DPW and served in that role from 2011 until November of 2015. 43 Top state officials arraigned on Flint water charges As director of the department, Croft had supervisory responsibility not only for the citys water and sewer systems but also parks and recreation, street maintenance, garbage collection, planning, fleet management, and economic development. Croft routinely defended the quality and safety of Flint water even as testing showed its quality was diminishing due to problems including low residual chlorine and elevated levels of lead, bacteria and chlorination byproducts. During his initial arraignment four years ago, he told former Genesee District Judge Nathaniel C. Perry III that he had no money or assets and requested a court-appointed attorney to represent him. White told MLive Tuesday, Jan. 12, that Croft was offered a deal following an adjourned preliminary exam in December 2018 to plead to a misdemeanor charge. He was to receive no jail and no probation if he agreed to the deal. Croft turned down the proposed plea deal because he never thought he did anything wrong, White said To me, that speaks volumes, he added. White also said that when the citys water source was switched to the Flint River, Croft and his family were drinking it, including his pregnant daughter. He said Croft took cues from others who advised him about the water quality. Howard believed what he was being presented by the professionals, that everything was OK, White said. In his letter of resignation from the city, Croft said he made every effort to serve with honesty, dignity and integrity. I am proud of the many accomplishments that I have been a part of over the years, including assisting in the development of a 50-year master plan, a multi-year capital improvement plan and a prioritized plan to deal with aging infrastructure, his resignation letter said. But others, including former Flint Mayor Dayne Walling have said Croft did not have the background and experience to manage the massive task of changing the citys water source and putting an aging water treatment plant into regular service for the first time in decades. Prior to treating Flint River water in parts of 2014 and 2015, Flint purchased pre-treated Lake Huron water from the city of Detroit. It was switched from the river back to that same Detroit water source in October 2015, after state government officials finally acknowledged the water crisis. Read more: Former Gov. Rick Snyder charged with willful neglect of duty in Flint water crisis Flint water crisis: Whos being charged and what were their roles AG Nessel to announce outcome of Flint water crisis criminal investigation Thursday Invitation to Investor Webinar Perth, Jan 14, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Torian Resources Limited ( ASX:TNR ) is pleased to provide an opportunity for shareholders, investors and the broader market to attend a live virtual presentation by Torian's Directors and Senior Management.The Company will present an outline of its current projects, exploration strategy and outlook.There will be an opportunity for attendees to ask questions of management.Event: Torian Resources Limited Investor Presentation WebinarPresenting: Paul Summers (Executive Chairman), Peretz Schapiro (Executive Director) and Claudio Sheriff-Zegers (Senior Geologist)Time: 1:00pm AEDT, Wednesday 27 January 2021Investors must register online to participate in this webinar by clicking on the registrations link below.Link to register:Questions may be submitted prior to the event to info@torianresources.com.auAbout Torian Resources Limited Torian Resources Ltd (ASX:TNR) is a gold exploration and development company with an extensive and strategic land holding comprising eight projects and over 400km2 of tenure in the Goldfields Region of Western Australia. Torian's flagship project, Zuleika, is located along the world-class Zuleika Shear. The Zuleika Shear is the fourth largest gold producing region in Australia and consistently produces some of the country's highest grade and lowest cost gold mines. Torian's Zuleika project lies north and partly along strike of several major gold deposits including Northern Star's (ASX:NST) 7.0Moz East Kundana Joint Venture and Evolutions (ASX:EVN) 1.8Moz Frogs Legs and White Foil deposits. Torian's other projects include the strategically located Mt Stirling and Malcolm Projects in the Leonora region (near Red 5's King of the Hills Project), where it recently completed updated Mineral Resource Estimates and preliminary scoping studies, and a suite of other projects in the Kalgoorlie region including Credo Well JV Zuleika JV, Bonnie Vale, Gibraltar and Mount Monger/Wombola. New Delhi/Ghaziabad, Jan 14 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday morning carried out raids at the premises of its own officers in Ghaziabad here, sources said. However, CBI officials remained tightlipped on the developments. According to agency sources, the raids are underway at the Shivalik Apartments in Ghaziabad in the premises of two to three officers in some cases of corruption. The sources, however, did not reveal the identity of the officers being raided by the agency sleuths. They said that one of the officers being raided is of Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy SP) rank besides others. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. IDFC FIRST Bank has launched ReachOutReachWithin, a digital campaign on mental health awareness, with an objective to mainstream conversations around mental well-being. The campaign aims to build awareness around the importance of mental health while also driving dialogue on bridging the gap in access to quality healthcare. As part of the campaign, the Bank has been driving conversations around mental health on social media and engaging experts in the field, who respond to queries on the subject. A dedicated web portal has been set up, which serves as a repository of expert views and discussions related to mental health https://reachoutreachwithin.in . The campaign will culminate in a two-day festival, https://reachoutreachwithin.in/festival-details/ Around 150 million people across India are in need of mental healthcare interventions, both short and long-term. About 46% of private-sector employees report extreme stress because of their work. Even though conversations around mental health have risen, experts are of the view that the subject needs more attention. The campaign #ReachOutReachWithin aims to inform, build awareness and open a dialogue in the space of mental health. In addition, the Bank has partnered with the Banyan Academy for Leadership in Mental Health as its knowledge partner to enhance capacity building for care-givers in the mental health space. As a part of the campaign, the Bank has published interactive social media posts across Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn that focus on mental health concerns. The Bank has also hosted discussions and interviews with prominent experts in the mental health space on its web portal. Experts include Dr. Harish Shetty, Psychiatrist and Mental Health Expert, LH Hiranandani Hospital; Dr. Aditya Gopinathan, Psychiatrist, Sushrut Hospital; Dr. Lakshmi Ravikanth, Psychologist, Co-dean, Banyan Academy for Leadership in Mental Health (BALM); Sonal Adlakhiya, Social Worker and Lead, Home-Again Maharashtra Chapter, The Banyan; Chitra Paul, Special Educator and Parent of a Child with Autism; and Sarbani Mallick, Founder and Managing Trustee, Biswa Gauri Charitable Trust. These experts have addressed challenges and myths pertaining to mental health and highlighted the need for community-peer support in achieving overall mental well-being. The ReachOutReachWithin campaign culminates in a mental health festival from January 16 to 17, 2021, which features workshops by experts involving the use of art, music, theatre and literature for mental wellness. Session details are as follows: - Doodling session by author and artist Adwaita Das - Self-awareness workshop by artist Swarali Marathe - A mime performance titled, My Imaginary Friend and I, by mental health influencer and founder-director of The Red Door, Reshma Valliappan. - Representation of mental health in literature by famous novelist, poet and short story writer, Jerry Pinto - Music for wellness workshop by Ananyaa Gaur, a Mumbai-based multi-disciplinary artist, music practitioner, facilitator and researcher, wrapping up the entire festival Commenting on the campaign, Rachana Iyer, Head CSR, IDFC FIRST Bank, said, The Covid-induced lockdown and the uncertainity thereafter, has impacted mental health across age groups and sectors. There is a need to go beyond medicine and follow a more holistic approach to mental health. We believe that the campaign will not only solve for some deep-rooted challenges but focus more on community-peer support, inclusion, accessibility and awareness to create significant impact on-ground. To be a part of the campaign and to register yourself for the festival click on the following link; https://reachoutreachwithin.in Buffalo, N.Y. More than 90 restaurants in the Buffalo area have won the first round in a legal challenge to Gov. Andrew Cuomos orange zone dining restrictions. State Supreme Court Justice Henry J. Nowak today granted the restaurants an injunction lifting the orange zone ban on indoor dining that took effect in Erie County in late November, the Buffalo News reported. The restaurants had argued the indoor dining ban was unfair, wasnt based on scientific evidence and cost them thousands and in some cases millions of dollars in lost revenues. Other parts of the state, including the city of Syracuse and parts of DeWitt, Solvay and Lyncourt, are also in orange zones, but todays ruling will have no immediate effect on them. The state is likely to appeal and the ruling in Erie County does not set a binding precedent elsewhere. Cuomo established the color-coded zone system in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus in areas with high positive tests rates (later adding hospital capacity as a another metric.) Across the state, restaurants and bars caught in the restrictive orange zones have argued they make no sense. Patrons can easily travel outside an orange zone to dine in, the restaurants say, and they say the state has presented no evidence that restaurants are a major source of Covid-19 spread. In the Erie County case, lawyers for the restaurants had used an argument made by restaurants in Syracuse and other parts of the state: In December, Cuomo presented a chart showing that restaurants and bars account for just 1.4% of cases, compared to 74% from household social gatherings. The restaurants are not causing the problem, the restaturants lawyer, Corey Hogan, said at a hearing in the Erie County case, according to the Buffalo News. Theres no proof anywhere that they are. But the state has countered that those numbers represent just a small sampling of cases from September to November in which the source of the spread can be traced. This court cannot find evidence that the state had a rational basis to designate portions of Erie County as an orange zone on Nov. 18, Nowak said in his written ruling today, according the Buffalo News. Nowak added that the restaurants have also demonstrated that the orange zone designation has caused loss of revenue, unemployment, potential foreclosure and hardship upon Erie County residents. Nowaks ruling also questioned the states argument that the 1.4% link to restaurants is not conclusive. While limitations with contract tracing casts doubt on the statistic relied upon by (the restaurants), it also undermines and inhibits the (state Department of Healths) ability to properly designate specific areas under the microcluster-strategy, which is premised upon the states ability to identify areas of infection on a block-by-block basis, Nowak wrote. Cuomo, meanwhile, last week admitted that the zones are problematic, but has not yet taken any steps to amend or lift them. A group of 37 restaurants in Buffalos orange zone filed the initial suit just before Christmas. They were later joined by others, bringing to the total near about 90, including at least one in Monroe County. They include small businesses and some better known operations in Erie County, including Duffs Famous Wings and Santoras Pizza Pub and Grill, both of which have multiple locations. In Syracuse, restaurants have been ramping up their challenge to the orange zone, but have not yet taken the step of filing a lawsuit. They have won backing from Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and several local members of the state Legislature. One local effort even involves sending a crate of oranges marked with the names of affected orange zone restaurants in Syracuse to Cuomos office. In the orange zones, restaurants are allowed to serve diners outside and offer takeout, but an increasing number in Syracuse have decided to shut down and wait for the zone restrictions to be lifted. The most recent to take that step is The Evergreen in Syracuses Hanover Square, which announced its temporary closing on Tuesday. Like some of our other friends and neighboring businesses, weve had to make the difficult decision to close... Posted by The Evergreen on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 RELATED: Helping hand: Restaurants outside CNY orange zone pitch in to aid those shut down inside Some Upstate NY restaurants reopen, defying orange zone restrictions Struggling CNY restaurant in a Cuomo orange zone: Its a losing battle here Don Cazentre write for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook. 2020 Census U.S. Census Director Steven Dillingham pauses as he listens to a question at a census news conference to urge Arizonans to participate in the nation's once-a-decade census population count Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, in Phoenix. Ending the 2020 census at the end of September instead of the end of October, could cost Florida and Montana congressional seats and result in Texas, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina losing $500 million in federal funding for healthcare for its neediest residents. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, Pool) President Donald Trump's effort to exclude people in the U.S. illegally from being counted in the process for divvying up congressional seats was dealt another blow Wednesday when the Census Bureau's director indefinitely halted an effort to gather data on the citizenship status of every U.S. resident. Bureau workers laboring to comply with the Trump order were instructed to 'stand down' and discontinue their data reviews," Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham said in a memo. A review indicated problems with the data that would require additional work, Dillingham said. Dillingham's memo came after the Office of Inspector General reported Tuesday that bureau workers were under significant pressure from two Trump political appointees, Nathaniel Cogley and Benjamin Overholt, to figure out who is in the U.S illegally, using federal and state administrative records. Bureau statisticians worried that any citizenship figures they were forced to produce would be incomplete, misinterpreted and tarnish the statistical agency's reputation, the inspector general said in a memo. Dillingham had set a Friday deadline for bureau statisticians to provide him a technical report on the effort, the inspector general's memo said, though Dillingham said in a response that the request had come from another bureau official. Trump two years ago ordered the Census Bureau to use administrative records to figure out who is in the country illegally after the Supreme Court blocked his administrations effort to put a citizenship question on the 2020 census questionnaire. Information about citizenship status could be used to implement another Trump order seeking to exclude people in the country illegally from the count used for divvying up congressional seats and Electoral College votes, as well as the annual distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal spending, among the states. An influential GOP adviser had advocated excluding them from the apportionment process in order to favor Republicans and non-Hispanic whites. Trumps unprecedented order on apportionment was challenged in more than a half-dozen lawsuits across the U.S., but the Supreme Court ruled last month that any challenge was premature. The ability to implement Trumps apportionment order is in jeopardy since the processing of the data is not scheduled to be done until early March because irregularities discovered during the numbers-crunching phase of the 2020 census need to be fixed, Trump administration attorneys said Monday. That revised deadline dealt another blow to the apportionment order because it is weeks after Trump leaves office and President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in Jan. 20. Biden has said he opposes the effort, and Dale Ho, director of the ACLUs Voting Rights Project, which had challenged the apportionment order, urged Biden on Wednesday to rescind it when he takes office. President Trump tried and failed throughout his entire presidency to weaponize the census for his attacks on immigrant communities," Ho said. It appears he has failed yet again." After the release of the inspector general's memo, a coalition of civil rights groups called for Dillingham's resignation, saying he was undermining the statistical agency's standards for data quality to comply with Trump's order, which was motivated by partisan objectives." We do not lightly come to the conclusion that he should resign, leaders of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, Asian Americans Advancing Justice and The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights said in a statement on Wednesday, before the director announced the halt to the citizenship effort. Dillinghams order to divert precious staff time away from producing the apportionment count and into producing data on citizens and noncitizens for political, partisan purposes is a betrayal of the mission of the Bureau." Census Bureau directors have five-year terms and Dillingham's tenure isn't done until the end of the year. The appointments of Cogley and Overholt last year were highly criticized by statisticians, academics and Democratic lawmakers, who worried they would politicize the once-a-decade census. Whistleblowers told the Office of Inspector General that the Census Bureau has not set rules for categorizing the citizenship status of U.S. residents. Bureau statisticians also do not fully understand the data since portions came from outside the bureau and they are worried incomplete data could be misinterpreted, they said. One senior Bureau employee went as far to say that this work is statistically indefensible," the inspector general's memo said. In his response, Dillingham said there was no pressure placed on bureau workers to comply with the presidential order. Presently, the Census Bureaus highest priority is to successfully complete 2020 Census data processing in order to produce a complete and accurate count for the nation," Dillingham said. ___ Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP. Boohoo says its sales are due to smash targets as the latest bout of lockdown restrictions sent profits soaring - despite being embroiled in controversy over claims it was using suppliers who exploited their workers. The online fashion retailer said group revenues jumped 40 per cent to 660.8 million on the back of strong Christmas and Black Friday sales. Its revenue growth is expected to be between 36 per cent and 38 per cent for the financial year to February - soaring ahead of the predicted 28 per cent to 32 per cent growth. The company's financial success follows a newly-published report claiming Boohoo is making 'excellent progress' to ensure its suppliers have suitable factory conditions after the exploitation scandal last year. Boohoo (file image, pictured) says its sales are due to smash targets as the latest bout of lockdown restrictions sent its sales soaring - despite being embroiled in controversy over claims it was using suppliers who exploited their workers The company's financial success follows a newly-published report claiming Boohoo is making 'excellent progress' to ensure its suppliers have have suitable factory conditions. Pictured: Workers at the Faiza Fashion factory in Leicester last year Following its supply chain scandal last year, Mahmud Kamani (pictured), founder and group executive chairman, commissioned a report which was carried out by Alison Levitt QC Boohoo was accused of using sweatshops in Leicester to produce cheap clothing during the Covid-19 pandemic. Behind Mr Boohoo: Indian-born billionaire who launched fast fashion firm from Manchester market stall The Indian-born founder of fast-fashion company Boohoo grew his Manchester market stall into a 2.6billion business. Before Boohoo shot onto the ever-growing fast fashion scene, its owner Mahmud Kamani, 55, sold handbags in traders' stall. He spotted the potential of internet sales and set up his online retailer in 2006 with the aim of delivering their own-branded fashion at rock bottom prices. It since became synonymous with the wildly popular, yet equally controversial, fast-fashion phenomenon. Its sales topped 850 million in 2019, propelling Mr Kamani to 131st place on The Sunday Times Rich List, with a family fortune of 1.16 billion. Mr Kamani's parents, who were originally from India, arrived in Manchester from Kenya in 1969 when his father was just two years old. The Kamanis were forced to flee to Britain by increasing unrest and draconian employment laws that favoured native Kenyans. Entrepreneurial Mahmud sold handbags on a market stall. He invested his money wisely in property and began a wholesale business, Pinstripe, sourcing garments from India. By the early 2000s, the company was selling 50 million-worth a year to high street brands such as Topshop and Primark, which led to Mahmud setting up the Boohoo brand in 2006. The company's growth quickly skyrocketed. PLT was founded by Mr Kamani's sons Adam and Umar in 2012 following the enormous success of their father's business and reported a turnover of 374million in 2018. By 2022, the company is forecast to be worth around 2.1billion. The Boohoo Group bought a 34 per cent stake in PLT for 269.8 million in May. Tatler named PLT co-founder Umar its eighth most eligible bachelor for 2019, alongside the Duke of Roxburghe and former One Direction star Harry Styles. His lifestyle is decidedly jet-set, with his contacts book brimming with A-list stars such as Jennifer Lopez, rapper P Diddy and actor Denzel Washington. His lifestyle is decidedly jet-set, with his contacts book brimming with A-list stars such as Jennifer Lopez, rapper P Diddy and actor Denzel Washington. Such is his self-belief that when he wanted to launch PLT in the US three years ago, he offered a six-figure sum to reality TV star Kylie Jenner, half-sister of Kim Kardashian, to appear in one of his 15 orange dresses. Advertisement Workers in a Leicester factory packing clothes destined for Boohoo were being paid far below the minimum wage. Undercover reporters also found the factory operating during the city's localised lockdown without social distancing measures in place. The scandal caused the firm's shares to plunge by 1.3 billion and prompted a wave of condemnation from politicians and members of the public. But the company appears to have bounced back as wide-spread lockdown rules saw non-essential shops shut and shoppers rush to buy online. It expects to make a profit of around 10 per cent of its total revenue, despite increased costs in the face of the pandemic. The company did warn that it expects 'higher distribution and administrative costs' to result in a small cost headwind, which it hopes to largely mitigate. Boohoo is also set to expand its warehouse capacity on the back of strong UK growth, with a new site for its Nasty Gal, Karen Millen, Coast, Oasis and Warehouse brands. It said the site, which is due to open in April, will create up to 1,000 new jobs. Following its supply chain scandal last year, Mahmud Kamani, founder and group executive chairman, commissioned a report which was carried out by Alison Levitt QC. The report found the firm had not intentionally profited from poor working conditions and low pay, and had committed no criminal offences - but it did identify 'many failings' and concluded Boohoo had not taken sufficient responsibility for those involved in producing its clothes. Boohoo said 64 companies have been removed from its UK supplier list as a result. Mr Kamani appointed Sir Brian Leveson, who chaired the public inquiry into the culture and practices of the press, to oversee Boohoo's so-called 'Agenda for Change' with the accountants KPMG tasked with independently tracking its progress. It has since published its first independent report by Sir Brian, which says Boohoo is making 'excellent progress' to put in pace Ms Levitt's recommendations. Mr Kamani said: 'I'm pleased to publish Sir Brian Leveson's first report today. 'I'm immensely proud of the speed with which our team has worked to effect change during such a challenging period for the group, and it's encouraging to see our progress acknowledged in the report.' John Lyttle, chief executive of Boohoo, said: 'I'm delighted with the group's performance over the peak trading period. 'Our team worked exceptionally hard in 2020 as we navigated the many challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic and the successful acquisition and integration of Oasis and Warehouse. 'Growth has been strong across our multi-brand platform and we have continued to grow our market share across all geographies. 'The group is in an excellent position entering 2021, which we expect to be another year of progress towards our goal of leading the fashion e-commerce market globally.' Boohoo was founded by Mr Kamani and his business partner Carol Kane in 2006. It has since become synonymous with the wildly popular, yet equally controversial, fast-fashion phenomenon. Its sales topped 850 million in 2019, propelling Mr Kamani to 131st place on The Sunday Times Rich List, with a family fortune of 1.16 billion. But the firm was plunged into crisis over allegations of substandard working conditions in its supply chain. An employee at Faiza Fashion - a factory which allegedly produced clothes for both Boohoo and Mr Kamani's sons' retailer Pretty Little Thing - told how the factory did not provided its workers with face masks or gloves. And The Sunday Times reported allegations that workers in a second factory, which makes clothes for Boohoo brand Nasty Gal, were being paid as little as 3.50 an hour and operating without social distancing measures in place. Boohoo.com - and its brand Nasty Gal - are renowned for affordable fashion, with crop top (left, example) going for as little as 4 in a sale, and dresses (right, example) as low as 8 Mr Kamani was only four when his Gujarati father Abdullah joined an exodus of Asians from Kenya where draconian employment laws prevented them from making a living. Pictured: Mahmud Kamani with his wife, parents and high-living children Following the allegations and the report by Ms Levitt, Boohoo founder Mr Kamani said: 'Never in all my years in business have I found things so tough. 'The business, my family and our team have been attacked and the thought that we could have been buying from suppliers that treated their people this way has kept me awake at night.' Mr Kamani added: 'We started as a small business and we grew. We're from the same roots as many of the people in our suppliers' factories. 'We're cut from the same cloth, if you like. Of course we don't want people to be hurt. It's unimaginable that we would purposefully set out to mistreat people.' Boohoo founder Mahmud Kamani, pictured right, alongside his son, didn't want to spoil his children, but helped them set up Pretty Little Thing Mr Kamani was only four when his Gujarati father Abdullah joined an exodus of Asians from Kenya where draconian employment laws prevented them from making a living. 'While his mother ran a small fabric shop, his father sold handbags and towels from a market stall. He said: 'Do I, hand on heart, believe we have knowingly treated workers badly absolutely not. My mother is an unassuming hard-working Indian immigrant. 'The idea I could treat someone, just like my mum, in the ways that our company has been accused of is just unthinkable. 'Our business has grown so quickly. 'At the start, Carol and I were all over every aspect of every decision that needed to be made, and we've been lucky enough to be incredibly successful. We've gone from a tiny team to employing around 6,000 people and owning nine great brands. 'If we are guilty of anything, then it's failing to realise we needed to put in more oversight and governance when dealing with suppliers. We didn't put in enough checks, we didn't put them in fast enough and things slipped along the way. It's my job now to make sure we fix them.' SAN FRANCISCONakedSword Originals has announced that the debut scene of its first release of 2021, I Love New York, is now available on NakedSword.com. Shot on location in the Big Apple, I Love New York was directed by awarded director Marc MacNamara, with the first episode starring Ricky Roman (in his NakedSword debut) along with Ty Mitchell. According to the company, in the first episode, roommates Roman and Mitchell head back to their apartment after a day out in the city. Back at home, Mitchell sneaks off to his room for some alone time with his butt plug. In the middle of stroking, Roman walks in on him jerking. After the initial shock, Roman jumps on the bed and goes straight to sucking Mitchell, and soon replaces Mitchell's buttplug with his tongue. Mitchell reciprocates orally, and when he is ready to be penetrated, he climbs on top of Roman and descends onto him. The roommates switch thru multiple positions before finishing on their sides. Director Marc MacNamara explained, "This series is like a love letter to New York City and to all of the passionate, dynamic, and powerful men that make their way through life in the city that never sleeps. What can I say? I Love New York!" Falcon/NakedSword President Tim Valenti stated, "Who doesn't love New York City and the men who live there? Marc did a terrific job capturing the energy of the city and the sexiness of some of the city's hottest guys in NakedSword's first series of the year. We are starting the year off strong and will follow up with many more original series this year." Fans can watch Roman and Mitchell kick off NakedSword Originals new series I Love New York with a bang only on NakedSword.com. A new episode will be released every week for the rest of the month. Bangladeshi refugee fled his country in 2011 and settled in Toulouse, France Local authorities issued an expulsion order but French courts overturned order Bordeaux Appeals Court heard pollution in Bangladeshi could kill the asthmatic A Bangladeshi refugee with asthma has avoided deportation from France after a court ruled that pollution in his native country would aggravate his condition and potentially kill him. The Court of Appeal of Bordeaux ruled last month that the 40-year-old asthmatic would face 'a worsening of his respiratory pathology due to air pollution' if he was deported to Bangladesh. ADVERTISEMENT Experts believe it could be the first case in the world where someone forced out of their home has won the right to settle in a new country, effectively on environmental grounds. The refugee's lawyer Ludovic Riviere told the Guardian: 'To my knowledge, this is the first time a French court has applied the environment as one of its criteria in such a case. 'It decided my client's life would be endangered by the air quality in Bangladesh.' The unnamed man fled persecution in Bangladesh and arrived in France in 2011, settling in Toulouse where he worked as a waiter before he was given a temporary residence permit as a foreign national requiring medical care. A Bangladeshi refugee with asthma has avoided deportation from France after a court ruled that pollution in his native country would aggravate his condition and potentially kill him. Pictured, a man crossing a dusty road in Dhaka, Bangladesh Smoke come out from kiln at brickfields in Dhaka, Bangladesh In 2017, doctors advising French immigration officials recommended his condition 'could be adequately treated in Bangladesh' for his asthma - and two years later local authorities issued an expulsion order. A lower court in Toulouse overturned the deportation order last June on grounds that the relevant drugs were not available in Bangladesh. But last month the Court of Appeal of Bordeaux went further by ruling that he could not be deported back to Bangladesh as the level of air pollution in his native country could kill him. Click here to resize this module Bangladesh is ranked by Yale and Columbia universities' Environmental Performance Index 179th out of 180 countries for air quality last year, with pollution an extremely high risk factor in the 572,600 deaths in the country caused by non-communicable disease in 2018. The Bordeaux Court heard that the drugs the man is receiving in France are not available in Bangladesh. ADVERTISEMENT IT also heard that the Bangladeshi health system can only provide the night-time ventilation equipment he needs for his sleep apnoea in hospital. The man's father had died after suffering an asthma attack, Mr Riviere told the court, and said that the refugee's respiratory capacity had increased from 58 per cent in 2013 to 70 per cent in 2018 while in France. Experts believe it is likely to be the first case in the world where someone forced out of their home has won the right to settle in a new country on environmental grounds. Above, Dhaka The lawyer said: 'For all these reasons, the court decided that sending my client back to his country would mean putting him at real risk of death. 'Respiratory failure as a result of an asthma attack would be almost inevitable.' The case could set a precedent for how similar cases will be handled in France, with Ottawa University law professor Thomas Burelli telling Vice World News it was the first time a court had accepted environmental concerns as a reason to side with a displaced person. It is not the first case where courts have considered environmental issues as reasons to migrate, after a London coroner last month ruled that air pollution was a cause of the death of Ella Kissi-Debrah, who had severe asthma. However, Imperial College scientist Dr Gary Fuller said that the French case was the first he was aware of where the environment had been cited by a court in an extradition hearing. ADVERTISEMENT 'The court has effectively declared that the environment - air pollution - meant it was unsafe to send this man back,' he told the Guardian. Good morning, Bay Area. Its Thursday, Jan. 14, and our Top 100 Restaurants list is changing. Heres what you need to know to start your day. Just one week after a violent pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, egged on by the presidents calls for them to fight like hell against legitimate election results, the U.S. House impeached President Trump for a second time on Wednesday. The article of impeachment charged him with incitement of insurrection over the deadly siege of the Capitol. Ten Republicans joined the Democratic majority in the House for the impeachment vote, including one of the 11 members of the California GOP delegation, Rep. David Valadao. So what now, with less than a week left in Trumps term? The Senate, which is currently led by Republicans and not set to resume full sessions until Jan. 19, will hold an impeachment trial and vote whether to convict Trump. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said in a statement he would not reconvene the Senate for an emergency session before then. Votes from two-thirds of the Senate are needed for a conviction, which would require 17 Republican senators to side with the Democrats. After a conviction, a vote could be held to prevent Trump from running from public office again. Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty Images More stories from the riots aftermath and the impeachment: GOPs Kevin McCarthy inches away from Trump even as he votes against impeachment, Joe Garofoli writes. Previously: Will Trumpism survive after Trump? Watch Californias McCarthy. East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell gets prominent role in Senate trial. Airbnb cancels all Washington D.C. area reservations during inauguration week. Key quotes from California lawmakers during impeachment debate. We tried to be very elegant Californians age 65 and older can start getting vaccinated right away after the state on Wednesday agreed to a major expansion to its coronavirus immunization efforts, partly in hopes of quelling a raging surge that continues to squeeze hospitals. But while some Bay Area counties began immunizing the new group immediately, other counties and health care providers said they will not be able to implement the new guidance until they receive more vaccine doses. Dr. Robert Wachter, chair of the UCSF Department of Medicine, said the states earlier plan to vaccinate narrowly defined groups based on risk of exposure and serious illness was well meaning, but overly complicated. Now, Wachter says, the state faces a new dilemma: A very, very large group of eligible people who are going to be clamoring for their vaccines. Read more. Where and when can you get your coronavirus vaccine? Start at the county level. A very abnormal Bay Area flu season. Charts show why the Sacramento area is ending its lockdown but the Bay Area is not. Remember how we got here: Tahoe region partially reopens, but travelers still discouraged from going. The best of Bay Area eating Santiago Mejia / The Chronicle Starting this year, the Top 100 is getting a lot lighter on its feet. As of this week, our Top Restaurants list will become the Top 25, a list of the most exceptional and delicious restaurants in the Bay Area. The Top 25 will also be updated quarterly, rather than once a year. It's our way to more quickly and accurately reflect the rapid and myriad ways in which our local food culture continues to change and evolve. Even with the reduced number, the Top 25 will aim to reflect a broad span of cuisines, price points and regions. For most people, dining out doesnt just mean saving up for that blow-out special occasion, especially now. And besides, in addition to the Top 25, food critic Soleil Ho has collected her top picks in a whole range of cuisines and categories. (Top Pizza, anyone?) You can find it all here. Around the Bay Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle The trees will bloom again: Vandalized cherry blossom trees in S.F. Japantown receive $30,000 in crowdfunding. Partial openings, full fees: San Francisco restaurants owners join wave of businesses suing the state and counties over permit fees. Controversial donation: Giants owner Charles Johnson, already under fire for contributions to right-wing groups, also gave to a congresswoman who is a QAnon sympathizer. Safer homes: After abuse reports, California approves $8 million for youth returning from troubled treatment programs. Burning up: California wildfires threaten years of progress fighting air pollution, study says. COYOTE: Margo St. James, the sex workers Joan of Arc, dies at 83. Borrowed funds: Audit finds state district attorney group misspent millions allocated for environmental cases. Williams Selyem: One of the most famous Pinot Noir producers from California is preparing to hand over control to one of the most famous Pinot Noir producers from France, Esther Mobley reports. About 500 Dreamers affected: Googles philanthrophic arm to pay DACA fees for hundreds as program faces legal threats. The beaches are not safe for anybody right now: Dangerous high surf conditions batter Bay Area coasts. Chronicle podcasts Stefani Reynolds/TNS In less than a week, Kamala Harris is set to become vice-president, making her the first Black woman and first South Asian to hold that office. Harris was raised in Berkeley by civil rights activists and became politically active during anti-apartheid protests at Howard University. Then she became a prosecutor, a district attorney and an attorney general before moving to the Senate, as one of the bodys most progressive members. Chronicled: Who Is Kamala Harris? is a six-part podcast series on Kamala Harris from Joe Garofoli and Tal Kopan. Through The Chronicles earliest coverage of Harris and interviews with those who were witness to her political rise, they look back at the making of a candidate and a vice president-elect. Listen here. Bay Briefing is written by Taylor Kate Brown, Anna Buchmann and Kellie Hwang and sent to readers email inboxes on weekday mornings. Sign up for the newsletter here, and contact the writers at taylor.brown@sfchronicle.com, anna.buchmann@sfchronicle.com, and kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com. "Despite business challenges, our appraisal division again posted meaningful growth, both in revenues and team additions. More importantly, our look into 2021 show indications of a significant uptick in our market."- HYPERAMS President Tom Pabst The HYPERAMS management team recently came together at the start of the new year to reflect on an unprecedented 2020, in which the COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered the auction, appraisal and liquidation industry landscape. Despite industry-wide challenges, the HYPERAMS team completed a number of high-profile projects throughout the year, creating value for its customers while keeping both its customers and employees health and safety top of mind. HYPERAMS, which has over 250 years of combined experience performing appraisals and liquidations in numerous market downturns and challenging environments, continued to offer its services throughout the entirety of the 2020 pandemic. The business was quick to leverage technology to provide a high level of client services remotely, including transitioning auctions from in-person to online platforms, scheduling inspections to increase social-distancing, providing asset videos, as well as conducting plant tours virtually where possible. HYPERAMS team members, many of whom have 20 to 30 years of experience, continued to monitor the rapidly changing markets, offering clients up-to-date information on current trends. 2020 certainly proved to be a crazy year, and one I am guessing we would all like to see in the rear-view mirror, said President Tom Pabst. I cant thank our team enough for all their efforts in this very difficult environment to do business. The health and safety of our customers and team members has been first and foremost on our minds, and that has taken a significant adjustment to the way we do business, and in our personal lives. Despite the challenges, our appraisal division again posted meaningful growth, both in revenues and team additions. More importantly, our look into 2021 show indications of a significant uptick in our market, with four auctions already on the calendar for January. I suspect that next years annual review will post quite an increase in activity over 2020. HYPERAMS started 2020 with a huge three-day auction of a major appliance manufacturer shuttered St. Cloud, Minnesota plant. The plant was over one million square feet in size with over a thousand separate lots for sale. "The number of quality assets available was substantial, and we were pleased with the significant buyer turnout," noted Senior Vice President Gene Arenson at the time. Despite being delayed out of an abundance of caution, HYPERAMS and its partners conducted a major sale of a printing and supplies company in mid-2020, which achieved better-than-anticipated results. HYPERAMS conducted a two-day online auction of a well-known kitchenware and cookware manufacturer in mid-2020, as well. Arenson noted that the auction was highly successful and achieved significant online turnout. In the second half of 2020, HYPERAMS continued to rise to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic by conducting four multi-phase auctions for one of the world's largest vertically integrated producers of hemp-derived CBD products. Assets included agricultural equipment and implements, as well as rolling stock, electrical and IT equipment, and several new multi-purpose silos. In addition to auctions, HYPERAMS completed several other projects, including numerous liquidation sales and, most notably, the turnkey sale of a Virginia-based manufacturer of wood pellets. HYPERAMS noted that the sale of the real estate and the machinery and equipment in-place as a turnkey operation to an end-user in the wood pellet industry resulted in the highest possible recovery for the client and the best outcome for the business employees. "Our comprehensive and aggressive marketing of this facility ultimately brought a very qualified buyer to the table and we were able to ink a deal before the plant was set to be auctioned off in pieces," said HYPERAMS Chief Financial Officer Bob Pabst. Other auctions conducted in 2020 included precision machine shops, landscaping and construction companies, and printers, among many others. While the pandemic cast uncertainty on virtually all industries, HYPERAMS appraisal division continued to provide clients with high-quality and timely valuation services. Dan Quirk, Managing Director of Valuations, Business Development, noted that "clients continue to express their appreciation for our large firm quality and industry experience while continuing to have a small firm client care ethos and price competitiveness. Quirk also noted that having an auction and liquidation team that works closely with appraisers has given clients access to real-world data throughout the pandemic and economic crisis. Furthermore, despite the pandemic's impact on the overall economy, HYPERAMS hired five new associates to support both appraisal and liquidation divisions in 2020, including a machinery and equipment appraiser, one inventory appraisal financial analyst, two appraisal writers, and a liquidation business development associate. In addition to transactions, the HYPERAMS team dedicated time to supporting others in the industries in which it operates. Arenson, Pabst, and Director of Business Development Kat Parker remained active in their leadership roles at the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the Turnaround Management Association, including planning socially distanced events and supporting its members. Parker (as treasurer) and Quirk (as committee member) also remained active in their roles at the Secured Finance Networks Midwest Chapter. Pabst and Parker were panel participants at several SFNET conferences this year, with a particular focus on challenges brought on by the pandemic, from maintaining client relationships to understanding the changing credit environment and due diligence efforts. Assistant Director of Auction Services Jake Josko continued to support the auction industry in his role as secretary of the Machinery Dealers National Associations Chicago Chapter, and will take over as chairman of the group in 2021. He also continued to serve as a national board member of the Association of Machinery and Equipment Appraisers. For more details on HYPERAMS auction, liquidation, and appraisal solutions, please visit http://www.HYPERAMS.com. About HYPERAMS, LLC HYPERAMS is a full-service auction, appraisal, retail liquidation, and reverse logistics firm. We specialize in assisting both distressed and healthy companies manage surplus assets by providing a complete asset disposition strategy. The Asset Disposition division focuses on investing in and monetizing assets through orderly liquidations and live and webcast auctions. The Appraisal division provides valuations of machinery & equipment and inventory in all industry verticals. HYPERAMS has performed thousands of appraisals, auctions, and store closings on behalf of financial institutions, restructuring professionals, private equity firms, and business owners. Our reputation is our best asset. A farm worker has been handed a suspended prison sentence after loose straw bales fell on to a cyclist, leaving him permanently brain damaged. Matthew Shapcott, from Silverton, pleaded guilty at Exeter Crown Court to causing serious injury by dangerous driving. In 2019, Shapcott loaded a trailer with straw bales and failed to secure them to the trailer, despite having ratchet straps in the vehicle. While driving along a road in Netherexe, near Exeter, one of the bales fell from the trailer striking a passing male cyclist who suffered significant, life changing injuries as a result. The 69-year-old man suffered a bleed on the brain and was in a coma for 13 days. He also sustained numerous other injuries including two fractures to his spine. According to doctors, he will never recover from the brain damage which has caused partial blindness. Shapcott was sentenced on Tuesday (12 January) to 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and 140 hours unpaid work. Devon and Cornwall Police Motor Patrol Constable, Hamilton-Schaschke said the victims quality of life and independence had been 'severely impaired'. This devastating incident was all entirely avoidable if Shapcott had simply secured the load," he added. Shapcotts lax attitude to what was a simple but essential safety measure has had a catastrophic impact upon the victim who has been robbed of what should have been a relaxing retirement. This incident should serve as a reminder to motorists to ensure they secure their loads, whatever it is they are transporting, wherever they are going, when travelling on public roads, so tragedies such as this are avoided. To the Editor: The Jan. 6 letter to the editor (Charter school funding not equitable) signed by six Schuylkill County school business managers is not just misleading, it is flat out wrong. The most important fact they failed to share is that students who attend public cyber charter schools, like Commonwealth Charter Academy, on average, receive 25% less funding than their peers who attend district-run schools. In reality, Pennsylvanias charter school funding formula creates an unequal, two-tier funding mechanism that treats public cyber charter school students as second-class citizens. All students should receive the same amount of funding regardless of what public school their family chooses. Lets consider some additional facts that the business managers left out. As of the 2018-19 school year, all Schuylkill County school districts combined spent a total of $291.4 million, of which $9.2 million, or 3.2%, accounted for students attending public cyber charter schools; however, these districts spent $37.3 million, or 13%, on pension costs. In addition, these districts amassed $53.4 million in reserve funds 18.3% of their budgets and nearly six times more than their cyber charter school spending. The largest cost driver for school districts is pension costs and school districts are using cyber charter schools as an excuse. School districts have complete control of how much they transfer to public cyber charter schools: Better serve families to meet the needs of their child. Contrary to what the business managers stated, Commonwealth Charter Academy under state and federal laws is both a public school and a nonprofit, 501 organization; CCA does not make a profit. It is disappointing and disheartening that they intentionally mislead the public into thinking public cyber charter schools are for-profit entities. While the business managers criticize cyber charter schools, their comments actually attack parents for exercising their right to send their child to the public school that will best serve their child. The fact is, CCA serves as a lifeline for thousands of students who have been ignored or failed by their local school district. Students dont have time to wait for school districts to get their act together, which is why parents step in and vote with their feet. Tim Eller Senior Vice President of Outreach and Government Relations Commonwealth Charter Academy Harrisburg Jubilant FoodWorks that operates the Dominos Pizza and Dunkin Donuts brands in India on Thursday said it has entered the list of top-100 companies in India by average market capitalization for the period between July to December 2020. Its ranking in 2017 was 229, Pratik Pota, Chief Executive Officer and Whole-time Director, Jubilant FoodWorks Limited, said via a tweet on Thursday, citing data from The Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI). Even on the BSE, the company that popularized the Dominos Pizza chain in Indiastarting its maiden outlet in New Delhi in 1996had a market cap of Rs36,694.65 crore on Thursday. Reliance Industries, followed by Tata Consultancy Services Ltd and private lender HDFC Bank Ltd are the top three stocks in BSE's listing of top 100 companies by market capitalization as of 14th January. Jubilant FoodWorks is the only food service company in the BSE ranking that sees other strong consumer-focused companies such as Hindustan Unilever Ltd, Titan Company Ltd. Indias food service market was severely impacted as the lockdown hit out-of-home consumption of prepared food. While home deliveries, that contribute significantly to Jubilant business, have been quick to recover, the dining-out market for the restaurant industry has been sluggish. However, investors have been bullish on the recovery in the food service market led by large, organized players and QSR chains with strong delivery networks such as McDonalds, KFC, Dominos, Pizza Hut etc. Smaller players, on the other hand, have also faced the brunt of the pandemic with permanent closures. More recently, Burger King made a strong debut on the stock markets with a listing turning the spotlight on a few but strong players in the organized food services market. More recently, Jubilant has firmed up its presence in the organized food services marketcapturing a bigger share in varied cuisines. In late December it announced an investment of 92 crore for an equity stake of 10.76% in Barbeque Nation Hospitality Ltd that runs the popular Barbeque Nation chain of restaurant. In mid December, it entered with a biryani brand Ekdum! In a BSE filing it said that it has opened three restaurants in Gurgaon for delivery, takeaway and dine-in under the new brand Ekdum! which will also serve breads and kebabs. The company also operates Chinese-cuisines restaurants under the Hongs Kitchen brand. Last year, it also rolled out a ready-to-cook range of sauces, gravies, and pastes under ChefBoss capitalizing on the growing trend of in-home cooking. In its September quarter earnings, Jubilant said that its sales momentum continued in October with revenues recovering to 96.2% of last year, driven by delivery channel growing by 16.3% and takeaway by 64.3%. The company had 1,264 Dominos restaurants as of 30th September, 2020 across 281 cities; apart from 26 Dunkin Donuts restaurants. The company also has the exclusive rights to develop and operate Dominos Pizza brand in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. A January report by Edelweiss Securities on Indias retail market said it expects a quarter-on-quarter recovery for Jubilant FoodWorks business driven by increasing in-home consumption and pick-up in delivery channels. However, the brokerage still expects revenues to dip by 4% in Q3FY21. For the year ended March 31, 2020, Jubilant FoodWorks reported full-year income at Rs3,954.60 crore. Abneesh Roy at Edelweiss Securities said that Jubilant FoodWorks remains one of the best run QSR (chains) with structural drivers for market share expansion and new growth drivers apart from pizza. The promoters of HT Media Ltd, which publishes Mint, and Jubilant FoodWorks are closely related. There are, however, no promoter cross-holdings. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. SAN DIEGO, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cortechs.ai is pleased to announce the appointment of its new vice president of sales, Josh Cohen. The new appointment follows the acquisition of sister company Healthlytix and a company rebrand from CorTechs Labs to Cortechs.ai. Cortechs.ai is a leader in AI applications in radiology with FDA-cleared products for improved detection of neurodegenerative disease and cancer. Josh brings over 12 years of proven commercial sales and leadership success. With expertise in business development and sales strategies in both large hospital health systems and outside the hospital space, Josh has a deep focus on integrated radiology solutions, informatics, and artificial intelligence to help healthcare providers deliver improved outcomes at a lower cost. Prior to joining Cortechs.ai, he served as the business manager of western North America at Philips Healthcare in the Precision Diagnosis sector. He has served as the regional vice president of sales at Shared Imaging and director of sales and marketing at Desert Valley Radiology. Notable achievements include over 500 million in total sales attainment, multiple sales performance awards, and graduating from Horizon's Leadership Program. "At Cortechs.ai, we are providing groundbreaking biomarker data in order to improve patient lives through better care pathways and accurate diagnoses," said Josh. "I can't imagine being in a better position than the one we're currently in, where we are helping patients live healthier and happier lives." "I am thrilled to welcome Josh to the Cortechs.ai team," said Chris Airriess, chief executive officer. "His mix of experience and past successes make him the perfect leader for our sales organization as we continue to enhance our current product offerings and expand our AI solutions portfolio for oncology and radiology in general. About Cortechs.ai Cortechs.ai is a leader in AI applications in radiology, using cutting-edge advances in medical imaging to revolutionize disease screening and early detection so patients can enjoy longer, healthier lives. The company develops and markets breakthrough medical device software that quantifies and tracks neurodegenerative diseases and assists in the detection of clinically significant cancer. Cortechs.ai's industry-leading brain imaging analysis provides radiologists, neurologists, oncologists, and clinical researchers worldwide with a convenient and cost-effective means to quantify brain structures to help assess neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, brain trauma, and brain development abnormalities. The company has FDA-cleared products for use in the diagnosis and follow up of neurodegenerative and traumatic brain conditions, as well as prostate cancer. Please visit www.cortechs.ai for further information and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. Contact: Travis Foegler Phone: +1 (619) 450-9094 Email: [email protected] Related Links Cortechs.ai SOURCE Cortechs.ai Lithgow's main street was lined with blue balloons as mourners gathered outside the Uniting Church to farewell "one of a kind" Senior Constable Kelly Foster who died in Wollangambe Canyon, in the Blue Mountains this month. Senior Constable Foster was an avid bushwalker who loved the outdoors. It was this love of the outdoors that took her on the canyoning trip on January 2. During the guided tour, the 39-year-old was sucked underwater as she tried to help Jennifer Qi, a 24-year-old international student who had been tipped off her inflatable lilo when it was swept into a whirlpool. Kelly Foster has been remembered as a loving daughter, sister, partner and friend. The two women had been feared drowned after a widespread search was suspended due to poor weather conditions. Their bodies were discovered the following morning when the search resumed. New Delhi: India Meteorological Department has claimed that the southwest monsoon is advancing into Maharashtra and West Bengal and a "good week" is ahead. The Met department's Director General K J Ramesh said monsoon is in an "active phase" and has reached Mumbai, Mahabaleshwar (in Maharashtra) and several parts of the Konkan region, apart from Bijapur district in north Karnataka. "There is also a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal and this will take the monsoon to several parts of West Bengal. "The coming week will be very good for the advance of monsoon on the western side and east India, Ramesh said. However, there will be no significant change in maximum temperatures over most part of the country during the next 24 hours and mercury is likely rise by 2-3 degrees Celcius over plains of northwest India thereafter. The IMD last week upgraded its initial monsoon forecast from 96 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA) to 98 per cent, which comes in the range of "normal" rainfall. The monsoon reached Kerala on May 30, two days ahead of its normal schedule." Favourable conditions are developing for further advance of southwest monsoon into some more parts of central Arabian Sea, Konkan, Madhya Maharashtra. "It is expected to advance to interior Karnataka and remaining parts of Rayalaseema, some parts of Telangana and some more parts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh, central and north Bay of Bengal, Tripura, Assam and Meghalaya and some more parts of West Bengal and Sikkim during next 2-3 days, the IMD said. It also predicted "heavy to very heavy rainfall" at isolated places over Assam and Meghalaya, Konkan and Goa and Coastal Karnataka tomorrow and "heavy" rains over West Bengal and Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram & Tripura, central Maharashtra, Marathwada and Kerala. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. MI:7 is currently the only big-budget studio production to have shot almost continuously as soon as initial restrictions were lifted in the UK in mid-2020. Tom Cruise, leading man and producer, plans to keep it that way, ensuring that filming wraps without further delay or incident.Prior to the winter holidays, audio of Cruise yelling at two staff members for not social-distancing on set (they were looking together at a camera monitor, inches apart) went viral. According to The Sun , when shooting resumes in the UK next week and then moves to Dubai, Cruise will have two robots patrolling the set. He paid for them out of pocket, apparently.The robots are really sophisticated and rather intimidating. Its like the Terminator only not as violent, says one unnamed production source.Before you die laughing, this isnt really what it seems. The tipster goes on to reveal that the robots will be taking staffs temperature and will even be able to perform on-the-spot tests, further minimizing chances of a delay due to an infection shutdown. So its not like Cruise is setting up his own reign of terror on the set of the movie, making sure that people stick to safety regulations.On a more serious note, with production coming back, fans will be treated to more behind-the-scenes content and Cruise stunts. So far, hes done everything from ramp jumps to riding on speeding trains and BASE jumping off a cliff on a motorcycle . The world needs to see what hes up to next as agent Ethan Hunt.As of the time of press, MI:7 is still scheduled for a November 2021 release, but that could change depending on the developments of the upcoming months. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 20:33:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HONG KONG, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Asia-Pacific countries kept on high alert on Thursday as Malaysia reported the highest daily spike of 3,337 new cases, bringing the national total to 147,855, while Indonesia launched its massive COVID-19 vaccination program. Malaysian Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that seven of the new cases are imported and 3,330 are local transmissions. Another 15 deaths have been reported, pushing the total deaths to 578. In Indonesia, the confirmed cases increased by 11,557 in the past 24 hours to 869,600, with the death toll adding by 295 to 25,246, the health ministry said. According to the ministry, 7,741 more patients were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recoveries from the coronavirus epidemic to 711,205. The country launched its massive COVID-19 vaccination program on Thursday, with health workers as the main priority group, a day after President Joko Widodo received the first shot developed by China's biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech. India's total tally rose to 10,512,093, as 16,946 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours, the latest data from the federal health ministry showed. According to the data, the death toll mounted to 151,727 as 198 COVID-19 patients died since Wednesday morning. There are still 213,603 active cases in the country, while 10,146,763 people have been discharged so far from hospitals after medical treatment. The Department of Health (DOH) of the Philippines reported 1,912 new confirmed cases, bringing the country's total tally to 494,605. The national death toll climbed to 9,739 after 40 more patients died, the DOH said. It added that 746 more patients recovered, raising the total number of recoveries to 459,252. The Philippines, which has about 110 million population, has tested over 6.72 million people since reporting its first infection in January last year. South Korea reported 524 more cases, raising the total number of infections to 70,728. Of the new cases, 131 were Seoul residents and 162 were people residing in Gyeonggi province. Twenty-eight were imported, lifting the combined figure to 5,842. Ten more deaths were confirmed, leaving the death toll at 1,195. The total fatality rate stood at 1.69 percent. A total of 1,136 more patients were discharged from quarantine after making full recovery, pulling up the combined number to 55,772. Thailand confirmed 271 new cases, mostly domestic, and two fatalities, said the Center for the COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) spokesman Taweesin Visanuyothin. Thursday's 271 cases included 259 domestic cases while 12 others involved those who had returned from abroad and tested positive in Thailand, Taweesin said. Thailand has so far confirmed 11,262 cases of infection, 9,050 of which were domestic ones while 2,212 others were imported, Taweesin said. Enditem Source: AP Swedish teenage environmental activist Greta Thunberg will appear on a postal stamp that will be issued Thursday in her native Sweden and is part of a series focusing on the environment. The motives on the stamps should reflect our time, where the environmental issue has been relevant and present for many years, not least through Greta Thunbergs strong voice, Swedens postal company Postnord said in a statement. One with Thunberg in her trademark yellow raincoat with her braid blowing in the wind and standing atop a hill, is part of a five-stamp series themed Valuable Nature. They cost 12 kronor ($1.40) each, are available as of Jan. 14 and are illustrated by Swedish artist Henning Trollback. Thunberg, who just turned 18, rose to prominence for weekly solo protests outside Swedens parliament in Stockholm that she started on Aug. 20, 2018. Students around the world soon began following her lead, staging regular large protests, and she was invited to speak to political and business leaders. The coronavirus outbreak has prevented the Fridays for Future movement that Thunberg inspired from holding its mass rallies in recent months, lowering its public profile. Her blunt words to presidents and prime ministers, peppered with scientific facts about the need to urgently cut greenhouse gas emissions, have won her praise and awards, but also criticism and even death threats. Appearing on a stamp means that a person is doing something extraordinary, said Kristina Olofsdotter, managing director for stamps at the postal company. Thunberg demands that lawmakers stick to the 2015 landmark Paris climate deal that asks both rich and poor countries to take action to curb the rise in global temperatures that is melting glaciers, raising sea levels and shifting rainfall patterns. It requires governments to present national plans to reduce emissions in order to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). The commander of the Texas National Guard has attempted to debunk a flyer posted on social media warning about a supposed Homeland Security Department plan to announce a two-week nationwide quarantine and mobilization of troops. The flyer, which has drawn rebukes from Guard organizations around the country, includes a government seal at the top and the words National Guard in red on the bottom, along with the U.S. flag. A warning that it was fake was on the Texas National Guards homepage Wednesday afternoon and Maj. Gen. Tracy Norris posted it on her Twitter account at 2:11 p.m., branding the document FALSE in large red letters. This flyer is circulating on social media and in public, please be aware, that it is fake and the information is untrue. Norris wrote. The Texas National Guard is the the nations largest, with about 21,000 soldiers and airmen. On ExpressNews.com: First woman to head Texas National Guard had a hero her mom The flyer said Homeland Security was preparing to call up National Guard troops and dispatch them across the U.S. along with first-responders. It said the department was preparing to announce a nationwide 2-week quarantine for all citizens. All businesses closed. Everyone at home. The flyer said the announcement would be made as soon as they have troops in place to help prevent looters and rioters and urged readers to stock up on a two week supply of everything. It also referred to the Stafford Act, which allows the president to issue disaster or emergency declarations that could provide federal assistance to states and localities in response to terror attack. On ExpressNews.com: Texas Guard to send troops to cities for possible postelection disturbances National Guard Association of the United States spokesman John Goheen said logos like those used in the fabricated flyer are easily made with commonly available software. People, he added, trust the National Guard and might believe a flyer like that if they see the organizations logo. They should question it and call their local Guard headquarters, Goheen said, and confirm it before you believe it. sigc@express-news.net Covid: Turkey, vaccination campaign begins First for health personnel and elderly, with Chinese vaccine (ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, JANUARY 14 - A large-scale Covid-19 vaccination campaign officially kicked off on Thursday in Turkey, where on Wednesday evening in a symbolic gesture the first doses were given to Health Minister Fahrettin Koca and some members of the country's technical-scientific committee. In this initial phase, the CoronaVac vaccine produced by the Chinese company Sinovac will be given to doctors and health workers, as well as nursing home residents and Turkish citizens over age 65. The Turkish government purchased 50 million doses in all, three million of which have already been delivered. The CoronaVac shot has mixed effectiveness rates based on the various countries that have tested it, ranging from 50.38% in Brazil to 91.25% in Turkey, and requires a second dose after 28 days. "Everyone must get the vaccine in order to get back to life as before," Koca said. "We completed the tests, the vaccine is sufficiently safe," he said. The Turkish government is in talks with Pfizer BioNTech to purchase an initial supply of 4.5 million doses of its vaccine. Since the start of the pandemic, Turkey has registered over 2.3 million cases of Covid-19 and 23,000 deaths.(ANSAmed). (ANSA). [January 13, 2021] Turkish Employers' Association of Metal Industries, MESS, and Silicon Valley's Plug and Play announce partnership to create a Mobility & IoT Innovation Hub in Istanbul, Turkey ISTANBUL, Jan. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The largest global innovation platform for startups and corporations from Silicon Valley, Plug and Play, is partnering with Turkish Employers' Association of Metal Industries, MESS in launching its newest location in Istanbul, Turkey. This office located at MEXT (MESS Technology Center) and designed and launched by MESS, will focus on connecting startups, corporations, and investors working on innovating the automotive, energy, logistics, steel and durable consumer goods industries. The innovation hub is scheduled to run its first official startup accelerator program in early 2021. "We have been building innovation platforms focused on mobility and IoT worldwide in locations such as Silicon Valley, Stuttgart, Detroit, Shanghai and Tokyo. With our startups, we can bring efficiency and cost savings in the automotive, manufacturing and logistics industries. Through this new operation here, we will be able to connect Istanbul to Silicon Valley, China, Singapore, Germany, and the rest of our global network, and continue to foster collaboration and innovation," said Saeed Amidi, Founder and CEO of Plug and Play. "Industries have been going through an incredible transformation with advancements in electrification, connected and autonomous vehicles, Industry 4.0, logistics and many more. Our partnership with MESS as a founding partner in Istanbul, which has 250 leading corporations as members, is a perfect example of how big organizations are taking the necessary steps to embrace the changes and find technology outside." "As the largest employers association of Turkey, digitalization of the Turkish manufacturing industry is our key priority. We have to benefit from the opportunities of 4th industrial revolution and prepare our member companies to the disruptive competition it brings. This could be best achieved through open innovation and corporate entrepreneurship. After our MEXT (MESS Technology Center) and World Economic Forum's Center for 4th Industrial Revolution projects, in cooperation with Plug and Play, we are creating a unique ecosystem in Istanbul where our members, startups and investors interact with each other for open innovation and global business development" said Ozgur Burak Akkol, Chairman of the Board of MESS. "We are bringing a truly global platform to Istanbul. While our members will have the opportunity work with the best start-ups, new entrepreneurs will have ready client at MEXT where they can test their products. Investor community will select the best start-ups with proven track record and highr return of investment. This ecosystem will boost Turkish startup ecosystem. I invite startups to engage with Plug and Play Istanbul platform to meet our 250 members as well as investor community" he added. Underlying the position of Istanbul between Europe and Asia, Akkol stated that Plug and Play Istanbul Platform aimed to make Istanbul as the new regional hub for entrepreneurship and innovation. "While Istanbul is among the Top 100 Emerging Ecosystem Ranking, we want Istanbul to be among Top 30 Global Startup Ecosystems" he further added. Plug and Play's accelerator program will identify up to 20 companies to participate in two cohorts annually. The focus will be on Smart and Digitally Connected Factory, AI Production Optimization, Intelligent Factory Automation, Smart Tracking & Supply Chain Monitoring, Advancing Connected and Autonomous Driving, Supply Chain Optimization, Sensor Technologies, Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning. Our platform in Istanbul will offer business development, mentorship, and networking opportunities for startups, investors, and relevant industry corporations. "Launching our journey in Istanbul has been one of my biggest dreams since I joined Plug and Play four years ago. Our vision to put Istanbul on the global map as an innovation hub has found its match with the MESS leadership. Our office is located at MEXT Technology Center, which is Turkey's largest, the most innovative, and state of art technology center. Our partner will bring their network of the largest corporations in Turkey work with our global startups find new business and investment opportunities, and connecting the key stakeholders and industry experts will bring new ideas in a location ripe for disruption," said Omer Gozen, Senior Vice President at Plug and Play. Corporations, startups, investors, and other industry leaders interested in Plug and Play Istanbul please visit the website to learn more and speak to our experts: www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/istanbul/ About Plug and Play Plug and Play is a global innovation platform. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we have built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services and an in-house VC to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before. Since inception in 2006, our programs have expanded worldwide to include a presence in over 35 locations globally giving startups the necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond. With over 40,000 startups and 400 official corporate partners, we have created the ultimate startup ecosystem in many industries. Companies in our community have raised over $9 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Danger, Rappi, Dropbox, Honey, (Sound) Hound, Lending Club and PayPal. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/ About Turkey's Employers Association of Metal Industries (MESS) Turkish Employers' Association of Metal Industries (MESS) represents Turkish metal sector and was established in 1959 in Istanbul as the first employers' union of the industry. MESS works for the advancement of industrial relations through constructive dialogue and knowledge sharing. MESS represents 249 firms serving the main and supply industries in automotive, iron, steel casting, and durable goods. These firms include many global brands such as Bosch, Ford, ABB, Mercedes, Fiat, and MAN. Total contribution of its members to local economy is more than 60 billion USD. They directly employ 185 thousand people. As an unconventional employer association, MESS positioned it's beyond the classical mandate of an employer's union. Shaping the way for industrial relations and the business life, MESS aims to ensure sustained peace and harmony at the workplace for the benefit of its members and their employees, contribute to the growth of national economy and industrial output, and provide services based on mutual confidence and dialogue. For further details about MESS, visit www.mess.org.tr About MEXT (MESS Technology Center) MEXT is Turkey's largest, the most innovative, state of art technology center and it is the world's largest digital transformation & competence development center. Within its vision to support its members along their digital transformation journeys towards Industry 4.0, Turkish Employers' Association of Metal Industries (MESS) developed an ecosystem made up of more than 30 globally recognized technology providers, universities, and institutions to put MEXT into practice. Built on 8.000 square meters in Istanbul, MEXT provides its visitors with a model factory, showcases, a training area, office spaces, a co-working space with ecosystem players, a conference center and many more. For further details about MEXT, visit https://www.mext.org.tr/ View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/turkish-employers-association-of-metal-industries-mess-and-silicon-valleys-plug-and-play-announce-partnership-to-create-a-mobility--iot-innovation-hub-in-istanbul-turkey-301207743.html SOURCE Plug and Play [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. California officials released the Greater Sacramento region from strict stay-at-home orders this week, even though the 13-county area falls far short of the states benchmark of at least 15% ICU availability. While that key 15% mark is what sent four of the states five regions into lockdown in December, the criteria for lifting the strict health orders are a bit more complicated. State and county health officials say the decision is based not on the current moment, but on data forecasts of ICU availability. Orders can be lifted when a regions available ICU capacity is projected to meet or exceed 15% within four weeks. Counties in that region then return to one of the four tiers in the states color-coded reopening system, based on their individual coronavirus case rates and other key indicators. Thats why people from Davis to Tahoe can now dine outdoors and go get a haircut again but Bay Area residents are unlikely to do so in the near future. California Department of Public Health The Greater Sacramento regions available ICU capacity is currently under 10%, but the states data models project it will hit 19% in the coming weeks. Officials announced Tuesday that the region would move back into the purple reopening tier the tightest of the four, but less restrictive than the ICU-based lockdown. The state bases its evaluations on regions, rather than by individual county, because hospital systems rely on one another for patient transport and other support, said Dr. Nancy Williams, health officer for El Dorado County. The area which is part of the Greater Sacramento region along with Alpine, Amador, Butte, Colusa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Sierra, Sutter, Yolo and Yuba counties will now be allowed to reopen outdoor dining and some small businesses and services such as hair salons, museums and movie theaters. Hotels can reopen to recreational travelers. Outdoor gatherings are still limited to a maximum of three households, and a curfew is in place between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. The order went into effect Wednesday, Jan. 13. But some counties in the area are still concerned about how the decision may affect coronavirus surges that havent sufficiently improved, as well as how it may affect the spread in places like Lake Tahoe. Specifically for Sutter and Yuba County, we continue to hear from our only hospital that they are being heavily impacted by hospitalized cases, said Dr. Phuong Luu, public health officer for Sutter and Yuba counties. She added that Sutter and Yuba have very high rates of COVID-19 transmission and test positivity rates of 19% and 18%, respectively. We still have a long way to go to re-flatten the curve. In a statement, Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye said that the county is still experiencing widespread transmission of COVID-19, and will need to continue to take measures to reduce the spread despite its return to the purple tier. The countys positive test rate and emergency room visits have dropped, and hospitalizations are flattening as well. The COVID-19 vaccine distribution has started, but it will take several weeks for the full protection to develop in our communities, Kasirye said. Until then, we must continue to protect ourselves and others from exposure to this deadly virus. California Department of Public Health The near-term outlook doesnt look promising for the 11-county Bay Area region, which includes Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. The Bay Areas available ICU capacity took a serious plunge Monday, falling below 1% for the first time. It rose to 4.7% on Wednesday. The four-week projected ICU availability for the Bay Area remains below 15%, the California Department of Public Health wrote in a press release on Wednesday. The same is true for the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California regions, where ICUs have been overwhelmed for weeks. According to the states data forecast, the California COVID Assessment Tool, the Bay Areas ICU situation is not expected to improve through the week of Feb. 7. The region is expected to stay at a level of about 600 ICU patients through the next few weeks, while the Sacramento regions ICU patient count is projected to drop to 170. Health officers from the Bay Area region did not respond to requests for comment. However, data on county websites at the beginning of the week showed San Francisco and Alameda counties ramping up ICU capacity, with 28.7% and 29.1% of beds available, respectively. Those percentages were far better than the rest of the Bay Area. Both Napa and Santa Cruz counties were at 0% ICU availability and Sonoma County was at 14.4%. Only nine ICU beds were available in Solano County as of Monday. Chronicle reporter Kellie Hwang contributed to this report. Annie Vainshtein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avainshtein@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @annievain Boris Johnson admitted he is 'concerned' about new Covid strain from Brazil Ministers will discuss complete ban on flights from South America later today MPs have condemned the government for failing to act fast enough on border Have you rushed back to the UK needlessly? Email martin.robinson@mailonline.co.uk Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK's chief scientific adviser, has said it is possible that the Brazilian Covid variant could make vaccines less effective. The Government's top scientist said he thinks it is unlikely the mutated strain of the virus will have evolved to get past the immune system but 'we don't know for sure'. ADVERTISEMENT No10 looks set to finally ban flights from Brazil and potentially the whole of South America today, days after scientists sounded the alarm about the mutation. This could include other countries such as Argentina, Uruguay and Colombia and also apply to travellers arriving indirectly from Europe or the US who have been in South America within the last 10 days. This would mirror beefed-up restrictions brought in for South Africa due to its mutant Covid strain. The Prime Minister yesterday admitted officials were 'concerned' about the variant and claimed the Government was 'taking steps' to ensure it doesn't spread in Britain. Brazil has already banned travellers from the UK, starting on December 25, because of the variant that emerged here. Airlines appear to have taken matters into their own hands, with all five flights scheduled between Brazil and Heathrow cancelled, and none due from other UK airports. Public Health England (PHE) said it hasn't picked up any cases of the variant yet, but wouldn't rule out its already being in Britain. One expert told MailOnline it is 'entirely possible' it has spread here already but likely not in large numbers. Variants can generally only be picked up by detailed examination of randomly-picked test samples so don't show up until they are already widespread. The South African variant, for example, can't be distinguished from others in test results alone. Experts and politicians have raised fears that the Kent and South African mutations which are very similar to the Brazilian strain could make vaccines less effective. Sir Patrick last night revealed SAGE doesn't know whether or not jabs will work against the variant. ADVERTISEMENT But top scientists studying the constantly mutating SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19, insist jabs currently being rolled-out are 'still likely to be effective'. Pfizer has already tested its own vaccine against the variants that emerged in Kent and South Africa and said that the jab appeared to work just as well, despite the mutations. The mutated variant of coronavirus was discovered in Japan last week in four people who had arrived on a flight from Brazil. It was first detected in Brazil where cases are spiralling rapidly in October. Sir Patrick Vallance, chief scientific adviser to the UK Government, said he couldn't rule out the idea that the Brazilian variant might have evolved to make vaccines less effective The Prime Minister revealed ministers were looking at ways to stop a variant of the variant found in Brazil but dodged questions about whether Britain would adopt a travel ban Pictured: A gravedigger works at the Parque Taruma cemetery amid the coronavirus outbreak in Manaus, Brazil in December WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE BRAZIL VARIANT? Name: B.1.1.248 or P.1 Date: Discovered in Tokyo, Japan, in four travellers arriving from Manaus, Brazil, on January 2. Is it in the UK? Public health officials and scientists randomly sample around 1 in 10 coronavirus cases in the UK and they have not yet reported any cases of B.1.1.248, but this doesn't rule it out completely. Why should we care? The variant has the same spike protein mutation as the highly transmissible versions found in Kent and South Africa named N501Y which makes the spike better able to bind to receptors inside the body. It has a third, less well-studied mutation called K417T, and the ramifications of this are still being researched. What do the mutations do? The N501Y mutation makes the spike protein better at binding to receptors in people's bodies and therefore makes the virus more infectious. Exactly how much more infectious it is remains to be seen, but scientists estimate the similar-looking variant in the UK is around 56 per cent more transmissible than its predecessor. Even if the virus doesn't appear to be more dangerous, its ability to spread faster and cause more infections will inevitably lead to a higher death rate. Another key mutation in the variant, named E484K, is also on the spike protein and is present in the South African variant. E484K may be associated with an ability to evade parts of the immune system called antibodies, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro said in a scientific paper published online. However, there are multiple immune cells and substances involved in the destruction of coronavirus when it gets into the body so this may not translate to a difference in how people get infected or recover. Will our vaccines still protect us? There is no reason to believe that already-developed Covid vaccines will not protect against the variant. The main and most concerning change to this version of the virus is its N501Y mutation. Pfizer, the company that made the first vaccine to get approval for public use in the UK, has specifically tested its jab on viruses carrying this mutation in a lab after the variants emerged in the UK and South Africa. They found that the vaccine worked just as well as it did on other variants and was able to ignore the change. And, as the South African variant carries another of the major mutations on the Brazilian strain (E484K) and the Pfizer jab worked against that, too, it is likely that the new mutation would not affect vaccines. The immunity developed by different types of vaccine is broadly similar, so if one of them is able to work against it, the others should as well. Professor Ravi Gupta, a microbiologist at the University of Cambridge, said: 'Vaccines are still likely to be effective as a control measure if coverage rates are high and transmission is limited as far as possible.' If evidence emerges that the Brazilian variant is significantly different to others already in Britain, it could present more obstacles to getting life back to normal. ADVERTISEMENT There is no proof that the variant is already in Britain but it is 'entirely possible', said Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at the University of Reading. Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser, told ITV's Peston show there was no evidence any of the variants led to more severe disease. He said: 'Theres no evidence at all with any of these variants that it makes the disease itself more severe. 'So the changes that were seeing with the variants are largely around increased transmission. '[There's] no evidence yet for the UK version that it makes a difference in terms of how the immune system recognises it, and if youve been exposed to the old variant or youve had a vaccine, it looks like thats gonna work just as well with this new variant for the UK one. 'The South African one and Brazilian one, we dont know for sure. Theres a bit more of a risk that this might make a change to the way the immune system recognises it but we dont know. Those experiments are underway.' There are dozens of different variations of the coronavirus circulating in the UK but most cases are caused by a dominant select few the main one, accounting for around two thirds of infections, is now the one which emerged in Kent. Around 30 cases of the South African variant have been spotted in the UK, researchers said this week. Dr Clarke told MailOnline: 'If it is here then I expect it not to be here in great amounts because one in 10 viruses isolated [found in tests] are sequenced. If it was here in any appreciable quantity, it would have been picked up by now. 'But it could be here; people have been flying in from Brazil, people do come in via other countries and it is probably quite widespread over South America.' Amid a row over the Government's response to the latest strain, MPs yesterday accused the Prime Minister of failing to tighten the UK's borders quickly enough. MPs also questioned why new rules requiring all travellers to test negative before they enter the UK are only being brought in ten months after the pandemic began. Other countries have had similar rules in place for months. Asked why the air corridor between Brazil and parts of South America to the UK had not already been closed, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins said: 'Of course, people flying into the UK, whether from South America or elsewhere are required to have a 10-day quarantine period when they land in the UK. That is mandatory. 'In terms of the decision on travel measures, it takes a little bit of time. 'What we need to ensure is that when we make these very, very important decisions that have a huge impact on people's personal lives, but also businesses, we have got to have a little bit of time to let that bed in. 'The Prime Minister was clear that measure will be taken, we have acted decisively in the past with both the Denmark and South African variants, so I wouldn't want to speculate further at this stage.' The requirement for all international passengers coming to the UK to show a negative Covid-19 test had been due to come into effect tomorrow. Passengers including returning Britons will have to get a test within 72 hours of travelling. Border Force guards will carry out spot checks and anyone flouting the rules will be fined 500. But, tweeting after 11pm last night, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps declared that the testing measure was being delayed. 'To give international arrivals time to prepare passengers will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before departure to England from MONDAY 18 JANUARY at 4am,' he said. Adding to the confusion, Mr Shapps added a calendar emoji showing the 17th. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced late last night that is being pushed back to Monday to give people 'time to prepare' In a round of interviews this morning, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins suggested the government was trying to balance 'economic' factors with health protection Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said the situation was 'utter chaos'. 'The Government has lacked a comprehensive airport testing policy through this pandemic and now it is slipping into utter chaos,' he said. 'Issuing statements in the middle of the night, because their proposals are unworkable, causes ever greater challenges for travellers and industry. WHAT COULD THE NEW RULES BE? Ministers have yet to announce what the new measures will be. But they could be similar to the policies used to curb the spread of the South African variant. What were the rules of the South Africa travel ban? Visitors arriving into England who have been in or travelled through South Africa in the previous 10 days will not be permitted entry and direct flights will be banned. British and Irish Nationals, visa holders and permanent residents arriving from South Africa will be able to enter but are required to self-isolate for 10 days along with their household The ban excludes cargo and freight without passengers Any exemptions usually in place - including for those related to employment - will not apply People who share a household with anyone self-isolating after returning from South Africa will now also need to self-isolate until 10 days have passed since anyone they live with was last in South Africa The Home Office will step up Border Force presence to ensure that those arriving to England from South Africa are compliant with the new restrictions 'This chronic failure is also putting us at risk yet again, from strains such as those that emerged in South Africa and Brazil. As ever, Ministers are too slow to act and it's putting people at serious risk.' And Scotland's Deputy First Minister John Swinney said the negative test requirement was already in force north of the border - even though it is not due to be until tomorrow. In an interview on BBC Breakfast he was asked what the Scottish position was following the news that rules requiring travellers arriving in England to have a negative coronavirus test have been delayed. He said: 'The position in Scotland is that those restrictions are in place and we want to see people following those restrictions to make sure that we minimise the risk.' Asked, 'So you have to have a test before you travel to Scotland?', he replied 'Yes' and agreed that the restrictions apply now. Home affairs committee chair and Labour MP, Yvette Cooper, savaged Mr Johnson yesterday for failing to act fast enough. At the Liaison Committee hearing, she demanded to know why UK borders were not immediately shut to travellers from Brazil after warnings of the new strain. She asked him: 'Why aren't you taking immediate action on a precautionary basis?' Ms Cooper also criticised the quarantine system for being 'so much weaker' than measures in dozens of other countries which include rigorous border testing. 'She said it meant arrivals being allowed to board public transport to get to where they will self-isolate after landing, with few checks to see if people are quarantining. Ms Cooper added: 'You give the impression each time that you just delay all of the difficult and uncomfortable decisions until the last possible minute and when so many lives are at stake, Prime Minister, is this the leadership we really need?' Mr Johnson claimed 'huge quantities of checks' are being carried out to see if people are self-isolating. Click here to resize this module It is understood ministers will today consider imposing a complete ban on flights and visitors for the whole of South America to tackle the Brazil variant. Pictured: Guarulhos, Sao Paulo All three of the mutated versions of the coronavirus found in recent weeks the ones from Kent, South Africa and Brazil have had a change on the spike protein of the virus called N501Y, which scientists say makes it better able to latch onto the body and spread TRAVELLER TESTS POSTPONED UNTIL MONDAY Ministers were accused of creating 'utter chaos' and leaving the UK at 'serious risk' today as new rules requiring arrivals to have tested negative for coronavirus were delayed. The border rules were announced last week and had been due to come into force tomorrow, with travellers needing to have been screened within the previous 72 hours. However, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced late last night that is being pushed back to Monday to give people 'time to prepare' - although he managed to tweet an emoji suggesting the date was January 17 rather than 18. MPs voiced fury at the shambles, which means thousands of people will come into the UK without checks and others have spent money on tests unnecessarily. The confusion deepened as Nicola Sturgeon's deputy insisted Scotland has already put the rules in place before the deadline. Meanwhile, ministers will today consider imposing a complete ban on flights and visitors for the whole of South America to combat a worrying new Brazil variant. This would mirror beefed-up restrictions brought in for South Africa due to its mutant Covid. Boris Johnson admitted yesterday that he is 'concerned' about the latest strain which the Government has known about for at least four days amid fears it could dodge current vaccines. Airlines appear to have taken matters into their own hands, with all five flights scheduled between Brazil and Heathrow cancelled, and none due from other UK airports. In a round of interviews this morning, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins suggested the government was trying to balance 'economic' factors with health protection. 'There is a very delicate balancing act here between controlling the virus but also making sure we are not putting too much of a burden on the economy,' she told Sky News. The PM said: 'We are concerned about the new Brazilian variant. 'We already have tough measures to protect this country from new infections coming in from abroad. We are taking steps to do that in respect of the Brazilian variant.' He added: 'There are lots of questions we still have about that variant, we don't know for instance, any more than we know whether the South African variant is vaccine resistant.' Dr Simon Clarke said it was not clear how the mutations on the Brazilian strain would change the virus, but they could be compared to those on the Kent and South Africa variants. He said: 'We know where the mutations are. I think it's fair to say we don't have a good picture on how easily it spreads or how quickly it spreads. 'Some of the changes, not all, are in the spike protein. The only one we have good data on in terms of the ability to spread is the Kent strain. 'The changes to the spike mean that they could make it more difficult for antibodies to bind to. If there is an effect, and it's a big if, I would assume it would reduce their [vaccines] efficacy not abolish it, it wouldn't render it useless but it might not be effective.' It is not yet known if the Brazilian strain is present in the UK. Brazil has had one of the world's highest Covid death tolls 205,000. The SAGE sub-group NERVTAG discussed the issue on Tuesday. Brazil has already banned flights from the UK amid the pandemic, so the new move would be a reciprocal one, although it's not likely to affect a lot of people. In 2019, there were around 290,000 visits to the UK from people travelling from Brazil, but there are currently no direct flights running from Brazil to the UK, according to Scanner. Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi told the Commons a new jab could be manufactured in 30 to 40 days if a variant of the virus is found to be less responsive to those available. The Department for Transport published small print of the rules requiring all passengers entering the UK to show a negative test only late last night shortly before they are due to kick in. But they won't be enforced until Monday due to a 'grace period' brought in after a backlash from the travel industry. Before the delay was announced, Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith, chairman of the Airport Operators Association, said: 'It's horrendous. 'We need to support travellers who are facing the issue of needing to get home. 'The industry wants to deliver the safest way to get home, but it needs that guidance and the detail in good time.' Paul Charles, the chief executive of travel consultancy The PC Agency, said: 'There is not enough clarity around the type of tests allowed, leaving consumers panicking about whether they will be let into the country without a fine, because they have the wrong documentation. Policy on the hoof never works.' Up to 100,000 Britons are estimated to be abroad. Many went in mid-December before the third lockdown. Experts last night questioned why Britain had not brought in testing at the border, despite dozens of countries around the world having had it in place for months. Professor Lawrence Young, a molecular oncologist at the University of Warwick, said: 'You could argue it's too little, too late. We should have been doing this ages ago. 'If you look at where successful lockdowns, in terms of returning back to normality, have happened, that's where people have closed their borders. The horse has bolted. 'It is hard to understand why we haven't been more stringent about international travel and why we're doing testing now and didn't pay as much attention to it last March. Testing has to be a really important part of this.' A Department for Transport spokesperson told MailOnline: 'As the Prime Minister said, we are aware of this new variant and are considering urgent measures to reduce the spread to the UK. 'Arrivals from Brazil are already required to self-isolate for ten days or face a fine starting at 500.' It is normal for viruses to mutate and early signs don't suggest that any of the new variants of coronavirus are more deadly than others, but in some places it is evolving to be able to spread faster. If the virus is faster spreading it will inevitably lead to more cases which will in turn lead to a higher death count, even if the strain itself isn't more dangerous. The variant that emerged in Kent, now estimated to be around 56 per cent more transmissible than its predecessor, has quickly become the dominant form of the virus in England and has led to the country's longest and toughest lockdown since March 2020. There is no evidence to suggest vaccines will be any less effective against this variant. Pfizer, maker of the first jab to be approved, tested theirs on the similar UK and South Africa variants and said it still worked just as well. The mutated variant of coronavirus was discovered in Japan last week in four people who had arrived on a flight from Brazil. It was first detected in Brazil in October. Scientists said it had similarities to that of the highly contagious variants in Britain and South Africa. Namely, it has a genetic mutation called N501Y, which changes the shape of the spike proteins found on the outside of the virus. This mutation makes the virus more able to latch onto the receptors inside the body that it targets, essentially meaning it successfully makes it past the body's natural defences more often. Therefore people who are exposed to the virus become infected more often than they would if the other person was infected with an older, less contagious strain. A World Health Organization report on the variant last week said: 'The variant was identified when whole-genome sequencing was conducted on samples from 4 travellers from Brazil who were tested at the airport... 'Through our regional offices, we are working with both Japanese and Brazilian authorities to evaluate the significance of these findings. 'We are also working with our Viral Evolution Working Group to assess the significance of this, and if this variant as well as others identified in recent months result in changes in transmissibility, clinical presentation or severity, or if they impact on countermeasures, including diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.' It added: 'The same comprehensive approach to controlling Covid-19 works against these variants. 'At an individual level, protective measures work for all identified variants: physical distancing, wearing a mask, keeping rooms well ventilated, avoiding crowds, cleaning hands, and coughing into a bent elbow or tissue.' It is too early on in the variant's discovery for politicians or scientists to be confident about how the changes to the virus will affect outbreaks. Lab testing suggests its N501Y mutation could make it more transmissible the UK variant with the same change is estimated to be around 56 per cent more infectious, but other changes to the virus may affect this, too. And another key mutation in the variant, named E484K, which is also on the spike protein, may be associated with an ability to evade parts of the immune system called antibodies, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro said in a scientific paper published online. However, there are multiple immune cells and substances involved in the destruction of coronavirus when it gets into the body so this may not translate to a difference in how people get infected or recover. There is no reason to believe that already-developed Covid vaccines will not protect against the variant. The main and most concerning change to this version of the virus is its N501Y mutation, which has been linked to faster transmission. Pfizer, the company that made the first vaccine to get approval for public use in the UK, has specifically tested its jab on viruses carrying this mutation in a lab after the variants emerged in the UK and South Africa. They found that the vaccine worked just as well as it did on other variants and was able to ignore the change. And, as the South African variant carries another of the major mutations on the Brazilian strain (E484K) and the Pfizer jab worked against that, too, it is likely that the new mutation would not affect vaccines. This new variant (shown in light green) was first spotted in Brazil in October and accounted for a growing share of infections there in November The immunity developed by different types of vaccine is broadly similar, so if one of them is able to work against it, the others should as well. Professor Ravi Gupta, a microbiologist at the University of Cambridge, said: 'The Brazilian variant has three key mutations in the spike receptor binding domain (RBD) that largely mirror some of the mutations we are worried about it in the South African variant, hence the concern. 'The SARS-CoV-2 RBD is one of the main targets for our immune defences and also the region targeted by vaccines and changes within this region are therefore worrisome. 'Vaccines are still likely to be effective as a control measure if coverage rates are high and transmission is limited as far as possible.' The National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan said in its report that the people infected with the variant were found in airport screening in Tokyo on January 2. They had travelled from Amazonas, a state in the north of Brazil which contains the city Manaus, home to two million people and the first place the variant was found. The disease institute (NIID) said: 'Information on the variant isolate is limited to viral genome sequence data. 'Further investigation is necessary to assess infectivity, pathogenicity, and impact on laboratory diagnosis and vaccine efficacy of this variant strain. 'NIID recommends that persons infected with the variant isolate should be monitored in an isolated room and active epidemiological investigation should be initiated including contact tracing (with source investigation) and monitoring of the clinical course.' Ministers and experts have said the repeated emergence of new variants is a warning sign that the coronavirus is evolving frequently and that some of the evolutions make significant changes to how the virus works. Although the variants spotted already don't seem to make the virus more deadly or have the ability to get past a vaccine, the more different variants there are, the more likely it is than one will have a mutation that spells disaster. Professor Tulio de Oliveira, a virologist at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, in Durban, South Africa, told The Telegraph: 'This variant is a wake up call that we should try to really decrease transmission of SARS-CoV-2 [coronavirus]. 'It is clear that if you leave it circulating, the virus has the ability to outsmart us and become better at transmission and evasion of the antibody response.' Brazils Covid deaths soar back to their first wave peak of over 1,000 a day as new more infectious strain that started in Amazon rips through country By Rachel Bunyan for MailOnline and Matt Roper in Brazil Brazil's coronavirus outbreak is surging again after another new and possibly more infectious strain of the virus was identified in the country. Daily deaths in the country rose back over 1,000 per day this week, around the same level as during the country's first wave this spring, after the country had finally brought down the curves of infections and deaths last year. The new variant has been tracked to the country's coronavirus epicentre of Manaus, where it was hoped that herd immunity had previously been achieved. That raises the troubling possibility that the new variant can reinfect survivors and may therefore be resistant to vaccines, assuming that Brazil's projections estimating herd immunity in Manaus were correct. This week Brazil registered its highest daily average of Covid infections since the start of the pandemic, with 54,784 confirmed cases on average per day - up 51 per cent on two weeks ago. Brazil has also average 993 deaths per day this week, a rise of 49 per cent compared to two weeks ago. The new Brazilian strain of coronavirus is the third to have caused global alarm, after more-infectious variants were also identified in the UK and South Africa. The death toll is creeping higher - with 1,110 Covid-19 victims being recorded on Tuesday. Pictured: Workers bury a victim of Covid-10 while relatives look on from a distance in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil In Manaus, northwestern Brazil, where there were haunting scenes last April of mass graves and corpses piled in refrigerator trucks, the health system is near to collapse again. Pictured: Cemetery workers carry the remains of 89-year-old Abilio Ribeiro, who died of the new coronavirus strain in Manaus on January 6 The Brazilian mutation was first discovered in Tokyo last week in four people who had arrived on a flight from the Amazonian jungle city of Manaus. The city was among the hardest-hit in Brazil, site of the world's worst Covid outbreak outside of the US or India, with shocking scenes of mass graves dug in the Amazon and refrigerator trucks piled high with bodies. So many were infected in the city of two million people during the first wave of the pandemic last year that some scientists thought that the city might have been approaching herd immunity. But that projection has proved well wide of the mark. And the absence of herd immunity in Manaus could be caused by one of two factors - either the infection estimates were wrong first time around or the new variant can reinfect people who have already survived coronavirus. That would also have worrying implications for the prospects of the strain having an ability to resist existing vaccines. Shocking scenes returned to Manaus this week, as local officials warned the health system is near collapse once again. The city of two million people has been placed in a state of emergency for six months as hospitalisations passed the levels seen in the worst days of last year. Hospitals this week ran out of oxygen, with new supplies having to be flown in by Brazilian Air Force jets. Refrigerator trucks have once again been deployed to store bodies, while structures to hold 22,000 coffins in horizontal drawers are hastily being constructed. Manaus registered more hospitalisations in the first week of 2021 than in the whole month of December, with a record 1,524 people admitted to hospital last Saturday. The city has also registered more than 100 burials every day this week, with a record 144 on Sunday - the highest number since the start of the pandemic. A court on Saturday forced the state government to shut non-essential businesses for 15 days as infections and deaths surge. Manaus, where the new mutation detected in Japan is believed to have originated, has been placed in a state of emergency for six months as hospitalisations passed the levels seen in the worst days of last year. Pictured: A gravedigger works at Parque Taruma cemetary in Manaus Meanwhile hospitals in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro have recently reported intensive care units more than 90 percent full. The state of Amazonas, where nearly 6,000 people have died from Covid-19, is struggling to cope with the rising number of deaths. Hospital beds for COVID-19 patients in the state reached an occupancy rate of over 98% this week, according to data from the Amazonas state health department. Occupancy in temporary facilities that provide assistance to critical patients for later referral to other points of the health network was at 131 per cent. ADVERTISEMENT A court on Saturday forced the state government to shut non-essential businesses for 15 days as infections and deaths surge. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Thunderstorms likely. Low 58F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely. Low 58F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Dr. Moncef Slaoui, head of the Operation Warp Speed program, delivers remarks in the Rose Garden of the White House, in Washington, on Nov. 13, 2020. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images) Operation Warp Speed Chief Adviser Resigns at Bidens Request Dr. Moncef Slaoui, the chief scientific adviser of Operation Warp Speed, said on Wednesday that hes submitted his resignation at the request of President-elect Joe Biden. As you know, Im very supportive of this upcoming administration and, really, of course, of the operation and its mission and I will be doing everything I can to help them succeed. As part of that process, which I understand, they have asked me to resign from my role as the operations chief scientific adviser, Slaoui told CNBC on Tuesday. Slaoui said he submitted his resignation on Tuesday and thanked the Trump administration for the opportunity to help the country, the people, and the people of the world. Operation Warp Speed is the Trump administrations program to coordinate the resources of the federal government and the private sector to develop and distribute CCP virus vaccines to Americans in a timely manner. Slaoui said he will stay in the position until next month to help with the transition, as the in-coming president has yet to name a new chief scientific adviser for the federal governments vaccine distribution effort. Slaoui said he will support the leadership appointed by the Biden administration. He accepted a contractual arrangement that would allow him to leave his post on Jan. 21. As I had said, actually, early in December, prior to any approval of vaccines, that once two vaccines would be approved and two medicines would be approved it would probably be time for me to move on and go back to my private life and private business, Slaoui said. CNBC admitted that the speed of the vaccines development, which was supervised by Dr. Slaoui, exceeded expectations, calling it the fastest vaccine development in history. Currently, two vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna have been authorized in the United States, showing 95 percent efficacy in preventing disease. Johnson & Johnson is working on a vaccine with the potential for just one dose and is expected within weeks. Slaoui was criticized for his ties to the pharmaceutical industry when he took his current job. He resigned from the board of Moderna and sold his share of the company, but he didnt sell his share in GlaxoSmithKline, where hes been working for 30 years, calling those stock his retirement. 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. What is the cost of propaganda, misinformation and conspiracy theories? Democracy and public safety, to name just two things. The United States has received a stark lesson on how online propaganda and misinformation have an offline impact. Opinion What is the cost of propaganda, misinformation and conspiracy theories? Democracy and public safety, to name just two things. The United States has received a stark lesson on how online propaganda and misinformation have an offline impact. For months, Donald Trump has falsely claimed the November presidential election was rigged and thats why he wasnt re-elected. The presidents words have mirrored and fed conspriacy theories spread by followers of the QAnon movement. While conspiracy theorists are often dismissed as "crazy people on social media," QAnon adherents were among the individuals at the front line of the storming of Capitol Hill. QAnon is a decentralized, ideologically motivated and violent extemist movement rooted in an unfounded conspiracy theory that a global "Deep State" cabal of satanic pedophile elites is responsible for all the evil in the world. Adherents of QAnon also believe that this same cabal is seeking to bring down Trump, whom they see as the worlds only hope in defeating it. The evolution of QAnon Though it started as a series of conspiracy theories and false predictions, over the past three years QAnon has evolved into an extremist religio-political ideology. Ive been studying the movement for more than two years. QAnon is what I call a hyper-real religion. QAnon takes popular cultural artifacts and integrates them into an ideological framework. QAnon has been a security threat in the making for the past three years. The COVID-19 pandemic has played a signficant role in popularizing the QAnon movement. Facebook data since the start of 2020 show QAnon membership grew by 581 per cent most of which occurred after the United States closed its borders last March as part of its coronavirus containment strategy. As social media researcher Alex Kaplan noted, 2020 was the year "QAnon became all of our problem" as the movement initially gained traction by spreading COVID-related conspiracy theories and disinformation and was then further mainstreamed by 97 U.S. congressional candidates who publicly showed support for QAnon. Crowdsourced answers The essence of QAnon lies in its attempts to delineate and explain evil. Its about theodicy, not secular evidence. QAnon offers its adherents comfort in an uncertain and unprecedented age as the movement crowdsources answers to the inexplicable. QAnon becomes the master narrative capable of simply explaining various complex events. The result is a worldview characterized by a sharp distinction between the realms of good and evil that is non-falsifiable. No matter how much evidence journalists, academics and civil society offer as a counter to the claims promoted by the movement, belief in QAnon as the source of truth is a matter of faith specifically in their faith in Trump and "Q," the anonymous person who began the movement in 2017 by posting a series of wild theories about the Deep State. Trump validated theories The year 2020 was also Trump finally gave QAnon what it always wanted: respect. As Travis View, a conspiracy theory researcher and host of the QAnon Anonymous podcast recently wrote: "Over the past few months Trump has recognized the QAnon community in a way its followers could have only fantasized about when I began tracking the movements growth over two years ago." Trump, lawyers Sidney Powell and Lin Wood, and QAnon "rising star" Ron Watkins have all been actively inflaming QAnon apocalyptic and anti-establishment desires by promoting voter fraud conspiracy theories. Doubts about the validity of the election have been circulating in the far-right as well as QAnon circles. Last October, I wrote that if there were delays or other complications in the final result of the presidential contest, it would likely feed into a pre-existing belief in the invalidity of the election and foster a chaotic environment that could lead to violence. Hope for miracles The storming of the U.S. Capitol saw the culmination of what has been building up for weeks: the "hopeium" in QAnon circles that some miracle via Vice-President Mike Pence and other constitutional witchcraft would overturn the election results. Instead, QAnon followers are now faced with the end of a Trump presidency where they had free rein and the fear of what a Biden presidency will bring. We have now long passed the point of simply asking: how can people believe in QAnon when so many of its claims fly in the face of facts? The attack on the Capitol showed the real dangers of QAnon adherents. Their militant and anti-establishment ideology rooted in a quasi-apocalyptic desire to destroy the existing, corrupt world and usher in a promised golden age was on full display for the whole world to see. Who could miss the shirtless man wearing a fur hat, known as the QAnon Shaman, leading the charge into the Capitol rotunda? What will happen now? QAnon, along with other far-right actors, will likely continue to come together to achieve their insurrection goals. This could lead to a continuation of QAnon-inspired violence as the movements ideology continues to grow in American culture. Marc-Andre Argentino is a PhD candidate, Individualized Program, and 2020-21 Public Scholar at Concordia University. This article was first published at The Conversation Canada: theconversation.com/ca. I hope life will be more relaxed now. When I go home, I can kiss my children without having to sanitize myself first, Iraqi refugee Raia said on Thursday after receiving a COVID-19 jab in the northern Jordanian city of Irbid, becoming one of the first UNHCR-registered refugees in the world to be vaccinated against the virus. Originally from Baghdad, Raia and her husband Ziad a doctor by profession fled the Iraq conflict to Jordan in 2006. They both received the Sinopharm vaccine developed in China after being prioritized due to Ziads chronic diseases, which placed him in the high-risk category. As she came out of the health centre after receiving her shot, Raia wore a broad smile and gave a thumbs-up. We just want life to be back to normal. The vaccine is the right way of doing this, she said. As a trained pharmacist, Raia knows the importance of vaccinations and enrolled herself and her family as soon as registration opened in Jordan. As part of the countrys national COVID-19 vaccination plan, which started this week, anyone living on Jordanian soil, including refugees and asylum seekers, is entitled to receive the vaccine free of charge. UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is continuously advocating at country, regional and global levels for refugees and other people we protect to be included in national strategies. As a priority, vaccines are being made available to the most vulnerable, such as older people, those with chronic diseases, or people who are immune-compromised, as well as healthcare workers and others with system-critical functions. Only those refugees who are in one of the national priority categories will receive vaccinations initially. Others may follow as rollouts are scaled up. When Raia received the SMS informing her of the vaccination appointment, she took a screenshot and sent it to everyone she knows. Thanks to her medical background and her role as refugee community volunteer, she will play a key role in encouraging other refugees to become vaccinated. There is some hesitation among our community about the vaccine, but I want to take it to reassure everyone that it is safe, she said. Jordan, which is host to some 750,000 refugees registered with UNHCR, introduced some of the most stringent lockdown measures in the world during the early phase of the pandemic in an effort to contain the spread of the virus. While the proportion of refugees that have tested positive for COVID-19 in the country has remained low at 1.6 per cent, compared with three per cent among the general Jordanian population, Raia has seen the devastating effects of the virus in her local community and says the vaccine is sorely needed to lessen the impact of the pandemic. Iraqi refugee Ziad Al Kabashi receives a COVID-19 vaccine at a health centre in Irbid, Jordan. UNHCR/Jose Cendon A medical worker prepares the COVID-19 vaccine to be administered to Iraqi refugee Raia Al Kabashi. UNHCR/Jose Cendon Raia AlKabashi stands under the flag of Jordan outside the health centre in Irbid where she received her COVID-19 vaccine. UNHCR/Jose Cendon UNHCR has been supporting the governments efforts by encouraging and helping refugees to sign-up for the vaccine and providing transportation to health clinics where needed. On Thursday, a further 43 refugees from Za'atari Refugee Camp also received the vaccine at the Chest and Diseases Center in Mafraq, the nearest town to the camp, with more planned over the coming days. See also: Cash assistance lessens economic pain of COVID in Jordan Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, refugees have been generously included in the Government of Jordans national response plan, able to access health care and medical treatment on par with Jordanian citizens. Following the first positive case confirmed among the refugee population in September, a total of 2,136 refugees have so far tested positive for the virus and there are currently only 209 active COVID-19 cases. For Raia and other refugees across the country, the start of the vaccination campaign has brought with it hope that life will soon return to something close to normal. I just want to be able to give my friends a hug again, Raia said. PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of City Trusts, the agency charged with overseeing charitable trusts bequeathed to the City of Philadelphia, today announced the unanimous election of prominent city attorney Bernard W. Smalley as its President the first African-American ever to lead the Board in its 151-year history. Smalley will lead a Board that administers 119 public charitable trusts, including Girard College, the historic boarding school in North Philadelphia; Wills Eye Hospital, consistently ranked as one of the top eye hospitals in the nation; the John Scott Award, which is bestowed annually in honor of Benjamin Franklin to honor singular achievements in science and medicine; and a series of other trusts dedicated to improving conditions on the Delaware waterfront and providing financial support for thousands of Philadelphians in need. Smalley, who has served as the Board's Vice President and Chair of the Girard College Committee since 2012, succeeds the late Ronald M. Donatucci, who died on November 3rd. Smalley will chair his first meeting of the Board on January 20th. "I am honored to serve as President of the Board of Directors of City Trusts," said Smalley, who has served on the Board since 2001. "Ron Donatucci was a tremendous leader who will be long remembered for his many achievements, particularly on behalf of Wills Eye Hospital and Girard College. "The Board is uniquely positioned to change lives for the better, and I look forward to working in partnership with my fellow Board members to expand our ability to serve people from all walks of life in Philadelphia." "Bernie Smalley is a good man and a great Philadelphian, and on behalf of the entire city, I congratulate him on his unanimous election as the first African-American to lead the Board of City Trusts," said Mayor Jim Kenney, who serves ex officio as a member of the Board, together with City Council President Darrell Clarke and 12 other members appointed by the Board of Judges. "He and I worked together on the Octavius Catto Monument project at City Hall several years ago, and I look forward to working with him and the entire Board in the effort to improve the lives of our fellow citizens." "It's fitting that Bernie Smalley is the first black President of the Board of City Trusts," said City Council President Darrell L. Clarke. "He is a decent man who cares about our City, and in particular, the people who most need our help and can obtain that assistance through the Board of City Trusts. Philadelphia's needs are urgent too many people living in poverty, not enough jobs, not enough hope. The generosity of this organization matters, and I'm confident that Bernie Smalley is the right person at the right time to lead the Board." Smalley's is a uniquely Philadelphia success story. The son of a West Philadelphia barber, he grew up in the presence of some of the city's greatest legal minds who frequented his father's barbershop: William H. Hastie, the first African-American to serve as chief judge of a U.S. Court of Appeals; Ronald Davenport, who became Dean of Duquesne University Law School; and H. Patrick Swygert, later President of Howard University. As a child, Smalley was a witness to the civil rights movement of the 1960s in Philadelphia, where the Girard case was a major focus. "I used to ride the Rte.15 trolley past Girard College, trying to catch a glimpse of what was happening inside the walls," he recalled. "I grew up in the midst of the struggle, and looking back from then to now, it's remarkable to see the progress that Girard has made, even as we recognize that there's more work to be done." "It brings to mind what Dr. King said: 'The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.'" "Bernie is both a great leader and a great role model for our children, and his election is an inspiration for Girard College and its students," said Girard President Heather Wathington. "I am excited for what the future holds under Bernie's leadership. He is committed to expanding opportunities for young people at Girard and throughout the city, and I look forward to continuing our work together in that effort." "Bernie Smalley has been a tremendous supporter of Wills Eye Hospital, and he is an outstanding choice to lead the Board of City Trusts," said world-renowned eye surgeon Dr. Julia Haller, the Hospital's Ophthalmologist-in-Chief. "He is a man of great wisdom and kindness, and under his leadership the Board will continue to support the Hospital's commitment to provide the highest quality eye care in the world." As a young man, Smalley assisted his father in the barbershop and eventually took over the business upon his father's unexpected death, while also attending Temple University. Upon his graduation from Temple, Smalley worked as an administrator for the Court of Common Pleas while also attending Widener University Law School at night. Upon his graduation in 1980, Smalley clerked for the Hon. Stanley M. Greenberg, then began his career as a trial attorney advocating on behalf of victims of corporate or professional negligence. Representing plaintiffs in some of the city's highest profile cases, Smalley was a partner at the Anapol Schwartz law firm for nearly 30 years before eventually becoming a partner at Raynes Lawn Hehmeyer in 2016. "Bernie Smalley is a respected and accomplished trial lawyer, and he will bring his tremendous attention to detail, impeccable judgment and experience to the job of leading the Board," said Managing Partner Stephen E. Raynes. "We could not be more proud that he has been selected to steward City Trusts through its next chapter." Designated as a Pennsylvania Superlawyer on multiple occasions over the last 20 years, Smalley has earned numerous other professional awards during the course of his legal career, including his induction as a Fellow of both the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, as well as the 2008 Thurgood Marshall College Fund Award of Excellence. He is a past president of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association and a member of the Barristers' Association of Philadelphia. "I have known Bernie as a colleague and friend for many years, and I applaud his election," said Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Leon Tucker. "Through his Girard mentoring program, he has taught students about how to capitalize on the many opportunities they enjoy at Girard opportunities that at one time were denied them. "Given all the unrest that has occurred in the world, it is fitting that Bernie will lead the Board as its first African-American President, because he will have an even greater ability to make positive change for people throughout the city." In addition to his service on the Board of City Trusts, Smalley is a Board member of the Urban Affairs Coalition, the Widener University School of Law, the Ellis Trust, the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, and The Philadelphia Tribune. Additionally, he is a member of Sigma Phi Pi fraternity (Alpha Boule) and the Philadelphia chapter of the NAACP. Smalley and his wife Jacquelyn reside in West Philadelphia. They have two sons: Bernard Jr. and Jared Malik, and two grandchildren. SOURCE Board of City Trusts While applications to UCAS the UK equivalent of the CAO will be accepted up to January 29, it is certainly not advisable to delay submission until this date. Those considering studying in Britain or Northern Ireland should be aware that the deadline for the majority of courses is normally January 15 but, due to the school closures in the UK, it has been extended to January 29. The deadline for applications to Medicine, Veterinary, Dentistry, Oxford University and Cambridge University has already passed. While applications to UCAS the UK equivalent of the CAO will be accepted up to January 29, it is certainly not advisable to delay submission until this date. Unlike what happens with the CAO, UCAS will distribute applications to the particular universities as soon as they are received and it is the university that will decide whether or not to offer a place. The form and process also vary greatly from the CAO and require a lot more work and preparation on behalf of the applicant. All UCAS applications are made online through ucas.com. Students should first use this website to search for courses and institutions in which they may be interested. Secondly, they should contact the institution to enquire about Irish Leaving Cert entry requirements, fees and any other requirements such as aptitude testing. Students may apply for up to five courses in a normal UCAS application. Applicants are required to submit information about their education including Junior Cert results and Leaving Cert subjects. They should list any work experience they may have and enter personal details. The main difference between a CAO and a UCAS application, however, is the emphasis placed on the personal statement, academic reference and predicted grades. It is unlikely Leaving Cert students will have much experience in the area of personal statements, which benefit from redrafting and input from adults such as parents and teachers (see story, below left). If applying as an individual, an applicant will be required to enter the email address of a referee. It is essential that the applicant asks permission from the person they would like to be their referee before passing on their email address. The referee can be any person who knows the student well but they should be able to comment on their academic ability, work rate, style of learning and problem solving etc, and most applicants ask a teacher. This person will also be asked to enter predicted grades for every Leaving Cert subject the student is taking. Applicants should check with their school to be advised on how they might collate this information. Predicted grades are quite different for the calculated grades that were assigned to last years Leaving Cert class and applicants should understand that predicted grades are the teachers best guess at what the applicant might achieve in Leaving Cert and is not a guarantee of what a student would be assigned in the event that calculated grades are used again in 2021. There is also lots of information and advice on how to write references and personal statements at ucas.com. Brexit is now a reality, but Irish students in the UK will continue to be eligible to carry their SUSI grants with them. In the 2019/20 year, there were 692 SUSI grant holders in the UK: 327 in Scotland, 269 in Northern Ireland and 55 in Wales. California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development opening office in Yerevan US Department of State issues statement on detention of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces Armenia 1st President says Aliyev is certain that Pashinyan won't win elections and is trying to get all that he can UN calls for $ 95 million in aid to Palestinians Twitter is concerned about safety of its employees in India Artsakh hero: Impotent and perhaps also treacherous authorities of Armenia need to be removed from power immediately France MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to show maximum restraint Azerbaijani attacks Russia citizen of Armenian descent in Moscow Armenia acting MOD provides President with information about capture of Armenian servicemen Lithuania MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to go to de-escalation of situation and pull out troops Russian Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia acting FM resigns Acting Deputy FM: Armenia reserves itself the right to take necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity China speaks on dark history of US intelligence in connection with Biden's order Netanyahu slams hypocritical and deceitful moralizing statements of French FM Turkish authorities issues new arrest warrant for mafia after his scandalous revelations of Erdogan's entourage EU-Armenia Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security holds 11th Meeting Armenia acting PM deletes statement on Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers "being intertwined" from Facebook post 6 Armenian soldiers captured: situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border is tense, May 27 digest Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff deputy chief explains difficulties with settlement of border with Azerbaijan UN: Israeli forces may have committed war crimes during 11-day war with Hamas Nikol Pashinyan presents plan for resolving border situation Dollar gains value in Armenia Opposition party leader: Armenia Security Council to convene session with heads of parliamentary factions this evening His Holiness Karekin II receives newly appointed UK Ambassador to Armenia Greece and Turkey FMs to meet in Athens Armenia acting PM says he will present plan for peaceful solution to border situation very soon Armenia Parliament Speaker sends letters to counterparts of partnering legislatures Zarif: Iran welcomes willingness of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tension Armenia acting Deputy MOD on news about soldiers being ordered to not open fire ANCA calls on US Congress to block financing of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Armenia to allocate lands in Syunik Province to Russian border guards Armenia Armed Forces General Staff deputy chief: We can destroy all Azerbaijani soldiers who invaded territory Armenian advocates file lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan Army general staff deputy chief: About 1,000 Azerbaijan soldiers are illegally in Armenia Army general staff: Armed forces can capture Azerbaijani soldiers who marched into Armenia Armenia legislature approves several amendments to laws Armenian opposition MP: Villages mentioned by ruling bloc's deputy are Armenia's buffer zone Armenia Gegharkunik Province villager to acting PM: Over 50% of our pastures are now under Azerbaijan control Armenia Kotayk Province has new governor Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US ambassador, discusses border situation NEWS.AM BREAKING: 6 Armenian soldiers are captured by Azerbaijan military in early morning European Council head says process of implementing sanctions against Belarus is launched Armenia acting MOD leaves for Moscow Armenia President, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces discuss current situation on border Armenia acting PM to residents of borderline village: If we cede our border, Azerbaijanis will get more excited Armenia MOD not confirming reports about Azerbaijan firing shots at Tavush Province Ex-President Kocharyan meets with Yerevan residents, "Armenia" bloc members (PHOTOS) Armenia petitions to European Court to ensure fundamental human rights of 6 soldiers captured by Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier: We need to unite in this situation Serj Tankian makes statement on Azerbaijans displayed horrific racism Man detained in US for intending to commit attempt on Biden Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD continues disseminating disinformation Erdogan to visit Baku and Shushi Two Armenia legislature committees to hold closed joint meeting regarding tense situation on Azerbaijan border Holy Etchmiadzin on capture of Armenia soldiers: Such behavior of Azerbaijan authorities is strongly condemnable Gegharkunik Province village border area situation very tense, says Armenia enlarged community leader Armenia opposition MP: Shots are heard Gegharkunik Province Armenian National Congress party electoral list is announced Armenia MFA: Azerbaijan leadership bears responsibility for consequences of actions by its armed forces Opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament demands convening Security Council special session 140 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Acting premier: Our servicemen were abducted from Armenia territory Armenia MOD announces names of 6 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan military early morning Armenia parliament majority leader to CSTO: Our international partners do not call it like it is Armenia parliament manages to have quorum in 2nd attempt World oil prices falling Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan popularity rating consistently drops over the past week Newspaper: Russia peacekeepers commander does not return from Azerbaijan with encouraging news for Armenia MOD: 6 Armenia soldiers are surrounded, captured by Azerbaijan military early morning William Shakespeare, 1st man in world to get approved coronavirus vaccine, dies aged 81 Spain Congress of Deputies committee accepts pro-Armenian motion Ex-PM comments on double-digit growth in Armenia economy Facebook calls Russia, Iran leading purveyors of disinformation Erdogan says meeting with Biden will mark 'start of new era' in relations with Washington Armenia acting Deputy PM on creation of third high-voltage electric communication line with Iran Vladimir Zaynetdinov: CSTO has taken note of application submitted by Armenia acting PM Armenia's Pashinyan says addressing UN Security Council not ruled out Armenia acting FM: International pressure on Azerbaijan is growing Netanyahu tells Blinken that Israel is against reopening US consulate for Palestinians 23 political parties and 4 alliances apply to Armenia Central Electoral Commission ahead of snap parliamentary elections Instagram launches ability to hide likes Iran FM on solutions to problems in the region, territorial integrity Bloomberg: Support for Erdogan's ruling party hits record low Inter-agency commission sums up reports on implementation of roadmap for EU-Armenia CEPA Armenian acting PM on CSTO and Russia and their duties as Armenia's allies Slovakia allows use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V Armenia acting PM on situation in Syunik Province: CSTO still hasn't clearly expressed its position Armenia's Pashinyan: It's very rarely that Baku made provocations in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces on its own Armenia acting PM: There will be no demarcation of borders until Azerbaijani troops are pulled out of territory Record-setting number of political parties register to run in snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Blinken describes Egypt as a "real and effective partner" Armenia's Pashinyan slams opposition again Yerevan court ends trial over Armenia 3rd President's nephew Hayk Sargsyan Armenia President expresses condolences on passing away of Catholicos-Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan Armenia President hosts Iran FM-led delegation Armenia acting PM doesn't see need to declare martial law in the country Iran to send delegation of intellectual companies to Armenia EU demands to fine AstraZeneca for not fulfilling contract Zakharova: Russia is closely participating in settling Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident GEORGETOWN The Georgetown County School District announced a new instructional method on Wednesday evening, with elementary and intermediate school students now having the ability to have in-person instruction four days per week on the Hybrid Plus plan. As of Feb. 1 the start of the second semester the two groups of students will attend brick-and-mortar school on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Wednesdays will be used for the cleaning of facilities as the district continues to attempt to fend off COVID-19. It will combine two sets of students that are separated with the current Hybrid plan, all returning to the classroom together. The Hybrid Plus plan was unanimously approved by the GCSD school board on Tuesday night. According to GCSD Superintendent Keith Price, children at the elementary and intermediate levels could be as close as 3 feet apart in classrooms, saying we will still try to keep desks 6 feet apart to the extent possible. Price pointed to both the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control indicating that it is safe to have students as close as 3 feet, as well as the completion of plexiglass within elementary and intermediate school classrooms as reasons for the new "Hybrid Plus" plan. The Post and Courier Myrtle Beach recently talked to experts about medical experts about social distancing in classrooms, as well as the effectiveness of plexiglass in protecting students and teachers, the latter being referred to as a placebo effect. Sign up for our Myrtle Beach weekly update newsletter. Sign up for weekly roundups of our top stories, news and culture from the Myrtle Beach area. This newsletter is hand-curated by a member of our Myrtle Beach news staff. Email Sign Up! The Hybrid Plus plan was presented to both the South Carolina Department of Education and the districts medical partner, Tidelands Health, prior to being approved. Mask wearing and social distancing will continue to be mandated in all schools, Price said. According to DHEC and the CDC, social distancing is defined as 6 feet apart. With GCSD in remote instruction through Jan. 22, middle and high schools will continue with current hybrid schedules when in-person instruction returns on Jan. 25. Price indicated that those parents wishing to opt into Hybrid Plus will have the opportunity to do so by contacting their individual schools by Jan. 20. On Wednesday afternoon, DHEC reported 58 new COVID-19 cases in Georgetown County, while the 7-day positive test rate is 38.7 percent (1,481 tests) and the county has an incidence rate of 704, more than triple what DHEC considers to be "high" rate of spread. With students and teachers operating remotely, GCSD is reporting 50 positive COVID-19 cases (20 students, 30 employees), while 80 are in quarantine (34 students, 46 employees). Elon Musk has shared his enthusiasm with the public with the recent achievement of SpaceX's SN9 Starship static fire test of its Raptor engines, having seen all three tries of the rocket to be successful without any failures. The CEO showcased his joy over the recent venture on his Twitter account, saying that the Starship is ready for a "Hop in & go to Mars" goal. The aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company, SpaceX, has achieved another milestone with another of its spacecraft that is bound for Mars, the SN9 Starship, which is also made up of pure stainless steel. The static fire test of its Raptor engines is a must, making it one of the crucial tests next to the actual test flight. The SN9 Starship is humongous with its 165 feet tall body that is made up entirely of stainless steel, a material that only SpaceX is known to use in the modern age. Another of its spacecraft, the SN8 Starship, shares the same material for its body and has also done its static fire test, along with a test flight that successfully launched but had troubles with its landing. Read Also: Elon Musk Boosts 'Signal' Stock to 1,100 Percent But Wrong Company! CEO Meant the Encrypted Messaging App! SpaceX SN9 Static Fire Test: Elon Musk Shares Good News The company has moved to test its rocket prototypes which are bound for Mars, the SN9 Starship, which is another popular spacecraft of SpaceX. Earlier today, Elon Musk (@elonmusk) said in a tweet that this day is about the day to practice starting the engines for the Starship, which is also known as the popular Raptor engine, also used by the Falcon 9. There have been no flights or ascents for the SN9 Starship as it was held down by pins to prevent launching towards the skies. All three static fires completed & no RUDs! Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 13, 2021 Two hours later, Musk is back again with his tweets, now sharing a joyous achievement of the Starship in having fired its engine thrice, all without failures or "RUDs" or rapid unscheduled disassembly. Elon Musk SpaceX SN9 Static Fire Test: Ready for Mars and Other Space Adventures Detanking & inspections now. Good progress towards our Hop in & go to Mars! goal. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 13, 2021 Also, Elon Musk regarded that the SN9 is undergoing its detanking of the jet fuel and inspections as of the moment, but all in all, the launch was a success and a massive feat for the SN9. Moreover, this brings them in check for its other goal for the stainless steel Starship, and that is its readiness for Mars in the coming missions and years. All of the tests for the Starship lineup are intended for its future mission towards the Red Planet, being the spacecraft of choice to fly towards Mars, in a grueling seven to eight months of flight in a one-way trip. The SN9 Starship would be accompanying the SN8 under SpaceX's future Mars missions, and Elon Musk's plans to build a settlement. Related Article: Elon Musk Says He's Too Busy to Write a Book as He Works on Two More Important Things This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Alonzo 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In 2020, the global pig iron market faced the threat of a demand slump due to the reduction in steel production from all major outlets under the pressure of the Covid-19 pandemic. In March, however, when the steel industries of Europe and the United States began to feel the effects of various national lockdowns, the Chinese market began to recover and soon resumed normal operating rates. Thus, China started to absorb almost all merchant pig iron supplies, leaving almost no availability to other buyers and pulling pig iron prices up. "Pig iron availability is limited. The Commonwealth of Independent States prefer to use as much as possible for their own steel melting, while Brazil cant increase merchant pig iron output immediately because theyre limited in charcoal," one trader said. "When supply is limited but demand exists, buyers need to compete." Buyers in the US - the largest global pig iron importer - had been hoping demand in China would fade and postponed restocking for as long as possible. But when US buyers ran out of stocks concurrent with the US steel market improving significantly and increasing steel production - they had little choice but to start competing with China for pig iron by paying higher prices. The average Fastmarkets price assessment for pig iron, import, cfr Gulf of Mexico, US jumped to $555 per tonne in late December, up from $393.50 per tonne on November 20, when the US buyers started to restock. Buying activity in China continued until early November, disappearing "as soon as pig iron price soared," one large international trader said. Over the first nine months of 2020, China imported 3.8 million tonnes of pig iron, overtaking volumes imported to the US, where 3.57 million tonnes of pig iron was shipped during the period, customs data shows. For comparison, pig iron imports to China were just 292,000 tonnes in January-September 2019, while the US imported 4.11 million tonnes during the same period. Fastmarkets examines market expectations about whether competition for pig iron between the two largest consumers the US and China will continue in 2021 or not. "Both the US and China will continue demanding [pig iron] in 2021 but it needs to be seen if China can follow the prices," one large international traders in the pig iron market said. "There might be a technical price correction soon." In December 2020, Fastmarkets weekly price assessment for high-manganese pig iron, export, fob main port Black Sea, CIS averaged $484.80 per tonne, up by almost $100 per tonne from the November 2020 average at $388 per tonne. China paused purchases in early November after prices passed $400 per tonne cfr, equivalent to $370 per tonne fob Black Sea. The latest cargo intended for the Chinese market was bought at $422 per tonne cfr in mid-November from Russia, but it didnt find a buyer in China and by the end was redirected to the US market in mid-December. "We have continuous demand from mills, however, the import price has prevented us from purchasing for now because end users simply cannot afford such high costs, despite using it for the production of high value-added products," one source from China said. "We can only wait and see if the gap is filled out with a finished product price rise or a correction to the pig iron price." One exporter from Russia told Fastmarkets that China had only paused its bookings for the moment and that it was just a lull before new purchases were made. "China will remain a buyer amid ecological initiatives," the exporter said. "Now theyre consuming pig iron from stocks and have switched their production output to steel products that do not require pig iron." "There has been an increase in electric-arc furnace (EAF) steel production in China, but I think whats really happening in China [strong demand on pig iron] is more fundamentally related to iron ore price [indicator of pig iron purchases cost effectiveness] and scrap [complementary to pig iron raw material in steel melting] availability," John Atherton, secretary general at the International Iron Metallics Association (IIMA) said during Fastmarkets Middle East Iron & Steel conference in mid-December 2020. "When China resumes scrap imports it will provoke an increase in scrap prices globally, thus putting the attractiveness of pig iron at a higher level," one supplier from Ukraine told Fastmarkets. Meanwhile another supplier from Russia said that the resumption of scrap imports to China and the resulting increase in scrap prices could push pig iron prices up to $600 per tonne fob. "I dont think China will be as big of a factor next year in the pig iron market based on whats happening with their scrap market," one buyer from the US said. "Concurrently, a lot will depend on iron ore prices." In December 2020, Fastmarkets index for iron ore 62% Fe fines, cfr Qingdao averaged $155.35 per tonne, up from $124.08 per tonne in November 2020. "Weve repeatedly argued that if Chinese demand for imported metallics sustains, the products' price competitiveness will be key," Alona Yunda, senior analyst at Fastmarkets, said. Although the restart of the import scrap trade flow in China should support international scrap prices, it will also bring China's local price closer to parity with global prices and pull it down eventually, Fastmarkets research team said. Since restrictions on scrap imports were introduced in China, domestic scrap levels decoupled from global trends. After international scrap prices adjust to changed trade flows with the possibility of short-term spikes in 2021 - especially in Asia where China normally sources its ferrous scrap from - Chinese local scrap prices will likely come under pressure. This will consequently diminish the comparable price attractiveness of importing metallics for Chinese buyers, Yunda said. "In the short-to-medium term, the restart of ferrous scrap imports into China will bring additional competition to the market so price attractiveness will remain key to sustain demand," Yunda said. "Longer term, more affordable scrap will likely encourage the much-discussed shift to EAF steelmaking, therefore, demand and prices for iron metallics will find support again," she added. "Theres optimism in the steel market, in particular due to [Covid-19] vaccines. There will also be a huge increase in demand on steel as a result of economic stimulus due to take place in Chinas construction sector," Atherton said. "China has already showed the way so youll see economies in the West [using] construction as a go-to to stimulate economic recovery. That is positive for steel making and for pig iron demand ultimately." "EAF-steel production is increasing globally, thus in 2021, the pig iron market will be very firm and the US will be a hotter market than China," one exporter from Brazil said. The exporter from Ukraine expects the market to stay strong for at least the first half of 2021. "In general, there will be more demand coming from the US so even without China there will be sufficient demand for pig iron," Fastmarkets was told. "The pig iron price in the US was higher than $800 per tonne when capacity utilization rates there were around 90%," one exporter from Brazil said. Now that utilization rates are slightly above 75% theres room for the pig iron price to go up to $700 per tonne cfr in the US, he said. In August 2008, the average Fastmarkets price assessment for pig iron, import, cfr Gulf of Mexico, US was $857.50 per tonne, meanwhile the average capability utilization rate was 89.16%, according to Fastmarkets calculations based on the American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI) data. "More EAF capacities are coming on stream in the US, which will increase pig iron demand there," Atherton said. "In the next five years, a projected shortage of domestic pig iron production relative to demand in the US will be about 5 million tonnes." In 2019, the US produced 87.76 million tonnes of steel, 69.7% of which was produced in EAFs, according to World Steel Association (Worldsteel). "Steel prices go up in the US, which stimulates steel mills to produce as much steel as possible and then pushes pig iron demand higher," another buyer from the US said. "In addition, JSW is restarting their EAF in March, which will add to demand [for pig iron as well]." Fastmarkets daily steel hot-rolled coil index, fob mill US, which requires merchant pig iron for steel production in an electric-arc furnace, was calculated at $51.50 per hundredweight ($1,135.37 per tonne) on December 31, more than doubling since September 1, when it was $25.53 per cwt ($562.83 per tonne) on strong demand. The additional demand in the US will be predominantly met with imports because consumers will only be able to source very limited volumes of pig iron domestically, sources said. Canadian Stelco is ready to sell pig iron but just 3,000-5,000 tonnes per month, "because they want to make as much of their own steel as possible," the US buyer said. Another merchant pig iron project - a joint venture between ERP Iron Ore and Republic Steel - has shown no progress, the source said, adding that the project also "requires massive investments." The JV was initially supposed to start in 2018 and make about 1 million short tons per year, equivalent to around 907,000 tonnes, in Lorain, Ohio, the companies said. It is possible that US Steel may supply pig iron to the local market "but they dont yet have a pig iron caster at their integrated mills [so cant transport pig iron]. Once they install a caster they will first feed their own [EAF-steel making sites] Big River Steel and Fairfield assets." The balance in the market will also depend on supply from Russia, Atherton said. "The availability of merchant pig iron from Russia [the largest global pig iron supplier] will depend on the internal consumption of their own steel mills." Russias Metalloinvest exported 919,000 tonnes of pig iron over the first nine months of 2020, down by 33.9% from 1.4 million tonnes in the same period of 2019. Industrial Metallurgical Holding (IMH), which ships pig iron from its Tulachermet asset, sold 1.91 million tonnes of material in the first nine months of 2020, up 8% year on year. Although, among this tonnage only 666,000 tonnes were exported, which is more than half of what was exported a year before, when exports hit 1.35 million tonnes. The company has increased shipments to the local market, however, while it feeds the Tula Steel asset - a partner project of IMH. Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK), in contrast with other major Russian suppliers, sharply increased its pig iron exports to 1.05 million tonnes in January-September 2020, compared to 257,000 tonnes over the same period year before. Russia exported 2.28 million tonnes of pig iron over the first six months of 2020, International Steel Statistics Bureau (ISSB) data shows. That was down by 6% from the same period in 2019, when exports hit 2.41 million tonnes. Meanwhile, Metinvest - the key pig iron exporter from Ukraine - shipped 1.79 million tonnes of pig iron to the market over the first three quarters of 2020, up by 26% from 1.42 million tonnes in the first nine months of 2019, making it the largest global pig iron exporter of that period of 2020. Ukraine exported 1.47 million tonnes of pig iron in January-June 2020, up by 23% year on year from 1.2 million tonnes, ISSB says. Many sources said that CIS countries are unlikely to increase exports in 2021 because they expect all mills to concentrate on their own steel production. Brazil, another major pig iron supplier, is also unlikely to increase its exports in 2021, sources said. "Charcoal availability is restricted in the north of Brazil while all furnaces are already working in the south," one exporter from Brazil said. Exports from Brazil may even reduce because of a strong local market, which is more attractive to us," one Brazil-based seller said Brazil used to ship 50% of its merchant pig iron to the local market, sources estimated. In 2020, Brazil exported 3.75 million tonnes of pig iron, up 34% year on year from 2.79 million tonnes, according to the ISSB and Brazils foreign trade ministry, MDIC. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2021) - Edgemont Gold Corp. (CSE: EDGM) ("Edgemont") is pleased to announce that it has filed an application for a drill permit for its Dungate copper/gold porphyry project located 6 km south of Houston, B.C. The initial drill targets at Dungate are 7 km north of the high-grade gold/silver discovery recently announced by Sun Summit Minerals Corp. on their adjacent Buck property, where their recent claim staking in 2020 expanded their property to the southern boundary of the Dungate property. A map showing the location of the Dungate property is available below: Figure 1 To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6955/72006_4383428934dd0a8f_002full.jpg The initial drilling planned for the Dungate project will be comprised of six deep holes (approximately 500 m each) to test a strong cohesive circular chargeable anomaly approximately 1,200 meters in diameter (chargeability response varies from 15mv/v to greater than 60 mv/v) identified by Edgemont during a 16 line km IP survey conducted in September 2020. This chargeability anomaly appears to be increasing in size and strength with depth and is coincident with a total magnetic intensity high identified in a magnetic survey completed by Edgemont in 2019. Both geophysical anomalies occur on a quartz feldspar porphyry ("QFP") identified by Edgemont in mapping and surface rock sampling in 2019 and 2020. Drilling was last conducted at Dungate in 1976, with numerous shallow (<100 m) drill holes. The only deep hole (333 m) on the property was drilled by Cities Services in 1975 and drill logs reported 142 m of "abundant chalcopyrite" at the bottom of the hole. No assay results are available. The IP survey conducted by Edgemont in 2020 was the first modern geophysical survey ever conducted at Dungate and it indicates that the strongest IP anomalies have never been tested by drilling. The Dungate property in its entirety is thought to be mostly underlain by volcanic rocks of either the Jurassic Hazleton Group or the Eocene Endako Group. These volcanic rocks have been intruded by a probable QFP intrusion of Eocene age. The currently known mineralization on the property is proximal to the immediate area of this QFP intrusion. This geological environment hosts potential for porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum mineralization. Outcrop on the property is limited but in the southeast quadrant of the IP anomaly potassic altered quartz feldspar porphyry intrusive occurs in historic trenches with sulphide mineralization grading up to 0.54% Cu, and up to 1.70 g/t Au in nearby outcrops. The technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Joseph Campbell, P. Geo, a Director of Edgemont, who is a Qualified Person as defined in "National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects." About Edgemont Edgemont is currently actively exploring the Dungate copper/gold porphyry project located just 6 km south of Houston in the Omenica Mining Division of northern British Columbia. The property consists of five mineral tenures covering 1,582.2 hectares and can be explored year round by all-season roads. For more information, please visit our web site at www.edgemontgold.com. For further information, please contact: Stuart Rogers Chief Executive Officer Edgemont Gold Corp. Tel: (778) 239-3775 www.edgemontgold.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as the 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/72006 A PERSONAL trainer who said he was holding 25,000 worth of cocaine to pay off a gambling debt has been jailed for 18 months. Gardai seized cocaine with a total value of 25,500 during a search of the Dublin home of Elmir Habibovic (31) on April 19, 2018. Passing sentence yesterday, Judge Elma Sheahan noted that Habibovic was also found in possession of 6,000 in cash in the house. Judge Sheahan said the court had difficulty in accepting the explanation that he had held the drugs in order to pay a gambling debt of 15,000. She also said he had sufficient savings to repay the debt, if it existed, and that his engagement in the drug trade was, therefore, for financial gain. Habibovic, of Woodvale Avenue, Hartstown, had pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at his home. Kingpins He had 11 previous convictions for public order and road traffic offences, which were all dealt with in the district court. He has not come to garda attention since and previously had not offended since July 2009. Judge Sheahan said the offence fell in the upper end of the lower range of offences of this kind due to the amount of drugs involved and the service provided by the accused that "keeps the kingpins from justice". She sentenced Habibovic to three years' imprisonment, but suspended the final 18 months on strict conditions. These include that he should follow all directions of the probation service for 18 months after his release from prison. Detective Garda Mark O'Neill agreed with Ronan Munro, defending, that Habibovic had "been off the garda radar" and "has faded from view" since his arrest. Counsel submitted that his client instructed he has since "dissociated from his peers" at the time. Mr Munro handed in a large amount of testimonials to the court that he said outlined the contribution his client has made to his local community, assisting many clubs with free strength and conditioning training. Abu Dhabi, Jan 14 : Indian diplomatic missions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have warned jobseekers against fake agents, a media report said on Thursday. According to the Gulf News report, the warning came in the wake of a top Indian official's caution against recruitment agents putting Indians at risk abroad. Taking to Twitter earlier this week, Sanjay Bhattacharyya, secretary to the government of India in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), had said: "Concerned that few unscrupulous agents are exploiting our citizens and putting them at risk abroad. Recruiting Agents must act responsibly or will be held accountable." Retweeting Bhattacharyya's post, the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi stated that the mission and the Indian Consulate in Dubai had acted upon complaints against such agents and brought them to justice. "We encourage everyone to report all such agents. Your proactiveness can change someone's life," the Embassy added. Speaking to Gulf News, Sandeep Kaushik, second secretary, Press, Information and Culture at the Embassy, confirmed that there has been a surge in the activities of devious recruitment agents after the Covid-19 lockdown. Consul General of India, Aman Puri also confirmed that there had been cases of cheating by the agents that had been brought to the notice of the mission of late. "In the post-Covid world, some sections of the society have become more vulnerable," he told Gulf News. "It is always wise to leave the (home) country as a skilled worker with proper documentation and through proper channels," Puri added. Last month, UAE authorities and social workers worked together to rescue 12 Indian women who were duped by recruitment agents. DURHAM, N.C., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading business consulting firm Clarkston Consulting announced today the promotions of LaToya Lee and Peter Tzefronis to Associate Partner. In their new roles, Lee and Tzefronis will continue to deliver brilliant client service to companies in the life sciences, consumer products, and retail industries while bringing their unique backgrounds and experiences to drive the continuous evolution and improvement of the firm and its stewards. "We've always known that our people are our greatest asset but as we reflect on 2020 a year of widespread disruption and upheaval - that truth has become clearer than ever. As we look ahead, our ability to meet tomorrow's challenges, for both our clients and our firm, is further bolstered with the promotions of LaToya and Peter," said Clarkston Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Tom Finegan. Finegan continued, "Each brings a unique set of experiences and perspectives that will only serve to create a stronger organization." LaToya Lee, Associate Partner For over two decades, LaToya Lee has worked with global pharmaceutical, biotech, and consumer goods companies to manage complex, global program deployments. LaToya is widely recognized as an expert in Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) and Veeva technology. LaToya serves as Chair Emeritus for Clarkston's Diversity Council, where she led and continues to provide guidance on initiatives related to Clarkston's diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and services. She also serves as a lead of Clarkston's Quality and Regulatory community. LaToya is based out of Clarkston's Atlanta office. Peter Tzefronis, Associate Partner Peter Tzefronis has 20 years of experience helping clients realize benefits related to process improvement initiatives and enterprise-wide transformational projects. He is experienced in IT strategies and roadmap initiatives to drive the alignment of organization, process, and technology in the context the overall business strategy, supporting sell side divestiture transactions, performing IT governance audits, and leading mid- to large- scale ERP engagements. Peter is based out of Cleveland, Ohio. "LaToya and Peter have a long history of dedication and brilliant client service with the firm. Both have been integral in not only creating transformative value for our clients but in improving the way our firm thinks and acts. Looking towards the future, leaders like LaToya and Peter will better Clarkston's ability to serve our clients, our stewards, and our business successfully," said Clarkston President Paul Garrison. About Clarkston Consulting Businesses across the life sciences, consumer products, and retail industries partner with Clarkston Consulting to enhance strategic decision-making, improve operational efficiency, implement new technologies, and promote business growth and market diversification. Leveraging deep functional and industry expertise, our people discover, design, and deliver solutions that fit your business, your goals, and your future. At Clarkston Consulting, your purpose is our purpose. SOURCE Clarkston Consulting Related Links http://www.clarkstonconsulting.com Actor Mrunal Thakur has been garnering praise for her voiceover role as India's first female animated superhero Priya, in the short film Priya's Mask. "I obviously take pride in this. This came from a place of personal passion and I am elated that fans have taken to Priya with such gusto," said Mrunal. She feels the audience, especially young girls, has taken a liking for such attempts because they find representation on screen, which was mostly missing all along. "For the longest time, young girls who looked like you and me did not see much representation. Priya is rooted in our value system and, at the same time, has an edge. She is a figure of power. She is gritty and fierce. A young girl can look at her and go, 'if Priya can fight it, so can I'. She is inspiring and that's what superheroes have done traditionally. I am grateful to the creators for making me voice her and I hope love for her keeps pouring in, with every series," she told IANS. The animated series, named a 'gender equality champion' by UN Women, was created by documentary filmmaker and technologist Ram Devineni and written by Shubhra Prakash, with illustrations and animation by Syd Fini, Hamid Bahrami and Neda Kazemifar. This particular series marks protagonist Priya remodelled as a gutsy girl. Set against the rustic backdrop of Jodhpur, it narrates the story of eight-year-old Meena and her working mother, who nurses Covid-infected patients. 1. Yes. The public must have assurances that ethical standards are met by everyone. 2. Yes. As long as an independent board hears the grievances, its a worthwhile idea. 3. No. The concept is too broad. It should be limited to the citys elected officials. 4. No. There are plenty of stipulations in place already. An ordinance is a waste of time. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say without seeing how it would be structured and applied. Vote View Results The Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program is designed to identify, cultivate and advance the next generation of palliative care leaders. As part of the leadership program, each Sojourns Scholar receives $180,000 in funding ($90,000/year over a two-year period) to conduct an innovative and impactful clinical, policy, educational, health equity or systems change project in the field of palliative care. Scholars also participate with other scholars in a collaborative learning community while receiving individual mentorship to design and implement a development plan that supports their growth as national palliative care leaders. COVID-19 has reinforced the importance of and magnified the need for palliative care services. -Peggy Maguire, CHF "COVID-19 has reinforced the importance of and magnified the need for palliative care services," said Peggy Maguire, president and board chair, Cambia Health Foundation. "Our goal in supporting the innovative projects and personal development of this elite group of palliative care professionals is to ensure that ALL people impacted by COVID-19 and other illnesses receive personalized care that is aligned to their wishes." Since the program's inception in 2014, the Foundation's purposeful investment in palliative care leadership has awarded more than $13 million to 74 scholars around the country. Scholars represent different areas of the palliative care team including physicians, nurses, chaplains, pharmacists and social workers, but all are committed to improving the experience of people facing serious illness and their caregivers. Listed below are the 2020 Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program Grant Recipients: Angela M. Feraco, MD, MMSc Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Bethany-Rose Daubman, MD Massachusetts General Hospital Cara L. Wallace, PhD, LMSW, APHSW-C Saint Louis University Donald Sullivan, MD, MA, MCR Oregon Health and Science University Heather Coats, PhD, APRN-BC University of Colorado, College of Nursing J. Nicholas Dionne-Odom, PhD, RN, ACHPN, FPCN, FAAN School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham Jennifer Needle, MD, MPH University of Minnesota Laura Gelfman, MD, MPH Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Rachel Rusch, LCSW, MSW, MA Children's Hospital Los Angeles Rachel Thienprayoon, MD, MSCS, FAAP, FAAHPM Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Stephanie P. Wladkowski, PhD, LMSW, APHSW-C Eastern Michigan University Tamryn F. Gray, RN, PhD, MPH Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School To learn more about the individual scholars, please visit the Sojourns Scholar page on the Cambia Health Foundation website. 2021 Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program Call for Applications The Foundation has opened the 2021 Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program Call for Applications. Interested individuals must submit a Letter of Intent by March 8, 2021. After review, a select group of applicants will be invited to submit full grant applications by June 14, 2021. More information, including details about eligibility, is available on the Foundation website on the Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program page. About Cambia Health Foundation Cambia Health Foundation is the corporate foundation of Cambia Health Solutions, a total health solutions company dedicated to making health care more person-focused and economically sustainable. Founded in 2007, the foundation has funded almost $78 million in grants to advance patient- and family-centered care for all. Cambia Health Foundation strategically invests in philanthropy to change the way people experience health care from birth to natural completion of life. Learn more at www.cambiahealthfoundation.org, and follow us on Twitter: @CambiaHealthFdn . SOURCE Cambia Health Foundation Related Links http://www.cambiahealthfoundation.org What would Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. say about the State of America if he were alive today? Dr. George McKenna, LAUSD School Board of Education (Board District 1): As we prepare for the annual remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jrs birthday it is essential to reflect on his philosophy, teachings, and leadership particularly in light of the acts of violence and hatred demonstrated recently at the nations capitol. Undoubtedly Dr. King would be appalled but neither surprised or defeated by the venom of white supremacy that continues to flow through the culture of millions of citizens in our dis-united states of America. He would remind us that the centuries old battle for the freedom of all lies in the hearts and minds of those who still believe that they are in danger of losing their economic, political and societal status if other cultures and races achieve equal access to the opportunities long deprived. Dr. Kings belief in non-violence as a moral and political basis for achieving the Dream he envisioned did not include a passive or patient acceptance of a lower place in society. He knew this would be a multi-generational quest for our freedom, and prophetically told us that we would eventually get to the mountain top even if he were unable to be there with us. The use of non-violent strategies and activities to resist oppression has proven more effective and long lasting when compared to other violent confrontations to express grievances. The non-violent movement remains the legacy of Dr. King and others who understand that changing the perceptions of our fellow citizens through peaceful and persistent resistance to injustice is the best way forward in our continuous struggle for equality in America. We owe it to him to remain faithful to the cause. ADVERTISEMENT Maxine Waters, Congressmember (43rd District): Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed fiercely in the power of hope, optimism, and activism. There is no doubt, that during this time of great unrest, and following a heinous attack on the Capitol of the United States, Dr. King would remind us that darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. He would remind us that hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. And in this moment that confronts us, we must remember that through hard work and overcoming great challenges, Barack Obama became President of the United States, and, on January 20, Kamala Harris will be sworn in as Vice President. Harnessing Dr. Kings fighting spirit, we must remember that all things are possible and continue steadfastly in our struggle to ensure that every person among us receives equality and justice for that proposition is certainly one worth fighting for. Karen Bass, Congressmember (33rd District): I think Dr. King would urge us towards peace and urge us towards hope. We are about to have a woman of color serve as Vice President of the United States for the first time in history. We are about to have the most diverse cadre of Cabinet secretaries in United States history. We just experienced a massive racial reckoning in this country in which millions of Americans marched for equality. Despite recent events, we have to remember that the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles City Mayor: When Martin Luther King, Jr. arrived at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in the spring of 1964, he confronted a nation in crisis, a landscape not unlike what we see today: Neighborhoods ailing. Inequality growing. A politics overcome by violence. A country conceived in liberty crying out for renewal. Even so, Dr. King found reason for hope. He kept faith that a brighter dawn would soon break the desolate midnight of peoples inhumanity to their neighbors and he located that belief in the heart of the American creed. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy, he declared. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of Gods children This is the challenge of the hour. We, too, face dark days. But Dr. Kings message still beckons us to act with courage, to strive for our highest ideals and to keep fighting with the fierce urgency of now. Because progress is always possible. Because just three weeks after his speech in L.A., the Civil Rights Act passed and we moved a little bit closer to that more perfect union. ADVERTISEMENT Today, more than half-a-century on, when we find ourselves again at the doorstep of history, its our turn to pick up Dr. Kings mantle and make real the promise of America. That, he might say, is the challenge of this hour. Holly Mitchell, L.A. County Board of Supervisors (Second District): I believe Dr. King would be just as appalled as we are at these recent acts of violence but also not surprised. This didnt just happen. The attacks that we witnessed at our Capitol were the manifestation of hateful rhetoric and systemic racism that predates Trump, but has been emboldened by him. Dr. King would remind us not give up on our right to live in a just and equitable society. He would remind us that Raphael Warnock a pastor from Dr. Kings church, is now the first Black man to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate and that didnt just happen either. Warnocks victory is result of years of organizing and is also part of Dr. Kings legacy and the dream we must continue to fight for. Janice Hahn, L.A. County Board of Supervisors (Fourth District): He would say Black Lives Matter. Steven Bradford, California State Senator (District 35): If the Reverend were alive today, I think he would note the great strides of progress that have been made. He would be very encouraged by the elections of Barack Obama and Kamala Harris to the offices of President and Vice President, and of Reverend Warnock in Georgia as the first African American to represent his state in the U.S. Senate. But he would also say, There can be no doubt that racism is alive and well in our nation. You dont need to look any further than the recent events at the U.S. Capitol to see the damage a disease like racial supremacy has on a democracy. Its clear that the America Dr. King prayed for, dreamed about, and died for still doesnt exist today. And for that reason he would be greatly disappointed and deeply disheartened by the action last week. He would remind us that there is still much work to be done to achieve the America that we all desire. Dr. King often stated, that we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. Today too many of our friends, whether Democrat or Republican, are silent on the issues of last week. The true test of a man is not where he stands during times of comfort and convenience, but where they stand in moments of challenge and controversy. Dr. King would want us all to not just show up, but stand up and speak up and make sure our voices are heard during this critical time. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Assemblymember (54th California Assembly District): A great veil has been lifted, no longer obscuring the darkness of hate that we still face or the justice that is possible, and comes from equity and tolerance. Our burden remains heavy, but it is winnable, achievable and more critical than ever before. Reggie Jones-Sawyer, Assemblymember (59th California Assembly District): My belief is Dr. King would see how little things have changed and stated: After nearly 60 years, the great fight for equality and civil rights remains a dream unrealized. We must remain focused, however, on the American promise embedded in our declaration that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This same argument is made in our faith book: For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Autumn Burke, Assemblymember (62nd California Assembly District): Dr. King would say that while the flames of division are burning hot right now, they burn from the fuel of progress. The violence we witnessed against our brothers and sisters and against democracy are the cries of a dying inequity. All of this violence and rage, is like the shedding of a condition that society can no longer bear to wear. Dr. King would encourage us to seek justice, and peace through non-violence, education and through the power of our fiercest weapon the ballot. Chris Holden, Assemblymember (41st California Assembly District): Dr. King said that the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. This is still true today. Earlier this month, we saw a mob with strong racist elements attack the Capitol at the direction of the President. At the same time, Georgia, a deep southern state, elected its first Black Senator because Black folks voted in record numbers. I believe Dr. King would encourage us, in his own inspiring words, to continue to educate, organize, and vote to bend that arc towards justice. Curren Price, Los Angeles City Councilmember (9th District): The words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are more relevant today just as they were during the Civil Rights movement in the 60s. If we are serious about making a real change within social and economic justice, in his words: We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools, said Councilman Curren Price. The recent lawless acts that occurred in Washington DC helped to shine the spotlight on the dual standards of law enforcement we have in this country. Communities of color already know this first hand, in addition to the disparities felt within health, education, business and social services. Nevertheless, we are on the precipice of a new dawn for the next generation to wake up in the reality of the dream MLK had. Marqueece Harris-Dawson, Los Angeles City Councilmember (8th District): If asked about the current state of our society, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would say that the United States has yet to live up to its promises of Liberty Justice for all. The events that have occurred during the past several days lead me to reflect on this quote from Dr. King Jr.; Why is equality so assiduously avoided? Why does white America delude itself, and how does it rationalize the evil it retains? As one of the leaders of the Civil Rights movement Rev. Dr. King Jr. created the blueprint for dissecting and confronting white supremacy. As a lifelong organizer, I remain committed to continuing that legacy of struggle while fighting for equity in our community and our country, said Los Angeles City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson. Mark Ridley-Thomas, Los Angeles City Councilmember (10th District) When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love. Where evil would seek to perpetuate an unjust status quo, good must seek to bring into being a real order of justice. Martin Luther King Jr. Rev. J. Edgar Boyd, pastor at First AME Church, Los Angeles: America, The land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, was shaped on the backs of 244 years of free slave labor, and founded upon a noble creedal statement which is yet to be live out in practice, We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal From Frederick Douglas to Harriett Tubman, to Denmark Vesey, to Dred Scott, to Emmit Till, to Trayvon Martin, to Sandra Bland, to Brianna Taylor, to George Floyd, we see an unbroken litany of this nations denial of equal justice for Black Americans. The violence demonstrated by an evil, racist, and unjust mob at the U.S. Capital last week remains an echo of the prophetic words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Unless we learn to live together as brothers (and sisters), we will perish as fools. Rev. George Hurtt, pastor of Mount Sinai Baptist Church: I believe Dr. Martin Luther King today would be proud of the church in many ways and disappointed in others. Proud of how so many have adjusted to the times to care for those in need. However, disappointed that we have not progressed to the point that we can determine and demand an agenda that lifts those that are down or hold those that are up accountable. Rev. Dr. Mary S. Minor, pastor of Brookins-Kirkland AME Church: America has again defaulted on the promissory note, the Constitution. We witnessed the display of humane treatment of violent, unruly White insurrectionists and juxtaposed it to the inhumane treatment of non-violent, peaceful Black protectors. Again, America has given [Black] people a bad check marked insufficient funds. She devalues the lives of people of color by calling them essential workers amid a deadly pandemic. But, the dream is still alive! We witnessed a red Georgia turn blue and the elections of its first Black and Jewish Senators! Keep fighting for freedom, justice, and equality of all people! One day, the dream of the beloved community will be our reality! Pastor William D. Smart Jr., co-pastor of Christ Liberation Ministries, president/ CEO of Southern Christian Leadership Conference-Southern California: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would look at the events during the last year since his birthday and say that militarism, capitalism and White supremacy are still running rampantly through the fabric of America. Police violence and health inequalities have created a double pandemic for the marginalized, disenfranchised and vulnerable. However, we must move during this new day, summoning all the courage, fortitude and endurance to bring forth the beloved community where all of Gods children can prosper in a freedom that allows them to reach their highest endeavors. Rev. Dr. Brenda Maull, associate minister at Holy Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church: Communities of faith have stood witness to the sun going down on America. The notion of double standards and racial injustice in communities of color is not a false belief, but a harsh reality. While the rest of the world awakens in disbelief to America being swallowed up by the ugliness of its own underbelly, Blacks in America are not surprised. They have suffered too long the realities of how violence is fueled by ingrained racism. In recent days, the state of America has forced society to take a hard look at how human-centered arrogance left unattended can ignite the evils of ignorance. Dr. King would say to America, we are awake! He would appeal to clergy to resist complacency at holding itself at a distance from being culpable, but turn to the potential of its role in being capable of helping Gods people to gather the strength and optimism to go on anyhow. Dr. King would remind us that in the darkest hour of life circumstances, God is able. He would appeal to society to trust in the ableness of God as a testament of faith to change insurmountable circumstances. Dr. King would not shy away from grappling with the struggles of a health pandemic that has brought the world to its knees. Instead, his appeal would be to anchor oneself in the omnipresence of Gods ableness to use evil for His purpose. Dr. King would plead for prayers of peace, advocacy for change, and rest in knowing that Gods plan is perfect. Yvonne Wheeler, AFSCME: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would have condemned the insurrection and assault on the American people and our democracy by an unhinged president. President Trump incited a mob of domestic terrorist to destroy the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power to President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice-President-Elect Kamala Harris, which will go down as one of the darkest days in American history. Therefore, we cannot allow the horrific events of January 6, 2021, to overshadow the historic elections of both Reverend Raphael Warnock, the first Black man elected Senator, and pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, the same church Rev. Martin Luther King lead and John Ossoff, the first Jewish and youngest Senator from the state of Georgia. We know we cannot change the hate in the hearts and minds of others but must remind ourselves of the words of Dr. King when he said, Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Areva Martin, author, award-winning civil rights attorney, talk show host, commentator, and go-to expert on compelling legal, political, womens, childrens and celebrity issues: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. firmly believed that inequality is the greatest threat to justice and, the corollary, that white supremacy is the greatest threat to democracy. But what became clear during the last few years and all the more apparent at the January 6th attack on the US Capitol is that the converse is also true: Democracy is the greatest threat to White Supremacy. Neither can long endure in the presence of the other. That is why on the day we celebrate Dr. King and every day forward all of us must renew our commitment to protect our democratic values and institutions from all enemies, foreign and domestic, especially those falsely disguised as patriots. And as Black women, we do that by continuing to run for office, fight voter suppression efforts and stand up for marginalized communities. Charisse Bremond Weaver, President & CEO Brotherhood Crusade: For me, one of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.s most outstanding and foreshadowing works was his 1967 book, Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community. His insightful message stands true today. Power is never good unless he who has it is good. The problem with hatred and violence is that, this kind of mindset intensifies the fears of the white majority, and leaves them less ashamed of their prejudices toward Negroes. In the guilt and confusion now confronting our society, violence only adds to chaos. As I reflect on Dr. Kings legacy, we must all take a stance against White Supremacy and hatred and demand justice for our people. Timothy Watkins, President and CEO The Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC): We are witnessing the last, desperate gasps of American white supremacy. Dr. Melina Abdullah, Co-Founder Black Lives Matter-LA: As violent white-supremacy ravages the nation, Dr. Kings indomitable Spirit challenges us to engage courageously in the remaking of the world. He would remind us of the fierce urgency of now, and that while we must hold fast to the principle of non-violence, lasting peace also requires direct action. Lets commit fully to the beautiful struggle that lies before us in honor of Dr. King. Mr. Michael Lawson, President Los Angels Urban League: In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said that The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. In the wake of the recent atrocities that took place in our Nations Capital when US citizens, who were bent on insurrection, desecrated the buildings where our American legislators were conducting their civic and constitutional duties; they showed their true measure. We applaud those who stand with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for peace, justice, and the rights of all citizens to safely participate in the democratic process, which is at the core of our republic. Toyota Motor Corp settled a lengthy Justice Department civil probe into its delayed filing of emissions-related defect reports for $180 million, the government said on Thursday. Reuters first reported the expected settlement, which resolves the violations of the Clean Air Act. Toyota first disclosed in 2016 it was under investigation for the delayed reports to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Justice Department had not previously confirmed the investigation until Thursday's announcement by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan that the government had filed a ... Spain reported a record 38,869 new COVID-19 infections on Wednesday in the wake of the Christmas holidays, and the regions of Galicia, La Rioja and Cantabria became the latest to tighten coronavirus restrictions. Despite the worrying rise, Health Minister Salvador Illa highlighted that with 92,000 doses of vaccine administered over the past 24 hours, Spain had reached the desired pace for vaccination, with less than 5% of the population refusing to be inoculated. "The rejection (of vaccine) is very low, almost anecdotal..., thanks to the maturity and confidence in science among Spaniards," he told reporters. Vaccination is voluntary in Spain, but El Pais newspaper earlier reported that a judge in Galicia had allowed health workers to inoculate an incapacitated care home resident, overruling her familys objections to protect her health. While government officials have blamed spiralling contagion on lax adherence to the rules over Christmas, Madrid's health chief Enrique Ruiz Escudero said he suspected the highly contagious coronavirus variant first identified in Britain late last year was partly to blame. "Clearly it has played a role in the increase in infection," he told Onda Cero Radio, saying hundreds of suspected cases of the new variant were under investigation in his region. The latest daily tally brought the cumulative total to 2,176,089, health ministry data showed, while deaths rose by 195 from Tuesday to 52,878 in all. Official data showed 100 confirmed cases of the British variant, up from 70 on Tuesday. Unlike neighbouring Portugal, which is preparing to impose a new lockdown this week following similar moves in other European countries, Spanish authorities have said a return to home confinement is not necessary. Instead, regions have been ramping up a mixture of curfews, restrictions on gatherings and caps on business opening hours. The northwestern region of Galicia, which reported a record 1,047 new cases on Wednesday, banned all non-essential travel in its seven largest cities, told bars and restaurants to close at 16.00 and brought forward a curfew to 22.00. Wine-producing La Rioja ordered non-essential businesses to close at 17.00 and limited group meetings to four people, while shopping centres in Cantabria are banned from opening at weekends. Murcia and the islands of Mallorca and Ibiza now permit allow only people from the same home bubble to meet. The laboratories at CHI Memorial Hospital Chattanooga and Hospital Georgia have been awarded accreditation by the Accreditation Committee of the College of American Pathologists based on results of recent on-site inspections as part of the CAPs Accreditation Programs. "This is the gold-standard in laboratory accreditation," officials said.CHI Memorial Laboratory Medical Director Sanford Sharp, MD was advised of this national recognition and congratulated for the excellence of the services being provided. CHI Memorial Hospital Chattanooga and Hospital Georgia are two of more than 8,000 CAP-accredited facilities worldwide. The CHI Memorial Hospital Hixson laboratory currently holds the CAP accreditation and is scheduled for its routine survey inspection for re-accreditation in 2021.Our lab has been accredited by the College of American Pathologists for decades, but Ive never been as proud of our team as this year, said Dr.Sharp. After a challenging upgrade to the EPIC electronic medical record in November 2019 followed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, we pulled together and excelled during our CAP inspections in October. Ann Durham, lab director, and Deavin Blansit, lab supervisor, rose to the occasion and distinguished themselves throughout. All the technologists and assistants pulled together to contribute to this success. It is frankly astounding that we could overcome so much during this difficult year.Officials said, "The U.S. federal government recognizes the CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program, begun in the early 1960s, as being equal-to or more-stringent-than the governments own inspection program."The CAP accreditation process is designed to ensure the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients. Inspectors examine the laboratorys records and quality control of procedures for the preceding two years. CAP inspectors also examine laboratory staff qualifications, equipment, facilities, safety program and record and overall management. On-site inspections occur every two years." Please understand that womenofchina.cn,a non-profit, information-communication website, cannot reach every writer before using articles and images. For copyright issues, please contact us by emailing: website@womenofchina.cn. The articles published and opinions expressed on this website represent the opinions of writers and are not necessarily shared by womenofchina.cn. The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. The Union health ministry was also quoted as saying that Modi is likely to launch the Co-WIN app, and interact with vaccine beneficiaries across the country With India's COVID-19 inoculation drive set to commence on Saturday (16 January), Pune's Serum Institute of India dispatched over 56 lakh doses of the Oxford vaccine Covishield to 13 cities on Tuesday, according to several media reports. On Thursday, the Union health ministry said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme. He is likely to interact via video link with some healthcare workers from across the country who will be receiving the shots on the first day, PTI reported. Modi is also likely to launch the Co-WIN ( COVID-19 Vaccine Intelligence Network) App, a digital platform created for real-time monitoring of COVID-19 vaccine delivery and distribution. A limited number of sites out of the 2,934 inoculation sites have been shortlisted from where the beneficiaries can interact with the prime minister and the authorities in those centres have been asked to make provisions for IT infrastructure for providing a two-way interactive communication facility to enable it to link and interact with the national launch site through a video link. According to the guidelines issued to the shortlisted vaccination centres, the group of 'healthcare workers' shall also include nursing orderlies, safai karamcharis, ambulance drivers along with doctors and nurses. The beneficiaries will be chosen from a mixed age group, including above 50 years. The full initial procurement of 1.65 crore doses of COVID-19 vaccines Covishield and Covaxin has been allocated to all states and UTs in proportion to their healthcare workers database. "Therefore, there is no question of discrimination against any state in allocation of vaccination doses. This is the initial lot of supply of vaccine doses and would be continuously replenished in the weeks to come. Therefore, any apprehension being expressed on account of deficient supply is totally baseless and unfounded," the ministry said on Thursday. States have been advised to organise vaccination sessions taking into account 10 percent reserve/wastage doses and an average of 100 vaccinations per session per day. Meanwhile on Wednesday, a Vistara flight transported four boxes of Covaxin from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad to Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi. Another Vistara flight carried 16 boxes of Covishield from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai to Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi. SpiceJet said it transported 3.5 tonnes of COVID-19 vaccines on Wednesday from Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad to 11 cities across the country. "On 13 January, 2021, SpiceJet shipped 111 boxes of COVID-19 vaccine, weighing 3.5 tonnes from Mumbai, Pune and Hyderabad to 11 cities including Bagdogra, Dehradun, Srinagar, Jammu, Kanpur, Gorakhpur, Jabalpur, Ranchi, Rajkot, Delhi and Bengaluru," the airline said in a statement. From Mumbai, SpiceJet flights carried 74 boxes of Serum Institute of Indias Covishield vaccine to various cities including two to Bagdogra, 10 to Dehradun, seven to Srinagar, six to Jammu, six to Kanpur, nine to Gorakhpur, 13 to Jabalpur, 14 to Ranchi and seven to Rajkot. A SpiceJet flight carried a shipment of three boxes of Covaxin from Hyderabad to Bengaluru, while another flight of the same carrier carried 34 boxes of Covishield from Pune to Delhi. The first consignment of Covishield reached Mumbai on Wednesday morning from Pune in a special vehicle of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The first consignment of Covidshield vaccine arrived at the Cochin international airport on Wednesday morning, with another expected to reach Thiruvananthapuram international airport in the later hours. A day after receiving over 40,000 vials of Covishield, another 20,000 doses reached Odisha's Biju Patnaik International Airport, according to Indian Express. Goa also received 23,500 doses of Covishield vaccine via a flight from Mumbai, while 56,500 doses of Covishield were flown into Agartala. Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma said that around 35,000 doses of Covishield reached the State Vaccination Center in Shillong. Meanwhile, the first consignment of 3.23 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine reached Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur from Pune on Wednesday via an IndiGo flight, according to PTI. On Tuesday, the vials were delivered through nine flights from four airlines to Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Guwahati, Shillong, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Bhubaneswar, Patna, Bengaluru, Lucknow and Chandigarh. The first consignment of vaccines, carrying 2,64,000 doses, was sent to Delhi through a SpiceJet flight, according to a Hindustan Times report. The coronavirus vaccine will be administered across 89 sites in Delhi, of which 36 are government hospitals and 53 are private hospitals, said Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain. Three lakh healthcare workers and six lakh frontline workers including the police and civil defence personnel will be vaccinated in the first two rounds, followed by 42 lakh people above the age of 50 and those below with comorbidities. Kolkata was sent the most number of doses 9,96,000 through a SpiceJet flight while Chandigarh received 2,28,000 doses via an Indigo flight. Chennai and Ahmedabad got 7,08,000 and 2,76,000 doses of the Oxford vaccine via GoAir and Air India flights respectively. In Hyderabad, 3,72,000 doses of vaccines were delivered in a SpiceJet flight while Vijaywada received 4,08,000 vials via another SpiceJet flight. Hyderabad, Bhubaneshwar, Guwahati, Bengaluru and Patna got 3,72,000, 4,80,000, 2,76,000, 6,48,000 and 5,52,000 doses of vaccine respectively in on five different SpiceJet flights. Lucknow got 2,64,000 vaccine vials in a GoAir flight. Karnataka health minister Dr K Sudhakar said Karnakata has two vaccines storage facilities in Bengaluru and Belagavi, besides five regional storage centres at Chitradurga, Kalburgi, Dakshina Kannada, Mysuru and Bagalakote. Meanwhile, Rajasthan health minister Raghu Sharma said the state expects to vaccinate around 4.5 lakh people in the first phase of vaccination. A vaccine consignment left for Mumbai on Tuesday evening, to be sent to 27 places across the country on Wednesday. The Centre said all the vaccine vials - 1.1 crore of Covishield and 55 lakh of Covaxin - will be received by 14 January. Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said there are four Central Government Medical Stores Depots at Chennai, Karnal, Kolkata and Mumbai to receive the Covaxin vials. Besides this, all states have at least one regional vaccine store. Uttar Pradesh has nine stores, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat four, Kerala has three facilities, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka and Rajasthan have two each, he said. While the Maharashtra government has trained 18,000 vaccinators and set up 4,200 centres and 3,145 cold chain systems, Rajasthan has identified 1,800 vaccination session sites and more than 5,000 vaccinators for administering the vaccine. The vaccination drive will commence on 16 January, during which priority will be given to around three crore healthcare and frontline workers. Following them will be those above 50 years of age and the under-50 population groups with co-morbidities, estimated to be around 27 crore. Covishield and Bharat Biotechs Covaxin were given a go ahead for restricted emergency use by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) last week. In the first phase, the cost of vaccination for these 3 crore people would be borne by the Central Government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday. SII CEO Adar Poonawalla said the institute has offered the vaccine to the Central Government at a special price of Rs 200. He also said that once the SII gets the requisite permission, the vaccine will be made available in the private market for Rs 1,000. With inputs from PTI Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. A worker puts up Spring Festival decorations to greet the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year in Macao, south China, Jan. 13, 2021. The Spring Festival falls on Feb. 12 this year. (Xinhua/Cheong Kam Ka) 5 1 [ Editor: WPY ] The program's workshop series will help prepare women military veterans, reservists, National Guard, active duty and spouses through business-focused education, business development and scaling strategies, access to resources and pitch preparation and coaching that inspires and prepares them to start and grow their businesses. The workshop series begins on January 14 and will be held for six consecutive Thursdays from 12:00 1:30 p.m. E.T. Those interested in future sessions can register here. Women entrepreneurs who participate in five out of six workshops will have the opportunity to participate in the Military Influencer Conference pitch competition. "The PenFed Foundation is proud to launch the Military Women Startup Accelerator and we look forward to continuing to support military female entrepreneurship," said PenFed Foundation President and retired U.S. Army Gen. John W. Nicholson, Jr. "The country has seen a tremendous surge among women-veteran-founded businesses, but the flow of investment capital has not been equitably distributed. We are working hard to close that gap." In addition to the six workshops, the accelerator will include a private speaker series featuring a number of military women. The final pitch competition, held during the Military Influencer Conference in San Antonio, will award the first place finisher with $15,000, second place with $10,000 and third place with $5,000. Founded in 2018, VEIP has a three-pronged approach to create a robust network for veteran-owned start-ups and businesses: Investment of seed capital, providing access to other capital investment programs and connecting entrepreneurs to funders; Preparation through the Master's Program, a year-long fundraising accelerator; and Education through virtual and in-person Pop-Up Lab workshops. The PenFed Foundation was created in 2001 and, since then, has provided more than $38.5 million in financial support to veterans, active-duty service members, families and caregivers. About PenFed Foundation Founded in 2001, the PenFed Foundation is a national nonprofit organization committed to empowering military service members, veterans and their communities with the skills and resources to realize financial stability and opportunity. It provides service members, veterans, their families and support networks with the skills and resources they need to improve their lives through programs on financial education, homeownership, veteran entrepreneurship and short-term assistance. Affiliated with PenFed Credit Union, the Foundation has the resources to effectively reach military communities across the nation, build strong partnerships, and engage a dedicated corps of volunteers in its mission. The credit union funds the Foundation's personnel and most operational costs, demonstrating its strong commitment to the programs the Foundation provides. Equal Housing Opportunity. To learn more, visit www.penfedfoundation.org . SOURCE PenFed Foundation Related Links http://www.penfedfoundation.org Advertisement Celebrities' social media posts paint an idyllic picture of their 14-day quarantine stay at the Northern Territory's Howard Springs facility, in contrast to the stark pictures from professional photographers allowed access into the camp this week. Social media pictures show detainees enjoying drinks on their balconies, enjoying swims in the pool, and even having parties, while the professional pictures show staff in full PPE gear delivering supplies and sparse rooms. The workers' camp on the outskirts of Darwin in the Northern Territory was re-purposed for quarantine in October and takes in 650 travellers a fortnight. Some are interstate arrivals who have come from hotspots but most are international travellers, many of whom took government charter flights from the UK, South Africa and India. Howard Springs is a remote workers camp in the Northern Territory repurposed as a coronavirus quarantine facility (pictured a group of men enjoying their stay at the camp) Instagram model and creative director Kirsty Irwin poses on the steps of her cabin at Howard Springs during her quarantine towards the end of 2020 (pictured) Professional photographers have been granted access to the Howard Springs facility for the first time. Pictured: How the sparse room looks when a detainee arrives Melbourne based rapper Illy lounges in the pool during his quarantine stay at Howard Springs where those in isolation are not confined to their rooms (pictured) The workers camp on the outskirts of Darwin in the Northern Territory was re-purposed for quarantine in October and takes in 650 travellers a fortnight. Pictured: Workers in full protective gear deliver supplies to detainees A group of detainees at Howard Springs head for the pool to escape the hot Northern Territory sun during their 14-days of isolation (pictured) There is a catering company on site which makes all the food for the detainees. Pictured: A woman prepares lunch A simple cold breakfast, cold lunch and microwavable dinner (left) are provided by an on-site catering company - and there's no option for a food delivery from Uber Eats or Deliveroo. Right: Arrival packs are also prepared for detainees Detainees are swabbed on arrival and then shown to their rooms which contain a single bed, an en-suite bathroom and a desk with a chair. They are provided towels, some toiletries and enough bed linen to last two weeks. Each room also comes with a veranda which allows the detainees to enjoy some fresh air whenever they like, unlike the hotel quarantine system in major cities. Cold breakfast, cold lunch and hot dinner are provided by an on-site catering company - and there's no option for a food delivery from Uber Eats or Deliveroo. The two-week stay costs $2,500 per person, or $5,000 for a family. Staff are dressed head-to-toe in protective equipment and tested with a nasal swab every day. At the end of their shifts they put their PPE in the wash and shower on site before heading home to their families. Each room comes with a veranda which allows the detainees to enjoy some fresh air whenever they like, unlike the hotel quarantine system in major cities (pictured: staff walk through the camp delivering supplies dressed in PPE gear) Detainees are swabbed on arrival and then shown to their rooms which contain a single bed, an en-suite bathroom and a desk with a chair. Pictured: A detainee is swabbed Detainees enjoying a drink on the balcony attached to each cabin (pictured left) and those in quarantine can also visit the pool on-site at Howard Springs (pictured right) The facility was re-purposed from a workers' accommodation camp to a quarantine facility in October 2020 (pictured: a guest in quarantine enjoys the sunset) Staff conduct regular drills to train in putting on personal protective equipment at the Howard Springs quarantine facility near Darwin (pictured) No deliveroo, no alcohol and no deliveries: What are the rules in Howard Springs quarantine? No cooking equipment to be brought onsite or purchased during stay. This includes microwaves, electric fryers, rice cookers, induction cookers, sandwich presses, toasters, etc. No alcohol to be brought onsite or purchased during stay, bags may be checked on arrival. Recreational items such as swimming pools (plastic or inflatable), scooters, skateboards, bikes and roller blades are not permitted to be brought into the facility as they could pose a potential risk to other residents. Please do not bring any of these items with you, they will be removed and securely stored for the duration of your stay. No visitors are permitted during your stay. No care packages or personal deliveries to site. No personal devices or chargers are supplied. Linen will be provided as a two week supply upon arrival to avoid cross contamination. Residents are provided with facemasks which must be worn at all times when you leave your allocated room, i.e. when stepping off a verandah that is part of your allocated room, or when anyone approaches to interact or deliver food. Physical distancing of 1.5 metres must be maintained at all times with any other person in the quarantine facility, except for your spouse, de-facto partner, child or parent. A medical team will be available on site 24 hours a day 7 days a week. To keep everyone safe repatriated residents will be required to remain on their balcony. Exercise requirements will be managed by the occupational therapist and the medical team. All residents in quarantine must agree to regular health checks and monitoring by appropriately qualified health staff in order to support early detection of COVID-19. Amenities Wifi is available however speed and connectivity varies widely, depending on demand. Bottled water is not provided Limited tea, coffee, sugar and milk Disposable cups and hot water jug Free to air TV and air conditioning A small pack of essential toiletries will be provided. No meal delivery or delivery services. Advertisement Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Thursday that she wants to use Outback mining camps instead of Brisbane hotels to quarantine returned travellers. The state will propose the option to National Cabinet after coronavirus spread from a returned traveller in hotel quarantine, infecting a cleaner and two other travellers. Brisbane's Grand Chancellor Hotel was evacuated on Wednesday as officials scrambled to work out how the UK super-strain of Covid-19 was transmitted on the seventh floor. Police are investigating by checking CCTV and engineers are checking if virus particles travelled in the air conditioning. A total of 129 travellers, some of whom were just an hour from being released, have been forced to restart their two-week quarantine in new hotels. Some 226 employees who have worked at the hotel since December 30 must also be quarantined and tested. Staff are dressed head-to-toe in protective equipment and tested with a nasal swab every day. At the end of their shifts they put their PPE in the wash and shower on site before heading home to their families (pictured) A group of detainees throws their masks in the air after completing 14-days quarantine in Howard Springs (pictured) An additional 250 guests who have left quarantine since December 30 and remain in Queensland are being contacted as they must undergo another 14 days of hotel quarantine. Premier Palaszczuk said the evacuation and re-quarantining process has been backed by Health Minster Greg Hunt and the AHPPC. She said the mining camps she wants to use instead of hotels were comfortable and had balconies or outside space, just like the Northern Territory's Howard Springs quarantine facility. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the idea to use camps could be more dangerous because they are far away from major airports and the virus could transmit in buses on the way there. NSW Minister Hazzard rejected the idea of using mining camps in his state. He said about 3,500 staff worked in the quarantine system and lived in Sydney, and transporting travellers to regional areas was dangerous because the virus could transmit in buses. Minister Hazzard also said he wants Covid-19 patients to be near major hospitals in case they deteriorate. Premier Palaszczuk said Queensland would consider modifying mining camps that would be similar to the Northern Territory's Howard Springs quarantine camp (pictured) Demi Lovato will speak openly about her near-fatal overdose and ongoing struggle with addiction in her upcoming documentary series Dancing With The Devil. The candid four-part series will premiere for free on the 28-year-old pop star's YouTube channel with two full-length episodes on March 23. 'It's been two years since I came face-to-face with the darkest point in my life, and now I'm ready to share my story with the world,' said Lovato in a press released on Wednesday. Opening up: Demi Lovato will speak openly about her near-fatal overdose and ongoing struggle with addiction in her upcoming documentary series Dancing With The Devil 'For the first time, you'll be able to see my chronicle of struggle and ongoing healing from my point of view. 'I'm grateful that I was able to take this journey to face my past head-on and finally share it with the world,' concluded Demi. The final two episodes of Dancing With The Devil will be 'released weekly on each of the next two Tuesdays,' according to Rolling Stone. Director Michael D. Ratner explained that filming for Dancing With The Devil commenced in 2018 during Lovato's Tell Me You Love Me World Tour, which came to an abrupt end in July of that year. On July 24, just two days before she was set to take the stage in New Jersey, Demi was transported to a Los Angeles area hospital after suffering from an opioid overdose. Her story: 'It's been two years since I came face-to-face with the darkest point in my life, and now I'm ready to share my story with the world,' said Lovato in a press released on Wednesday; Demi pictured in 2018 The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed to Rolling Stone that it had 'responded to a medical emergency call at 11:22 a.m.' at Lovato's Hollywood Hills home. A source revealed to TMZ that when paramedics arrived to Demi's residence they headed inside where they found the star unconscious. Paramedics on the scene administered naloxone, which is a medication designed to treat narcotic overdose, before rushing Lovato to a nearby by hospital, as per NBC. TMZ also reported at the time that the Sonny With A Chance actress had been 'celebrating a friend's birthday in West Hollywood' the night prior to her near-fatal overdose. Coming soon! The candid four-part series will premiere for free on the 28-year-old pop star's YouTube channel with two full-length episodes on March 23; Demi pictured with the series' director Michael D. Ratner Representatives for Lovato issued a statement to Variety on July 25 confirming that Demi had not succumbed to her overdose and that she was surrounded by her closest loved ones, presumably in hospital. 'Demi is awake and with her family who want to express thanks to everyone for the love, prayers and support,' it began. The statement also suggested that 'some of the information being reported [was] incorrect,' which was a direct reference to claims suggesting that Demi had overdosed on heroin. 'They respectfully ask for privacy and not speculation as her health and recovery is the most important thing right now.' Longtime in the making: Ratner explained that filming for Dancing With The Devil commenced in 2018 during Lovato's Tell Me You Love Me World Tour, which came to an abrupt end in July of that year; Demi pictured in March of 2018 Overdose: On July 24, just two days before she was set to take the stage in New Jersey, Demi was transported to a Los Angeles area hospital after suffering from an opioid overdose; Demi pictured in 2020 A month prior to her overdose, the Disney Channel alum released her emotional ballad Sober, which featured lyrics suggesting she had relapsed. In March of that year, Demi had celebrated six years of sobriety, following years of admitted alcohol and cocaine abuse. Demi's four-part docuseries Dancing With The Devil promises 'an honest look back at some of the most trying times in Lovato's life as she unearths her prior traumas and discovers the importance of her physical, emotional, and mental health.' In his own statement, Ratner praised Lovato's 'willingness to explore the darkest elements of her life' and that her raw honestly will 'leave the audience with a complete understanding of everything she's been through and ultimately where she is going.' Sober: A month prior to her overdose, the Disney Channel alum released her emotional ballad Sober, which featured lyrics suggesting she had relapsed 'Demi stands for empowerment, and this documentary is going to answer the many questions that have been out there providing a real window into the life of one of the biggest stars in the world, who is simply a human being,' he concluded. Lovato proudly announced Dancing With The Devil on her official Instagram page on Tuesday, writing: 'There has been so much that I've wanted to say, but knew I had to say it right.' She included a still image of herself with a stoic expression that was taken during the confessional portion of the documentary series. Demi continued: 'Thank you to my family, friends, and fans for staying by my side over the years as I learn and grow. I'm so excited to finally share this story with you that I've held on to for the last 2 years. #DemiDWTD coming soon!' Some insight: Though the docuseries is expected to give fans a clear understanding of Demi's ongoing struggle with addiction and mental health, the star did offer some insight during an interview with Ellen DeGeneres last year; Demi pictured in March 2020 The first time: She told the 62-year-old talk show host that she 'first got sober when [she] was 19, which was an age that [she] wasn't supposed to be drinking at all'; Demi and Ellen pictured in March 2020 Though the docuseries is expected to give fans a clear understanding of Demi's ongoing struggle with addiction and mental health, the star did offer some insight during an interview with Ellen DeGeneres last year. She told the 62-year-old talk show host that she 'first got sober when [she] was 19, which was an age that [she] wasn't supposed to be drinking at all.' 'I got the help I needed at the time and I took a "one size fits all" approach and that was just sobriety,' explained Lovato, adding that her ongoing eating disorder made the experience even more complex. 'It led me to being really, really unhappyI asked for help, but didn't get the help that I needed.' Demi admitted that although she was 'six years sober' in March of 2018, she 'was more miserable than when [she] was drinking.' Egypts court of cassation has commuted a 30-year prison sentence handed to the brother of Mubarak-era Finance Minister Youssef Botros Ghaly to seven years in prison over smuggling Egyptian artifacts to Europe. The top appeals court accepted an appeal by the ministers brother, Botros Raouf Ghaly, and ordered that he pays a reduced fine of EGP 2 million. In September 2020, Cairos criminal court sentenced Ghaly and others to 30 years in prison over two cases related to smuggling Egyptian artifacts to Europe. The court ordered that Ghaly pay a fine of EGP 6 million in the cases, with the sentence coming nearly a month after a former Italian honorary consul received a jail term in absentia over the cases. Ladislav Otakar Skakal, the former honorary consul in Luxor, faced charges of smuggling around 22,000 artifacts from various historical periods from Egypt's Alexandria to the Italian port of Salerno with the help of Egyptian nationals. Investigations revealed that the artifacts were obtained by the former ministers brother and shipped in a container under the name of the Italian consul, and so were not inspected due to diplomatic immunity. The artifacts, which date to various historical periods, were found by Italian police in May 2018 and returned to Egypt in late June of the same year. The collection included coins, pottery vessels from different eras, sarcophagi parts, and objects from the countrys Islamic period. Short link: Samsung Galaxy S21 series launched at the Galaxy Unpacked 2021 comes with a whole host of new features. The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, Galaxy S21+, and Galaxy S21 specifications boast of up to a 108MP quad-camera setup, Exynos 2100 SoC, and up to 5,000 mAh battery. While Samsung added these flagship features, it copied Apple by removing the charging brick. Samsung Galaxy S21 series ships without the charging adapter in the box. The device will come with a USB Type-C charging cable and a Quick Start Guide inside the box. Samsung has played the environment card and decided to remove the charging adapter from the Galaxy S21 series. According to the South Korean tech giant, removing the charger from the Samsung Galaxy S21 series box will significantly help reduce the size of the shipping box. Users can rely on their old charging adapters or buy a new one from Samsung to charge their Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra, Galaxy S21+, or the Galaxy S21. Samsung becomes the third company after its arch-rival Apple and Xiaomi. Apple was the first to remove the charging adapter from the iPhone 12 series. This was followed by Xiaomi, who removed the charging adapter from the Mi 11. However, Xiaomi gave its buyers in China an option to bundle the charger with the Mi 11 for the same price. Samsung, like Apple, and unlike Xiaomi, will charge customers who want the Samsung Galaxy S21 charger. BAE Systems announces on January 14 that it has signed an extensive mid-life upgrade contract worth more than $500 million with the Dutch Defence Materiel Organization (DMO) for the Royal Netherlands Armys fleet of 122 CV90s, with an option for an additional 19 vehicles. The upgrade program with a new turret will vastly improve the vehicles capabilities while providing crews with improved protection and ergonomics for increased combat efficiency. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link The new CV90 turret, developed by BAE Systems Hagglunds in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, represents a leap forward in design and functionality (Picture source: BAE Systems) The new CV90 turret, developed by BAE Systems Hagglunds in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden, represents a leap forward in design and functionality. The main weapon position is changed to provide even better vehicle balance and enable new ways to introduce a variety of weaponry for increased lethality. It also offers significant ergonomic improvements to benefit the vehicles crew. The enhanced turret design is built on years of combat-proven experience, continuous vehicle improvements, and data analysis from the CV90 User Club the seven nations currently operating CV90 fleets. The improvements are also based on a recent study conducted by the Royal Netherlands Army, and a BAE Systems analysis of cognitive load on Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) crews to address man-machine interaction. The result gives crews increased advantages, such as the ability to choose intuitive and effective modes of operation as well as shorten the time to detection, identification, decision-making, and engagement. This is an important step to make sure that our Infantry Fighting Vehicles and our Army are well prepared for many years to come. This mid-life upgrade will also result in a lowering of the vehicles lifetime cost, at the same time as keeping our soldiers safe in the face of new threats, said Colonel Norbert Moerkens, the Royal Netherlands Armys head of strategy and plans. Work is already underway to equip the Dutch CV9035 vehicles with several enhanced capabilities such as an Active Protection System (APS) and Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM), as well as a new Electro-Optic Aiming System (EOPS) which gives additional situation awareness. The latest upgrade also includes future-proofing the electronics by upgrading to the fourth generation digital backbone, with embedded and more robust cybersecurity. We are committed to delivering the most modern and adaptable IFVs to meet our customers requirements and are extremely proud of the technological developments underway as part of this significant mid-life upgrade program, said Tommy Gustafsson-Rask, managing director of BAE Systems Hagglunds. We look forward to supporting our Dutch customer increase its combat efficiency on the future battlefield. More than 20 Dutch companies are involved in the supply chain for the mid-life upgrade program to include mechanical and electrical components to BAE Systems Hagglunds and the main subsystem suppliers, which will support the Dutch defense industrial base for many years to come. There are about 1,300 CV90s of numerous variants in service with Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. The vehicle has a combat-proven track record and is designed to accommodate future growth to meet evolving missions. DOUGLAS woman Elayne Lawton has published the second book in her Weatherville series of picture books for children. They teach children about how the weather works by introducing them to different weather characters and seeing how they interact with each other to create different types of weather. Her work was inspired by her son, David, who asks lots of questions about the weather. To help answer them, Elayne created the land of Weatherville. The many adventures of Weathervilles characters explain how the weather works. Chloe the Cloud and the Friendly Fog. Chloe Cloud and the Friendly Fog is the next instalment in the series, following on from Riley Rainbow and the Colour Catastrophe. It tells the story of Chloe, a happy, playful cloud who one day worries about something that seems to have fallen from the sky. This rhyming story is full of engaging illustrations by illustrator, Paula Reel. Elayne shares her writing journey with her followers on Instagram. Her writing and creative process changed over lockdown. Because her son is an only child, her priority was making sure he was happy and felt safe and unaffected by the changes brought about by Covid-19 restrictions. She said: My whole focus became less on the writing and more on involving my son in what I was doing with Wonderfully Weathery Books. I began sharing weather crafts and weather experiments on my Instagram page @wonderfullyweatherybooks as it was something both my son and I could do together. It was also a great way to give other parents some fun ideas to pass the days. Elayne also started an online initiative during lockdown called #sharetherainbow. She explained: Rainbows became such a symbol of hope during lockdown. I decided that I should share my rainbow and donate copies of my first book Riley Rainbow and the Colour Catastrophe to the National Childrens Hospitals. "For every book that was bought online, I matched that purchase and donated a book to a child in hospital to pay it forward and #sharetherainbow." The Weatherville series. We donated lots of lovely, happy books to the childrens wards at CUH, Crumlin Childrens Hospital and Temple Street Hospital. Elayne explained the creative writing process she followed when working on her new book, Chloe Cloud and the Friendly Fog. There were several new weather characters in this book. They were difficult to bring to life so I had to write detailed character briefs so we could land them. Then I had to break down the story page by page and draw both the layout and what I thought the illustrations should look like. This brief was sent onto the illustrator, Paula, and the process began. It took months to consult on every single illustration and every finite detail. This went on throughout the summer and up until October, but it is the most rewarding time as you see both your characters and words totally come to life. Elaynes books are available to purchase via her online shop, www.wonderfullyweatherybooks.com. Books are available for 10 each or a book bundle containing two titles can be bought for 18. The Weatherville series is also available in bookstores. A full list of stockists is available on Elaynes website. Elayne is busy planning her next couple of books in the Weatherville series. She said: I plan to start the next book quite soon as I think more books make so much more sense as a collection of books about the weather. I do have another book written and ready to go so people can expect that some time in 2021. It will focus on the water cycle. For more information on Wonderfully Weathery Books, follow the series on Instagram or Facebook @wonderfullyweatherybooks Donald John Trump became the first twice-impeached president in the most bipartisan such vote in U.S. history Wednesday, an ignominious valedictory that was as fitting as it was unprecedented. The offense at hand, accurately described by the single article of impeachment as incitement of insurrection, both epitomizes the high political crimes for which the founders prescribed impeachment and encompasses a host of low violent crimes committed against Congress, its staff and its police force at Trumps urging. Last weeks storming of the Capitol closely followed a presidential diatribe in which Trump exhorted thousands of enraged adherents to advance on a joint session of Congress led by the vice president and fight like hell to halt certification of the election he lost. When mayhem ensued, Trump did and said nothing to stop it for hours. The presidents mob killed a Capitol police officer and injured many others; forced senators, representatives and staff to take cover for their lives; and desecrated a national monument. It was the latest and darkest of the presidents long-standing efforts to usurp the authority of Congress and the people it represents. This insurrection caused injury, death and destruction in the most sacred space in our republic, Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, the Houses third-ranking Republican, said Tuesday in announcing that she would vote for impeachment. The president of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attack. ... There has never been a greater betrayal by a president of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution. Cheney and San Joaquin Valley Rep. David Valadao were among 10 Republicans who joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosis Democratic majority in supporting the impeachment, twice as many as have ever voted to impeach a president of their own party. Especially in an era of bitter partisanship that has seen most Republican lawmakers encourage and enable Trumps worst excesses, including his campaign to overturn the election, it was a historic repudiation. The vote came about a year after the start of Trumps initial impeachment trial, the first in which a member of the presidents party voted for conviction and removal from office. And yet the overwhelming majority of Republican representatives, including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield and most of Californias GOP delegation, were not swayed from the course that brought the country to this dire crossroads. Thats not surprising given that most of them persisted in voting to overturn the election of Joe Biden even after the outgoing president made them, their colleagues and their country the targets of an angry, armed mob. Tellingly, Trumps transgressions in this case are so obvious and outrageous that even the likes of McCarthy did not defend them, opting instead to argue that another impeachment would be unnecessarily divisive. Its an oddly delicate critique coming from the crew that gave aid and comfort to what became a bloody attempted coup. Impeachment, in fact, is the least Trump should expect for an act of lawlessness that warrants his immediate removal from office. But the boundless cowardice of those who enabled him to this point will likely spare him that fate. Vice President Mike Pence, who was personally targeted by the presidents rhetoric and rioters literally calling for his neck, declined Pelosis request to invoke the 25th Amendment to declare the president unfit to serve. And while outgoing Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Republican senators have suggested they could vote to convict Trump on the House charge, its not clear that they will act quickly enough or in sufficient numbers to remove or bar him from office. Provided our democratic republic weathers this crisis in recognizable form, its history will disdain Trumps remaining loyalists as accomplices of our most thoroughly and deservedly disgraced president. This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters. International student Nguyen Le achieved an impressive ATAR of 99.5 and appeared fit and healthy as he tackled a science degree at one of the country's most prestigious universities. His father said his "very clever son" had no signs of poor mental health. Records appear to show that he had not visited a GP since moving to Australia for high school in 2011. The Coroners Prevention Unit has uncovered 47 suicides of international students in Victoria between 2009 and 2019. But the 21-year-old Vietnamese-born student was struggling. On December 12, 2018, he died from a fall at the University of Melbourne. His death would later be ruled a suicide by coroner Audrey Jamieson, who published her findings on Thursday. Uganda presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi popularly known as Bobi Wine hit out at President Yoweri Museveni for talking about sex when there are better things to talk about. Ahead of todays General Elections, President Museveni claimed that Bobi Wine is being funded by homosexual groups. The Kyadondo East MP refuted the allegations terming them as diversionary. Driving me to such talk is diversionary. I would rather use the time to talk about our plans for the people of this country. We are supported by Ugandans. Museveni can talk about whatever because he does not have anything else to tell Ugandans, said Bobi. At the same time, Bobi Wine rubbished rumours that he is gay. I am married to a woman you all know, it is a shame, it is disrespectful and I feel insulted to be involved in the sex talk when we have few hours to elections, he said. Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias will travel to Italy and Portugal tomorrow, Wednesday, 13 January. In Rome, Mr. Dendias will meet with his Italian counterpart, Luigi Di Maio, to discuss bilateral and European issues, as well as the latest regional developments. The Minister of Foreign Affairs will then travel on to Portugal, which holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first half of 2021. Mr. Dendias will meet in Lisbon with his Portuguese counterpart, Augusto Santos Silva, and their talks will focus on, among other things, priorities and issues of common interest in the context of the European Union, including EU-Turkey relations. ALPHARETTA, Ga., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- nThrive, a leader in health care revenue cycle management, announced that it is Great Place to Work-Certified for the fourth year in a row. Certification is a significant achievement. Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture, colleague experience and the leadership behaviors proven to deliver market-leading revenue and increased innovation. A summary of these ratings can be found on the Great Place to Work website. "We are thrilled to be Great Place to Work-Certified, especially during such a challenging year," says Sally Kurth, Chief Human Resources Officer for nThrive Technology Division. "We make colleague experience a priority every day and it means a lot that our colleagues have reported a consistently positive experience with their coworkers, their leaders, and with their jobs." Sherry Degnan, Chief Human Resources Officer for the nThrive Services Division added, "Our colleagues and their resiliency during the trials and tribulations of this year are what truly make nThrive a great place to work. They never skipped a beat in caring for each other, our clients and our communities." "We congratulate nThrive on their Certification," said Sarah Lewis-Kulin, Vice President of Best Workplace List Research at Great Place to Work. "Organizations that earn their employees' trust create great workplace cultures that deliver outstanding business results." nThrive colleagues gave the company high marks across the board on questions about company culture, but one that stood out among the rest this year, was the way that nThrive contributes to the community. The Heart and Soul program and CARES values were highlighted as a key to this certification. "Despite a challenging year, our colleagues cared for each other and our communities, as they overcame limitations and restrictions of the virus, in order to take advantage of their five days paid-time-off to volunteer with approved 501c3 charities," exclaimed Sally. About Great Place to Work Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees around the world and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Great Place to Work helps organizations quantify their culture and produce better business results by creating a high-trust work experience for all employees. Emprising, their culture management platform, empowers leaders with the surveys, real-time reporting, and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Their unparalleled benchmark data is used to recognize Great Place to Work-Certified companies and the Best Workplaces in the US and more than 60 countries, including the 100 Best Companies to Work For and World's Best list published annually in Fortune. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a Great Place to Work For All. To learn more, visit greatplacetowork.com, listen to the podcast Better by Great Place to Work, and read " A Great Place to Work for All. " Join the community on LinkedIn , Twitter , and Instagram . About nThrive nThrive Technology provides leading healthcare revenue cycle management SaaS solutions, offering patient access, charge integrity, claims management, contract management, machine learning & robotic process automation, data & analytics and education software solutions to more than 900 hospitals and health systems in North America, including 37 of the 40 largest healthcare providers in the U.S. For more information on nThrive Technology, please visit https://www.nthrive.com/solutions/technology/ nThrive Services provides the services, advisory expertise, analytics and education programs health care organizations need to thrive and serve their communities. nThrive integrates knowledge and expertise of the entire revenue cycle in a way that provides unmatched financial and operational performance benefits for health care organizations. For more information on nThrive Services, please visit https://www.nthrive.com/solutions/services/ The nThrive end-to-end software platform helps healthcare organizations increase revenue, reduce costs, expand cash collections, and ensure regulatory compliance across the entire revenue cycle continuum. Media Contact: Francesca Richards, nThrive 484-948-1553 [email protected] SOURCE nThrive Related Links nthrive.com The death has occurred of Eva Brosnan (nee O'Connell) Killaheen, Ardagh, Limerick / Newcastle West, Limerick. Died on the 13th of January 2021 peacefully in the loving care of the staff at Beechwood House Nursing Home. Predeceased by her husband Michael. Deeply regretted by her daughters Evanne and Brid, son Michael, sisters Colette and Laurie, daughter-in-law Kate, son-in-law Gerard, grandchildren, Amy, Ciaran, Michael and Aoife, sisters-in-law Kathleen and Mary, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. In accordance with government guidelines a private family funeral Mass will take place in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Newcastle West on Saturday, January 16th, at 11.30am. Burial afterwards in Killscannell cemetery. Mass will be streamed live on: https://youtu.be/3i-FJeYvpyo Mass cards and letters of sympathy can be sent to Riedy's Undertakers Newcastle West. Messages of condolence can be expressed by clicking on the link below. May She Rest in Peace ------------------------------ The death has occurred of Marie Costelloe (nee Gavin) Brookville Avenue, Clareview, Limerick. Marie, died peacefully, at her home. Sadly missed by her loving husband Paddy and her beloved sons Kieran and Adrian, daughters-in-law, grandchildren Graham, Sarah, Keith and Donna, great-grandchildren, brothers, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, other relatives and friends. Marie's Funeral cortege will pass her residence on Monday (January 18th) at 12.15pm approx on route to Shannon Crematorium for a private Cremation Service. In compliance with the current HSE guidelines, the funeral will be limited to 10 people. Please ensure social distancing and public health advice is adhered to. Messages of sympathy may be expressed through the condolence section below or cards and letters of sympathy can be sent to Cross' Funeral Directors, Lower Gerald Griffin Street, Limerick. May She Rest in Peace ----------------------------- The death has occurred of Fr. Patrick C.Ss.R. O'Connell Limerick. Fr. Patrick O'Connell C.Ss.R., (late of Redemptorists, Limerick and Annakisha, Doneraile, Co Cork); January 13th peacefully at Milford Care Centre. Mourned by his Redemptorist Community, his nieces and nephews and their families, the Filipino community in Ireland and his friends in Ireland and the Philippines. Removal to the Church at Mount St Aiphonsus, Limerick on Friday (January 15th) at 6.30pm; Funeral Mass on Saturday (January 16th) at 11am, followed by burial in Castlemungret Cemetery. Attendance at the funeral restricted to Redemptorists and members of the immediate family. The funeral will be streamed on www.novena.ie/web-cam ----------------------------- The death has occurred of Patrick O'Brien Drewscourt, Ballyagran, Limerick. Peacefully at his residence, beloved husband of Margaret [nee Collins] and dear father of Emer and Laura. Deeply regretted by his loving wife, daughters, sons-in-law Jim and Brian, grandchildren Cian and Jessie, relatives and friends. Private Cremation will take place on Friday in Shannon Crematorium. Those who wish may leave a personal message in the section below marked condolences. May he rest in peace ----------------------------- The death has occurred of Gerard Ahern Convent Street, Abbeyfeale, Limerick and Chicago. Gerard (Gerry) passed away on Wednesday, January 6th. 2021 in Chicago after a long illness following an accident. Predeceased by his brothers John and Danny, and sister Philomena (Curtin), Gerard is very sadly missed by his brothers Billy, Jimmy and Paddy, sisters Elma and Tessie, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, grandnephews, grandnieces, relatives and a wide circle of friends in Chicago and Ireland. A Private Family Funeral will take place for immediate family due to Government advice and HSE guidelines regarding public gatherings. Requiem Mass will take place at The Church of the Assumption Abbeyfeale on Sunday at 12.00 p.m. and will be live streamed on the following link: www.churchservices.tv/abbeyfealeparish For those who would like to pay their respects by means of standing in a guard of honour the funeral cortege will depart The Church of The Assumption Abbeyfeale on Sunday at 1.00 p.m. and on route to The Old Cemetery, The Square, Abbeyfeale. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, please feel free to leave a message in the Condolence Book at the bottom of this page or send Mass cards and letters of sympathy by post C/O Harnetts Funeral Home, The Square, Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick. You may also send your condolences by email to: harnettsfuneralhome@gmail.com Rest In Peace ----------------------------- The death has occurred of Eileen BRODERICK Upper Purt, Abbeyfeale, Limerick. Eileen passed away peacefully, after a brief illness, at her daughters residence on Thursday January 14th 2021 in the presence of her family. Eileen, daughter of the late John Joe is very sadly missed by her loving mother Margaret, daughter Ailish, son-in-law Liam, adored grandsons Lorcan and Rian, brothers Mike and Denny, sisters Kate, Maggie, Mary, Nora, Ann and Tina, aunts, uncles, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, her colleagues and friends. A Private Family Funeral will take place for immediate family due to Government advice and HSE guidelines regarding public gatherings. Funeral cortege will depart Upper Purt on Saturday at 10.00 a.m. on route to Church of the Assumption Abbeyfeale to arrive for Requiem Mass at 11.00 a.m. Requiem Mass will then be live streamed on the following link: www.churchservices.tv/abbeyfealeparish For those who would like to pay their respects by means of standing in a guard of honour the funeral cortege will depart The Church of The Assumption Abbeyfeale on Saturday at 12.00 p.m. on route to Reilig Ide Naofa Abbeyfeale. Family flowers only please. Donations if desired to The Milford Hospice Home Care Team, Newcastle West. Those who would have liked to attend the funeral, but due to current restrictions cannot, please feel free to leave a message in the Condolence Book at the bottom of this page or send Mass cards and letters of sympathy by post C/O Harnetts Funeral Home, The Square, Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick. You may also send your condolences by email to: harnettsfuneralhome@gmail.com - Rest In Peace ----------------------------- The death has occurred of Bridget (Peggy) Clancy (nee McNamara) St. Flannan's Terrace, Castleconnell, Limerick / Limerick City, Limerick. Clancy (nee McNamara), Bridget (Peggy), St. Flannans Terrace, Castleconnell formerly of St. Marys Parish. January 13th 2021 peacefully. Beloved wife of the late Michael. Sadly missed by her loving sons Michael and Gerard, daughter Alexis, daughters-in-law, son-in-law, grandchildren, sister Anne, brothers Anthony and Paddy extended family, relatives and friends. Arriving on Saturday, 16th January, at St. Josephs Church, Castleconnell for Requiem Mass at 11.30 a.m., which will be broadcast on www.castleconnellparish.ie and 106.3 FM, burial afterwards in St. Josephs Cemetery, Castleconnell. Please adhere to government guidelines regarding social distance and number of people. Rest in Peace ----------------------------- The death has occurred of Rita Hartigan Beechwood House, Nursing Home, Newcastle West, Limerick / Limerick City, Limerick Formerly of Hyde Road, Prospect, Limerick. Rita, died peacefully, in the loving care of the staff of Beechwood House Nursing Home. Regretted by her loving nieces, nephews and their families, friends and the staff of Beechwood House, Nursing Home. A private Funeral will take place. Messages of sympathy may be expressed through the condolence section below or cards and letters of sympathy can be sent to Cross' Funeral Directors, Lower Gerald Griffin Street, Limerick. May She Rest in Peace ----------------------------- Condolences can be left by clicking on RIP.ie here The new portal explains our patented press technology, how and why it works so well, and the steps required for proper installation. RLS LLC (RLS), manufacturer of the first press-to-connect fittings for the HVAC and refrigeration industries, announces the launch of their new RLS Certified Installer online training program at training.rapidlockingsystem.com. The new training portal walks HVAC/R contractors through the step-by-step process of making reliable, permanent copper tube connections using RLS press technology. Were very excited to offer this comprehensive new training program for users of RLS press fittings, said Paul Schubert, President of RLS. The new portal explains our patented press technology, how and why it works so well, and the steps required for proper installation. Both audio descriptions and video demonstrations are used to reinforce the material and facilitate learning. Users must pass a series of quizzes as they work through each section of the training program, as well as a final test after completing the entire course. After passing the final test, a customized certificate of completion can be downloaded. In conjunction with the new training program launch, RLS has also introduced a new company logo. The new design comes as the company celebrates the sixth anniversary of the introduction of its revolutionary technology to the HVAC/R market. Originally introduced in 2015 under the ZoomLock brand through a partnership with Parker Hannifin Corporation, RLS fittings are now sold exclusively under the RLS brand. Now that RLS press fittings have taken on their own identity in the marketplace, we felt it was time to give our logo a new look that represents our leadership position in the industry, said Schubert. The logo emphasizes our patented fitting design, including the unique flared ends which make it instantly recognizable as an HVAC/R fitting, setting it apart from those used for plumbing. RLS designs, develops and proudly manufactures its fittings in America, at its centrally located Missouri factory. The press fittings replace the time-consuming and demanding conventional practice of manually brazing HVAC/R copper joints. RLS fittings allow for faster, more consistent connections that reduce total installed cost while also enhancing safety, since they do not require an open flame. RLS is a subsidiary of Marmon Holdings, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company. For more information, visit rapidlockingsystem.com or training.rapidlockingsystem.com for the new online training program. The co-founder and chief executive of $3.8 billion market darling Pro Medicus says the medical imaging technology maker has more deals in the pipeline after winning a breakthrough contract in the US. Shares jumped 15 per cent on Thursday after Pro Medicus unveiled a $40 million, seven year deal with Salt Lake City based Intermountain Health. The contract is the firm's biggest to date. Pro Medicus CEO Sam Hupert says it's a relief to get a deal like Intermountain signed after years of work. Credit:Arsineh Houspian "Weve gained a bigger footprint quicker than anyone imagined, but we are by no means tapped out," Dr Hupert said. Pro Medicus was founded by Dr Hupert and Anthony Hall in 1983. The company, which had shares trading at around $1.25 just after it listed on the ASX in October 2000, closed out Thursday's session at $36.53 (a gain of 2822 per cent over the past 20 years). CHICAGO, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Periscope Equity ("Periscope") today announced its investment in Welfare & Pension Administration Service, Inc. ("WPAS"), a leading independent third-party administrator to Taft-Hartley and government trust funds. WPAS represents the fifth platform investment of Periscope Equity I, L.P. Periscope Equity WPAS has been providing high-quality administrative services to the Taft-Hartley industry since 1953. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with five offices across four states in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, WPAS manages benefit plans as a third-party administrator (TPA) serving over 150,000 union members and their dependents on behalf of top Taft-Hartley trust funds, associations, and government entities in the region. Periscope is a Chicago-based private equity rm, which makes investments in founder-owned technology-enabled service and software companies, and WPAS will represent its third current portfolio company within healthcare technology. In partnership with leadership teams, Periscope seeks to help tech-enabled service and software businesses expand their service offerings, develop new technologies, and pursue strategic acquisitions. Periscope invested alongside Dennis Kirkpatrick, CEO of WPAS, who, after 27 years at the Company, will retire and transition into an advisory role. In his place, to carryforward WPAS's strong reputation for excellent customer service in the Taft-Hartley market, Adam Keck, Vice President, who also invested in partnership with Periscope, has been appointed CEO effective immediately. Together with Kirkpatrick and Keck, additional management team members, who have proven themselves invaluable to WPAS over decades of experience, invested in the transaction. In addition, Periscope Operating Partner Joel Portice, who was instrumental in developing the value creation plan alongside management, has been appointed to the Board of Directors. "Throughout the diligence process, it was clear to the entire management team that Periscope would be the best fit for our employees, clients, and members given their experience within the Taft-Hartley end market and with companies providing innovative managed healthcare services," said Kirkpatrick. "I am looking forward to witnessing the exciting new offerings that WPAS will develop in the next few years, and the growth we will achieve together." "We are thrilled about partnering with Periscope to help lead WPAS through its next phase of growth," said Keck. "Since our founding in 1953, we have prided ourselves on delivering exceptional administrative services to trust funds and their plan participants. Continuing with that philosophy and legacy will remain a guiding principle among our current and future clients." "WPAS has an outstanding reputation in the Taft-Hartley market as one of the leading TPAs that is well-positioned to experience significant growth," according to John Findlay, Partner at Periscope Equity. "Their trusted advice, administrative services, and proprietary technology has brought them a lot of success. I am incredibly excited to be partnering with this team and look forward to the next chapter." About Welfare & Pension Administration Service, Inc. Welfare & Pension Administration Service, Inc. ("WPAS") has been providing high-quality administrative services to the Taft-Hartley industry since 1953. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with offices across three states in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, WPAS manages benefit plans as a third-party administrator (TPA) serving over 150,000 union members and their dependents on behalf of top Taft-Hartley trust funds, associations, and government entities in the region. Today, they currently administer over 80 Taft-Hartley and Public Trust Funds and cover benefits for Health and Welfare, Disability and Time Loss, Dental, Vision, Defined Contribution, Defined Benefit, Vacation, Apprenticeship, and Legal Services. For more information, visit www.wpas-inc.com. About Periscope Equity Periscope Equity is a Chicago-based private equity firm focused on investments in technology-enabled service and software companies across Digital Marketing, Healthcare Technology, Security Solutions, and Business Process Automation. Periscope specifically targets companies that are founder-owned, with mission-critical products and service offerings, a history of sustainable profitability and known avenues to accelerate growth. In alignment with proven management teams, Periscope provides strategic, operational and commercial expertise to drive superior investment returns. For more information, visit www.periscopeequity.com. Related Images image1.png SOURCE Periscope Equity Gov. Kate Brown visited Salem Healths COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Wednesday. Brown watched as National Guard member Juan Carlos Rojas, of Salem, administered the Pfizer vaccine to Jason Mayberry, who lives in Portland and works in Salem. In a short statement, Brown said she hopes similar clinics can be replicated in Oregons other large cities. Salem Health stood this up in very short order. Theyre vaccinating anywhere from hundreds to 3,000 people a day. Its truly an extraordinary effort, Brown said. Brown activated 40 guardsmen to help with the clinic beginning Tuesday. Salem Health President Cheryl Wolfe said the hospital has given 11,000 vaccines since the clinic opened a week ago. Our plan is to be open until Oregon is vaccinated, Wolfe said. On Tuesday, Brown announced the state will soon open up vaccines to everyone age 65 or older, following new federal guidance. Vaccines so far have been limited to health care workers and long-term care residents, with teachers and school staff next in line. The federal guidance also calls for giving the vaccine to people age 18 to 65 with health conditions that could make them more susceptible to COVID-19. But Oregon wont include that population yet, Brown said Wednesday. Right now, the state is receiving roughly 50,000 vaccines per week, while there are about 800,000 Oregonians who are 65 or older or school staff, she said. Were going to work hard and get those folks vaccinated as quickly and efficiently as possible and then we will be including Oregonians between the ages of 65 and 18 in the pool, Brown said. Charles Boyle, Browns spokesman, later said about 1.6 million Oregonians could potentially be counted as having an underlying health condition. At this point, there are not nearly enough vaccines available for that large a number of people, but we will be working with stakeholders to develop outreach and distribution plans so that we will be ready to begin vaccinating Oregonians with underlying health conditions as more vaccines become available, Boyle said. Brown finished her visit by chatting with nurses and National Guard members giving vaccines to patients at the clinic. --Tracy Loew/Statesman Journal Kourtney Kardashian is putting her late father's records to good use. On Wednesday the 41-year-old Poosh founder shared that she was listening to dad Robert Kardashian's vinyl collection as she used music to honor his memory. Dressed in a pair of black silk trousers and a jeweled leather bra she sat next to her record player and set the needle on one of his favorite tunes. Put your records on: Kourtney Kardashian, 41, looks glamorous in black trousers and a jeweled bra top as she listens to her late dad's record collection Perched on a white marble table surrounded by a hefty collection of records, she got into the groove. She flashed her midriff in the elevated at home look and threw her hair up in a ponytail. Supportive sister Khloe commented 'hottie,' as Kourtney focused intently on some classic tunes. Very close to Robert Sr. who is best known for his work as OJ Simpson's defense attorney on the high profile 1995 murder trial, Kourtney seemed to be missing her dad. Daddy's girl: Recently Kourtney shared some throwback snaps throughout her childhood as she was seen with her late father In their hearts: The Kardashian sisters were incredibly close with their powerhouse attorney father who is best known for his work as OJ Simpson's high profile 1995 murder trial She recently shared some throwback snaps of she and her sisters with their father as they continue to keep him in their hearts. After passing away from esophageal cancer in 2003, their show Keeping Up With The Kardashians has paid tribute to him on numerous occasions as they emotionally reflect on life without him. Most recently Kanye West revived Robert's memory in hologram form as he surprised Kim Kardashian with the special treat for her 40th birthday in October. Though she seemed ecstatic over the lifelike visit from her father, a source told Page Six last week amid their divorce rumors, that Kim was less than thrilled with his behavior on her birthday. Birthday treat: West surprised Kim on her 40th birthday with a hologram of dad Robert 'He showed up late and left early, he wouldn't appear in any of their Instagram shots. All he did was bring over the hologram of her father,then got out of there as fast as he could.' It has been said that Kim is 'done' with the the marriage and has even hired celebrity divorce attorney Laura Wasser. Despite the reported 'imminent divorce', People reported on Wednesday that Kim is worried about permanently splitting from West on account of their children. 'She is worried about what a permanent split will be like for all of them concerning their well being.' For the kids: 'She is worried about what a permanent split will be like for all of them concerning their well being,' a source told People The source continued, 'She will do everything she can for the kids to have a great relationship with Kanye she just doesn't want to be married to him.' Kourtney on the other hand is once again fending off rumors that there is any romantic energy between her and ex Scott Disick with whom she shares her three children. On Sunday she posted a sultry photo of herself to Instagram in a sparkly catsuit and Disick was quick to comment, 'Bow wow wow yippi yo yippy yay.' Though Disick has been linked in recent months to 19-year-old model Amelia Gray Hamlin and was seen on vacation with her over the new year in Mexico, lifelong Kardashian fans will always hold out hope that the former pair will rekindle their romance. Hot mama: The Poosh founder posted a photo Sunday of herself in a sparkly catsuit which prompted a comment from ex Disick as he wrote, 'Bow wow wow yippi yo yippy yay' causing fans to question their relationship; pictured January 10 Raising eyebrows: The flirty exchange prompted many fans to urge them to get back together as this is not the first time Scott has left questionably romantic comments on her posts Another fan theory circulating the internet currently is that Kourtney may have a thing with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker. The close friends have raised eyebrows in recent weeks after they had a flirty social media exchange where Kourtney shared a photo of Barker's favorite movie True Romance to her Instagram on January 5, prompting a comment from him that said 'You're so cool.' Furthermore it was revealed that she bought his daughter Alabama a $795 Prada bag - a very nice gift for a 15-year-old no doubt. A source told The Sun on Monday, 'Kourtney and Travis are very close and they have unreal chemistry. They talk almost every day and everyone around them is desperate for them to get together.' CAO applicants often find that they can access a field of study in a private college with lower points than will be required by a publicly funded institution As well as publicly funded colleges such as the universities and institutes of technology, there is also a number of private colleges with courses listed on the CAO. These colleges have strong reputations and, while much of their course offerings relate to business and humanities, some have built niche areas in disciplines such as psychology, fashion, media and computing. Their CAO courses lead to qualifications from Level 6 to Level 8. CAO applicants often find that they can access a field of study in a private college with lower points than will be required by a publicly funded institution. As an example, securing a place on a university Psychology degree programme requires around 500 points or more. In Dublin Business School (DBS) however, where the three-year Psychology degree is also accredited by the Psychological Society of Ireland, the minimum cut-off points were 229 in 2020. Fees for this course were 5,895 this year. Apart from the courses they have listed on the CAO, the colleges also have programmes for which students can apply directly. Most colleges are city-based located in Dublin, as well as Limerick, Cork and Galway. Classes are generally smaller than universities and the institutes of technology, which many students prefer. However, they have clubs and societies and the social activities one would expect from a third-level institution. Two of the largest private institutions are DBS and Griffith College (which has campuses in Dublin, Cork, and Limerick). In addition to Psychology, DBS also offers courses in business, law, and liberal arts. Griffith College specialities include law, computers, interior and fashion design and media. Other private colleges accepting applications through the CAO this year include St Nicholas Montessori College, American College Dublin, Dorset College, College of Computer Training, IBAT College, ICD Business school, Galway Business School and the Irish College of Humanities and Applied Science. More information about private college courses can be found on qualifax.ie, via the private colleges search facility. It is also worth making direct contact with an institution. Fees tend to be in the region of 5,000, but there are courses available for much less. Colleges also offer grants and bursaries. Fees are tax deductible at a rate of 20pc, while no tax can be claimed back on the 3,000 student contribution charge that applies in the public system. However, SUSI grants are not payable to students in private colleges, although there has been a long-running campaign on the issue. A nurse has told how all the patients on her ward at Louth County Hospital have Covid-19 as she pleads with people to obey safety restrictions and stay at home. Colette Vize, clinical nurse manager of the stroke rehabilitation unit at the Dundalk hospital, told the Democrat that all 18 patients on her ward are very unwell with the virus and are on oxygen therapy while most of the staff on the ward have also tested positive for Covid-19. She said the nurses on the frontline are working up to 14-hour shifts in full PPE caring for their patients as the pandemic hits the local hospital. Colettes message to the local community as the figures of positive cases in Louth hit alarming levels is: People need to follow the rules, we are the only ones that can stop the spread of this virus. Colette, who has been a nurse for 31 years and is chairperson of the Dundalk branch of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (IMNO) said: On my ward, there are 18 patients, and they are all Covid-19 positive. There is a huge number of staff affected too, of the 25 permanent nurses on this ward only five have tested negative for Covid-19, the rest are positive cases. On the bigger picture we were lucky as we evaded an outbreak since last March but since Christmas week, we have been hit really hard with the pandemic. It is a crazy situation and horrendous for the patients, who are very unwell, their relatives as they cant visit them and for the staff that are doing extremely long hours in heavy PPE equipment. Colette said the pandemic hit the ward quickly with patients going downhill rapidly after contracting Covid-19. The patients on our stroke rehabilitation unit had been well before Christmas and were fit enough to be picked for the rehabilitation programme and then bang they started to get Covid-19, it is absolutely horrendous, she said. Most, if not all of them are on oxygen therapy. It is difficult to watch patients in distress and they are getting ill very quickly. One hour they are alright and the next they are not. Patients on our ward are dependent on us for every activity from brushing their teeth to being put to sit in a chair. All our patients on the ward are so ill and it happened so quickly, it is frightening. We had no positive Covid-19 cases one day and it all happened within 72 hours. Colette said that nurses on the frontline are working around the clock to care for their patients and are frightened going home in case they spread the virus to their families. It is so stressful and exhausting. We have to put on full PPE, boiler suit, mask and goggles, every time we go into a patient. The delay in getting into them can be distressing for the patients and for the staff. There are far more medial demands while the number of regular staff on the ward has decreased dramatically due to them self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19. We are now doing the work of two, if not three people. On one given day my shift can be from 7am to 8.30pm and you cant just leave when the time is up as patients need you and may be distressed. And then I will be back up again at 6am to start another shift, like all my colleagues. We are all doing 12 to 14 hour shifts. It is particularly busy and hard for people doing night shifts with the limited staff numbers. All the staff are exhausted; we are just running on nervous energy. And we cant see an end to it in the near future, as there are new positive Covid-19 cases all the time. Staff are swabbed every 72 hours and there is constantly someone getting a positive result despite being in full PPE. It is extremely difficult; our staff numbers are constantly being depleted. And often we may not know if we are positive as we are asymptomatic. There is also the real worry that we are affecting our families with Covid-19 when we get home. We are petrified going home to our families. I have been a nurse for a long time, and we are used to the long hours and anti-social hours but what is happening at the moment is a whole other level. We are suffering from exhaustion and even when we get home it is difficult to switch off and then we are back up again at 6am. There are no real breaks - we cant go down to the canteen, we eat on the ward, shower on the ward, change our clothes on the ward. Colette said that is also a frightening situation for families of loved-ones as they are extremely worried about them. Previously there had been restricted visiting but certain exceptions were able to be made, such as seeing their loved ones outside the door with protective gear, she said. Relatives cant see loved ones now and sometimes it is difficult to answer the phone to them as we are so busy. We try to have one staff member contact relatives every day but unfortunately sometimes that is just not possible. It is terrifying for families who have loved ones in the hospital, it is just so hard on everyone. Colette urged people to obey the lockdown restrictions saying: Please knuckle down and do what you are meant to be doing. I am asking people to please just stay at home and keep people safe. We cant take much more here on the frontline, we are only human, and our bodies are dropping, we are not immune to it. We all have families we are worried about and are frightened going home. It is our job, and we are doing it to the best of our abilities. People need to follow the rules, we are the only ones that can stop the spread of this virus. We will keep going and doing our job and the public need to do their bit and make it easier for us, their loved ones and themselves. This article was originally published in the Dundalk Democrat, Jan 12 Top 50 Property Managers Badge Being part of this list gives Meyer global recognition for leadership and commitment to growth within the industry. Part of the Alabama/Florida Gulf Coast vacation rental and real estate landscape since 1967, Meyer Vacation Rentals was recently named among the Worlds Top 50 Vacation Rental Property Management Companies for 2021. This ranking by Rentals United of the top short-term rental property managers in the world is compiled and published annually and highlights property managers that are boldly redefining the industry across the world, according to Rentals United. The property management companies recognized were required to provide full-service property management services or exclusive marketing services to vacation rental property owners. Meyer Vacation Rentals, which manages and markets more than 1,000 vacation rental properties in Gulf Shores, Fort Morgan and Orange Beach, Ala., and Perdido Key, Fla., was one of hundreds of nominated companies reviewed for the recognition by the Rentals United team last year. As part of the Worlds Top 50 Vacation Rental Property Management Companies list, Meyer Vacation Rentals holds a prestigious place with 1,000+ properties, said Vanessa de Souza Lage, channel manager Rentals United founder and CMO. Being part of this list gives Meyer global recognition for leadership and commitment to growth within the industry. Meyer Vacation Rentals President Michelle Hodges praised the Meyer team for earning this recognition. For decades, our Meyer team has focused on being the pacesetter in the industry by exceeding customer expectations. During that time, it has been exciting to see the growth of the industry and the increased demand for vacation rental accommodations, Hodges said. There has never been a more exciting time to be a part of the hospitality industry, and the recognition as one of the worlds top 50 vacation rental management companies is a direct reflection of our teams commitment to service and our shared belief that when a Gulf Coast vacation is involved, Meyer Makes It Happen. Headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, Rentals United provides a cloud-based management solution used by vacation rental managers throughout the world for marketing, distribution and operation management. ABOUT MEYER VACATION RENTALS As the property manager for 1,000+ individually owned vacation condos and homes along the Alabama/Florida Gulf Coast, Meyer Vacation Rentals is driven by an unwavering commitment to providing a full range of superior services and support to vacation rental property owners and guests. Meyer Vacation Rentals welcomes more than 30,000 check-ins per year and has been helping vacationers stay, play and create lifelong memories in Gulf Shores, Fort Morgan and Orange Beach, Alabama, and Perdido Key, Florida, since 1967. Learn more at MeyerRE.com. Aerial photo shows a ro-ro ship waiting to load China-made cars for export at a berth of Port of Lianyungang in Lianyungang City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Sept. 7, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua] China's total goods imports and exports expanded 1.9 percent year on year to 32.16 trillion yuan (about 5 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2020, hitting a record high despite a worldwide slump in shipments, official data showed Thursday. Exports rose 4 percent, while imports went down 0.7 percent, according to the General Administration of Customs (GAC). In December alone, exports surged by 10.9 percent year on year in yuan terms. China emerged from the global economic and trade challenges in 2020 as the world's only major economy to have registered positive growth in foreign trade in goods, GAC spokesperson Li Kuiwen told a news conference. During the first 10 months of last year, the country's foreign trade and exports accounted for 12.8 percent and 14.2 percent of the world's total, respectively, both reaching historic highs, Li said, citing data from the World Trade Organization and available national statistics. "China's exports are gaining global market share for two reasons," said Alicia Garcia Herrero, the chief economist for the Asia-Pacific zone of the French investment bank Natixis. "First, it has successfully contained the spread of the virus and reopened its manufacturing capacity, while most other major economies are still grappling with production problems." "Second, the sectoral specialization seems to have played a very resilient role despite the overall uncertain global environment," she said, adding that China saw a pronounced recovery in major commodities, including the textile sector which is supported by the demand for medical equipment such as face masks. Positive influencer "China's foreign trade has achieved a rapid return to stability and continued to improve, displaying strong resilience and comprehensive competitiveness," the GAC spokesman said, noting that China's foreign trade has achieved positive growth for seven consecutive months as of June 2020. In the first five months of 2020, foreign trade in goods dropped by 4.9 percent year on year to 11.54 trillion yuan, matching the decrease from the January-April period. The rebound in trade mirrored the Chinese economy's V-shaped recovery. GDP expanded 4.9 percent year on year in the third quarter of 2020, up from a 3.2-percent rise in the second quarter and a 6.8-percent plunge in the first quarter. The Chinese economy would grow at a rate of 2 percent in 2020, the World Bank Group said in its latest Global Economic Prospects. The reading is low given China's stellar record, but will still make the country the only major economy to emerge with positive growth. "China's recovery maintained the global supply chain. The resilience of China not only benefited itself, but also benefited the global economy," J.P. Morgan's Chief China Economist Zhu Haibin told Xinhua. "Despite the pandemic and the shutdown of international travel, China is still increasing its focus on further openness," Zhu said. China has made notable achievements in promoting multilateral trade in 2020, including the signing of the landmark Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that launched the world's largest free trade bloc, and the conclusion of negotiations for the China-EU investment treaty. "These institutional factors are very important, because China will be able to radiate its positive influence on international trade and investment more effectively than before," said Chris Leung, chief China economist of Singapore-based DBS Bank. Gaining currency Meanwhile, a stronger renminbi, China's currency, has raised concerns over China's export competitiveness. Hong Kong-based Hang Seng Bank expects the renminbi to strengthen markedly this year. Reasons include the market's exceptionally optimistic expectations for China's growth in 2021 and a weaker dollar. Still, the bank expects China's exports to accelerate this year. "The global reliance on China's industrial supply chain has greatly increased rather than weakened. Global companies will continue to diversify their production lines to reduce the risk of overreliance on China, but this will have a limited impact on trade," said Wang Dan, chief economist of Hang Seng Bank China. Shedding light on China's trade growth momentum, Leung said trade growth in Chinese exports was initially driven by demand for pandemic-related products such as face masks and computing equipment for home working. "Yet the recovery has since broadened out, with other shipments now up year on year too." The recovery in non-pandemic-related demand will also help, Leung said. "For instance, retail sales have gone from strength to strength lately in the United States. China's exports of furniture and household appliances have been particularly strong." The customs administration expects China to maintain positive trade growth this year, as the world economy is expected to recover and the world's second-largest economy is projected to return to steady growth. In Texas, a child cannot consent to sex until they are 17, and an adult having sex with a child is almost always considered statutory rape. However, if a child is paid by their rapist, Texas law allows children 14 years of age and older to be prosecuted for prostitution. This forces young boys and girls to face a criminal conviction as a result of being sold, despite not being old enough to even consent to sex. In practice, this means presumptions of child rape and sex trafficking can be negated by handing a $5 bill to the underage victim. Thirty states have passed some form of a safe harbor law, which prevent children from being charged with prostitution and instead recognizes their victimhood. This leaves almost half of states, including Texas, denying full protections to molested children. The Texas Legislature passed such a safe harbor bill in 2019. The bipartisan bill would have prevented people under 17 from being charged with prostitution and allowed law enforcement to apprehend children in an effort to separate them from their traffickers. Instead of being sent to court, law enforcement would connect the children to services. Gov. Greg Abbott, however, vetoed the bill, citing its unintended consequences and presenting no other solution to protect statutorily raped and trafficked children who are being convicted of prostitution. From the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board: Abbott could have protected child sex trafficking victims. He chose not to. Namely, he said that the bill would limit law enforcements tools to separate victims from abusers and could incentivize traffickers to increasingly prostitute underage children if minors could not be prosecuted. This rationale is misguided, as the bill does not prohibit law enforcement from detaining children suspected of being prostituted and specifically instructs law enforcement to connect the children to vital services to separate them from abusers. And trying to disincentivize traffickers, who are already perverse enough to subject children to rape and torture, is no excuse for wrongfully criminalizing the children they abuse. His veto leaves in place a legal scheme that effectively faults children, who are otherwise legally unable to consent to sex with an adult, if they are paid for illegal sex. Such a payment should not dictate whether a victimized child will spend the proceeding years getting the assistance they deserve, or instead fighting their way through the criminal justice system. Last week, Gov. Abbott declared January Human Trafficking Prevention Month, where he acknowledged the prevalence of human trafficking within Texas borders and encouraged all Texans to educate themselves on this egregious human rights issue. Despite this declaration, our state, year after year, overlooks child sex trafficking victims, charging them as criminals for their own abuse. It is estimated that at least 200,000 children are at risk of being trafficked for sex every year within the United States, and there are close to 80,000 children sex trafficked in Texas at any given time. Local and national campaigns have attempted to shed light on the safe harbor issue but have been met with great resistance, in part because of the charged arguments surrounding prostitution laws in America. Prostitution laws across the country, such as the decision to legalize the buying and selling of sex, have been hotly debated in recent years. However, it should not be controversial that children are unable to consent to selling sex to adults, no matter the circumstance. Rep. Shawn Thierry, the original sponsor of the safe harbor legislation, said she will reintroduce a safe harbor bill this legislative session. I urge Abbott to work with the new Legislature being sworn in this week to support such a bill and prevent this perverted loophole. Otherwise, the unintended consequences will include dismantling the fundamental principle of consent designed to protect our youth. It is long past time for Texas to protect its minors, unequivocally labeling children being sold for sex as what they are: victims. Binzer is lawyer and graduate of Georgetown Law who has worked in anti-trafficking efforts since 2010, having provided direct services to sex trafficking victims and worked in anti-trafficking policy advocacy. PressureDOT is a real-time wireless pressure sensor platform used in critical care Hospitals and health systems across the world are looking at telehealth strategies to facilitate their advance into the telemedicine industry. Taiwan based PressureDOT is at the forefront of remote critical monitoring with its recently developed, world's smallest wireless intra-abdominal pressure sensing capsule. PressureDOT is a real-time wireless pressure sensor platform used in critical care to prevent unnecessary laparotomies and to prevent organ failure in patients with pancreatitis, traumatic abdomen injuries, and septicemia. The capsule is composed of a pressure sensor and a Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA) that can pass into the body via swallowing or nasogastric tube delivery. The capsule uses advanced packaging technology. Once the patient swallows the capsule, the system works automatically. PressureDOT incorporates a high-efficiency antenna that is safe for ingestion. It transmits signals with low acceleration. The external receiver system uses a special antenna array to track the capsule position and gastrointestinal motility in real-time. Doctors and healthcare providers can then monitor the patient's bio information using a mobile device. Data streamed by PressureDOT include information on intra-abdominal pressure, temperature, pressure trends, and capsular 3D location tracking. All provide physicians with the most reliable information for making proper diagnosis and intervention recommendations to avoid delayed treatment. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. OXFORD, Miss (WTVA) - The first group of veterans got the coronavirus vaccine at the State Veterans Home in Oxford Wednesday, U.S. Army veteran, Vernard Murchison, said getting the vaccine today means he is one shot closer to being reunited with his family. Itll be nice to see them. It sure would, he said. Murchinson was one first resident to get the Pfizer vaccine at the State Veterans home in Oxford. He and other residents havent seen their families in months because of three coronavirus outbreaks in the facility. Executive Director of the Veterans Home, Stacey Pickering said about 70 residents are scheduled to get vaccinated. After medical workers give residents and employees their second dose and they build immunity, Pickering said families can start visiting again. I was actually having lunch with some of the veterans at our facility this morning and three of the four men were in tears over the excitement at the fact that they will finally get to hug their children, their daughters, their grandchildren, he said. The vaccine is not required ate the StateVveterans Home, but Pickering said 95 percent of the residents want to get it. Goose Creek, SC (29445) Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 71F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 71F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Over the past day, four new cases of the highly-infectious B117 variant of COVID-19 have been discovered among returned travelers in Brisbane hotels, sparking fears of a broader spread of the virus and again highlighting the inadequate character of the quarantine system in Queensland and across the country. Last week, Queensland authorities revealed that a young cleaner who worked in the quarantine at Brisbanes Hotel Grand Chancellor had contracted the new iteration of the virus. BII7 is up to 70 percent more infectious than other forms of COVID-19, and has driven the massive surge of cases and deaths in Britain that threatens to overwhelm that countrys hospital system. Ambulances outside Brisbane's Grand Hotel Grand Chancellor this week (Credit: ABC News. Marc Smith) The Queensland Labor government responded to the emergence of BII7 by instituting a three-day lockdown of greater Brisbane that spanned from Friday to Sunday evening. Given that the coronavirus incubation period is 14 days, the measure was manifestly inadequate. It was timed not to include any business days, so as to ensure the minimum impact on profit-making operations. The lockdown was concluded as scheduled, even as medical experts warned that the new strain could be circulating in the community, without yet being detected. Shortly after the minimal restrictions were lifted, the cleaners partner tested positive, having previously returned a false negative. Then yesterday, a further four cases at the Hotel Grand Chancellor were identified among returned travelers. While the numbers are low, chains of transmission have not been determined and hundreds have potentially been exposed. It is still not known how the cleaner initially contracted COVID-19. Health authorities have said it is likely there is a direct link between her infection and those of the returned travelers, but have been unable to definitively confirm this. The result has been a shambles. People who had left the hotel since December 30 were suddenly instructed to get tested and to return to quarantine for another 14 days of isolation. The figure of those affected was initially placed at 250 but was revised down today to 147. At least ten of them had already returned to the neighbouring state of New South Wales, which has been hit by a series of clusters over the past month centred in Sydney. Another 18 had travelled to Victoria, which in July was struck by the largest surge of the pandemic in Australia to date, resulting in more than 750 deaths and a months-long lockdown. Those who were set to leave the Hotel Grand Chancellor will also be compelled to begin their two-week period anew. Some 220 staff have also been sent into isolation as the facility has been closed for deep cleaning and its occupants moved to other hotels. Travelers said that yesterday, before they were moved out of the Grand Chancellor, the hotel was surrounded by dozens of police officers. They told the media that they were provided with hardly any information ahead of time. A further four cases were announced today by Queensland authorities among returned travelers from South Africa and the United States. Indicating the strain that is being placed on the broader quarantine system, they are reportedly not linked to the Grand Chancellor and were identified at other hotels. The infections, and the possibility of broader transmission, have shown that a year into the pandemic, hotel quarantines continue to be grossly inadequate. The quarantine program in Victoria was one of the drivers of the July outbreak. Its operation was outsourced to private security companies, who employed low-paid casual workers without any medical training or expertise. While governments proclaimed that the lessons of that debacle would be learnt, it is clear that many of the practices that contributed to the Victorian wave persist. Today, it was confirmed that hotel quarantine staff in Queensland are permitted to work multiple jobs, meaning that infections can be spread between hotels and into the broader community. This is clearly not best medical practice. Its sole purpose is to ensure that contractors can employ workers on a precarious contract or casual basis to slash their costs. For months, epidemiologists have warned against placing private hotels, which are not equipped for major medical operations, on the frontlines of the pandemic. In every state, the facilities chosen have been in the centre of the largest urban population centres, meaning that breaches threaten entire cities. The maintenance of the program has been dictated by the refusal of governments to devise safer alternatives because they would be more expensive. It has also ensured a continuous stream of income for major hotel chains that otherwise would have been hit by the decline in travel, first from government subsidies, and then for most of the past six months from returnees who have been compelled to pay for their own quarantine. Moreover, only last Friday, at a meeting of the national cabinet, did state and federal government leaders institute basic safeguards, including a requirement for oversees travelers to be tested before departure and to wear a mask during their travel, and for hotel quarantine staff to be regularly tested. Pointing to the limited character of infection controls in the hotels, Queensland Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said yesterday, regarding the source of the Grand Chancellor outbreak: Was it in the air conditioning? Was it movement? Was it picking up something? We just don't know those answers yet. The dangers of airborne transmission, compounded by inadequate ventilation, have been known about for months. Professor Marylouise McLaws, an infectious disease expert at the University of New South Wales, told the Australian Financial Review, Quarantine hotels are not designed as hospital wards, which demand high 100 percent hourly fresh airflow change at a World Health Organisation-recommended rate of 12 full changes per hour. The rate in a hotel would likely be closer to four-to-six airflow changes an hour, So this is low if there is a COVID-infected traveler in a room or several of them on a floor. Only now has the Queensland Labor government indicated that it is looking at alternatives, including a possible transfer of quarantines to work camps in regional and rural areas. Details, however, have still not been provided, meaning it is possible that nothing has been concretely planned. At the same time, police are involved in the investigation into the Grand Chancellor outbreak. During each rapid spread of the virus, governments have sought to scapegoat ordinary people, by insinuating or openly claiming that guidelines have been breached, often without any evidence. The quarantine crisis, and the potential spread of the new strain into New South Wales and Queensland, come as politicians and the corporate press again seek to minimise the dangers of the pandemic. The New South Wales Liberal government has claimed that it is now mopping up the remnants of a cluster that originated in Sydneys Northern Beaches, in an attempt to present the threat of last months outbreak as a thing of the past. New infections are continuing to be identified across Sydneys working-class suburbs and in the inner-west, along with dozens of possible exposure sites. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, whose government has rejected calls for lockdowns amid the current outbreak, again denounced any strategy aimed at eliminating COVID-19 transmission in response to the new variant. Such attempts were not realistic for a trading nation, and it was necessary to live with the virus. Editorials in the financial press similarly railed against the cult of elimination. Innes Willox, head of the Australian Industry Group, declared that total elimination strategies only serve to crush and kill investment and job creation With many businesses now returning to full operations after the holidays, there is an urgent need for state governments to resist broad lockdown options. The comments, featured in the Murdoch-owned Australian newspaper, were directed against the Victorian governments maintenance of some border restrictions, including an ongoing block on travel from Sydney to Melbourne, under a new traffic light system. Those measures have been accompanied by calls from some premiers, including Western Australia Labor leader Mark McGowan, for a greater bid to prevent transmission in New South Wales, amid the emergence of the more virulent strain. McGowan and others who have echoed his calls are speaking for sections of the establishment fearful of the political and economic consequences of a possible mass outbreak, as in Europe or the US. The response from Berejiklian and the business press again demonstrates that the dominant layers of the ruling elite are committed to preventing lockdown measures, however minimal and necessary, if they in any way impede the operations of the largest businesses. The same calculations that have led to disaster abroad, based on the subordination of workers safety and lives to corporate profit, are at work in Australia. The Norton Police Department on Wednesday announced that one of its officers, Detective Sgt. Stephen Desfosses, has died of COVID-19. Desfosses, who served with the department for more than 30 years, was surrounded by family when he passed, Norton police wrote in a Facebook post. He was a loyal, trusted and dedicated member of this department holding many positions including Detective Division Commander, shift supervisor, training officer and he commanded the award-winning Norton Police Honor Guard, the statement said. The department asked people to remember Desfosses and to keep his family in their thoughts and prayers. We thank the community for the outpouring of support shown to the Desfosses family and the members of the police department during this difficult time, the department wrote. Services for the officer have not been finalized yet. Desfosses was diagnosed with COVID, influenza and pneumonia late last year. Other Massachusetts officers have also succumbed to the virus throughout the pandemic. Patrolman John Borges of the Taunton Police Department died on Dec. 24. Rutland Police Officer John D. Songy and Boston Police Officer Jose Fontanez also lost battles with the virus. Related Content: Taking a cue from the battered restaurant industry during the coronavirus pandemic, the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. announced this week that they would offer contactless delivery and pickup of their cookies through Grubhub. Its the first time that the Girl Scouts, who have sold cookies for more than a century, have collaborated with a national delivery service, the organization said. For decades, cookie stands, stacked with boxes of Samoas, Thin Mints and Trefoils, have been ubiquitous outside supermarkets and in other high-traffic areas. So have direct sales pitches from parents of Girl Scouts to their colleagues at work. But then the pandemic hit drastically limiting direct contact. So the Girl Scouts got creative. Were proud of the resourceful ways Girl Scouts are running their cookie businesses safely and using their earnings to make the world a better place, Judith Batty, the interim chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts, said in a statement. This season, our girls will continue to exemplify what the cookie program taught them how to think like entrepreneurs, use innovative sales tactics and pivot to new ways of doing business when things dont go according to plan. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Senators Johnson, Graham Support Independent Commission to Investigate Jan. 6 Breach of Capitol The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee are calling on Congress to appoint an independent panel to investigate the Jan. 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol. Sens. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said that Congress should not be allowed to investigate itself and are calling for a non-partisan and independent group to find out why the Capitol was breached during the joint session of Congress. We are calling for an independent commission to be appointed to investigate the security failures that allowed the Capitol to be breached on January 6th resulting in five deaths, the two Republican leaders said in a joint press statement. While todays announcement that the Capitol Police Inspector General will investigate is welcome. We believe we need a truly independent commission with wide latitude and authority to examine the failures by the Capitol Police leadership, House and Senate Sergeants at Arms, and the officials that oversee them. The Jan. 6 breach occurred after a rally attended by Trump supporters who were protesting alleged voter fraud during the presidential election. After the rally, a subgroup of protesters made their way into the Capitol building, forcing the Senate and House members to close their session as debates over the validity of Arizonas electoral votes were taking place, temporarily stopping the electoral vote count process. The following day, Graham said Congress should spare no expense to find out why the security breach occurred. The senators joint statement reiterated this point. The commission must be comprised of nationally recognized non-partisan security experts, the statement reads, adding, The commission should be established and funded in the spirit of other bipartisan commissions. The inspector generals office of the Capitol Police said Wednesday it was opening a broad inquiry into security breaches connected to the attack. Americans understand Congress is rife with partisan disputes and turf wars, the statement continues. We fear that without an outside set of eyes to review the issues [that] led to January 6, the investigations will fall into the familiar territory of partisan squabbles ultimately resolving nothing. Meanwhile, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), is leading more than 30 of her colleagues to call on the Acting House Sergeant at Arms, Acting Senate Sergeant at Arms, and United States Capitol Police to investigate why large groups of visitors were given tours at the Capitol the day before the protests. In a letter, the lawmakers demand answers about what they called an extremely high number of outside groups let into the Capitol on Jan. 5. While both Republicans and Democrats want answers to why the protestors were able to get into the Capitol building, Johnson and Graham want the independent commission to examine the Capitals law enforcements failures, impartially. Johnson and Graham concluded their statement by saying, The U.S. Capitol is the peoples house and it belongs to the American people. We owe it to them to get to the bottom of this security failure, which was a national embarrassment. A commission is the best opportunity for us to get the answers the American people deserve. Advertisement A senior aide to a conservative Republican congressman admitted Thursday to being so close to the MAGA riots that she saw flash bombs and tear gas and could have touched shot rioter Ashli Babbitt when she was taken to an ambulance. Sandy Adams, district director for Virginia's Bob Good, said she and her husband were there for '45 minutes' - an admission which comes amid mounting demands by Democrats for a full-scale investigation into whether Republican members or staff helped plan the event. Adams and her husband Melvin Adams denied taking part in any violence but acknowledged being at the police barriers. They went 'to join with many, many thousands of wonderful red-blooded American patriots in Washington DC,' Melvin Adams wrote in an email obtained by the Washington Post. Sandy Adams, district director for Virginia's GOP Rep. Bob Good, said she and her husband were outside the Capitol for '45 minutes' - an admission which comes amid mounting demands by Democrats for a full-scale investigation into whether Republican members or staff helped plan the event 'I did witness the use of flash bombs and tear gas at the entrances in efforts to control the crowd,' according to Adams. 'But the tragic nature of events inside came home full force when a young lady who had been shot was being taken to the ambulance, passing so close to us that we could have literally reached out and touched her,' he wrote. News of the top Republican staffer's attendance comes as the House Democratic Whip charged that sitting lawmakers gave inside help to MAGA mob rioters as a group of Democratic lawmakers is demanding to know how rioters appeared to gain 'unusually detailed knowledge' of the Capitol they ransacked. Rep. James C. Clyburn of South Carolina is pointing to rioters who located his own unmarked office, as well as 'tours' that several Democrats say GOP lawmakers provided in advance of the January 6 riot. 'Well, it seems to me that something was going on some coordination was going on between sitting members of Congress and some of these called visitors to the Capitol,' Clyburn said. A group of House Democrats, led by Rep. Mikie Sherrill (N.J.), have written Capitol Police demanding the identities of people who toured Capitol facilities the day before the riot along with any information on the members who brought them there. Sherrill is a former Navy helicopter pilot who ultimately helped rally support for the first Trump impeachment. Good is a fervently pro-Trump first-term Republican who defeated another Republican in the primary. He was the athletic director of Liberty University. The Democratic lawmakers are seeking answers to a series of questions about procedures for public admittance to the Capitol with an eye toward identifying who was in the building Jan. 5 and what lawmakers may have gotten them in. Rep. James C. Clyburn, the House Democratic whip, said there was coordination 'between sitting members of Congress' and those who ransacked the Capitol Did they know more than this? Democrats want to know if the MAGA rioters were equipped with up to date floor plans showing where specific members' offices are Demand: What Democrats are asking Capitol Police and the acting sergeants at arms Many of the Members who signed this letter, including those of us who have served in the military and are trained to recognize suspicious activity, as well as various members of our staff, witnessed an extremely high number of outside groups in the complex on Tuesday, January 5, they wrote. The letter was signed by 34 lawmakers. They called the tours noticeable and concerning and said rioters the following day seemed to have unusually detailed knowledge of the building. This is unusual for several reasons, including the fact that access to the Capitol Complex has been restricted since public tours ended in March of last year due to the pandemic. The tours being conducted on Tuesday, January 5, were a noticeable and concerning departure from the procedures in place as of March 2020 that limited the number of visitors to the Capitol. They say the tours were 'so concerning' that they were reported to the Sergeant at Arms the day before the riot. 'The visitors encountered by some of the Members of Congress on this letter appeared to be associated with the rally at the White House the following day. That group left the White House and marched to the Capitol with the objective of preventing Congress from certifying our election. Members of the group that attacked the Capitol seemed to have an unusually detailed knowledge of the layout of the Capitol Complex. The presence of these groups within the Capitol Complex was indeed suspicious. Given the events of January 6, the ties between these groups inside the Capitol Complex and the attacks on the Capitol need to be investigated, they wrote. The members went on to ask detailed questions bout the system for tracking Capitol visitors. 'Are there video logs of the day in question?' they demanded to know. 'Is facial recognition software used for visitors entering the complex?' 'I've been listening to my colleagues and watching many of their interviews on television and many of them saw things going on the day before that led them to believe that something was amiss,' Clyburn added. In just one example of direct connections to the protest that became a bloody riot, Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) has deleted a tweet three days before the events where he bragged about meeting with participants. 'Had a great meeting today with folks from Stop the Steal at our nations Capitol. I encouraged them to keep fighting and assured them I look forward to doing MY duty on January 6th, Sessions wrote in the the Jan. 3 tweet. said. Sessions included the hashtags '#StopTheSteal and #legalvotescount.' Following the riots, he tweeted about the 'illegal and unprecedented charge on the U.S. Capitol.' Sessions used to chair the House Rules Committee, whose ornate offices are just steps from the House chamber and Speaker's Lobby that was overrun during the riots. 'PANIC BUTTONS TORN OUT' FROM SQUAD MEMBER'S OFFICE Target? Ayanna Pressley's staff revealed that panic buttons had been 'torn out' of her office Sarah Groh, the chief of staff to Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), revealed panic buttons were 'torn out' of the 'squad' member's congressional office. Both Clyburn and Pressley are members of the Congressional Black Caucus and prominent nationally with Pressley one of the members of 'the Squad' of radical Democrats led by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. During the riots, Pressley's office staff were barricading themselves behind their office door for protection, when they began looking for specially installed panic buttons. Pressley has them throughout the office after encountering threats since her election two years ago as part of the 'squad.' 'Every panic button in my office had been torn out the whole unit,' Groh said. HOW DID MOB FIND MOST SENIOR BLACK DEMOCRAT'S UNMARKED OFFICE? Clyburn has raised questions about how people who breached the Capitol had located his unmarked office inside the sprawling Capitol. 'Now I do know my own office where I do most of my work is unmarked, it's on a different floor from the office where it is designated as my office. Nobody bothered the door that was designated to be mine but they showed up at my office where I do most of my work. It seems to me that they had knowledge of where I cold be found,' he said. Clyburn's leadership office, he is the party whip and Number Three leader, is marked with a wood plaque. MAGA mob: President Trump did not use the speech to acknowledge any responsibility for the desecration of the Capitol for which he is being impeached, but came closer than before by saying to his supporters of violence and lawbreaking: 'If you do any of this you do not support our movement.' NAVY VET REP.: I SAW PRE-RIOT TOURS OF PEOPLE 'CASING THE JOINT' Clyburn alluded to comments by other House Democrats who have reported seeing what they identified suspicious activity by fellow lawmakers in advance of the riots. Rep. Mikie Sherill said there were lawmakers 'who had groups coming through the Capitol that I saw on Jan. 5, a reconnaissance for the next day,' she said. 'I'm going to see that they're held accountable and, if necessary, ensure that they don't serve in Congress,' she added in a Facebook live post. Sherrill, who represents New Jersey's 11th district, said during a Facebook Live video Tuesday night that she wants members of Congress who 'abetted' President Donald Trump and the violent crowd who descended on the Capitol to be held accountable and prevented from running for office in the future. But she did not name the Republicans she says abated the insurrectionists. Her accusation came as more details emerged over the attack indicating three Republican lawmakers may have helped protesters get inside. Sherrill is a Navy veteran and former federal prosecutor who sits on the House Armed Services Committee. 'We can't have a democracy if members of Congress are actively helping the president overturn the elections results,' Sherrill said of her colleagues she claims assisted Trump in inciting a crowd to storm the Capitol last Wednesday, January 6. 'Not only do I intend to see that the president is removed and never runs for office again and doesn't have access to classified material,' she continued in her straight-to-camera remarks. 'I also intend to see that those members of Congress who abetted him; those members of Congress who had groups coming through the Capitol that I saw on Jan. 5 a reconnaissance for the next day; those members of Congress that incited this violent crowd; those members of Congress that attempted to help our president undermine our democracy I'm going to see they are held accountable, and if necessary, ensure that they don't serve in Congress.' Tim Ryan said there were fears Republican lawmakers gave tours to visitors who were 'casing the joint' and that groups getting tours involved 'handfuls' of people and were not 'one-on-one or small family' tour. Before the pandemic, it was not uncommon for lawmakers and their aides to provide tours to visitors through the Capitol, but public tours have been cancelled and the building is open only for official business. AOC: I AVOIDED ' EXTRACTION POINTS' BECAUSE I FEARED REPUBLICANS Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez expressed concern that her own colleagues in Congress might have shared her location to the mob of fanatic Trump supporters while they were storming the Capitol last Wednesday. Lawmakers were instructed to head for a designated 'extraction point' to seek protection from the chaos, but AOC asserted that that wasn't really an option 'because there were QAnon and white-supremacist sympathizers and, frankly, white-supremacist members of Congress in that extraction point who I know and who I have felt would disclose my location and would create opportunities to allow me to be hurt, kidnapped, et cetera.' 'So I didn't even feel safe around other members of Congress,' she said during an hour long Instagram live video from Tuesday. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez's remarks comes as other Democrats have sounded off on the possibility that some GOP members of the Congress abetted the rioters as they stormed the building. Ocasio-Cortez has said that she thought she would be killed during the January 6 raid on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters. The Democratic congresswoman - a lightning rod for the president and his followers - said during an Instagram Live broadcast that she could not go into detail about her harrowing time inside the Capitol, due to security concerns. But she said she had had a 'very close encounter' with the insurrectionists during which, she said, 'I thought I was going to die.' She added: 'I did not know if I was going to make it to the end of that day alive.' She said: 'I didn't even feel safe going to that extraction point because there were QAnon and white supremacist members of Congress who I felt would disclose my location and create opportunities to allow me to be hurt,' she said, adding that she 'didn't feel safe around other members of Congress.' The 31-year-old said that some of her colleagues had invited their children into Congress that day, and they were exposed to the trauma. The rioters pummeled the door of the House chamber, with the politicians inside. The Senate chamber was breached, when the Senators had been safely evacuated, but the House was not. 'It is not an exaggeration to say that many, many members of the House were nearly assassinated,' said Ocasio-Cortez. 'It's just not an exaggeration to say that at all. We were very lucky that things happened within certain minutes. That allowed members to escape the gap, the House floor unharmed. 'But many of us merely narrowly escaped death. And it's also extremely traumatizing.' The New Yorker praised the police officers who managed to repel the invaders, saying they were on the frontline of the fight against white supremacy, and speaking of her dismay in seeing rioters running through the Capitol waving the Confederate flag. 'There were also black and brown officers that were confronting white supremacists and putting themselves, not just to protect members, but they put themselves in harm's way,' she said. 'On the front line, facing the racist violence.' But, continuing, she said she believed some of the Capitol Police were working with the rioters. WHAT ABOUT THE CAPITOL COPS? DEMS REVEAL 17 UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR POSSIBLE COMPLICITY OR WORSE On Monday Tim Ryan, the Ohio congressman leading the investigation into the riots, said one member of the Capitol Police had been arrested. Two were also suspended - one for taking a selfie with a rioter; another for putting on a MAGA hat and appearing to show the frenzied mob around. 'There were those acts of heroism. But next to that there was also acts of betrayal. 'And to run in the Capitol, in our nation's capital, and not know if an officer is there to help you or to harm you - it's also quite traumatizing.' A Capitol Police officer who posed for a selfie with a rioter (above) has been suspended I HAD INSIDE HELP, STOP THE STEAL ORGANIZER BOASTED - AND NAMED NAMES Pro-Trump activist Ali Alexander said in a video on Periscope that three GOP lawmakers helped in organizing the disruption of Congress certifying the election for Joe Biden on January 6 Ali Alexander, a pro-Trump organizer of the 'stop the steal' rally the day Congress met to count the electoral votes making Joe Biden the next president, said he coordinated with three House Republican members: Reps. Paul Gosar (Ariz.) and Andy Biggs (Ariz.), and Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama, who spoke at the Trump rally before the riot. He said in a since-deleted video: 'I want to let you guys know how we're responding because I was the person who came up with the January 6 idea with Congressman Gosar, Congressman Mo Brooks and then Congressman Andy Biggs.' Of the three he named, Biggs' office denied involvement, telling the Washington Post: 'Congressman Biggs is not aware of hearing of or meeting Mr. Alexander at any point - let alone working with him to organize some part of a planned protest.' Gosar has made no public statement but his twitter account tagged Alexander repeatedly. And Brooks has not addressed Alexander's claims but issued a lengthy statement Tuesday defending his speech to the rally at the Ellipse before the mob rioted, at which he shouted: 'Today is the day patriots start taking down names and kicking a**.' 'Those three members of Congress are going to need to lawyer up, very fast," former House GOP Rep. Charlie Dent told CNN. The network also reported following the suspensions of two Capitol Police officers that at least 10 others were being investigated for their behavior during the riot, which resulted in the death of a Capitol Police officer. Alexander said Representatives Paul Gosar (center), Andy Biggs (left) and Mo Brooks (right) were planning something big. 'We four schemed up of putting maximum pressure on Congress while they were voting,' Alexander said MORE SECURITY TO STOP QAUCUS TAKING GUNS INTO HOUSE CHAMBER Amid heightened security and even with 20,000 National Guard set to be deployed for the inauguration, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi oversaw the installation of new metal detectors outside the House chamber and said she would impose steep fines after House Republican members scoffed and raised constitutional concerns. She says members who fail to comply will face fines of fine $5,000 for the first offense and $10,000 for the second offense, after GOP lawmakers brushed by Capitol Police officers and refused to go through the magnetometers. is proposing fines of up to $10,000 will be imposed on members who fail to abide by the security protocols of the House. 'It is tragic that this step is necessary, but the Chamber of the Peoples House must and will be safe,' said Pelosi. 'Many House Republicans have disrespected our heroes by verbally abusing them and refusing to adhere to basic precautions.' Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 14) A treaty banning nuclear weapons is up for concurrence by the Senate. The Treaty on Prohibition on Nuclear Weapon for concurrence, endorsed by the Committee on Foreign Relations to the plenary, bans signatory states from developing, testing, producing, acquiring, possessing, stockpiling, using, or threatening to use nuclear weapons. It also prohibits deploying nuclear weapons on national territory and assisting any state in conducting prohibited activities. However, Senator Francis Tolentino cautioned during a hearing on Thursday that the country may not be able to enforce the treaty. Tolentino noted that the five big countries reported to have nuclear weapons- China, Russia, France, the United States, and United Kingdom- are not signatories to the treaty. He also questioned the country's ability to make sure there's no stockpiling of nuclear weapons in the disputed West Philippine Sea where China has deployed substantial military assets. We cannot prevent China from stockpiling. We cannot ask China to remove the stockpiles. We cannot ask the international community to accompany us to verify the existence, to prevent the stockpiling, to remove the stockpiled materials, and to sanction a non-party to the treaty, and I'm referring to the occupant in the West Philippine Sea, Tolentino said. Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs officials say the country can declare it has no knowledge of the presence of nuclear weapons or nuclear devices in its territory, including those identified in the arbitral award. We are only mandated to declare whether we have nuclear weapons or nuclear devices if we have knowledge of this or we are allowing other nuclear weapon states to install, to station or deploy nuclear weapons or nuclear devices in our country, Foreign Affairs Director Marge Malang said. A father-of-two has been rushed to hospital after he was badly mauled by a shark while swimming in a river at a popular swimming spot. Cameron Wrathall was swimming with a friend at Blackwall Reach off Bicton in Perth's south when he was attacked about 8am on Thursday. The man aged in his 50s was in the Swan River in Bicton, 10km south-west of the Perth CBD where shark attacks are almost unheard-of. Mr Wrathall's injuries from the attack by a suspected bull shark were so severe had to be revived with CPR when brought ashore. Father-of-two Cameron Wrathall (pictured), in his 50s, was swimming with a friend in the Swan River at Blackwall Reach in Bicton in Perth's south when he was attacked by a suspected bull shark at 8am on Thursday The beach at Blackwall Reach, near where Mr Wrathall was attacked. He Mr Wrathall was taken to the shore of a beach across from Blackwall Reach and received CPR before being rushed to hospital for surgery Two kayakers heard Mr Wrathall's screams and saw blood in the water before going over to assist him at the popular swimming spot. One of the kayakers took off his T-shirt and wrapped it around the wound before taking Mr Wrathall to shore. 'There was a fair bit of blood in the water and the bite was quite a significant one, it was right at the top of his thigh, so it was a pretty decent bit,' one kayaker told Nine News. Mr Wrathall was taken to a beach across from Blackwall Reach, received CPR and rushed to Royal Perth Hospital via St John Ambulance. The severity of his injuries is not known yet but he was taken to hospital under 'priority one' conditions, which is the fastest ambulance transport possible. Mr Wrathall was taken into an operating theatre at 9.30am but doctors do not believe his injuries are life-threatening. He is now in a critical but stable condition in hospital. The two kayakers who saved Mr Wrathall. The kayaker on the left is demonstrating how big the bite on Mr Wrathall's upper right thigh was Mr Wrathall worked at the Fremantle Water Polo Club and swam in the river almost every day. Western Australia's fisheries department believes a bull shark two to three metres in size was responsible for the attack. A water police vessel is on the scene and people have been cleared from the water. WA Premier Mark McGowan said the shark attack was a 'a very, very surprising event'. 'We haven't had an attack by a bull shark in the river for 50 years, the last time someone was killed by a bull shark in the river was 100 years ago,' he said. 'I will get a full report from Fisheries in the next few days about this event and what can be done about these sorts of issues.' Western Australia 's fisheries department believes a bull shark two to three metres in size was responsible for the attack (stock image) A 13-year-old boy died after he was bitten on the thigh by a bull shark while swimming in the Swan River near Mosman Park in 1923. This is the only recorded fatal bull shark attack in Perth's Swan River. Bull sharks are notorious for their aggressive nature, and presence in warm, shallow brackish and freshwater systems including estuaries, canals and rivers. It are also known as the Zambezi shark in Africa, and 'Lake Nicaragua shark' in Nicaragua in South America. Flash South Korea's top court upheld a 20-year prison sentence on former President Park Geun-hye Thursday in a retrial of the corruption scandal that led to the impeachment of the former head of state. The Supreme Court sentenced Park to 15 years in prison for bribery and another five years for other charges with a fine of 18 billion won (16.4 million U.S. dollars) and a forfeit of 3.5 billion won (3.2 million U.S. dollars), upholding the high court's ruling in July last year. It was commuted from the combined sentences of 30 years in jail, handed down by the appellate court in 2019. Separately, she was sentenced to two years in jail for illegally interfering with the nomination process for lawmaker candidates of the then ruling Saenuri Party. Park was ousted from presidency in March 2017, becoming the country's first impeached president over corruptions that involved her longtime confidante, Choi Soon-sil. She was accused of conspiring with Choi to force big conglomerates, including Samsung, to donate tens of millions of U.S. dollars to two foundations controlled by Choi. She was also indicted on charges of receiving off-the-book money from heads of the National Intelligence Service (NIS). TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI)Tippecanoe County's COVID-19 positivity rate now sits at 13.6 percent. That's according to the Indiana State Department of Health. County health officer Dr. Jeremy Adler the positivity rate in this context means there's a high level of community transmission. Dr. Adler said the positivity rate gives a broader look at what percentage of tests are coming back positive. Adler said a contributing factor would be the holiday season that just passed. He said the health department saw an increase just before Thanksgiving. "When you get to fifteen percent or twenty percent and above then we are really very very concerned that there is very high widespread community transmission of the virus," said Adler. "Essentially it means that it is everywhere." The World Health Organization said the goal is to be five percent or below. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, there is an increase in the level of understanding that there are unknown threats to the humankind that can lead to the next pandemic. 'Disease X' is representative of that unknown factor. The X-factor of this disease is that everything about it is unknown. It is not technically a "disease" but is an area of research for scientists studying possibilities of the next pandemic. Representative picture A recent CNN report quoted Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe Tamfum, who discovered the Ebola virus in 1976, as saying that new deadly viruses were set to hit mankind. He went on to add that there are new and potentially fatal viruses emerging from Africa's tropical rainforests. Why is it in news? A woman, in a remote town of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa, recently showed symptoms of haemorrhagic fever. She was tested for several diseases -- including Ebola -- but all the test reports came back negative. Scientists fear that this could be a symptom of a potentially new and fatal virus. This rare situation sparked fear amid speculations -- what if the woman was patient zero of 'Disease X'? AFP "We've all got to be frightened," the woman's physician, Dr Dadin Bonkole was quoted in reports as telling a US news channel. "We have to be afraid of new diseases" as Ebola and COVID-19 were both unknown before they were discovered, she said. This new infection could be more fateful than Ebola and COVID-19, Prof. Tamfum said. His statement is since doing round in world media, raising several questions if this "Disease X" is indeed a new disease. (Representative Image: DPA) Prof. Tamfum also cautioned that many more zoonotic diseases, specifically those that get transmitted from animals to humans, could arise in the future. He stated that diseases -- namely influenza, rabies, and yellow fever -- have all jumped from animals to humans. These "occurrences are common and could lead to epidemics and pandemics in the future", he said. Reuters According to the CNN, since yellow fever -- the first animal-to-human infection -- was identified in 1901, scientists have found at least another 200 viruses that can cause disease in humans. Experts say that the rising number of emerging viruses is largely the result of ecological destruction and wildlife trade, the CNN report said. Is it a new disease? Disease X is definitely not a new disease but a potential disease that is yet to be discovered. Disease X is a placeholder name adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in February 2018. It is not a newly discovered threat, but a hypothetical disease, which could emerge in the future and cause an outbreak/epidemic/pandemic. Getty The organization mentions "Disease X" on a shortlist of pathogens considered to be a "blueprint priority diseases" for research. "X" in Disease X stands for unexpected, a top doctor had told CNN once. But why a "top priority" when it is still unknown? It is because of what the name "Disease X" represents: "the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a [unknown, hypothetical] pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease", the WHO explains. Besides this Disease X, other viruses -- some of them now-well-known deadly viruses -- on WHO's current priority list are: Covid-19, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Ebola virus disease and Marburg virus disease, Lassa fever, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Nipah and henipaviral diseases, Rift Valley fever and Zika. Unsplash After listing the 10 diseases, the WHO clarifies: "This is not an exhaustive list, nor does it indicate the most likely causes of the next epidemic. WHO reviews and updates this list as needs arise, and methodologies change. Based on the priority diseases, WHO then works to develop R&D roadmaps for each one." 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 Palliative care advocates from a host of Latin American countries participating in a webinar on Tuesday co-hosted by the University of Miami Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas asserted that pain-alleviating medicines and care are more critical than ever as the pandemic continues. Felicia Knaul, director of the institute and an economist and public health expert, opened the Closing the Access Gap to Palliative Care and Pain Relief: An Imperative for Universal Health Care virtual session by sharing her experience of administrating palliative care and offering a presentation that highlighted the results and recommendations from a Lancet Commission report. Jorge Saavedra, executive director of the Universitys AHF Global Public Health Institute, moderated the conversation. The International Association of Providers of AIDS Care, the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care, and Tomatelo a Pecho were also co-hosts of the webinar. One of the key things weve learned from these conferences that explore the unfolding story of COVID-19 is that civic health organizations have to be at the forefront, speaking with one strong unified voice, sharing their evidence, and advocating on behalf of patients and their families for a radical change in access to palliative care, Knaul said. This is not the time to reduce spendingjust the opposite. Nows the time to invest more, she added. Denying access to these medicines that help control pain and reduce suffering does not reduce the crisis, it creates an even greater crisis for patients and for health systems, she continued. The Lancet Report on Global Access to Palliative Care and Pain Relief assessed the use of palliative medicines for 72 countries worldwide for the period 1990-2017, culling data from the Distributed Opioid Morphine-Equivalent and Serious Health-Related Suffering databases. An updated report charting data from the pandemic period is forthcoming. Knaul noted that the 35 health commissioners who generated the report marked the contrasts in access to palliative care and provision of medicines between low-, middle-, and high-income countries. While we have seen improvement over time in nearly every region of the world, access remains very, very low compared with the need for this kind of care in all low-income and middle-income countries, said Knaul, citing that in the latter only 4 to 5 percent of the demand for palliative care is being met. She noted that the price of palliative medicines varies and that the commission maintains that much could be accomplished with the cheaper or more basic medicines, yet no one is producing them because there is no incentive to do so. Were hopeful that the less-developed countries can introduce innovative ways to help guarantee the demand for these because palliative care is a human right, Knaul pointed out. A panel of professionals from Latin America that included Liliana De Lima, Colombia; Silvia Allende, Mexico; Nisla Camano Reyes, Panama; and Paola Ruiz, Colombia presented the experiences of their respective countries and recommendations for expanding care and medicines in the wake of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. Weve learned that palliative medicines are every bit as critical as the mechanical ventilators, intravenous therapies, antipyretics, and antihistamines, and we recognize the extraordinary dedication and compassionate care that palliative care workers have provided every day of this pandemic in each and every interaction with patients, their families, co-workers from other disciplines, and in the community, Allende said. Reyes emphasized the importance of collaboration between health care professionals. We must not cease in our role to continue to advocate for what we believe to be our patients rightwhich is to receive palliative care, she said. Ruiz echoed the need for continued collaboration that would help to raise awareness for the value of palliative care and called for better planning. Resources are never infinite, she said, so the money issue in terms of this pandemic, or in medicine in general, will only be resolved by better planning and emphasizing the needs of our patients. We have to reinvent ourselves and think outside the box, urged De Lima. Whatever national policy or response is enacted must take into consideration the people who are working with the patientsso the time of the government working apart and adopting policy is over. Saavedra and Knaul both faulted governments that overly stigmatize morphine and other pain-relieving medicines that can become addictive. And because of this concern, they fail to fund training and education for doctors, nurses, and health care professionals on how to properly administer these critical medicines. Knaul recognized Dr. Hansel Tookes, University of Miami alumnus and assistant professor of medicine, for his novel needle exchange program and research that has served as a model for Florida and elsewhere to unravel biases relating to substance abuse. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WLFI) - The state of Indiana is preparing for the possibility of violent protests in response to President Donald Trump's Impeachment. During Governor Eric Holcomb's weekly press briefing State Police Superintendent Doug Carter said that, as of right now, the state has not received any threats about an armed March on the state capitol. However, the state will be taking precautions. While neither the Governor nor Superintendent Carter would go into detail about what changes they have planned, but they both say that the state will be ready if violent protests arise. Holcomb says a lot of the intelligence they have received, has shown that other states are likely to have more issues since Indiana was not part of the election integrity debate. However, he says they will have a presence that's appropriate to the situation. Superintendent Carter says it will be all hands on deck. Many meetings have occurred with the IMPD and with our intelligence folks and I think we are well-positioned, said Superintend Carter. It is certainly my hope that what we do have positioned doesn't have to be visible. Governor Eric Holcomb said that this gives the state of Indiana to set an example on how protest can take place without violence. The coming days and beyond presents us with a huge opportunity to show the Indiana way that I believe is on full display, said Governor Holcomb. While the state of Indiana has not received any threats of violence, Superintendent Carter says there are talks of protest on social media platforms that the state is taking seriously. However, he did add that this is a developing situation, so while there are no threats now, that could change in the future. Governor Holcomb also announced that he has authorized 625 National Guard men and women to be deployed to Washington D.C. from the 16th to the 22nd, for the presidential inauguration. Grant Denyer addressed claims he 'had a significant drug issue' during an emotional conversation with co-star Toni Pearen on Thursday's episode of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! A hesitant Toni, 48, asked the TV host about tabloid reports several years ago that suggested he and his wife of 10 years, Chezzi Denyer, had 'gone off the rails'. 'For me, the worst of it happened at a time when I was at my worst and wasn't very strong,' the 43-year-old began. Upsetting: Grant Denyer (pictured) addressed claims he 'had a significant drug issue' during an emotional conversation with co-star Toni Pearen on Thursday's episode of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! 'I basically had chronic fatigue. I'd run myself into the ground. Yeah, it was a horrible period. I was the breadwinner. And, you know, we had a kid.' Grant said his exhaustion made him unable to fulfil his obligations at Channel Seven, who he was employed by at the time. 'Someone sold a story to a magazine that claimed we had a significant drug issue. That wasn't true,' he continued. Hard questions: A hesitant Toni Pearen (right) asked the TV host about tabloid reports several years ago that suggested he and his wife of 10 years, Chezzi Denyer, had 'gone off the rails' 'Just, you know, how do you counter so many stories and articles once the gossip machine is fired up? 'They're totally made up, ludicrously ridiculous stories that are just fabricated to sell magazines. It was hard. It was really hard. You don't know what to do. You're so scared.' He added: 'You just don't know where to run 'cause they're coming at you from every angle and you just want to go and never come back. 'For me, the worst of it happened at a time when I was at my worst and wasn't very strong,' the 43-year-old began 'So we got away from it all. We went overseas and just worked on ourselves.' An emotional Grant admitted that Chezzi, 40, 'had a fair bit of PTSD [post traumatic stress disorder] from it all', while he was concerned he'd never land another television job. 'I'm surprised that anybody touched me after that. I really am. But Family Feud came along and, as I said in my Gold Logie speech, it saved my career and it also saved me,' he admitted, wiping away tears from his eyes. 'I'm surprised that anybody touched me after that. I really am. But Family Feud came along and, as I said in my Gold Logie speech, it saved my career and it also saved me,' he admitted, wiping away tears from his eyes He added: 'Got me out of that hole. Very lucky it came along. Because I remember they were really ruthless... It was just so horrible.' Grant confessed that he was worried about what his daughters would find when they Googled his name. But he was determined to turn it into a teachable moment: 'She'll learn from our mistakes and our growth and our scars.' Leaving an impact: An emotional Grant admitted that wife Chezzi Denyer (left) 'had a fair bit of PTSD [post traumatic stress disorder] from it all', while he was concerned he'd never land another television job A report published by Woman's Day magazine in February 2014 claimed that Grant and Chezzi had sought treatment for a methamphetamine habit at The Cabin rehab facility in Thailand. At the time of the allegations, Denyer's manager, Titus Day, issued a statement resolutely denying them, saying the host was being treated in Thailand for an 'ongoing unknown stomach illness'. 'The wellness centre they attended in Thailand specialises in the treatment of PTSD and exhaustion, and they spent four weeks there to finally address these ongoing health concerns,' he said. August 2020 set new record high sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the northwestern Pacific Ocean and around the Japan coasts. A new study led by National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) researchers revealed that this warming record could not happen without human-induced climate changes. The northwestern Pacific sea surface becomes warm seasonally around August every year. However, it was unprecedentedly high in August 2020, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The extremely high SSTs exceeding 30C, which lasted until mid-September, may have intensified tropical cyclones such as Typhoon Haisheng, causing severe damages to the East Asian countries. Although human-induced greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide have gradually warmed the northwestern Pacific Ocean since the mid-20th century, it remains unclear yet how much past human activities may increase the occurrence likelihood of such regional record-warm SSTs. "Understanding the tropical warm water expansion in the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic Oceans is essential for projecting changes in the characteristics of tropical cyclones and other weather events in the future," said Hideo Shiogama, a co-author and the head of Climate Risk Assessment Section at the Center for Global Environmental Research, NIES. "A quantitative evaluation of what drives regional extreme temperatures happening recently is necessary to take appropriate measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the impacts of global warming." The paper published in Geophysical Research Letters illustrates the quantitative impact of greenhouse gases emitted by human activities on the unprecedentedly high SSTs in the northwestern Pacific Ocean in August 2020. By analyzing multiple observational datasets from 1901 to 2020 and a large number of experimental outputs from the state-of-the-art numerical climate models, a climate research group at NIES statistically estimated changes in the occurrence probability of the northwestern Pacific Ocean (120E-180 and 20N-35N) condition exceeding the record-warm SST in August 2020 from the past to future. The scientists revealed that its probability in the present climate was increased from once-in-1000 years to once-in-15 years because of human-induced climate changes. Detecting human-induced climate changes "The numerical climate model ensembles are powerful tools to quantitatively distinguish between natural variability of the Earth system and climate changes caused by human activities," said corresponding lead author Michiya Hayashi, a research associate at NIES. The ensemble of 31 climate models participating in the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) consists of a series of historical experiments and future scenario experiments forced by greenhouse gas- and aerosol emissions from human activities and natural volcanic and solar variations from 1850 to 2100. "We can compare the historical and future experiments with a sub-ensemble of the CMIP6 climate models forced only by the natural volcanic and solar activities to estimate to what extent human-caused climate changes have altered the northwestern Pacific Ocean condition until today." "The northwestern Pacific warming has proceeded clearly since the 1980s," stated Shiogama. "The warming speed has been accelerated in the last four decades as the reduced aerosol emissions do not cancel the warming signal forced by increasing greenhouse gas concentration anymore." The results show that the CMIP6 ensemble well reproduces the observed long-term change in the northwestern Pacific August SST within the range of 'once-in-20-year' events in the historical simulations. "The SSTs that exceed the pre-industrial range are rarely observed during the 20th century but have occurred frequently since 2010, indicating that human influences on the northwestern Pacific Ocean are already detectable in observations," noted a co-author Seita Emori, deputy director of the Center for Global Environmental Research at NIES. This new study estimates that the occurrence frequency of high northwestern Pacific SSTs exceeding the August 2020 level has been increased from once-in-600 years in the 20th century (1901-2000) to once-in-15 years in the present climate (2001-2020) using the CMIP6 ensemble. On the other hand, in the sub-ensemble forced only by natural volcanic and solar activities, the frequency for 2001-2020 is estimated to be once-in-1000 years or less. "The record high level of the northwestern Pacific SST in August could have occurred approximately once per 15 years in 2001-2020, as observed, but it never likely occurred without human-induced greenhouse gases or in the 20th century," said Hayashi. Importantly, the scientists also imply from the future scenario experiments that the 2020 record high SST is becoming a new normal climate condition in August at the northwestern Pacific region by 2031-2050 when the globally averaged air temperature relative to pre-industrial levels would exceed 1.5C. In this case, the tropical warm sea surface water, exceeding 28C, may reach Japan, the Korean Peninsula, the west coast of India, the east coast of the U.S. mainland, and the west of the Hawaiian Islands. "We might need to prepare for living with such warm ocean conditions even if we humans could achieve the 1.5C goal of the Paris Agreement," said Hayashi. "The human-induced ocean warming may have impacted tropical cyclones, heavy rainfall, and marine life from the past to present and will continue in the future unless tremendous mitigation measures would be implemented," added Emori. "It is time to take prompt actions to transform our society for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions and for adapting to a changing climate." ### Rising incidence of HIV infection in young men who practice sex with men highlights the need for improved preventive measures early on, if China's epidemic is to be brought to a halt. Credit: Chinese Medical Journal Since the dawn of the 21st century, there has been a rapid rise in the number of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in China, and today, the epidemic continues to grow. Several populations are victims of this virus, including injection drug users, sex workers, and men who have sex with men (MSM). In the decades since HIV first gripped China, these groups and others have been at the forefront or background of national efforts to tackle the epidemic. In the recent past, the prevalence of HIV has been high among the MSM population, particularly, MSM students. According to China CDC's national data on newly reported HIV/AIDS cases, there was a 35% annual increase in cases among student MSM from 2011 to 2015. Between 2005 and 2007, the HIV prevalence among this population was 3%. This increased to 6% between 2008 and 2010. Dr. Jing Zhang, researcher at the NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University) and lead scientist on a recent study on HIV incidence among MSM youth in China, says, "This increasing HIV prevalence could be because of expanding HIV testing in China in the recent years, or it could be that the number of recent infected cases has truly been growing." Explaining her rationale for the study, she says, "To clarify why this increase is happening and its proportions, we need data on the 'incidence." The incidence is one of the most crucial indicators of the trend of the epidemic and is key to understanding the impact of prevention measures. Because unlike 'prevalence," which accounts both recent and established cases, 'incidence' more specifically records only the recent cases. Data on incidence is what is lacking among the MSM student population." In their study, which has been published in the Chinese Medical Journal, Dr. Zhang and her colleagues conducted a multi-center study, measuring not only the incidence but also the rate of transmitted drug resistance (TDR) among MSM college students in seven cities across China during 2012 and 2013. The TDR negatively impacts the prognosis of HIV-infected individuals when receiving antiretroviral therapy, the main measure China has taken to combat the epidemic over the years. "For an epidemiologist and public health provider, concrete data on these trends of recent incidence and TDR is valuable evidence for understanding the epidemic and evaluating the outcomes of the prevention measures employed thus far," Dr. Zhang says. In the study, a total of 4,496 candidates565 MSM college students, 1,094 non-student MSM youth < 25 years of age, and 2,837 non-youth MSM 25 years of agewere enrolled from Shenyang, Nanjing, Shanghai, Ji'nan, Changsha, Zhengzhou, and Kunming. Blood samples of these participants were tested for antibodies against HIV (via the "BED-CEIA test") to confirm recent HIV infection (less than 168 days). In case of HIV strains with resistance associated sequences, TDR was recorded. The scientists found 436 HIV-positive participants, 186 of whom were recent infections. Among MSM college students, the proportion of HIV recent infections was 70.3%, among non-student MSM youth it was 50.8%, and among non-youth MSM it was 35.1%. The TDR prevalence rates were ~7%, 2%, and ~5%, respectively, for these groups. In short, in the recent past, more MSM college students had become infected than the other groups, and they were more likely to be resistant to antiretroviral therapy. Drawing on previous studies about behavioral changes among young MSM, Dr. Zhang explains, "The median age of first anal intercourse for these men in China has significantly decreased from 33 years for those born during 1940-1959 to 18 years for those born during 1990-1996. This could be indicative of the gap in current sexual health education in China. China has taken many actions to mitigate the HIV epidemic among students in higher education institutions, including comprehensive education on sexual health and more accessible HIV testing. According to our findings, and given these changing trends, this education should be provided as early as possible during college, or preferably in high school, as soon as youth become sexually active." Further highlighting the importance of her team's study, Dr. Zhang says, "This study unravels the high proportion of recent HIV infections among college student MSM in 2012-2013. This is expected to facilitate an understanding of the growing HIV epidemic among MSM college students in China today. The study also addresses the importance of regular HIV testing among students and young MSM, emphasizing to this population the importance of early diagnoses. It further brings to the fore the need for TDR testing among this population before initiation of antiretroviral therapy for better response and prognosis." With such meticulous data collection and proactive measures, perhaps the HIV epidemic in China will soon see an end. More information: Jing Zhang et al, Disparity of human immunodeficiency virus incidence and drug resistance in college student, non-student youth and older men who have sex with men: a cross-sectional study from seven major cities of China, Chinese Medical Journal (2020). Jing Zhang et al, Disparity of human immunodeficiency virus incidence and drug resistance in college student, non-student youth and older men who have sex with men: a cross-sectional study from seven major cities of China,(2020). DOI: 10.1097/CM9.0000000000001161 Provided by Chinese Medical Journal Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 A 32-year-old New Jersey man is headed to federal prison after admitting Tuesday he carjacked a U.S. Postal Service employee a knifepoint in Newark last year. Wallace Johnson approached the woman, who was sitting in a postal vehicle while on a break around 5:15 p.m. on June 6, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a statement. Johnson held a box cutter against the postal workers neck and ordered her out of the vehicle., which was parked on Mountainview Place near Sanford Avenue, Newark police said at the time, When the worker exited, Johnson jumped in and sped away, prosecutors said. Johnson crashed in the area of Cedar Avenue minutes after fleeing from police. He was arrested after a foot chase and was found hiding behind a parked car with the employees phone and the box cutter, officials said. The postal worker suffered a small laceration. Johnson of Newark will be sentenced May 18 after pleading guilty to carjacking and assaulting a federal employee. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2021) - SALAZAR RESOURCES LIMITED (TSXV: SRL) (OTCQB: SRLZF) ("Salazar Resources" or the "Company") is pleased to announce plans for the most active exploration program in its 14-year history which will see drilling undertaken at four of its 100% owned properties, in addition to work carried out in partnership with Adventus Mining Corporation. Highlights: Drilling resumes at Los Osos. OSO-03 starts, and assays from OSO-01 and OSO-02 are pending Copper-gold targets to be tested in a 3,000m drill program at Ruminahui in Q2 Field work at Los Santos has already started to generate targets for a 3,000 m drill program in H2 Field geophysics at Macara Mina is complete, with interpretation ongoing. Drilling is planned to start as soon as relevant permits are received Fredy Salazar commented: "2021 represents the culmination of many years of significant engagement with the Ecuadorian communities where we work, and careful preparation of drill targets by our geological team. Never before have we drilled more than one project in a year, but this year we plan to drill at least three properties, hopefully four, providing us with numerous potential value catalysts. We are particularly mindful of Ecuador's need for local job creation after a year of disruption. Salazar is investing in exploration across the country this year and we hope to make a new mineral discovery that will stimulate further investment and create long-term wealth for the community and for Ecuador as whole." "In addition, we are thrilled with the tremendous progress at El Domo. The feasibility study is on track for completion later this year, and it is great that infill drilling results, such as the recently reported 4.2 m at 45% copper equivalent, reaffirm the quality of the deposit." 100% Salazar Resources Work Plan Los Osos This week Salazar has resumed drilling at its 100% owned property, Los Osos porphyry gold target. OSO-03, with a planned depth of approximately 500m, is targeting mineralization in the northwest of the concession area. The second hole, OSO-02, was completed at a depth of 576m in December and the rig underwent maintenance over the holiday period. Assays from OSO-01 and OSO-02 are pending. Ruminahui At Ruminahui, preparations for a preliminary drill program of 3,000m to test gold-copper targets during Q2 2021 are underway. Drilling will be the culmination of years of positive and constructive dialogue with the local community. The drill program is being designed to test historic adits, old workings, near surface veins and stockworks that Salazar believes may be linked to an underlying porphyry. Los Santos The gold-copper Los Santos project will be the third project to be drilled independently by Salazar Resources this year. Mapping and sampling have already started at the Los Santos project with a view to generating drill targets that can be drilled later in the second half of the year. Key areas of interest are situated where artisanal activity has been concentrated and also where areas of anomalous mineralization have been highlighted in previous exploration. Los Santos is the recently optioned 2,215 hectare property situated adjacent to the concessions hosting the 16.7 Moz Cangrejos deposits and it is approximately 10 km northeast of Los Osos. Macara Mina The geophysical survey at the gold and volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) Macara Mina project was completed in December. Raw data has been received and confirms the main geological and geochemical anomalies at Macara Mina. Interpretation of the gravity and magnetic data is ongoing and a final report is being prepared. Meanwhile, Salazar is advancing a 3,000 m scout drilling application. The plan is to drill Macara as soon as relevant permits are granted, a timetable which may enable the project to be drilled this year. About Salazar Resources Salazar Resources is focused on creating value and positive change through discovery, exploration and development in Ecuador. The team has an unrivalled understanding of the geology in-country and has played an integral role in the discovery of many of the major projects in Ecuador, including the two newest operating gold and copper mines. Salazar Resources has a wholly-owned pipeline of copper-gold exploration projects across Ecuador with a strategy to make another commercial discovery and farm-out non-core assets. The Company actively engages with Ecuadorian communities and together with the Salazar family it co-founded The Salazar Foundation, an independent non-profit organisation dedicated to sustainable progress through economic development. The Company already has carried interests in three projects. At its maiden discovery, Curipamba, Salazar Resources has a 25% stake fully carried through to production. A feasibility study is underway and a 2019 preliminary economic assessment generated a base case NPV (8%) of US$288 million. At two copper-gold porphyry projects, Pijili and Santiago, the Company has a 20% stake fully carried through to a construction decision. 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. Qualified Person Kieran Downes, P. Geo., a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure set out in this news release. Forward-looking Information This press release contains "forward -looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "is expected", "scheduled", "estimates", "pending", "intends", "plans", "forecasts", "targets", or "hopes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "will", "should" "might", "will be taken", or "occur" and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information herein includes, but is not limited to, statements that address activities, events, or developments that Salazar Resources expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Although Salazar Resources has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Salazar Resources does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except as required in accordance with applicable securities laws. Merlin Marr-Johnson Salazar Resources (Executive Vice President) merlin@salazarresources.com Tel: +44 7803 712 280 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/71999 Even with the COVID-19-related small dip in global carbon emissions due to limited travel and other activities, the ocean temperatures continued a trend of breaking records in 2020. A new study, authored by 20 scientists from 13 institutes around the world, reported the highest ocean temperatures since 1955 from surface level to a depth of 2,000 meters. The report was published on January 13 in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences and concluded with a plea to the policymakers and others to consider the lasting damage warmer oceans can cause as they attempt to mitigate the effects of climate change. "Over 90% of the excess heat due to global warming is absorbed by the oceans, so ocean warming is a direct indicator of global warming -- the warming we have measured paints a picture of long-term global warming," said Lijing Cheng, lead paper author and associate professor with the International Center for Climate and Environmental Sciences at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics (IAP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Cheng is also affiliated with CAS's Center for Ocean Mega-Science. "However, due to the ocean's delayed response to global warming, the trends of ocean change will persist at least for several decades, so societies need to adapt to the now unavoidable consequences of our unabated warming. But there is still time to take action and reduce our emissions of greenhouse gases." Using a method developed at IAP/CAS, the researchers calculated the ocean temperatures and salinity of the oceans down to 2,000 meters with data taking from all available observation from various measurement devices from the World Ocean Database, which is overseen by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and the National Center for Environmental Information. They found that, in 2020, the upper 2,000 meters of the world's oceans absorbed 20 more Zettajoules than in 2019. That amount of heat could boil 1.3 billion kettles, each containing 1.5 liters of water. "Why is the ocean not boiling?" Cheng asked. "Because the ocean is vast. We can imagine how much energy the ocean can absorb and contain, and, when it's released slowly, how big the impact is." The researchers reported other effects, such as ocean salinity pattern amplification and more stratification due to the upper layer warming quicker than the deeper sections. Both changes could cause harm to ocean ecosystems. "The fresh gets fresher; the salty gets saltier," Cheng said. "The ocean takes a large amount of global warming heat, buffering global warming. However, the associated ocean changes also pose a severe risk to human and natural systems." Cheng noted the 2020 wildfires that ravaged Australia, parts of the Amazon region, and the west coast of the United States. "Warmer oceans and a warmer atmosphere and also promote more intense rainfalls in all storms, and especially hurricanes, increasing the risk of flooding," Cheng said. "Extreme fires like those witnessed in 2020 will become even more common in the future. Warmer oceans also make storms more powerful, particularly typhoons and hurricanes." The researchers will continue to monitor the ocean temperatures and the impacts warming has on other oceanic characteristics, such as salinity and stratification. "As more countries pledge to achieve 'carbon neutrality' or 'zero carbon' in the coming decades, special attention should be paid to the ocean," Cheng said. "Any activities or agreements to address global warming must be coupled with the understanding that the ocean has already absorbed an immense amount of heat and will continue to absorb excess energy in the Earth's system until atmospheric carbon levels are significantly lowered." ### Other authors include John Abraham of the University of St. Thomas School of Engineering in Minnesota; Kevin E. Trenberth of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado; Jiang Zhu and Viktor Gouretski of the IAP CAS International Center for Climate and Environmental Sciences and the CAS Center for Ocean Mega Science; John Fasullo of the National Center for Atmospheric Research; Tim Boyer and Ricardo Locarnini from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; Bin Zhang of the CAS Center for Ocean Mega-Science and the CAS Institute of Oceanology; Fujiang Yu, Liyang Wan and Xingrong Chen, all of whom are with the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources of China; Xiangzhou Song of Hohai University's College of Oceanography; Yulong Liu of the National Marine Data and Information Service; Michael E. Mann, with the Department of Meteorology & Atmospheric Science at The Pennsylvania State University; Franco Reseghetti of the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development in the S.Teresa Research Center; Simona Simoncelli of the Instituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia; and Gengxin Chen of the CAS South China Sea Institute of Oceanology. This work was supported by National Key Research & Development Program of China, the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Key Deployment Project of Centre for Ocean Mega-Research of Science, the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Sick and tired of hearing about (or, well, writing about) literally nothing other than the yahoos involved in the Capitol siege for nearly eight days straight? Tired of talking about newly re-impeached President Trump's political tomfoolery? Do you want to go just one, peaceful hour without seeing the sensitive tummy-ed buffalo guy's screaming face or Via Getty's smug grin as he makes off with a congressional lectern? Well, reader, it seems there may be hope after all. In light of this week's thoroughly exhausting series of events, Google will ban political ads until after President-Elect Joe Biden's inauguration next week, the New York Times reported. Continue Reading Below Advertisement On Wednesday, the tech giant sent a letter to its advertisers about its new moratorium on ads including topics like the 2020 Presidential election and its outcome, either candidate or the attack on our nation's Capitol last week -- all without exceptions -- From Thursday, January 14 until at least January 21st, a.k.a the day after Donnie officially gets the boot from the Oval Office. According to the publication, the company is treating the incident, which many are calling an act of domestic terrorism, as a "sensitive event," like a mass shooting or natural disaster, as it tries to weed out advertisements taking advantage of the horrifying riot. The ban will also apply to Google's other digital properties, including YouTube, meaning you can watch Clarie Saffitz make yet another recipe from her debut cookbook without having to see 45's orange mug. Continue Reading Below Advertisement This move comes as Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company, said that while the company had changed their approach to misinformation and political content on their sites amid the election, there are still other actions they can take on the matter. "The internet, as a whole, needs to come to terms with what kind of information can spread," the exec explained at the Reuters Next conference on Wednesday. "Definitely, theres more to do on our side." So folks, take this little victory as it comes. while it's important to talk about these important topics, we all need some "us" time, to kick back, relax, and maybe enjoy some comically bad real estate porn. For more internet nonsense, follow Carly on Instagram @HuntressThompson_ and on Twitter @TennesAnyone. Top Image: Shutterstock/Shutterstock Sudbury, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2021) - Transition Metals Corp. (TSXV: XTM) ("Transition", "the Company") is pleased to announce the discovery of a new high-grade gold occurrence (the JBM Showing) on its Sawmill property. Grab samples collected by Transition in late November, 2020 at the JBM showing returned high-grade assays of 38.7 g/t Au and 30.7 g/t Au (Table 1, Figure 2). Encouraging gold results were also returned from grab sampling at four other areas on the property that were followed up on with channel sampling before winter conditions halted further sampling. Highlights from the channel sampling are presented below in (Table 2). CEO, Scott McLean commented, "Our interest in the Sawmill property is part of a regional strategy we are pursuing in 2021 to investigate Sudbury Area polymetallic exploration plays. We are encouraged by the results at the Sawmill property and are looking forward to following up on these results this winter. While Covid 19 continues to impact the ability of some companies to work effectively in remote locations, the Sawmill property is accessible year round from Transition's home base in Sudbury." 2020 Transition Sampling Program In late fall of 2020, Transition geologists conducted a first pass programme of prospecting on the property which resulted in the collection of 50 grab samples from various sites of interest returning gold values ranging from nil to 38.7 g/t Au (1.24 oz per tonne) and silver values ranging from <0.05 to 189 g/t (6.07 oz per tonne). Of particular interest, the JBM, high grade gold showing was discovered along the edge of a pit that was excavated prior to Transition acquiring the property to expose a marble occurrence. Highlights from the grab sampling results are presented below in Table 1. Table 1. Highlight Grab Samples from November 2020 Sampling Programme Area Easting Northing Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Cu % Pb % JBM Showing 506383 5187812 38.7 <0.5 JBM Showing 506383 5187812 30.7 <0.5 0.05 A1 - Zone 508584 5185428 28.7 33.4 0.01 A1 - Zone 508671 5185465 16.2 5.9 A1 - Zone 508577 5185416 4.7 7.5 0.03 A1 - Zone 508671 5185465 1.1 <0.5 Galena Vein Showing 509577 5186435 13.2 125.0 1.28 5.38 Galena Vein Showing 509577 5186435 6.7 276.0 1.66 10.10 Pyrite Hill 509527 5186412 1.5 <0.5 Pyrite Hill 509527 5186412 1.3 <0.5 *note to reader: Grab samples are selected samples and are not necessarily representative of the overall grade of mineralization in the area sampled. Based on the results of the grab sampling, four areas were selected for channel sampling; the historically sampled A1 and B1 Zone area, Pyrite Hill, Galena Vein and Calcite showings (Figure 2). The newly discovered JBM showing was not channel sampled due to the onset of winter conditions. In total, 44 channel samples were collected, with encouraging values only returned from a previously unsampled exposure in the vicinity of the Galena Vein showing presented below in Table 2. Table 2. Channel Sample Results from the Galena Vein Showing Channel ID Sample Length (m) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Cu % Pb % Galena Vein - A X928107 0.39 0.91 <0.01 <0.01 Galena Vein - A X928108 0.42 0.04 <0.01 <0.01 Galena Vein - A X928109 0.53 0.00 <0.01 <0.01 Galena Vein - A X928110 0.47 0.00 <0.01 <0.01 Galena Vein - A X928111 0.48 0.01 <0.01 <0.01 Galena Vein - A X928112 0.55 1.46 0.02 <0.01 Galena Vein - A X928113 0.53 0.05 0.01 0.02 Galena Vein - A X928114 0.47 0.02 <0.01 <0.01 Galena Vein - A X928116 0.49 0.92 0.05 <0.01 Weighted Average 4.33 0.38 <0. 5 0.01 <0.01 Galena Vein - B X928119 0.57 0.63 1.6 0.04 0.13 Galena Vein - B X928120 0.51 1.57 1.3 0.04 0.12 Galena Vein - B X928121 0.4 0.94 5.1 0.45 0.31 Galena Vein - B X928122 0.44 2.06 48.1 1.26 1.33 Galena Vein - B X928123 0.42 2.60 35.3 0.18 2.01 Galena Vein - B X928124 0.4 0.41 36.8 0.25 1.97 Galena Vein - B X928125 0.44 16.85 28.8 0.59 1.36 Weighted Average 3.18 3.49 21.1 0.38 0.97 Combined Weighted Average 7.51 1.70 8.9 0.17 0.41 About the Sawmill Gold Property Transition has the right to earn 100% interest in the property under terms described in the Company news release dated October 15, 2020. The southwestern part of the Sawmill property is underlain by Archean rocks of the Benny greenstone belt where previous work has highlighted zones of gold mineralization associated with quartz-carbonate veins in fractures and shears with biotite-chlorite-silica alteration such as at the A1 and B1 showings where historical drilling returned 29.8 g/t Au and 55 g/t Ag over 0.69 metres, 5.05 g/t Au over 2.04 metres and 6.89 g Au/t over 1.37 metres (refer to Transition Metals News release dated October 15, 2020). The northeastern portion of the property is overlain by younger sediments of the Proterozoic Huronian Supergroup which include a marble formation that has been explored by companies who have considered the material suitable for use in building construction purposes. Some of the work focussed on marble dimension stone has resulted in the identification of base and precious metals associated with brecciated and altered Huronian Rocks. While the presence of minerals such as pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena and visible gold have been reported by previous workers at the Galena and Calcite showings, systematic assays for base and precious metals were not collected. Discussion of Results and Next Steps The Company believes the property is prospective for high-grade, lode gold and hydrothermal-style deposits. Mineralization sampled at both the Galena Showing and the JBM showings appear similar, hosted in similar Proterozoic rock sequences that have undergone significant alteration and brecciation. The high grade values associated with the new JBM showing, the Calcite and Galena Vein showings highlight a 4km trend that has not been systematically explored. The Company has highlighted targets in the vicinity of the Galena Vein showing that it would like to test this winter. Additional programmes of ground geophysics, trenching and mapping are planned for 2021 to further evaluate this trend. Qualified Person The technical elements of this press release have been approved by Mr. Greg Collins, P.Geo. (PGO), Chief Operating Officer of Transition Metals and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. All analytical work performed was conducted at ALS Chemex Laboratories with analyses completed in North Vancouver, B.C The quality system used by ALS-Chemex that meets all requirements of International Standards ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and ISO 9001:2015. Transition Metals Corp Transition Metals Corp (TSXV: XTM) is a Canadian-based, multi-commodity project generator that specializes in converting new exploration ideas into discoveries. The award-winning team of geoscientists has extensive exploration experience which actively develops and tests new ideas for discovering mineralization in places that others have not looked, often allowing the company to acquire properties inexpensively. Joint venture partners earn an interest in the projects by funding a portion of higher-risk drilling and exploration, allowing Transition to conserve capital and minimize shareholder's equity dilution. Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Information Except for statements of historical fact contained herein, the information in this news release constitutes "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities law. Such forward-looking information may be identified by words such as "plans", "proposes", "estimates", "intends", "expects", "believes", "may", "will" and include without limitation, statements regarding estimated capital and operating costs, expected production timeline, benefits of updated development plans, foreign exchange assumptions and regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate; actual results and future events could differ materially from such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, metal prices, competition, risks inherent in the mining industry, and regulatory risks. Most of these factors are outside the control of the Company. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as otherwise required by applicable securities statutes or regulation, the Company expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly forward-looking information, 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 release. Further information is available at www.transitionmetalscorp.com or by contacting: Scott McLean President and CEO Transition Metals Corp. Tel: (705) 669-1777 Figure 1: Sudbury Area Polymetallic Exploration Properties To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2766/72073_cfb159f3d449d920_002full.jpg Figure 2: Sawmill Property Showing Areas To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2766/72073_cfb159f3d449d920_003full.jpg To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/72073 Domestic firms shipped over 1.37 billion medical face masks of various types abroad throughout 2020, according to statics compiled by the General Department of Vietnam Customs. browser not support iframe. December alone witnessed over 30 major local businesses ship medical face masks overseas, with the total export volume reaching approximately 71 million units, representing a sharp decline of 59% compared to figures from November. The volume of export activities returned to normal after May, 2020, following a resolution implemented by the Government regarding licensing for the export of medical face masks, with items being granted permission to be exported without facing any caps on export quantity. After these changes came into effect, the country exported more than 181 million and 236 million medical masks in May and June, respectively. Despite this, the export volume of medical masks during July and August endured a downward trajectory caused by a second wave of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the nation./.VNA Face mask prices on the rise The price of medical masks is on the rise after two new COVID-19 cases were confirmed on Sunday evening, bringing the total number of community infections linked to Da Nang and Quang Ngai to four in the past three days. State Supreme Court justices pressed an attorney defending South Carolina's civil asset forfeiture law with dozens of questions on Wednesday about the practice's legitimacy, the timing of cases being resolved, and whether the states system of seizure and forfeiture leads to frequent abuses by police. The justices, in a hearing nearly a half-hour longer than the 30 minutes scheduled, asked whether defendants who have had property seized by police receive due process. They questioned whether solicitors delay filing cases because state law says cases must be filed within a reasonable time. And behind several questions was the understanding that in South Carolina a successful forfeiture means police and prosecutors keep 95 percent of the value of the seized assets. The case being argued involved a convicted Myrtle Beach drug dealer. It pits the 15th Circuit Solicitors Office against the nearly $20,000 seized in 2017 from Travis Lee Green. The challenge to the law arose after 15th Circuit Court Judge Stephen John placed a stay on all forfeiture cases in the circuit following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the U.S. Constitutions prohibition on excessive fees and fines applied to the states. Seeking to overturn the stay, the solicitors office appealed using the Green case. John asked attorneys to provide briefs on the constitutionality of forfeiture in the state. He then ruled the states forfeiture laws violate both the state and U.S. constitutions. The case was appealed directly to the Supreme Court and has attracted the attention of S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson, who backed the solicitor, as well as national groups intent on changing the use of forfeiture, among them the American Civil Liberties Union, the Buckeye Institute and Americans for Prosperity. The Institute for Justice, a national advocacy law firm focused on private property rights, is helping represent Greens civil forfeiture case, along with Alex Hyman, a Conway defense attorney. James Battle, a Conway attorney, represented the 15th Circuit Solicitor in a hearing held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. Justices questioned whether due process is truly afforded to defendants who have had money or property seized by police. State law allows police to seize property or cash thought to be used in a crime and hold it until a forfeiture case is resolved. Solicitors can wait two years or more to file a case, and defendants have no recourse other than to sue the police to try to get their property returned. Far more often, defendants give up or try to make a deal to split the proceeds with the police. Wouldnt you agree that the application of our forfeiture statute, Im talking generally about application of the statute, has resulted in abuses, disproportionate forfeitures and is a legitimate cause for concern? Justice John W. Kittredge said. Battle started to answer, and Kittredge said, I dont want you to answer the question by filibuster, and I think you just answered because youre not willing to acknowledge that the application of our forfeiture statutes in South Carolina have resulted in abuses. Kittredge said he hoped Battle would acknowledge abuses have occurred and need to be corrected in the law. If the question is, 'Is the forfeiture law capable of abuse,' the answer is yes, Battle responded. Law enforcement absolutely can abuse this statute. Kittredge said he was disappointed the court was presented Greens case when there have been a significant number of cases of police abusing forfeiture that havent risen to the top court. Attorneys challenging the forfeitures must show the entire law is unconstitutional rather than whether it was applied unconstitutionally. Robert Frommer, a senior attorney with the Institute for Justice, argued the text of South Carolinas law creates abuses and created the profit incentive for police to use forfeitures in an overhanded way. It forces people to prove their innocence, Frommer said. It doesnt give them hearings for months, if not years. And that affects everyone in South Carolina, not just Travis Green. Frommer said he hopes the court would rule that the entire law is unjust. Sign up for our Greenville weekly update newsletter. Sign up for weekly roundups of our top stories, news and culture from the Upstate. This newsletter is hand-curated by a member of our Greenville news staff. Email Sign Up! Chief Justice Donald Beatty questioned why solicitors, when trying a forfeiture case in civil court, must only prove probable cause since police initially had to show probable cause. Battle said the solicitor must reaffirm probable cause to the judge. In South Carolina, law enforcement receives 75 percent of proceeds from forfeitures, while the prosecuting agency receives 20 percent; 5 percent goes to the state general fund. Justice Kaye Hearn asked Battle if law enforcement having a financial stake affects how they operate. Battle said it can, but a judge must approve the forfeiture. So I guess your answer is, even though it may have been improper on the front end, at the tail end of this process it gets fixed by the court? Hearn said. Exactly, Battle replied. Justice John Fews line of questions sought to understand whether an agency could obtain a forfeiture ruling from a judge before a criminal case is ever decided. It can happen because the cases are separate and the standard of proof is lower in the civil case than the criminal case, Battle said. Your forfeiture action, it seems to me, youre being relieved of the burden of proving that a crime occurred, Few said. The states highest court decision looms even as members of the General Assembly have renewed efforts to overhaul the states civil asset forfeiture laws. A bill was prefiled by state Sen. Gerald Malloy, D-Hartsville, while a bipartisan group of House lawmakers spent months crafting a new draft of a bill that nearly passed the House at the end of the 2019 session. Each bill would reform the states forfeiture laws, making forfeiture of property incumbent on a criminal conviction in most cases. A House measure filed on Tuesday says property would be returned to owners if a forfeiture action related to a criminal case isnt started within 30 days. It would also change the burden of proof from the owner to the seizing agency. It would also send forfeiture hearings for amounts lower than $7,500 to magistrate courts. But the proposed House bill would leave intact some financial incentives. Law enforcement would still retain the first $1,000 of any forfeiture while the rest would be sent to the prosecuting agency. The bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee. The legislative reforms that have been proposed are still inadequate because they contain the same constitutional issues that are being litigated right now, Frommer said. They still contain the same profit incentive, he said. Frommer said its incumbent on the Supreme Court to give the General Assembly guidance on what the constitution does and doesnt permit. Beatty asked Battle whether the solicitors office ever dismisses criminal cases if a person agrees to forfeit their property. Youve danced around just about every question weve asked you here today without really complete answers, Beatty said. Battle said he exclusively works the civil cases. He said he expects most criminal cases to move forward even if the defendant agreed to forfeit their property. You have no idea how many of those cases are play to prosecute? Beatty asked. To be quite frank with you, I dont believe you, but thats the end of that. In some ways, MLK/FBI, Sam Pollards new documentary, tells a straightforward story suggested by the title. Drawing on long-secret documents and anticipating the eventual release of recordings held in the National Archives the film chronicles the F.B.I.s surveillance and harassment of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. From the March on Washington in August 1963 until his assassination in April 1968, King was a subject of almost obsessive interest to the bureau and its director, J. Edgar Hoover. Reams of paper, miles of audio tape and countless hours were spent tracking the civil rights leaders every action and utterance. Hoover viewed him as a singular threat to national security and was determined to diminish his influence. That much including wiretaps and bugs in hotel rooms is fairly well known. But Pollard, drawing on David J. Garrows controversial book The FBI and Martin Luther King, Jr.: From Solo to Memphis, layers startling details about Hoovers campaign against King with thoughtful interpretations of its meaning. The result is at once suspenseful, visually engrossing and intellectually bracing. It also raises urgent, sometimes uncomfortable questions about power, privacy and the ethical challenges of examining the past. Those challenges are signaled at the outset, as Garrow and other scholars notably Beverly Gage of Yale and Donna Murch of Rutgers ponder the status of the F.B.I. tapes, in particular those that reveal Kings sex life, as historical evidence. The recordings wont be available until 2027, but they are generally believed to document frequent infidelities. Can the tapes be trusted? How will their contents affect Kings reputation? The answers offered by the experts are nuanced and cautious, with some including former F.B.I. officials arguing that it would be better if the tapes remained unheard. Albany, N.Y. Restaurants currently in New Yorks Covid-19 orange zones can reopen for indoor dining immediately, an aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo said today. That includes eateries in the Onondaga County orange zone. The move comes after restaurants in an orange zone in Erie County won the right to restart indoor dining in a court case. The state is allowing all orange zone restaurants to reopen for indoor dining to ensure uniformity and fairness, Kumiki Gibson, counsel to the governor, said in a statement. Restaurants in orange zones had been barred from offering indoor dining, but could still provide outdoor dining and takeout. Orange zone restaurants that choose to reopen for indoor dining now will have to abide by the states yellow zone restrictions, which include limiting diners to four per table. All bars and restaurants in the state are required to close at 10 p.m., even if theyre not in a coronavirus cluster zone. Its possible the reprieve for orange zone restaurants wont last. The state is likely to appeal the ruling that granted the Erie County restaurants the right to reopen. The state is still reviewing the ruling, Gibson said in the statement today. We disagree with the courts decision and its impact on public health as federal CDC data clearly demonstrates indoor dining increases Covid-19 spread, Gibson said. From the start of this pandemic, the state has acted based on facts and the advice of public health experts, and we will continue that approach. The orange zone in Onondaga County has been in place since November. It includes most of Syracuse and portions of some close suburbs. Eateries say they are struggling and previously asked Cuomo to switch the zone to yellow. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh and Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon supported the request and Walsh sent a letter to Cuomo earlier this month asking for the change. READ MORE: Syracuse restaurants closed in an orange zone beg Cuomo to let them reopen READ MORE: Mayor Walsh to Cuomo: Keeping Syracuse restaurants closed is inherently unfair The problem, Walsh, McMahon and restaurants say, was that customers looking to eat out could simply drive to a restaurant just outside the city and eat there. Restaurant owners said the situation was unfair and was endangering their businesses. They also argued their businesses were not contributing to spread of the virus. Cuomo acknowledged the issue last week after being asked about the comments from Walsh and McMahon during a press conference. That is the problem with the whole zone concept, he said. Its geographic and people drive outside the zone. The state launched the cluster zone strategy in the fall. It includes three levels of restrictions yellow, orange and red meant to slow the virus in areas seeing spikes. For months, the state updated the zones weekly, adding and removing areas seeing increasing cases. But it has been weeks since an update from Cuomo on any of the zones in place now. Read Gibsons full statement on orange zone restaurants below: A court decision yesterday temporarily granted a select few restaurants located within an Orange Zone in Erie County the ability to resume indoor dining under the rules governing Yellow Zones. We are reviewing the decision. While that process is ongoing, to ensure uniformity and fairness, all restaurants operating in Orange Zones can now operate under rules governing Yellow Zones. We disagree with the courts decision and its impact on public health as Federal CDC data clearly demonstrates indoor dining increases COVID-19 spread. From the start of this pandemic, the State has acted based on facts and the advice of public health experts, and we will continue that approach. MORE ON CORONAVIRUS Coronavirus in NY: Cases, maps, charts and resources Cuomo pushes testing to reopen arts, businesses: We cannot wait CNY nursing home calls groups claim that Covid vaccine killed residents dangerously false Syracuse baby beats Covid, undergoes liver transplant: a complete miracle Complete coronavirus coverage on syracuse.com Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 315-282-8598 A resilient pensioner who has survived two world wars and three flu pandemics, has celebrated her 106th birthday by beating Covid-19 for a second time. Mary Nicholson who lives at the Elizabeth Court Care Home in St Helens, Merseyside, tested positive for Covid-19 on New Years Eve but said she felt healthier than ever after overcoming the virus in time for her birthday on Tuesday. She revealed her long life is the result of drinking full fat milk, cream and butter, as well as enjoying a tipple of whisky at night. Mary said it was a lovely sensation to be out of isolation and to find so many cards and presents waiting for her. Mary Nicholson (pictured) who lives at the Elizabeth Court Care Home in St Helens, Merseyside, recovered from covid-19 twice The 106-year-old has lived through two world wars and two pandemics. Pictured: Mary as a baby Staff at the care home sang to Mary who is better known by her nickname Polly, a birthday song and presented her with a cake in celebration of her birthday. Mary who never got married or had children, was unable to see her family due to the covid restrictions but said that she was looking forward to celebrating with them once all this Covid is done. CAN YOU CATCH COVID-19 TWICE? Early on in the pandemic, scientists were baffled as to whether or not you could catch Covid-19 twice. Now the evidence is more convincing, following a string of reports of re-infections all over the world. With some illnesses such as chickenpox, the immune system can remember exactly how to destroy it and becomes able to fend it off if it ever tries to enter the body again. Tests have shown that many people who recover from Covid-19 have antibodies - which can produce future immunity - but it is not known whether there are enough of them. However, antibodies are only one type of substance that can produce immunity. The immune system is a huge web of proteins that have different functions to protect the body against infection. Others, including white blood cells called T cells and B cells, can also help the body to fight off disease but are more difficult to discover using currently available tests. Evidence is beginning to suggest that antibodies disappear in as little as eight weeks after infection with the coronavirus, scientifically called SARS-Cov-2. On the other hand, T cells - which target and destroy cells already infected with the virus - are 'durable'. A promising study done on monkeys found that they were unable to catch Covid-19 a second time after recovering from it, which led scientists to believe the same may apply to humans. The rhesus monkeys were deliberately reinfected by scientists in China to test how their bodies reacted. Because the coronavirus has only been known to scientists for nine months there has not been enough time to study whether people develop long-term immunity. Advertisement Its a big birthday 106,' she said. Ive been fantastic and Im happy and enjoying myself. Earlier on I had a cough but Im feeling better. I couldnt tell you how lovely my birthday has been. Lovely sensation to find cards and presents that were given to me. Its nice to be able to celebrate after being in isolation because of the virus. Im feeling good after Covid and nothing can hold me back. Ill get back to normal as quickly as I can. I cant wait to be able to see my family again, I love them all to bits and they mean the world to me. I wish they could be with me here today. But I cant wait to see them once all this Covid is done. The centenarian who was born in England, revealed her family are originally from Scotland. Her father, Murdoch Nicholson, was born in Glasgow in 1897 but he moved to Liverpool for work. Born on January 12 1915, during the First World War, Mary has lived through both world wars and the flu pandemics of 1918, 1957 and 1968. The former canteen cook lived a difficult life after losing her mother when she was five and her father five years later. Her father had enlisted as a medic and was gassed, dying shortly after returning to Britain. Mary's niece Jean Humphreys, 68, from Warrington, Cheshire, describes her as fiercely independent, but also funny and loving. Jean said: They didnt have an easy life. She lost her mum and dad so young and went through the wars. But she persevered and worked hard and she inspires me every day. She lived in her home until she was 102. She lived on her own, she was fiercely independent. Mary (pictured) who never got married or had children, revealed she's looking forward to celebrating her birthday with family after the pandemic Mary's niece Jean Humphreys, said she hasn't had an easy life following the death of her mother and father at a young age She used to go shopping for the old lady a few doors down. And she was younger than Polly, she was about 100. She used to say she was an old woman who needed help. She had to be very independent growing up because of the circumstances, and she was taking care of my mum. The retired support worker, added: She was diagnosed with Covid on New Years Eve. It was so scary to hear that at her age. Its the most wonderful birthday present we couldve asked for, that shes fit. She looks amazing, you wouldnt be able to tell she was ever sick. Jean revealed Mary lived in her own home until age 102 and would go shopping for her 100-year-old neighbour. Pictured: Mary with her family Shes got all of her presents. Well have a belated party in summer if it all changes. Mary was also wished a happy birthday by Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard on ITV's Good Morning Britain. Her carer Jane, revealed they were concerned about her health during her second battle with the coronavirus. 'Her first bout of covid she was really, really poorly and we thought we were going to lose her. She's been through another bout now and you can see for yourself she's great. Mary (pictured) appeared on Good Morning Britain alongside her carer Jane, adding that the secret to a long life requires being alert at all times 'She's just a fighter and I think her family will agree with me she had been all of her life' Joking with Mary, she added: 'What's your secret to being 106?' 'Be on the alert the whole time,' Mary responded. Jane laughed: 'No men and good food is your secret isn't it' .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. Detectives released the names of two men slain last Saturday in separate incidents a triple shooting and motel death across the city. Albuquerque police spokesman Gilbert Gallegos identified the victims as Mark Padilla, 57, and Josh Archuleta, 33. No arrests have been made in either case. It began around noon when police responded to reports of a body found in a room at the La Quinta at 5241 San Antonio NE, near Interstate 25. Arriving officers found Padillas body inside a room and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have said Padillas death is being investigated as a homicide but have given no other details. Then, sometime before 9 p.m., officers responded to a shooting with multiple victims at another La Quinta Inn, near Gibson and Yale SE. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Police found Archuleta dead in a vehicle in the parking lot. Two other men, one with several gunshot wounds and another who had been shot in the hands, were found nearby and taken to the hospital. Police have not said what led to the shooting or given any further details. Photo: BC Hydro Six billion dollars and counting. Work continues on Site C dam as Horgan government seeks more advice on the project. Premier John Horgan says his government has asked for yet more expert opinions on the troubled Site C hydro-electric dam project. At a press briefing Thursday, Horgan was asked about the status of the Site C dam project and a review that his government had asked for. The Peter Milburn report on Site C dam project has already been submitted to the government. But Horgan said Thursday his government is also now waiting for reports from two international experts the government has called on to review BC Hydro's proposed fix for new geotechnical issues that have arisen. "We're still reviewing information and, most importantly, what's outstanding at this point is two safety reports," Horgan said. "When we have those and they have been assessed and digested, that will all be made public." The $10.7 billion project is facing delays and cost overruns, partly due to pandemic restrictions on work sites and partly due to geotechnical challenges that came to light several months ago. Horgan asked former B.C. bureaucrat Peter Milburn to review the project to determine whether it should continue or be cancelled. About $6 billion has already been spent on the project. Geotechnical challenges that have arisen could add significant costs to the project. It could also pose some new safety hazards. The Horgan government is therefore seeking the advise of outside "international experts" to addres safety concerns. "Mr. Milburn did not have the capacity to address the safety challenges that could emerge as the result of geotechnical issues that have arisen since we formed government in 2017," Horgan said. "This isn't to say that Milburn's report isn't comprehensive, but it is also appropriate that we make sure that ...the fix that is being proposed to the geotechnical challenge is going to be safe. Out of an abundance of caution, we are asking for a second and a third opinion on that." Meanwhile, the Prince George Citizen reports two massive turbine components have been moving out of Prince George destined for Site C dam. Vancouver Sun political columnist Vaughn Palmer suggested to Horgan that that means it is "unlikely" the project will be cancelled. The longer the government waits to make a decision on the dams fate, the more it will cost to cancel it. Horgan pointed to the Kemano completion project -- whcih actually wasn't completed and which also had turbines moved to site before being cancelled -- as evidence that cancellation is not necessarily ruled out. "To stop preparing to complete is not the direction that's been given," Horgan said. "So it's appropriate, I think, that those that are working on the facility continue to do that until such time as we don't." Marmorstein: You might soon be living in a million dollar home unfortunately The first Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine dose in Canada is prepared at the Michener Institute in Toronto on Dec. 14, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Frank Gunn) Doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Expected in 60 BC First Nations by Next Week VANCOUVERDoses of COVID-19 vaccine are expected to reach close to 60 First Nations in British Columbia by the end of next week. There have been significant increases in the number of COVID-19 cases in Indigenous communities in the last two weeks, said Dr. Shannon McDonald, the acting chief medical officer for the First Nations Health Authority. Cases on reserves previously represented a quarter of the more than 2,500 reported cases among indigenous people in B.C., but thats risen to 40 percent, she said at a news conference on Wednesday. She said 600 infections are active and 32 people have died. The delivery of vaccine is being prioritized based on remoteness and whether a community has experienced a cluster or deaths, she said. B.C. has allocated 25,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to First Nations for distribution by the end of February and 19 have received doses so far. First Nations in B.C. are home to about 55,000 people and McDonald said she expects anyone who wants to be vaccinated against COVID-19 will receive their shots as more doses become available. But she said the First Nations Health Authority, like others in B.C., has experienced challenges getting enough vaccine. We have shortages when we compare our priority lists to whats been made available at this point from the province or through our partnership with regional health authorities, but were not alone in that. The First Nations Health Authority is not responsible for delivering vaccine to indigenous people living outside their home communities, said McDonald, explaining they would be served by regional health authorities. We would not be directly providing those vaccines, but we may be participating in partnerships to make sure that the distribution is done in a culturally safe and accessible way, she said. The authority participated in provincial decision-making about who should be first in line for vaccination, she said, including pushing to expand the age range for indigenous elders living off reserves. The original identification of individuals, elders, over the age of 80, was a bit problematic for our populations because there arent that many indigenous people over the age of 80. The province has since expanded the age range for priority recipients to include indigenous people over the age of 65. McDonald also addressed reports of racism levelled against indigenous people as several communities fight to contain rising cases. The racism has always been there, and sometimes it simmers very close to the surface, but isnt as evident, she said. The fear and anxiety that people may feel about COVID can trigger First Nations people being targeted. Cowichan Tribes general manager Derek Thompson said this week reports of racism increased after the Vancouver Island First Nation publicly disclosed a cluster of COVID-19 cases earlier this month. Federal Indigenous Services Minister Marc Miller voiced his support for the community, condemning comments posted online that urged businesses in the area not to serve indigenous customers. Health officials began administering 600 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Cowichan elders Wednesday, while a stay-at-home order is in effect until Jan. 22. Canim Lake Band near 100 Mile House is also fighting an outbreak with dozens of positive cases. A joint news release from the Cariboo Regional District, District of 100 Mile House, and Canim Lake Band says residents of the First Nation have been prioritized to start receiving vaccine this week. By Brenna Owen A panel of administrative law judges has recommended that Pennsylvania reject the proposed $276 million sale of Delaware Countys sewer system to Aqua Pennsylvania, saying too many unresolved issues entangle the proposal, which would be Pennsylvanias largest privatization ever of a public water or wastewater system. The recommendation by two hearing examiners to reject the proposed sale of the Delaware County Regional Water Quality Control Authority (DELCORA) is likely to carry much weight with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, which must approve or reject the sale by March 26. But the PUC is not obligated to follow the recommendation. The sale of the sprawling sewer system, which serves 165,000 customers in 42 towns in Delaware and Chester Counties, was engineered in late 2019 in the final months before Republicans lost control of Delaware County after more than a century of power. A new Democratic majority of county council last year moved to undo the decision, calling it a tactic to protect patronage jobs. The recommended decision comes about two weeks after Delaware County Common Pleas Court Judge Barry C. Dozor on Dec. 28 rejected the countys legal attempt to block the sale, saying the agreement was fully binding and enforceable. The county is likely to appeal that decision later this month. The administrative law judges cited that unsettled legal battle, but also examined the sale from the prism of public utility law. In a 29-page decision posted with the PUC on Tuesday, Administrative Law Judges Angela T. Jones and F. Joseph Brady said Aqua failed to meet its burden of proof that the sale was in the public interest. They said that Aqua should have included in its application the novel rate-stabilization plan in which money from the sale would be used to hold down rate increases for DELCORA customers for the first seven years. DELCORA said that after it paid off $66 million in debt and expenses, it would bank the remaining $210 million to limit yearly bill increases to under 3% for those years. However, Delaware County argued that after the money ran out, customers would see rates skyrocket 70%. Between the ongoing litigation and lack of a rate stabilization plan attachment, wrote the judges, based in the PUCs Philadelphia office, there are simply too many outstanding issues that need to be resolved in order for the commission to be able to analyze this application and make an informed recommendation. Aqua Pennsylvania, which is owned by Essential Utilities of Bryn Mawr, said it would file objections to the decision. We remain confident that a combination with DELCORA is the best outcome for customers and are optimistic that the PUC will realize the merits of the transaction, particularly the benefits to customers, Aqua Pennsylvania president Marc Lucca said in a statement Wednesday. We continue to look forward to serving DELCORA customers once the transaction is approved. DELCORA said it was disappointed by the recommended decision, but will work to clear the concerns raised by the recommendation before the PUC makes a final decision, the agency said in a statement. Delaware County Council Chairman Brian Zidek, a Democrat, on Wednesday hailed the recommendation against a sale. Were just trying to pursue positions that we think best serve the citizens of Delaware County, and we think anything that can impede this bad deal from occurring is a positive thing, he said. Pennsylvanias Office of Consumer Advocate, Office of Small Business Advocate, and the PUCs Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement also objected to the Aqua sale, as did several towns and several large customers, including Energy Transfer LP, which operates the Marcus Hook Industrial Complex, and Kimberly-Clark Corp., which owns a toilet paper plant in Chester that it says is DELCORAs largest customer. WESTPORT Superintendent Thomas Scarice reported 10 new cases of the coronavirus in the district Wednesday evening. Kings Highway Elementary School, Long Lots Elementary School, Saugatuck Elementary School, and Coleytown Elementary School all reported one case. Five cases were reported at Staples High School and one case was reported in the districts central office, Scarice said in an email to families and staff. In our efforts to remain transparent with reports of positive COVID-19 cases associated with our schools, we will continue to provide these updates as information is confirmed, he said. No new school closures were announced. Scarice said those impacted have also since been notified by school and district officials. As a reminder, families are asked to report positive COVID-19 cases of students using our reporting voicemail or email regardless of whether the students are in remote or hybrid models, he said. Families are reminded students with pending COVID-19 tests should not return to school until receiving negative results. This approach is critical in helping us continue to minimize the potential for transmission in our schools, Scarice said. dj.simmons@hearstmediact.com 'That no man was sent to an institution signals how the Church and State saw and still sees women in society' It is harrowing to think that for decades we as a country a relatively new State treated young women and children so horrendously and that neglect and lack of health care caused the deaths of 9,000 innocents babies and children. That no-one has been held to account is a travesty of justice. Where was the humanity in Irish society when a young woman could be driven or ran from her home for committing what was, to a conservative Catholic society, a mortal sin of the flesh. That no man was sent to an institution signals how the Church and State saw and still sees women in society. Listening to some of the very sad and horrific stories of women, who as children lived in these institutions, makes me embarrassed to be Irish or even Catholic. The bible says suffer little children who come unto me but this did not mean abuse, neglect or mistreatment. Where was the love that is so often spoken off in religions in this country when we could behave so cruelly to our daughters and to our children in such a fashion? Where was our humanity? Christy Galligan Letterkenny, Co Donegal Maria deserves our thanks for such a forgiving letter Maria from Kerry (Discussion on mother and baby homes is a vital one, Letters, Irish Independent, January 13) deserves the nations thanks and goodwill for her very forgiving and informative letter. It was published on an appropriate date: the feast day of St Hilary of Poitiers (circa 315-367) who as bishop of Potiers introduced Greek doctrine to western Christendom. This was a time when the truth was important to the Orthodox Church. Maria ends her missive: I think the discussion that is taking place... is vital for younger generations... and that women will never be made feel ashamed for having a child. Indeed, a child is a gift from God, is it not? It is also time the Irish branch of the Roman Catholic church admitted to the indoctrination and brainwashing of young men and women from the time of Catholic Emancipation in Ireland. Sex was dirty and unnatural. Priests with not even an iota of the female body, let alone their own or the physical or psychological needs of the human body denied the beauty that God has given each and every person without favouring a single one. The treatment of other people in mother and baby homes, orphanages and industrial schools run by nuns, brothers and priests arose from novices being filled with what can only be described as a false ideology that they alone were chosen by God. Contact with their families was restricted, as the church was now their family. Isolation from other human beings lessens love, which in turn lessens humanity. Declan Foley Berwick, Australia Past must be confronted and the guilty should be exposed I felt so sorry for Maria from Kerry after reading her letter in yesterdays edition. I personally knew two Irish women in their early 20s who went to London in 1985 to have an abortion. Both were full of terror of their families finding out. The mother and baby homes were a disgrace and, frankly, the Catholic church and the Irish Republics then leaders have much to be ashamed of. That Ireland advanced into an amazingly tolerant nation within a decade or so is incredible. However, the past must be confronted and the guilty who used the name of God to inflict fear among the innocents for their own wicked and petty power should be exposed and reputations destroyed where necessary. The shame rests not with the victims or the people of Ireland but with the Catholic church all the way to the Vatican and certain gutless Irish leaders dead or alive who tolerated the situation. Dominic Shelmerdine London, UK Ireland can learn from how US is dealing with its scars Compare what happened in one afternoon in Washington DC last week and what occurred for 76 years in Ireland. In one country, those who did wrong and those who should have stopped them, but didnt, are being named, shamed and punished. This is being done for the good of public accountability, justice and responsibility. In the other country, the leader makes a speech saying what happened was completely wrong, but no individuals are being held to account. This is despite many hundreds of the names being known for decades. One country is doing its best to again be a beacon of open, fair and democratic society after a period of trauma and widespread abuse. The other is Ireland. Jim Hyde Ballinadine, Lismore, Co Waterford Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Reporter Heather Bellow, a member of the investigations team, joined The Eagle in 2017. She is based in the South Berkshire County bureau in Great Barrington. Her work has appeared in newspapers across the U.S. Courtesy photo /U.S. Border Patrol U.S. Border Patrol agents foiled the smuggling attempt of more than 600 pounds of marijuana in west Laredo. The diligence of our agents, coupled with technology, resulted in the seizure of this drug load before it was able to move into our city and to areas beyond the border, said Chief Patrol Agent Matthew J. Hudak in a statement. When right-wing insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol and stalled Congress from certifying the victory of president-elect Joe Biden, the tepid response by Capitol police stood in stark contrast to the force used on left-wing protesters in Portland. Local and federal police have deployed tear gas, shot rubber bullets and collectively arrested more than 1,000 people who have protested around the city since the May 25 police killing of George Floyd. For much of July, federal forces tear gassed Portlanders gathered every night to protest police brutality outside a mostly empty downtown federal courthouse. Conversely, police offered little initial resistance when a violent mob broke into the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6 and forced lawmakers to retreat to safety, according to video and witness accounts. One viral video shows a police officer posing for photos with rioters. While many politicians expressed shock at both the insurrection and the immediate police response to it, several Portland demonstrators of color were unsurprised. Candace Avalos, a Black and Latina activist who chairs a police oversight group in Portland, said she was horrified by the actions of insurrectionists, as well as the lack of pushback by police officers. Thats not the same treatment everyone else gets, she said. It makes the conversation about how we ensure everybody has fair First Amendment rights more difficult. Local leaders said the riot in the Capitol sheds light on problems with policing in Portland but its unclear whether the events will lead to any immediate changes, locally or nationally. Many said they wondered what the response would have been if the protesters had been Black, or supporters of the Black Lives Matter movement. Demetria Hester, who helped start the group Moms United for Black Lives, watched the insurrection unfold and became disgusted by what she viewed as a double standard driven by politics and race. If its Black, Indigenous, people of any other ethnicity or race, police bring out all the stops. Tear gas, rubber bullets, beat them, Hester said in a phone call with The Oregonian/OregonLive. But you openly give the Proud Boys, the maskless white supremacists spewing hate a pass. Online posts indicate right-wing demonstrators have planned more activity throughout the country on Jan. 20, the day Biden is set to take office. Many police forces, including the Oregon State Police, say they are prepared to respond to unrest, regardless of political affiliation. In Portland, demonstrators say they will continue to push for reforms to end unjust use of force by police, which disproportionately hurts people of color. Whenever theres a lot of drama nationally, theres a lot of local action legislatively, said Mac Smiff, a prominent Black Portland activist and journalist, in a phone call with The Oregonian/OregonLive last week. Im trying to stay focused here. My attention at this point has been on the (police) union contract really pushing and making sure were prepared for upcoming negotiations that could reshape policing, he said. Darrell Millner, a professor in the Black Studies department at Portland State, said the broader public perception of police is starting to change, largely because cases of police brutality are now more frequently documented and shared from the 1992 Los Angeles Police Department beating of Rodney King to the killing of George Floyd, both viewed widely through the technology of their time. Disparity in policing has existed for hundreds of years, Millner said, and many white people are just beginning to see police in a way Black Americans long have. This last event at the Capitol is kind of the culmination of that reality, he said. You couldnt look at those events that took place last week and not wonder, How has this been going on, and why is the disparity so stark? Making it available to such a large audience, you simply cant ignore or deny it any longer. Two distinct responses Portland demonstrations against police brutality drew national attention for months, including from President Donald Trump. He repeatedly denounced the protests and local officials for failing to quell them, claiming federal agents would stop property destruction at the gatherings. In fact, demonstrations ballooned in early July after he sent the U.S. Marshals Service to the federal courthouse, drawing thousands of people. Federal officers clashed with protesters for weeks, routinely spraying tear gas at demonstrators in the downtown core. Protesters enter the Senate Chamber on Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C. Two men photographed carrying zip-ties in the U.S. Capitol Wednesday were charged Sunday in a federal court in the District of Columbia. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)TNS Police responded differently to the Capitol insurrection, which came after a stop the steal election rally encouraged by Trump. The mass of rioters largely moved throughout the building unimpeded, and most were eventually allowed to leave without being arrested. Police shot and killed a woman among a mob trying to gain access to part of the Capitol building, and one officer died after he was attacked by protesters. Police have since arrested a few dozen people, including an Oregonian who described police as supportive of his cause. In Portland, more than a thousand people have been arrested since the racial justice protests began in May. According to data from the Multnomah County District Attorneys Office, most protesters have been arrested on public order crimes, such as riot or disorderly conduct charges. Far fewer have been accused of property and person crimes. District Attorney Mike Schmidt has declined to prosecute close to 800 of the more than 1,000 cases referred to his office. Seemab Hussaini, vice-chair of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Oregon, said the spotlight on policing over the last week exemplifies the disparate treatment people of color and religious minorities have faced for years. Hester drew comparisons between the U.S. Capitol insurrection and a series of right-wing protests in Salem, where during one event in December, dozens of people broke into the State Capitol building, breaking windows and entering the building, some with the help of a Republican lawmaker. She said those protests help bring to light the discriminatory policing Black people have been experiencing and warning others about for many years. How is this not the America weve been complaining about all our lives? she said. Applying pressure Hussaini said incremental steps toward change that have come out of the insurrection such as President Donald Trumps ban from Twitter dont erase the harm many people of color and religious minorities have long faced. These arent celebratory moments, theyre more exhausting for us, Hussaini said. Hussaini said he is encouraging people to direct their focus to things that will have an immediate impact on policing in Portland, such as the citys work to renegotiate Portland Police Association contract. Collective bargaining sessions for the contract started Wednesday. Avalos chairs the Citizen Review Committee, a group that advises the citys Independent Police Review on cases of reported police misconduct and other police matters. oversight. The group met Wednesday and had two guest speakers from the D.C. Office of Police Complaints, an independent civilian oversight group in the nations capital. Avalos said she said she was interested in seeing if any of the groups tactics could be applied in Portland. The D.C. office has Assembly Observers who monitor law enforcement officers during protests to make sure they are following their policies and make recommendations to the police department and city councilors based on what they witness. Avalos said she hopes to see swifter action from local leaders in removing police officers from duty who show aggressive behavior toward protesters. I understand its overwhelming, and there are always going to be challenging situations to manage, but I expect more transparency, she said. The issues were facing are only going to grow and be more challenging in 2021. I want to see more proactivity. Looking forward Many Portland activists, including Smiff and Hussaini, said they dont expect any significant changes in police response or better outcomes for people of color once Biden takes office. Longstanding systems, such as police unions, mean the problems have become very entrenched, Hussaini said. When it comes to the history of policing, it reinforces protecting itself, he said. Smiff said the election of Biden doesnt change the importance of protesting, or the peril Black people still face. I was fully expecting four more years of Trump, he said. My game plan has always involved that possibility. So this to me is less urgent in a way, in terms of physical safety. But Im still Black regardless. If people decide they want to revolt against Biden, Im still in their way. Its still a fight, regardless. Hester said she plans to be in Washington D.C. for the inauguration to document white nationalist protesters and police response to them. While there, Hester said she hopes to speak with sponsors of House Resolution 40. The resolution deals with reparations for Black Americans something Hester has consistently called for at protests. Hussaini said hes not sure what to expect on Inauguration Day, or how police will respond to protests planned on both sides. If and when I hear something, Ill put on my bulletproof vest, bring my helmet and my respirator, and Ill show up to protest it, Hussaini said. There wont be a free pass. For Hussaini, the significance of protesting goes beyond defending his own rights, he said. Im coming out there as a concerned father, he said. (My daughters) are young women of color. They understand the obstacles they face. But they also understand theres a way to be present, to feel strong about themselves. -Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR CLEVELAND, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The social media landscape is ever evolving and with COVID-19 forcing the world to get digital, we have seen a tremendous amount of growth in this sector. Laura Alexandria Marketing ("LAM") is a social media marketing agency that specializes in social media management and growth. Ashley Rector, Founder of LAM, has tips and tricks to help businesses stay ahead of the curve. So what trends do businesses need to keep an eye on in 2021? Video Content Takes Center Stage : the attention span of the average human is under 8 seconds which is less than that of a goldfish. Video content is easy to digest and demands attention. Businesses should start utilizing Tiktok, Facebook and Instagram Reels to publish video content on a regular basis. Don't believe me? Facebook has over 2.7 billion monthly active users and those users average 8 billion videos consumed daily. With all of that screen time, we want to make sure your business is front and center. Yes, Your Business Needs Tiktok : TikTok has over 1 billion users and the age demo is between 13 and 40. What's great about the platform is a video can go viral in a matter of minutes it doesn't require you to have a large following or a certain amount of content already created. TikTok also has the highest content engagement rates which means your consumers are more active with the posts. Tiktok isn't going away anytime soon and it's a detriment if your brand doesn't evolve. Each Social Media Channel Needs A Strategy : Okay, not a trend, but a tip. It will ring true forever. Each of your social media channels needs a strategy, I see this time and time again. Brands will recycle the same content on all platforms with no differentiation. You don't have the same demographic on every single platform, and you need to give your consumers a reason to follow you on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter, etc. so start getting strategic and start diversifying. In Application Shopping Will Increase : Users will shop in social media applications now more than ever. The social media apps that allow for this currently are Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Brands should make sure that their online shops are optimized and they are appropriately creating account around items. Additionally, if you haven't dipped your toe in paid social media now is the time. Paid social allows you to expand your reach and at the very least you should be retargeting anyone who is visiting your website, Facebook pages, etc. it is simple and doesn't require a huge ad spend. Pinterest will make a comeback : Pinterest is often overlooked by brands that I've spoken to lately, however, I truly believe that Pinterest is a missed opportunity to create easy, clickable, content for your brand. Consumers are turning to Pinterest now more than ever to get inspiration for home products, wellness, clothing and information. Some of you may be thinking, "Well this doesn't fit my company or my brand," and while some social media avenues may not make sense for your brand to invest in right now your strategy should be updated to reflect these new trends. I challenge you to ask yourself: How is your brand currently creating social content? Has it evolved since the pandemic? Are you utilizing videos or clips? Are you only posting content that is in relation to selling aka pushing your brand down people's throats? Think about the reasons you use social media and the reasons your brand uses social media. It's time to reevaluate and capitalize on what 2021 has to provide. Ashley Rector is the founder of Laura Alexandria Marketing and a serial entrepreneur. She's scaled social media accounts from the ground up grossing tens of thousands of followers. Her agency does full social media management to help brands achieve maximum growth. Follow along for tips and tricks in relation to social media and strategy. SOURCE Laura Alexandria Marketing Related Links www.lauraalexandriamarketing.com Impeachment Shame for Donald Trump Presidency Concludes on Lowest Note in History First came the testimony and closing arguments Congress members laid out a four-year reign of terror that was Donald Trumps presidency. Then came the verdict Congress voted to impeach Trump, and in the process, placed an exclamation stamp at the end of perhaps the most divisive presidency in American history. It also marked the first time that a president was impeached twice in Trumps case, it is the second consecutive January that House members agreed to the strongest rebuke it could provide a sitting president. Trump was impeached in 2020 for obstruction of Congress and abuse of power. This time, Congress nailed him for incitement of insurrection, a shameful charge probably the most dishonorable of any president. The Senate must now host a trial and decide whether to remove Trump, who has just one week remaining in his term. ADVERTISEMENT For years, we have been asked to turn a blind eye to the criminality, corruption, and blatant disregard to the rule of law by the tyrant president we have in the White House. We as a nation can no longer look away, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) declared. Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern, the Chairman of the House Rules Committee, blasted: President Donald Trump and his allies were stoking the anger of a violent mob. A member of this very body proclaimed on that stage, today is the day American patriots start taking down names and kicking ass, McGovern, of Massachusetts stated. Trumps personal attorney Rudy Giuliani called for trial by combat. Then Donald Trump told the crowd, were going to have to fight much harder. Youll never take back our country with weakness. Despite some pushback from die-hard Trump supporters in Congress, the House voted to impeach the 45th president. Unlike the first time the House impeached, Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), the Senate Republican leader, has declared support for impeachment. ADVERTISEMENT Trumps consistent reliance on controversy, fear and race baiting has led to an unprecedented second impeachment. At least seven other Republicans have voiced that they too favor impeaching Trump. If convicted in the Senate, Trump would no longer be eligible to hold public office, lose his $200,000 pension for the rest of his life, and forfeit a $1 million per year travel allowance. Trump would still maintain eligibility for secret service protection. The House impeachment resolution that passed on Wednesday cited incitement and insurrection for the Presidents role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Before introducing impeachment legislation, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland) attempted to pass a resolution to ask Vice President Mike Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove the President from office. The law has only been used a handful of times, most recently when, on Jun. 8, 2002, President George W. Bushs powers were transferred to Vice President Dick Cheney for about an hour because Bush was under sedation for a medical procedure. Section 4 of the Amendment strips power from the President. It states that the Vice President and a majority of Cabinet can deem the President unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. If the 25th Amendment were invoked, Pence would assume the presidency and serve out what remains in Trumps term. However, Pence declined to invoke the measure. [Trump] needs to be removed. Hes dangerous, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated, echoing the sentiments of more than 200 members of Congress. The president not only incited an insurrection against our government but has in word and in deed led a rebellion, Congresswoman Omar declared on the House floor. We cannot simply move past this or turn the page for us to be able to survive as a functioning democracy. Congresswoman Judy Chu (D-Calif.) also railed against the Pro-Trump insurrectionists as terrorists radicalized by Donald Trump. We were attacked by terrorists, but this time the terrorists were radicalized right here in the United States, Congresswoman Chu said. Worse, they were radicalized by the President, who intentionally lied to his supporters that the election was stolen, and then told them when to come to D.C., where to protest and who to direct their anger at. The need to remove Trump from office could not be more urgent. He is too dangerous to remain in office. Donald Trump must be held accountable. He must be impeached. In the impeachment legislation, Congress members wrote that the President demonstrated that he would remain a threat to national security, democracy, and the Constitution if allowed to remain in office, and has acted in a manner grossly incompatible with self-governance and the rule of law. Further, the resolution states, President Trump warrants impeachment and trial, removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States. Specifically, the resolution identifies Trumps Jan. 2 phone call to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger urging him to find enough votes to overturn the states election results. We cannot allow this unprecedented provocation to go unanswered, House members said in a statement. Everyone involved in this assault must be held accountable, beginning with the man most responsible for it President Donald Trump. We cannot begin to heal the soul of this country without first delivering swift justice to all its enemies foreign and domestic. Photo: The Canadian Press President Donald Trump's impeachment trial could begin on Inauguration Day, just as Democrat Joe Biden takes the oath of office in an ever-more-extraordinary end to the defeated president's tenure in the White House. The timing is not set and depends heavily on when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi decides to transmit the article of impeachment to the Senate. Democrats hoping to avoid interrupting Biden's inauguration have suggested holding back until the new president has a chance to get his administration going. What is clear is that the trial ahead will be unlike any other in the nation's history, the first for a president no longer in office. And, politically, it will force a reckoning among some Republicans who have stood by Trump throughout his presidency and largely allowed him to spread false attacks against the integrity of the 2020 election. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell is open to considering impeachment, having told associates he is done with Trump, but he has not signalled how he would vote. The Republican leader holds great sway in his party even though convening the trial will be among his last acts as majority leader. Two new senators from Georgia, both Democrats, are to be sworn into office leaving the chamber divided 50-50. That tips the majority to the Democrats once Kamala Harris takes office, as the vice-president is a tie-breaker. In a note to colleagues Wednesday, McConnell said he had not made a final decision on how I will vote in a Senate impeachment trial. Trump was impeached Wednesday by the House over the deadly Capitol siege, the only president in U.S. history twice impeached, after a pro-Trump mob stormed the building. The attack has left the nations capital, and other capital cites, under high security amid threats of more violence around the inauguration. Pelosi has not said when she will take the next step to transmit the impeachment article, a sole charge of incitement of insurrection. Under Senate procedure, the trial is set to start soon after the House delivers the article of impeachment. That could mean starting the trial at 1 p.m. on Inauguration Day. The ceremony at the Capitol starts at noon. After Trump's first impeachment, in 2019, she withheld the articles for some time to set the stage for the Senate action. Biden has said the Senate should be able to split its time and do both hold the trial and start working on his priorities. With the Capitol secured by armed National Guard troops inside and out, the House voted 232-197 on Wednesday to impeach Trump. The proceedings moved at lightning speed, with lawmakers voting just one week after violent pro-Trump loyalists stormed the Capitol, egged on by the presidents calls for them to fight like hell against the election results. Ten Republicans fled Trump, joining Democrats who said he needed to be held accountable and warned ominously of a clear and present danger if Congress should leave him unchecked before Democrat Joe Bidens inauguration Jan. 20. It was the most bipartisan presidential impeachment in modern times, more so than against Bill Clinton in 1998. The Capitol insurrection stunned and angered lawmakers, who were sent scrambling for safety as the mob descended, and it revealed the fragility of the nations history of peaceful transfers of power. Pelosi invoked Abraham Lincoln and the Bible, imploring lawmakers to uphold their oath to defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic. She said of Trump: He must go, he is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love. Holed up at the White House, watching the proceedings on TV, Trump later released a video statement in which he made no mention at all of the impeachment but appealed to his supporters to refrain from any further violence or disruption of Biden's inauguration. Like all of you, I was shocked and deeply saddened by the calamity at the Capitol last week," he said, his first condemnation of the attack. He appealed for unity to move forward and said, "Mob violence goes against everything I believe in and everything our movement stands for. ... No true supporter of mine could ever disrespect law enforcement. Trump was first impeached by the House in 2019 over his dealings with Ukraine, but the Senate voted in 2020 acquit. No president has been convicted by the Senate, but Republicans have said that could change in the rapidly shifting political environment as officeholders, donors, big business and others peel away from the defeated president. Conviction and removal of Trump would require a two-thirds vote in the Senate. LOS ANGELES An oops. A gaffe. A brain-fart. Bruce Willis chalked up his recent mask-free visit to a Los Angeles drugstore to a bad decision. The 65-year-old actor was photographed Monday at a Rite-Aid wearing standard pandemic going-out gear: jeans, T-shirt, sneakers, jacket, hat and bandanna. Problem was, the bandanna stayed around his neck, with no other face-covering in use. After other customers got upset over his exposed face, Page Six reported Tuesday, Willis was asked to mask up or leave the store. He chose to go. It was an error in judgment, Willis told People in a statement Tuesday night. Be safe out there everyone and lets continue to mask up. COVID-19 cases continue to climb this week in Southern California, with the current average death rate in the entire state calculated at roughly one death every three minutes. Willis notably was hanging out with ex-wife Demi Moore and their three adult daughters in Sun Valley, Idaho, during the early part of the quarantine. Current wife Emma Heming Willis and their two young daughters were supposed to join, but they had to stay in L.A. for a bit after one of the girls tangled with a hypodermic needle and had to get treatment. By Christmas Eve, however, the family was all back together in Brentwood, with Heming posting a pajama-clad happy holidays photo message of herself, Willis and daughters Evelyn and Mabel on social media. Moore and Willis were married from 1987 to 2000, when they divorced amicably. He married Heming, a model, in 2009. In 2019, she and Willis bought a new home in Brentwood. Willis representative did not reply Wednesday to a request for comment. ___ Christie DZurilla of the Los Angeles Times wrote this story. (c)2021 the Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Maharashtra govt sets up panel to study impact of liquor ban in Chandrapur India oi-Ajay Joseph Raj P Chandrapur, Jan 14: The Maharashtra government has set up a 13-member high-level committee to study the socio-economic impact of liquor ban in Chandrapur district. The previous BJP-led state government banned sale and consumption of liquor in Chandrapur on April 1, 2015. In June last year, state Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Vijay Wadettiwar, who is also Chandrapur's guardian minister, said he is in favour of lifting the liquor ban in Chandrapur once the COVID-19 crisis ends. For India, Pakistan to find lasting resolution in Kashmir, says UK As per a government notification issued on Tuesday, a 13-member committee, headed by former principal secretary Ramnath Jha, has been formed to conduct a survey on the social and economic impact after and before the imposition of the liquor ban in Chandrapur. The committee would also seek the opinion of public representatives, social organisations and various other organisations about the ban on liquor in Chandrapur district, the notification said. The other members of the committee include Chandrapur's superintendent of police, civil surgeon, women and child welfare and social welfare officers, as well as lawyers, academicians and excise department officials. Cargo vessel MV Jag Anand all set to bring 23 Indian sailors stuck in China back home today Covid-19: 3 Lakh healthcare workers to get vaccine on 1st Day | OneIndia News Earlier, in February last year, Wadettiwar formed a nine-member committee at the district-level to conduct a study on the advantages and drawbacks of the liquor ban in Chandrapur. The committee's report was submitted to the state government in September. Wadettiwar in June last year claimed the number of kidney infections and cancer cases has increased in the district due to the consumption of "duplicate liquor" (fake brews of some brands) being smuggled. Liquor is also banned in the state's Wardha and Gadchiroli districts. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Thursday, January 14, 2021, 10:21 [IST] Rotunda Rumblings Making history: One Ohio Republican joined Wednesdays historic U.S. House vote to impeach President Donald Trump a second time: Rep. Anthony Gonzalez of Rocky River. Sabrina Eaton wraps up the debate, which focused on Trumps incitement of last weeks U.S. Capitol riot, and explains why Gonzalez joined all of Ohios House Democrats in the vote. Playing defense: Fiery Trump loyalist Jim Jordan of Champaign County led the presidents defense, accusing Democrats of an unending effort to impeach Trump that he said started just 19 minutes into his presidential term. Eaton has a summary of Jordans arguments and the pushback he got from Democrats. Pointed questions: The Ohio Department of Health has developed a protocol for who gets leftover coronavirus vaccine if people dont show up for their shots. Laura Hancock discovered this and answers to other questions about the vaccine that readers submitted last week. Local alternative: A more-infectious variant of the coronavirus, similar to one found in the United Kingdom, has been discovered in Ohio, according to Ohio State University researchers. As Julie Washington reports, the question now is whether the variant can be prevented by existing vaccines, though so far theres no data showing that will affect the effectiveness of the vaccines. Hospitalizations down: On Wednesday, there were 3,923 hospitalizations of people with the coronavirus, according to the Ohio Department of Health, the first day since Nov. 21 that the number dipped below 4,000. As Hancock reports, the state also reported 6,701 new cases and 79 more deaths. Nursing home deaths, cases slow: At least 5,265 patients of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in Ohio are known to have died of coronavirus, with the addition of 206 deaths in this weeks update. There were as many as 286 deaths reported in a single week in mid-December. And the number of current cases reported is down sharply this week, though still well above early fall levels, Rich Exner reports. Knowledge is power: John Caniglia lifts the lid on the FirstEnergy-funded dark-money group that sought to undercut Cleveland Public Power, conducting dozens of interviews and sorting through state records, tax filings and campaign finance reports. The group Consumers Against Deceptive Fees has ties to the House Bill 6 scandal, and its story provides a glimpse into how corporations use nonprofits to shield the movement of political money in Ohio and their widespread influence in the state, something critics fear will be a corrupting factor for years to come. Twofer: Gov. Mike DeWine on Wednesday signed two bills into law -- one setting up state regulations for electric scooters, the other reducing the amount of time people have to file lawsuits regarding employment discrimination. Jeremy Pelzer has the details. Its a date: The Ohio Senate will begin committee hearings on Jan. 26 and floor sessions on Feb. 3, under the chambers 2021 schedule released Wednesday by Senate President Matt Huffman. The schedule lists no session days or committee hearings in July or August (as is customary); the final session day of the year is set for Dec. 15. Let me explain: Ohio school board member Kirsten Hill issued a statement Wednesday explaining her participation in last weeks protest that preceded the riot at the Capitol. As Emily Bamforth reports, Hill condemned the violence and said her participation consisted of listening to Trump give a speech, walking to the Capitol, waving an American flag and praying at a street corner along the National Mall. I am not a terrorist: Thats what Adam Newbold, a retired Navy SEAL from Lisbon, Ohio, and director of Advanced Training Group Worldwide, a firearms instruction business, told ABC News James Gordon Meek and Catherine Sanz after posting a video bragging about breaching the U.S. Capitol. Newbold initially posted a video saying he was proud of the terrorist attack, but has since tempered his speech especially after the FBI began asking him questions. Unemployment bonus: State officials say supplemental unemployment payments of $300 a week have begun for some people, and others left out because they exhausted their benefits before the new stimulus package became law Dec. 27 could be able to begin filing claims as soon as Friday. Payments will be retroactive, Exner reports. The recent stimulus package extended pandemic-related unemployment programs and tacked on an additional $300 a week for up to 11 weeks. Check yourself: The Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation on Wednesday urged employers to cash the dividend checks mailed to them in December before they go stale after 90 days. Of the $5 billion in checks issued to 180,000 employers, as of Tuesday 23,352 employers had not yet cashed their checks totaling $513.7 million. The BWC said in a release it can reissue checks upon request; any employers who dont take any action will have the money credited to their account. Lobbying Lineup Here are five groups that lobbied on Senate Bill 40, which prohibits universities from blocking controversial speakers on campus, as well as ban the establishment of free speech zones. Gov. Mike DeWine signed the measure into law last month. State lobbying forms dont require people to disclose which side of the bill theyre on. 1. Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters 2. Ohio News Media Association 3. Ohio Right To Life 4. Columbus City School District 5. Americans For Prosperity On The Move Desiree Tims has been named the new president and CEO of Innovation Ohio. Tims, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Rep. Michael Turners congressional seat last year, succeeds Janetta King, who founded the left-leaning think tank in 2011. Birthdays Duncan McArthur, Ohios 11th governor (1772-1839) Jordan Ohler, vice president, Swing State Strategies Mike Rowe, Ohio Senate Democrats chief of staff Blake Springhetti, Ohio House Republicans deputy budget director Straight from the Source Fundamental to our democracy is the peaceful transition of power. I am urging all Ohioans no matter what side of the aisle you are on violence is not and is never the answer. Our nation needs to heal. - Ohio Republican Party Chairman Jane Timken, in a statement Wednesday referencing the possibility of armed protests planned for Washington D.C., Columbus and other state capitals this weekend. The statement, issued shortly after the U.S. House impeached President Donald Trump, notably doesnt mention the impeachment vote. Capitol Letter is a daily briefing providing succinct, timely information for those who care deeply about the decisions made by state government. If you do not already subscribe, you can sign up here to get Capitol Letter in your email box each weekday for free. New York, US (PANA) - The UN Secretary-General has called for action to ensure accountability for heinous attacks in the Central African Republic (CAR) on Wednesday that left a Rwandan peacekeeper dead and another wounded Bloomberg (Bloomberg) -- Its nearly two months since turbulence erupted around China Huarong Asset Management Co.At the end of March, its 4% perpetual dollar bond was trading at 102 cents on the dollar as investors figured the January execution of former chairman Lai Xiaomin for bribery put a line under past wayward behavior. But the failure of the company to release 2020 results by a March 31 deadline, and a subsequent report by mainland media Caixin that the firm will restructure, sparked weeks of turmoil. The same bond is now at 57 cents.The heart of the matter is whether the central government will rescue a state-owned company thats integral to the smooth running of the financial system. While there are signs Beijing wants to ensure China Huarong can repay its debts on time, uncertainty prevails.Heres a look at the key events for China Huarong:May 27Liang Qiang, who currently heads another bad-debt manager, is on track to become president of China Huarong, reports Bloomberg News.May 24China Huarong dollar bonds climb after the managing editor of Caixin Media wrote in an opinion piece that the asset manager is nowhere near defaulting on its more than $20 billion of offshore notes.May 21Some of China Huarongs thinly traded onshore bonds slump after having held up better than the companys dollar-denominated notes, signaling broadening concern about the firms financial health. May 18China Huarong has transferred funds to repay a $300 million note maturing May 20, Bloomberg News reports, the first dollar bond to come due since the delayed 2020 results. Prices for the firms dollar bonds slump earlier in the day after the New York Times reports China is planning an overhaul that would inflict significant losses on both domestic and foreign China Huarong bondholders.May 17The company has reached funding agreements with state-owned banks to ensure it can repay debt through at least the end of August, by which time China Huarong aims to have completed its 2020 financial statements, according to a Bloomberg News report. That as at least two of its onshore bonds see big price declines in recent days, worrying some investors.May 13The firm says its prepared to make future bond payments and has seen no change in the level of government support, seeking to ease investor concerns after a local media report that regulators balked at China Hurarongs restructuring plan.May 6The company says it transferred funds to pay five offshore bond coupons due the following day, its latest move to meet debt obligations amid persistent doubts about its financial health.April 30China Huarong breaks its silence, with an executive telling media it is prepared to make its bond payments and state backing remains intact. The official also says the weeks rating downgrades have no factual basis and are too pessimistic.April 29Moodys Investor Service downgrades China Huarong by one notch to Baa1, adding the firm remains on watch for further downgrade. The cut reflects the companys weakened funding ability due to market volatility and increased uncertainty over its future, according to the statement.April 27China Huarong units repay bonds maturing that day. The S$600 million ($450 million) bond was repaid with funds provided by Chinas biggest state-owned bank, according to a Bloomberg News report.April 26Fitch Ratings downgrades China Huarong by three notches to BBB while dropping the companys perpetual bonds into junk territory. The lack of transparency over government support for the firm may hamper its ability to refinance debt in offshore markets, Fitch said.April 25China Huarong says it wont meet an April 30 deadline to file its 2020 report with Hong Kongs stock exchange because auditors needed more time to finalize a transaction the company first flagged on April 1. Securities and asset-management units said in the days before that they wouldnt release 2020 results by months end.April 22The China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission asks lenders to extend China Huarongs upcoming loans by at least six months, according to REDD, citing two bankers from large Chinese commercial lenders.April 21China is considering a plan that would see its central bank assume more than 100 billion yuan ($15 billion) of China Huarong assets to help clean up the firms balance sheet, according to a Bloomberg News report. Peer China Cinda Asset Management Co. was said to be planning the sale of perpetual bonds in the second quarter.April 20China Huarongs key offshore financing unit says it returned to profitability in the first quarter and laid a solid foundation for transformation. Reorg Research reports that regulators are considering options including a debt restructuring of the unit, China Huarong International Holdings Ltd.April 19Huarong Securities Co. says it wired funds to repay a 2.5 billion yuan local note.April 16The CBIRC says China Huarongs operations are normal and that the firm has ample liquidity. These are the first official comments about the companys troubles. Reuters reports Chinese banks have been asked not to withhold loans to Huarong.April 13Fitch and Moodys both put the company on watch for downgrade. The finance ministry, which owns a majority of Huarong, is considering the transfer of its stake to a unit of the countrys sovereign wealth fund, Bloomberg News reports. Chinese officials signal they want failing local government financing vehicles to restructure or go bust if debts cant be repaid.April 9China Huarong says it has been making debt payments on time and its operations are normal. Bloomberg reports the company intends to keep Huarong International as part of a potential overhaul that would avoid the need of a debt restructuring or government recapitalization. S&P Global Ratings puts China Huarongs credit ratings on watch for possible downgrade.April 8China Huarong is preparing to offload non-core and loss-making units as part of a broad plan to revive profitability that would avoid the need for a debt restructuring or government recapitalization, Bloomberg News reports.April 6Selling gains steam in China Huarongs dollar bonds, following a holiday in China. Huarong Securities says there has been no major change to its operations, in response to a price plunge for its 3 billion yuan local bond.April 1China Huarong announces a delay in releasing 2020 results, saying its auditor is unable to finalize a transaction. Stock trading is suspended and spreads jump on the firms dollar bonds while China Huarong tells investors its business is running as usual. Caixin reports the company submitted restructuring and other major reform plans to government officials and shareholders.More stories like this are available on bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.2021 Bloomberg L.P. A nurse prepares a syringe with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in the Manhattan borough of New York City, N.Y., on Dec. 23, 2020. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters) Students in LA School District Must Get COVID-19 Vaccine to Return to Classrooms The 600,000 students in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) will have to be vaccinated for COVID-19 before returning to classrooms, school district officials said. In a pre-recorded briefing first reported by the Los Angeles Times, LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner said the COVID-19 vaccine mandate would be no different than students who are vaccinated for measles or mumps. While the two vaccines authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency usage are only for older teenagers, Beutner did not clarify whether the LAUSD campuses are going to stay closed until vaccines for young children become available. The FDA currently allows the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be used in people over the age of 16, and the Moderna vaccine for those over the age of 18. Beutner said parents who dont wish to vaccinate their children will always have the option for a child to stay in online learning and therefore not have to go back to campus, the LA Times reported. He added that he expects all students in the system to be vaccinated by January 2022. Nurse Patti Ward inoculates EMT Jazmin Murillo with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at UMass Memorial Hospital in Marlborough, Mass., on Jan. 12, 2021. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images) The announcement comes as LAUSD continues to push against California Gov. Gavin Newsoms proposed school reopening plan. The school board on Tuesday said that it had authorized the district to sue the Newsom administration over the plan, but said later that it hoped to avoid the need to seek legal action. Under Newsoms plan, only schools that reopen for in-person learning can get their share of $2 billion in extra funding. Superintendents in Californias major public school districts, joined by powerful teachers unions, criticized the plan, and demanded more funding for all schools regardless of whether they decide to reopen. LAUSD, the nations second largest public school district, closed all school buildings and has been exclusively offering online-learning since last March, when California was hit by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus outbreak. The CCP virus causes the COVID-19 disease. In a statement last month, Beutner didnt provide a timetable for bringing students back to classrooms, saying that the district was nowhere near reopening for in-person instruction due to the surge in CCP virus infections across Southern California. It will not be possible for us to reopen school campuses by the time next semester starts on Jan. 11, Beutner said in a pre-recorded briefing. Well remain in online-only mode until community health conditions improve significantly. Beutner also claimed that 10 percent of students coming in to school-based CCP virus testing sites had tested positive. One in ten children being tested at schools show no symptoms but have the virus, he said. Its clear were a long way from reopening schools with the level of virus this high. The "Consumer Electronics Retailers in Europe" newsletter has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The database Consumer Electronics Retailers in Europe discloses the rankings of electronics retailers for many countries as well as the profiles of more than 1,000 retailers/chains. This database contains all key information about international and national retail chains, including data on turnover and numbers of Electronics chains, hypermarkets, discounters, department stores, specialty stores, etc. Not only the major countries such as the USA, China, Germany, UK, France, Italy, and Spain but also many smaller countries. For each country, the top ranking of the retailers is presented according to the latest available turnover figures. All data on retailers are presented in the same style. In the ranking overview of the country, you can click on the name of the retailers which opens the full retail profile with address, phone, fax, key management, company website, turnover development, banners, number of stores, shop-types and much other relevant information. For multinational retailers, the international head-office of the mother company is given with address, etc. The focus is on the consumer electronics retailers in Europe but many other countries are also covered. Some of the Retailers covered include: Argos Boulanger Conrad Dell Dixons Retail Electronic Partner Euronics Expert Fnac/Darty Media-Saturn Partner UniEuro For more information about this newsletter visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/mxrk4z View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005839/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 The surge in coronavirus cases in Spain is starting to have an impact on hospitals ordinary activity. The clearest case is the Valencia region, where non-essential procedures including diagnostic tests and surgeries are being cancelled in order to focus resources on Covid-19 patients. In Catalonia and Galicia, hospitals are also feeling the strain and have begun to cancel procedures that are not considered vital. The forecasts are very bad, and the direction of the epidemiological curve is nearly vertical. If things keep going this way, in 15 days the hospitals will no longer be able to cope, warned Javier Garcia Fernandez, president of the Spanish Anesthesiology Society. We are concerned and low in spirits: this is looking a lot like the first wave Miriam Rubio, nurse from Segovia Healthcare workers consulted by this newspaper agreed that the outlook is gloomy. We are concerned and low in spirits: this is looking a lot like the first wave, said Miriam Rubio, a nurse in Segovia. Covid-19 hospitalizations have grown 69% since Christmas and coronavirus patient occupancy of intensive care units (ICUs) has risen 44% during the same period. Extremadura, which has the highest incidence rate in Spain (1,131 cases per 100,000 inhabitants over the last 14 days), has not suspended any hospital activity yet, but the possibility is being considered in some health areas, according to a spokesperson for the regional government. In Madrid, despite an incidence rate of 627 cases per 100,000, hospitals have so far not had to reorganize their planned procedures. Recent delays in operations have been mostly caused by the snow storm. Valencia In the Valencia region, by contrast, the executive has issued orders to cancel non-essential procedures, to prepare more beds for an expected rise in patients, and to have around 280 beds ready at field hospitals for milder cases who will be sent there if hospitals become overwhelmed. Meanwhile, around 35 non-coronavirus patients have been transferred to private facilities, and the public hospital in Elche (Alicante) has emptied its chapel in case it needs the space for additional beds. The Mediterranean region has a 14-day cumulative incidence rate of 609 cases per 100,000 people, far above the Spanish governments extreme risk threshold of 500. And 45% of its intensive care beds are now occupied by Covid-19 patients. Catalonia In Catalonia, the situation differs from hospital to hospital, but all those consulted shared the same concern about imminent saturation. We are pretty stretched, but for now we have not deprogrammed anything and we will try to hold out as long as possible. If this pace keeps up, well have have to deprogram [procedures] in a few days or next week, said a spokesperson for Clinic Hospital in Barcelona. At Vall dHebron hospital, all activity is still underway, but at Sant Pau, which has around 30 Covid-19 patients in intensive care and 88 more in regular care, non-essential procedures were cancelled on Wednesday. Hospital del Mars ICUs are full of Covid-19 patients and three operating rooms have been closed because workers need the post-surgery equipment for critically ill patients with other ailments. At Gironas Trueta hospital, four operating rooms are closing in the afternoons. Other parts of Spain Galicias regional premier, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, said that hospitals have not been significantly affected by cancellations of elective procedures. The Basque Country is in Scenario 3 of the regions contingency plan for ICUs, which means that human and material resources are being prioritized, said a source at Osakidetza, the Basque healthcare system. Elective surgeries are being done, but fewer of them. In Andalusia, the Clinico Hospital in Malaga is getting more ICU beds and a specific area for Covid-19 inside the emergency room. Hospitals in Cadiz are focusing on surgeries requiring fewer than three days stay, and on outpatient procedures. With reporting by C. Vazquez, M. Ormazabal, I. Valdes, E. Saiz and L. Tolosa. English version by Susana Urra. Rocky Mount Police Department Officers Jacob Fracker, left, and Thomas Robertson, right. Department of Justice Two Virginia police officers, Jacob Fracker and Thomas Robertson, were arrested in connection with last week's riots at the US Capitol. Fracker, as Military.com first reported, is a current member of the Virginia National Guard, making him the first current military member to be arrested in connection with the riots. Several former military members have been arrested or are facing questioning from authorities. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories. Related: What the storming of the US Capitol looked like on Wednesday One of two Virginia police officers arrested and charged in connection with last week's riots at the Capitol is a current member of the US military. Rocky Mount Police Officers Jacob Fracker and Thomas Robertson were charged in federal court on Wednesday with entering a restricted area without authorization, violent entry, and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, the Department of Justice said in a statement. The two officers, who were off duty at the time, were photographed inside the Capitol making obscene gestures, according to the US Attorney's office. Robertson told ABC13 one day prior to his and Fracker's arrest that Capitol Police let them inside the building. But, in a since deleted Facebook post, he wrote that "we actually attacked the government" and "IN ONE DAY took the f***ing US Capitol," the Department of Justice said in its statement. In a separate social media post, Fracker insisted that he did not do anything illegal. Robertson said the pair was only in the building for about 10 minutes. The two police officers, which have been placed on administrative leave, are current and former members of the US military, Military.com reported Thursday. Fracker is reportedly a former Marine who deployed twice to Afghanistan and a current infantryman in the Virginia National Guard, and Robertson is a Army veteran who deployed to Iraq. The Virginia National Guard confirmed Military.com's reporting, telling Insider that Fracker is a corporal with the Guard, which is conducting an investigation into the matter. Story continues Among the Trump supporters who were at the Capitol to derail congressional efforts to certify the vote and President-elect Joe Biden's win over President Donald Trump were a number of former service members. Some of the veterans at the riots include retired Air Force Reserve Lt. Col. Larry Rendall Brock Jr., who was arrested after being spotted inside the Capitol wearing tactical gear and carrying zip-tie handcuffs, Air Force veteran, Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed during the riots, Jacob Chansley,A a Navy veteran and prominent QAnon conspiracy theorist who was taken into custody after storming the building in a furry headdress with horns and a spear, and former Navy SEAL Adam Newbold is being questioned by the FBI. Fracker is believed to be the first current member of the military to have been arrested in connection to the Capitol siege. On Thursday, fourteen Democratic lawmakers urged the Department of Defense to "immediately" investigate "white supremacist and violent fringe extremist activity" in the US military. "Several insurrectionists who attacked the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021 have been identified as active duty service members, reservists, retirees, and veterans," the lawmakers wrote in a letter to the acting Pentagon inspector general. "Although the Pentagon has acknowledged this issue, it has failed to implement a comprehensive action plan to address it," the letter said. The Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General announced Thursday afternoon that it is launching an investigation into the military's efforts to eliminate "active advocacy and active participation related to supremacist, extremist, or criminal gang doctrine, ideology, or causes by active duty military personnel." Read the original article on Business Insider EACH AND EVERY DAY, my colleagues and I hear about how New Hampshires high property taxes are an unsustainable burden on hardworking Granite Staters. According to a recent report from US News and WalletHub, New Hampshire has the third-highest property tax rates in the country. For young wor George Clooney is the latest star to be interviewed for BAFTA's A Life In Pictures. The actor, who turns 60 this spring, recorded the interview virtually in London and joins the likes of Viola Davis, Nicole Kidman, Ridley Scott, Hugh Grant, Quentin Tarantino and Keira Knightley, who have been featured in the past. BAFTA's A Life In Pictures sees stars of the screen sit down with an interviewer from the Academy and discuss their careers at length, with George's set to be broadcast on BAFTA YouTube Channels at midday on Monday 18 Jan. Man of the hour: George Clooney is the latest star to be interviewed for BAFTA's A Life In Pictures George is expected to chat about his credits, which include the likes of Burn After Reading, The Men Who Stare At Goats, Up In The Air, The Ides Of March and Gravity. He has also directed seven films between 2002-2020, writing some of them too. His latest - The Midnight Sky - is set to become one of Netflix's most-watched overall films, with Deadline reporting at the end of 2020 that it had been viewed by a projected 72 million households during its first four weeks of release. Oscar-winner George also stars in the film - which was also Netflix's biggest theatrical release of the year, as it played on hundreds of screens in 16 different countries worldwide. Star: The actor, who turns 60 this spring, recorded the interview virtually in London Elite: He joins the likes of Viola Davis, Nicole Kidman, Ridley Scott, Hugh Grant, Quentin Tarantino and Keira Knightley, who have been featured in the past Chat: BAFTA's A Life In Pictures sees stars of the screen sit down with an interviewer from the Academy and discuss their careers at length Soon: George's set to be broadcast on BAFTA YouTube Channels at midday on Monday 18 Jan In terms of streaming, the media company confirmed that The Midnight Sky attained the top spot for content in 77 countries and has reached the top ten list in 93 countries overall. The science fiction picture was based off of the 2016 novel of the same name, written by novelist Lily Brooks-Dalton. The plot follows a research scientist who takes a young girl on a trip through the Arctic Circle in order to warn a potentially returning spaceship not to return to Earth, which has undergone a cataclysmic event. Stalwart: BAFTA's A Life In Pictures sees stars of the screen sit down with an interviewer from the Academy and discuss their careers Finishing strong: George's film The Midnight Sky is slated to become one of Netflix's overall most-watched titles In addition to Clooney, the picture also stars Felicity Jones, David Oyelowo and Demian Bichir in supporting roles. Development on the project was announced in June of 2019 and filming began in October of that year, with production wrapping the following February. Due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, The Midnight Sky was given a limited theatrical release beginning on December 11th. The movie's wide release on Netflix occurred a few weeks afterwards on December 23rd. Dual roles: Clooney served as both the leading actor and director of the film; he is seen on set with David Oyelowo and Tiffany Boone in 2019 Big and small screens: The Midnight Sky was given separate theatrical and home releases In an interview with Variety, Clooney spoke about the difficulties of directing a motion picture in a particularly harsh environment; the film was shot in England and Iceland, often in below-zero temperatures. 'First and foremost, you have to be really, really prepared... We get in a scene, and all of a sudden, its too sunny or too nice. Or then we get there, and it wasnt nice enough. Ive been doing it long enough now that its not as complicated as it feels,' he stated. The 59-year-old also noted that he wanted the film to feel timely and to cover a wide range of subjects under the guise of a sci-fi story. Heavy duty work: Clooney spoke to Variety about filming in harsh environments, stating that 'you have to be really, really prepared'; he is pictured in 2018 He said: 'I wanted it to deal with things were all dealing with today: the denying of science, playing out anger, hatred, and divisions in between the people of the United States, but also divisions that play out in other countries.' Clooney also spoke about how his status as a parents influenced both the writing of the screenplay and his performance in multiple different scenes. 'Theres a part of this film that is about isolation and our ability to communicate, and our inability to be near the people we love. And that is a very specific example of taking away and losing something you care deeply about,' the actor opined. Mother-of-three Samantha Simpson, 28, (pictured) ambushed a woman inside a train station toilet and demanded she hand over her granddaughter after her own children were taken away A mother-of-three who ambushed a woman inside a train station toilet and demanded she hand over her granddaughter after her own children were taken away from her has avoided jail. Samantha Simpson, 28, spotted the woman with a seven-year-old girl in Piccadilly Railway Station in Manchester and cornered her in the ladies lavatory. Simpson shouted 'I'm taking her' and ordered the distressed girl to 'come to mummy', to which the grandmother - who was moments away from boarding a train to London with the child - replied: 'You are not taking her.' Simpson had her own children removed from her after she clocked up a string of convictions for drink and drug related violence. Her mental health had 'deteriorated' in the weeks before the confrontation, a court heard. Simpson told police - who were called to the scene by terrified staff - that the girl was her daughter. She also attacked a female officer at the scene, leaving her with a scratch on her chin. Simpson faced a charge of attempted kidnap but prosecutors accepted her guilty plea to the lesser charge of affray. She was ordered to complete an 18-month community order plus 20 rehabilitation activity days after insisting she was now getting professional help for her behavioural issues. The girl and her grandmother - who have not been named - were not hurt in the incident on March 19, 2020. Minshull Street Crown Court heard that the grandmother had travelled by train to Manchester to collect her granddaughter from relatives. Mark Brookes prosecuting said: 'The girl's grandfather had become unwell and as he was someone who looked after her, the family felt the girl's grandmother, based in London, should look after her instead. 'That day the grandmother travelled by train to Manchester Piccadilly station. She arrived on the 12.34pm and planned to return with the girl on the 15.15pm to London. 'The pair had time to kill so they went shopping in the intervening hours before returning to the train station. 'There the grandmother took the child into a toilet but at that point, the defendant came into the female cubicle area. 'While the young child was in the toilet, the defendant approached the grandmother and said, 'I'm taking her.' Simpson, 28, (pictured) spotted the woman with a seven-year-old girl in Piccadilly Railway Station in Manchester and cornered her in the ladies lavatory 'She was then asked to leave by staff at the station staff but outside she waited for the girl to exit the toilet before urging her: "Come to mummy".' 'The grandmother replied: "You are not taking her" and the defendant was then intercepted by police who had been called [for] assistance. 'Initially Simpson refused to believe the officer's credentials, saying "you're not the real police" then shouted in the face of one of the officers. 'A number of police officers then attended and one of the police officers, who was on plainclothes duty, said she was going to search the defendant. 'But while that took place, the defendant lunged at the officer, leaving a scratch on her chin. The defendant told the officers that the girl was her daughter.' In 2014 Simpson was convicted of assault after kicking a policeman in the groin after she was found staggering along the street at 3am with two of her young children and a baby in her arms. During that incident she was so drunk and high on cocaine she could not pronounce her own name and stumbled over hitting her head on a wall. As police tried to detain her she lashed out and injured three of them. Simpson was warned her children would be taken away if she carried on offending but in 2016 she admitted offences of child neglect, carrying a kitchen knife and criminal damage to a door. She was convicted of assault in 2019. On the day of the latest incident she had just completed a sentence of supervision. In mitigation for Simpson - who also pleaded guilty to assault on an emergency worker - defence counsel Miss Rachel Shenton said: 'Her mental health had been deteriorating. 'She has also had an extremely troubled and difficult background, aside from her mental health and has spent several months in hospital. Simpson told police at Piccadilly Station In Manchester (file image, pictured) - who were called to the scene by terrified staff - that the girl was her daughter 'She's in sheltered accommodation now and has responded extremely well since the incident. 'It is the best progress she has made in her history and she has stayed out of trouble. She seems extremely positive about the future. 'The hope is that she will be able to move from this accommodation to her own.' Sentencing Judge Suzanne Goddard QC told Simpson: 'You have a significant criminal record and what you did that day was concerning. 'I can't imagine how frightening it must have been for the child and her grandmother, being faced by this sort of behaviour. 'I am aware that you have a history of offending but it seems to me that you have made more progress in the last four months than you have done in many years. 'It is clear you have some psychological problems but drugs and alcohol are linked to your trouble with the police. I hope that the progress you have made will continue. 'It seems to me that the public is going to be much better protected if I take the recommendation in the probation report. 'I am giving you an opportunity today. But in future when drinking casually with friends, just think about me waiting here for you if you get into trouble again.' CBI commenced arguments afresh in the on Thursday in its appeal against the acquittal of former telecom minister and others in the 2G spectrum allocation scam case. However, the arguments via video conferencing before Justice Yogesh Khanna had to be stopped after only a brief hearing due to connectivity issues. During the brief proceedings, advocate Vijay Aggarwal, appearing for some of the acquitted persons, told the high court that around 6,500 pages containing the final arguments of the accused and the CBI before the trial court were not found in the digital records supplied to him. The hearing will continue on Friday. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which had earlier concluded its submissions on the issue of 'leave to appeal', had to start arguing afresh due to change of judge. Leave to appeal is a formal permission granted by a court to a party to challenge a decision in a higher court. Earlier, the case was being heard on a day-to-day basis by Justice Brijesh Sethi, who retired on November 30 last year and had released the matter from his board on November 23, 2020 owing to paucity of time. Before demitting the office, Justice Sethi had decided various petitions and applications filed by the acquitted individuals and firms in the three cases, arising out of the 2G scam probe, lodged by CBI and ED. After finishing submissions in the CBI's main case, the high court will take up the ED's money laundering case in which also all the accused were acquitted by the special court. A special court had on December 21, 2017 acquitted Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and others in the CBI and the ED cases related to the scam. Besides Raja and Kanimozhi, the special court had acquitted former telecom secretary Siddharth Behura; Raja's erstwhile private secretary R K Chandolia; Unitech Ltd MD Sanjay Chandra and three top executives of Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (RADAG) -- Gautam Doshi, Surendra Pipara and Hari Nair, in the 2G case filed by the CBI. Swan Telecom promoters Shahid Balwa and Vinod Goenka and directors of Kusegaon Fruits and Vegetables Pvt Ltd Asif Balwa and Rajiv Agarwal were also acquitted in the CBI case. The special court had also acquitted Swan Telecom (P) Ltd; Unitech Wireless (Tamil Nadu) Ltd; Reliance Telecom Ltd; film producer Karim Morani and Director of Kalaignar TV Sharad Kumar in the CBI case. On the same day, the special court also acquitted 19 accused, including Raja, Kanimozhi, DMK supremo M Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Ammal, Vinod Goenka, Asif Balwa, Karim Morani, P Amirtham and Sharad Kumar in the ED case. The special court had also acquitted Essar Group promoters Ravi Kant Ruia and Anshuman Ruia, Loop Telecom promoters I P Khaitan and Kiran Khaitan and four others in a separate case arising out of the 2G scam probe. On March 19, 2018, the ED approached the high court challenging the special court's order acquitting all the accused. A day later, the CBI too challenged in the high court the acquittal of the accused in the case. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saratoga County Sheriff BALLSTON SPA - A former Galway man who pleaded guilty to letting his mother die while she was in his care was sentenced to five years of probation on Thursday in Saratoga County Court. Richard Carr III, 29, pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of an incompetent person, a plea deal that spared him a jury trial for manslaughter. Britons gathered outside their homes to take part in the second Clap for Heroes of the third national lockdown last night as NHS staff protested Boris Johnson's handling of the pandemic outside Downing Street. Residents in Saltburn, Yorkshire, and Surrey wore fairy lights, banged pans and decorated their balconies with flowers spelling 'NHS' during the second weekly event, which began during the March shutdown. At the beginning of the pandemic, people took to their doorsteps, windows and balconies each Thursday at 8pm for 10 weeks to celebrate NHS staff and key workers with a round of applause. The new campaign, which has been renamed Clap for Heroes, calls on people across the UK to applaud in appreciation of those helping in the fight against Covid and has been expanded to include 'every hero who has played their part through the pandemic'. These include delivery drivers, postal workers, teachers, home-schoolers, neighbours, scientists, volunteers, all those who wear masks when out and those who have stayed at home and socially-distanced. Last week the founder of the original campaign, Annemarie Plas, 37, distanced herself from the event after NHS workers urged the public to avoid taking part and instead respect the lockdown. Dorrie Cunningham, aged eight, claps with giant hands in Bookham, Surrey A couple applaud as they take part in the Clap for Heroes event in Saltburn-by-the-Sea resident on a street in Saltburn wears fairly lights as she stands outside her home and takes part in the Clap for Heroes event on January 14, 2021 in Saltburn-by-the-Sea Residents banged pans and applauded for the 'heroes' on the frontline of the pandemic balcony is decorated with flowers spelling out 'NHS' in Saltburn-by-the-Sea It comes as new coronavirus cases fell by 7.5 per cent from last week and figures showed infections in every age group except the over-80s. A further 48,682 cases were reported yesterday, bringing the country's overall pandemic total to 3,292,014 - up 1,157 on yesterday but crucially down 3,936 from last Thursday's data. At Downing Street, a number of NHS staff protested the Government's handling of the much-hated Covid pandemic. Wearing PPE and carrying a sign which read 'You failed the public, you failed the NHS, Boris must go', the five campaigners arrived at 8pm, the scheduled start time of the Clap For Heroes. Nobody was heard clapping along Whitehall in the heart of Westminster as one nurse told reporters: 'The situation in hospitals is so severe, we are stretched across all ICUs.' ICU nurse Ameera Sheikh told reporters: 'It's been very difficult, very challenging. NHS staff from London hospitals during a socially distanced protest outside Downing Street Wearing PPE and carrying a sign which read 'You failed the public, you failed the NHS, Boris must go', the five campaigners arrived at 8pm, the scheduled start time of the Clap For Heroes Police talk with an protester at a demonstration by NHS workers from hospitals across the capital outside Downing Street. Nobody was heard clapping along Whitehall 'We're stressed out and very anxious, there's a lot of PTSD amongst staff, staff are going off sick ... leaving nurses very short, which increases the risk of patients deteriorating and ultimately patients dying. 'This is the Government's fault, they need to take responsibility, they need to provide us with better pay and better working conditions.' Ms Sheikh went on: 'It's 8pm, it's Thursday, it's Clap for Carers, whilst we appreciate the claps that the public are doing and some of them are staying at home, we do not appreciate our Government clapping for us because essentially they are the reason why we are in this position. 'They've not planned at all and they've had months to plan ahead and they've left us in such a terrible position.' Around five minutes after the protesting staff gathered, several police officers arrived at the gates of Downing Street. The campaigners were reminded of the national lockdown measures and the group then dispersed. By Pepe Escobar January 14, 2021 " Information Clearing House " - Whether civil war is coming will depend on the degree of stoicism prevalent among the Deplorable multitudes. I hear the sons of the city and dispossessed Get down, get undressed Get pretty but you and me We got the kingdom, we got the key We got the empire, now as then We dont doubt, we dont take direction Lucretia, my reflection, dance the ghost with me Sisters of Mercy, Lucretia my Reflection 9/11 was the prelude. 1/6 is the Holy Grail. 9/11 opened the gates to the Global War on Terror (GWOT), later softened by Team Obama to the status of Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) even as it was suavely expanded to the bombing, overt or covert, of seven nations. 9/11 opened the gates to the Patriot Act, whose core had already been written way back in 1994 by one Joe Biden. 1/6 opens the gate to the War on Domestic Terror and the Patriot Act from Hell, 2.0, on steroids (here is the 2019 draft ), the full 20,000 pages casually springing up from the sea like Venus, the day after, immediately ready to roll. And as the inevitable companion to Patriot Act 2.0, there will be war overseas, with the return in full force, unencumbered, of what former CIA analyst Ray McGovern memorably christened the MICIMATT (Military-Industrial-Congressional-Intelligence-Media-Academia-Think Tank) complex. And when MICIMATT starts the next war, every single protest will be branded as domestic terrorism. No Advertising - No Government Grants - No Algorithm - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Newsletter The faux coup Whatever really happened on 1/6 in the militarized Valhalla of a superpower that spent untold trillions of dollars on security since the start of the millennium, the elaborate psy op/photo-op circus complete with a strategically photogenic MAGA Viking actor could never had happened if it was not allowed to happen. Debate will rage till Kingdom Come on whether the break in was organic an initiative by a few hundred among at least 10,000 peaceful protestors surrounding the Capitol or rather a playbook color revolution false flag instigated by an infiltrated, professional Fifth Column of agent provocateurs. What matters is the end result: the manufactured product Trump insurrection for all practical purposes buried the presentation, already in progress, of evidence of electoral fraud to the Capitol, and reduced the massive preceding rally of half a million people to domestic terrorism. That was certainly not a coup. Top military strategist Edward Luttwak, now advising the Pentagon on cyber-war, tweeted, nobody pulls a coup during the day. That was just a show, people expressing emotions, an actually faux coup that did not involve arson or widespread looting, and relatively little violence (compare it to Maidan 2014): talk about insurrectionists walking inside the Capitol respecting the velvet ropes. A week before 1/6, a dissident but still very connected Deep State intel op offered this cold, dispassionate view of the Big Picture: Tel Aviv betrayed Trump with a new deal with Biden and so they threw him to the dogs. Sheldon Adelson and the Mafia have no trouble switching sides for the winner by hook or crook. Pence and McConnell also betrayed Trump. It was as though Trump walked as Julius Caesar into the Roman Senate to be stabbed to death. Any deal Trump makes with the system or Deep State will not be kept and they are secretly talking about ending him forever. Trump has the trump card. Martial law. Military tribunals. The Insurrection Act. The question is whether he will play it. Civil war is coming irrespective of what happens to him, sooner or later. Whether civil war is coming will depend on the degree of stoicism prevalent among the Deplorable multitudes. Alastair Crooke has brilliantly outlined the Top Three main issues that shape Red Americas Epiphany: stolen elections; lockdown as a premeditated strategy for the destruction of small and mid-size businesses; and the dire prospect of cancellation by an incoming woke soft totalitarianism orchestrated by Big Tech. Cue to a Corpse Reading a Teleprompter, also known as The President-Elect, and his own ominous words after 1/6: Dont dare call them protesters. They were a riotous mob. Insurrectionists. Domestic terrorists. Some things never change. George W. Bush, immediately after 9/11: Either youre with us, or with the terrorists. Thats the hegemonic, set in stone, narrative now being implemented with an iron fist by Big Tech. First they come for POTUS. Then they come for you. Anyone, anywhere, not following Big Techs Techno-Feudalist diktat WILL be cancelled. Bye bye Miss American Pie And thats why the drama is way, way, bigger than a mere discombobulated POTUS. Every single institution controlled by the ruling class from schools to mass media to the way workplaces are regulated will go after the Deplorables with no mercy. Professional CIA killer and liar John Breenan, key conceptualizer of totally debunked Russiagate, tweeted about the necessity of, in practice, setting up re-education camps. Media honchos called for cleansing the movement. Politically, the Deplorables only have Trumpism. And thats why Trumpism, with a possible avenue to become an established third party, must be smashed. As much as the 0.0001% is more terrified by the possibility of secession or armed revolt, they need urgent pre-emptive action against what is, for now, a nationalist mass movement, however inchoate its political proposals. The unknown unknown, to evoke notorious neo-con Donald Rumsfeld, is whether the exasperated plebs will eventually reach for the pitchforks and make the 0.0001% feudal hacienda ungovernable. And then theres a literally smokin element those half a billion guns out there. The 0.0001% knows for sure that Trump, after all, was never a radical revolutionary change agent. Inchoately, he channeled Red Americas hopes and fears. But instead of the promised glitzy palace adorned with gold, what he delivered was a shack in the desert. Meanwhile, Red America, intuitively, understood that Trump at least was a useful conduit. He lay bare how the corrupt swamp actually moves. How these institutions are mere corporate puppets and completely ignore the common man. How the Judiciary is utterly corrupt when even POTUS cannot get a hearing. How Pharma and Tech actually expanded the MICIMATT (MICIMAPTT?) And most of all, how the two party paradigm is a monstrous lie. So where will 75 million disenfranchised voters or 88 million Twitter followers go? As it stands, were deep into Hardcore Class War. The Top of the Scam Gang are in full control. The remains of Democracy have gelled into Mediacracy. Ahead, theres nothing but ruthless purge, protracted crackdown, censorship, blanket surveillance, smashing of civil liberties, a single narrative, overarching cancel (in)culture. It gets worse: next week, this paranoid apparatus merges with the awesome machinery of the United States Government (USG). So welcome to Full Spectrum Domestic Dominance. Germany 1933 on steroids. 1984 redux: no wonder the hashtag #1984 was banned by Twitter. Cui bono? Techno-Feudalism, of course and the interlocking tentacles of the trans-humanist Great Reset. Defy it, and you will be cancelled. Bye bye Miss American Pie. Thats the legacy of 1/6. Now what? Andrew here. As companies across the U.S. condemn the attack on the Capitol and try to distance themselves from Republicans who challenged the election result, one may have a harder time than most separating itself from the controversy: Intercontinental Exchange, or ICE, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange. Its C.E.O. is Jeffrey Sprecher, who is married to Senator Kelly Loeffler, the Georgia Republican who lost her seat in last weeks runoff election. Ms. Loeffler ran as an unabashed supporter of President Trump, and up until the mob stormed the Capitol she planned to object to the Electoral College count. She was one of the loudest amplifiers of falsehoods about supposed voter fraud in Georgia, according to NPR. Election administrators there begged for weeks for officials to stop sharing such claims, for fear of violence. Ms. Loeffler, who previously led investor relations for ICE, said after the Capitol attack that the lawlessness and siege of the halls of Congress are abhorrent and reversed her position on challenging the certification when Congress reconvened. Mr. Sprecher also condemned the lawlessness that transpired at the Capitol in a statement last week, and ICE told DealBook that it was pausing donations from its PAC. Still, the roles of Ms. Loeffler and her husband, who personally gave $10.5 million to a PAC supporting his wifes campaign and $1 million to a pro-Trump PAC last year, raise some thorny questions for the company, its board, employees, traders and the companies listed on the exchange. The companys political entanglements are unique, but similar issues are springing up at other firms. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Already considered to be at risk for possible extinction in the near future, Marin Countys native western monarch butterfly population has continued to plummet to yet another record low. In the 1980s, an estimated 4.5 million of the colorful insects migrated to California, their mottled black and orange wings seen clustered together for warmth in trees along the coast. But a new report published by West Marins Environmental Action Committee using data from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation recorded a near disappearance of the fragile species in 2020, with fewer than 2,000 of the butterflies counted in California, and fewer than 200 in coastal Marin County. Thats a 99% drop from the Bay Area countys population of 38,708 butterflies in 2015 at the time considered to be the highest count on record by the Xerces Society, which conducts the annual Thanksgiving and New Years counts of the western monarchs. The count rapidly descended in subsequent years as a result of multiple contributing factors, including recent wildfires, habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change, according to the report. One of the most important takeaways from this report is that individual actions matter, Morgan Patton, executive director of the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, said in a statement. Taking the right action, in the right place, right now, is essential if we are going to help the western monarch recover. Yet, the decimated population still lacks protection from the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife under the Endangered Species Act. In December, the federal agency determined the listing was warranted, but precluded due to higher priority listings. (The monarch butterfly is currently filed behind more than 160 other species, a KQED report found.) One month prior to this decision, however, the Superior Court of Sacramento County ruled that the state of California did not have the legal authority to protect insects under the Endangered Species Act. MORE: The Mexican monarch population blossomed as California's monarchs plummeted The U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife said it would review the status of the monarchs every year. Unless the population experiences a comeback, it could receive endangered species status in 2024. Meanwhile, the low count is expected to have greater implications. A single storm or disease could reduce the rate of survival for monarchs migrating to inland areas of Marin to reproduce in the spring, especially as the quality of overwintering habitats fail to provide sufficient shelter. In response, the Environmental Action Committee advises those living in coastal areas of Marin including residents of Muir Beach, Stinson Beach, Bolinas, Point Reyes Station, Inverness, and Tomales to support overwintering monarch populations by no longer planting milkweed. Instead, the organization recommends that people grow nectar plants, such as California goldenrod or black sage, that will provide them with the nutrition and protection they need to survive the colder winter months. Likewise, people who reside in inland areas of Marin such as Mill Valley, Sausalito, Corte Madera, Larkspur, San Rafael, Ross, San Anselmo, Fairfax, Terra Linda and Novato can help bolster the monarch population by replacing tropical milkweed plants with native narrowleaf milkweed. Tropical milkweed is considered harmful to butterflies because it does not die in the fall, which encourages them to linger in the area and breed rather than migrating to other habitats where they will survive through the winter. Recent counts at Pacific Grove's Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Monterey County yielded similar findings, KAZU reported last week. The sanctuary is one of 400 overwintering sites for the species, and over the years, the city has earned the title of "Butterfly Town U.S.A." because thousands of the monarchs typically fly through during the winter. I've gone to 23 sites so far this year. I've seen 15 monarchs, Connie Masotti, the Monterey County regional coordinator for the count, told KAZU. "I've actually sat in the parking lot the first couple of times and I cried in my car because I've seen it coming, but I did not think I would not be able to find one monarch," Masotti added, referring to her search at the Pacific Grove sanctuary. Read the full report from the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin here. The University of Wisconsin men's and women's swimming & diving teams will not be traveling to Iowa City on Saturday, Jan. 16 for a triple dual meet against Iowa and Nebraska. Iowa will host only Nebraska for the meet. The Badgers are not participating due to health and safety concerns with COVID-19 among the UW's rosters. Due to the shortened Big Ten schedule for conference teams this year, the event will not be rescheduled. Govt-farmers to hold ninth round of talks today; Unions say don't have much hope though India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Jan 14: The ninth round of negotiations between the government and protesting farmers will take place on Friday. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar expressed hope that the discussions would be positive. "The government is ready to hold talks with farmers' leaders with an open mind," Tomar said amid confusion over the fate of the next round of talks, in the wake of the Supreme Court appointing a four-member panel to resolve the impasse. On Thursday, protesting farmer leaders said they will attend the ninth round of talks with the government amid indication that it may be last such meeting with the Centre, but added that they don't have much hope as they will not settle for anything less than the repeal of the contentious farm laws. Since a Supreme Court-appointed panel on farm laws is likely to hold its first meeting on January 19, the meeting on Friday between with the government and the unions may be the last one. Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) Joginder Singh Ugrahan told PTI, "We are going to hold talks with the government tomorrow. We don't have much hope from the Friday meeting as the government will cite the SC-appointed panel. The government doesn't have good intention to resolve our issues." Singh said that the unions do not want any committee, adding "we just want a complete repeal of three farm laws and legal guarantee on minimum support price for our crops." All 4 members of SC-appointed panel have supported farm laws: Who are they? He said that farmers will not call off their protest until their demands are met. Another farmer leader, Abhimanyu Kohar, said that government knows that the court cannot repeal the laws and added that the Centre should stop playing with the sentiments of farmers who have been camping at several Delhi borders since November 28. He said that forming a committee is not a solution, adding that the new farm laws have been enacted by Parliament and the court cannot do much. While the previous eight rounds of negotiations have failed to end the protests continuing for several weeks on various borders of the national capital, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said earlier in the day that the government is hopeful of positive discussions at Friday's scheduled meeting. In an interview to PTI, Anil Ghanwat, a member of the SC-appointed committee, said that the panel will have no "ego or prestige issue" if it has to go to farmers' protest sites to talk to them. On the government holding parallel talks with protesting farmers, scheduled for January 15, after the SC appointed the panel, Ghanwat said, "I think this will be their last meeting with the government. They will say henceforth you (farmers) have to sit with the committee, which will give a report to the Supreme Court." Asked about protesting farmers' unwillingness to take part in the committee proceedings, he said, "We will go before them. We are their brothers. We have worked together in the past. We will reach out to them, sit with them and discuss the issue. There is no problem." The farmer unions have been maintaining that they were ready to attend the scheduled talks with the government, even as they have said they do not want to appear before the court-appointed panel and have also questioned its composition. No power can prevent us: Top observations by SC on farm laws Earlier in the day, Bhartiya Kisan Union president Bhupinder Singh Mann said he is recusing himself from the four-member committee. Farmer unions and opposition parties had called it a "pro-government" panel, insisting that its members have been in favour of the three laws in the past. Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping at several Delhi border points, demanding a complete repeal of the three farm laws and legal guarantee of minimum support price for their crops. Enacted in September last year, the three laws have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove middlemen and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country. However, the protesting farmers have expressed their apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of the MSP and do away with the "mandi" (wholesale market) system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Friday, January 15, 2021, 0:00 [IST] A couple who were saved from looming death after they became stranded in the Australian outback earlier this month have told of their miracle tale of survival. Jose Merlos and fiancee Nicky Wong were driving through a remote part of northern South Australia with their dog Loki when their 4WD became bogged in sand. Unable to move the car, the couple spent two days walking for 65km in scorching heat - and unable to eat - as they searched for the nearest town of Innamincka. Mr Merlos was forced to drink has own urine and muddy cow-trough water in a battle to stay alive as temperatures soared to almost 40C and heat exhaustion set in. 'It was so hot and we were scared, I thought we were going to die,' Mr Merlos said. Jose Merlos and Nicky Wong (pictured) were driving with their dog Loki along a remote stretch of South Australia earlier this month when their 4WD became bogged and they were forced to walk searching for help The couple scrawled handwritten notes, including the one above, and left them along the road in the hope someone would read them and find the pair 'We hardly spoke while we walked because our mouths were so dry. We had little food left but we couldn't eat it because we had no saliva and couldn't swallow. 'I was worried my fiancee Nicky wouldn't make it as she was needing more and more breaks to rest, and I had to beg her to keep walking.' The phone reception cut out and several attempts to contact emergency services proved fruitless. 'My phone said SOS only, and I kept trying over and over again to call for help but the call wouldn't go through,' Mr Merlos said. The couple left handwritten notes scattered along the way and also wrote 'SOS' in giant letters in the sandy ground so the distress sign could be seen by aircraft. 'Need help, got stuck... low in supplies,' one note read. 'We have been walking for about 60kms. We hope to find people or campsites or emergency call reception.' Mr Jose was certain the couple were going to die in the outback - until by chance a field worker from the oil and gas company Santos, who the couple knew only as Craig, happened upon them. The couple walked 60km in two days without food or water desperately trying to be saved. Pictured, a note left by the couple The stranded couple also etched SOS (pictured above) into the dirt in an attempt to be rescued 'Craig told us he only took that road once every six weeks, and we had another 25km to walk to get to Innamincka,' Mr Merlos said. It was so hot and we were scared, I thought we were going to die Jose Merlos 'If he hadn't found us, we would have perished.' Craig drove them to his work base camp, where they were given food and water. Mr Merlos, from France, and Ms Wong, from Hong Kong, were then taken to Innamincka to be treated by the Royal Flying Doctor Service. 'They were in remarkably good physical condition,' RFDS nurse Chris Belshaw said. 'A bit emotional as it was dawning on them just how at risk they were. 'Luckily for them, the temperature was lower than usual for this time of year, and only in the mid to high 30s.' Mr Belshaw said the average temperature in the area in January is 45C. The couple were driving home to Adelaide from Cairns and had planned to travel through New South Wales but they were forced to go via the South Australian Outback because of Covid-19 border restrictions Innamincka (pictured above) is a remote area in South Australia, where conditions are harsh all year round 'If it was the normal temperature then I believe they would have perished,' he said. The couple and their dog were returning to Adelaide from a holiday in Cairns. They had planned to drive through New South Wales but due to Covid-19 border restrictions imposed by South Australia, they were forced to travel through the remote section of north-eastern of their home state. 'If we had to travel in the outback again, we would buy a satellite phone, and make sure the authorities in the town ahead knew to expect us,' Mr Merlos said. A man is wanted for allegedly assaulting and threatening his wife at gunpoint. Benjamin Castillejas Jr., 27, is wanted out of the Laredo Police Department for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. LPD said a domestic disturbance was reported on Jan. 7 in the 900 block of East Olive Street. A woman stated that her common law husband, Castillejas, had assaulted her and threatened her. She added she was at her husbands familys house for an anniversary party when the argument ensued. She stated she and Castillejas began arguing. She began walking away in an attempt to de-escalate the situation when her Castillejas grabbed her by the hair and pulled her to the ground. The suspect then stood over her while pointing a gun at her head and threatening her, according to police. She pushed away the man and ran inside the residence. A report was filed. Special investigations unit detectives took over the case. An assistant district attorney determined there was sufficient evidence to proceed with securing the warrant of arrest for Castillejas. Police said Castillejas is considered armed and dangerous. He is 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 135 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. To provide information on his whereabouts, call Laredo Crime Stoppers at 727-TIPS (8477). Information leading to an arrest may be rewarded with up to $1,000. Callers will remain anonymous. At least 250,000 small businesses could shut up shop for good this year, according to the Federation of Small Businesses. Confidence is at an all-time low and a record number of businesses revealed plans to close their firms in the coming 12 months, its latest Small Business Index shows. Meanwhile, one in five SMEs reduced staff numbers in the three months to December, with one in seven expecting to do so by March this year. SMEs were battered in 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic forced them to close their doors It comes as the small business economy was battered in 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic gripped the nation and forced people to stay at home and shops to close their doors for a large chunk of the year. And with a third lockdown underway, many fear even tighter restrictions will be enforced in the coming weeks. Just under 5 per cent of the 1,400 firms surveyed for the study said they expect to close within the next 12 months, putting the UK on course to lose more than quarter of a million businesses. The figure doesn't even reflect the threat of closure faced by those still hoping to survive despite having frozen their operations, reduced headcounts or taken on significant debt. Mike Cherry, national chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, an organisation which represents the UK's small and medium-sized businesses, said the development of business support measures have not kept pace with intensifying restrictions, and that as a result, we risk losing hundreds of thousands of small businesses. He added: 'A record number of small businesses say they plan to close over the next 12 months, and they were saying that even before news of the latest lockdown came through. This is a huge cost to local communities and individual livelihoods. 'At the outset of the first national lockdown, the UK Government was bold. The support mechanisms put in place weren't perfect, but they were an exceptionally good starting point. 'That's why it's so disappointing that it's met this next lockdown with a whimper.' According to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, there are 5.9million small firms across the UK. Confidence among this bloodline to the economy is at one of its lowest points, standing at -49.3, according to the index. This is down 27 points annually. The only time in the index's ten-year history when this was lower was in March 2020, when the first lockdown was implemented. FINANCIAL SUPPORT AVAILABLE TO YOUR BUSINESS Do not miss out on financial support check www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support to see what is available. Be aware that regional variations apply. 1. One-off top up grant for leisure, hospitality and retail businesses This is granted to closed businesses and based on its premise's rateable value. Grants are 4,000, 6,000 or 9,000. There is also a 594million discretionary fund for other businesses affected by lockdown. Applications should be made through the local council. 2. Seiss The Self-Employed Income Support Scheme has been extended to cover the periods November 2020 to January 2021 and a second payment covering February to April next year. The first payment covers 80 per cent of average monthly trading profits or 7,500 (whichever is lower). Claims for the November to February grant must be made by January 29. 3. Cbils Small businesses and sole traders with annual turnover of less than 45million can apply to the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme for sums of up to 5million. The scheme is open until the end of March this year and you need to show that your usually viable business has been hit by coronavirus. 4. Deferred VAT If you had a VAT payment due between March 20 and June 30, 2020, you can defer payment until the end of March this year, or opt into the new VAT deferral scheme when it is launched. 5. Coronavirus Bounce Back Loan You might be able to borrow between 2,000 and 50,000 if you are a small business or self-employed. The scheme is open until March 31. 6. Local Restrictions Support Grant Businesses that were open as usual and then required to close due to local tier restrictions might be able to get a cash grant from their local council based on the rateable value of their property. It is available for every 14-day period a business was closed. Businesses that stayed open but were severely affected may also be eligible. 7. Additional Restrictions Grant Available to supply chain and events businesses closed or affected adversely by lockdown. Details can be found via local councils. 8. Business rates relief Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in England do not have to pay business rates for the tax year ending April 5, 2021. No hope for improvement Meanwhile, 80 per cent of those surveyed do not expect their performance to improve over the next three months. The current lockdown is due to be reviewed on 15 February. Cherry said: 'There are meaningful lifelines for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses, which are very welcome as far as they go. But this Government needs to realise that the small business community is much bigger than these three sectors. 'Company directors, the newly self-employed, those in supply chains, and those without commercial premises are still being left out in the cold. Action in March will be too late to stem closures.' Close to a quarter of firms reduced the number of their employees over the last quarter, up from 13 per cent at the beginning of last year, while a further one in seven said they'll be forced to cut numbers over the next three months. What's more, the proportion of small businesses forecasting a reduction in profitability for the coming quarter has also spiralled, rising from 38 per cent to 58 per cent. The figure is at an all-time high. Exporting businesses are feeling extra pressure as the new EU-UK trade deal beds in, with almost half of them expecting international sales to drop between January and March. Cherry added: 'Our exporters are trying to get across what a new EU-UK trade agreement means for them without the cash they need to make adjustments. 'Direct funding to help them manage new obligations in the form of transition vouchers is urgently needed. 'This Government can stem losses and protect the businesses of the future, but only if it acts now.' The Federation of Small Businesses has put together a five-point plan, to address the gaps in the current support landscape. This includes further small business cash grants, a taxable grant for directors of limited companies and help for the more recently self-employed. The Federation of Small Businesses has put together a five-point plan to help small businesses, which it 'looks forward to seeing the Treasury embrace' Meanwhile, SME accounting software FreeAgent, found from its own data that 1.74 million UK SME businesses had already been completely disrupted by the virus. Ed Molyneux, chief executive, said: 'On top of this, nearly 300,000 SMEs were unsure if they qualified for government support. 'When we asked small business owners at the end of 2020 whether they thought enough had been done to help SMEs during the pandemic, less than a quarter of respondents said yes. 'While the UK government has created some positive initiatives such as the furlough scheme during this time of need, the fact that such a small number of SME owners say they feel adequately supported is a sign that this has simply not been enough. Express your opinion! Fill out this form to submit a Letter to the Editor. Submit You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close 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. Yannick M. W., a 33-year-old from Belgium, had settled down in a luxury villa in Estepona, on Spains Costa del Sol, with his entire family: his wife, his 12-year-old daughter, his parents and his in-laws, according to an investigation by the Spanish Civil Guards UCO organized crime unit. But it wasnt until June of last year that the law-enforcement agency learned that he was Belgiums most wanted drug trafficker. [He was] the leader of the biggest organization in Antwerp, an importer of huge cocaine shipments from Latin America who also controlled that important European seaport; he also had ties to arms trafficking, said one investigator, in reference to Europes second-largest port. He told us that he knew why he was being arrested, and that he felt relieved because he had been through several months of intense stress UCO investigating officer The Belgian justice system wants to put him behind bars for 15 years for these activities. But for more than a year M. W. lived a life of luxury in southern Spain, inside mansions located in remote spots where any approaching vehicle would easily catch his eye. But Christmas was his downfall. Civil Guard officers arrested him in Almunecar, in Granada province, where he was spending the holidays with family members. The Belgian police busted his Antwerp network in October, arresting its members and issuing a European arrest warrant for M. W. By then the latter had already been located in Malaga province by the Spanish Civil Guard, following an alert from Belgian authorities. They suspected that he had fled to Spain, and more specifically to Malaga, said a member of the UCOs Fugitives from Justice Team, which specializes in hunting down criminals hiding in Spain. Costa del Sol remains a favorite destination for drug lords on the run seeking a discreet hiding spot. After those arrests in Antwerp, and presumably alerted by aides to the fact that he might be under surveillance, M. W. moved to a different house in Estepona, abandoning the beachfront property where he had been living in favor of a much more remote villa north of the city, at the foot of the mountains. It was the last house in the area, it was isolated, noted a source involved in the investigation. As soon as the UCO officers received the arrest warrant, they moved in on the house. But it was too late: M. W. had left again. There was nobody in the house, he had vanished, said the source. The Christmas holidays were coming up, and the officers decided to wait and see what happened. We didnt know whether he was in Spain or not, said the source. Officers confirmed that his family remained in Estepona, where his daughter was still enrolled in the same school and living with her grandparents. The suspect always chose remote houses located at the furthest ends of residential developments Then, on December 23, investigators saw that the grandparents were packing and loading bags into the back of a car. They followed them to a luxury residential estate in Almunecar (Granada), where the passengers of the vehicle joined other members of the family inside a house located, once more, in the furthest corner of the development. A few days after that, a man emerged from the house riding an electric scooter. It was Yannick M. W., who was immediately arrested. He told us that he knew why he was being arrested, and that he felt relieved because he had been through several months of intense stress, said an officer. The suspect was sent to prison awaiting extradition to Belgium. The operation was conducted by the UCOs Fugitives Team, which has arrested several foreign criminals in Spain since its creation in 2015. In 2018, this unit caught one of Europes most wanted pedophiles in Granada province; the suspect was extradited to the United Kingdom, where he was sentenced to 23 years in prison for sexually assaulting two minors. English version by Susana Urra. Study.com will help fund subscriptions for hundreds of educators and provide online learning access for 40,000 students. Tweet this "With over 83,000 video and micro-lessons and 14,500 resources for teachers, Study.com's curriculum spans STEM to social sciences and everything in between," said Dana Bryson, SVP of Social Impact at Study.com. "Partnering with DonorsChoose allows Study.com to provide teachers the online learning resources they need and further our mission of making education accessible." Study.com's online courses, short, animated video lessons, and study tools make learning simple for over 30 million learners and educators a month. Study.com has donated $23 million in-kind value across social impact programs, including millions to help schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. "We recognize how challenging the past year has been for teachers as they adapted to the pandemic education crisis," continued Bryson. "Study.com was founded on the belief that companies should contribute to society and we are honored to be the virtual learning platform for teachers across the nation through this partnership." About Study.com Study.com is a leading online education platform helping learners of all ages excel academically and close skills gaps. Study.com's online courses, short, animated video lessons, and study tools make learning simple for over 30 million students, teachers, and working professionals. Study.com was founded in 2002 and is a privately held company located in Mountain View, Calif. Learn more at https://www.study.com or download the mobile app from the iOS app store or Google Play. SOURCE Study.com Related Links study.com Google introduced Guest Mode for Assistant last year in October. It is now rolling out Guest Mode for Nest smart speakers and smart displays. Google in a blog post explained how Google Assistants Guest Mode works. Once its turned on, all activities during Guest Mode wont be saved to your account, and your device will also not show personal details like your calendar entries or contacts. You can still access Google Assistant features during Guest Mode. These include features such as asking questions, controlling smart home devices, setting timers and playing music will be accessible during Guest Mode. Google will also automatically delete Assistant audio recordings and activity from your account. Guest Mode can be turned on by saying, Hey Google, turn on Guest Mode. (Google) But if you use Guest Mode with other services like Google Maps, YouTube, media or smart home services, some activity may be stored in those apps, Google said. Guest Mode can be turned on by saying, Hey Google, turn on Guest Mode. Once its turned on, your Google Assistant device will play a special chime and a guest icon will appear on the smart displays. Guest Mode will remain on until its turned off which you can do so by saying, Hey Google, turn off Guest Mode. You can also ask, Is Guest Mode on? to find out if the privacy feature is still enabled. Guest Mode is available in English for on Google Nest speakers and displays. Google plans to add more languages and devices for Guest Mode in the coming months. By Richard Read and Molly Hennessy-Fiske, Los Angeles Times (TNS) OLYMPIA, Wash. State capitals across the nation called in the National Guard and erected barricades over fears that far-right groups and President Donald Trumps supporters were plotting a second wave of uprisings following last weeks storming of Congress. An FBI warning of armed protests planned at all 50 statehouses and the U.S. Capitol in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Bidens inauguration next Wednesday has brought out SWAT teams and extra law enforcement officers dressed in camouflage, helmets, face shields and bulletproof vests. The high alert unnerved an America that over the last seven days has been shaken by disturbing images: representatives fleeing a violent mob breaking into the nations Capitol, the impeachment for the second time of an increasingly reviled president, and scenes of rage, tears and threats playing out at airports and on city streets that underscore a dangerous political divide. It was difficult to predict where extremist groups such as the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers and the III% Security Force, a.k.a. Three Percenters, would next appear. Since last weeks insurrection, social media outlets that the far right often used to communicate, including Parler, have been shut down or scaled back. Law enforcement officials have been scouring other channels to gauge how potent protests may be in coming days. Troy Thompson with the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, which oversees Capitol Police, said there are additional officers inside and out, and barriers have been erected in recent days. The largest security force ever seen at the Capitol in Washington state greeted lawmakers starting their annual session this week. Its tragic that we have to have those fences and additional personnel in place, said Chris Loftis, Washington State Patrol communications director. But believe it: We are resolved that we are going to protect the people, the place and the process. 11 Pa. Capitol security The riot in the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 left five people dead, including a police officer and a far-right protester who supported Trumps unfounded claims that election fraud had cost him the November election. More than 70 people have been charged with crimes in connection with the insurgency, and authorities combing through social media and following tips from the public expect hundreds of arrests. At the Texas state Capitol in Austin, over 100 state troopers, some in riot gear, guarded entrances this week as lawmakers returned to work. The first day of the states biennial legislative session drew a small number of demonstrators, including several men dressed in fatigues carrying a Dont tread on me flag and long rifles. The building was open to visitors including those who were licensed to carry concealed weapons. After the attack in Washington, D.C., last week, Texas state Sen. Jose Menendez and several fellow Democrats sent a letter to the Republican governor and legislative leaders asking them to ban weapons at the state Capitol. Menendez said no response had been received. A Michigan state Capitol commission voted this week to ban the open carrying of firearms inside the statehouse in Lansing. People are permitted to enter with concealed guns. Democratic lawmakers have been demanding a complete ban on firearms since last year, when armed protesters challenging the states COVID-19 lockdowns stormed the building. Later, 14 men some of whom had participated in that protest were arrested in connection with plotting to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. In Georgia, the scene of protests after Trump lost the state and Republicans lost two U.S. Senate races, lawmakers returned to the Capitol in Atlanta on Monday to discover a new iron fence around the building and armed troopers standing guard. A fence that was erected in large part as a response to the Black Lives Matter protests when there wasnt any violence at the Capitol is now going to be used to protect us from the I dont even know what to call them the Trumpists, said state Rep. Teri Anulewicz, a Democrat from the suburb of Smyrna. Anulewicz said heavily armed state troopers were comforting, but its also concerning that this is where we are. She stopped wearing her name tag outside the Capitol after receiving more than 10,000 emails, some of them threatening, from Trump supporters across the country urging her not to let the election be stolen from the president. Arizona authorities have put up a temporary fence around their state Capitol, just as they did last summer during Black Lives Matter protests. Visitors can enter only by appointment. We already had a plan in place so we could be able to do this quickly, said Arizona Senate President Karen Fann, a Republican from Prescott. We hope we can get past this so we can take this down and let the people use their house safely. In Salem, Oregon, dozens of police officers guarded the Capitol building as newly elected legislators took their oaths of office just weeks after right-wing protesters had stormed the building, attacking officers after a Republican lawmaker opened a locked door. The lawmaker has been stripped of his committee assignments and fined for the damage. More: Republicans in Pa., elsewhere change party affiliation after riot at U.S. Capitol Washington Monument closing until Jan. 24, citing inauguration threats Also participating in the round are Series A investors Acrew Capital; Kaszek Ventures; NFX, a firm co-founded by Trulia founder Pete Flint; IMO Ventures; and Zillow co-founder Spencer Rascoff. Hometeam Ventures also invested in the Series B round. La Haus facilitates traditional real estate transactions digitally, enabling entirely online transactions, and is building a first-of-its-kind, end-to-end marketplace for Latin America. The company makes homeownership more accessible to many in Latin America, where lack of infrastructure and access to transparent information can impede people's ability to buy homes. La Haus facilitates over $500 million in annualized gross transaction value. La Haus has facilitated nearly 4,000 transactions by far the most of any proptech company in Mexico or Colombia. "We couldn't possibly have imagined a year ago what life would be like right now, but we are grateful that the company we built pre-Covid was in a position to help so many Latin Americans find and buy their perfect home during the pandemic," said La Haus co-founder and President Rodrigo Sanchez-Rios. "For most people, homeownership is key for the creation of wealth and stability. Before now, it's been out of reach for many Mexicans and Colombians. We're excited to use this funding to bring this opportunity to many more people across Latin America." La Haus was well-positioned to help Latin Americans buy homes online and to help sellers and developers sell those homes when Covid struck. Amid the backdrop of a booming housing market, the company has experienced double-digit month-over-month revenue growth, while increasing efficiency and customer satisfaction. In Mexico, the company quintupled its business over the last 12 months, and facilitates more transactions than any other brokerage in Mexico City. Also in the past year, La Haus has hired a management team experienced in scaling companies. Among its leaders is Chief Product Officer Thomas Floracks, co-founder of VivaReal, the real estate portal in Brazil. After VivaReal merged with Zap Imoveis, the combined company was recently acquired by OLX Brazil for US $650 million. Under Floracks' leadership, La Haus has created a Latam-leading product experience to search, view and seamlessly transact homes. "We see incredible opportunity in proptech companies growing in Latin America, a region with more than 600 million people, and relatively low but ever-growing homeownership rates," said Seyonne Kang, Partner at Greenspring Associates. "They face less competition from legacy companies and serve a huge and growing population that is just starting to embrace online transactions. La Haus stood out as a leader in this space due to their vision and track record, having already scaled their young company across two countries. We are excited about the company's prospects and look forward to being a part of their continued success." La Haus has also developed partnerships with significant developers in Mexico and Colombia, including Mexico-based GDC Desarrollos, CLASS, Punto Destino, Yukon, and Terraforma. Developers have leveraged La Haus's audience and transaction technology to take online a formerly showroom- and staff-driven sales process, shortening time to sale. La Haus was founded by Jeronimo Uribe, CEO; Rodrigo Sanchez-Rios, president; Tomas Uribe, director; and Santiago Garcia, CTO. Jeronimo Uribe and Sanchez-Rios met at Stanford University, and prior to La Haus they started and ran Jaguar Capital, a Colombian real estate development company with over $350 million of retail and residential projects. Garcia previously built technology platforms at Jaguar Capital. About La Haus La Haus is transforming the real estate industry in Latin America, bringing consumers an end-to-end marketplace aimed at addressing the many hardships home buyers and sellers face in Latin America. The company makes homeownership more accessible to many in Latin America, where lack of infrastructure and access to transparent information can impede people's ability to buy homes. The company launched in 2017 and today operates property search portals lahaus.com in Colombia and lahaus.mx in Mexico -- the first portals that ensure high-quality and de-duplicated listings -- and a brokerage that is facilitating more than $400 million in annualized gross transaction value. La Haus is based in Medellin, Colombia, and operates in Medellin, Bogota and Mexico City. About Greenspring Associates Greenspring Associates was founded in 2000 to focus solely on venture capital investments. Through a comprehensive platform, the Firm serves as a lifecycle partner for fund managers and entrepreneurs, investing across multiple stages, sectors and geographies. Greenspring Associates currently manages over $12 billion in committed capital across a variety of specialized venture strategies on behalf of a diverse group of global investors. For more information on Greenspring Associates, please visit its website at www.greenspringassociates.com . SOURCE La Haus Related Links https://www.lahaus.com/ Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 17:19:25|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Researchers from the University of Milan have discovered that a woman in the northern Italian city was infected with COVID-19 in November 2019, according to media reports. Through two different techniques on skin tissue, the researchers identified in a biopsy of a 25-year-old woman the presence of RNA gene sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 virus dating back to November 2019, according to Italian regional daily L'Unione Sarda. "There are, in this pandemic, cases in which the only sign of COVID-19 infection is that of a skin pathology," Raffaele Gianotti, who coordinated the research, was quoted by the newspaper as saying. "I wondered if we could find evidence of SARS-CoV-2 in the skin of patients with only skin diseases before the officially recognized epidemic phase began," said Gianotti, adding "we found 'the fingerprints' of COVID-19 in the skin tissue." Based on global data, this is "the oldest evidence of the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in a human being," the report said. The findings in Italy are the latest among studies worldwide that have added to the growing evidence that COVID-19 was silently circulating outside of China earlier than previously thought. In Brazil, the health department of the state of Espirito Santo announced on Tuesday that the presence of IgG antibodies, specific for SARS-CoV-2 virus, was detected in serum samples from December 2019. The health department said that 7,370 serum samples had been collected between December 2019 and June 2020 from patients suspected of being infected with dengue and chikungunya. With the samples analyzed, IgG antibodies were detected in 210 people, of which 16 cases suggested the presence of the novel coronavirus in the state before Brazil announced the first officially-confirmed case on Feb. 26, 2020. One of the cases was collected on Dec. 18, 2019. The health department stated that it takes around 20 days for a patient to reach detectable levels of IgG after infection, so it could have occurred between late November and early December 2019. In France, scientists found a man infected with COVID-19 in December last year, roughly a month before the first officially recorded cases in Europe. Citing a doctor at Avicenne and Jean-Verdier hospitals near Paris, BBC News reported in May that the patient "must have been infected between 14 and 22 December, as coronavirus symptoms take between five and 14 days to appear." In Spain, researchers at the University of Barcelona, one of the country's most prestigious universities, detected the presence of the virus genome in wastewater samples collected on March 12, 2019, the university said in a statement in June. In Italy, research by the National Cancer Institute in Milan, published in November, showed that 11.6 percent of the 959 healthy volunteers who participated in a lung cancer screening trial between September 2019 to March 2020 had developed COVID-19 antibodies well before February when the first official case was recorded in the country, with four cases from the study dating to the first week in October last year, which means those people were infected in September. On Nov. 30, a study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that COVID-19 was likely in the United States as early as mid-December 2019, weeks before the virus was first identified in China. According to the study published online in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases, CDC researchers tested blood samples from 7,389 routine blood donations collected by the American Red Cross from Dec. 13, 2019 to Jan. 17, 2020 for antibodies specific to the novel coronavirus. COVID-19 infections "may have been present in the U.S. in December 2019," about a month earlier than the country's first official case on Jan. 19, the CDC scientists wrote. These findings are yet another illustration of how complicated it is to solve the scientific puzzle of virus source tracing. Historically, the place where a virus was first reported has often not been that of its origin. The HIV virus, for instance, was first reported by the United States, yet it's believed that the virus originated outside of the U.S. Meanwhile, evidence has proved that the Spanish Flu did not originate in Spain. Regarding these studies, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it will "take every detection in France, in Spain, in Italy very seriously, and we will examine each and every one of them." "We will not stop from knowing the truth on the origin of the virus, but based on science, without politicizing it or trying to create tension in the process," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said late November. Dr Zahid Chauhan said the group should be prioritised as they are more at risk Oldham Council and GPs said homeless people should be made a priority group Locals have slammed GPs' decision to prioritise rough sleepers for the coronavirus vaccine - as a charity said the idea must spread across the UK. Oldham Council and local GPs decided the town's homeless people should be made a priority group to get the vaccine at the start of the rollout, alongside those over 80. But those living nearby blasted the decision as 'strange' because homeless people live an 'isolated existence anyway'. Critics said frontline NHS workers should all be vaccinated first. Meanwhile, Rick Henderson, chief executive of Homeless Link, has called for all UK councils to give their homeless populations the vaccine as a matter of urgency. Lee Ullha receives an injection of the Covid-19 vaccine at the Depaul UK homeless shelter in Oldham. Around 30 people were given the jab after a clinic was organised at the shelter In a letter to supporters Mr Henderson wrote: 'Homeless Link will be kicking off the year with a campaign to ensure that people without homes are recognised as being clinically vulnerable, are included on the vaccination priorities list, along with the workers who support them, and are able and encouraged to register with primary care services.' Rick Henderson, CEO of Homeless Link Andy Winter, CEO of the Brighton Housing Trust, wrote a letter to MPs urging them to support making people without homes a priority for the jab. He said: 'I have written to Members of Parliament asking them to include homeless people in the priority groups for those to receive the Covid vaccine, together with frontline workers who support them.' Yesterday, a clinic was organised at a shelter for the homeless in Oldham, Greater Manchester, where around 30 people were given the jab - with more planned. It comes after others claimed there is 'no uniform process' across England with regards to who is prioritised for the vaccine, claiming GPs and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) seem to be using their 'own discretion'. But those living in Greater Manchester were not happy with the arrangement. Louise Wilkinson, 42, an office worker from Oldham, said: 'It seems a strange decision. If these people are homeless, they lead an isolated existence already and probably don't come into contact with many other people. Dr Zahid Chauhan prepares to administer a Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at the Depaul UK homeless shelter in Oldham 'I'm not saying they are any less worthy than anyone else, I just think priority should be given to all frontline workers first. Supermarket workers come into contact with hundreds of people a day. They should be near the front of the queue. 'Teachers should be one of the first to be vaccinated so schools can re-open as soon as possible. The emergency services should be given priority too.' Others agreed with ensuring workers were vaccinated ahead of the country's homeless. Mechanic Scott Cotterill, 32, said: 'You're never going to please everyone. 'Some will say it's a good idea, while others won't. If they want to get children back into schools and the economy up and running again, then they should vaccine teachers and workers first as they are needed to do that. 'If you want to protect the vulnerable and the ones most likely to die and put a strain on the NHS, then the homeless fall into this category. Kelly Heney pictured with NHS staff giving her an injection of the Covid-19 vaccine at the Depaul UK homeless shelter in Oldham, Greater Manchester, as the council and GPs launch an effort to vaccinate homeless people in the town to protect them from the virus 'I personally think vaccine workers, teachers and emergency staff first but it's a difficult choice.' Britons took to Facebook to share their opinion with one woman writing: 'Oh my days I don't begrudge anyone a vaccine but shouldn't we be concentrating on getting our kids and parents back? THE UK'S VACCINE PRIORITY GROUP LIST 1 Residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults 2 All those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers 3 All those 75 years of age and over 4 All those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals (not including pregnant women and those under 16 years of age) 5 All those 65 years of age and over 6 Adults aged 16 to 65 years in an at-risk group (see below) 7 All those 60 years of age and over 8 All those 55 years of age and over 9 All those 50 years of age and over 10 Rest of the population (to be determined) Advertisement 'I'd love a vaccine - I'm a foster carer who has medical conditions and has vulnerable kids 24/7 they need to go back to school.' Another man added: 'Yes good idea give the elderly who don't work and the homeless who don't work, and leave the ones who have to go out and work to die. Good idea!' One woman wrote on social media: 'Sorry but think supermarket staff should be before these they risk there lives daily and those of there families.' Dr Zahid Chauhan, who is also an Oldham councillor with responsibility for health and social care, said homeless people should be on the priority list because, along with those aged 80 and over, they are more at risk from the virus. He told MailOnline: 'We don't know if we can or can't decide, but with such a low life expectancy of 43-45, homeless people are an extremely vulnerable group in our opinion. 'So they will come in the highly vulnerable group anyway and people in this group can be identified by our GPs. It is the right thing to do.' He earlier said: 'I'm absolutely delighted. 'It is setting an example for the rest of the country, rest of the world, and saying, 'Please, please don't ignore these people.'' Dr Chauhan continued: 'We can protect them, and if they catch Covid they become ill and if they become ill, that's where you end up in hospitals, if you are lucky, your hospital beds go, your ICU beds go. 'So it makes absolute sense from all directions to actually vaccinate these people and I'm still requesting Government, please consider again, it is my plea to you, these are extremely vulnerable people. 'Please put them in a priority group.' He added: 'You don't give up on people because they don't have resources and they have not been privileged like me and you. 'You don't give up, that's not what we do as British, these are not our British values. We help people, we pull them together. 'It could be any one of us tomorrow.' Baroness Campbell tweeted this morning: 'There isn't a uniform process across the country sadly. 'It seems that GP practices and CCG's are behaving under their differently, using the own discretion. Personally, I made a good case to my GP who then agreed that the guidance empowered him to get me vaccinated.' The decision has sparked debate over whether the homeless should be a priority for the vaccine. Oldham local Maria Balde, 20, said: 'Everyone should be treated equally and be offered the jab if they want it' But local resident Maria Balde, 20, a support worker at a care home, said: 'I think it is a sensible idea. 'If they are the most vulnerable and at risk, then they should have the vaccine. Some people in the care home I work in have had the jab today. 'I don't think homeless people should necessarily get the jab ahead of others. I think everyone should be treated equally and be offered the jab if they want it.' One man commented: 'I cannot believe people criticising. 'There are many armed forces veterans on the street - do they deserve criticism? 'Probably done more for this country than most of the whingers. 'Get a grip and have some empathy, stay in your house where you're supposed to and thank your lucky stars you have a home.' Another woman added: 'The elderly certainly deserve to be given priority along with the NHS, and if someone thinks the homeless should be vaccinated as well then so be it. 'I go to work every day and risk catching Covid and my husband is in the at risk category but I will happily wait my turn so long as the more in need get some protection first.' NHS staff are pictured preparing to administer an Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at the Depaul UK homeless shelter in Oldham, Greater Manchester, as part of a new initiative An NHS worker holds up a vial of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine at the clinic in Oldham. Oldham Council and local GPs decided the town's homeless people should be made a priority Couple Kelly Heney, 38, and Lee Ullha, 46, stay at the homeless shelter where they were vaccinated with the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab. Mr Ullha said: 'We got evicted when this Covid thing kicked in, that's why we were living in the park so we didn't really watch TV, so we didn't really know much about it. 'It's scary, especially with the new strain of Covid, I don't think people take it as serious as it is. 'You see people walking round without their masks and it's, they're all saying, 'It's not a real thing, it's all make believe.' 'It's important to get it done. It's for your own safety.' Ms Heney said: 'For me, I can't believe it's just happened. I'm excited and so happy that we have actually just had the Covid injection because it's a big thing.' Dr Salim Mohammed, an Oldham GP helping with the vaccinations, added: 'It's hard not to see their reaction and feel very warm inside because they were so happy and you could see it. It's just another day in medicine.' Homeless couple say they're excited to get the Covid-19 vaccine Couple Kelly Heney, 38, and Lee Ullha, 46, stay at the homeless shelter where they were vaccinated with the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab. Mr Ullha said: 'We got evicted when this Covid thing kicked in, that's why we were living in the park so we didn't really watch TV, so we didn't really know much about it. 'It's scary, especially with the new strain of Covid, I don't think people take it as serious as it is. 'It's important to get it done. It's for your own safety.' Ms Heney said: 'I'm excited and so happy that we have actually just had the Covid injection because it's a big thing.' Ms Heney and Mr Ullah were each fined 120 and ordered to pay 85 costs and 95 to victim services for credit card theft and attempted fraud in December last year, according to the Oldham Times. The couple, who gave the magistrates' court an address, used the stolen card to try and obtain more than 500 worth of goods. When sentenced, Mr Ullah was also ordered to undertake treatment for drug dependency. Advertisement The GP has been vaccinating people in the area for the last few weeks and started with the over 80s. He added: 'It's important that we continue to vaccinate those most at risk from COVID-19, and this includes people impacted by homelessness. 'We are in the process of planning how we can vaccinate this group. They are already some of the most vulnerable people in our society and it's important their risk of contracting COVID is reduced.' A spokesman for Oldham Council confirmed that while not all of those from priority groups 1 to 3 have been vaccinated at this stage, they are hopeful to have achieved this by mid-February. A spokesperson for Oldham Council and NHS Oldham CCG said: 'Our homeless people are particularly vulnerable, and one of the hardest groups to reach when it comes to accessing medical care. 'That's why, here in Oldham, we've worked with local charities to ensure those sleeping rough and most at risk were vaccinated as soon as possible. 'Meanwhile, roll-out of the vaccine among priority groups is progressing well. All of those in care homes will be vaccinated by next week, while we aim to have all those people in the top four priority groups vaccinated by the middle of February.' The council said more than 3,700 residents have taken up the offer of the vaccine since the mass vaccination programme started in December. Earlier this month, the Government announced a 10million fund to help local councils house rough sleepers and ensure they were registered with a GP. The Government said this would ensure they could be protected from the virus and contacted to receive vaccinations. Councils were instructed to work closely with local health partners to ensure those sleeping rough 'are able to access the COVID-19 vaccine in line with the priority groups outlined by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation'. NHS staff prepare to administer the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at the Depaul UK homeless shelter in Oldham, Greater Manchester Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick MP said: 'At the start of this pandemic we made sure that the most vulnerable in society were protected. 'This winter, we are continuing in this vein and redoubling our efforts to help those most in need. 'Our ongoing Everyone In initiative is widely regarded as one of the most successful of its kind in the world, ensuring 33,000 people are safe in accommodation. 'We are now going further and focusing on GP registration of rough sleepers. Communities minister Robert Jenrick announced additional funding to help local councils house rough sleepers and get them registered with GPs earlier this month 'We are also extending the ban on bailiff evictions helping to protect the most vulnerable renters.' Reacting to the Government initiative, Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of Crisis, said: 'These renewed efforts to protect people who are homeless in the pandemic will save lives. 'The highly infectious new strain of coronavirus alongside the cold weather makes this the most dangerous moment of the pandemic for those without a home. 'What is very welcome here is the two-pronged approach a continued commitment to getting everyone into safe accommodation but also now making sure people are registered with a GP so they can quickly access the vaccines. 'We know through our services that people facing homelessness often are not registered with a doctor's surgery. 'Addressing this issue will be a lifesaving intervention and a step towards ensuring people who are homeless are protected in the longer-term.' According to the Government guidelines, people who are 'clinically extremely vulnerable' - which would place them in priority group 4 - are defined as at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus. Guidance states you may fall into this category if you suffer from one of a number of listed illnesses on the Government website which includes certain types of cancer, severe respiratory conditions and rare diseases that significantly increase the risk of infections. However, the guidance does go on to state that it could include 'other people who have also been classed as clinically extremely vulnerable, based on clinical judgement and an assessment of their needs.' It adds that GPs and hospital clinicians have been provided with guidance to support these decisions. A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: 'This continues to be a challenging period for people right across the country, particularly vulnerable people who are homeless and we have invested over 700 million on concerted efforts to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping through a range of initiatives. 'The NHS is working tirelessly to bring an end to this pandemic through vaccinations. 'The Government is following the independent advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which agrees priority groupings for vaccine. 'Anyone who is homeless and falls into these groups is eligible for the vaccine and we are working closely with partners to ensure they can access it.' A man and woman killed when a vehicle smashed into a tree in Deptford Township on Tuesday afternoon were involved in a domestic dispute at the time of the crash, authorities said Thursday. Charyle Martell-Trombetta, 50, of Deptford, called 911 shortly before 2 p.m. to report a man trying to enter her vehicle while she was driving, according to the Gloucester County Prosecutors Office. Officers responded to the 100 block of Caulfield Avenue, where they found a wrecked Subaru CrossTrek in the front yard of a home. The occupants of the Subaru, Martell-Trombetta and Joseph Menta, 50, of Williamstown, were pronounced dead at the scene. Investigation determined that the incident, described as a case of domestic violence involving the two, began at Martell-Trombettas residence on nearby Turkey Hill Road and continued onto Caulfield. Witnesses reported that the Subaru suddenly veered off the road and hit the tree. While the exact relationship between Martell-Trombetta and Menta was not disclosed, they were described as individuals who knew each other, according to the prosecutors office. An autopsy determined both died of blunt head trauma and the manner of death was labeled an accident. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. HURON COUNTY Huron Countys elected leaders and residents have plenty of thoughts to share regarding President Donald Trump's impeachment again this week. Trump became the first president in United States history to be impeached twice during his presidency, this time on the charge of inciting an insurrection when Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building Jan. 6 while the House was holding its vote to certify the 2020 election results. The first impeachment against Trump took place in 2019 and was related to Trumps withholding military aid to Ukraine unless the Ukrainian government investigated the Biden family. Impeachment is a backwards looking tactic when we are all wanting to move our nation forward, said Representative Lisa McClain, whose congressional district represents the Upper Thumb. I will not be supporting this divisive measure at a time when our country needs to heal. McClain was one of three Michigan Republican legislators who voted against certifying the election results in two states in the session that took place after the Capitol building was overrun by Trump supporters. Both the countys representatives in the state Legislature, Rep. Phil Green and Sen. Dan Lauwers, feel that the motion is all symbolic and political theater, with Green suggesting that a new tactic Democrats are using is that even when a Republican is done being an elected official, the Democrats will find something to charge them with. He pointed not just to the president, but former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, who is facing new charges related to the Flint water crisis. Even after you are out of office, they are going to come after you personally, Green said. Doug Henne, the Huron County Republican Party chairman, did not want to make a statement at this time, with a party representative saying he will make one when the time is right. Charles Henry, the Huron County Democratic Party chairman, could not be reached in time for this storys publication. Tribune readers were divided on the issue after the Tribune asked for their reactions on social media. While plenty felt the impeachment was justified, many more still showed their support for Trump. He added gasoline to an already lit fire, said Amy Bishop. He deserved it for fueling an insurrection. I could really use all the money they spent the last four years impeaching Trump, said Collen Pionk. Nancy needs to step down and retire or be impeached herself." He committed an act of insurrection against our democracy, said Stacy Molter May Johnson. Of course, he should be impeached. Bad choices have consequences. Its about time he, and others, learn that. I am not a Trump fan, but this will only further divide the country, said Kathy Smith. It's not one person that has ruined this country its 50-plus years of criminals in Washington D.C. and the central banks. People need to come together and see who the real enemy is. UH technology programs first in nation to earn CILT- certification The Supply Chain & Logistics Technology bachelor's and master's degree plans at the University of Houston are now accredited by The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), allowing students to apply for membership upon graduation and use the CILT credential after their name. This marks the first such distinction for any academic program in the United States. CILT is the oldest international transportation and logistics organization in the world. "In launching our globally-recognized credential program, we are addressing gaps in skill sets and focusing on filling those gaps with our students, helping them become more marketable," said Margaret Kidd, program director, Supply Chain & Logistics Technology. Funds from a $50,000 Port Houston grant are being used to embed curriculum from the Chartered Institute into an online learning platform for certificate courses. The initial cohort of participants come from area dual-credit high schools with a logistics focus and community colleges offering logistics and international business degrees. "The College of Technology prides itself in providing degree programs that support the workforce - a workforce that both needs to expand in numbers to boost the economy, but also to provide a more relevant education for industry and commerce," said Anthony P. Ambler, dean of the UH College of Technology. "We are grateful to the Port Houston and its support of our technology program which explicitly exposes students to how business operates so that they are able to be productive quickly." Harris County Commissioner for Precinct 2, Adrian Garcia, Port Houston Commissioner Wendy Montoya Cloonan, as well as Lisbeth Cabrera, a program participant working in the field of maritime logistics, joined Ambler and Kidd at a press conference on the UH campus announcing the grant and certification. "The pandemic has wrecked several sectors of the economy, directly impacting thousands, and so many are searching for new skills that translate to this new normal. This UH program, funded by Port grants, is yet another way we and our partners are addressing that," said Commissioner Garcia. "Hardworking people need locally elected officials, educational institutions, and industry to help us get past these difficult times, which is why I am extremely excited about the launch of this program." "Our program plays an integral part in preparing the next generation of workers. We thank Port Houston for funding our project which provides meaningful influence for area students," said Kidd. Aside from being the initial hub for all CILT credentialed courses (certifications) in the United States, the UH Supply Chain & Logistics Technology program serves as the Education Ambassador to other colleges and universities in the United States, Mexico, Panama and Brazil who seek membership as an CILT-accredited academic degree plan. ### This story has been published on: 2021-01-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Source: Reuters Two members of a World Health Organization-led team that arrived on Thursday in China's Wuhan city to investigate the origins of COVID-19 remained behind in Singapore after testing positive for coronavirus antibodies, the global body said. The team of 15 had all tested negative for the disease prior to leaving their home countries, and underwent further testing while in transit in Singapore. The results of nucleic acid tests were negative but showed two of the members had coronavirus antibodies, the Geneva-based agency said in a tweet. "They are being retested for both IgM and IgG antibodies," the WHO said. It is the latest setback for a mission beset by delay as well as concern over how much access the team will get. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show The rest of the team arrived in Wuhan from Singapore late on Thursday morning on a budget airline and they were expected to head into two weeks of quarantine. "Relevant epidemic prevention and control requirements and regulations will be strictly enforced," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a regular briefing on Thursday in response to a question about the two team members. The team tasked with investigating the origins of the novel coronavirus that sparked the global pandemic had been set to arrive earlier this month. China's delay of their visit drew rare public criticism from the head of the WHO. The group left the airport terminal in Wuhan through a plastic quarantine tunnel marked "epidemic prevention passage" for international arrivals and boarded a cordoned-off bus that was guarded by half a dozen security staff in full protective gear. The coronavirus was initially linked to a seafood market in the central city of Wuhan. Team members did not speak to reporters, although some waved and took pictures of the media from the bus as it departed. The United States, which has accused China of hiding the extent of its initial outbreak a year ago, has called for a "transparent" WHO-led investigation and criticised the terms of the visit, under which Chinese experts have done the first phase of research. LOCAL OUTBREAKS The team arrived in China as the country battles a resurgence of coronavirus cases in its northeast after managing to nearly stamp out domestic infections in recent months. Peter Ben Embarek, the WHO's top expert on animal diseases that cross to other species, who went to China on a preliminary mission last July, was leading the team going to Wuhan, a WHO spokesman said previously. Hung Nguyen, a Vietnamese biologist who was part of the team, told Reuters during a stopover in Singapore on Wednesday that he did not expect any restrictions on the group's work in China, but cautioned the team might not find clear answers. After completing quarantine, the team will spend two weeks interviewing people from research institutes, hospitals and the seafood market in Wuhan where the new pathogen is believed to have emerged, Hung added. The group would mainly stay in Wuhan, he said. Last week, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was "very disappointed" that China had still not authorised the team's entry for the long-awaited mission, but on Monday, he welcomed its announcement of their planned arrival. "What we would like to do with the international team and counterparts in China is to go back in the Wuhan environment, re-interview in-depth the initial cases, try to find other cases that were not detected at that time and try to see if we can push back the history of the first cases," Ben Embarek said in November. China has been pushing a narrative via state media that the virus existed abroad before it was discovered in Wuhan, citing the presence of the virus on imported frozen food packaging and scientific papers claiming it had been circulating in Europe in 2019. "We are looking for the answers here that may save us in future - not culprits and not people to blame," the WHO's top emergency expert, Mike Ryan, told reporters this week, adding that the WHO was willing to go "anywhere and everywhere" to find out how the virus emerged. Other team member Marion Koopmans, a virologist at Erasmus University Medical Center in the Netherlands, said last month it was too soon to say whether the SARS-CoV-2 virus had jumped directly from bats to humans or had an intermediate animal host. "At this stage what I think we need is a very open mind when trying to step back into the events that led eventually to this pandemic," she told reporters. NEW HAVEN There were fewer COVID patients in Yale New Haven Hospital and fewer in intensive care, with 153 total patients and 45 in the ICU on Wednesday, according to City Health Director Maritza Bond. That is a slight decline from the 160 people Yale New Haven Health CEO Marna Borgstrom reported were inpatients at the hospital on Jan. 6. Those numbers have been declining since mid-December. While Bond noted the decrease of hospitalizations as the good news, the city also Wednesday reported an increase in overall cases. We are up to 8,213 cases since the start of the pandemic and 156 fatalities, Mayor Justin Elicker said. The rise in overall cases in the city has been more than 500, since Jan. 4, when Elicker said that there had been 7,639 cases of COVID-19 in New Haven and 153 deaths. He said at the time the hope was not to see a significant bump after the holidays and that the cases start to go down. There were a total of 6,721 cases and 142 deaths as of Dec. 22, 2020. Elicker said he was concerned about the percentage of cases in the Hispanic population. This has been a trend in the last month and a half, he said. In the last two weeks, 31 percent of the positive cases were Latinx, he said, while 17 percent were Black, 15 percent were white, 31 percent were unknown and 5 percent were other. He said he and Bond have been reaching out to Spanish-speaking residents to inform them about testing and vaccinations. Both speak Spanish. We are doing webinars and meeting with leaders in the faith community, he said. Were also doing that with vaccines to engage leaders in how vaccination is going to work. Overall, Elicker said, I think the cases continue to be high and I think that its in part were seeing the wave after the holidays. Were not an island and cases are high throughout the country. Bond said 2,190 people have received the Moderna vaccine at the Health Department, 54 Meadow St., since Dec. 28, and a second dose will be ready for them Jan. 25, four weeks later. That registration is automatic, she said. Bond and Elicker said the city has not gotten as many doses of the vaccine as it needs and with the growing pool of people eligible; he encouraged people to get tested. Given the fact that the number of people that need to be vaccinated is incredible, that it will be quite some time before were able to vaccinate a lot of people, and its important that people still get tested on a regular basis, whether theyre symptomatic or not, he said. People at least 75 years old can register for the COVID-19 vaccine starting Thursday, as the city and state roll out Phase 1B vaccination plans, Bond said Wednesday. Bond said during an online news conference that Phase 1B also would include a number of front-line workers, including first responders, some of whom were included in Phase 1A; educators; food and agricultural workers; manufacturing and grocery employees; and U.S. Postal Service. People who live in congregate residences, such as nursing homes, also are eligible. We know that in Phase 1B, those individuals that are 75 years of age and older will be able to make appointments directly with their medical providers and get vaccinated, Bond said. Anyone whose primary health care provider does not have the vaccine available can go through the states Vaccine Administration Management System, on the state COVID-19 vaccination portal, by calling 211 or an assist line that will go live Thursday: 877-918-2224. Bond said Thursdays registration is for those 75 and older only, with the rest of those in Phase 1B eligible to register Monday. On the state website, people can enter their ZIP code to find nearby sites. They do not have to go to a site in the town where they live. Thats the luxury, Bond said. They dont have to do it where they reside. They can do it where they work, so people have options. People can register regardless of immigration status or whether they are being paid through a payroll system or by cash, under the table, according to Elicker. We encourage everyone thats eligible, especially our front-line workers, to work with your employers to get vaccinated, Bond said. Elicker said the testing site at 60 Sargent Drive, across the street from Jordans Furniture, has a lot of capacity for people to get tested. Its fast and people can usually get through there in 10-15 minutes. Elicker and Bond expressed frustration that they are not able to get a demographic breakdown of those vaccinated, even among city employees. Thats been the challenge within our department because were utilizing a federal link and rosters of employees are vetted that way, Bond said. And so we do not have the ability to break it down by job title, and so we are trying to address that glitch currently. This is a point of frustration, Elicker said. We both give the vaccine to other people that are currently 1A, and we are an employer that uploads our roster so our employees can get vaccinated. And unfortunately we dont have data either as the employer or as the Health Department as to demographic information, who is getting vaccinated race, ethnicity, age, address, region, where people are employed, what type of employment people might have. Elicker said he was concerned, as Phase 1B rolls out, that small employers, those who dont understand the program, undocumented immigrants or those paid only in cash could be left out. He said in a conversation with state officials, I personally shared my strong interest in making sure that we have the data, within HIPAA guidelines of course, because that helps guide our ability to respond with education, to ensure that there is not a population that is being lost or forgotten. It also helps us to understand whether theres hesitancy around vaccinations from any certain population. edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com; 203-680-9382 Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday accepted the BJPs challenge of holding fresh assembly polls in Bihar. Besides accepting the challenge, he also added that there should be simultaneous election in Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister and BJP leader Keshav Prasad Maurya on Sunday dared Kumar to hold fresh assembly polls by dissolving Bihar assembly if he has faith in the development work done by his government. If you (BJP) have the courage then hold simultaneous polls in UP and Bihar. I dont have any problem. I am ready for it tomorrow if you want it so, Kumar said. I am ready (for snap polls) but it should be held along with Uttar Pradesh assembly polls. There should be simultaneous assembly polls in UP and Bihar, he told reporters on the sidelines of a programme here. ALSO READ: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar says low procurement prices for farmers is basis of current agrarian crisis Kumar added that all the NDA and the BJP members should resign from their Lok Sabha seats in UP and Bihar and bypolls be held on those seats in the two states. The BJP, which has completed three years in office at the Centre, had in a landslide victory won the UP assembly polls securing 325 seats but had tasted defeat at the hands of Grand alliance in Bihar in 2015. To a query on presidential polls, Kumar said opposition parties were waiting for the BJP to come out with a consensus candidate and if there was none, then it was the oppositions duty to put up its own candidate. The Centre should take initiative in this regard, Kumar said and added that it will not take much time to decide the candidate of the opposition parties as they have met on many occasions on the issue. On BJP president Amit Shah describing Mahatma Gandhi as a chatur baniya, he said the comment was not worth ones while. Mahatma Gandhi is the Father of the Nation. It is up to them (BJP) to decide what kind of image they want to create about themselves by making such a comment. Does it affect Gandhiji, he said. On Congress leader Sandeep Dikshits goon on the street comment on Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, the Chief Minister said he did not have any information about it. All I can say is that every Indian has very high respect for the Army. The Army chief has the backing of entire nation in discharging his duties, he said. ALSO READ: Lalu Prasad wishes for grand alliance at Centre on his birthday For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The Urban Future Lab at NYU Tandon joins collaboration to help electric mobility, climate tech and distributed energy businesses from the U.K. find a foothold in the U.S. BROOKLYN, New York, Tuesday, January 12, 2021 - Beginning in January, the Urban Future Lab at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering will be the U.S. landing pad for Innovate UK's Global Incubator Programme (GIP), which is designed to cultivate and support the launch of innovative cleantech companies with a strong potential to scale internationally to new markets. The program will provide eight U.K.-based businesses with the opportunity to explore the potential of the U.S. market and access to world-class mentors. The cohort will consist of businesses in electric mobility, distributed energy, and technologies focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions or addressing the effects of global warming. The selected companies are: AITL Ltd -- Uses algorithmic solutions to analyze real-time hyper-local carbon flows with reduced computing requirements, unlocking low-carbon commercial innovation for corporations, energy suppliers, and others. C-Probe Systems Ltd -- A products and services provider of low-carbon smart technology for the sustainable resilience of reinforced concrete and masonry structures. Crop Intellect Ltd -- An R&D company developing disruptive technologies based on plant-derived chemicals. The results are improvements in yield and quality of the produce and reductions in the environmental burden of agricultural inputs. CYCL -- A Dragons' Den-backed company active in the design and distribution of micromobility vehicles and components. Their solutions focus on optimizing the performance of two-wheel electric vehicles for commercial use. Levelise Ltd -- An industry-leading virtual power plant technology company for residential energy management and utility savings. They install state-of-the-art li-ion storage systems on properties with solar photovoltaics and smart appliances to generate new revenue streams for homeowners. Powerline Technologies Ltd -- Designs and markets smart grid solutions to Electricity Networks Operators (DNO), and has expertise in machine and deep learning in power engineering applications including fault detection, classification, and location on underground and sub-marine cables. Senergy Innovations Ltd -- Pioneers of advanced polymer solar thermal panels that can be mass manufactured and installed at a 50% lower cost than existing solar thermal panels made from glass, copper, and aluminum. Urban Electric Networks Ltd -- Creating low-impact charging infrastructure needed for the mass adoption of electric vehicles in cities and towns across the world. This transnational program is specifically designed to support early-stage climate-focused technologies from the U.K. to accelerate the path of market entry in the United States, paving the way for groundbreaking clean energy companies to attract local funding, partnerships, and customers. Programs like this are critical to the continued growth of the clean economy and help bridge innovation from international markets, all while encouraging local job creation in New York City. The selected businesses will be working virtually with mentors and advisors over a six-month period, in preparation for establishing a formal presence in the region. The program will conclude with a high-profile showcase of U.K.- based energy innovation in NYC designed to highlight the companies involved and focus the attention of local industry stakeholders, key customers, and investors. This event also provides a special opportunity to announce partnerships, highlight the regional ecosystem, and stimulate interest from entrepreneurs to engage in future programs. With over a decade of experience supporting cleantech startups, the Urban Future Lab scales market-ready solutions to climate challenges. The Urban Future Lab's track record includes a portfolio of 62 startups in its ACRE incubator that have raised over $670 million in capital since joining the program. "This is an auspicious moment for a program such as this, aimed at scaling up clean energy and climate tech solutions that can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and ameliorate the effects of climate change," said Pat Sapinsley, managing director of Cleantech initiatives at the Urban Future Lab. "In the U.S., we are certainly on the cusp of a climate carpe diem, with the advent of a new, science-friendly administration whose goals include an immediate return to the Paris Climate Accords, and a well-conceived climate plan that is destined to create millions of well-paid jobs, green manufacturing, and a new cleaner and more equitable economy." "We are really pleased to be working with Urban Future Lab on this programme to help UK clean growth companies to grow and scale internationally," said Simon Edmonds, Deputy Executive Chair and Chief Business Officer at Innovate UK. "The race to net-zero is a key priority for Innovate UK in the coming years as well as helping more innovative businesses to seize global opportunities. The companies selected will play a critical role, which is why we are delighted to be supporting them at this stage of their journey." "The GIP will provide Senergy with a landing pad in New York State and open up the opportunity to introduce our innovative solar thermal panels to the US market," said Christine Boyle, CEO of Synergy Innovations. "In New York City, over 30% of a building's energy consumption is used to provide space heating and hot water. As in the UK this demand is largely met by fuel oil- and natural gas-powered boilers; nearly 96% of New York City buildings use these fuels for heating, but at a significant economic and environmental cost. Senergy panels provide a renewable, emissions-free and cost-efficient alternative to fossil fuel-based space and water heating." "As we look forward to commercial launch in 2021, we are excited to be joining the Global Innovation Programme's NYC incubator to bring our innovation to NYC as a springboard to the US market," said Oli Freeling-Wilkinson, of Urban Electric Networks. "With electrification set to accelerate over the next few years, Urban Electric's unique low-impact charging infrastructure will kickstart an electric vehicle revolution in towns and cities across the world by providing residents without access to off-street parking with convenient curbside charging on the streets where they live." ### About the Urban Future Lab The Urban Future Lab (UFL) at NYU Tandon School of Engineering is New York City's premier innovation hub for smart cities, the smart grid, and clean energy. The UFL is home to programs focused on policy, education, and market solutions for the green economy. ACRE, the UFL's flagship program, is a business incubator that supports the growth of high-impact early-stage venture companies addressing climate change. ACRE incubator companies receive business advisement, access to funding, introductions to industry mentors and channel partners, as well as desk space at an office in Downtown Brooklyn. The UFL and all its programs are supported by NYSERDA, Daikin, ENGIE, and Orrick. More at http://ufl. nyc . About Innovate UK Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government. Innovate UK stimulates productivity and economic growth by supporting businesses to develop and realise the potential of new ideas, including those from the UK's world-class research base. Since its inception 10 years ago, Innovate UK has been successfully helping businesses to identify new market trends and technologies and to develop them into the products, processes and services that grow their companies, and consequently the UK economy. Our funding support, in the form of matched grants and loans, provides opportunities for businesses to innovate faster, more intensely, or more collaboratively than they would otherwise. For further information, visit: https:/ / www. gov. uk/ government/ organisations/ innovate-uk About the New York University Tandon School of Engineering The NYU Tandon School of Engineering dates to 1854, the founding date for both the New York University School of Civil Engineering and Architecture and the Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute. A January 2014 merger created a comprehensive school of education and research in engineering and applied sciences as part of a global university, with close connections to engineering programs at NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU Shanghai. NYU Tandon is rooted in a vibrant tradition of entrepreneurship, intellectual curiosity, and innovative solutions to humanity's most pressing global challenges. Research at Tandon focuses on vital intersections between communications/IT, cybersecurity, and data science/AI/robotics systems and tools and critical areas of society that they influence, including emerging media, health, sustainability, and urban living. We believe diversity is integral to excellence, and are creating a vibrant, inclusive, and equitable environment for all of our students, faculty and staff. For more information, visit engineering.nyu.edu. People heading out on the water with commercial operators to see the Prada Cup yacht racing are being told to look for the flag. Maritime NZ has distributed more than 110 distinctive yellow and pink flags to approved commercial operators providing on-the-water viewing for the racing starting this week. The presence of the flag means spectators can have confidence they are travelling with an approved commercial operator as they watch the Americas Cup yachts. The flag shows that the operator is in a Maritime NZ recognised safety system or has an exemption, says Maritime NZs compliance manager North Neil Rowarth. Exemptions are only granted when operators can show they have an equivalent or better level of safety, he says. Commercial operators are regularly audited to make sure the way they work is safe. Crews must be appropriately trained and certified and the vessels must be surveyed. For these reasons, Neil recommends that people look for the pink and yellow flag if theyre planning on paying to go watch the racing. He warns against recreational boaties planning to make money by charging to take people out because maritime officers will be around during the racing. If you are using a recreational boat to take out fare paying passengers then you are breaking the law and there will be consequences. You also may not be covered by your insurance policy this could be very expensive should something go wrong. It is simply not a good idea to be doing it, says Neil. Mydin customers can now pay for their purchases at the local wholesale and retail chain via ShopeePay. This comes following Mydins announcement that its outlets across Malaysia are now enabled to accept payment via the e-wallet, making it the first hypermarket in the country to do so. According to the managing director of Mydin, Datuk Dr Ameer Ali Mydin, the introduction of ShopeePay as an additional payment method will help to increase payment efficiency, especially with over thousands of transactions being carried out in Mydins outlets. This is because it speeds up the payment process as compared to payment by cash over the counter. Additionally, the use of ShopeePay will encourage customers to opt for contactless payment amidst rising Covid-19 concerns. Where systems are in place, it will also minimise the chance of human error. We are doing our best to break the chain of Covid-19. Contactless payment, most importantly, is an effective precautionary measure to minimise the contact and protect our staff and customers in stores, said Datuk Ameer in a statement. The head of ShopeePay, Alain Yee also chimed in to say that all parties are striving to ensure safety and security, including those in the retail sector. As such, it is timely that businesses adopt contactless payments, such as using ShopeePay as a measure to further minimise risk, he said. Yee further commented that with rewards such as cashback being offered, the Malaysian public can be persuaded to adopt contactless payment more quickly. The adoption of such payments also aligns with the nations vision towards a cashless society. To kick off this new initiative, Mydin is now running a promotion where customers can earn a one-time RM4 cashback when they spend a minimum of RM10 via ShopeePay. This ongoing deal will end on 28 February 2021, or when it is fully redeemed. Meanwhile, first-time ShopeePay users at Mydin will receive an RM8 voucher when they spend a minimum of RM25 on their first transaction. Aside from that, ShopeePay users can also tap into a separate daily deal that gives them RM3 cashback with a minimum spend of RM15 in a single transaction. (Source: New Straits Times) 0 0 votes Article Rating SHARE ROME, N.Y. -- Theres typically a lull in student performance this time of the year, but Rome Free Academy is dealing with a bigger challenge. RFA Principal Brian LeBaron says students attendance rates are down, and since theyre not physically in school, its difficult to keep them engaged. "Its just a click of a button to exit out, and unfortunately, Ive tried to ask our staff to put yourself in students shoes and where you were when you were a teenager, and the same conditions and climate, and if something was difficult, or it was the courses that you dont normally do well in or struggle with when you need extra help -- how easy it is to just exit out," he said. LeBaron sent out a letter to parents asking for any concerns, requests, or feedback that would help make learning more attractive. "Educators are all looking for things that will work, and feeling frustrated they cant find the avenue that opens up and unlocks that key for that student to be that virtual learner that we hope all of our kids and students would be at some point," he said. The school staff is discussing limiting the amount of work students are receiving so they dont feel so easily overwhelmed, and will try to connect more personally with the kids. Theyd also like to have better communication with parents through phone and email so students have better access to assignments. "To find a way to do that right now is the trickiest part," he said. "So we got to be supportive, and we want to take ownership that we can do it different, and work with our families and be as a team." Celebs Go Dating's 30 million Surrey mansion reportedly features a private cottage where stars can enjoy some private time if they make a connection. According to a source, two contestants have used the Love Island Hideaway-style abode with their dates, situation in the grounds of the estate. The upcoming series, set to premiere on January 25, will follow Chloe Ferry, Curtis Pritchard, Karim Zeroual, Kimberly Hart Simpson, Sophie Hermann, Tom Zanetti and Wayne Lineker as they attempt to find love after unsuccessful romances. Ooh-la-la: Celebs Go Dating's 30 million Surrey mansion (pictured) reportedly features a private cottage where stars can enjoy some private time if they make a connection An insider told The Sun: 'Getting a night in the Hideaway has been a staple of Love Island and its led to saucy scenes. 'With no show on this spring, Celebs Go Dating bosses thought theyd make the most of it and have let their stars use the cottage for some private time. 'They told the cast that if they have a connection they will be granted an overnight stay, but they have to show theyre serious and not just up for some nookie. At least two of the celebs managed to get a stay and made the most of it.' MailOnline has contacted Celebs Go Dating representatives for further comment. The line-up: (L-R) Kimberly Hart Simpson, Wayne Lineker, Chloe Lewis, Curtis Prtichard, Karim Zeroual, Tom Zanetti and Sophie Hermann pictured Wow! According to a source, two contestants have used the Love Island Hideaway-style abode with their dates, situation in the grounds of the estate (Chloe pictured) Budding romances? The upcoming series will follow the celebs as they attempt to find love after unsuccessful romances (Sophie pictured) Made In Chelsea star Sophie is said to have enjoyed a secret romance with DJ Tom during filming of Celebs Go Dating, MailOnline can reveal. The socialite , 33, and Katie Price's ex, 31, shared a 'sexual attraction' from the moment they met on the E4 series, with the pair expressing their feelings for each other by being 'extremely tactile' in the house. Singletons Sophie and Tom started to privately message while living in the lavish property, where the cast of Celebs Go Dating stayed for a month as they filmed the upcoming show. A TV insider revealed: 'Sparks were flying between them from the minute they walked into the mansion. 'Sparks were flying': Made In Chelsea star Sophie, 33, is said to have enjoyed a secret romance with DJ Tom, 31, during filming of Celebs Go Dating, MailOnline can reveal 'Tom had no idea who Sophie was to begin with and that seemed to be an aphrodisiac for her she loved being teased by him and the banter they shared together. 'They couldn't keep their hands off each other and became the talk of the house, especially when the rest of the cast found out they had been secretly texting. 'Despite coming from very different backgrounds, they really got on and couldn't resist spending as much time together as they could in the house.' The cast of Celebs Go Dating and the single 'civilians' lived in the mansion, complete with 10 bedrooms, during filming of the show to create a coronavirus secure bubble and could therefore date without social distancing. New couple? The Made In Chelsea star and Katie Price's ex shared a 'sexual attraction' from the moment they met, with the pair being 'extremely tactile' in the house Tom, who's had previous romances with Katie Price, 42, and Love Island's Hayley Hughes, 24, struck up a closeness with Sophie after admiring her 'class,' 'intelligence' and 'feistiness.' According to a second TV source, the pair has even nicknamed each other Duchess and Thomas O'Malley from Disney film The Aristocats, which is a reference to their different backgrounds. Tom became a father aged 16 and grew up on a council estate, while German-born Sophie is the great-granddaughter of Mustang Jeans founder, Luise Hermann. The blonde's previous partners include Made In Chelsea's Fredrik Ferrier, the host of Skype's Ones to Watch Jonny Hynes and the reality star has also been linked to Hollywood actor Johnny Depp. Celebs Go Dating: The Mansion premieres Monday 25th January at 9pm on E4. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Elvis Presley quickly earned his nickname as the King of Rock and Roll. He rose to popularity in the 1950s, and his career spanned multiple decades before his tragic death in 1973. But the fame, though it had its perks, certainly had its drawbacks. And his ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, once revealed that the King would sometimes check himself into the hospital just to escape the craziness of his career. Elvis and Priscilla Presley | Magma Agency/WireImage Elvis Presleys career took off when he was in his early 20s Elvis was born in a small town in Mississippi, but he knew from a young age that he wanted to be a star. Still, a music career didnt happen overnight. Elvis reportedly walked into Sun Records back in 1953 with the hopes of paying for a few minutes of recording time and the ulterior motive of being discovered. It worked, and eventually, Elvis caught the attention of other music executives. Still, the songs he was recording werent going anywhere. Eventually, Elvis caught his big break when his song was played on a Memphis radio station. From there, listeners loved his sound and wanted more. By the late 1950s, Elvis was a star. Hed recorded hits such as Jailhouse Rock and All Shook Up. In 1958, Elvis was drafted to the military, and it changed his life. Elvis Presley | Bettmann/Contributor RELATED: Priscilla Presley Once Opened Up About Elvis Constant Cheating: I Dont Think He Could Ever Be Faithful to 1 Woman Priscilla once said the fame sometimes got the best of him Elvis and Priscilla met while he was stationed in Germany serving time in the military. Priscillas father was stationed there as well, and the two met at a party. At the time, Priscilla was only 14 10 years younger than the King. But he was captivated by her, and even after he left the military to continue his music career, he wrote to Priscilla. Priscilla eventually moved in with Elvis, and the two dated for seven years total before getting married. Elvis career was at its height during their marriage, though, and his infidelity became too much for her to handle. Still, she knew him like nobody else and knew that the fame could get the best of him. In a 2018 interview, Priscilla told Sunday News that Elvis did what he could to try and escape the fame. Hed become involved with drugs, and the craziness sometimes took so much out of him that he would voluntarily check himself into the hospital just to get some peace and quiet. He would sometimes check himself into the hospital because he wanted to get away from everyone, Priscilla said. He didnt want the demands, he didnt want the phone calls. Priscilla thought Elvis death was a joke at first When Elvis died, Priscilla thought it was one of those times when he had checked himself into the hospital as an escape. But it turns out Elvis had actually died of a heart attack brought on by drug use. He cant be, he cant be This is a joke, this cannot be, Priscilla recalled of her own reaction. It was shocking. Priscilla eventually got the idea to turn Elvis estate, Graceland, into a tourist attraction. Nowadays, people flock to Graceland each year to honor the King and pay tribute to his musical success. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor One congresswoman received boos, the other did not. U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark took to Twitter on Thursday to highlight the sharp disparity in how congressional colleagues reacted to her and Rep. Cori Bushs condemnation of white supremacy as they called for President Donald Trumps impeachment for inciting an insurrection. On the House floor, my colleague Cori Bush and I both called out the white supremacy at the root of the attack on our democracy, Clark said, referencing last weeks ransacking of the U.S. Capitol by a mob of Trump loyalists, some of whom lofted Confederate flags and nooses in an attack that left a police officer and four rioters dead. She was booed. I was not. The difference is skin color. On the House floor, my colleague @CoriBush and I both called out the white supremacy at the root of the attack on our democracy. She was booed. I was not. The difference is skin color. https://t.co/N14sqLxvfu Katherine Clark (@RepKClark) January 14, 2021 On Wednesday, Bushs remarks in support of impeaching Trump, whom she blasted as a white supremacist, were met with several boos from Republicans. If we fail to remove a white supremacist president who incited a white supremacist insurrection, its communities like Missouris first district that suffer the most, Bush said. Bush argued that the 117th Congress had a mandate to legislate in defense of Black lives, and that the first step in rooting out white supremacy was impeaching the white supremacist in chief. Later, Bush asked her Twitter followers What does it mean when they boo the Black congresswoman denouncing white supremacy? What does it mean when they boo the Black congresswoman denouncing white supremacy? Cori Bush (@CoriBush) January 13, 2021 Bushs comments were centered on Trump, who even as a lame duck president has commanded overwhelming support from Republicans. But Clark, who also had harsh words for Trumps chaotic and divisive tenure in the White House, made the case Thursday that she was spared boos during the impeachment debate because, unlike Bush, she is white. Clark, a Massachusetts Democrat and assistant Speaker of the House, detailed how hateful rioters stormed the citadel of our democracy waving Confederate flags. This must be a turning point for America; a moment that we reject partisan excuses that allow white supremacy to continue terrorizing America, a moment that we come together and demand accountability as one body, as one America, united in our commitment to democracy and justice. Some Republicans, including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California, laid blame for the Capitol attack on the president. McCarthy added that there is no evidence antifa was involved in the attack, and said Trump should have done more to stop it. He did not support impeachment, however, agreeing with the majority of Republicans who claimed it was a divisive move. Trump on Tuesday shrugged off responsibility for the attack despite urging supporters for weeks to amass in Washington, D.C. and, last Wednesday, to march on the Capitol and fight like hell in an attempt to block Congress from certifying Joe Bidens win. Trump claimed the real problem was rhetoric swirling around racial justice protests this summer in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd. Trump and several House Republicans suggested Democrats and celebrities helped inspire unrest in several cities, which inspired fierce law enforcement crackdowns in Portland, Seattle and Washington, D.C. Even as they condemned the Capitol attack, some Republicans made the case that violence and looting surrounding Black Lives Matter protests represented a greater assault on the nation than last weeks direct assault on the nations Capitol. But many Democratic lawmakers highlighted how Trump, during the attack, told Capitol rioters in a Twitter video, We love you, and Youre special. Many compared the remarks to Trumps response to far-right demonstrations in Charlottesville in 2017, when he said you also had people that were very fine people, on both sides. Trump has argued he was referring to people innocently protesting the removal of Confederate memorials during the Unite the Right Rally that featured a host of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and far-right militias. During a September debate with Biden, Trump dodged pressure to condemn white supremacists and told the far-right group the Proud Boys to stand back and stand by before condemning the left and antifa. Within minutes, leaders of the group expressed excitement both at being mentioned during the debate and the presidents message to their members. President Trump told the proud boys to stand by because someone needs to deal with ANTIFA ... well sir! Were ready!! one member wrote in a group chat on social media at the time. He followed this message with, Trump basically said to go [expletive] them up! This makes me so happy. The president also caused an uproar this summer when he tweeted a phrase with segregationist origins, When the looting starts, the shooting starts, in response to racial justice protests. We faced police dogs while protesting in Ferguson. There were police dog at protests for George (Floyd) and Breonna (Taylor). The president said the most vicious dogs awaited protesters standing up for Black lives at the White House, Bush said recently. Why werent there police dogs at the Capitol last Wednesday? We faced police dogs while protesting in Ferguson. There were police dogs at protests for George & Breonna. The President said the "most vicious dogs awaited protesters standing up for Black lives at the White House. Why weren't there police dogs at the Capitol last Wednesday? Cori Bush (@CoriBush) January 12, 2021 The White House press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, said this summer that Trump has condemned white supremacy several times. She also said in a news conference last week that the White House condemned the Capitol attack, and Trump in a video from the Oval Office said violence and vandalism were not part of his movement to make America great again. Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts on Thursday emphasized the notable disparity in Clarks and Bushs treatment by colleagues and praised Clark for calling it out. Trumps unprecedented second impeachment trial could begin on Jan. 20, the same day Biden is inaugurated, according to the Associated Press. Related Content: EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) Brock Boeser scored twice, including the winner, as the Vancouver Canucks beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-3 on Wednesday night. Bo Horvat, Adam Gaudette, and rookie Nils Hoglander also scored for Vancouver in the first of two games in two nights between the teams. Braden Holtby made 28 saves for his first win as a Canuck. I think our team played a really good hockey game for our first game of the year, Boeser said. We've got to build off it. Kailer Yamamoto, Darnell Nurse and Adam Larsson replied for Edmonton. Mikko Koskinen stopped 30 shots. It was a back and forth game in front of no fans and canned crowd noise at Rogers Place. Poor puck play and poor reads led to Grade A chances against, Edmonton coach Dave Tippett said, and if you give enough of them, they're going to capitalize. The Canucks won despite not having forward J.T. Miller in the lineup. Miller, their top scorer from last season, and depth defenseman Jordie Benn had to sit out as per COVID-19 protocol. Oilers captain McDavid, playing on his 24th birthday, was held scoreless but buzzed around the net, driving on Holtby relentlessly and drawing multiple penalties. Oilers center Leon Draisaitl, the reigning Art Ross Trophy winner as the leagues top point-scorer last season, had one assist. Boeser scored twice in the third period to seal the win as the Canucks took advantage of numerous Oilers defensive breakdowns. I'm feeling confident, Boeser said. I feel like my shot is back where it was in my first year. Vancouver opened the scoring with less than five minutes to play in the first period. Tanner Pearson, racing with the puck up the right wing, managed, just before getting hit by Zack Kassian at Edmontons blue line, to spin and put the puck on the tape of Horvat in the slot. Horvat skated in alone and shot the puck low stick side past Koskinen. The Oilers tied the score early in the second. Draisaitl, off a turnover, fed the puck to Yamamoto who one-timed the puck from the slot into the top corner of the net. Story continues Hoglander, the Swedish rookie, put Vancouver up 2-1 with less than three minutes to go in the second, on a rebound after Edmonton failed to clear the puck out of its own end. It feels good, Hoglander said. I think we played a good game, me, Horvat and Pearson together. The goals came in bunches in the third period, starting with Nurses wrist shot from the face-off circle just 10 seconds in. Gaudette then scored on a cross-ice feed from Antoine Roussel to make it 3-2. Less than two minutes later, Quinn Hughes, down on the ice near the blue line managed to backhand the puck to an open Boeser, who fired low and in for a 4-2 lead. Then Larsson fired a slap shot from the top of the face-off circle through traffic and in to cut the lead to 4-3. I don't think we expected a perfect game, but this was far from it, Larsson said. A couple breakdowns today cost us goals. Boeser then took a pass off the wall from Elias Pettersson to steam in on the right wing and fire the puck short-side over Koskinens shoulder. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will hold a review meeting on Thursday with officials from the health department, heads of hospitals and all-district officials to review preparations under the Delhi government`s government``s COVID vaccination rollout plan. This comes ahead of the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive which is scheduled to begin on January 16. The Chief Minister will review the rollout plan of the coronavirus vaccination program at 11 AM today. Hon'ble CM Shri @ArvindKejriwal will chair a meeting on Thursday, January 14 at 11 AM, to review the preparations made under the Delhi government's COVID vaccination rollout plan. CMO Delhi (@CMODelhi) January 13, 2021 On Wednesday, Kejriwal had announced that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will provide coronavirus vaccine free to the people of Delhi if the Centre fails to do so. "I request everyone to not spread misinformation about Covid-19 vaccine. I had appealed to the Central govt that Covid-19 vaccination should be provided free of cost to all. If the Centre does not do it and a need arises, the vaccine will be provided for free to people of Delhi," Kejriwal told media during his visit to meet the family of Dr Hitesh Gupta who died due to Covid-19. The Chief Minister had announced a Rs 1 crore financial assistance for the family of Dr Gupta, who working at a Delhi government dispensary in Karkardooma and died in November 2020. The central government has planned to inoculate around 300 lakh healthcare workers at 2,934 session sites, including 89 sites in Delhi, on the first day of the world`s biggest vaccination drive across India. 36 government hospitals and 53 private hospitals will have a vaccination site each, Delhi Health minister Satyendar Jain had said on Sunday. In the first phase, healthcare workers will be vaccinated followed by frontline workers. Teachers have also been included in the category of frontline workers, he said. Live TV A mother and her three children have been found dead at a property in Melbourne's north-west. Katie Perinovic, 42, and her three children were found dead in their Tullamarine home on Thursday afternoon, with police unable to confirm the circumstances surrounding their deaths. Ms Perinovic was described by neighbours as a "lovely" woman and very loving mother to her children Claire, 7, Anna, 5, and Matthew, 3. Police said they are as yet unable to confirm the circumstances surrounding their deaths. Police were alerted to the discovery of the bodies of the mother and her three children just after 12.30pm on Thursday after a man - believed to be her husband Tomislav Perinovic, 48, the childrens father - called emergency services. The Conservative Party is a minor party in New York, but it's been an important ballot line for GOP candidates. Katko has been endorsed by the Conservative Party in each of his four congressional elections. He received 21,062 votes on the Conservative line in the 2020 election. Within Katko's own party, two county chairs in the 24th Congressional District said they aren't happy with his impeachment vote. Cayuga County Republican Chairwoman Roberta Massarini said Wednesday that she feels "just as strong as the Conservatives" and that she is "highly disappointed" with Katko. "I think that voters in his district, many of them have a Republican philosophy like Trump does," she said. "Even though I condemn what happened at the Capitol last week, up here I think that Katko's supporters are highly disappointed in impeaching the president." Massarini revealed that the county GOP's executive committee will meet Thursday. Katko, she said, plans on explaining his vote to the committee. As for whether the Cayuga County Republicans would withdraw their support of Katko, Massarini said that's for the committee to decide. One week after a violent mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, groups of National Guardsmen were situated inside the building Wednesday, reflecting the stringent security measures being implemented in the wake of the attack and ahead of President-elect Joe Bidens inauguration next week. National Guard officials say about 6,200 soldiers and airmen are on the ground in D.C. to support law enforcement and security efforts at the Capitol. Startling photos on Wednesday morning showed scores of troops sleeping in the halls of the Capitol building as reporters and lawmakers headed to the House for the impeachment vote. Ahead of the inauguration, on Jan. 20, the guardsmen who will be working with Capitol security will be armed with lethal weapons, Politico and CNN reported. Weapons are distributed to members of the National Guard outside the U.S. Capitol on January 13, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images) The D.C. National Guard confirmed in a statement Wednesday that National Guard members are and will be armed, if necessary, as requested by federal authorities and authorized by the Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy. The statement also addressed the photos of guardsmen resting in the Capitol building. This area of the Capitol has been designated a rest area for National Guard members when they are on duty but between shifts, the statement said. To be clear, this is not where they are lodging when off-duty. In early January, there were about 340 guardsmen assigned to manage traffic and assist law enforcement in Washington, according to the D.C. Air National Guard. But when hundreds of pro-Trump rioters broke into the Capitol during the counting of Electoral College votes on Jan. 6, forcing Congressmembers to evacuate the House and Senate chambers, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser requested more help, prompting acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller to bring thousands more guardsmen to the area. The attack at the Capitol left at least five people dead. It also led Democratic lawmakers to bring forth an article of impeachment against President Trump for inciting the riot. Trump had given a speech before the riot at a rally on the National Mall, where he repeated false claims about the election being stolen from him and urged his supporters to fight back. The U.S. House will vote on impeachment Wednesday afternoon. Crystal Hill/Yahoo News Members of the National Guard gather at the U.S. Capitol as the House of Representatives prepares to begin the voting process on a resolution demanding Vice President Mike Pence and the cabinet remove President Trump from office, on Tuesday. (Erin Scott/Reuters) Members of the National Guard are given weapons before Democrats begin debating one article of impeachment against President Trump at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters) National Guard members look at the ceiling as Democrats debate one article of impeachment against President Trump at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters) Hundreds of National Guard troops in repose inside the Capitol visitor's center to reinforce security at the Capitol. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo) Members of the National Guard rest in a hallway of the Capitol. (Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images) National Guard member poses for a picture with a statue of civil rights activist Rosa Parks as Democrats debate an article of impeachment against President Trump. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters) Members of the National Guard take a rest in the Rotunda of the Capitol, near a bust of Abraham Lincoln ahead of an expected House vote impeaching President Trump. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) Members of the National Guard play cards in the Capitol Visitors Center as the House of Representatives votes on the impeachment of President Donald Trump. (Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) Members of the National Guard rest in the visitor's center of the Capitol. (Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images) Members of the National Guard rest in the Capitol visitor's center on Capitol Hill, ahead of an expected House vote impeaching President Trump. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) Members of the National Guard rest in the rotunda of the Capitol as the House of Representatives votes on the impeachment of President Trump. (Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) Members of the National Guard rest in the Capitol visitor's center on Capitol Hill, ahead of an expected House vote impeaching President Trump. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) National Guard members sleep, before Democrats begin debating one article of impeachment against U.S. President Donald Trump. (Joshua Roberts/Reuters) Members of the National Guard sleep in the rotunda of the Capitol as the House of Representatives convenes to impeach President Trump. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., walks past members of the National Guard sleeping in the halls of the Capitol as the House of Representatives convenes to impeach President Trump. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) This image released by the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's Office, Pelosi speaks to National Guard troops outside the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, in Washington. (Drew Hammill/Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's Office via AP) _____ Read more from Yahoo News: Prime Minister Florin Citu announced on Thursday that the Law regarding the alienation of state-owned shares in national companies will be repealed, as a signal for the capital market, in the sense of attracting new foreign investments in Romania. "This is not about alienating shares, is it about attracting capital in Romania. This is what we are doing, we are capitalizing these companies. We do not have enough resources in our budget to capitalize all these companies, considering the needs these companies have for these investments and in order for them to grow. And then, of course, a part of the shares from these companies' property is transferred, in exchange for this capital, to other shareholders. It happens everywhere in the world. And moreso, what I have noticed in Romania, as well as in other countries, there where we had capital injections and after that they came with a performing management, with a corporate governance, (...) those companies were saved, developed, hired people, were profitable, paid taxes to the budget. This is the recipe we wish to follow," Citu explained, in an interview for Radio Guerrilla. "What we are doing by repealing the law does not necessarily mean that as of tomorrow we will begin to sell. No, it is a signal we send to the capital market, to foreign investors that in Romania private property is sacred, firstly, and secondly, that we are not a country that does not want investors to come. So, we are an open economy, a modern economy, knowing how to work with market capital instruments," the prime minister added. According to him, the sale of Petrom, "generically" speaking, was a "good thing". Burglary gangs disguised themselves in workwear to launch terrifying break-ins on shocked householders. Detectives are on the hunt for five suspects after a man dressed in a hi-viz jacket posed as a delivery driver before four other people rushed inside the homeowners property in Walthamstow, London, and stole valuable items. Elsewhere, in Luton, locals reported two men wearing yellow high-visibility coats were caught attempting to break into someone's front door before being apprehended by police. A man wearing an orange hi-viz jacket posed as a delivery driver during a burglary in Walthamstow, London The suspect knocked on the door and when the homeowner answered four other people appeared The group rushed inside the house armed with knives and entered several rooms inside the property Detectives are appealing for people to come forward after the aggravated burglary in Walthamstow on Monday at around 2.30pm. A man wearing an orange high visibility jacket knocked on the door at a residential address and told the homeowner that he was a delivery driver. Once the resident opened the door, four other suspects, all were armed with knives, forced their way into their home. The suspects made their way into several rooms in the house, searching for valuable items to steal. The group made off with a range of valuable items including jewellery, phones, passports, iPads, a designer handbag, ear pods, ID cards and designer watches Police investigating the burglary are appealing for any information which may help them identity the suspects Once the man in the hi-viz jacket entered the property four other people arrived and forced their way inside, a clip shows They jumped over the fence outside the homeowners property before making their way inside The five suspects stole jewellery, phones, passports, iPads, a designer handbag, ear pods, ID cards and designer watches from the address. Similarly in Luton, a video has been shared on local social media pages which shows a man wearing a hi-viz jacket being pinned to the floor by police officers. Witnesses took to Facebook to share what they had seen, claiming two men posing as the waterboard had attempted to break into a house. The post of Spotted Luton Desi said: 'Just to let you know our neighbour just had an attempted break in. 'Two guys in hi-viz tried to break in through front door. One guy was pinned down by neighbours and was arrested and the other guy got away. 'Sharing this as we all open up our doors to people in hi-vis clothing.' One person shared what they claimed was an email from their local Neighbourhood Watch which read: 'Stay safe all: Foxbury Close, Luton - 13/01/2021 17:24 two males in high viz have attended location pretending to be from the waterboard, they have pushed past the two victims and entered the location shoving the female IP onto the sofa. 'Neighbours have heard the commotion and one offender has been detained until police arrive.' Bedfordshire Police has been approached for comment. There have been no arrests for the Walthamstow burglary and enquiries into the incident continue. Police are appealing to the public for any witnesses or information in relation to the suspects that could help them identify them. Anyone with information or who recognises the suspects is asked to contact police via 101 quoting reference CAD 3600/11JAN21 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Whatever happened to Taking Back Control of our borders? For five years we heard little else from leaders of the Leave campaign. Yet now those self-proclaimed saviours of British sovereignty find themselves in the driving seat, any pretence of pulling up the drawbridge to protect the national interest has dissolved like the froth on a slow-roast cappuccino. From the start of the pandemic, ministers have been woefully slow to act some would say criminally negligent when it has come to stopping potential carriers of the virus from entering the country. Last weekend, news of a dangerous new strain of Covid-19, which could be resistant to the vaccines currently being administered here, emerged from Brazil. But it wasn't until yesterday afternoon that the Government got round to banning flights from Brazil and South America. Whatever happened to Taking Back Control of our borders? For five years we heard little else from leaders of the Leave campaign. Last weekend, news of a dangerous new strain of Covid-19, which could be resistant to the vaccines currently being administered here, emerged from Brazil. (Above, testing at Guarulhos international airport in Sao Paulo on Monday) This is despite the fact that Brazil halted all flights from the UK three weeks ago after the Mutant Ninja Kent variant was discovered. Faced with British Government inaction, the airlines were forced to act unilaterally. Back in December, BA took it upon itself to cancel all flights to and from most of South America until the end of February. That doesn't stop passengers from Brazil and elsewhere travelling to Britain via third countries in Europe. Thousands of passengers are still arriving every day at British ports and airports, and on Eurostar trains, without any checks on their Covid status. Yesterday, travellers from all over the world were swanning through Heathrow with nobody asking them to prove they had tested negative for corona. Despite all those coming from overseas nominally being required to quarantine for ten days, there is little evidence this has been widely enforced. Perhaps if Extinction Rebellion poster boy Grant Shapps had spent less time since March littering the country with ridiculous cycle lanes and more time concentrating on preventing the importation of coronavirus, we'd be in a safer place Ministers appear to have no sense of urgency when it comes to policing our borders. A law insisting that all international arrivals including returning British nationals must produce evidence they had a negative test 72 hours before they travelled was due to take effect today. But under cover of darkness on Wednesday night, that deadline was extended until 4am on Monday. Instead of issuing an official ministerial statement, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps sneaked out the decision on Twitter at 11.01pm, complete with a stopwatch emoji just in case we're all too stupid to understand plain English. As late as May, Patrick Vallance (left) resisted travel bans from individual regions on the grounds that they simply didn't work. This is the same Patrick Vallance, one of the Two Ronnies of Doom, who has spent the past ten months demanding ever tougher curbs on civil liberties at home. (Right, Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty) Who knows how many more people infected with Covid might have entered Britain by the time that deadline expires? Perhaps if Extinction Rebellion poster boy Shapps had spent less time since March littering the country with ridiculous cycle lanes and more time concentrating on preventing the importation of coronavirus, we'd be in a safer place. Still, his complacency is merely a reflection of this Government's callous indifference in failing properly to address the threat of Covid coming here from overseas. On January 31 last year, the much-maligned President Donald Trump banned all flights from China landing in the U.S. Yet even when it was obvious that corona posed a clear and present danger, our Government allowed scheduled services between Britain and China including Wuhan, where Covid originated to continue to operate. On the Thursday night, August 13, Shapps yes, him again announced that anyone who wasn't back in Blighty by 4am Saturday morning would have to quarantine for 14 days or face a fine of 1,000. (Above, Manchester Airport on Thursday) Nor were there any enforced flight cancellations from Northern Italy, where Covid was rife. Back then, the official line being peddled by the chief scientific adviser Patrick Vallance was that, since the virus was here already, closing the borders wouldn't make much difference. As late as May, Vallance resisted travel bans from individual regions on the grounds that they simply didn't work. This is the same Patrick Vallance, one of the Two Ronnies of Doom, who has spent the past ten months demanding ever tougher curbs on civil liberties at home. So while British citizens can be arrested and fined for sitting on a park bench or refusing to tell a copper where you're going, travellers from goodness-knows-where have been free to enter this country without having to declare where they have been in the previous few weeks; whether or not they have tested positive or negative for Covid; or whether they are complying with quarantine regulations. Thom, Deke and Ali are at liberty to hail taxis at Heathrow or travel on the Tube to their eventual unknown destinations after sailing unchallenged through immigration. Meanwhile, joggers and dog walkers going about their lawful business in their local park are being treated like criminals by Plod and the standing army of Covid marshals. Throughout this crisis, it has been instructive to compare the sympathetic treatment of foreign nationals with the draconian, knee-jerk restrictions forced on the rest of us on the home front. Even now, at a time when we are told the threat from corona is worse than it has ever been, those arriving from abroad have been given an extended period of grace before they must produce evidence of a negative test. Contrast Shapps's generous decision to postpone until Monday morning today's planned deadline to give people 'time to prepare' with the knee-jerk diktat issued in the summer giving British holidaymakers in Europe just a few hours' notice to get home. On the Thursday night, August 13, Shapps yes, him again announced that anyone who wasn't back in Blighty by 4am Saturday morning would have to quarantine for 14 days or face a fine of 1,000. Around 160,000 people stranded in France were forced to race through the night to catch ferries. Some even had to hitch rides on fishing boats. It was the biggest and most humiliating evacuation since Dunkirk. Whitehall is declaring war on takeaway food and drink in an attempt to force people to stay at home. Working advertising slogan: 'DON'T LET A COFFEE COST A LIFE.' There's an awful lot of coffee in Brazil. An awful lot of Covid, too. But until now the Government hasn't bothered trying to prevent it spreading here Families who had flown to other newly designated corona hotspots in Europe had no option but to turn around and catch the first flight back. Tens of thousands of other planned holidays were lost. Maybe Shapps had a special emoji minted for that occasion, too. Sometimes it seems as if we're being governed by a Cabinet of emojis. For those of you unfamiliar with emojis, they're those infuriating little cartoon symbols some people attach to emails. Thumbs up, thumbs down, that sort of thing. Now that Downing Street has abandoned the idea of sending Allegra Stratton to face the media like a lamb to the slaughter every day, they could just stick up a few choice emojis to get their message across. Boris and the Two Ronnies could be replaced by a squashed sombrero and a couple of emojis for every occasion. Covid cases DOWN smiley face! Covid cases UP sad face. Priti Flamingo angry face! Yesterday, the Government sent out a Home Office emoji called Victoria Atkins to defend the decision not to close the air corridor between Britain and Brazil earlier. She was also asked why it has taken ten months to demand all international travellers produce evidence of negative tests, something other countries have insisted upon for months. Atkins said ministers had to balance controlling the virus with 'not putting too much burden on the economy'. That preposterous justification will have been received with incredulity by businessmen and women across the land. They won't have known whether to laugh or cry. The economy has always come a distant second to combating Covid. Countless businesses, many of them household names, have gone to the wall. Hundreds of thousands of jobs have been lost for ever, with many more to come. High Street retail and hospitality have been devastated by repeated lockdowns. Family-run enterprises are hanging on by the skin of their teeth. Cafes and restaurants are surviving on takeaway custom. And how does this Government reward their dogged determination? Yesterday we learned ministers are planning to put them out of business, too. Whitehall is declaring war on takeaway food and drink in an attempt to force people to stay at home. Working advertising slogan: 'DON'T LET A COFFEE COST A LIFE.' There's an awful lot of coffee in Brazil. An awful lot of Covid, too. But until now the Government hasn't bothered trying to prevent it spreading here. Any more than they've turned away record numbers of illegal immigrants making their away across the Channel from France. Far from it. Border patrols, who would be better employed carrying out Covid checks at Dover, have been instructed to pick up migrants in the Channel and ferry them ashore. Do ministers have any idea whether Covid is rife or not in the camps around Calais? Do they care? Can we be sure that the 'Kent' strain wasn't brought to Britain by dinghy? We'll never know, any more than we'll know how many unchecked airline, ferry and Eurostar passengers have helped spread Covid-19 around Britain over the past ten months. So much for Taking Back Control. More than a dozen Clackamas County elected officials on Wednesday added their voices to the growing chorus calling for Mark Shull to resign, after the newly-elected county commissioners Islamophobic social media posts came to light. Tootie Smith, the chair of the Clackamas County board of commissioners, released a single-sentence statement on the county website Wednesday afternoon. In support of the greatest good of citizens of Clackamas County, I have asked that Mark Shull resign from the board of county commissioners immediately, said Smith, who like Shull is a Republican. A footnote in the statement said that she would not be taking questions from reporters. In a written statement, 11 state representatives and senators who represent parts of Clackamas County condemned Shulls comments and urged him to immediately step down. The legislators said they condemned Shulls disgraceful social media posts. In a moment when too many give in to their hatred and deny facts, weve seen firsthand in Salem and in Washington, D.C. in recent weeks just how destructive this kind of language can be. Hatred like this has no place in our society. Rather, we must do all we can to collectively confront our past and to address the continued impact that systemic racism and bigotry have on immigrants and communities of color. John Wentworth, the newly-elected district attorney of Clackamas County, also called on Shull to resign. More than 20 Clackamas County department heads, including the sheriff, had signed a letter asking Shull to step down. Shull has faced scrutiny in recent days since Jennings Lodge resident Cris Waller published a blog post documenting dozens of Facebook posts from Shull dating back to at least 2019. The posts contained Islamophobic, racist and transphobic comments. Shull has yet to resign. In an email to The Oregonian/OregonLive on Wednesday evening, he said he had received a couple of threats, but was not too worried. He said he planned to meet on Thursday with Muslim community leaders to work on finding ways to build understanding. In response to threats received after Shulls comments surfaced, the county postponed its swearing-in ceremony for commissioners, which was originally scheduled for Wednesday. Updated with comments from Mark Shull. -Jayati Ramakrishnan; 503-221-4320; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com; @JRamakrishnanOR Prime Minister on Thursday greeted the people on the festivals of Makar Sankranti, Pongal, and Magh Bihu. "Many congratulations to the countrymen on My wish is that Uttarayan Suryadev infuse new energy and enthusiasm in everyone's life. greetings to everyone," PM Modi tweeted. The Prime Minister, while sending out Pongal greetings, said the festival showcases the best of Tamil culture. "Pongal greetings to all, especially my Tamil sisters and brothers. This special festival showcases the best of Tamil culture. May we be blessed with good health and success. May this festival also inspire us to live in harmony with nature and further the spirit of compassion," he said. "Magh Bihu wishes to everyone. May the coming times be filled with happiness. With the blessings of Almighty may there be brotherhood and wellness all around," he said in another tweet. is a festival in the Hindu calendar, dedicated to the Sun deity Surya, while 'Magh Bihu' is celebrated with community feasts after the annual harvest takes place.Pongal is a four-day harvest festival dedicated to the Sun God. To mark the festival, the Pongal sweet dish is prepared and is first offered to the Gods and Goddesses followed, sometimes, with an offering to cows. It is then shared with the family. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An aerial search for victims and wreckage of a crashed Indonesian plane has expanded as divers continued combing the debris-littered seabed looking for the cockpit voice recorder. The National Search and Rescue Agency had temporarily suspended the search for the second black box on Wednesday due to bad weather and waves up to five metres high. The Boeing 737-500 disappeared on Saturday minutes after taking off from Jakarta with 62 people aboard. One black box containing flight data was recovered on Tuesday, and the hundreds of search personnel have also recovered plane parts from the Sriwijaya Air service and human remains from the Java Sea. Expand Close Indonesian navy personnel inspect a part the flight data recorder recovered at the crash site of the Sriwijaya Air flight (Fadlan Syam/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Indonesian navy personnel inspect a part the flight data recorder recovered at the crash site of the Sriwijaya Air flight (Fadlan Syam/AP) The aerial search is being expanded to coastal areas of the Thousand Island chain because plane debris and victims may be carried away by sea currents, said Rasman, the agencys search and rescue mission coordinator who goes by a single name. Navy officials have said the two black boxes were buried in seabed mud under tons of wreckage between Lancang and Laki islands in the Thousand Island chain north of Jakarta. At least 268 divers were deployed on Thursday, almost double the previous figure. Rescuers increased to 4,100 personnel, supported by 13 helicopters, 55 ships and 18 raft boats. So far, the searchers have sent 141 body bags containing human remains to police identification experts. Families have been providing DNA samples to the disaster victim identification unit, which, on Wednesday, said it had identified six victims, including a flight attendant and an off-duty pilot. Expand Close Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) investigators have inspected debris (Achmad Ibrahim/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) investigators have inspected debris (Achmad Ibrahim/AP) The airlines data showed both pilots in command of the plane were highly experienced and had relatively good safety records. Captain Afwan, who also goes by one name, began his career as an air force Hercules pilot and had several decades of flying experience. He was known to his relatives and friends as a devout Muslim and preacher. Afwans co-pilot, Diego Mamahit, was equally qualified. Nurcahyo Utomo, an investigator with Indonesias National Transportation Safety Committee, known by its Indonesian acronym as KNKT, said the crew did not declare an emergency or report technical problems before the plane nosedived into the sea. He said investigators are now working to read critical details on the flight data recorder that was salvaged earlier and tracks electronic information such as airspeed, altitude and vertical acceleration. Investigators and experts from the US National Transportation Safety Board, the jet engine producer General Electric and Boeing will be joining the investigation in the next few days. Mumbai, Jan 14 : A day after the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) arrested Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik's son-in-law Sameer Khan, the drug law enforcement agency sleuths on Thursday swung into action and carried out searches at his residence here and other locations in connection with a drug related case. According to sources, several teams of NCB swung into action since early Thursday morning and raided the residence of Khan and several other locations related to others here. The official said that the action is in connection with the 200 kg of drugs seized from Mumbai last week. On Wednesday night, the NCB arrested Khan. Commenting on the development, NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede in a statement said Khan was arrested after his detailed interrogation whole day. The arrest follows the seizure of a large quantity of 200 kg Ganja from one courier at Bandra West last week. In the follow-up operation, huge stash of imported strains of Ganja was recovered from the residence of one Karan Sajnani at Khar. Sajnani, along with two other sisters - Rahila Furniturewala, Shaista Furniturewala and Ramkumar Tiwari of Muchhad Paanwala, were arrested under the provisions of the NDPS Act and produced in the court. During their investigations, the role of Sameer Khan, a resident of Bandra also came to light, and after questioning, he was arrested. Wankhede said that follow up action and investigation are underway. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed [January 14, 2021] Tauriga Sciences Inc. Completes Payment for the Entirety of its Initial Production Run of its Caffeine Infused Version of Tauri-Gum This Caffeine Version of Tauri-Gum is the 7th SKU of this Fast-Growing Product Line NEW YORK, NY, Jan. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (OTCQB: TAUG) (Tauriga or the Company), a revenue generating, diversified life sciences company, with a proprietary line of CBD & CBG infused Supplement chewing gums (Flavors: Pomegranate, Blood Orange, Peach-Lemon, Pear Bellini, Mint, Black Currant) as well as an ongoing Pharmaceutical Development initiative, has today announced that it has completed payment for the entirety of its initial production run of its caffeine infused version of Tauri-Gum. After extensive research, the Company has decided to infuse each piece chewing gum with 50mg of caffeine. This product will be manufactured in the flavor of CHERRY LIME RICKEY and the MSRP, per Blister Pack, is expected to be set at $9.99 each. The Company expects that this initial production run will yield approximately 9,000 Blister Packs (900 Retail Display Boxes). Availability: This caffeine infused version of Tauri-Gum will be available on the Company E-Commerce website (www.taurigum.com), later this Quarter. The Company believes that the completed production run of this 7th SKU of Tauri-Gum, has the potential to drive additional revenue growth. In addition to E-Commerce business, the Company will now have 2 distinct Tauri-Gum SKUs (which contain no Cannabinoids) to present to major retailers. Additionally, with air travel being substantially reduced, a high-quality Caffeine chewing gum may be of interest to those driving extended distances. In other news, the Company continues to realize important levels of progress with respect to a number of different corporate initiatives. The Company expects to disclose to shareholders one or more material Agreement(s) / Partnership(s), within the near term. ABOUT TAURIGA SCIENCES INC. Tauriga Sciences, Inc. (TAUG) is a revenue generating, diversified life sciences company, engaged in several major business activities and initiatives. The company manufactures and distributes several proprietary retail poducts and product lines, mainly focused on the Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabigerol (CBG) Edibles market segment. The main product line, branded as Tauri-Gum, consists of a proprietary supplement chewing gum that is Kosher certified, Halal certified, and Vegan Formulated (CBD Infused Tauri-Gum Flavors: Mint, Blood Orange, Pomegranate), (CBG Infused Tauri-Gum Flavors: Peach-Lemon, Black Currant) & (Vitamin C + Zinc Immune Booster Flavor: Pear Bellini). The Companys commercialization strategy consists of a broad array of retail customers, distributors, and a fast-growing E-Commerce business segment (E-Commerce website: www.taurigum.com). Please visit our corporate website, for additional information, as well as inquiries, at http://www.tauriga.com Complementary to the Companys retail business, is its ongoing Pharmaceutical Development initiative. This relates to the development of a proposed Pharmaceutical grade version of Tauri-Gum, for nausea regulation (specifically designed for the following indication: Patients Subjected to Ongoing Chemotherapy Treatment). On March 18, 2020, the Company announced that it had filed a provisional U.S. patent application covering its pharmaceutical grade version of Tauri-Gum. The Patent, filed with the U.S.P.T.O. is Titled MEDICATED CBD COMPOSITIONS, METHODS OF MANUFACTURING, AND METHODS OF TREATMENT. On December 18, 2020 the Company disclosed that it had entered into a Master Services Agreement with CSTI to lead the Company's clinical development efforts. On October 6, 2020, the Company announced that it has been approved to operate as a U.S. Government Vendor (CAGE CODE # 8QXV4) The Company is headquartered in Wappingers Falls, New York. In addition, the Company operates a full time E-Commerce fulfillment center located in LaGrangeville, New York. DISCLAIMER -- Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 which represent managements beliefs and assumptions concerning future events. These forward-looking statements are often indicated by using words such as may, will, expects, anticipates, believes, hopes, believes, or plans, and may include statements regarding corporate objectives as well as the attainment of certain corporate goals and milestones. Forward-looking statements are based on present circumstances and on managements present beliefs with respect to events that have not occurred, that may not occur, or that may occur with different consequences or timing than those now assumed or anticipated. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed in forward looking statements due to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, such as are not guarantees of general economic and business conditions, the ability to successfully develop and market products, consumer and business consumption habits, the ability to consummate successful acquisition and licensing transactions, fluctuations in exchange rates, and other factors over which Tauriga has little or no control. Many of these risks and uncertainties are discussed in greater detail in the Risk Factors section of Taurigas Form 10-K and other filings made from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this release, and Tauriga assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Contact: Tauriga Sciences, Inc. 4 Nancy Court, Suite 4 Wappingers Falls, NY 12590 Chief Executive Officer Mr. Seth M. Shaw Email: sshaw@tauriga.com cell # (917) 796 9926 Company Instagram: @taurigum Personal Instagram: @sethsms47 Twitter: @SethMShaw Corp. Website: www.tauriga.com E-Commerce Website: www.taurigum.com Attachment Jan 14. PR [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Donald Trump is looking to bring on John Eastman to his impeachment defense team after the lawyer riled up the crowd at last week's rally ahead of them storming the Capitol and where he blasted Mike Pence as undeserving to continue in his post as vice president. Two people familiar with the matter revealed Wednesday the plans for Trump to hire Eastman after the House voted on an article of impeachment against the president for 'inciting of insurrection'. Asked whether he would be willing, Eastman said: 'If the President of the United States asked me to consider helping him, I would certainly give it consideration.' He would not, however, definitively confirm nor deny whether he will represent Trump, citing attorney-client privilege. Donald Trump is considering bringing on lawyer John Eastman (left) to his impeachment defense team after he helped rile up a crowd at last week's rally before thousands stormed the Capitol Until Wednesday, Eastman was a professor at Chapman University in California. Eastman, 60, joined Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, 76, on stage at the January 6 rally before the president emerged to speak to his supporters. 'We no longer live in a self-governing republic,' Eastman told the pumped up crowd of thousands of Trump supporters gathered on the Ellipse last week. 'This is bigger than President Trump,' he said in reference to investigation into voter fraud, adding that 'anybody that is not willing to stand up to do it does not deserve to be in the office, it is that simple.' He was likely referencing Pence, who hours later would preside over Congress certifying the election for Joe Biden following the riot at the Capitol that left five dead. Following his appearance and remarks at the rally, faculty members and students, among others, called for Chapman to fire Eastman. In a statement on Wednesday, the university president said an agreement had been reached under which Eastman would immediately retire from the university. Eastman told Reuters he did not believe he did anything wrong and also does not think Trump has culpability, either. 'None, whatsoever,' he said. The attorney also came under fire last summer after penning an op-ed published in Newsweek where he questioned whether Vice President-elect Kamala Harris was eligible to serve. He suggested that because the California senator's parents were not U.S. citizens or permanent residents, she may not be able to become vice president to Joe Biden. Newsweek later apologized for publishing the piece. Giuliani told the crowd last Wednesday during his remarks that they should engage in 'trial by combat'. Although it was reported Sunday that Giuliani could lead the impeachment defense team, details remain up in the air especially after it was revealed that Trump is refusing to pay him. According to The Washington Post, Trump has ordered aides not to pay the $20,000 per-day legal fees of his personal attorney as mounting legal threats and isolation close in on the president from all sides. Two officials familiar with the matter claim Trump has expressed disappointment with some of Giuliani's legal moves in challenging the election results and doesn't appreciate the costly fees despite failed efforts. They also claim the president is demanding to personally approve all expenses incurred by Giuliani in his multi-state legal campaign to prove election fraud. Giuliani has not yet responded to a request for comment. Eastman also made unsubstantiated claims of election fraud at the rally. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Eastman and has declined to comment on Giuliani. The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday made Trump the first U.S. president to be impeached twice, charging him with inciting an insurrection as lawmakers sought to certify President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the Nov. 3 election. A former clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Eastman represented Trump last month in unsuccessful challenges to the election. At the rally, Eastman spoke about 'secret folders' of ballots used to defraud the election before Trump took the stage and repeated the discredited claim that the election was stolen from him. Trump may have a tough time retaining legal talent. He has had trouble hiring lawyers since former Special Counsel Robert Muellers probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, and the widespread condemnation of the violence at the Capitol and pressure from anti-Trump groups may discourage others from signing up. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is shown signing on Wednesday evening the article of impeachment against Trump for 'inciting of insurrection' after the lower chamber voted 232-197 for a second impeachment against the president Trump was impeached by the Democratic-led House in 2019 on charges that he pressured Ukraine's president to announce an investigation of his rival Biden, but was acquitted by the Republican-led Senate in February 2020. Giulianis own pressure on Ukraine helped lead to Trumps impeachment trial. White House counsel Pat Cipollone, who helped lead the defense effort during the impeachment over Ukraine, is not expected to participate in the latest effort, according to one person familiar with the matter. Cipollone will leave his post on Jan. 20, when Biden becomes president. Jay Sekulow, another personal lawyer for Trump who played a role during the first impeachment, also is not expected to be involved. John Yoo, a conservative legal scholar who also clerked for Thomas and worked in the Department of Justice during the George W. Bush administration, said on Wednesday he did not think Trump would want him to represent him. 'I think he committed impeachable acts,' said Yoo, although he added that he thought incitement was the wrong grounds and 'the Senate should not convict him.' A south-east Queensland man who set his then-girlfriend on fire in 2016 has had one-and-a-half years taken off his initial 11-year jail sentence. Brae Taylor Lewis poured fuel over Kyesha Finemore and set her on fire in May 2016 in the Logan suburb of Marsden, after an argument over a mobile phone. Both were aged 17 at the time. A photo posted to "Kyesha's long road to recovery" Facebook page in 2016. Credit:Facebook Ms Finemore was left with permanent scarring to her arms, chest, abdomen, back and thighs. She spent two days in an induced coma and was released from hospital after a month. Lewis was found guilty and handed an 11-year jail sentence in the Beenleigh District Court in 2018. The New York Times MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan Ammunition was depleted inside the bedraggled outposts in Laghman province. Food was scarce. Some police officers hadnt been paid in five months. Then, just as U.S. troops began leaving the country in early May, Taliban fighters besieged seven rural Afghan military outposts across the wheat fields and onion patches of the province, in eastern Afghanistan. The insurgents enlisted village elders to visit the outposts bearing a message: Surrender or die. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times By mid-month, security forces had surrendered all seven outposts after extended negotiations, according to village elders. At least 120 soldiers and police were given safe passage to the government-held provincial center in return for handing over weapons and equipment. We told them, Look, your situation is bad reinforcements arent coming, said Nabi Sarwar Khadim, 53, one of several elders who negotiated the surrenders. Since May 1, at least 26 outposts and bases in just four provinces Laghman, Baghlan, Wardak and Ghazni have surrendered after such negotiations, according to village elders and government officials. With morale diving as U.S. troops leave, and the Taliban seizing on each surrender as a propaganda victory, each collapse feeds the next in the Afghan countryside. Among the negotiated surrenders were four district centers, which house local governors, police and intelligence chiefs effectively handing the government facilities to Taliban control and scattering the officials there, at least temporarily. The Taliban have negotiated Afghan troop surrenders in the past, but never at the scale and pace of the base collapses this month in the four provinces extending east, north and west of Kabul. The tactic has removed hundreds of government forces from the battlefield, secured strategic territory and reaped weapons, ammunition and vehicles for the Taliban often without firing a shot. The base collapses are one measure of the rapidly deteriorating government war effort as one outpost after another falls, sometimes after battles, but often after wholesale surrenders. The surrenders are part of a broader Taliban playbook of seizing and holding territory as security force morale plummets with the exit of international troops. Buyoffs of local police and militia. Local cease-fires that allow the Taliban to consolidate gains. A sustained military offensive despite pleas for peace talks and a nationwide cease-fire. The government is not able to save the security forces, said Mohammed Jalal, a village elder in Baghlan province. If they fight, they will be killed, so they have to surrender. The surrenders are the work of Taliban Invitation and Guidance Committees, which intervene after insurgents cut off roads and supplies to surrounded outposts. Committee leaders or Taliban military leaders phone base commanders and sometimes their families and offer to spare troops lives if they surrender their outposts, weapons and ammunition. In several cases, the committees have given surrendering troops money typically around $130 and civilian clothes and sent them home unharmed. But first they videotape the men as they promise not to rejoin the security forces. They log their phone numbers and the names of family members and vow to kill the men if they rejoin the military. The Taliban commander and the Invitation and Guidance Committee called me more than 10 times and asked me to surrender, said Maj. Imam Shah Zafari, 34, a district police chief in Wardak province who surrendered his command center and weapons on May 11 after negotiations mediated by local elders. After the Taliban provided a car ride home to Kabul, he said, a committee member phoned to assure him that the government would not imprison him for surrendering. He said, We have so much power in the government and we can release you, Zafari said. The Taliban committees take advantage of a defining characteristic of Afghan wars: Fighters and commanders regularly switch sides, cut deals, negotiate surrenders and cultivate village elders for influence with local residents. The current conflict is really dozens of local wars. These are intimate struggles, where brothers and cousins battle one another and commanders on each side cajole, threaten and negotiate by cellphone. A Taliban commander calls me all the time, trying to destroy my morale, so that Ill surrender, said Wahidullah Zindani, 36, a bearded, sunburned police commander who has rejected Taliban demands to surrender his nine-man, bullet-pocked outpost in Laghman province. The negotiated surrenders are part of a broader offensive in which the Taliban have surrounded at least five provincial capitals this spring, according to a Pentagon inspector general report released May 18. The offensive has intensified since the U.S. withdrawal began May 1. The Taliban have used their control of several major highways to cut off bases and garrisons, leaving them vulnerable. The surrenders have a profound psychological effect. They call and say the Taliban are powerful enough to defeat the U.S. and they can easily take Laghman province, so you should remember this before we kill you, Rahmatullah Yarmal, Laghmans 29-year-old governor, said of the Taliban committees during an interview inside his barricaded compound in Mehtar Lam, the provincial capital. Its an effective propaganda tactic, the governor conceded so effective that some outpost commanders now refuse to speak to elders or Taliban negotiators. He said many elders were not neutral peacemakers, but hand-picked Taliban supporters. Yarmal said 60 police officers who surrendered and took refuge in his government center are now primed to fight to retake the seven lost outposts. I think well have them back in a month, he said. But just hours after the governor spoke on May 19, a nearby district center, Dawlat Shah, surrendered without any resistance after negotiations. By the next morning, five more outposts had surrendered the same way in the district of Alishing, also in Laghman, district officials said. Those Taliban victories were facilitated, in part, by a 30-day cease-fire negotiated by elders on May 17 in the heavily contested district of Alingar, allowing the Taliban to shift resources to the Alishing, where they forced the negotiated surrender of the five outposts just two days later. (On May 21, the Taliban violated the cease-fire with renewed attacks in Alingar, Khadim said.) The series of base collapses represented the second wholesale surrender in a Laghman district in two weeks. On May 7, three outposts and a military base collapsed the same way without a fight, said Nasir Ahmad Himat, the Alingar district governor. The soldiers simply dropped their weapons, got in their vehicles and went to the district center or provincial capital, said Faqirullah, a village elder who goes by one name. As Taliban fighters advanced on the provincial capital Sunday, Yarmal announced that 110 security force members who had surrendered, and several commanders who were supposed to supervise them, had been detained for negligence. Also Sunday, the Afghan military announced that troop reinforcements and the military chief of staff had rushed to Laghman to try to repel the Taliban assault. In Ghazni province, Hasan Reza Yousofi, a provincial councilman, said he begged officials to send reinforcements to an outpost and a military base that ultimately fell to the Taliban this month. He played a recorded phone call from a police officer, Abdul Ahmad, who said his ammunition was gone and his men were drinking rainwater because the base water tower had been destroyed by a rocket. We have been sold out we make calls for reinforcements, but officials dont help, the recorded voice said. The Taliban sent us tribal elders who said, Surrender, you are sold out, no one will help you. Yousofi said he did not know whether Ahmad survived after his outpost fell. Negotiations have proved remarkably fruitful for the Taliban in Baghlan province, where at least 100 soldiers surrendered, and in Wardak province, where about 130 security force members surrendered following negotiations, officials said. In Laghman province, negotiations leading to the surrender of the seven outposts stretched over 10 days. Khadim, the village elder, said different elders negotiated with commanders of each outpost. We guaranteed they would not be killed, he said. There was nothing written, just our word. A few miles away, Zindani refused to surrender his forlorn outpost near the front line. He said officers who had negotiated surrenders at three nearby outposts had betrayed their country. One of his men, Muhammad Agha Bambard, said he would fight to avenge the deaths of two brothers he said were killed by the Taliban. He would never surrender, he said. Zindanis nine men were down to a machine gun, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and one AK-47 rifle each inside a ramshackle outpost with bloodstained walls. But he said he intended to fight on as he told the Taliban commander who regularly phoned to demand his surrender. I told him, Im a soldier of my country, the commander said. I am not here to surrender. Four days later, on Sunday, the outpost was overrun during a firefight with the Taliban, a member of the provincial council said. One police officer was shot dead and Zindani and his outgunned men were taken prisoner. A few hours later, the Taliban released a video showing Bambard being questioned by a Taliban commander as he lay on a mattress, his face and neck bandaged. In a mocking tone, the commander asked why Bambard had posted on his Facebook page that he would not let the enemy capture his outpost while he was alive. The wounded officer responded, This is Afghanistan. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 2021 The New York Times Company Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2021) - Zonetail Inc. (TSXV: ZONE), (OTCQB: ZTLLF) ("Zonetail" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has signed an agreement with Avrok Laboratories, LLC. ("Avrok"), based in Los Angeles, California and Ostia Sciences Inc. ("Ostia") based in Toronto, Ontario, for its mobile residential platform, offering COVID-19 testing in the comfort of your own home. Avrok and Ostia have partnered in Canada to offer surveillance screening for Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This service is available in Canada exclusively through Infect No More (InfectNoMore.ca). Infect No More offers Avrok's Next Gen Sequencing ("NGS") technology, which is 99% accurate and up to 74% more cost effective than other COVID-19 testing methods. The companies also offer standard RT-PCR screening. A big advantage of the Infect No More service is the use of Avrok's oral sample collection system, which is painless, easy and can be self-administered. "Research now confirms that oral swabs are as effective as the invasive nasal swabs," says Dr. Michael Glogauer, Chief Scientific Officer for Ostia and Professor in the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto. "And this approach to self-administered non-invasive sampling is a game changer to increase acceptance amongst the general population and help identify asymptomatic carriers of the virus." The detection of Sars-CoV-2 by NGS is not just more accurate than other methods, it's also fast. Results can be available in as little as 24 to 36 hours after the sample arrives in the Laboratory. Avrok is also in the process of being recognized by the appropriate regulatory boards to provide testing for travellers. The Zonetail high-rise residential platform is all about convenience and enhanced communication. It's a single platform that includes everything a condo or apartment resident needs; from full connectivity to their building and property management, to a wide range of businesses and essential services like Sars-CoV-2 screening, all in the palm of their hand. Residents and families using the Zonetail platform will be able to purchase a Sars-CoV-2 screening kit through the app, and have it sent directly to their home by courier. The Avrok test kit is easy to use, allowing people to perform the swab by mouth rather than the invasive nasopharyngeal swab. Once complete, they simply send it back to the lab and within a short time they will get their results. The Infect No More Sars-Cov-2 surveillance service will be made available to all Zonetail supported condominiums across Canada through the Infect No More website (https://infectnomore.ca). Once the Zonetail and Yardi integration is complete, the testing kits will be made available to those condos and apartments as well, not just in Canada, but also across the United States, reaching potentially tens of millions of people. Zonetail will receive a fee for each test kit purchased through their network. "COVID-19 is not going away any time soon", said Mark Holmes, CEO of Zonetail. "It's going to take some time to vaccinate everyone in North America, and let's keep in mind, the vaccination itself is not a cure. People will continue to need testing on a regular basis for the foreseeable future." Holmes went on to say, "Testing is important to get this pandemic under control, but many people don't have the means to get to a public testing station. Even those that do, many don't want to. They are afraid that even going to a public test site can put them at risk of catching the disease. This is a great and convenient way to address these issues." "We are very pleased to expand our NGS COVID-19 testing capabilities through the Zonetail platform," said Jonathan Martin, COO of Avrok Labs. "When dealing with a pandemic like this, it all begins with accurate, fast testing at scale. Working with companies like Zonetail and Ostia are the types of initiatives that need to get done if we ever hope to get the spread of COVID-19 under control." Dr. Peter Azmi, CEO of Ostia Sciences commented, "Sars-CoV-2 continues to pose a threat to businesses and individuals. Expanded screening and identification of asymptomatic individuals is a proven way to reduce spread, keep the vulnerable safe and allow businesses and individuals to get back to work and life more safely. We are honoured to be partnered with Avrok Labs, an innovative leader in next generation molecular testing. This strategic relationship with Zonetail will help expand screening and improve the health for communities in high-rise buildings, where high-density living is known to increase the risk of Sars-CoV-2 transmission." About Zonetail Zonetail Inc. (TSXV: ZONE) (OTCQB: ZTLLF) provides mobile platforms for condominiums, apartments and hotels, providing residents and guests access and interaction with building amenities and services as well as essential neighbouring services, restaurants, stores, and other businesses. Zonetail is partnered with Shiftsuite, one of the largest property management software companies servicing the condo industry in Canada and is 'live' in approximately 85,000 condominium households. Zonetail also has an integration agreement in place with Yardi Systems, the largest property management software company in the North America. Zonetail is partnered with AAHOA, the largest association of hoteliers in the world, representing over 25,000 hotels and 50% of the US market. Zonetail has offices in Toronto, Ontario and San Dimas, California. For more information, please visit https://www.zonetail.com. Mark Holmes, President and CEO Zonetail Inc. Telephone (Direct): (416) 994-5399 mark@zonetail.com About Avrok Laboratories Avrok Laboratories offers surveillance screening for COVID-19 testing using NGS (Next Gen Sequencing) which is 99% accurate and up to 74% more cost effective than other COVID-19 testing methods. Receive results in 24-36 hours and get back to what you do best. Be part of the BACK TO movement and get back to your life! Jonathan Martin, COO Avrok Laboratories Telephone: 310-745-6555 jmartin@avroklsci.com For more information on Avrok Laboratories, please visit https://avroklabs.com/ About Ostia Sciences Inc. Ostia Sciences Inc. is a precision oral health sciences company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario Canada. Ostia Sciences operates Infect No More (infectnomore.ca), the exclusive provider of Avrok services and technologies in Canada. Ostia develops next generation precision oral health technologies and services that enable healthcare professionals to provide better health outcomes. Peter Azmi, CEO Ostia Sciences Inc. contact@ostiasciences.com For more information about Ostia Sciences Inc. please visit https://ostiasciences.com/ For more information on SARS-CoV-2 surveillance screening in Canada, please visit https://infectnomore.ca Legal Disclaimer and Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that relate to Zonetail's current expectations and views of future events. In some cases, these forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may", "will", "expect", "anticipate", "aim", "estimate", "intend", "plan", "seek", "believe", "potential", "continue", "is/are likely to" or the negative of these terms, or other similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. Certain matters discussed in this announcement contain statements, estimates and projections about the growth of Zonetail's business, potential distribution partnerships and/or clients, and related business strategy. Such statements, estimates and projections may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time-to-time. Zonetail undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The recipient of this information is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analysis made by Zonetail in light of its experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors Zonetail believes are appropriate and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Although Zonetail believes that the assumptions underlying these statements are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect. Given these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, prospective purchasers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/72074 Lebanon: Beirut files complaint with UN for Israel violation Calls for immediate release of shepherd held since Tuesday (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, JANUARY 14 - Lebanon presented a formal complaint to the UN for the second time in just days, after Israel - with whom Beirut has been formally in a state of war since the countries' birth as independent nations - violated the Blue Line of demarcation between the two countries and took a Lebanese shepherd into custody in southeastern Lebanon. Lebanese media said Thursday morning that the complaint, presented by the Lebanese ambassador to the UN, denounces Israeli air, sea, and land violations, which have intensified in recent days, and calls for the immediate release of the Lebanese shepherd, who has been held in Israel since Tuesday. For its part, Israel said the shepherd is actually a Lebanese citizen who, on behalf of Hezbollah, was in the area of Kfar Shuba, near the areas contested by the two countries, to monitor Israeli military positions. In the past, Israel has opened fire on or stopped Lebanese shepherds in the area of Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shuba. (ANSA). Following months of producing 3D face shield masks for frontline workers, Harrisburg University professor Charles Shearrow died Tuesday from his own battle with COVID-19. Known as Chip to family, friends, and colleagues, the 61-year-old was the Advanced Manufacturing Program Lead professor at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology. When COVID-19 became a serious concern last year and personal protective equipment began to run low for frontline workers, Shearrow began problem-solving. His solution was to teach his students how to make 3D face shield masks, which were distributed to first responders and long-term care workers through partnerships with medical organizations. In a statement released by Harrisburg University on Wednesday, officials said he and his team produced 2,300 of them. When COVID-19 struck last year, Chip went into action to produce face shields for frontline workers, university spokesperson Steven Infanti said. Since April, Shearrow spent many of his weekends producing batches of face shields on one of Harrisburg Universitys 3D printers. He teamed with the Pennsylvania Health Care Association and other organizations to provide the 3D-printed face shields amid a statewide shortage of personal protective equipment. Through October, Shearrow and students, including his son, Charles Shearrow II, produced 2,344 face shields for those who need them most, free of charge. 6 Harrisburg University students make face shields to help in fight against coronavirus Born and raised in Ohio, Shearrows ability to create something out of nothing was evident from his childhood years, his cousin David Shearrow said. David, who now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, said he and Chip were the same age and remained in touch their entire lives up until about two weeks ago when they last texted. He was an extremely creative and intelligent person, David said. Whether it was construction or mechanics or unique solutions; he just thought in a different way than most people. His parents had property in the country in southern Ohio. Wed go out in the woods and play. When we were 9 or 10 years old, we had decided to build a treehouse. He was just throwing everything up, and I didnt even know how to use a hammer. Even at that young age, he showed an aptitude to build and of being a mechanical genius. Im going to miss him dearly. Gigi Rice, another cousin of Shearrows, said he was an eternal optimist, which makes it even harder for her to process that he died. Rice, who lives near Los Angeles, said he was the cousin who was there for everyone whenever they needed support. Chip was a brilliant teacher, person, and human, she said. He was just a really, really good person. He was humble, even though he was the highest educated one in the family. He loved his family. And, he loved his students. The fond memories of growing up with Shearrow will stay with Rice, too, she said. The cabin was our favorite place to go, she said. We would go to the treehouse on top of the mountain, and Chip was the only person who could fix everything. We had a Tarzan swing. We would go fishing. He would smoke ribs. It was really, really fun times in the cabin just spending entire weekends together in southern Ohio. Shearrow received his bachelor of science degree in technology education, masters in science in technology education and his Ph.D. in technology all at Ohio State University. After completing his education, Shearrow was on the staff at Ohio Northern University. Among his accomplishments, he led an undefeated robotics team for seven years, bringing the Society Manufacturing Engineers National Robotics contest to the university in 1997. He worked at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston from 2000 to 2013, where he was directly involved with the recovery of Space Shuttle Columbia. Before arriving at Harrisburg University, where he has been on staff for about two years, he also worked at TE Connectivity in Harrisburg. Haiti - Politic : Fuel shortage at EDH, the company apologizes EDH's General Directorate informs its customers that the company is facing fuel supply difficulties and apologizes to them because this shortage prevents them from providing electricity under normal conditions. EDH's General Directorate reports that it is working hard with its government partners to resolve the fuel supply problem the company is facing these days. Remember that between January 7 and 9 260,000 barrels of diesel were to arrive in Port-au-prince https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-32720-icihaiti-notice-2-other-shipments-of-fuel-expected-in-port-au-prince.html according to the announcement made by Fils Aime Ignace Saint Fleur, the Director General of the Office of Monetization of Development Assistance Programs (BMPAD) See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-32720-icihaiti-notice-2-other-shipments-of-fuel-expected-in-port-au-prince.html HL/ HaitiLibre New Delhi, Jan 14 : Actress Rasika Dugal has been busy working in new seasons of various web shows, and she says playing the same character all over again in a fresh season is like meeting an old friend. "I have had a lot of second seasons this year. It's been an interesting journey to revisit Beena ('Mirzapur'), Neeti ('Delhi Crime') and Meera ('Out of Love'), and to experience how they might have changed as people," Rasika told IANS. "Reprising a character for a new season is like meeting an old friend -- you basically know them and understand how they are wired, but they are not exactly who they were when you met them last," she added. Rasika recently completed the shoot of "Out Of Love" season 2. On working during the pandemic, she shared: "Initially, it was full of trepidation and nervousness for everyone, but because safety norms were being followed, all of us eased into it soon enough." "It also helped that we were shooting in the hills. It felt safer," added the actress, on shooting in Ooty and Coonoor for the second season of the show for two months. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 09:33:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HARARE, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe is developing a draft COVID-19 vaccination framework for the roll out of the vaccine, Acting Information Minister Jefferson Muswere said Wednesday. Zimbabwe has announced that it could receive its first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine next month, with the government now finalizing its national deployment plan and the training of health care workers. The country will procure the vaccine through COVAX, a global initiative led by the World Health Organization. Frontline health care workers and the elderly will first be inoculated. Muswere urged the public to observe lockdown regulations to curb the spread of the virus. Zimbabwe has entered into another lockdown, starting from Jan. 5 to 31, amid a second wave of the pandemic. As of Wednesday, the country had recorded 24,256 cases with 13,658 recoveries and 589 deaths. Enditem Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Representative Image With the government rolling out the much-awaited COVID-19 vaccination drive across India from January 16, here is an explainer that clears some basic doubts on how to register, who will get the vaccine first, safety and privacy, and whether vaccine interchangeability is allowed. The vaccine rollout will be in a phased manner. In the initial phase, the government said it would inoculate about one crore healthcare workers. This will be followed by two crore frontline workers, police, armed forces, municipal workers, revenue staff and others. In the third phase, 27 crore people above 50 years of age and those with co-morbidities like diabetes, hypertension, and organ transplant patients will get the vaccine. Then the government may give open access via the private market to healthy adults, teenagers, children and lastly to neonates. The central government will be footing the bill for vaccinating three crore healthcare and frontline workers. The government will be soon launching its official mobile app CoWin developed to monitor the COVID-19 vaccine delivery across India and enable people to register to get the vaccine. Once the CoWIN app is launched, one can download the app, submit any one of the twelve photo-identity documents such as voter card, Aadhaar, driving license, among others to register and for verification of beneficiary at session site to ensure that the intended person is vaccinated. Following online registration, the beneficiary will receive an SMS on the due date, place and time of their vaccination. The CoWin app will also give reminders for the second dose, helps one to reschedule the vaccination and report any adverse events. A unique health ID will be generated for each vaccine beneficiary in the CoWIN system, to help the government keep track. A QR code-based digital certificate will be sent via the application to those who have been administered both doses of the coronavirus vaccine. But hang on, for the initial phases of vaccine rollout involving healthcare and frontline, there is no need for self-registration. The details of the beneficiaries will be preloaded by the respective departments on to the CoWin platform, and SMS will be sent to their mobile phones mentioning the due date, place and time of their vaccination. The CoWin platform collects individual information and keeps a digital record on who gets vaccinated by whom, when and which vaccine. The Centre is asking states to urge the beneficiaries to seed their current mobile number with Aadhaar for registration and consequent communication through SMS. This is also to weed out proxies. CoWIN is an extension of the electronic vaccine intelligence network eVIN, the cloud-based IT solution platform that's been built to provide real-time feedback of vaccine stocks, power outages, temperature fluctuations, etc. To protect privacy, the data sets did not include names of any stakeholders or any other information that would allow identification of respondents. All physical copies of filled questionnaires and field notes were kept secure and confidential. All electronic data is stored on a password-protected computer while backup of all data and analysis reports has been stored on an external encrypted hard drive. However, there are some concerns about privacy and data protection. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show Vaccination for COVID-19 is voluntary. However, it is advisable to receive the complete schedule of COVID-19 vaccine for protecting oneself against this disease and also to limit the spread of this disease to close contacts including family members, friends, relatives and co-workers. While Serum Institute of India's (SII) Covishield vaccine has been approved for restricted use in emergency situations in individuals 18 years of age and above, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin has been approved for 12 years and above. Administration of vaccines on pregnant women should only be considered when the potential benefits outweigh any potential risks for the mother and fetus. Yes, persons with one or more of these co-morbid conditions are considered high-risk categories. They need to get COVID -19 vaccination. There are two COVID-19 vaccines available, Serum Institute of India's Covishield and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin. At the moment there is no choice, one will have to take whatever COVID-19 vaccine is available at the determined health facility. Individuals who had severe allergic reactions after a previous dose of the vaccine and had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredients of the vaccine shouldn't take it. Yes, it is advisable to receive a complete schedule of COVID-19 vaccine irrespective of past history of infection with COVID-19. This will help in developing a strong immune response against the disease. One needs to be at the vaccination centre for at least half an hour after taking the COVID-19 vaccine. Inform the nearest health authorities/ANM/ASHA in case of any discomfort or uneasiness subsequently. Two doses of vaccine, 28 days apart, need to be taken by an individual to complete the vaccination schedule. The vaccines are given as intramuscular injections. Auto-disable syringes are used to prevent cross-infection and reuse of injectables. Around 2 lakh trained vaccinators across India will be deployed to inject people with COVID-19 vaccines. At the moment interchangeability of vaccines is not allowed. It is recommended that individuals who receive the first dose of Covishield should complete the vaccination course with the second dose of the same vaccine. If one forgets to go back at the scheduled time to get a vaccine, one needs to check with the healthcare provider concerned for advice. The CoWIN app is expected to have the facility to reschedule. Protective levels of antibodies are generally developed two weeks after receiving the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Yes, COVID-19 protocols like covering mouth and nose with a mask, washing hands often, and staying at least 6 feet away from others should be continued, as experts need time to understand more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide before deciding to change recommendations. The decision will be based on factors like how much percent of the population is vaccinated, how the virus is spreading and new mutations. Vaccines are developed taking into consideration the fact that viruses mutate. The COVID-19 vaccines are expected to work against the mutant strains. But studies are underway to find out conclusively that existing COVID-19 vaccines work against mutant strains found in the UK and South Africa. No. None of the COVID-19 vaccines contain the live virus that causes COVID-19 so a vaccine cannot make you sick with COVID-19. The side effects reported by the clinical trial population are mostly mild COVID-like symptoms like low fever and fatigue. Local injection site pain and induration are also reported. Serious allergic reactions are rare, but if a vaccine recipient experiences a severe allergic reaction, he needs to call or go to the nearest hospital. Call the healthcare provider in case of any side effects that bother or do not go away. In addition, one can report side effects after vaccination to the vaccine makers. For instance Serum Institute of India, the manufacturer of Covishield, has opened a 24 x 7 Call Center Toll-Free Number (For Medical and Adverse Event-Related Queries Only): +91-1800 1200124. As of now, insurance companies have said they are not going to cover any vaccine-related damages. They are waiting for the government mandate on this. The government hasnt given indemnity to vaccine makers. Indemnity is an exemption from legal liability. There is more clarity awaited on this. In a bid to bring India and the US closer, Air India has commenced its first-ever non-stop services between Hyderabad and Chicago. This comes close on the heels of the launch of the non-stop Bengaluru-San Francisco service. The flight AI 108 from Chicago to Hyderabad will operate on Wednesdays. The first flight left Chicago on time at 2130 hrs (Local Time/LT) on January 13 and will arrive at Hyderabad at 0040 hrs(LT) on January 15. The return flight AI-107 from Hyderabad to Chicago which operates once a week every Friday will depart from Hyderabad at 1250 hrs to arrive in Chicago at 1805 hrs(LT) on the same day. The flight will operate with a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft with a seating capacity of 238 seats including 8 First Class, 35 Business Class,195 Economy class configuration besides 4 Cockpit and 12 Cabin crew. The total flight time on this route will be approx 16 hours 45 minutes from Hyderabad to Chicago and approx 15hrs 40 minutes from Chicago to Hyderabad. Hyderabad being a gateway to South and Central India will connect Air Indias direct flight from Chicago with domestic connections to Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Bengaluru and Chennai. At present, Air India operates non-stop flights from Delhi to New York, Newark, Washington DC, San Francisco and Chicago, from Mumbai to Newark and New York and our very recent addition from Bengaluru to San Francisco. Air India has been mobilizing all its resources in its epic mission to fly people, left stranded due to the air route restrictions, back home. So far, Air India has flown close to 16 lakh people on over 12 thousand flights covering 75 destinations in 55 countries under the Centre's Vande Bharat Mission and Air Transport Bubble Arrangement. Delta Lost More Than $12 Billion Last Year This briefing has ended. Follow our latest coverage of markets, business and the economy. Deltas $755 million quarterly loss caps the toughest year in its history. Empty Delta ticket counters at Salt Lake City International Airport in April. The airline reported a loss of nearly $12.4 billion for 2020. Credit... Rick Bowmer/Associated Press Delta Air Lines lost $755 million in the fourth quarter, bringing its losses to nearly $12.4 billion in 2020, a year in which the airline industry was battered by a pandemic that crippled air travel. Our December quarter results capped the toughest year in Deltas history, Ed Bastian, Deltas chief executive, said in a statement Tuesday morning. While our challenges continue in 2021, I am optimistic this will be a year of recovery and a turning point that results in an even stronger Delta. The airline brought in nearly $4 billion in operating revenue in the last three months of the year, a 65 percent decline from the same quarter a year earlier. But Delta also nearly halved its daily cash burn, an approximate measure of spending on core operations and investments, which analysts use to gauge how close a business is to taking in more cash than it is spending. The distribution of coronavirus vaccines has given Delta and other airlines hope, but a meaningful recovery is not expected until the vaccines are widely administered, which is not expected until at least the second half of the year. During the first three months of 2021, Delta expects scheduled flight capacity to be down about a third and revenue to be 60 to 65 percent lower compared with the same quarter in 2019. In the earnings announcement, Glen Hauenstein, Deltas president, said the airline expected the year to unfold in three phases: choppy at first, followed by an inflection point and then a sustained recovery as customer confidence gains momentum, vaccinations become widespread and offices reopen. Holiday travel provided some relief to the industry, but air travel is still down more than 60 percent compared with last year, according to the latest Transportation Security Administration airport security screening data. Here are the highlights of Bidens $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:34 - 0:00 transcript Biden Outlines $1.9 Trillion Economic Rescue Package President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Thursday proposed a spending package to combat the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus. The plan includes $1,400 direct payments to individuals and more generous unemployment benefits. During this pandemic, millions of Americans, through no fault of their own, have lost the dignity and respect that comes with a job and a paycheck. Millions of Americans never thought theyd be out of work many of them never even envisioned the idea are facing eviction, waiting for hours in their cars to feed their families as they drive up to a food bank. A growing chorus of top economists agree that the moment of crisis in this moment of crisis, with interest rates at historic lows, we cannot afford inaction. Our rescue plan also includes immediate relief to Americans hardest hit and most in need. We will finish the job of getting a total of $2,000 in cash relief to people who need it the most. The $600 already appropriated is simply not enough. One in seven households in America, more than one in five Black and Latino households in America, report they dont have enough food to eat. So were going to extend emergency nutritional assistance for 30 for 43 million children and their families enrolled in the SNAP program through the rest of this year. To the millions of you just looking for a fighting chance in this economy, I promise you, we will not forget you. We understand what youre going through. We will never, ever give up. President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Thursday proposed a spending package to combat the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus. The plan includes $1,400 direct payments to individuals and more generous unemployment benefits. Credit Credit... Amr Alfiky/The New York Times President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Thursday proposed a $1.9 trillion rescue package to combat the economic downturn and the Covid-19 crisis, outlining the type of sweeping aid that Democrats have demanded for months and signaling the shift in the federal governments pandemic response as Mr. Biden prepares to take office next week. The package includes more than $400 billion to combat the pandemic directly, including money to accelerate vaccine deployment and to safely reopen most schools within 100 days. An additional $350 billion would help state and local governments bridge budget shortfalls, while the plan would also include $1,400 direct payments to individuals, more generous unemployment benefits, federally mandated paid leave for workers and large subsidies for child care costs. During this pandemic, millions of Americans, through no fault of their own, have lost the dignity and respect that comes with a job and a paycheck, Mr. Biden said in a speech to the nation on Tuesday evening. There is real pain overwhelming the real economy. He acknowledged the high price tag but said the nation could not afford to do anything less. The very health of our nation is at stake, Mr. Biden said, speaking from Delaware. We have to act and we have to act now. Here are some of the highlights of Mr. Bidens so-called American Rescue Plan: The rescue proposal would be financed entirely through increased federal borrowing, and flows from the idea that the virus and the recovery are intertwined. The $20 billion national vaccine program he announced envisions nationwide community vaccination centers. He also called for a public health jobs program that would address his goals of bolstering the economy and the coronavirus response while also rebuilding the nations public health infrastructure. The proposal would fund 100,000 public health workers to engage in vaccine outreach and contact tracing. To address the racial disparities in health exposed by the coronavirus pandemic, which has disproportionately claimed the lives of people of color, he pledged to increase funding for community health centers, and also intends to fund efforts to mitigate the pandemic in prisons and jails, where African-Americans and Latinos are overrepresented. Mr. Biden proposed a wide range of efforts to help those who have suffered the most under the economic shutdowns, including emergency paid leave to 106 million Americans, regardless of the size of their employer, and extending tax credits to many families to offset up to $8,000 in annual child care costs. The plan gives billions of dollars in aid to renters struggling to keep up with mounting unpaid liabilities to landlords, and it would give grants to millions of the hardest-hit small businesses. The proposal would temporarily increase the size of two tax credits in a manner that would effectively provide more cash from the government to low-income workers and families. Mr. Biden called on Congress to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, and he proposed extending expanded unemployment benefits through the end of September, with an extra $400 weekly supplement. Jim Tankersley and Advertisement Continue reading the main story The job outlook may not improve until the spring, economists say. Volunteers processing donations at a food pantry in Wichita, Kan. More than one million people filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week. Credit... Stephen Speranza for The New York Times The surge last week in unemployment claims is the latest indication that the coronavirus pandemic is still sending shock waves through the economy. And some economists say it could be spring before the labor market starts to meaningfully improve. People are still scared of the virus, as they should be, and that is going to have an economic impact, said AnnElizabeth Konkel, an economist at the career site Indeed. The virus is the root of all that is going on right now. How quickly the economy recovers will depend on several factors, including how soon more widespread administration of the vaccine can begin. Warmer weather could allow more people to gather outside, slowing the spread of the virus as it did last year. President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. has also vowed to push another big relief package through Congress, which could provide a lifeline to struggling individuals and businesses the coronavirus is under control. Still, as the coronavirus continues to pummel the leisure and hospitality industries, employers are likely to continue cutting jobs in the weeks ahead. Some struggling businesses may not survive. In addition, a major element of the relief package signed by President Trump last month a $300 weekly federal supplement to other unemployment benefits is set to expire in mid-March, which could again leave people in the lurch. Economists say that economic improvement will not happen overnight even once the coronavirus does become contained. As we get into the second quarter, the economy should begin to heal, said Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst at Bankrate. But clearly, all of this has taken much longer than anyone expected, and probably the healing will take some time as well. Jerome Powell says a higher Fed interest rate will return no time soon. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:22 - 0:00 transcript Fed Will Not Raise Interest Rates Anytime Soon, Powell Says Jerome H. Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve, said the U.S. economy is a long way from recovery and the central bank would not raise interest rates anytime soon. The economy is far from our goals, and as I mentioned a couple of times, were strongly committed to a framework of using our monetary policy tools until the job is well and truly done. When the time comes to raise interest rates, well certainly do that in that time. By the way, is no time soon. Remember, were a long way from maximum employment. Theres plenty of slack in the labor market. Unlikely that wage pressures are going to be reaching a level that would create support higher inflation. Also second, the other factor, Id point to is look around the world, shortage of demand in lots of large advanced economy countries around the world with who began this crisis at deeply negative interest rates and have had little policy space with interest rates. Now, there are other things they can do, and they are doing, but that all is going to hang around for a while. And the U.S. economy is strongly integrated with the rest of the world. And thats going to matter. Surveys now show that market participants expect us not to raise rates until inflation has reached 2 percent, and until the labor market is very strong indeed. And that is also consistent with our rate guidance. Im optimistic about the economy over the next couple of years. I really, and weve got to get through this very difficult period this winter with the spread of Covid. But as the vaccines go out, and we get Covid under control, theres a lot of reason to be optimistic about the U.S. economy. Jerome H. Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve, said the U.S. economy is a long way from recovery and the central bank would not raise interest rates anytime soon. Credit Credit... Pool photo by Greg Nash Jerome H. Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve, made it clear on Thursday that the central bank would be cautious in easing off its support for the economy and that action was anything but imminent. Speaking during a webcast question-and-answer session, Mr. Powell said it would take time for the economy to recover from the pain of the pandemic era. Were a long way from maximum employment, theres plenty of slack in the labor market, he said, noting also that weakness in global economies would weigh on progress in the United States. And if inflation picks up substantially, he added, the Fed has policy tools to counteract that. Too low inflation is the much more difficult problem to solve. Some investors have worried that the Fed might speed up its plans to reduce its enormous bond purchases, or even to lift interest rates from their near-zero setting. The central bank has been buying about $120 billion in Treasury and mortgage-backed debt each month to keep markets operating smoothly and to help support the economy. Top officials have been clear that economic conditions remain well short of their twin targets maximum employment and slow but steady price increases. Mr. Powell reiterated that there was a long way to go to get the economy back to full health. When the time comes to raise interest rates, we will certainly do that, he said. And that time, by the way, is no time soon. Google finalizes its acquisition of Fitbit. Fitbit has 29 million customers, a small share of the global market for fitness tracking devices. Credit... Michele Tantussi/Reuters Google on Thursday announced it had finalized its $2.1 billion acquisition of Fitbit, after a deadline passed for the Justice Department to object to the deal. Fitbit gives the search company a giant leap into the wearable health tech market, putting it more in direct competition with Apple. In a blog post announcing the completion of the deal, Google said it was committed to protecting the privacy of users, the main sticking point for global regulators who reviewed the merger. The search company promised regulators it would not collect data to be used for targeted advertising. This deal has always been about devices, not data, Rick Osterloh, Googles senior vice president of devices and services, said. We worked with global regulators on an approach which safeguards consumers privacy expectations. James Park, the chief executive of 13-year-old Fitbit, said under Google, with its vast resources, FitBits prospects were truly limitless. Fitbit has 29 million customers, a small share of the global market for fitness tracking devices. The giant in the field is Apple, which nearly 40 percent of the wearable tech market, according to IDC research. Googles privacy commitments were enough to persuade European regulators to approve the deal in December after a 13-month investigation. The regulators approved the deal on privacy commitments and with Googles promise to continue providing its free Android software to competing makers of fitness and health devices. The business deal was completed after the Justice Department did not object to the deal by Jan. 13, its deadline for making such a move. The Justice Department, which is suing Google for antitrust violations in its search business, said it was still investigating the deal. Regulators can scrutinize finalized mergers and acquisitions. The Antitrust Divisions investigation of Googles acquisition of Fitbit remains ongoing, said Alex Okuliar, a senior antitrust official for the agency. The Justice Department, Mr. Okuliar said, continues to investigate whether Googles acquisition of Fitbit may harm competition and consumers in the United States. Google said in a statement that it continues to be in touch with the agency. We are confident this deal will increase competition in the highly crowded wearables market, and weve made commitments that we plan to implement globally, the company said. Advertisement Continue reading the main story A regulator bars banks from freezing out certain industries, but it may not last. A coal-fired plant in Stratton, Ohio. Banks have stopped lending to some of the fossil fuel industrys most harmful practices. Credit... Brian Snyder/Reuters Over the past several years, big banks around the world have cut off lending to some of the fossil fuel industrys most harmful practices, like coal mining and the use of coal-fired power plants. Decisions like those would be prohibited by a new Trump administration rule finalized on Thursday although the change may be swiftly undone by the incoming Biden administration, to the relief of the banks who opposed it. On his last day as acting comptroller of the currency, Brian Brooks finalized a rule that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which regulates the countrys biggest banks, is calling the Fair Access rule. It says that banks must offer the same products and services to everyone, unless they can prove to the regulator that a specific borrower is too much of a risk. Banks that cut off companies conducting legal businesses need to show their work and the legitimate business reasons for doing so, Mr. Brooks said in a statement. The rule is set to take effect on April 1, but might not make it that far. The rule is one of a long list of changes that Democrats expect to undo after President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. takes office. The rule was among a series of last-minute, industry-friendly changes that the Trump administration is making in its final days. Lobbying groups were given just 25 business days to comment on the proposal over a period that stretched from Thanksgiving to Christmas to just after New Years Day yet they made their dismay perfectly clear. Greg Baer, the chief executive of the Bank Policy Institute, a trade group representing the biggest banks, wrote to the regulator in December to ask that the rule be withdrawn. In a statement posted on groups website on Thursday, Mr. Baer said banks were disappointed in the decision to fast-track a rule that was hastily conceived and poorly constructed. The rule lacks both logic and legal basis, it ignores basic facts about how banking works, and it will undermine the safety and soundness of the banks to which it applies, he said. The Trump administration announces new restrictions on sales to Chinese and other foreign entities. The Trump administration on Thursday added the Chinese National Overseas Oil Corporation, one of Chinas largest oil and gas producers, to an entity list that will restrict its ability to purchase American exports, citing the companys reckless and belligerent actions in the South China Sea. The Department of Commerce, which made the announcement, also said it would add a Chinese company named Skyrizon to a separate list of companies that have ties to the Chinese military, which will result in new restrictions on investing in and selling products to the company. The Trump administration has steadily ramped up restrictions on the sale of American technology to Chinese entities, saying that such sales pose a national security risk. The Chinese government fuels its military development in part through policies that allow it to access and replicate sensitive technologies for its militarization efforts, the Commerce Department said. In a separate announcement Thursday morning, the department said that it was expanding its restrictions on exports of technology to prohibit companies from selling goods to foreign intelligence services in Cuba, China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria and Venezuela. The department said it would also expand the categories of goods that fall under those restrictions. U.S. markets drop for second time this week. Stocks on Wall Street fell on Thursday, retreating for the second time this week after notching record highs last week, even as investors anticipated President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr.s announcement of a multitrillion-dollar spending plan to counter the pandemics impact on the U.S. economy. The S&P 500 fell 0.4 percent, ending lower than it stood a week ago. In Europe, the Stoxx Europe 600 index rose 0.7 percent and Londons FTSE 100 was up 0.8 percent. Mr. Bidens full plan will reportedly cost $1.9 trillion, and is expected to initially focus on expanding the countrys vaccination program and virus testing capacity. Mr. Biden is expected to provide details in a speech Thursday evening in Delaware, hours after the latest tally of weekly unemployment claims showed a sharp rise in newly jobless Americans. Hiring remains dreadful, with employers recording a net loss of 140,000 jobs in December. Last spring, as the pandemic arrived in the United States, 22 million jobs disappeared. Nearly 10 million remain lost. The latest data from China shows a humming economy. Exports rose 18 percent in December from a year earlier, reflecting global demand for work-from-home devices. Imports also increased, up 6.5 percent from a year ago, a sign of a strengthening domestic consumer economy. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Norways Equinor to build large wind farms for New York. Erna Solberg, the prime minister of Norway, on a tour of New York Harbor in 2019 to discuss Equinors wind farm project for New York State. This week Equinor and BP were chosen for two more wind projects. Credit... Gabriela Bhaskar for The New York Times Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York has picked two European giants, Norways Equinor and BP, to supply the state with clean electricity from wind turbines planted on two large tracts in the Atlantic. Offshore wind developers are attracted to the East Coast of the United States because of the availability of shallow water sites suitable for wind farms and the proximity of major electric power consuming centers like New York and Boston. Until recently, offshore wind was largely a European industry but it has gained interest elsewhere as larger turbines and other innovations have brought down costs. The deal will bring investment of nearly $9 billion, according to a news release from the state government. One of the sites is 20 miles off the south shore of Long Island, and the other is about the same distance south of Nantucket. The projects are expected to produce power late in this decade. Equinor had already reached a $3 billion offshore power deal with New York in 2019. That wind farm plus the two just announced will have generating capacity sufficient to power 1.8 million homes. For European oil companies like Equinor, the former Statoil, offshore wind projects provide opportunities to invest billions of dollars to advance their agenda of shifting away from oil and gas toward cleaner energy. Equinor moved early to acquire rights to ocean acreage off the United States and last year agreed to sell a 50 percent stake in its U.S. business to BP for $1.1 billion. Equinor, other companies and the state will invest $644 million in a port in South Brooklyn and other facilities for constructing and servicing the wind farms, according to the news release. A Hong Kong internet provider confirms it censored a website under the new security law. Hong Kong police officers carrying a flag in July to warn protesters about actions that violate the new national security law. Credit... Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times Hong Kong Broadband Network said in a statement on Thursday that it had taken steps to block access to a website that featured the personal information of police officers, the first full website censorship under Hong Kongs expansive national security law. The site, which featured personal information about the police and pro-establishment figures in the Chinese city, first faced partial blocks in Hong Kong on Jan. 6. A technical analysis by The New York Times showed the territorys internet service providers appeared to be interfering with access to the site. Hong Kong Broadband, one of the citys largest internet service providers, said it cut access to the site on Jan. 13 in compliance with the requirement issued under the national security law. In the past, Hong Kongs government had a separate process, which included issuing court orders, to go after content deemed illegal online. But the purge of the website happened without any warning or official legal notification, according to Naomi Chan, the 18-year-old high-school student who created the site. The disruption raises the prospect that Hong Kong, long a bastion of internet freedom on the border with Chinas closely censored internet, could fall under the shadow of the mainlands Great Firewall, which blocks foreign internet sites like Google and Facebook. Since the national security law was put in place over the summer, the police have turned to harsh digital investigative tactics reminiscent of those used by security forces in China, including hanging cameras outside the doors of politicians and forcing arrestees to give them access to smartphones. The law was prompted by sometimes violent antigovernment protests in 2019, which alarmed Communist Party leaders in Beijing. The Chinese government has since used the law to tighten its grip on the former British colony, which operates under its own laws and has long enjoyed some degree of autonomy, including freedom of speech. After a tough year, Renault unveils plan to survive in a diminished auto market. Luca de Meo, the chief executive of Renault, said the carmaker would go from simply surviving the storm to putting the company in better shape than it has ever been before. Credit... Benoit Tessier/Reuters The French carmaker Renault, saying it does not expect auto sales to bounce back quickly from the pandemic, announced a plan on Thursday to survive and make money while selling fewer cars and shifting emphasis to electric vehicles. The plan presented by Luca de Meo, who took over as Renaults chief executive in July, is a sharp departure from the strategy pursued by Carlos Ghosn, the former chief executive of Renaults alliance with Japanese automakers Nissan and Mitsubishi. Mr. de Meo implicitly criticized Mr. Ghosn during an online briefing for journalists and analysts on Thursday, saying that Renault had too many layers, too many silos, too many shared responsibilities. All that mattered were size and volumes. Under the new plan, Renault will cut production capacity, reduce the number of models it offers and simplify manufacturing by increasing the number of parts shared among vehicles. For example, all gasoline vehicles will use the same basic engine. Mr. de Meo said his aim was to avoid job cuts beyond those already planned. The French government is a big shareholder in the company, and has resisted job cuts in the past. We are also here to protect the work of people, Mr. de Meo told reporters during a conference call. We have so many opportunities to get rid of other costs. During a brutal period for the auto industry, Renault was among the hardest hit. The company said Tuesday that sales fell more than 20 percent in 2020, to less than three million vehicles. We are not betting on a strong recovery, Clotilde Delbos, the Renault chief financial officer, said during the presentation. Cost reduction will be the strongest lever for our improvement. Electric cars are among Renaults few bright spots. Sales of the Zoe, a two-door battery powered hatchback, doubled in 2020 despite the pandemic. The Zoe displaced the Tesla Model 3 as the best-selling electric car in Europe. However, at around 20,000 euros after subsidies, or $24,000, the Zoe costs half as much as the Model 3 and is likely to be less profitable. Mr. de Meo mentioned Renaults troubled but essential alliance with Japanese carmakers Nissan and Mitsubishi only in passing. But at the end of the video presentation, Makoto Uchida, the chief executive of Nissan, made an appearance to say that he endorsed the Renault plan. Im happy to see Renault back on the path to profitability, Mr. Uchida said. Advertisement Continue reading the main story Since COVID-19 first threatened an outbreak within the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, the time that prisoners are permitted out of their cell has been counted not in hours but precious minutes. Civil-rights lawyers have fought to guarantee a minimum of 45 minutes a day, and said the prisons frequently failed to deliver even that. But in mid-December, after an outbreak infected at least 150 people, the department announced an even stricter lockdown, allowing for just 15 minutes a day through Jan. 20. Now, a federal judge has ordered the department to ease that policy. The current shelter-in-place policy, implemented by PDP to control the transmission of COVID-19, keeps incarcerated people in their cells for nearly 24 hours a day, and such prolonged confinement is harmful to the mental and physical health of incarcerated individuals, Berle M. Schiller, senior U.S. district judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, wrote in an order published late Wednesday. It was the latest development in a class-action lawsuit filed in April by prisoners represented by the ACLU of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project (PILP), and other civil rights lawyers, who have advocated for improved access to cleaning supplies, masks, and testing. Across the state, prisons and jails have been relying, I think improperly, on solitary confinement to try to address COVID-19 without looking at some other options that are available to them, said Su Ming Yeh, executive director of PILP. In my opinion, Philadelphia prisons are among the most extreme in how they confine people. The city, in its filings, said it was implementing only necessary restrictions, striking a balance between the mental and physical health risks. Its reports suggest that the outbreak is being brought under control, as the testing positivity rate has sharply declined. Currently, the city counts 51 active COVID-19 cases, among 1,110 since March. The goal of shelter-in-place is to minimize the transmission rate, thereby reducing the mortality rate from COVID, the citys lawyers wrote. They argued prisoners could only be let out one cell at a time, or they would congregate and spread disease. READ MORE: COVID-19 outbreak at Philly jails panics staff and prisoners in the eye of the storm The city did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Schillers order. According to the court filings, prisoners on 29 cell blocks reported that they were forced to choose between a shower or a phone call due to their limited time out of cell. And people on 36 cell blocks said there were days without any out-of-cell time at all. Some reported going five days in a row without a shower or phone call. The prisoners lawyers said the lockdown had also limited access to mental health care at a time when many were suffering depression and anxiety. They noted that there was a suicide in the jail complex in late December. Plaintiffs counsel received reports via the hotline that this individual, who had a history of mental health disorders, had been complaining to staff about not getting out of his cell and feeling claustrophobic. The lawyers for the prison rejected the idea that the death was linked to anything but the mans history of mental illness. From March to August 2020, according to the most recent records obtained by The Inquirer under the state Right to Know Law, there were 32 suicide attempts in the prisons. That is more than twice as many attempted suicides as were recorded on average for the same period over the five previous years. For that same time period, inmate assaults on staff also shot up, from an average of 45 for the last five years, to 65 assaults over the six months in 2020. In letters to The Inquirer, incarcerated people have expressed despair over the conditions, as well as ongoing court delays that are preventing their cases from being heard. READ MORE: Inside Pennsylvanias prison outbreak, where catching COVID-19 can land you in the hole Jesse Leroy Brown, 65, was locked up in October on a detainer he was on parole for a 2017 gun conviction but said he had so far not been able to learn why. His docket did not indicate new charges or the filing of a probation or parole violation summary, and no court date is scheduled. During intake, Brown said, he was placed in quarantine with another prisoner who refused COVID-19 testing but was allowed to remain in the cell. I feel like there is no hope for me to make it out of here alive, he wrote. This could very well be a death sentence for me. Another man, Malik Baker, 28, has been in jail since June without even a preliminary hearing. He wrote that as of December he still did not have access to cleaning supplies, and was forced to sign a form stating he had received soap, though it never arrived. Its so many inmates been sitting eight months, 10 months in jail without seeing a judge due to this pandemic, he wrote. The jails are not safe for us inmates, as they call us. The PDP has failed to keep us protected by this virus. We are still humans. The Daily Beast Rexburg Police DepartmentA psychological evaluation has found Lori Vallowthe doomsday mom accused of murdering her two childrennot competent to stand trial.Assessment determined at this time the defendant is not competent to proceed and recommends restorative treatment, Seventh Judicial District Judge Steven Boyce wrote in a Thursday order pausing the case.Prosecutors have already contested the reports findings, but the judges order remains in effect pending determination of the issue of competency.The news comes after Vallow and her husband, Chad Daybell, were indicted on several new charges and accused of justifying the murders of three peopleincluding Vallows two kidswith their doomsday-centered religious beliefs.On Thursday, the Chandler Police Department confirmed to The Daily Beast that it has also submitted its investigation into the death of Vallows ex-husband, Charles Vallow, who was fatally shot by his brother-in-law in July 2019, to the Maricopa County Attorneys Office. Police said they recommended that Vallow should be charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murderthough it is up to county prosecutors to make an official charge.A Maricopa County Attorneys Office spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast they received the Chandler Police Departments investigation into Charles Vallows death on April 1, but declined to comment on it.Doomsday Couple Allegedly Murdered Threeand Justified It With Religious Beliefs On Tuesday, the couple was indicted on several charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, in connection with the deaths of Vallows kids, 7-year-old J.J Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan. Daybell, a doomsday author, was also been charged with first-degree murder for the October 2019 death of Tammy Daybell, his ex-wife. Vallow has been separately charged with grand theft for allegedly diverting her childrens Social Security benefits into her personal bank account. Prosecutors allege Daybell and Vallow did endorse and espouse religious beliefs for the purpose of encouraging and/or justifying the homicide of all three people.Their alleged murder spree began in 2019, when Charles Vallow was fatally shot by his wifes brother, Alex Cox, during a domestic dispute. Cox, who was not charged and died months later from natural causes, said at the time he fired in self-defense. In divorce and custody petitions against Vallow, Charles wrote that his estranged wife had become obsessed with doomsday visions and had threatened his life. He said Vallow believed she was reincarnated to lead people during the second coming of Jesus in July 2020 and said that if he got in the way of her saving humanity, she would kill him, according to NBC News.Vallow believes that she is receiving spiritual revelations and visions to help her gather and prepare those chosen to live in the New Jerusalem after the Great War as prophesied in the Book of Revelations, the divorce petition read.Vallow and Daybell, who are members of a community of doomsday preppers and were married two weeks after Daybell was widowed, are already in prison for several other crimes related to the childrens disappearance in September 2019.Im Not Supposed to Be Talking to You: Doomsday Mom Called Hubby From Jail as FBI Searched His HomeProsecutors allege Daybell and Vallow killed Tylee Ryan on Sept. 8 or Sept. 9, 2019, after almost a year of planning. About two weeks later, the pair allegedly killed J.J. The indictment states that Daybell then murdered his ex-wife in October with the help of Vallow and her brother. In January 2020, Vallow made national headlines when she refused to comply with a court order to produce her two children. It was later revealed she had also asked a friend to lie to the police and say she was watching J.J.Last June, Idaho authorities charged the pair with conspiracy to conceal evidence after the remains of two kids were found in Daybells home. Daybell is scheduled to enter a plea on the murder charges on June 9. Vallow was supposed to make an initial appearance on Wednesday but her hearing was put on hold at the request of her lawyer, Mark Means. Attorneys for Daybell and Vallow did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's request for comment.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Jason Boyd Joins Leading Vehicle Graphics Company as a National Account Executive. CINCINNATI, OH / ACCESSWIRE / January 14, 2021 / Advertising Vehicles recently welcomed Jason Boyd to its team as a National Account Executive. Based in Chicago, Boyd will focus on serving national fleet customers by helping them promote their brands and company vision through thoughtful and strategic fleet graphic solutions. Jason Boyd, National Account Executive, Advertising Vehicles With more than 20 years of experience in transportation, equipment engineering, and logistics design, Boyd has built relationships with some of the largest commercial and corporate fleets throughout the U.S. He is well-versed in guiding customers through their transportation journey by finding the right solutions to support and fulfill their goals. "Jason is well-known, well-respected, and trusted in the fleet transportation industry and we're excited to welcome him to our growing team," said Jack Falter, VP of National Sales at Advertising Vehicles. "His enthusiasm for sales and management and proven record of success will help further our mission of providing premier fleet graphics solutions to our valued customers." "I feel very fortunate to join the Advertising Vehicles team and look forward to growing our national accounts as our company continues to expand and prosper," added Boyd. Prior to joining Advertising Vehicles, Boyd served as the vice president of strategic sales for Donlen, a leading fleet management solutions company, where he was responsible for leading a cross-functional sales team and managing fleets of more than 1,000 units. His experience also includes management and sales roles within the fleet leasing and logistics industries. Boyd earned his degree in business administration and management from Loyola University. About Advertising Vehicles: Since 2003, Advertising Vehicles has been the premiere vehicle graphics and advertising leader for companies of all sizes across the U.S., providing full and partial vehicle wraps, decals, and full-service, in-house design and production services in its 30,000 square foot facility. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Advertising Vehicles is also North America's exclusive provider of Traxx, the world's number one changeable billboard system for trucks and trailers. For a quote or to learn more, please visit advertisingvehicles.com or call (855) 750-0937. CONTACT: Libby Esterle 513-324-503 libby@gorasor.com SOURCE: Advertising Vehicles View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/624368/Advertising-Vehicles-Welcomes-New-Team-Member-Jason-Boyd U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a Mara Salvatrucha gang member and a convicted felon southwest of Hebbronville, authorities said. Agents attempted a vehicle stop early Tuesday on Texas 16. The driver failed to yield before stopping north of a ranch off the highway. Border Patrol then detained a group of 20 immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua who were in the country illegally. One individual was identified as Kevin Ramirez-Escobar, a 19-year-old Guatemalan citizen. A record check revealed that Ramirez-Escobar is a self-admitted active member of the notorious MS-13 gang. Further processing revealed Ramirez-Escobar had a prior order of removal. A second immigrant was identified as William Gomez-Zeldon, a 37-year-old Nicaraguan citizen. A record check on Gomez-Zeldon revealed extensive criminal history out of Miami Dade County, Florida. Border Patrol said Gomez-Zeldon had multiple felony convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, grand theft of a motor vehicle, armed robbery with a firearm and aggravated kidnapping with a weapon. Agents said he also had multiple prior deportations. Both were charged for their immigration violations and will be turned over to the U.S. Marshals. To report suspicious activity such as human or drug smuggling, download the USBP Laredo Sector app or contact the Laredo Sector Border Patrol toll free at 1-800-343-1994. Britain said on Thursday that it would ban arrivals from Latin American countries and Portugal over fears of a coronavirus variant discovered in Brazil. In recent weeks, British authorities have already struggled to contain the spread of a different coronavirus variant discovered in Britain that is more contagious than its predecessors. At least two coronavirus variants are currently circulating in Brazil, and at least one has slipped its borders, traveling to Japan. Japanese authorities found one of those variants in four people traveling from Brazil earlier this week. The variant contains a mutation that has been linked with higher contagiousness, similar to the variant found in Britain and another in South Africa. Two state senators and a Wayne County municipality filed a federal lawsuit that seeks to overturn a more than 10-year-old ban on natural gas exploration within the Delaware River Basin. Sens. Lisa Baker, R-20, Lehman Twp., and Gene Yaw, R-23, Williamsport, and officials in Damascus Twp. say the Delaware River Basin Commission is illegally usurping state legislators authority to govern. They ask a federal judge to declare the commissions actions unconstitutional. The suit, filed in federal court in Philadelphia, challenges the commissions authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, within the basin. Fracking is a process that uses high pressure to inject a large volume of water, chemicals and sand into Marcellus Shale, causing it to crack and release natural gas. It is controversial because of concerns over the impact it has on the environment. The DRBC, which consists of appointed officials from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, regulates all activities that draw water from the Delaware River watershed. It placed a moratorium on fracking in 2010 until it could develop regulations for the practice. It still has not done so. That has caused extreme financial hardship to the state and municipalities that lie within the basin, which have been deprived of billions of dollars in revenue that natural gas formations could generate, the suit says. The loss is particularly important now as they deal with the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The basin covers roughly 13,539 square miles, of which 6,422 square miles is located in Pennsylvania. Its estimated the land in Pennsylvania holds more than $40 billion in natural gas reserves, according to the lawsuit. Damascus Twp. lies entirely within the basin. The suit, filed by Philadelphia attorney Matthew Haverstick, argues the decision to allow fracking is a matter that should be decided by state legislators. By enforcing its will, the commission has deprived citizens living within the basin of their right to be governed by laws enacted by their duly-elected representatives, the suit says. The suit also argues the fracking ban amounts to a de facto taking of land under the eminent domain act, which forbids the government from seizing private property for public purposes without compensating the owners. That authority lies only with governmental bodies, therefore the DRBCs action is illegal. The lawsuit marks the second time Baker and Yaw have challenged DBRCs authority. In 2018, they and another senator sought to intervene in a lawsuit filed in federal court in Scranton by Wayne Land and Mineral Group, a natural gas company that wants to drill within the basin. That lawsuit, which remains pending, also alleges the DRBC has exceeded its authority. Baker and Yaw withdrew their motion to intervene in the case in July. PEORIA, Ill., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Implementing safe, secure and easy-to-use telehealth solutions is becoming increasingly important, especially as rural hospitals strive to provide expert care with limited resources. Hospitals face challenges to adopting new technology, but recent collaborative research shows on-site simulation for caregiver training and simple software solutions can ease the transition. OSF HealthCare and the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, through Jump Simulation, collaborated with Chicago-based Northwestern University on a four-year, $750,000 grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The project created patient simulations that allowed for use of a telehealth cart that provided direct video communication with an electronic intensive care unit (eICU) in Peoria, Illinois to connect rural emergency departments with caregivers treating patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. Sepsis is a leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals and it is common in patients with severe COVID-19. Dr. Steven Simpson, MD, professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine and medical adviser for the Sepsis Alliance, said in a recent Healthleaders.com article, "For COVID-19 patients who require ICU care, by definition, nearly all of them have sepsis. And we know the mortality rate for COVID-19 patients in ICUs is in the range of 30%-40%." Kim Cooley, RN, and the research coordinator, said sepsis is the body's extreme response to infection that can lead to severe complications without timely treatment. So patients need to be intensely monitored. "They can appear ok or not as severe when they enter emergency rooms and then go downhill really fast and if you don't initiate certain treatments within certain time frames after they start to go downhill, then they could die. So, this is a really important area that OSF is focused on," said Cooley. Northwestern chose to partner with OSF HealthCare and Jump due to the system's simulation strengths, access to rural emergency departments, and a strong track record of telehealth, particularly use of its eICU. OSF HealthCare hospitals in Pontiac and Galesburg were the research sites. William Bond, MD, an emergency department physician and director of research at Jump Simulation, says the study looked at expanded use of remote monitoring for rural emergency departments which have small staffs that can easily be overwhelmed if they have multiple severely ill patients. With sepsis patients, the research introduced remote monitoring earlier. "To better connect patients in the ER to caregivers in the telehealth realm who would eventually be overseeing their care in the intensive care unit at those sites so it helps make that transition earlier and helps to create a layer of back-up and extra monitoring to make sure we're meeting all the sepsis care goals," Dr. Bond explains. Cooley says the monitoring included cameras on the telehealth cart, patient vitals as seen on in-room monitors, conversations between the ED staff and eICU nurses via telephone, or a combination of the three. Patients can benefit from another set of eyes, according to Cooley. "They can monitor the patient's vitals. They can have their eyes on the patient and can see them start to just kind of get confused and then they (eICU critical care nurses) can alert the nurse in the next room, 'I'm concerned about your patient in the next room, can you go in and check on them?'" Simulation can instill confidence in adopting new technology and that happened in this case. Using survey tools and teleconferencing software, the researchers were able to measure the impact of the on-site simulation, which boosted confidence in the use of telehealth. Cooley said through simulation, doctors, nurses and other caregivers learned how to communicate with patients and their families about the new tools another plus. "During the simulation, they were able to practice introducing that telehealth cart to the patient so that takes some of the stress and awkwardness away if you can practice in a somewhat lifelike situation but you're not practicing on a patient the first time." The simulations used a trained actor, also known as a standard participant, who indicated during debriefing sessions that in a real life situation, most patients and their families would find it comforting to know a remote eICU nurse was also keeping an eye on them. The three-act simulation used scenarios in which the patient continued to decline, followed by staged debriefings. Results are still being evaluated, including the reluctance by some care team members to use the technology as it is currently set-up. These barriers can likely be overcome by improved telehealth integration, reducing or eliminating the need for a separate cart. Bond says the research did confirm the value of the simulation and how it can be helpful for future telehealth integrations by OSF HealthCare or other health systems. The sepsis simulation toolkit is available on the Jump Simulation and Education website. The Jump Center and its resources can be used by other health systems which want to trial telehealth solutions through simulation. Bond stresses, "We are fortunate to have a virtual hospital next to our real hospital (OSF Saint Francis Medical Center), or at the right time we can test it at the bedside, because there are many factors that simply can't be replicated. So, those process tests can be incredibly revealing and can find issues that you might not think would be the barriers or facilitators to the adoption of that technology in practice." Here is a more detailed article outlining the research including exhibits. For a photo, plus audio & video assets for download, please see the story on our OSF Newsroom site. OSF HealthCare is an integrated health system owned and operated by The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, Peoria, Illinois. OSF HealthCare employs more than 23,600 Mission Partners in 147 locations, including 14 hospitals 10 acute care, four critical access with 2,097 licensed beds, and 2 colleges of nursing throughout Illinois and Michigan. The OSF HealthCare physician network employs more than 1,500 primary care, specialists and advanced practice providers, who are part of the OSF Medical Group . OSF HealthCare, through OSF Home Care Services, operates an extensive network of home health and hospice services. It also owns Pointcore Inc., comprised of health care-related businesses; OSF HealthCare Foundation, the philanthropic arm for the organization; and OSF Ventures, which provides investment capital for promising health care innovation startups. Jump Simulation, a part of OSF Innovation, is a collaboration between University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria and OSF HealthCare. The Jump center replicates a variety of patient care settings to ensure novice and seasoned clinicians can practice handling medical situations in a life-like environment. Boasting six floors and 168,000 square feet, the center is one of the largest of its kind and provides space for conferences, anatomic training, virtual reality and innovation. For more information, visit www.jumpsimulation.org. OSF Digital Health offers unique, full-scale digital health and convenient care options under the umbrella of OSF OnCall. Providing an array of services anytime, anywhere, OSF OnCall includes digital platforms and software to connect people with care 24/7 using smart phone apps, video visits and behavioral health tools with live support. OSF OnCall Urgent Care offers in-person and virtual visits for minor injuries and illness; OSF OnCall Connect Pandemic Health Worker program supports people with COVID-19 through digital, at-home support. OSF OnCall also represents other @home and hospital-based digital care including remote patient monitoring and remote intensive care. Learn more at www.osfoncall.org Contact: Colleen Reynolds | Media Relations Coordinator | (309) 825-7255 SOURCE OSF Health Care Related Links http://www.osfhealthcare.org Covid: Tunisia to receive vaccines from Algeria Says foreign minister Jerandi (ANSAmed) - TUNIS, JANUARY 14 - Algeria will share its Covid-19 vaccine doses with Tunisia, with arrival of the vaccines expected by the end of the month, said Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi. "Algeria hasn't yet physically acquired the vaccines, but as soon as it receives them, it will share them with Tunisia," Jerandi said, following a meeting with Tunisian President Kais Saied. "It is a strong commitment by Algeria for the brotherhood between our two countries," Jerandi said, adding that "Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune followed this case". This information has not been confirmed by Algerian authorities. Tunisia, which has substituted its health minister twice since the start of the pandemic, announced a vaccination campaign for the second quarter of 2021 and increased diplomatic contacts to acquire any type of vaccine. The American-German company Pfizer/BioNTech has already received authorisation to put its vaccine on the Tunisian market. Tunis ordered two million doses, the first lots of which are expected in the second quarter of 2021, said the director of the Institut Pasteur in Tunis, Hechmi Louzir. Discussions are underway with the Russian side to acquire the Sputnik V vaccine, according to Tunisian Health Minister Faouzi Mehdi. President Saied said on January 8 that in the face of this "race against time", Tunisia must "urgently acquire a vaccine" and choose the best vaccine from a health perspective, "without going into political considerations". Algeria already ordered two lots of vaccines, one from Russia and the other from China, two long-time allies. The arrival of the first lot of the Russian vaccine is expected by the end of the month, the Algerian health minister said on Wednesday, after official statements had said the vaccine was expected to arrive at the start of the week. The vaccination campaign is supposed to start immediately, but a specific date still hasn't been set. Algeria has registered more than 100,000 infections since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, with more than 2,800 deaths. Tunisia, with a population nearly four times smaller, is currently facing a strong increase in cases. The Tunisian health ministry has registered more than 168,000 cases since the start of the epidemic, with more than 5,400 deaths.(ANSAmed)(ANSAmed). (ANSA). Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 08:15:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Video: The U.S. House of Representatives on Jan. 13, 2021 voted to impeach President Donald Trump over "incitement of insurrection," making him the first president to be impeached twice. (Xinhua) "The resolution (of impeachment) is adopted. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced while gaveling the vote down. WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. House on Wednesday voted to impeach President Donald Trump over "incitement of insurrection," making him the first president to be impeached twice. While the number of Democrats sponsoring the impeachment article indicated there had already been enough votes to impeach the president in the days leading up to the floor vote, 10 Republicans cast the "yea" vote. That is a stark contrast to the last time the House voted to impeach Trump in December 2019, at which time no Republican representatives crossed the party line. The final vote on Wednesday was 232 in favor and 197 against. The screengrab taken from the web stream of the U.S. House of Representatives shows that the lawmakers voted by 232 to 197 on Jan. 13, 2021 to impeach President Donald Trump over "incitement of insurrection." (Xinhua) With Trump being impeached and Democrats not only demanding his conviction and removal in the Senate trial, but also asking for his "disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States," all eyes have turned to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who will decide when to hold the Senate trial that will determine the president's fate. Kicking off the debate over the article of impeachment earlier in the day, Pelosi cited the Capitol riot by Trump loyalists last week and said the president "incited this insurrection, this armed rebellion against our common country." "He must go. He is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love," she added. For those Republicans who opposed impeaching Trump, few of them defended the president on the ground of what he did prior to the Capitol intrusion. They argued instead that the Democrats were rushing to remove the president without due process and at a time when Trump will hand over the presidency to President-elect Joe Biden in merely a week. They accused the Democrats of further dividing the country. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (4th R) wearing a protective mask walks through the hallways in Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., the United States, Jan. 13, 2021. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) "They're rushing to judgment in my opinion and bringing up impeachment after failing to follow any meaningful process whatsoever," said Tom Cole, ranking member of the House Rules Committee, during the debate. "No hearings have been held. No witnesses heard, no process or opportunity to respond was provided to the president." House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy acknowledged that Trump "bears responsibility for (last) Wednesday's attack on Congress by mob rioters," but stressed that "impeaching the president in such a short timeframe would be a mistake." He called for national unity, saying "we must seize this opportunity to heal and grow stronger." The impeachment resolution cited Trump's speech to supporters on Jan. 6 that was followed by some of the crowd breaching the Capitol building to interrupt Congress's certification of the 2020 election results as his "incitement of insurrection." A man holding an "impeach" banner walks near the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., the United States, Jan. 13, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) On top of that, the president's repeated claims of voter fraud in the election, as well as his Jan. 2 phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to press him to "find enough votes" to overturn the state's presidential election results, were also mentioned in the resolution as proof that Trump "gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government," that he "threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coequal branch of Government." With Trump being impeached and Democrats not only demanding his conviction and removal in the Senate trial, but also asking for his "disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States," all eyes have turned to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who will decide when to hold the Senate trial that will determine the president's fate. McConnell, who on Wednesday tried to cool down the heat of previous media reports saying he was pleased with the impeachment and believed it to be a good option to purge Trump from the Republican Party, issued a formal statement rejecting an early trial in the Senate, which is now in recess. Photo taken on Jan. 13, 2021 shows the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) "The House of Representatives has voted to impeach the President. The Senate process will now begin at our first regular meeting following receipt of the article from the House," read the statement. "Given the rules, procedures, and Senate precedents that govern presidential impeachment trials, there is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial could conclude before President-elect Biden is sworn in next week." On the part of the Democratic Party, Pelosi didn't respond directly to questions about her plan for transmitting the article of impeachment to the Senate, as some Democrats floated the idea of delaying the process until after 100 days into the Biden presidency so that some of the incoming president's cabinet nominees could be confirmed timely by the upper chamber. Trump was impeached by the House in December 2019, with two articles of impeachment charging him with "abuse of power," and "obstruction of Congress" over his dealings with Ukraine. He was acquitted by the Senate, in which the number of senators supporting his conviction failed to reach the required two-thirds majority. Update: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) said she filed articles of impeachment against President Joe Biden on Thursday, Jan. 21. * * * * * A newly elected Republican member of Congress says shell file articles of impeachment against President-elect Joe Biden on Jan. 21, one day after his inauguration. U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) told Newsmax on Wednesday that she plans to introduce a measure to impeach Biden on his first full day in office next week. I would like to announce on behalf of the American people, we have to make sure our leaders are held accountable, we cannot have a President of the United States who is willing to abuse the power of the office of the presidency and be easily bought off by foreign governments, foreign Chinese energy companies, Ukrainian energy companies, so on January 21, I will be filing articles of impeachment on Joe Biden, Greene told the conservative media outlet. Fox News reports Greene accused Biden of abuse of power, but did not specify exact charges. According to The Hill, the Trump loyalist repeated claims that Biden, while vice president, threatened to withhold a loan to Ukraine if then-prosecutor general Viktor Shokin was not replaced. Shokin was investigating the founder of Burisma Holdings at the time; Bidens son Hunter Biden served as a member of the Ukraine gas companys board from 2014 to 2019. On Twitter, Greene used the hashtags #ImpeachBiden, #QuidProJoe and #BidenCrimeFamily as she vowed to impeach Joe Biden. Both the president-elect and his son have denied wrongdoing. Hunter Biden said last month that he is facing a federal investigation into his taxes, after months of being targeted by the Trump campaign in the 2020 presidential election. Fox News said Greenes threat to impeach appears to be symbolic, as Congress will be controlled by the Democrats and she would need a majority of the House to bring charges to the Senate. The announcement also breaks with other Republicans who have argued Trumps second impeachment is divisive at a time when the country needs unity. The House voted Wednesday to impeach President Trump, 232-197; ten Republicans voted in favor of the resolution, making it the most bipartisan impeachment in modern times. A Senate trial could began when Congress returns Jan. 19, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said. On January 21, 2021, I'll be filing Articles of Impeachment against Joe Biden for abuse of power.#ImpeachBiden #QuidProJoe#BidenCrimeFamilly Marjorie Taylor Greene (@mtgreenee) January 14, 2021 Controversial Korean sect leader acquitted of obstructing COVID-19 mitigation efforts Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A controversial South Korean religious leader whose church was at the center of a coronavirus outbreak earlier this year has been acquitted of obstructing government efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. However, he was sentenced on charges of embezzling church funds. Eighty-nine-year-old Lee Man-hee, who heads the secretive sect Shincheonji Church of Jesus and is a self-proclaimed messiah, was arrested last August and charged with holding unapproved religious gatherings and withholding the number of attendees at the gatherings from the government. Lee was also accused by authorities of embezzling the equivalent of over $5.1 million from the church, a charge he denies but was convicted of in a local court just south of Seoul, according to South Koreas Yonhap News Agency. The news agency notes that the leader was accused of embezzling the funds to build a training center for members and to travel overseas for speaking engagements. Trouble for Shincheonji Church of Jesus, which many consider being cult-like, began in March when authorities filed a legal complaint against Lee and other leaders for holding worship gatherings deemed to be a violation of the Infectious Disease and Control Act. According to reports, thousands of members of the churchs branch in Daegu later tested positive for the virus. The church denied claims that it withheld information from the government and even stated that a list of over 200,000 church members was provided to authorities. In a statement published Thursday, the sects general assembly headquarters said that it welcomed the courts ruling finding Lee innocent of the Infection Disease Control and Prevention Act charge. However, the church criticized the courts ruling on the embezzlement charge. [W]e find the courts decision that acknowledged criminality in other charges, including embezzlement, deeply regrettable and disappointing, the statement reads. For the charges that have not been ruled innocent, we plan to actively prove his innocence through the appeals process, and stand trial before a court of law once again. The church also vowed to continue in our effort to end the COVID-19 pandemic, and diligently serve as light and salt of the world. Lastly, we apologize to the citizens of this nation for causing worries and concerns regarding this matter, the statement concluded. Prosecutors initially sought a five-year prison sentence for Lee and a fine of about $2,700. But he was found partially guilty and sentenced to three years in prison, a sentence that is suspended for four years. Lee, who has denied the allegations, was released on bail in November. The health authorities' request to Shincheonji for a list of church members' names and its facilities cannot be regarded as an epidemiological survey," Judge Kim Mi-kyung of the Suwon District Court was quoted as saying by the South Korean media outlet. "We cannot punish someone on charges of obstructing antivirus efforts for leaving out certain data, when [the request] had more to do with data collection than an actual epidemiological survey. The church has complained that its members have been attacked and faced persecution as it has been widely accused of being a coronavirus hotspot and trying to thwart the mitigation of COVID-19. Last February, health authorities reported that the churchs followers were linked to more than two-thirds of all confirmed coronavirus cases in South Korea. Last March, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom warned about how society and government responses to the pandemic have hampered religious freedom. The congressionally mandated commission responsible for advising Congress and the State Department cited South Korea as a vivid example of how public health emergencies can increase the risk to marginalized religious groups. In a report, USCIRF stated that Shincheonji Church faced considerable criticism and even harassment from the South Korean government and society. The independent, bipartisan body warned that the sect was also facing increasing pressure from Protestant groups in the country. Although some government measures appeared to be driven by legitimate public health concerns, others appeared to exaggerate the churchs role in the outbreak, USCIRF stressed at the time. The government of Seoul locked down Shincheonji churches in the capital, and some mainline Protestant groups have accused the church of deliberately spreading the disease. Katie Holmes is proving to be a creature of habit when it comes to her wardrobe. On Wednesday the 42-year-old Dawson's Creek actress was spotted in a nearly identical denim outfit she wore on Tuesday, as she strolled through NYC with boyfriend Emilio Vitolo Jr., 33. Feeling the Canadian tuxedo look this week, Holmes walked arm and arm with her restaurateur beau - who has gotten the seal of approval from Katie's friends - as she switched up her sneakers for a bit of variety. Creature of habit: Katie Holmes, 42, rocks a nearly identical denim outfit two days in a row while on a romantic evening stroll with boyfriend Emilio Vitolo Jr., 33, in NYC Outfit repeat?: The Dawson's Creek darling was spotted in the same denim outfit on Tuesday as she and Vitolo headed out for date night; pictured January 12 Sporting a multi-wash denim blazer that looked to be made from upcycled pairs of jeans, Katie flexed her downtown style. ADVERTISEMENT She matched the jacket with a pair of bootcut jeans and threw on a pair of metallic sneakers. Click here to resize this module Holmes went makeup free for the outing and kept her brown hair tied back in a low ponytail. Arm and arm: She kept her Emilio's Ballato beau close as she linked her arm with his Bundled: Though stylish, the denim blazer did not seem to be providing optimal warmth as they strolled through a chilly NYC Pop of color: She tried to freshen up the virtually identical look with a different pair of sneakers for a splash of color The Emilio's Ballato chef kept it classic in a black wool coat and a pair of black jeans with stylish black boots, and they both wore matching face masks. The couple of five months have been spending a lot of time with each other as of late, with Vitolo even making the relationship Instagram official on her birthday. Merging their circles in recent months, Emilio has gotten the seal of approval from her daughter Suri, 14, and reportedly 'adores' her, and Holmes has been spotted dining at his Italian restaurant with Vitolo's father. Merging circles: Since they began dating in September, Holmes has introduced Emilio to daughter Suri and she has met his father on numerous occasions Seal of approval: According to ET, Holmes recently introduced him to her circle of friends at a dinner on the Upper East side and they are 'obsessed with him' A source told ET on Tuesday that she has even introduced him to her circle of friends and they are 'obsessed with him.' Though it was initially reported that those close to her had 'some concern' about the seriousness of the relationship, it seems Vitolo has started to win her friends and family over. Bringing her actor-chef beau to an outdoor dinner on the Upper East side recently, she was able to introduce her new love to her friends, as he received high marks all around. Reportedly her friends think he is 'the most charismatic man she's ever been with.' Lots of love: In addition to liking Vitolo for his charming personality her friends reportedly love the way he is 'affectionate towards Katie' 'He's so funny and confident and gets along with everyone. Best of all, he is so attentive and affectionate towards Katie,' the insider shared. ADVERTISEMENT The relationship started off on precarious terms as Vitolo was engaged at the time photos of he and the Batman Begins actress kissing surfaced, prompting him to end the engagement via text. 'Instead of a few dates over an extended period of time, they were able to have a month's worth of dates in a matter of days,' which only strengthened their bond. Dawson's Creek is available to stream on Stan in Australia Amnesty International is urging Armenia and Azerbaijan to immediately investigate the use of "inaccurate and indiscriminate weapons" in heavily populated civilian areas during the recent fighting over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region, saying such attacks violated international law. Both sides to the conflict have denied targeting civilians during the conflict "despite incontrovertible evidence that they have both done so," using internationally banned cluster munitions and other explosive weapons "with wide area effects," the London-based human rights watchdog said in a report on January 13. "Civilians were killed, families were torn apart, and countless homes were destroyed," Marie Struthers, the group's Eastern Europe and Central Asia director, said in a statement. Struthers said attacks were repeatedly carried out on civilian residential areas far from frontlines, and where there often did not appear to be any military targets in the vicinity. Amnesty International said it had analyzed "18 strikes by Armenian and Azerbaijan forces which unlawfully killed civilians," and "visited dozens of strike sites" on both sides after a Moscow-brokered cease-fire agreement put an end to six weeks of fighting in and around Nagorno-Karabakh on November 10, 2020. The group said that 146 civilians, including children and older people, died in the conflict, which claimed more than 6,000 lives. In its report, titled In The Line Of Fire: Civilian Casualties From Unlawful Strikes In The Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict Over Nagorno-Karabakh, Amnesty International said eight of the strikes were launched by Armenian forces on towns and villages in Azerbaijan that killed 72 civilians. Nine strikes were carried out by Azerbaijani forces on towns and villages in Nagorno-Karabakh and one town in Armenia, killing 11 civilians, the report said. According to Amnesty International, Armenian forces used inaccurate ballistic missiles, unguided multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS), and artillery, while Azerbaijani forces also used unguided artillery and MLRS. Both sides also used cluster munitions, which are banned under the international Convention on Cluster Munitions because of their widespread indiscriminate effect and long-lasting danger to civilians. By employing these imprecise and deadly weapons in the vicinity of civilian areas, Armenian and Azerbaijani forces violated the laws of war and showed disregard for human life, said Struthers. In its annual report published on January 13, New York-based Human Rights Watch also said that both sides to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict had committed violations of international humanitarian law that unlawfully harmed civilians. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Berger Montague is investigating potential securities fraud claims against SolarWinds Corporation ("SolarWinds" or the "Company") on behalf of investors who purchased SolarWinds securities (NYSE: SWI) between February 24, 2020 and December 15, 2020 (the "Class Period"). If you purchased SolarWinds securities during the Class Period, have questions concerning your rights or interests, or would like to discuss Berger Montague's investigation, please contact attorneys Andrew Abramowitz at [email protected] or (215) 875-3015, or Donnell Much at [email protected] or (215) 875-4667, or contact us at www.bergermontague.com/solarwinds. According to a recently filed lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, Defendants concealed from investors the fact that SolarWinds' Orion monitoring products had a vulnerability that allowed hackers to compromise the server upon which the products ran. Defendants also failed to disclose that the Company's update server had an easily accessible password, and thus, SolarWinds' customers including the U.S. government were vulnerable to cyberattack. The suit alleges that investors began to learn the truth about the Company's inadequate security measures on December 13, 2020, when Reuters reported that Russian hackers had infiltrated the U.S. Treasury and Commerce departments' email systems through SolarWinds' Orion products. The next day, SolarWinds confirmed that the vulnerability was inserted in its Orion monitoring products and existed in updates released between March and June 2020. Then, on December 15, 2020, Reuters published another report indicating that a security researcher had alerted SolarWinds more than a year ago to the fact that anyone could access the Company's update server by using the password "solarwinds123." The article further reported that even days after SolarWinds was made aware of its compromised software, the exposed updates were still available for download. These revelations caused the price of SolarWinds shares to decline a total of $5.52 per share, from a closing price of $23.55 on December 13, 2020 to a closing price of $18.03 on December 16, 2020, a loss of value of more than 23%. If you purchased SolarWinds securities during the Class Period, you may seek Court appointment as lead plaintiff to represent other injured investors in a class action. The lead plaintiff appointment deadline is March 5, 2021. You do not need to be a lead plaintiff to share in any potential Class recovery. Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding SolarWinds are encouraged to confidentially assist Berger Montague's investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under this program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to thirty percent (30%) of recoveries obtained by the SEC. For more information, contact us. Berger Montague, with offices in Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Washington, D.C., and San Diego, has been a pioneer in securities class action litigation since its founding in 1970. Berger Montague has represented individual and institutional investors for over five decades and serves as lead counsel in courts throughout the United States. Contacts Andrew Abramowitz, Senior Counsel Berger Montague (215) 875-3015 [email protected] Donnell Much, Associate Berger Montague (215) 875-4667 [email protected] SOURCE Berger Montague Related Links https://bergermontague.com Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 14) Four dead bodies were found along the boundary of Poona Piagapo and Pantao Ragat, Lanao del Norte Thursday morning, the military said. According to reports, three of the victims were members of the 43rd Mechanized Company stationed at Tangclao Detachment, Poona Piagapo. The other victim is a still unidentified civilian. All four were found with gunshot wounds, authorities said. The shooting incident happened at around 8:45 a.m., according to Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., Commander of the Western Mindanao Command. "Based on the report, our troops from the 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion received an information from a civilian informant regarding a shooting incident in the boundary of Poona Piagapo and Pantao Ragat, Lanao del Norte," Vinluan said. Second Mechanized Infantry Brigade Commander Brig. Gen. Facundo Palafox added that they still don't have additional information on the perpetrators. "Our troops immediately conducted pursuit operation and coordinated with the PNP of Poona Piagapo and Pantao Ragat for investigation," Lt. Col. Domingo Dulay said. We just wish that there would be a way to have a compromise so it is not totally banned but there are qualifiers and it could be used in some situations, said Sylvia Smith, executive director of Giant Steps, a Lisle school for students with autism. It is just that sometimes some of our kids, if they have a meltdown, they get extremely agitated and strike out and sometimes they try to hurt themselves or hurt others. Visiting space has been a distant dream for most of us growing up and if you have ever thought of reaching out to stars, chances are you have heard about NASA. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is U.S. government agency responsible for the civilian space program, aeronautics and space research. While the space program takes all the limelight, it's the research and technology behind incredible feats that we are going to talk here and more particularly from automotive point of view. Believe it or not, plenty of NASA space technology has come to you in the form of the improvements in our vehicles and this relationship between NASA's groundbreaking technological advancements and the car you drive can be linked back as far as the beginning of the space race in the early 1960s. We look at the key ways NASA has influenced technology use in our cars and what they are doing to shape our future - The Past: How NASA shaped the industry Tyre pressure monitors: Yes, thanks to NASA, we have TPMS tech in our cars today. Losing tyre pressure without realizing can cause a huge trouble for anyone and imagine if astronauts lost their tyre pressure on a space shuttle on lunar surface. To counter this issue, a sensor was installed on all wheels that would light up everytime tyre pressure would go low. Today, we get digital readings of the actual tyre pressure inside the tyre. GPS: While GPS was originally made by US Air Force, the Global Positioning System (GPS) owes a lot to the algorithms provided by NASA. US Air Force's GPS was known to give raw data that was as much as 30 feet off. Thanks to a software developed by NASA for their satellites, GPS now gives pin point location. Comfortable Zero gravity seats: It was Nissan who partnered with NASA to provide comfortable car seats inside a car. NASA studied the postures of the first astronauts in microgravity that take a shape to reduce the stress placed on our joints and helps reduce fatigue. Nissan used this research to to make zero gravity seat in 2013 for Altima. The Present: NASA research influencing car tech today Self engine damage repair: Space shuttles and stations have to face extreme heat due to a lot of moving parts resulting in wear and tear. NASA commissioned Pavlo Pasha Rudenko to look into this problem and develop a solution. He came up with nano flakes that can reduce wear and also reverse it. A company called TriboTEX is offering nano flakes to boost performance, efficiency and longevity of engines. Control autonomous car fleets: Nissan also worked with NASA to develop software capable of helping fleets navigate complex working environments. This software is called Seamless Autonomous Mobility (SAM). SAM is capable of sending all the data from driverless cars to the cloud, making it possible for them to drive safely on our roads. Monitor vehicle emissions from above: CO2 is the biggest problem auto industry is battling a substantial amount of R&D goes into reducing the emissions. Auto companies have adapted a tech from NASA called EDAR. Placed above roads, EDAR is able to get a three-dimensional image of exhaust plumes. It is also capable of measuring the temperature of the tail pipe and is able to work across multilane highways and is 2000% more sensitive than traditional technologies. The Future: How NASA will impact the future of driving AI brain to avoid crashes: NASA developed AI brain to navigate Mars rough terrain without any guidance. The software identify, locate, and track objects and use this information both to navigate and to avoid collisions. While cloud-based systems suffer a lag, an on board AI will make real time decisions and is a form of Machine Learning for self driving. Lidar to reduce traffic congestion: NASA made a Doppler Lidar to achieve precision while navigating Mars by sending three continuous laser beams down to the planet. A sensor measures how long it takes the light to return once the lasers bounce back from the surface. Basically, it means that your car will be able to calculate what shape an object is, how fast it is going and what direction it is going in. This means self-driving cars will be able to navigate traffic, reducing jams. The Unbreakable Superelastic Tyre: NASA rovers go on an uncharted terrain that could lead to a severe punishment for tyres. Keeping that in mind, NASA developed tyres that utilize shape memory alloys that are able to spring back to their original shape after they go over irregular objects. These tyres will slowly become part of our cars, in some form or other. Source .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE The New Mexico Supreme Court did not issue an immediate ruling Wednesday on whether businesses affected by pandemic-related closures and restrictions imposed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams administration can recoup their losses. After hearing arguments during an unprecedented entirely virtual hearing, the states highest court deliberated for more than an hour before its clerk announced no same-day opinion would be issued. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ The case in question involves more than a dozen lawsuits that were filed in lower courts around New Mexico against the governor and top state health officials last year. The plaintiffs, which include a Roswell musician, a Clovis liquor store and a Santa Fe oxygen bar, specifically claim the Lujan Grisham administrations business restrictions imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have had a significant financial impact. The Governors Office had sought to have the lawsuits dismissed and requested the Supreme Court address the underlying legal issue. Nicholas Sydow, who is Attorney General Hector Balderas civil appellate chief, represented the state in the case and argued Wednesday that public health orders are not grounds for compensation claims under New Mexico law and the states Constitution. In addition, he said any such financial relief should be provided by the Legislature not the courts. When the state regulates public health and safety, its not taking away existing property rights, Sydow said. Its exercising the inherent authority to ensure that property is not used in a fashion that endangers the public. In contrast, the plaintiffs in the lawsuits have argued the states Public Health Emergency Response Act calls for state government to provide compensation for health facilities and other businesses it takes over during an emergency. Attorney Blair Dunn, whos representing the various plaintiffs, called the states response to the COVID-19 pandemic draconian. He also said the science underpinning Lujan Grishams actions is debatable and should not be accepted as undisputed fact. The right to have property and have it not taken away by the government is a fundamental right in our Bill of Rights, Dunn said Wednesday. Lujan Grisham has acknowledged the economic damage inflicted by the pandemic, including a state unemployment rate that has been among the nations highest in recent months. But she has said the business restrictions are necessary to keep the virus from spreading rapidly and overwhelming New Mexicos health care system. The Supreme Court hearing occurred, for the first time in state history, with all justices and attorneys participating remotely via online technology. Recently-appointed Supreme Court Justice Julie Vargas did not take part in the hearing, as retired Court of Appeals Judge Michael Bustamante joined the Supreme Courts other four judges in hearing the case. A ruling in the case could be released in the coming days. DANBURY - A local philanthropist gave a boost to longstanding plans for a new charter school here on Thursday by donating $25 million to construct the building. The fate of the proposed Danbury Prospect Charter School remains in the hands of Hartford, however, where Democratic lawmakers from the citys own delegation are opposed to funding its year-to-year operations. Charter school supporters hope the donation from the unnamed philanthropist will change that. Our schools needs are growing and expanding, and with that comes the need for space, said Danbury Mayor Joe Cavo, a Republican. This charter school would provide 550 to 600 seats in that building, and that is one of the big keys for us. A charter school official said the plan has been developing for seven years in Danbury, and has the support of 3,000 people in a city where enrollment is growing at one of the fastest rates in the state. We really need the governor to fund this, said Penny Marzulli, deputy CEO of Prospect Schools, during a Zoom call on Thursday. We need Governor Lamont to answer the demand of the Danbury community and include funding for us in his upcoming executive budget. Lamont on Thursday declined to comment, a spokesman said. Details about who donated the money and where the charter school building would be located were not given, except that the philanthropist was a local person who didnt want attention, and the school would be built downtown. The philanthropic boost for the Danbury Prospect Charter School comes at a time of crisis for Danbury schools, which are facing a classroom shortage. The city is beginning construction on a seven-classroom annex to the Ellsworth Avenue Elementary School, for example. The city is also pursuing ambitious plans to build a $93 million academy for upper-grade students at a west side office park redevelopment called The Summit. Danbury is expected to earn an 80 percent reimbursement grant from the state for construction. Charter school supporters estimate Prospect will need $1.2 million from the state for the first year of 110 sixth-graders, and an additional $1 million each year as more grades are added, through 12th grade. Members of Danburys Democratic state delegation have argued that the charter school would take state aid away from Danbury public school students. State Sen. Julie Kushner, who won re-election in November running against the Prospect School, said on Thursday that the proposed career academy at The Summit was the greater opportunity. I am a strong proponent for bringing as much state money to Danbury public schools as possible, Kushner said. We need a new middle school and a new high school in Danbury, and the career academy at The Summit addresses that in a big way. Cavo said he and former Mayor Mark Boughton wrote a letter to Lamont recently asking for a meeting to discuss Prospect funding, but had not heard back from the governor. This gift of the building brings an entirely different level to the charter school initiative in Danbury, Cavo said. If we were not to ask the governor, and lose this ability to accept this gift, it puts the burden back on taxpayers. rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342 California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development opening office in Yerevan US Department of State issues statement on detention of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces Armenia 1st President says Aliyev is certain that Pashinyan won't win elections and is trying to get all that he can UN calls for $ 95 million in aid to Palestinians Twitter is concerned about safety of its employees in India Artsakh hero: Impotent and perhaps also treacherous authorities of Armenia need to be removed from power immediately France MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to show maximum restraint Azerbaijani attacks Russia citizen of Armenian descent in Moscow Armenia acting MOD provides President with information about capture of Armenian servicemen Lithuania MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to go to de-escalation of situation and pull out troops Russian Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia acting FM resigns Acting Deputy FM: Armenia reserves itself the right to take necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity China speaks on dark history of US intelligence in connection with Biden's order Netanyahu slams hypocritical and deceitful moralizing statements of French FM Turkish authorities issues new arrest warrant for mafia after his scandalous revelations of Erdogan's entourage EU-Armenia Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security holds 11th Meeting Armenia acting PM deletes statement on Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers "being intertwined" from Facebook post 6 Armenian soldiers captured: situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border is tense, May 27 digest Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff deputy chief explains difficulties with settlement of border with Azerbaijan UN: Israeli forces may have committed war crimes during 11-day war with Hamas Nikol Pashinyan presents plan for resolving border situation Dollar gains value in Armenia Opposition party leader: Armenia Security Council to convene session with heads of parliamentary factions this evening His Holiness Karekin II receives newly appointed UK Ambassador to Armenia Greece and Turkey FMs to meet in Athens Armenia acting PM says he will present plan for peaceful solution to border situation very soon Armenia Parliament Speaker sends letters to counterparts of partnering legislatures Zarif: Iran welcomes willingness of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tension Armenia acting Deputy MOD on news about soldiers being ordered to not open fire ANCA calls on US Congress to block financing of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Armenia to allocate lands in Syunik Province to Russian border guards Armenia Armed Forces General Staff deputy chief: We can destroy all Azerbaijani soldiers who invaded territory Armenian advocates file lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan Army general staff deputy chief: About 1,000 Azerbaijan soldiers are illegally in Armenia Army general staff: Armed forces can capture Azerbaijani soldiers who marched into Armenia Armenia legislature approves several amendments to laws Armenian opposition MP: Villages mentioned by ruling bloc's deputy are Armenia's buffer zone Armenia Gegharkunik Province villager to acting PM: Over 50% of our pastures are now under Azerbaijan control Armenia Kotayk Province has new governor Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US ambassador, discusses border situation NEWS.AM BREAKING: 6 Armenian soldiers are captured by Azerbaijan military in early morning European Council head says process of implementing sanctions against Belarus is launched Armenia acting MOD leaves for Moscow Armenia President, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces discuss current situation on border Armenia acting PM to residents of borderline village: If we cede our border, Azerbaijanis will get more excited Armenia MOD not confirming reports about Azerbaijan firing shots at Tavush Province Ex-President Kocharyan meets with Yerevan residents, "Armenia" bloc members (PHOTOS) Armenia petitions to European Court to ensure fundamental human rights of 6 soldiers captured by Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier: We need to unite in this situation Serj Tankian makes statement on Azerbaijans displayed horrific racism Man detained in US for intending to commit attempt on Biden Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD continues disseminating disinformation Erdogan to visit Baku and Shushi Two Armenia legislature committees to hold closed joint meeting regarding tense situation on Azerbaijan border Holy Etchmiadzin on capture of Armenia soldiers: Such behavior of Azerbaijan authorities is strongly condemnable Gegharkunik Province village border area situation very tense, says Armenia enlarged community leader Armenia opposition MP: Shots are heard Gegharkunik Province Armenian National Congress party electoral list is announced Armenia MFA: Azerbaijan leadership bears responsibility for consequences of actions by its armed forces Opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament demands convening Security Council special session 140 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Acting premier: Our servicemen were abducted from Armenia territory Armenia MOD announces names of 6 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan military early morning Armenia parliament majority leader to CSTO: Our international partners do not call it like it is Armenia parliament manages to have quorum in 2nd attempt World oil prices falling Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan popularity rating consistently drops over the past week Newspaper: Russia peacekeepers commander does not return from Azerbaijan with encouraging news for Armenia MOD: 6 Armenia soldiers are surrounded, captured by Azerbaijan military early morning William Shakespeare, 1st man in world to get approved coronavirus vaccine, dies aged 81 Spain Congress of Deputies committee accepts pro-Armenian motion Ex-PM comments on double-digit growth in Armenia economy Facebook calls Russia, Iran leading purveyors of disinformation Erdogan says meeting with Biden will mark 'start of new era' in relations with Washington Armenia acting Deputy PM on creation of third high-voltage electric communication line with Iran Vladimir Zaynetdinov: CSTO has taken note of application submitted by Armenia acting PM Armenia's Pashinyan says addressing UN Security Council not ruled out Armenia acting FM: International pressure on Azerbaijan is growing Netanyahu tells Blinken that Israel is against reopening US consulate for Palestinians 23 political parties and 4 alliances apply to Armenia Central Electoral Commission ahead of snap parliamentary elections Instagram launches ability to hide likes Iran FM on solutions to problems in the region, territorial integrity Bloomberg: Support for Erdogan's ruling party hits record low Inter-agency commission sums up reports on implementation of roadmap for EU-Armenia CEPA Armenian acting PM on CSTO and Russia and their duties as Armenia's allies Slovakia allows use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V Armenia acting PM on situation in Syunik Province: CSTO still hasn't clearly expressed its position Armenia's Pashinyan: It's very rarely that Baku made provocations in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces on its own Armenia acting PM: There will be no demarcation of borders until Azerbaijani troops are pulled out of territory Record-setting number of political parties register to run in snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Blinken describes Egypt as a "real and effective partner" Armenia's Pashinyan slams opposition again Yerevan court ends trial over Armenia 3rd President's nephew Hayk Sargsyan Armenia President expresses condolences on passing away of Catholicos-Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan Armenia President hosts Iran FM-led delegation Armenia acting PM doesn't see need to declare martial law in the country Iran to send delegation of intellectual companies to Armenia EU demands to fine AstraZeneca for not fulfilling contract Zakharova: Russia is closely participating in settling Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has reworn the outfit she appeared in during President Trumps first impeachment in 2019 for the second impeachment vote against the president. On Wednesday, Ms Pelosi appeared at the House impeachment vote wearing a black dress with three-quarter sleeves and a blue and black floral mask. She paired the outfit with a gold necklace. As confirmed by her office in a statement to People, Ms Pelosi first wore the suit dress and necklace on 18 December 2019, when the House passed two articles of impeachment against the president for abuse of power and obstruction of justice. While todays outfit was nearly identical, she did leave off the symbolic brooch she wore while presiding over the presidents first impeachment. The speakers brooch, which sent a message of its own, was in the image of the Mace of the United States House of Representatives, a totem of the body's legislative authority. Ms Pelosi also wore the brooch during the presidents 2019 State of the Union address. On social media, the speakers recent sartorial choice has been praised, with many applauding the powerful symbolic outfit. Did Pelosi wear the same outfit for both impeachments? HELL YES SHE DID, one person tweeted. Another said: I love that Madame Speaker Nancy Pelosi has an impeachment outfit. Ms Pelosi chose the outfit again to oversee an impeachment vote accusing the president of inciting last weeks violent Capitol riots. Ahead of Wednesdays vote, the speaker said in a speech to Congress that the president must go for his role in encouraging the insurrection, calling him a clear and present danger to the nation. We know that the president of the United States incited this insurrection. He must go. He is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love, she said. With the second impeachment, Mr Trump has become the first president in the nations history to be impeached twice. 44-year-old Niel Kenmuir suffers from aphantashia, a rare and strange medical condition that prevents him from visualizing things in his head. Niel first realized that there was something different about his brain when he was in primary school. He had trouble falling asleep at night, so his step-father told him to close his eyes and visualize a flock of sheep and count them as they jump over a fence, one by one. The problem was he couldnt see anything when he closed his eyes, no sheep, no fence, nothing. Later on, he would discover that he had a blind minds eye, which means he cannot visualize anything, not even the face of loved ones. Photo: Tumisu/Pixabay I can remember not understanding what counting sheep entailed when I couldnt sleep. I assumed they meant it in a figurative sense, Kenmuir told the University of Exeter. When I tried it myself, I found myself turning my head to watch invisible sheep fly by. Ive spent years looking online for information about my condition, and finding nothing. Im very happy that it is now being researched and defined. The concept of people who cannot visualize was originally identified in 1880, by Sir Francis Galton. A 20th century survey later suggested that this inability affected about 2.5% of the worlds population, but up until the last decade, it somehow remained largely unexplored by science and medicine. Now, the condition even has a name, aphantasia. Although having a blind minds eye may not seem like that big of a deal, a more thorough analysis reveals some very serious issues. For example, Niel, who works in a bookshop in Lancaster, UK, loves to read, but he generally avoids books with vivid landscape descriptions, as they are basically meaningless to him. Photo: Colin Behrens/Pixabay I just find myself going through the motion of reading the words without any image coming to mind, he said. I usually have to go back and read a passage about a visual description several times its almost meaningless. Even when thinking about a special person in his life, like his fiancee, Niel doesnt visualize anything with his minds eye. He cant form a picture of her in his had, no matter how hard he tries. Instead, he relies his memory when asked to describe her. I know that today she has her hair in a bun, brunette, but Im not describing an image that Im looking at, Im remembering features about her, Kenmuir told the BBC. Remembering loved ones that have passed away, imagining or reliving cinematic scenes in their head is apparently impossible for someone with aphantasia, which, for most people, is unimaginable Although describing the conditions that cause aphantasia in laymans terms is complicated, Niel himself uses a very interesting analogy: the minds eye is a canvas, and the neurons work together to project onto it. The neurons are all working fine, but I dont have the canvas. On the other side of the spectrum we have conditions like synesthesia, which allows people to visualize things like sounds, letters or numbers as a symphony of colors and textures. Pongal is also known as Thai Pongal is a well-known harvest festival celebrated in South India. The festival is widely celebrated in the Tamil community of South India. Every year Pongal falls on January 14, which is also the day of Makar Sankranti, a festival which is dedicated to the Sun God in Hindu mythology. A report in Drik Panchang reveals that there are three days of the Pongal festival, Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal and Mattu Pongal. Some Tamils celebrate the fourth day of Pongal as Kanum Pongal. Read | Amit Shah to return to Chennai on Pongal; will meet Gurumurthy at January 14 Thuglak event Which Indian states celebrate Pongal? The report in Drik Panchang further reveals that Pongal is one of the most important festivals celebrated by Tamil people in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Puducherry in India. It is also celebrated in Sri Lanka. Outside of India, the festival is popular among the Tamil diaspora worldwide, including in countries like Malaysia, Mauritius, South Africa, Singapore, United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. Read | Keerthy Suresh makes a pre-Pongal visit to the Alamelumangapuram Temple Why is Pongal celebrated? According to the report, the Pongal festival is mentioned in an inscription in the Viraraghava temple which is dedicated to Vishnu in Thiruvallur, Chennai. The inscription is credited to the Chola king Kulottunga I (1070-1122 CE), and describes a grant of land to the temple for celebrating the annual Pongal festival. Most families celebrate it with a traditional "Pongal" dish, consisting of freshly harvested rice, prepared by boiling it in milk and raw cane sugar. Sometimes additional ingredients such as cardamom, raisins, Green gram (split), and cashew nuts are also added. Read | Nani releases new 'Tuck Jagadish' poster; announces release date on Pongal 2021 Happy Pongal 2021 Happy Pongal wishes and Pongal Quotes May the almighty bless you all with the best of health, wealth & prosperity. Wishing you & your loved ones a very Happy Pongal. May the harvest festival guarantee you always have the best food and best life. Greetings on Pongal! May good luck enter your home and success touch your feet. May happiness overflow on the auspicious occasion of Pongal. Let us greet, meet, and eat together on this auspicious occasion with these beautiful decorations and kolams. Wish you a very Happy Pongal! May this harvest festival reduce all your fears and failures from your life and fill your heart with calm and healthy thoughts. Happy Pongal! Read | Rahul Gandhi to visit Tamil Nadu for Pongal; will watch Jallikattu in 'Tamizh Vanakkam' Celebrate this day with a heart Filled with cheer and fervour Sending my warmest greetings to you And to your family and loved ones this Pongal. Pongalo Pongal! Happy Pongal to all! We thank the sun for burning himself to save us. We thank plants for sacrificing their life for us. And we thank all the creatures helping us to live in this world for some time. May this auspicious festival bring you Overflowing happiness, joy and prosperity Wishing you a blessed and happy Pongal! Happy Pongal Image All Images Source: Shutterstock Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2021) - Stakeholder Gold Corporation (TSXV: SRC) ("Stakeholder" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the first payment received in Canada for sales of exotic blue quartzite blocks from its wholly owned subsidiary Victoria Mining Corporation ("VMC"). VMC's exotic blue quartzite quarry is situated in the Municipality of Dom Joaquim in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Blue quartzite is quarried for export from Brazil's unique stone quarry operations to the refined, high-end building material markets of Europe, Asia, and North America. VMC's High-Margin Blue Quartzite To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/3082/71951_01.0%20blue%20quartzite%20photo.jpg The first three blocks of the Company's exotic blue quartzite material, comprising 30 cubic meters, have been sold and a profits dividend has been successfully sent to Toronto. The blocks were sold at an operating profit of $1,600 USD per cubic meter. Multiple buyers have expressed interest in VMC's exotic blue quartzite blocks, and the Company expects to be able to develop production from several quarries across its 100% owned project area. "Market demand for our exotic blue quartzite is developing very well. We have received advanced interest for regular purchases in the range of 150 to 200 cubic meters per month from a total of four separate buyers. We have now completed a first dividend payment back to Toronto out of profits from sales in Brazil, and we see potential for a regular and steady increase in monthly dividend payments through 2021. We expect to hit a production and sales target of 150 cubic meters per month by March 2021," stated Marcus Chase, President of VMC. "VMC's exotic blue quartzite business is now providing cash flow. Operating cash flow enables us to restrict treasury share issuance as we unlock value from the Company's 100% owned Ballarat Gold Project which is situated in the heart of the White Gold District of the Yukon Territory in Canada," stated Christopher Berlet, President and CEO of Stakeholder. About Ballarat Gold Project Stakeholder Gold's 100% owned Ballarat Gold Project is comprised of 7,442 hectares of claims located in the heart of the White Gold District of the Yukon Territory, Canada. Ballarat Creek, which is fed from headwaters located on the Ballarat property, has been one of the most prolific placer gold producers of the White Gold District. There are several gold occurrences on the Company's Ballarat Gold Project which merit further exploration work. In addition, more than 10 km of the Northern Gateway Road, which is being developed to traverse and service the Yukon's White Gold District, is being constructed across the Company's Ballarat claim area. The Company's Ballarat Project claim group also includes title to 10 claims located within the nearby Coffee Project which is being developed by Newmont Corp. south of the Yukon river. For further information please contact: Stakeholder Gold Corporation Telephone: (416) 525 - 6869 cberlet@stakeholdergold.com Forward Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information. All information, other than information of historical fact, constitute "forward-looking statements" and includes any information that addresses activities, events, or developments that the Corporation believes, expects, or anticipates will or may occur in the future including the Corporation's strategy, plans or future financial or operating performance. When used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "anticipate", "expect", "intend", "believe", "hope", "may" and similar expressions, as well as "will", "shall" and other indications of future tense, are intended to identify forward- looking information. The forward-looking information is based on current expectations and applies only as of the date on which they were made. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, the ability of the Corporation to fund the exploration expenditures required under the Agreement. Other factors such as uncertainties regarding government regulations could also affect the results. Other risks may be set out in the Corporation's annual financial statements, MD&A and other publicly filed documents. The Corporation cautions that 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 information. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as required by law, the Corporation does not assume any obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking information contained in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/71951 [January 14, 2021] ZSuite Technologies Selected for ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator ZSuite Technologies recently announced its participation in the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) third annual ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator, in partnership with The Venture Center. The ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator program fosters fintech-community bank collaboration. "ZSuite is thrilled to participate in the ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator program to support the community banking industry and its essential role across the nation," said Nathan Baumeister, CEO of ZSuite Technologies. "All who participate share the common goal of helping community banks compete, which we hope to enhance with ZSuite's robust digital escrow tools. We look forward to the opportunity to offer community bankers new ways to unlock value through this program." Originally born from a community bank, ZSuite Technologies provides financial institutions with niche, vertical-focused tools that grow commercial core deposits, attract clients and expand existing relationships. ZSuite's easy-to-implement and easy-to-use solutions automate collection of recurring payments, management of security deposits and other escrow and subaccounting needs, allowing community banks to serve some of the most coveted commercial verticals in the industry, such as property management, law firms, municipalities, real estate offices and many others. "ZSuite Technologies was chosen from hundreds of candidates for this year's program based on the merit of its offering, along with the talent and dedication of its founders, which all share our vision of blending technology with relationship banking and standout service to deliver the ultimate customer experience," ICBA Senior Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer Charles Potts said. "We're excited to share this relevant and timely solution with our community bank members and look forward to a long and productive relationship that delivers on the promise of innovation at a time when the customer experience is rapidly changing." "We are proud to partner with ICBA in selecting the cohort to help enhance community bank innovation, which will benefit local communities," Wayne Miller, executive director of The Venture Center said. "For fintechs seeking meaningful relationships, the ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator provides an abundance of opportunity." To learn more about the ICBA ThinkTECH Accelerator program, visit icba.org/thinktech/accelerator. About ZSuite Technologies ZSuite Technologies is a financial technology company that aims to power community banks with digital escrow products for specific commercial verticals that banks can offer to their clients. ZSuite's products, ZRent, ZDeposit and ZEscrow, streamline collection of recurring payments and automate the management and compliance around multi-use escrow subaccounting processes. To learn more about ZSuite Technologies and how it can help your financial institution, please visit: https://www.zsuitetech.com. About ICBA The Independent Community Bankers of America creates and promotes an environment where community banks flourish. ICBA is dedicated exclusively to representing the interests of the community banking industry and its membership through effective advocacy, best-in-class education, and high-quality products and services. With nearly 50,000 locations nationwide, community banks constitute 99 percent of all banks, employ more than 700,000 Americans and are the only physical banking presence in one in three U.S. counties. Holding more than $5 trillion in assets, over $4.4 trillion in deposits, and more than $3.4 trillion in loans to consumers, small businesses and the agricultural community, community banks channel local deposits into the Main Streets and neighborhoods they serve, spurring job creation, fostering innovation and fueling their customers' dreams in communities throughout America. For more information, visit ICBA's website at www.icba.org. About The Venture Center The Venture Center's immersive accelerator programs are designed to accelerate the growth of early-to-late stage companies and help validate their solutions for real-world problems. Our methodology provides a unique opportunity to connect with community bank executives, receive seed investment, and learn from a comprehensive curriculum aiding in strategically addressing go-to-market, business, and finance challenges. Learn more at www.venturecenter.co. Follow The Venture Center on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter (@VentureCenter), and Instagram. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005578/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] New Delhi, Jan 14 : As the farmers' agitation against the newly passed agricultural laws by the Centre entered its 50th day on Thursday, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait wondered if a government can hold office for five years, why can't the farmers' protest go on for the same period of time. He said this while responding to a question on the proposed duration of the agitation. "It the government can function for five years, why can't the movement go on? We respect the Supreme Court's decision but are not happy with the committee (set by the apex court). Our movement will continue till the government withdraws the farm laws," he told IANS. Speaking on the preparations for programmes planned by the farmers on January 26 on the occasion of Republic Day, Tikait said they have started procuring tricolours. He said that the farmers' organisations, led by Samkyukta Kisan Morcha, have decided to continue all the other previously announced programmes to intensify the movement, including taking out a parade across the country on Republic Day. "Our preparations for January 26 event are complete. We will have a meeting to see where we can hold the parade in Delhi," he said. Meanwhile, the farmers' protest continued on Thursday for the 50th day, led by leaders of about 40 farmer organisations of the country under the banner of United Farmers' Front at the demonstration site along the borders of Delhi -- Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur border. Eight rounds of negotiations with the Central government over the contentious farm laws by the farmer leaders have been inconclusive. The Supreme Court has stayed the implementation of these laws after hearing various petitions filed for new agricultural laws. The apex court also constituted a committee of experts, consisting of four members, to resolve the issue. However, the farmer organisations are unhappy with the Committee, saying its members have been advocate of the newly passed farm laws. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Meng Wanzhou is currently on bail and under partial house arrest in British Columbia, Canada. She is currently subject to an extradition request made by the United States. US claims that she has violated US trade sanctions against Iran. Meng Wanzhou also known as Sabrina Meng is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of telecom giant Huawei. She is the daughter of Ren Zhengfei, the founder and CEO of the company. Meng Wanzhou is currently on bail and under partial house arrest in British Columbia, Canada. She is currently subject to an extradition request made by the United States, that is, the US wants her to face trial in New York. She is charged with Bank fraud, Wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. US claims that she has violated US trade sanctions against Iran. Currently Meng and her legal team have reached the court to push for loosening her CA $10M bail. According to reports Meng has survived thyroid cancer and has hypertension because of which she has fear of contracting COVID 19 from her security guards and because of that the legal team has been asking the court to release her from their custody. The prosecutor undermined this request by bringing up her shopping visits to high-end Vancouver boutiques, appointment of an art teacher, a masseuse and the 14 people party that she and her children attended despite Covid restrictions, defying local pandemic restrictions on Christmas, that booked out the entire restaurant. In addition, the court was also told about gatherings at a home rented by Huawei employees. Also Read: Karnataka cabinet expansion: MTB Nagaraj, Umesh Katti and 5 other ministers take oath Also Read: ISRO to adopt 100 Atal Tinkering Labs across country to promote STEM education Last year Meng was flown from China in a Boeing 777 chartered by Chinas consulate under the impression that she was about to be freed by the court. In another development, Meng has received multiple death threats and some bullets in mail, according to Doug Maynard, the Chief Operating Officer of Lions Gate Risk Management, the security firm that guards her. Maynard also claimed that due to the threats, Chinese government demanded her immediate through Global Affairs. The Daily Beast Rexburg Police DepartmentA psychological evaluation has found Lori Vallowthe doomsday mom accused of murdering her two childrennot competent to stand trial.Assessment determined at this time the defendant is not competent to proceed and recommends restorative treatment, Seventh Judicial District Judge Steven Boyce wrote in a Thursday order pausing the case.Prosecutors have already contested the reports findings, but the judges order remains in effect pending determination of the issue of competency.The news comes after Vallow and her husband, Chad Daybell, were indicted on several new charges and accused of justifying the murders of three peopleincluding Vallows two kidswith their doomsday-centered religious beliefs.On Thursday, the Chandler Police Department confirmed to The Daily Beast that it has also submitted its investigation into the death of Vallows ex-husband, Charles Vallow, who was fatally shot by his brother-in-law in July 2019, to the Maricopa County Attorneys Office. Police said they recommended that Vallow should be charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murderthough it is up to county prosecutors to make an official charge.A Maricopa County Attorneys Office spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast they received the Chandler Police Departments investigation into Charles Vallows death on April 1, but declined to comment on it.Doomsday Couple Allegedly Murdered Threeand Justified It With Religious Beliefs On Tuesday, the couple was indicted on several charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, in connection with the deaths of Vallows kids, 7-year-old J.J Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan. Daybell, a doomsday author, was also been charged with first-degree murder for the October 2019 death of Tammy Daybell, his ex-wife. Vallow has been separately charged with grand theft for allegedly diverting her childrens Social Security benefits into her personal bank account. Prosecutors allege Daybell and Vallow did endorse and espouse religious beliefs for the purpose of encouraging and/or justifying the homicide of all three people.Their alleged murder spree began in 2019, when Charles Vallow was fatally shot by his wifes brother, Alex Cox, during a domestic dispute. Cox, who was not charged and died months later from natural causes, said at the time he fired in self-defense. In divorce and custody petitions against Vallow, Charles wrote that his estranged wife had become obsessed with doomsday visions and had threatened his life. He said Vallow believed she was reincarnated to lead people during the second coming of Jesus in July 2020 and said that if he got in the way of her saving humanity, she would kill him, according to NBC News.Vallow believes that she is receiving spiritual revelations and visions to help her gather and prepare those chosen to live in the New Jerusalem after the Great War as prophesied in the Book of Revelations, the divorce petition read.Vallow and Daybell, who are members of a community of doomsday preppers and were married two weeks after Daybell was widowed, are already in prison for several other crimes related to the childrens disappearance in September 2019.Im Not Supposed to Be Talking to You: Doomsday Mom Called Hubby From Jail as FBI Searched His HomeProsecutors allege Daybell and Vallow killed Tylee Ryan on Sept. 8 or Sept. 9, 2019, after almost a year of planning. About two weeks later, the pair allegedly killed J.J. The indictment states that Daybell then murdered his ex-wife in October with the help of Vallow and her brother. In January 2020, Vallow made national headlines when she refused to comply with a court order to produce her two children. It was later revealed she had also asked a friend to lie to the police and say she was watching J.J.Last June, Idaho authorities charged the pair with conspiracy to conceal evidence after the remains of two kids were found in Daybells home. Daybell is scheduled to enter a plea on the murder charges on June 9. Vallow was supposed to make an initial appearance on Wednesday but her hearing was put on hold at the request of her lawyer, Mark Means. Attorneys for Daybell and Vallow did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's request for comment.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Fox News hosts Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson came out swinging for Donald Trump on Wednesday night and urged Mitch McConnell to end what they called 'impeachment madness'. The pair of hosts spoke separately on their own shows but both took a hard line against Senate Majority Leader McConnell who rejected a speedy Senate impeachment trial for Donald Trump then said he was willing to convict. Neither expressly supported nor condemned the President or his actions over the last week, resisting the urge to share their opinion on whether or not Trump actually deserves to be impeached over the MAGA mob riot he's accused of inciting. They did, however, slam Republicans for their cooperation in the impeachment process which they say won't do anything to solve the party's problems and may cost them tens of millions of votes. If Trump is convicted by Senate trial, the Senate can then vote on banning him from running for office again on a simple majority vote, and could also vote for more punitive measures including stripping him of his presidential pension and the more than $1 million a year he can expect to be allocated to run a presidential office. McConnell, a long-time Trump ally, has said he is willing to convict Trump and reports are circling that he is 'done' with supporting him. Hannity fumed on his show that while McConnell - a long-time Trump ally - is reportedly 'done' with the president, millions of Americans are not. Fox News hosts Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson came out swinging for Donald Trump on Wednesday night and urged Mitch McConnell to end what they called 'impeachment madness' 'Senate Republicans, you want to go along with this nonsense, 75 million Americans went to the polls, [and] Id argue they went there more for Donald Trump than for Republicans. 'They should think about why people voted for Donald Trump, why they support his agenda. 'And Mitch McConnell, you should know better... this nonsense in the Senate will get this country nowhere. 'It will not heal divisions, it will not improve the lives of Americans, it will only further divide a country that is weeks out from one of the hotly contested races in history,' he said. Carlson said an impeachment trial will only continue to stoke division in the country once Trump is out of office. 'Here's how it works from the perspective of the Republican leadership: It would be best if Donald Trump just went away forever. He's embarrassing. They don't want to talk about him. They'd like him to disappear. 'So that's their plan with impeachment. McConnell, a long-time Trump ally, has said he is willing to convict Trump and reports are circling that he is 'done' with supporting him 'Make it so that Trump can never run for office again, not that he actually planned to, and then disgrace Trump so thoroughly that he cannot appear in public ever again, then pretend that Donald Trump never happened. 'Call it the suburban Connecticut denial strategy. "Whatever you do, don't talk about mom's alcoholism. Just act like it's not happening and maybe it'll go away,"' he said. He argued that impeaching Trump would embolden his fans. 'By impeaching the president during his final week in office, Congress will not succeed in discrediting Trump among Republican voters. 'In fact, it will enhance Donald Trump among Republican voters, obviously. Who does your average Republican voter trust more, Donald Trump or the many people who hate Donald Trump? Donald Trump or Mitch McConnell? Donald Trump or CNN? You know the answer,' he said. McConnell said on Wednesday that a fast impeachment trial is out of the question. Instead, it will overshadow Biden's first few weeks in office. Analysis Myanmar Military Chief Makes Life Awkward for Chinese Foreign Minister Myanmar military chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meet in Naypyitaw on Tuesday. / Tatmadaw Information Team It seems the Myanmar military doesnt like to be idle. Having implemented an informal ceasefire with the countrys most active rebels in Rakhine State in November, the men in green found themselves with too much time on their hands. So they decided to move into uncharted territory, rechecking the voter lists for Myanmars general election, which was held two months ago. The final results of the polls showed conclusively that the militarys nemesis, the Daw Aung San Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy, achieved a huge victory for the second time in a row, and the voting was declared free and fair by international observers, including the Carter Center. Finding it hard to face this reality was the military proxy Union Solidarity and Development party, which won a mere 71 of the 1,117 constituencies contested. Rather than conceding defeat, they claimed the poll was marred by fraud and voter-list irregularities. The military joined in, questioning the credibility and performance of the countrys electoral body, the Union Election Commission (UEC), and taking it upon themselves to scrutinize the lists. Despite the UECs repeated denials of any wrongdoing, the military publicly claimed to have found more than 4 million irregularities as of early this week. Then, on Tuesday, military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing raised the issue at his meeting with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi during a discussion that was supposed to be devoted to issues of bilateral interest, including capacity building for Myanmars armed forces. It must have been an awkward moment for Wang, who only the day before met with Myanmar President U Win Myint and State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and announced proudly that he was the first foreign minister to visit Myanmar after the countrys general election, and that his visit was aimed at demonstrating Chinas anticipation and support for the successful formation of Myanmars new government. The senior general compounded the torture for his honored guest by sharing the militarys findings in its examination of the voter lists, saying it had uncovered mistakes and inaccuracies that could have led to opportunities to vote more than once and voting malpractice. It is hard to know whether this all came as a revelation toor simply mystifiedthe visiting minister from China, which has long been under the exclusive rule of the Chinese Communist Party and where general elections are unheard of. The Myanmar military claimed it embarked on the task to ensure that the countrys democracy is not harmed. During Tuesdays meeting, the senior general said the military would continue its effort in accordance with regulations and laws. It is not known how Wang responded to the claims. One hopes he was not overly embarrassed about being confronted with an issue he is not familiar with and about which it would be difficult for him to comment. The military chiefs complaint about the alleged voter list errors to the Chinese minister turned out to be the joke of the day when the news circulated hours later. Myanmar netizens took to Facebook to ridicule the senior general for complaining to a foreigner from a country where voting is non-existent. Some braver souls went further, saying, Oppose those relying on external elements, acting as stooges, echoing a line from the Peoples Desire slogan from the military era in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when the regime denounced Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her party for enjoying support from the West. Now, the military chief himself appears to have fallen afoul of the juntas one-time slogan. History repeats quite quickly in Myanmar. You may also like these stories: China Inks Economic Agreements With Myanmar, Promising COVID-19 Vaccine Donation Pro-Myanmar Policies Must Guide Govts Handling of Chinas BRI Projects CORNISH, Maine, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SpatialTEQ Inc., publisher of North America's leading business mapping software, today announces that Imos Pizza of St. Louis, MO, has chosen Map Business Online Pro, to help direct their multi-state pizza franchise business's multi-year expansion plan. A published case study on the subject is available at MapBusinessOnline.com. Families Love Imos Pizza Developing a market analysis for Imos Pizza Based on analysis, creating a new map with best urban areas noted Imos Pizza chain's first restaurant opened in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1964. Imos developed a unique St. Louis Style pizza and paired it with home delivery to become one of the USA's most successful pizza chains. Today, Imos is expanding its chain of stores beyond its current sphere of operation, the five-state area surrounding St. Louis. Imos Director of Franchise Intelligence, Tim Hendrix, has an experienced-based understanding of which demographic segments most directly influence Imos restaurant sales. "Our pizzas appeal to all income levels and ethnicities. If anything, our primary market is the American family." But Imos wanted a more scientific market assessment based on demographic, competitive, and economic realities, one that would complement their team's instincts and experience in pointing the way forward. For that they turned to MapBusinessOnline.com. MapBusinessOnline Map-based Market Analysis MapBusinessOnline Pro provides a variety of geospatial tools that support business expansion planning for all industries. The online business mapping software combines the power of driving time and driving distance analysis with location-based business data to expose the most lucrative ZIP codes, cities, and towns for growth. US Census Bureau demographic data, business listings by industry, and imported user business data, are organized over compelling map backgrounds to create market analysis maps that promote better decision making. MapBusinessOnline Pro easily ingests customer business location data generating spatial queries that will reveal the most lucrative new markets for any growing business. Applying MapBusinessOnline to their business challenges, Imos Pizza was able to: Import historical restaurant sales and franchise location-data, critical to defining successful markets, to determine the best new areas of opportunity based on existing and successful franchise locations Apply known customer-preferred driving time and distance spatial queries across multiple point-of-sale locations to reveal optimum new market zones as well as existing service areas already saturated with restaurants Conduct demographic analysis by territory or area-of-interest to define optimum growth opportunities based on population segments, household income levels, or related consumer expenditures Import and view business listings by industry to quickly display competitor points-of-sale locations within any market area-of-interest MapBusinessOnline provided Imos Pizza with new market recommendations by major urban areas. The marketing analysis software first established existing sales models around highly ranked Imos restaurant locations. Based on these existing market profiles, new urban areas of interest were defined by drive-time-based territories. In this way, the most successful pizza franchise locations could be used to expose the best areas for growth, after just a few mouse clicks. All new market area models reflect the key demographic categories known to drive Imos pizza sales. Some of these demographic categories were subtle but effective measures of growth potential. For example, certain household segments proved to be the most effective in projecting growth opportunities. Imos MapBusinessOnline market analysis results combined the power of geospatial analysis with decades of pizza business expertise to create a multi-year path forward which can now be implemented in manageable steps. About Imos Pizza Imo's Pizza is an American chain of pizza restaurants headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Imos supports more than one hundred pizza restaurants and stores across Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas. The chain was founded by Ed and Margie Imo in St. Louis in 1964. As of November 2015, Imo's was ranked the 32nd-largest pizza chain in the United States. Contact: Tim Hendrix [email protected] (314) 571-5116 About Map Business Online- - From the creators of BusinessMAP, www.MapBusinessOnline.com has been providing sales & marketing professionals with affordable and intuitive web-based business mapping software, for Mac and PC users, since 2010. Design, edit, and share maps that reflect your business . Create and manage sales territories that drive accountability into your sales force. Replace discontinued Microsoft MapPoint with MapBusinessOnline. Access optimized multi-stop routes to drive down travel costs. No other mapping software solves so many problems for such a modest investment. Contact: Geoffrey Ives [email protected] (800) 425-9035, (207) 939-6866 SOURCE SpatialTEQ Inc. She's been riding out the COVID-19 pandemic with her billionaire husband in a tropical paradise. And on Wednesday, Salma Hayek treated her Instagram followers to another update from the beach. The Mexico-born actress, 54, posted a video clip in which she's seen with long wet hair and wearing a very low-cut tasseled swimsuit. Damp: Salma Hayek, 54, posted a video clip to Instagram on Wednesday in which she's seen with long wet hair and wearing a very low-cut tasseled swimsuit In the close-up shot, Hayek shakes herself vigorously after exiting the water. 'Ive learned so much from my dogs,' she wrote in the caption. It's the latest in a string of Instagram posts in which the Frida star showcases her voluptuous curves. She's posted several bikini pics from her secret getaway location as well as snaps showing her downing tequila shots in an outdoor bar. Post-swim antics: In the close-up shot, Hayek shakes herself vigorously after exiting the water Canine lessons: 'Ive learned so much from my dogs,' she joked in the caption Hayek married French billionaire Francois-Henri Pinault in February 2009, 18 months after the birth of their daughter Valentina. Pinault is CEO and chairman of luxury fashion conglomerate Kering, the owner of high-fashion brands including Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen. The pair are famously private about their relationship, but have revealed that they first met during a lavish gala in Italy in 2006, got engaged the following year and tied the knot on Valentine's Day, 2009, in Paris. That's the life: It's the latest in a string of Instagram posts in which the Frida star showcases her voluptuous curves as she hunkers down in a tropical paradise during the pandemic Cheers: Hayek also shared snaps from her secret location showing her downing tequila shots in an outdoor bar Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. A week ago, our nation was sorely tested as a deadly insurrection fueled by self-interested politicians and partisan disinformation aimed to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election. Those images made clear for all to see that our political division and gridlock no longer simply undermine the functioning of our government; they now threaten the very continuity of our democratic republic. This is a moment not only for unequivocal words, but also for bold action: We must hold the leaders who betrayed the public trust accountable, and we must greatly accelerate nonpartisan reforms to break the doom loop of political polarization that is fueling growing unrest. In 2020, Unite America supported a cross-partisan slate of candidates who had committed themselves to putting country over party and championing reforms to improve our political system. We are proud that most of these leaders, Democrats and Republicans alike, voted to uphold the will of the people in the last election. In particular, we express enormous gratitude to Rep. Peter Meijer, a Michigan Republican, who has been outspoken regarding the integrity of our elections and the need for honesty from our political leaders. It didnt have to end like this, with five people dead, including a Capitol Police officer. This should be a moment of reckoning for the country as a whole, and the conservative movement in particular, Meijer (picutred) said. If the Republican Party ever hopes to regain the publics trust and lead the country forward after this heinous assault, it must first be honest with itself. We agree. We also believe there must be accountability for all 147 members of Congress who voted to object to the Electoral College results certification -- putting party over country -- just hours after the U.S. Capitol was breached by a violent mob. Generations of Americans have risked their lives to protect that building and what it stands for, yet these members refused to even risk their jobs to uphold their oath of office to protect and defend our Constitution. Accordingly, in this unprecedented circumstance, Unite America has rescinded our endorsement of Republican Rep. Jay Obernolte of California and requested a refund of a PAC contribution to Ohio Congressman Bill Johnson. They made a terrible calculation and their decisions carry significant consequences for our country. The key to fixing our politics is not just to change who we elect, but how we elect. As long as our leaders path to election runs through the extreme bases of both political parties, and as long as both political parties are insulated from any kind of new competition, our country will continue to be torn apart and our democracy will continue to fray. The events of Jan. 6, 2021, must prompt a clarion call for Congress and state legislatures to eliminate partisan gerrymandering, closed primaries, plurality-winner elections, and barriers to voter participation that collectively disenfranchise citizens, distort representation, and fuel our division. Fortunately, electoral reform is taking root across the country. Alaska voters, for instance, adopted a reform supported by Unite America last November to implement our countrys first nonpartisan primary with a ranked-choice-voting general election, which will have the impact of rewarding rather punishing leaders who put the public interest over partisan interests. Notably, Alaskas Lisa Murkowski was the first Republican senator who called for the presidents resignation last week. Reform matters because incentives matter. Unite America is redoubling our efforts to advance nonpartisan election reforms that fix the broken incentive structure in our political system. And we will continue to hold ourselves and those whom we support to the highest standards of integrity as we work to put voters first. Sorry! This content is not available in your region Classes in the Wilkes County Schools will start on Aug. 23 and end on May 25 in 2021-22 as a result of a calendar approved by the Wilkes Board of Education on Feb. 1. NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio -- North Royalton High School seniors Savannah Skorepa and Nick Taylor recently worked together to raise funds for a non-profit group that not only offers hope and compassion to members of society, but is close to the heart of NRHS counselor Monica Boduszek. Both Savannah and Nick are members of the NRHS Key Club, an international student-led organization that gives students the opportunity to build character and leadership skills by performing acts of service in their communities. Last year, Boduszek was the adviser to this group and asked the two to look into The Friendship Room as a possible fundraising recipient. At the time, Boduszeks mother was battling cancer and she had taken time off to be with her. During this time, she found that her childhood home in Steubenville had been converted into The Friendship Room. This is a non-profit group for the forgotten people of Ohio Valley that builds relationships, reaches out to the homeless, addresses issues such as addiction, and provides food to those who are hungry. While Boduszek was with her mother in hospice care, she created a Facebook fundraiser for The Friendship Room, as her mother had wanted to volunteer there, but wasnt strong enough to do so. The total amount raised through the online campaign was $2,600, and Boduszeks mother was thrilled. In North Royalton, Savannah and Nick had held their own Facebook fundraisers for The Friendship Room on their respective birthdays, and gave groceries and paper products to the group as well. Nick said his inspiration to create the fundraiser not only came from wanting to help others through Key Club, but also after seeing posts on The Friendship Rooms Facebook page about what supplies they were low on and pictures of their empty refrigerators, with requests for help filling them. The refrigerators were filled up this past holiday season, as Savannah and Nick organized another donation drive in December for The Friendship Room, with an entire car packed to the brim with groceries and food. The non-profit group posted a picture of Savannah with the car full of donations on their social media account and thanked the Key Club for their generosity. Boduszek said that this February marks one year since her mother passed away, but after seeing the students commitment to helping organizations that help others, her spirits were lifted. My moms legacy continues just a little more. Everyone wins. I am forever grateful for all my students and how theyve touched my life, but Nick and Savannah took something very personal to me and really made a difference in so many ways, Boduszek said. Rite Aid grant: As the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates community-level health challenges, especially for underserved and vulnerable populations, The Rite Aid Foundation is partnering with Girls on the Run International to support the health and wellness of girls today and into the future. As part of this commitment, Girls on the Run Northeast Ohio is honored to receive a grant of $25,000 from The Rite Aid Foundation to ensure continued programs and impact during the pandemic, as well as enhance its missions and efforts to serve diverse communities over the coming years. Girls on the Run Northeast Ohio, a non-profit organization, serves third- through eighth-grade girls, providing a sense of belonging, opportunities for building friendships, and programs that improve their overall health and wellness. Inspiring girls to be joyful, healthy and confident through a fun, experienced-based curriculum that creatively integrates running, Girls on the Run Northeast Ohio offers programming at more than 100 sites across Northeast Ohio and has transformed the lives of over 14,000 girls throughout its 14-year history. Girls on the Run Northeast Ohio will utilize the grant to ensure that its evidence-based programming can continue through the pandemic while advancing its commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) programs. For more information on how to register as a participant or volunteer with Girls on the Run, visit www.gotrneo.org. Loans available: The Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland is currently offering the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Assistance Program. To be eligible, the borrower must meet the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development income guidelines, have missed one or more mortgage payments due to COVID-19, and the house must be the borrowers primary residence, among other criteria. Loans are available for homeowners in all Cuyahoga County municipalities other than Cleveland, Brecksville, East Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Euclid, Hunting Valley, Lakewood and Parma. Residents not supported by the federal funding can contact CEOGC at http://www.ceogc.org/ or 216-696-9077. Cleveland, East Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, Euclid, Lakewood and Parma homeowners are excluded from the program because their cities received their own money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for mortgage assistance. Brecksville and Hunting Valley do not participate in the agreement that makes the rest of the countys communities eligible for the federal aid. Assistance is available while funds last. To apply for the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Assistance Program, call 216-600-2814. State Rep. Jeff Crossman presented a State Commendation to Jacque Setny in honor of her late husband, Bill Setny. (Photo Courtesy of Dan Langshaw) Special commendation: State Rep. Jeff Crossman on Jan. 8 presented a special commendation from the Ohio General Assembly in honor of the lifetime of community service by the late Bill Setny to his wife, Jacque, and family. Bill was a well-loved retired North Royalton City School District teacher. Most notably, he was an active member of the North Royalton Kiwanis Club for 55 years. Let the Brecksville, Broadview Heights and North Royalton communities know what is going on with your organization, church, school, business or family. Email me at shirleymac48@att.net. Read more from the Sun Star Courier. England Postpones Mandatory Pre-Flight COVID-19 Tests Until Monday The UK government has postponed until Monday mandatory proof of negative COVID-19 tests for travellers to England, to give travellers more time to prepare. Earlier this week, the Department for Transport had said the start date would be Friday. To give international arrivals time to prepare, passengers will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before departure to England from MONDAY 18 JANUARY at 4 a.m., Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced on Twitter on Wednesday evening. Passengers must remember to complete a Passenger Locator Form before arriving back into England, he wrote. Anyone WITHOUT proof of a negative test faces a 500 fine. Within the three-day period before boarding trains, planes, or boats bound for England, passengers must take a test for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus. They must present proof of a negative test to their carrier. The Department for Transport has now also issued full public guidance, including which types of test are acceptable. Such tests include PCR and LAMP tests, which detect key chemical markers, and antigen tests from lateral flow devices. Specifically, the tests are required to have 97% specificity, [and] 80% sensitivity at viral loads above 100,000 copies/ml. The government says the new requirements, which also apply to UK passport holders, will help stem the influx of new strains of the CCP virus. On top of the new measures, arrivals from countries outside the air corridor list will still have to quarantine for 10 days. Transport operators will also be fined if they are found to have transported passengers who have not followed the rules. Englands new rules will not affect travellers from other parts of the UK (which can set their own travel restrictions) or from Ireland, the Isle of Man, Jersey, or Guernsey. Children under the age of 11 are exempt. The government said that the very restricted number of other exemptions includes flight crews and employees manning boats and trains. The UK government has been criticised for being both slow to shut down international travel in the first wave last spring, and for then dragging its feet in setting up testing systems that had allowed air travel to continue more smoothly in other nations. The chief executive of Airlines UK, Tim Alderslade, said earlier this week that while the new testing requirement was needed now, it should be only a short-term, emergency measure. Once the roll-out of the vaccine accelerates, the focus must be on returning travel to normal as quickly as possible in order to support the UKs economic recovery, he said in a statement. The devolved governments of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have set their own policies to try to stem the spread of the CCP virus. England has no separate devolved government, and its policies are set by the central UK government under laws enacted by the UK Parliament. The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Up to 50 per cent of office workers can return to their desks from Monday, without being required to wear a mask indoors, after Victoria recorded its eighth consecutive day of zero community transmission of the coronavirus. But Premier Daniel Andrews and employer groups have predicted working from home will be here to stay, with employers reporting high levels of productivity from staff, workers enjoying greater flexibility, and some lingering nervousness about the safety of public transport. Premier Daniel Andrews announces an easing of mask restrictions as his government pushes go on a delayed return-to-office plan. Credit:Jason South Mr Andrews said flexible working arrangements were no longer "a concept" in Victorian workplaces, but "the lived experience for many people over a long year". "I've had nothing but positive feedback from many, many very big employers about productivity not really being impacted, [and] in fact, in many cases, actually being enhanced by people working in a much more flexible way." A make-up artist stole more than $65,000 from Bupa to fund a 'lavish lifestyle' of overseas trips and shopping sprees, a court has heard. Olivia Rose Rodgers, 31, worked for the health insurance company between 2015 and 2017 while launching her Tasmania-based makeup business. She faced Hobart Magistrates Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to 62 counts of dishonestly acquiring a financial advantage in relation to false insurance claims she made on the behalf of family and friends. The court heard Rodgers friends and family were initially investigated and charged on the belief it was a 'joint criminal enterprise' before police determined she was the sole beneficiary, the ABC reports. Olivia Rose Rodgers, 31, (pictured) faced Hobart Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to stealing more than $65,000 from her former employer Bupa Health Insurance She would give family and friends numerous explanations of why the money had been deposited into their account before asking them to transfer it to her, police prosecutor Ann Edge said. Rodgers' lawyer Fabiano Cangelosi argued his client's behaviour was triggered by stress from the burden of paying off a personal loan and Bupa not paying her on time. However, he admitted the stolen money was later used on living expenses, adding she was not considering the consequences of her actions due to 'a serious psychological condition' that was undiagnosed at the time. But the prosecution rejected the claims, arguing Rodgers bank account statements revealed she had stolen out of 'greed, opposed to need', with transactions indicating had spent the money on multiple holidays, hire cars and shopping. At one point during her two year employment with the insurance company, Rodgers flew to Melbourne to go shopping, while staying at the Hilton hotel. The next day she flew to Brisbane, before later setting off on a trip to Bali. The court heard Rodgers made false claims for family and friends, who were initially charged by police until it was determined she acted alone Account details from November 2015 showed Rodgers had spent more than $9,000 but had only earned just over $4,000 from Bupa and her makeup business. Similar spending patterns were observed in bank snapshots of two other months. '[She stole] so she could live what could only be described as a lavish lifestyle,' Ms Edge told the court. Bupa had also disputed Rodgers payroll issue claims, noting she was a casual employee who was easily able to request time off, Ms Edge said. Ms Edge argued gaps in her wages corresponded to periods Rodgers took off to work on her makeup business, which coincided with peak wedding season. Bank statements also showed deposits were made into her account around these times under the references 'wedding' and 'make-up'. Mr Cangelosi urged the magistrate to give Rodgers, who has been working as a self-employed makeup artist since leaving Bupa in September 2017, a non-custodial sentence. Rodgers' lawyer Fabiano Cangelosi urged the magistrate to give Rodgers a non-custodial sentence, arguing it would ruin her reputation as a makeup artist. Pictured: Rodgers at the Brides Choice Awards in March last year He said Rodgers was remorseful for the pain her actions had inflicted on her loved ones, including her terminally ill mother. 'The accused lived with knowledge that her entire family was under scrutiny, charged and appearing before the Supreme Court of Tasmania because of mistakes she made,' he said. '[She] has to live with the knowledge that in her mother's final years she was committed to Supreme Court because of something she [Rodgers] has done.' Mr Cangelosi argued a jail sentence would ruin her reputation as a makeup artist and would make it difficult for her to care for her sick mother. The hearing was adjourned for further defence submissions. She will be sentenced at a later date. In the initial stages, they had call centres at Thane to recover the loan amounts after that they made an agreement with Jiya Liyan Infotech Pvt Ltd in Pune. Representational image/PTI HYDERABAD: A Chinese national and a Mumbai native were on Wednesday arrested by the Rachakonda police in connection with the ongoing investigation into illegal instant online loan apps. Officials froze Rs 28 crore in their bank accounts. Jian alias Mark (26) and Vivek Kumar (26) are associated with Ajaya Solutions Pvt. Ltd, and were nabbed following a confession by one Parusha Ram Lahu Takwe who was previously arrested by Rachakonda police. Takwe, director of Jia Liang Infotech Pvt Ltd located in Pune, and his wife Liang Tian Tian, along with Aquib Shaik, an employee, were arrested by Rachakonda police investigating the micro finance scam. "Mark came to India in July 2019 on a business visa and joined as a representative on behalf of Chinese nationals Xu Nan, Xu Xinchang and Zhao Qiao, who are the directors of micro finance loan app companies. The suspects were operating a call centre at Pune for providing services to instant loan apps companies, including Thane-based Ajaya Solutions Pvt Ltd, Rachakonda police commissioner Mahesh M. Bhagwat said. In the initial stages, they had call centres at Thane to recover the loan amounts after that they made an agreement with Jiya Liyan Infotech Pvt Ltd in Pune. Their companies do not have any valid licences from the Reserve Bank of India. On reliable information, a special team proceeded to Thane and apprehended the two. They were produced before the local court and brought to Hyderabad on transit warrant and will be produced before the court for judicial custody. The 1st of January will see the most fundamental change in Ireland's trading relationship with the UK and companies need to use the final weeks to ensure they are prepared. So says Emer O'Byrne, senior executive with Enterprise Ireland's Brexit Unit. "This has been a difficult challenging year for Irish businesses," says Ms O'Byrne. "An immense amount of time and energy has been deployed to respond to the impact of Covid-19. However, Irish business also needs to respond to the other enormous challenge that will happen in less than a month when Brexit becomes a reality. From January 1st, companies that move goods to, from or through the UK (excluding Northern Ireland) will be faced with new customs procedures and they need to prepare for them now." Fortunately, it's not too late to get Brexit-ready. Enterprise Ireland has developed a Brexit Readiness Checker that's available HERE. Readiness Checker: Easing your path post-Brexit The Readiness Checker provides a framework that simply outlines the steps that need to be taken to be ready for Brexit and signposts actions that every company should take in the coming weeks. "Companies need up-to-date accessible information about what they need to do in relation to Brexit. That's why we developed the Brexit Readiness Checker. It takes ten to fifteen minutes to complete and is simple and straightforward. It explains some of the key terms that businesses will be dealing with post-January 1st. For example, it explains the importance of commodity codes and country of origin rules. "When you have completed our online tool, you will receive by email a personalised plan for your company as to what you need to do. Not only will you be given a plan, you will also be told where to go to get more information and what supports are available. We often say this is not the time to panic, this is the time to act and the Brexit Readiness Checker gives companies the tools and information they need to take action." So what action needs to be taken? "The first thing is to get your EORI (economic operator registration identification) number. That is what is going to allow you to import or export with countries outside the EU. You get the number by going to the Irish Revenue online site." The second step is to find out the commodity code for your product or products. This classifies goods into different commodity groups. "It's really important to have. You will need it for all of your customs documentation." The third most important step is to identify who is going to manage your company's customs procedure. "Is it something that the company is going to do in-house or will it do it through a broker or an intermediary like a customs agent?" Ms O'Byrne says that recent Enterprise Ireland analysis indicates that only 30% of companies have decided who is going to look after the customs procedures. "That figure should be higher. This is a critical decision to make and it can't be put off. Companies need to assess their own capacity and the skills available to them to manage new customs procedures. They also need to speak to their customs agent, if they have one, to ensure they are prepared for January 1st. Customs agents and their customers also need to know how the new customs process will work - for example, what information do companies need to provide to agents to ensure that their goods flow smoothly? These conversations need to happen now, not when issues arise or shipments are disrupted." Enterprise Ireland has grants available for companies that decide to manage customs procedures in-house. "Our Ready for Customs grant is an important support for business. Where a company takes on a new employee to manage their customs procedures full-time, they can avail of up to 9,000 to assist with recruitment costs, employee costs or the provision of IT infrastructure. If an existing employee is deployed into a customs role, the grant can also be used to cover costs associated with that change." Easy-to-follow grant application The application process for the grant is straightforward. If companies are recruiting or redeploying five staff to deal with customs, they can apply for the grant for each employee. A reduced grant is available for people engaged in customs work part-time. The financial support is not just for companies engaged with business activity with and through the UK. It is also proving very attractive for companies in the freight and haulage sector who will manage a large amount of the customs procedures for their clients. The Ready for Customs grant is just one of the supports offered by Enterprise Ireland to assist companies in a post Brexit trading environment. Other supports focus on market diversification. enhancing competitiveness and securing advice from market and trade experts. Information on all these supports is available on www.prepareforbrexit.com. Ms O'Byrne also emphasised that other government agencies offer supports for companies such as the 'Clear Customs' training course provided by SkillNet Ireland and the Prepare your Business for Customs course available through the Local Enterprise Office. She says that come January 1st, we will be in a new trading environment with the UK. "The UK is a major trading partner for Ireland. We have business and customer relationships that, in many cases, have been built up over decades. Trade between our islands is vital and will continue to be important to the Irish economy for years to come. That is why we need to prepare for the new trading landscape. I would urge every company to act now - advice and support is available but you need to take the first step." 'Stay focused, get your house in order before December 31st' Emerald Freight Express, one of Ireland's leading freight forwarders, is ship-shape for January 1st when the country's trading relationship with the UK will change fundamentally. With all eyes on what the New Year will mean for goods being shipped to, from and through the UK, Emerald Freight Express is set to provide new customs services to new customers. And it has expanded the customs services it offers existing ones also. To ensure the quality of the service is maintained for all customers, the company had to invest considerably in personnel, office space and IT systems. "With recruitment costs, IT costs and training costs, we have had an enormous outlay to get ready for Brexit. It was an investment we had to make. The Ready for Customs grant allowed us that cushion we needed to get it done," says Anna Barden, financial director at Emerald Freight Express. "When the Brexit vote happened, we had a huge volume of enquiries from people panicking about what they were going to do," says Anna Barden, financial director at Emerald Freight Express. The staff team worked with each caller, assisting them on decisions they needed to make about issues such as who was going to handle customs clearances and the need to get an EORI number or register for UK VAT. "Unfortunately, the past year has been very challenging for all of them because of Covid, but it is important to stay focused and put the right processes in place. There is a little window of time in which to do it but everybody needs to have their house in order as quickly as possible." Ms Barden adds that from January 1st, customs declarations and POOs (Proof of Origins) will be required. Importers and exporters will have to be fully compliant with the new requirements. She says: "With recruitment costs, IT costs and training costs, we have had an enormous outlay in terms of getting ready for Brexit. But it was really important to ensure we continued to service our existing clients and new ones, to the highest standards. This was an investment we had to make. The Ready for Customs grant allowed us that cushion we needed to get it done." Ms Barden says that application process for the grant "was very straightforward and we got confirmation of approval within two weeks. We have the skills and the systems in place now to deal with anything that is going to happen on January 1st. Brexit Readiness: Grants, supports and insights For Enterprise Ireland's 'Ready for Customs' grants and supports and insights into Brexit preparedness, see: www.prepareforbrexit.com. To receive a personalised report to help assess your current readiness status and prioritise your actions before Jan 1st, complete Enterprise Ireland's Brexit Readiness Checker here. For enquiries about the Ready for Customs grant, call the Enterprise Ireland Brexit Unit on 01 7272727. California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development opening office in Yerevan US Department of State issues statement on detention of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces Armenia 1st President says Aliyev is certain that Pashinyan won't win elections and is trying to get all that he can UN calls for $ 95 million in aid to Palestinians Twitter is concerned about safety of its employees in India Artsakh hero: Impotent and perhaps also treacherous authorities of Armenia need to be removed from power immediately France MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to show maximum restraint Azerbaijani attacks Russia citizen of Armenian descent in Moscow Armenia acting MOD provides President with information about capture of Armenian servicemen Lithuania MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to go to de-escalation of situation and pull out troops Russian Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia acting FM resigns Acting Deputy FM: Armenia reserves itself the right to take necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity China speaks on dark history of US intelligence in connection with Biden's order Netanyahu slams hypocritical and deceitful moralizing statements of French FM Turkish authorities issues new arrest warrant for mafia after his scandalous revelations of Erdogan's entourage EU-Armenia Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security holds 11th Meeting Armenia acting PM deletes statement on Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers "being intertwined" from Facebook post 6 Armenian soldiers captured: situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border is tense, May 27 digest Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff deputy chief explains difficulties with settlement of border with Azerbaijan UN: Israeli forces may have committed war crimes during 11-day war with Hamas Nikol Pashinyan presents plan for resolving border situation Dollar gains value in Armenia Opposition party leader: Armenia Security Council to convene session with heads of parliamentary factions this evening His Holiness Karekin II receives newly appointed UK Ambassador to Armenia Greece and Turkey FMs to meet in Athens Armenia acting PM says he will present plan for peaceful solution to border situation very soon Armenia Parliament Speaker sends letters to counterparts of partnering legislatures Zarif: Iran welcomes willingness of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tension Armenia acting Deputy MOD on news about soldiers being ordered to not open fire ANCA calls on US Congress to block financing of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Armenia to allocate lands in Syunik Province to Russian border guards Armenia Armed Forces General Staff deputy chief: We can destroy all Azerbaijani soldiers who invaded territory Armenian advocates file lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan Army general staff deputy chief: About 1,000 Azerbaijan soldiers are illegally in Armenia Army general staff: Armed forces can capture Azerbaijani soldiers who marched into Armenia Armenia legislature approves several amendments to laws Armenian opposition MP: Villages mentioned by ruling bloc's deputy are Armenia's buffer zone Armenia Gegharkunik Province villager to acting PM: Over 50% of our pastures are now under Azerbaijan control Armenia Kotayk Province has new governor Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US ambassador, discusses border situation NEWS.AM BREAKING: 6 Armenian soldiers are captured by Azerbaijan military in early morning European Council head says process of implementing sanctions against Belarus is launched Armenia acting MOD leaves for Moscow Armenia President, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces discuss current situation on border Armenia acting PM to residents of borderline village: If we cede our border, Azerbaijanis will get more excited Armenia MOD not confirming reports about Azerbaijan firing shots at Tavush Province Ex-President Kocharyan meets with Yerevan residents, "Armenia" bloc members (PHOTOS) Armenia petitions to European Court to ensure fundamental human rights of 6 soldiers captured by Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier: We need to unite in this situation Serj Tankian makes statement on Azerbaijans displayed horrific racism Man detained in US for intending to commit attempt on Biden Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD continues disseminating disinformation Erdogan to visit Baku and Shushi Two Armenia legislature committees to hold closed joint meeting regarding tense situation on Azerbaijan border Holy Etchmiadzin on capture of Armenia soldiers: Such behavior of Azerbaijan authorities is strongly condemnable Gegharkunik Province village border area situation very tense, says Armenia enlarged community leader Armenia opposition MP: Shots are heard Gegharkunik Province Armenian National Congress party electoral list is announced Armenia MFA: Azerbaijan leadership bears responsibility for consequences of actions by its armed forces Opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament demands convening Security Council special session 140 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Acting premier: Our servicemen were abducted from Armenia territory Armenia MOD announces names of 6 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan military early morning Armenia parliament majority leader to CSTO: Our international partners do not call it like it is Armenia parliament manages to have quorum in 2nd attempt World oil prices falling Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan popularity rating consistently drops over the past week Newspaper: Russia peacekeepers commander does not return from Azerbaijan with encouraging news for Armenia MOD: 6 Armenia soldiers are surrounded, captured by Azerbaijan military early morning William Shakespeare, 1st man in world to get approved coronavirus vaccine, dies aged 81 Spain Congress of Deputies committee accepts pro-Armenian motion Ex-PM comments on double-digit growth in Armenia economy Facebook calls Russia, Iran leading purveyors of disinformation Erdogan says meeting with Biden will mark 'start of new era' in relations with Washington Armenia acting Deputy PM on creation of third high-voltage electric communication line with Iran Vladimir Zaynetdinov: CSTO has taken note of application submitted by Armenia acting PM Armenia's Pashinyan says addressing UN Security Council not ruled out Armenia acting FM: International pressure on Azerbaijan is growing Netanyahu tells Blinken that Israel is against reopening US consulate for Palestinians 23 political parties and 4 alliances apply to Armenia Central Electoral Commission ahead of snap parliamentary elections Instagram launches ability to hide likes Iran FM on solutions to problems in the region, territorial integrity Bloomberg: Support for Erdogan's ruling party hits record low Inter-agency commission sums up reports on implementation of roadmap for EU-Armenia CEPA Armenian acting PM on CSTO and Russia and their duties as Armenia's allies Slovakia allows use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V Armenia acting PM on situation in Syunik Province: CSTO still hasn't clearly expressed its position Armenia's Pashinyan: It's very rarely that Baku made provocations in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces on its own Armenia acting PM: There will be no demarcation of borders until Azerbaijani troops are pulled out of territory Record-setting number of political parties register to run in snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Blinken describes Egypt as a "real and effective partner" Armenia's Pashinyan slams opposition again Yerevan court ends trial over Armenia 3rd President's nephew Hayk Sargsyan Armenia President expresses condolences on passing away of Catholicos-Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan Armenia President hosts Iran FM-led delegation Armenia acting PM doesn't see need to declare martial law in the country Iran to send delegation of intellectual companies to Armenia EU demands to fine AstraZeneca for not fulfilling contract Zakharova: Russia is closely participating in settling Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident A smiling MAGA rioter strolled out of a Texas courthouse yesterday after she uploaded a viral video from inside the Capitol bragging about breaking down Nancy Pelosi's door. Jenny Cudd, a flower shop owner and former mayoral candidate, was arrested by the FBI on Wednesday and charged with entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct. Despite facing up to a year behind bars if found guilty, Cudd smiled from ear-to-ear as she strode past reporters outside the Midland courthouse after the judge granted her bail. Cudd went viral last week when she made a video from inside the Capitol, saying: 'We didn't knock down any statues, we didn't vandalize anything - but we did break down Nancy Pelosi's office door.' Scroll down for video. Jenny Cudd, front, a flower shop owner and former Midland mayoral candidate, and Eliel Rosa, rear, leave the federal courthouse in Midland, Texas, Wednesday Jenny Cudd, front, a flower shop owner and former Midland mayoral candidate, and Eliel Rosa, rear, leave the federal courthouse in Midland, Texas Cudd smiles as a reporter asks her questions following her hearing in Midland, Rosa is seen walking behind Cudd denies doing anything violent or damaging property. She said that she didn't personally go into Pelosi's office or see the breaking down of the door, but was speaking in a collective sense about people at the Capitol. Her attorney, Don Flanary, said that the misdemeanour charges reflected that. 'She's basically just been charged with being there,' he told CBS. 'She did not break into Nancy Pelosi's office. She didn't go anywhere inside or near it.' He added: 'We're pretty confident that the cameras will show she was only in the public portions of the Capitol.' Cudd was charged alongside fellow Midland resident Eliel Rosa, a former immigration policy staffer for local Republican candidate Jamie Berryhill. Rosa faces the same misdemeanour charges as Cudd. The pair were bailed by the U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald Griffin with a judge in Washington D.C. overseeing the case against them. Cudd stated that she planned to enter not guilty pleas when she appears back in court next week. As of Tuesday, the FBI said it had charged more than 70 people for the riot on Capitol Hill and was continuing to track down more suspects. Cudd last week boasted about how the 'patriots' had invaded the Capitol after attending Donald Trump's rally on the National Mall. She was one of several political candidates who took part in the siege, along with former US House nominee Rick Saccone of Pennsylvania and recently-elected lawmaker Derrick Evans of West Virginia. Cudd came last in a three-way mayoral race in Midland, Texas, in November 2019, and current mayor Patrick Payton said he was 'saddened' by her involvement in the mob. 'It saddens me. And that's just as far as I'm willing to comment on that. It saddens me,' he said. Jenny Cudd, on the left of the picture wearing a Trump flag, was among the mob who invaded the Capitol on Wednesday - and boasted that she was 'proud' to have taken part in the intrusion egged on by the president Cudd claims she had merely taken pictures in the Capitol rotunda and did not intrude into the House or Senate chambers or congressional offices. Condemning the violence that shocked the world, she claimed she had merely wanted to protest with fellow Trump supporters in a 'show of solidarity'. Cudd (pictured) came last in a three-way mayoral race in Midland, Texas, in November 2019, and current mayor Patrick Payton said he was 'saddened' by her involvement But in her since-deleted Facebook video, she had spoken cheerfully about how 'we did break down Nancy Pelosi's office door'. Speaking on Pennsylvania Avenue, she said she had listened to Trump's provocative speech near the White House before heading towards Congress. 'We start walking up to the Capitol, and we get the news that Pence betrayed us,' she said - after the vice president refused to submit to Trump's demands to try and throw out electoral votes that were legitimately cast for Joe Biden. 'When Pence betrayed us is when we decided to storm the Capitol,' she said. 'So we get to the Capitol and some of the patriots had already broken down all of the barricades.' Describing what happened inside, she said: 'We didn't knock down any statues, we didn't vandalize anything - but we did break down Nancy Pelosi's office door. 'Somebody stole her gavel, and took a picture sitting in the chair, flipping off the camera... patriots got down on the floor and were sitting in the House members and the Senators' chairs.' Cudd said the mob had stayed in the Capitol as long as we could until they started gassing us, and they started hitting patriots with batons'. Repeatedly referring to the intruders as 'patriots', she said the MAGA mob was a 'bunch of red-blooded American patriots that actually give a s*** about our country and keeping it'. In one of many striking images that shook the foundations of American democracy on Wednesday, the steps of the US Capitol were lit up by a police munition as rioting Trump supporters occupied the building The protesters used flag poles and other objects to break doors and windows around the Capitol building Members of Congress are seen running for cover as protesters attempted to enter the House Chamber She later added: 'The government serves at the consent at the governed. Well the governed are p****d off, and the governed don't trust them. 'So yeah, I'm proud of everything that I was a part of today, and I'll be proud of everything that I'm a part of at the next one, and we'll see what happens at that.' Cudd has since tried to distance herself from the violence, saying she left the rotunda after taking pictures for about 15 minutes. A picture taken by a news agency showed her taking photos with her smartphone while fellow Trump supporters occupied the rotunda. The siege has led to questions over how the mob got inside the Capitol so easily, prompting the resignation of the head of the US Capitol Police. DENVER, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- National Jewish Health and Saint Joseph Hospital are among the first hospitals in the Rocky Mountain region to have minimally invasive robotic technology that enables physicians to obtain tissue samples from deep within the lung where 70 percent of nodules reside. "It's exciting to be able to offer patients with lung nodules an alternative to surgical biopsy," said Ellen Volker, MD, MSPH, Director of Interventional Pulmonology at National Jewish Health and interventional pulmonologist at Saint Joseph Hospital. "Robotic bronchoscopy allows us to reach more types of lung nodules throughout the entirety of the lung, in one minimally invasive outpatient procedure." Dr. Volker explained that National Jewish Health and Saint Joseph Hospital are among the first in the U.S. to combine cone-beam CT technology with robotic bronchoscopy technology. Cone-beam CT allows the doctor to be even more accurate and precise while performing the lung biopsy. "Our success rate in reaching and successfully obtaining a tissue sample from difficult-to-reach areas of the lung with robotic bronchoscopy and cone-beam CT is greater than 90 percent. Older technologies like electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy had a success rate of only around 50 percent," explained Dr. Volker. "This new technology is very good news for lung nodule patients, especially those who may have lung cancer." Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer-related death in men and women. Early detection of lung cancer is one of the best ways to have a successful outcome, but early-stage lung cancers tend to be small and difficult to reach. Robotic bronchoscopy allows physicians to diagnose and stage lung cancer in one minimally invasive procedure, rather than multiple procedures. "As with all cancers, the sooner we can diagnose and stage lung cancer, the better the outcomes for the patients," said Dr. Volker. About National Jewish Health National Jewish Health is the leading respiratory hospital in the nation. Founded 122 years ago as a nonprofit hospital, National Jewish Health today is the only facility in the world dedicated exclusively to groundbreaking medical research and treatment of patients with respiratory, cardiac, immune and related disorders. Patients and families come to National Jewish Health from around the world to receive cutting-edge, comprehensive, coordinated care. To learn more, visit the media resources page. About Saint Joseph Hospital SCL Saint Joseph Hospital founded in Denver in 1873 by the Sisters of Charity Leavenworth was the first private hospital in Colorado. Today it is recognized as one of the top hospitals in the nation and largest private teaching hospital in Denver. Specializing in a variety of areas including advanced heart care, pregnancy and childbirth and cancer treatment, Saint Joseph Hospital continues to offer the high-quality, affordable health care that has served Denver for more than 140 years. By working closely with top physicians, Kaiser Permanente and National Jewish Health, the leading respiratory hospital in the nation, Saint Joe's is able to provide some of the best inpatient and outpatient care in Colorado. Saint Joseph Hospital is part of SCL Health. SOURCE National Jewish Health Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment About a month before the great December conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, NASA researchers announced a separate, unexpected discovery: evidence of light in deep space without an explainable source. After studying photographs taken by the New Horizons space probe, which is now 4 billion miles away but still beaming footage to Earth, NASA came across an unexplained glow. It was in areas particularly distant from the known sources of light, such as stars and galaxies, and from sources of reflected light, such as dust particles. In fact, one astronomer told NPR that the amount of unexplained light was about equal to the light coming from sources they could identify. The NPR article described the problem this creates for scientists: for 400 years, astronomers have been studying visible light and the sky in a serious way and yet somehow apparently missed half the light in the universe. The choice astronomers face is either to double-down on the known explanations for light or be open to new ones. Im no astronomer, of course, and I certainly wont pretend to know more than those whove dedicated their lives to studying the heavens. However, its worth mentioning that an additional explanation for light is found in Genesis. If the testimony of Scripture is, like science, considered an actual source of knowledge, rather than a book of religious metaphors and self-help, light was the first thing created by God, in order to form and fill an earth that was formless and empty. Maybe knowing that light preceded existing physical objects points to a different explanation for those especially empty corners of the sky that seem to mysteriously glow. A few years ago, journalist and podcaster Malcolm Gladwell told a story in his book Blink about how surprisingly accurate human intuitions can be. In the early 2000s, a decorated general who had fought in Vietnam was called to the Pentagon, along with other top military analysts, specialists, and software engineers, to help with a war simulation exercise. Worried about unstable conditions in the Middle East, a simulation was set up to play out strategy if, say, an unstable despot did something rash. For the simulation, Pentagon officials studied and made calculations and built algorithms to plan for every possible contingency. The Vietnam veteran general was, on the other hand, assigned as the enemy. He was privy to none of the sophisticated strategizing, fancy equipment, software, or teams of mathematicians. Instead, he used intuition and the wisdom earned on the ground in Vietnam. Rather than calling meetings every time conditions changed, the General made decisions quickly. According to Gladwell, he trusted his gut. He won the battle in two days, humiliating the Pentagon. Gladwells main point is that humans tend to overthink things. The amazing successes of our science and technologies have led us to idolize sophistication and, at times, complicate whats really simple. In Out of the Silent Planet, the first book of C.S. Lewis Space Trilogy, the main character is taken into space and is flabbergasted by what he sees. Space, Lewis describes, was the wrong name. Older thinkers had been wiser when they named it simply the heavens the heavens which declared the glory. Many scientists and astronomers, of course, know and believe in the Creator. However, the better our technology and the more specialized our tools, the more we, as enlightened moderns, doubt older wisdom. Our algorithms and war game strategies and sophisticated techniques can, unintentionally become blinders that block the God-given intuition that comes from our created humanity. When light is discovered where there ought not be any, maybe weve stifled the most plausible explanation. Long ago, Someone said, Let there be light, and there was light. That Someone, then, told us all about it. Perhaps, it would be easier to see God in the heavens He made if we werent so convinced of our ability to explain everything by purely naturalistic causes or even, as some do, to dismiss all supernatural causes. Maybe our gut instinct to look upward when we encounter the unexplained is the right one. If the heavens indeed declare the glory of God, wed do well to listen. Originally posted at breakpoint.org (Natural News) The fight in Michigan to expose what really happened in the November 2020 election is far from over. (Article by Patty McMurray republished from republished from 100PercentFedUp.com) The morning after the election, in a solidly red county in northern Michigan where Trump banners, flags, and yard signs can be found in almost every front yard, voters woke up to discover Joe Biden had walloped President Trump in the November 3rd general election. Upon further examination, it was discovered that 6,000 votes tabulated by Dominion Voting machines were flipped from Donald J. Trump to Joe Biden. The media called it a glitch and blamed it on human errorthe American public was stunned and demanded that lawmakers look into this and other voter irregularities popping up in multiple critical swing states. In addition to thousands of votes that were flipped from President Trump to Democrat candidate Joe Biden, Central Lake, MI (located in Antrim County) resident William Bailey was concerned about ballots that were re-run through the Dominion tabulator machine after a 262-262 tie on a vote a ballot initiative that would allow a marijuana establishment to be located within the Village of Central Lake. While ballots were being inserted into the machine, 3 of them were destroyed and were not placed through the tabulator. At the conclusion of the recount by the tabulating machine and with three fewer votes, the result was 262-261, and the initiative passed. Of course, this result could only be possible after 3 of the ballots were destroyed. American hero and Constitutional Attorney Matthew DePerno courageously agreed to take Baileys case. At 5:30 PM on Friday, December 4, 13th Circuit Court Judge Kevin A. Elsenheimer granted permission to William Bailey and his team of IT experts to conduct a forensic study of the 16 Dominion voting machines, tabulators, thumb drives, related software, and the Clerks master tabulator. On December 14, 2020, Michigan 13th Circuit Court Judge Kevin A Elsenheimer agreed to allow Mr. DePernos client, William Bailey, and a highly skilled team of IT experts to perform a forensic examination on 16 of the Dominion voting machines in Antrim County, MI. On Monday, against the objections of MI Secretary of State Benson, Judge Elsenheimer agreed to allow the results of the forensic examination to be released to the public. The results were damning. After the forensic examination of 16 Dominion Voting machines in Antrim, Co. MI, Allied Security Operations Group has concluded that the Dominion Voting machines were assigned a 68.05% error rate. DePerno explained that when ballots are put through the machine, a whopping 68.05% error rate means that 68.05% of the ballots are sent for bulk adjudication, which means they collect the ballots in a folder. The ballots are sent somewhere, where people in another location can change the vote, DePerno explained. The allowable election error rate established by the Federal Election Commission guidelines is 1 in 250,000 ballots or .0008%. On December 15, the MI Senate Oversight Committee questioned Dominion CEO John Poulos about the Dominion Voting machines used in Michigan in the November election. MI Senator Pete Lucido (R) asked Mr. Poulos, How do I know, as a voter, Mr. Poulos, that I didnt have any irregularity of the software being manipulated? How can I be sure of that? The Dominion CEO responded by telling Senator Lucido, At the end of the day, you have to remember that the ballot box was secure and empty at the beginning of the day, adding, And at the end of the day, there was a number of ballots that each voter deposited into that sealed and locked ballot box. Poulos added, Those ballots havent gone anywhere, assuring the Committee, Theyve been under secure control of the poll workers. Mr. DePerno contacted 100 Percent Fed Up to explain that Dominion CEO John Poulos made this statement about the boxes being secured without any evidence of his claim. The constitutional attorney who represented William Bailey in his case against Antrim County explained that on November 27, 2020, he and Mr. Bailey, along with five IT experts who were part of his team, were given permission by four precincts to perform an inspection of their tabulators and tabulator print off rolls. Mr. DePerno explains that at least 2 of the 4 Dominion machines they inspected had broken seals on the sides of the machine. One of the broken seals was discovered on the Dominion Voting machine in Mancelona Twp. and the second broken seal was found in Central Lake, MI.; additionally, the Dominion Voting machine in Central Lake had no side security lock on the side. Matt DePerno witnessed a hand recount conducted by local Antrim Co. volunteers and Michigan Secretary of State officials, under the direction of Michigans dishonest Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson . DePerno claimed he witnessed multiple irregularities and offered video evidence of proof of his claims. The hand recount in Antrim Co, MI, which many considered useless, isnt the end of the story. On January 11, MI, Judge Elsenheimer once again overruled the far left Michigan Secretary Of State and ordered the release of large amounts of 2020 election data. According to the court documents provided by Constitutional Attorney Matthew DePerno, MI Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has been ordered to supply him with the following information by February 2, 2021. MI Secretary of State has been ordered to produce any correspondences, communications, and documents between the State of Michigan (including but not limited to the Secretary of States Office and/or Jocelyn Benson): (a) Antrim County, (b) the Michigan House of Representatives (including but not limited to all members or offices), and (c) the Michigan Senate (including but not limited to members or offices) regarding the 2020 election. (a) the Federal Government. (b) the US House of Representatives (including but not limited to all members or offices), and (c) the US Senate (including but not limited to members or offices) regarding the 2020 election. Dominion Voting Systems regarding the 2020 election. Amazon (or any employee, officer, or director) regarding the 2020 election. Apple (or any employee, officer, or director) regarding the 2020 election. Google (or any employee, officer, or director) regarding the 2020 election. Facebook (or any employee, officer, or director) regarding the 2020 election. The court order for MI Secretary of State Benson to turn over evidence related to the November election should be big news, but instead, they choose to heap praise on Dirty Dana Nessel, the Michigan Attorney General, as they continue to stonewall and threaten people like DePerno for standing up to tyranny: DePerno sent a series of tweets about the case: 1. Yesterday in Antrim county, Judge Elsenheimer largely overruled SoS Bensons objections to discovery and ordered her and her office to produce large amounts of information regarding the 2020 elections. 2. Michigans state-run media ignored this part of the hearing but instead declared victory for Dana Nessel. Having now reached out to several reporters, I have learned that the document production issue was not deemed news-worthy (i.e. must be hidden from public view). 2. Michigan's state-run media ignored this part of the hearing, but instead declared victory for Dana Nessel. Having now reached out to several reporters, I have learned that the document production issue was not deemed news-worthy (i.e. must be hidden from public view). Matthew S. DePerno, Esq. (@mdeperno) January 12, 2021 DePerno continued: a form of govt that prohibits and restricts opposition and exercises a high degree of control over public/private life. Political power is held by autocrats who employ all-encompassing campaigns in which propaganda is broadcast by state-controlled media. 3. #totalitarianism "a form of gov't that prohibits and restricts opposition and exercises a high degree of control over public/private life. Political power is held by autocrats who employ all-encompassing campaigns in which propaganda is broadcast by state-controlled media." Matthew S. DePerno, Esq. (@mdeperno) January 12, 2021 Mr. DePerno went on to explain the totalitarian nature of the media and government actions in Michigan and America, today: 4. I will repeat, "propaganda is broadcast by state-controlled media." Did most "journalists" fail civics? #JosephStalin #MaoZedong to name a few totalitarians. Not hard to look them up. Matthew S. DePerno, Esq. (@mdeperno) January 12, 2021 Its curious the lengths Democrats are willing to go to keep what should be public information related to the November 2020 election from being revealed to the public. Read more at: 100PercentFedUp.com Sudanese authorities Thursday banned aircraft from flying over a flashpoint border area with Ethiopia after alleging an Ethiopian military aircraft entered its airspace in "a dangerous escalation" to bilateral tensions. "The Civil Aviation Authority issued an international aviation notice, stating that aircraft are prohibited from flying over al-Fashaqa border region," the CAA said in a statement. An official told AFP that "this decision is meant for military aircraft." Tensions have been running high between Khartoum and Addis Ababa over the Al-Fashaqa region, which has been hit by deadly clashes in recent weeks. The region is inhabited by Ethiopian farmers who cultivate fertile land claimed by Sudan. On Wednesday, Sudan said that an Ethiopian military aircraft flew over the Sudanese-Ethiopian border in that area, and warned of "dangerous ramifications". An Ethiopian military spokesman, General Mohamed Tessema, told AFP he had no "tangible information" concerning Sudan's claim about the aircraft, but that the situation at the border was "normal" on Wednesday. Khartoum and Addis Ababa have been trading accusations of violence in Al-Fashaqa since December. This week, Ethiopia claimed that Sudanese forces were pushing further into the border region while Sudan said an Ethiopian gang killed at least six Sudanese people on the border. In December, Sudan accused Ethiopian "forces and militias" of ambushing Sudanese troops along the border, leaving four dead and more than 20 wounded. Ethiopia, for its part, said in mid-December that Sudanese military forces had "organised attacks... using heavy machine guns". The two sides held border talks last month, and Sudan declared in late December that its army had restored control over all border territory that had been taken over by Ethiopian farmers. Al-Fashaqa region -- which has seen sporadic clashes over the years -- borders Ethiopia's troubled Tigray region where deadly conflict erupted in November between Ethiopia's federal and Tigray's regional forces. The fighting sent some 60,000 Ethiopian refugees into Sudan. * This story was edited by Ahram Online Short link: LABOUR Party Senator Ivana Bacik has expressed extreme surprise at Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonalds artistic admiration of Woody Allen and Kevin Spacey, despite lurid sex allegations made against them. Ms McDonald, interviewed on Matt Coopers radio show on Today FM, said cancel culture was too absolutist and too cut and dried. Mr Spacey, whose acting career has been ended by sex assault allegations, was still a great actor she said, while the work of director Woody Allen stands on its own two feet. Ms Bacik said she was very surprised by the remarks. I said to myself, she cant possibly have said that, but she did. Ms McDonald said: In the MeToo scenario, I think word came out on lots of different people that caused, you know, great difficulties but at the same time Im just not convinced by this cancel culture. I think thats just too absolutist. Catherine Murphy, co-leader of the Social Democrats, also expressed surprise, saying MeToo had done much good in countering what was the misuse of power by the famous, who held such power by dint of their fame, as in the Harvey Weinstein case. It can be very difficult for people to challenge that power, because there were few tools at their disposal yet word of mouth and boycotts were some of them, she said. When they do challenge such power, it shouldnt be dismissed or diminished. Ms Bacik added: I think even the phrase cancel culture is used by people to disparage those who are trying to progressively change society And actually, the MeToo movement has been phenomenal in what it has achieved. Today Mostly sunny. High 66F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Mainly clear. Low 43F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 76F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. It is generally thought that humans started farming about 12,000 years ago. Prior to that, humans were pretty much hunter-gathers. In relative terms, precision agriculture is a new concept and is seeing increased implementation. As we see technology integrated more into our lives, so has technology become more integrated into agricultural production practices and management of farms and the businesses that support farms. Precision agriculture is a management practice that utilizes information from satellites and aerial imagery, global positioning systems, sensors, robotics, drones, variable rate technology and computer software to help understand and manage the data generated. Precision agriculture, when applied to crop production, is based in observation, measurement and having the ability to respond to field variability with the goal of optimizing returns on inputs while protecting resources. Even though agriculture has been practiced for 12,000 years, it was approximately 100 years ago that agriculture became mechanized. Prior to the early 1900s into the 1930s, both human and animal labor were the principle source of power used to farm. I still remember seeing men hand-pitching hay onto a wagon drawn by horses in the field that was behind my house as a young child in the early 1960s. In the early 1930s, each farmer produced enough food to feed approximately 26 people. A local Christian sculptor carved the work of art. The church, the biggest in the Nineveh Plain, was devastated, bemoans a local Chaldean priest. Evangelisation in this land is also done with art. As reconstruction continues, economic hardships and inflation scare more than COVID-19. Qaraqosh (AsiaNews) This morning Christians in Qaraqosh, the most important Christian town in the Nineveh Plain (northern Iraq), celebrated the placing of a statue of Our Lady on top of the bell tower of the Syrian Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary. This place of worship is dear to local Christians. It was set on fire by the Islamic State group during their occupation, which started in August 2014, destroying all the Christian symbols it contained. But thanks to the efforts and commitment of the entire local community, the place of worship was rebuilt over the past few years. The bell tower of this church, the largest in the Nineveh Plain, was razed to the ground at the time of the liberation, with a missile or a bomb, we do not know exactly, said Fr Paul Thabit Mekko, head of the local community, speaking to AsiaNews from Karamles, also in the Nineveh plain. Only a part of the old bell tower remained, he explained. We decided to place a statue of Our Lady on top of it, as we did two years ago in Karamles. The church in the town of Qaraqosh, a name used under the Ottoman Empire which Christians prefer to call by its Aramaic name, Bakhdida, is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, to the purest, and for this reason we decided to also put a statue when we started reconstruction. A local Christian artist, a sculptor called Thabit Michael, did the work. He also made the statue of Our Lady for the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Baghdad, scene of a massacre by al-Qaeda in 2010. In the summer of 2014, the Islamic State group (then called ISIS) invaded Qaraqosh, destroying and devastating homes, churches, the library and other places of interest in the city. Tens of thousands of people fled in a hurry, abandoning the most important Christian town in the Nineveh Plain. The town was freed from the jihadist yoke two years later, in 2016, but signs of looting and devastation where everywhere when people began returning. Many have not yet returned. The Caliphate burnt and plundered most of the towns cultural and literary heritage; but thanks to Christian charities and other organisations, including the Syrian-Catholic Church, the library reopened last September, and in a short time, became a reference point for the area. While local Christians wait for the announced papal visit amidst doubts and uncertainties, Fr Paul explains that Evangelisation in our land is also done with art which is fundamental to maintaining ones identity. Thabit Michael is not only a true artist, but also a Christian devoted to his land, who wants to revive it also through his works. He is also responsible for the statue of Our Lady in the oldest and most important church in Mosul, which we all hope to rebuild after it was devastated by the Islamic State. Fr Paul notes that the situation in the former stronghold of the Caliphate and in the Nineveh Plain is currently calm. Some activities have been reported but nothing to worry about. Even the pandemic has not disrupted local life. Karamles has not reported any case in two months. In the region, people are more concerned about the economic crisis and the difficulties associate with reconstruction. For us, the main issue is inflation, rising prices, and the exchange rate between the dollar and our currency. All this makes the task of rebuilding that much more difficult and represents a further incentive for young people to flee, as they see no new prospects. The Police on Wednesday arraigned Owede Bruno, the owner of Club Victoria in Lagos. He appeared before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates Cour... The Police on Wednesday arraigned Owede Bruno, the owner of Club Victoria in Lagos. He appeared before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates Court for flouting COVID-19 rules. The defendant faces a four-count charge bordering on harmful act and disobedience, disobeying government order concerning COVID-19 and conduct likely to cause breach of the peace. Bruno, 42, pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him. The Prosecutor, DSP A. A. Adegoke, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on January 9. Adegoke alleged that Bruno flouted COVID-19 rules by organising night Disco, where a large number of people were in attendance. The police officer said the crowd did not maintain social distancing and were without their face masks. The offences contravened Sections 123, 166, 168 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs O.G. Oghre, granted the defendant bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum. They must be gainfully employed and show proof of tax payment to the state government for the last three years. One of them must be Brunos blood relation, and have landed property within the courts jurisdiction. The defendant must take a COVID-19 test and present before the court within seven days. Oghre adjourned the case until March 16 for mention. Something to look forward to: Samsung breaks with tradition today by holding its biannual Unpacked event in January instead of February. That means well get our first official look at the Galaxy S21 line in a few hours, and you can watch the whole thing right here at 7am PT / 10am ET / 3pm GMT While Samsung is expected to unveil several devices, the highlights will be the Galaxy S21, the Galaxy S21 Plus, and the Galaxy S21 Ultra smartphones. Weve heard a lot about the handsets over the last few months; the most significant change could be support for the Galaxy S Pen. Although the phones dont come with the stylus, such a move potentially makes the Note series obsolete. In the case of the flagship Galaxy S21 Ultra, rumors claim it will up the 120 Hz screen to 144 Hz, feature a 6.8-inch Dynamic 2K AMOLED 2x Infinity-O display, and have a 5,000 mAH battery. Image credit: @We_The_Techies The camera module on all three phones has been redesigned, they will be powered by the Exynos 2100 or Snapdragon 888, and it looks as if Samsung is following Apple in dropping the bundled charger. We also expect to see the S21 Ultra launch at around the same price as its high-end predecessor ($1,399), while the other models could come in cheaper than the S20 equivalents, possibly due to their plastic backs and flat rather than curved displays. Elsewhere, the event will almost certainly see the Galaxy Buds Pro and Galaxy SmartTag Tile-like trackers introduced, and Samsung might show off the Galaxy Z Flip 3 or Z Fold 3. Tune in later to find out. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. As vaccinations continue across the U.S., some companies are offering financial incentives to encourage their workers to get the shots. Instacart Inc., the grocery delivery service, announced Thursday that it would provide a $25 stipend for workers who get the COVID-19 vaccine. It joins others, including Trader Joe's and Dollar General, which plan to pay workers extra if they get vaccinated. Our goal with the introduction of our new vaccine support stipend is to ensure that, when the time comes, Instacart shoppers dont have to choose between earning income as an essential service provider or getting vaccinated, Instacart CEO Apoorva Mehta said in a statement. San Francisco-based Instacart has nearly doubled its mostly gig workforce to about 500,000 to meet a surge in demand for online grocery shopping since the pandemic erupted in the U.S. last spring. Grocery chain Trader Joe's, which has more than 50,000 employees, said Thursday it will give employees two hours of pay per dose for getting the vaccine. The Monrovia, California-based company said it will also shift around schedules to make sure employees have time to get vaccinated. Dollar General said Wednesday it will give employees the equivalent of four hours of pay if they get the vaccine. The Goodlettsville, Tennessee-based retailer said it employs 157,000 people. A vaccine advisory panel at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control voted late last month on recommendations for vaccine distribution. The panel said grocery workers which would include Instacart and Dollar Generals employees should be in the second group to receive shots after health care workers and nursing home residents. It is up to each state to decide how and when to adopt the CDCs recommendations. Some states have already opened eligibility to the second group, which also includes firefighters, police, teachers, corrections workers, postal employees and people 75 and older. There are around 50 million people in that group. Story continues Companies can mandate that workers get COVID-19 vaccines as a requirement for employment, although they must make accommodations for medical or religious reasons, according to guidance from the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. However, most companies are reluctant to impose such mandates, said Sharon Perley Masling, a partner at the law firm Morgan Lewis who has been advising clients on workplace issues surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. The emergency nature of the vaccines FDA approval makes it impractical for many companies to require it, given that the shots are not available to most of the population, she said. Still, Masling said the companies she works with are taking various steps to strongly encourage their workers to get vaccinated, including internal public relations campaigns showing top executives who are eligible getting the shots. Other incentives include free child care, paid time off and freebies like pizza delivery and other gifts, she said. Its good for employees, its good for their communities and its good for ensuring the continuation of business operations, Masling said. The push to vaccinate comes amid signs that some people even health care workers are reluctant to get the shots, contributing to a slower than hoped-for rollout of the mass vacation effort in the U.S. Masling said many of companies are still trying to figure out how their employees feel about the taking the shots, with some sending out internal surveys. In a survey last month by the Society for Human Resource Management, nearly two-thirds of U.S. workers said they were likely to get the vaccine when it becomes available. Still, 36% said they were not likely to get vaccinated, citing as their main reason concern about side effects. SHRM surveyed workers from 529 U.S. households using the AmeriSpeak Omnibus survey, a probability-based panel developed by NORC at the University of Chicago. Scientists say the vaccines have been rigorously tested on tens of thousands and vetted by independent experts, and there have been no signs of widespread severe side effects from the shots. Not every company is offering incentives. Delivery app DoorDash, another big platform for gig workers, said it has asked the CDC and governors to prioritize delivery workers in vaccine distribution. But it doesn't plan perks for workers who get vaccinated. Target Corp. also plans no incentives, but said it will make the vaccine free and accessible to its 350,000 employees. Target said 1,700 of its stores have a CVS pharmacy on site that will offer the vaccine to staff when it's available. Albertsons, a grocery chain with 2,250 U.S. stores and 300,000 employees, also isn't doling out financial incentives. Like DoorDash, it's asking state and local authorities to make sure its workers get priority for the vaccine. A separate SHRM survey last month found that while about two-thirds of U.S. employers planned to encourage employees to get vaccinated, only 3% have decided to require it for at least some workers. That could change, since 55% of employers said they were unsure if they would eventually require it, according to survey of 955 members of SHRM, an organization of about 300,000 human resource professionals. Many large companies have faced criticism over how they have treated their employees throughout the pandemic, from shoddy sick leave policies to poor working conditions. Companies from meatpacking plants to Amazon have grappled with worker absences and outbreaks that have forced temporary shutdowns of their factories and warehouses. There is also a looming debate in Congress over whether employers should be exempt from legal liabilities related to coronavirus exposure as more recall their employees to offices and other work sites. Those challenges provide a strong incentive for companies to get their workers vaccinated, said Laura Boudreau, an economics professor at Columbia Business School who specializes in labor rights. A lot of them have had to defend their reputations in terms of how they are treating their employees throughout the pandemic, Boudreau said. Instacart is among several companies that have lobbied for their workers to be prioritized for vaccines. The company has faced criticism and some worker unrest over allegations that it not done enough to protect its gig workers, who dont get health insurance through the company or guaranteed paid sick leave. The company says it has distributed 620,000 free safety kits to its workers, including face masks and hand sanitizers. It introduced a new policy in March to provide 14 days of paid leave for gig workers who are diagnosed with COVID-19 or have been ordered to quarantine because of potential exposure. The Daily Beast Rexburg Police DepartmentA psychological evaluation has found Lori Vallowthe doomsday mom accused of murdering her two childrennot competent to stand trial.Assessment determined at this time the defendant is not competent to proceed and recommends restorative treatment, Seventh Judicial District Judge Steven Boyce wrote in a Thursday order pausing the case.Prosecutors have already contested the reports findings, but the judges order remains in effect pending determination of the issue of competency.The news comes after Vallow and her husband, Chad Daybell, were indicted on several new charges and accused of justifying the murders of three peopleincluding Vallows two kidswith their doomsday-centered religious beliefs.On Thursday, the Chandler Police Department confirmed to The Daily Beast that it has also submitted its investigation into the death of Vallows ex-husband, Charles Vallow, who was fatally shot by his brother-in-law in July 2019, to the Maricopa County Attorneys Office. Police said they recommended that Vallow should be charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murderthough it is up to county prosecutors to make an official charge.A Maricopa County Attorneys Office spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast they received the Chandler Police Departments investigation into Charles Vallows death on April 1, but declined to comment on it.Doomsday Couple Allegedly Murdered Threeand Justified It With Religious Beliefs On Tuesday, the couple was indicted on several charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, in connection with the deaths of Vallows kids, 7-year-old J.J Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan. Daybell, a doomsday author, was also been charged with first-degree murder for the October 2019 death of Tammy Daybell, his ex-wife. Vallow has been separately charged with grand theft for allegedly diverting her childrens Social Security benefits into her personal bank account. Prosecutors allege Daybell and Vallow did endorse and espouse religious beliefs for the purpose of encouraging and/or justifying the homicide of all three people.Their alleged murder spree began in 2019, when Charles Vallow was fatally shot by his wifes brother, Alex Cox, during a domestic dispute. Cox, who was not charged and died months later from natural causes, said at the time he fired in self-defense. In divorce and custody petitions against Vallow, Charles wrote that his estranged wife had become obsessed with doomsday visions and had threatened his life. He said Vallow believed she was reincarnated to lead people during the second coming of Jesus in July 2020 and said that if he got in the way of her saving humanity, she would kill him, according to NBC News.Vallow believes that she is receiving spiritual revelations and visions to help her gather and prepare those chosen to live in the New Jerusalem after the Great War as prophesied in the Book of Revelations, the divorce petition read.Vallow and Daybell, who are members of a community of doomsday preppers and were married two weeks after Daybell was widowed, are already in prison for several other crimes related to the childrens disappearance in September 2019.Im Not Supposed to Be Talking to You: Doomsday Mom Called Hubby From Jail as FBI Searched His HomeProsecutors allege Daybell and Vallow killed Tylee Ryan on Sept. 8 or Sept. 9, 2019, after almost a year of planning. About two weeks later, the pair allegedly killed J.J. The indictment states that Daybell then murdered his ex-wife in October with the help of Vallow and her brother. In January 2020, Vallow made national headlines when she refused to comply with a court order to produce her two children. It was later revealed she had also asked a friend to lie to the police and say she was watching J.J.Last June, Idaho authorities charged the pair with conspiracy to conceal evidence after the remains of two kids were found in Daybells home. Daybell is scheduled to enter a plea on the murder charges on June 9. Vallow was supposed to make an initial appearance on Wednesday but her hearing was put on hold at the request of her lawyer, Mark Means. Attorneys for Daybell and Vallow did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's request for comment.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor The mortal remains of the late President, Jerry John Rawlings, will be interred at the Military Cemetery at Burma Camp in Accra. The former President died on Thursday, November 12, 2020, at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra. At a press briefing in Accra on Wednesday, a caretaker Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, said the funeral activities for the late Rawlings will commence on Friday, January 22, 2021. Per the arrangements, the Anlo Traditional Council will hold a series of celebratory and traditional events in honour of Mr Rawlings on Friday, January 22 and Saturday, January 23 in Anlo. On Sunday, January 24, national activities will start with a Catholic Requiem Mass at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra, followed by a vigil at the Air Force Base at 6pm. On Monday, January 25, the mortal remains of the late President Rawlings will be laid in state at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC). Filing past protocol According to Mr Oppong Nkrumah, the filing past of the mortal remains of Mr Rawlings on Monday will start with the heads of security agencies, leaders of political parties and the public. On Tuesday, the filing past will resumes at 9am and will be led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia; former heads of state and heads of constitutional bodies. At 10am Parliament, led by Speaker, Mr Alban Bagbin and former speakers will file past the body. At noon, the Chief Justice, Justices of the Supreme Court and former Chief Justices will file past the body, at 1pm Former Chairman and Members of the Council of State, as well as former ministers of state will file past and then at 2pm, the diplomatic corps will file past. He said at 3pm, traditional and customary rites and celebrations will be held at the foyer of the AICC while the body is still in state. Burial On Wednesday, January 27, the burial service for the late Rawlings will be held at the Black Star Square in Accra with full military honours led by the Ghana Armed Forces. He said the body will later be interred at the Military Cemetery at Burma Camp in Accra. 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 Estonia's Prime Minister Juri Ratas speaks to the press as he arrives on the second day of a European Union (EU) summit at The European Council Building in Brussels on Oct. 2, 2020. (Olivier Hoslet/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Estonias PM Resigns Over Corruption Scandal in His Party HELSINKI Estonias prime minister resigned on Jan. 13 over a corruption scandal involving a key official of his Center Party suspected of accepting a private donation for the party in exchange for a political favor on a real estate deal, prompting new talks on forming a new ruling coalition. The resignation of Prime Minister Juri Ratas, who is also the Center Partys leader, automatically triggers the resignation of Estonias three-party coalition government but doesnt automatically mean a new election. Ratas said early on Jan. 13 on his Facebook page that he would step down as the suspicion expressed by the Public Prosecutors Office does not mean that someone is definitely guilty but they will inevitably cast a serious shadow over all those involved. In such a situation, it seems only right that, by resigning myself, I will give the opportunity to shed light on all the facts and come to clarity, Ratas wrote on Facebook. Ratas said he personally hasnt done anything wrong. Despite taking political responsibility, I can say with all my heart that, as prime minister, I have not made any malicious or deliberately wrong decisions, he wrote on Facebook. After Ratass announcement, parties immediately started talks on cobbling together a new government. Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid said she would propose that Kaja Kallas, chairwoman of the main opposition, center-right Reform Party, which emerged as the winner of the 2019 general election, to form the new Cabinet. Ratas has led a majority coalition of his left-leaning Center Party, the nationalist EKRE party, and the conservative Fatherland party since April 2019. He has held the post of the prime minister of the Baltic country of 1.3 million since November 2016. There are currently five political parties represented at Estonias 101-seat Riigikogu legislature, or Parliament. Only a limited number of combinations exist for a majority coalition, particularly as the Reform Party has ruled out cooperation with the populist EKRE, Estonias third-largest party, which runs largely on an anti-immigration and anti-European Union agenda. On Jan. 12, Estonias security police said it was investigating the offices of state credit agency KredEx over suspicions of corruption regarding a 39 million-euro ($48 million) loan granted to the Porto Franco real estate complex in the harbor district of the capital, Tallinn. The Public Prosecutors Office said separately it suspected the Center Party and five people of criminal involvement in the Porto Franco real estate case including party secretary Mihhail Korb, real estate businessman Hillar Teder, and Kersti Kraht, an adviser to the countrys finance minister. Korb announced his resignation late on Jan. 12. As the largest political party in Tallinn, the Center Party controls the office of mayor and has the final say over how to develop public infrastructure projects such as roads and transport in the capital. Estonian media reported that Tallinn Mayor Mihhail Kolvart has been questioned in the case but isnt suspected of any wrongdoing. Teder, whose son Rauno Teder is the main shareholder in Porto Franco, is suspected of cutting a deal with Korb on facilitating access routes to the Porto Franco estate in the harbor district in return for 1 million-euro donation to Center. In 2015, Hillar Teder was a suspect in a corruption case involving former Tallinn Mayor and Center Party leader Edgar Savisaar. Ratas insisted the real estate project has had no influence on government decision making. Estonia is a member of the European Union and NATO since 2004. By Jari Tanner AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered the activation of approximately 200 Illinois National Guard members in support of the 59th Presidential Inauguration. The District of Columbia requested additional support from the Guard in advance of the upcoming event. In the wake of the recent incident at the Capitol, ensuring a peaceful transfer of power to the Biden administration is of the utmost importance, said Pritzker. The Illinois National Guard is renown for its exemplary soldiers and airmen and I am proud to have them represent Illinois alongside other service members during the upcoming presidential inauguration. One of lifes small pleasures is to peer into your pocketbook or wallet and discover that what you thought was a dollar bill lurking in the folds is actually a 20. As the 87th session of the Texas Legislature convenes this week, lawmakers are experiencing something of a macroeconomic equivalent. Despite the fiscal perils of the coronavirus pandemic, the states budget outlook is better than officials thought it might be, state Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced Monday. In August, Hegar had projected that lawmakers would be glumly staring into a $4.6 billion abyss when they convened in Austin. As it turns out, the dreaded abyss is more of a relatively modest ravine. According to the comptrollers figures, the state is currently projected to end the 2020-21 biennium in August with a $950 million deficit. Thats not the $3 billion surplus we expected to have less than a year ago, but it could have been much worse. Lawmakers have an estimated $113 billion to spend when they write the next two-year budget. We expect them to be prudent, of course, but being prudent during these uncertain times means making good on investments they made last session, particularly in education and health care. The cant afford it rationale, always a convenient excuse for those lawmakers who see no need to plan for the states future, now rings hollow. Being prudent also means avoiding hyper-partisan feuds over bathroom bills, abortion restrictions and their equivalent as advocated by such extremists as state GOP chairman Allen West. It also means ignoring hyper-partisan hobby horses like Gov. Greg Abbotts plan for the Department of Public Safety to take over policing in Austin. The always knotty, always disputatious redistricting task on tap this session should be partisan enough for anyones taste. Focus, lawmakers. Focus on education, on health care, on helping Texans survive a pandemic that keeps getting more deadly. The Lone Star State just surpassed 30,000 deaths. Other issues require attention criminal justice and police accountability, planning for hurricanes and other natural disasters, water conservation, to name a few but education, health care and pandemic survival are paramount. In 2019, the Legislature retooled the states school finance system, injecting $6.5 billion more into public schools and enacting property-tax relief to the tune of approximately $5.1 billion. Public schools are struggling to educate our children during a pandemic. They desperately need our support. They also need to know that lawmakers wont renege on promises made. Fortunately, newly installed House Speaker Dade Phelan and other state leaders have promised to sustain the states public education investments. Those promises include continued support for full-day pre-K in districts that offer it. It also means promoting equal access to the internet. If we werent aware of the necessity of both pre-K and broadband access, we certainly are now. Broadband access is also critical to health care, another issue that demands lawmakers attention. Recent temporary expansions of telemedicine and telehealth care must be made permanent. We urge lawmakers in the worst-insured state in the nation to look for ways to make sure that all eligible Texans have access to Medicaid, the Childrens Health Insurance Program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (formerly called food stamps). We also believe the state should at last approve Medicaid expansion, federal funding that would provide insurance coverage for an estimated 1.2 million Texans, most of them working adults. Unfortunately, Phelan said this week Medicaid expansion is highly unlikely. We implore him to reconsider. Texas is one of only 12 stubborn states passing up billions in federal funding that would help Texans access medical care in a time of dire need. As of Jan. 12, more than 14,000 people are hospitalized for COVID-19 in Texas. The virus is not under control in Texas, and thats the primary reason the states economic future remains, in Hegars words, clouded in uncertainty, despite the relatively good economic news this week. As Dale Craymer, president of the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, told the Texas Tribune this week, the pandemic and the associated impact on state revenues means Texas faces budget challenges at the very time Texans may need government help more than ever; however, the numbers are manageable. Craymer also pointed out that lawmakers have more money in the rainy-day fund than they did in 2011, during the states most recent budget crisis. The money is there, we believe, so that lawmakers can avoid cuts in education, health care and other services vital to Texans in need. These are hard times, no doubt about it. But even in hard times especially in hard times we would echo Hegar in his admonition to lawmakers to address the states needs. Think long-term, he urged. Do what you can to lessen burdens on future generations. New Delhi: President Donald Trump has become the first American president to be impeached twice, the second time comes just days before the end of his presidential tenure. Trump has been charged of inciting a mob of pro-Trump supporters which led to the storming of the Capitol while the House was in session. The mob went on a rampage and caused some structural damage to the Capitol, it also resulted in the death of five people including a police officer. In the House, Democrats and 10 Republicans voted to impeach Trump on the charge of inciting violence, though the Senate will not begin a trial until next Tuesday, which is incidentally the day before Democrat Joe Biden is sworn into office. It is also unclear how the trial will proceed and if any Senate Republicans will vote to convict Trump. Even though the trial won't happen until Trump is already out of office, it could still have the effect of preventing him from running for presidency in 2024. Here's what could happen next: The next schedule for the Senate is on January 19, which could be Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's last day as Senate leader. Once Vice President Kamala Harris is sworn in, making her the president of the Senate, the dynamics of the trial proceeds then will change dramatically. McConnell said he will not bring the Senate back on an emergency basis to start the trial. That means the trial is certain to take place after Trump has already left office. The House charges in 2019 on Trump's dealings with the president of Ukraine came after a lengthy investigation and testimony from multiple government officials. While Democrats unanimously criticized the conduct and charged Trump with abuse of power, the charges wove together a complicated web of evidence. How will impeachment work? As per the US constitution, impeachment means holding the president guilty on charges of high crime or misdemeanour by the House of Representatives. If the Lower House impeaches a US president, the matter goes before the Senate which needs two-thirds majority vote to remove the president from his office. In order for that to take place, the Senate must convict Trump in an impeachment trial after he leaves office. If the Senate convicts Trump then it could also disqualify him from serving in a future federal office. What could be Trump's future If the Senate were to convict, lawmakers could then take a separate vote on whether to disqualify Trump from holding future office. Only a majority of senators would be needed to ban him from future office, unlike the two-thirds needed to convict. Trump could lose some of his benefits under the Former Presidents Act of 1958. Those include a lifetime pension, an annual travel budget and funding for an office and staff. He would still be entitled to Secret Service protection, but Congress could amend the law to make sure Trump loses those benefits. Mike Pence refuses to invoke 25th Amendment On Tuesday Vice President Mike Pence refused invoke the 25th Amendment and remove the powers of the presidency from Trump. Right before the vote, the vice president sent Nancy Pelosi a letter saying it "would set a terrible precedent." "I do not believe that such a course of action is in the best interest of our nation or consistent with our Constitution," Pence said in the letter adding that the framers of the 25th Amendment intended it to be used in a matter of the president's incapacitation or disability, such as through illness. The House on Wednesday voted 232-197 to impeach President Donad Trump, with 10 members of Trump's Republican Party joining 222 Democrats for his alleged role in the siege of Capitol Hill On January 6 2021. Indian diplomatic missions in the (UAE) have warned jobseekers against fake agents, a media report said on Thursday. According to the Gulf News report, the warning came in the wake of a top Indian official's caution against recruitment agents putting Indians at risk abroad. Taking to Twitter earlier this week, Sanjay Bhattacharyya, secretary to the government of India in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), had said: "Concerned that few unscrupulous agents are exploiting our citizens and putting them at risk abroad. Recruiting Agents must act responsibly or will be held accountable." Retweeting Bhattacharyya's post, the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi stated that the mission and the Indian Consulate in Dubai had acted upon complaints against such agents and brought them to justice. "We encourage everyone to report all such agents. Your proactiveness can change someone's life," the Embassy added. Speaking to Gulf News, Sandeep Kaushik, second secretary, Press, Information and Culture at the Embassy, confirmed that there has been a surge in the activities of devious recruitment agents after the Covid-19 lockdown. Consul General of India, Aman Puri also confirmed that there had been cases of cheating by the agents that had been brought to the notice of the mission of late. "In the post-Covid world, some sections of the society have become more vulnerable," he told Gulf News. "It is always wise to leave the (home) country as a skilled worker with proper documentation and through proper channels," Puri added. Last month, UAE authorities and social workers worked together to rescue 12 Indian women who were duped by recruitment agents. --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.) Crasto retires: A legacy of success for UDRI, UD and Ohio By Pamela Gregg, Communication Administrator, 937-229-3268 When Allan Crasto retires as Executive Director of the University of Dayton Research Institute March 1, he will leave behind a legacy of significant organizational growth in a variety of forms. In the five years since he assumed the role, sponsored research revenue grew by 70 percent to $170 million, the employee population grew by 60 percent to 709, UD rose from third to first place among all colleges in the nation in materials research, and UDRI was reorganized and rebranded. But Crastos contributions to research growth began 32 years ago, when he joined UDRI as a research scientist specializing in polymer-matrix composites. He quickly earned a reputation not only for his technical expertise, but for his ability to develop relationships with Department of Defense and industry customers and build research programs, said John Leland, vice president for research at UD. As a researcher, Allan helped build our programs in advanced materials and our reputation in nanomaterials, a quickly growing field, Leland said. He was promoted a number of times in a relatively short span of time, not only for his technical accomplishments, but for his leadership abilities that significantly contributed to research growth. After serving for seven years as division head for what was then the Institutes nonmetallic materials division, Crasto was named Associate Director in 2006 and Director in 2016. His title was changed to executive director in 2019 as significant organizational growth warranted the addition of separate directors for business development and business services. Crasto was a natural selection for leadership, not only because of the depth of his experience in research and program development, but for his innate talent in building relationships, collaborations and partnerships across the Institute, campus and external communities, Leland said, citing a few of many noteworthy accomplishments: As division head, Crasto played a critical role in the creation of the Wright Brothers Institute Endowed Chair in Nanomaterials and the establishment of a state-of-the-art Nanoscale Engineering, Science and Technology Center on campus, a result of his work to secure funds from the state of Ohios first technology-based economic development programs. While associate director, Crasto wrote and led the proposal that garnered $3.5 million from the state of Ohio for renovation of UDs River Campus building (now Daniel J. Curran Place), then spearheaded the planning and implementation of the Institutes move of personnel and equipment to the new space. He also played a principal role in developing the partnership that brought the GE Aviation EPISCenter to the University of Dayton campus. During his five-year tenure as director, the Research Institute experienced record-breaking revenue each year, accounting for more than 25 percent of the $2.75 billion in total sponsored research performed in the Institutes 64-year history. Materials research at UDRIto include the new field of additive manufacturingcontinued to thrive, boosting the University of Daytons national ranking in materials research to first place, according to the National Science Foundations annual research and development rankings among U.S. colleges. Many of these efforts led to economic development and job creation not only within UDRI, but in Dayton and Ohio by way of the business partnerships that grew from them, Leland said. As important as these and other initiatives are, none of them would have been possible without our staff, and Crasto was keenly aware of that, Leland added. Of all the complimentary things I could say about Allan, I think the most noteworthy is that his strong devotion to the success of the Research Institute was matchedif not exceededby his devotion to the success of its people, and he worked tirelessly to create or improve numerous initiatives designed to foster enhanced employee growth, recognition and satisfaction. Some of Crastos employee-oriented initiatives included intra-organizational activities designed to share information, address business challenges and enhance the working climate, Leland said. He is also a strong proponent of entrepreneurialism and recently contributed to the creation of the Universitys Propel Dayton program, which provides support to employees who want to start up a technology-based company, Leland added. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Allan, Leland said. Without exception, he has carried himself with the highest level of integrity. Hes never shied away from dealing with very difficult problems, and hes always addressed them mindfully, with heart and compassion. No one will miss his experience, caring and insights more than me. Leland, who served as director of UDRI for 10 years before being named vice president for research, will serve as interim executive director for the Research Institute until plans for filling the position are finalized. Jan. 13, 2021 On just Tuesday of this week, more than 4,400 citizens of the United States died due to COVID-related causes. It was the highest single day of pandemic deaths in our nation ever recorded and to help you get your arms around the magnitude of rampaging virus, Tuesdays death count was 1,597 more than those who died in the terrorist attacks of 9/11 (Sept. 11, 2001). There is no reason for the experts to not believe the death number yesterday wasnt worse, and todays coronavirus deaths will topple that. Here's the pattern: on Tuesday there were 229,712 new cases (yes, in just one day) in America thats a 37% increase over 14 days earlier. The daily death rate had jumped 49% in the same two weeks to 4,406. In short, COVID is at a ferocious all-time high in the nine months it has been watched with horror and yesterday, the Hamilton County Health Department received a shipment of 500 doses of the life-saving vaccine. That is not enough to offer at a drive-thru clinic. This is not meant to scare anybody and those who get mad or lose their grip are defeating the purpose of knowing the facts. No, there is no great pile of vaccine in some Nashville warehouse that is being denied the public. You also need to be aware that the scenery of our counter-strategy changes by the hour. It is incomprehensible to me that no health department in America knows when the vaccine will be available until a shipment is delivered to the loading dock. Just as Hamilton County has rebounded like a champ from a botched beginning, the state of Arkansas will not administer the first dose until next week. Its all good when our Dr. Fauci says the Feds are releasing 40 million doses but when? Where? Who? The most encouraging news in Hamilton County is that hopefully by Friday the new by appointment system will be engaged. Yesterday in Atlanta a man told TV reporters he had tried to call the appointment number 132 times and nobody ever answered the phone. Since last week, systems engineers and software techs have been charged with creating a call-in network that wont log-jam or wilt under what we all know will be a mad rush. Listen, if cars begin lining up at 4 a.m., fully aware the inoculation center was not going to open until 9 a.m., what study in patience, sportsmanship, or hair-trigger anger would you advise? The appointment system will work if cool heads and calm voices will allow it. Depending solely on vaccine supply, the health department hopes to have several locations ready by the first of next week. And, if the county gets enough vaccine, the so-called strike teams can be scheduled to appear at recreation centers, school gymnasiums, and at easy-access facilities. In addition, the state will soon name partners in Hamilton County where convenient appointments can be made. Starting next week, the second round vaccines will be available. Both vaccines now being given require two injections, spaced 21 or 28 days apart. Those who received the first dose several weeks ago (First Responders, MDs, front-line workers) will be contacted with an appointment time. After what is believed to be a week after the No. 2 shot, the vaccine will prayerfully ward off the COVID flu in 95 percent of those who are vaccinated. * * * HAMILTON COUNTY STAYS AT AGE 75-PLUS Secretary of Health Alex Azar announced on Tuesday that new Federal Guidelines will allow anyone over the age of 65 to now receive the vaccine but the suggestions were not binding. Obviously, those who are 75 and up are far more susceptible to the virus so Hamilton County health official will remain 75 and up for the time being. Understand, the worry is that the oldest who need the vaccine the most will be crowded out. There are approximately over 50 million Americans over the age of 65. The Health Dept. will drop the age to 65-and-over as soon as it is feasible. Again, the whole thing is dictated by supply. * * * THIS FROM THE NY TIMES CORONA DASHBOARD At least 146 new coronavirus deaths and 3,849 new cases were reported in Tennessee on Jan. 12. Over the past week, there has been an average of 6,690 cases per day, an increase of 23 percent from the average two weeks earlier. As of Wednesday afternoon, there have been at least 649,746 cases and 7,941 deaths in Tennessee since the beginning of the pandemic, according to a New York Times database. * * * HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS? According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, those with pre-existing conditions are at a far-greater risk when COVID strikes. Obesity affects 40 percent of Americans, along with diabetes, cancer, chronic lung, and heart disease, and such. Blacks struggle with more pre-existing problems than whites, yet many blacks do not trust the vaccine and have indicated they will not take it. Nothing is more dangerous than fear, but America has seen more than 23 million cases and over 380,000 deaths. A dear black lady in Birmingham has lost ten members of immediate family. Hispanics are also at a greater risk. Whether you trust it or not, please take the shot. * * * JOHNSON & JOHNSONS ONE-TIME VACCINE In August pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson entered into a $1 billion (with a b) contract with the Federal govt. to supply 12 million doses of its highly acclaimed COVID vaccine by February, and ultimately 100 million doses by June. Now J&J is admitting production problems but say they will have some amount of vaccine available in several weeks. What makes the J&J vaccine so desirable is that it is a one-dose vaccine and can easily be stored in a refrigerator for an extended time. (Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require sub-freezing temperature storage and are much more demanding.) * * * OUR CONGRESS IS A SICK BUNCH It is being reported that when Congress voted to impeach Donald Trump, no less than 60 of the voters had tested positive for the virus. * * * HUNDREDS WITH VACCINE RUSHED TO E.R.! Thats what the headlines blare but actually that is not unexpected. After you get the truth, you will find that people are notorious when it comes to exaggeration in front of news cameras. According to the nations efficient Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, there have been 308 adverse reactions, according to emergency room data, while 4.8 million doses were given by January 5. That equates to a 0.0064 risk factor. Im just saying royexum@aol.com SPRINGFIELD Dr. Charlotte Boney, who chairs the department of pediatrics at Baystate Childrens Hospital, was over the moon Thursday. Baystate Health had just announced it has formalized its long-term relationship with Boston Childrens Hospital to provide Western Massachusetts residents with easier access to highly specialized pediatric care in neurology, dermatology and other areas. Over the last six years or so, we have been collaborating on more and more things with Boston Childrens to make subspecialty care really available locally to patients and kids in Western Massachusetts, Boney said. This is really taking our partnership to the next level and I am over-the-moon pleased. They are the top childrens hospital in the country. Who would not want to partner with them? Sandra L. Fenwick, CEO of Boston Childrens Hospital, said in a statement the collaboration will strengthen the ability of two great institutions to improve access to the highest quality care for the patients and families we look forward to serving together. Dr. Mark A. Keroack, president and CEO of Baystate Health, added that he was delighted to build upon our exceptional care for families through a collaboration with the much-respected Boston Childrens Hospital, which will provide additional clinical expertise when needed for our young patients. A clinical referral network has long been in place for sending patients from Baystate to Boston for a second opinion or treatment, Boney said. However, the formalization is anticipated to take advantage of more remote care in subspecialties in which Baystate may not be staffed because it sees few related cases or may need additional support to help keep care local. Everyones telemedicines capabilities have dramatically improved in the last to nine to 10 months (because of the pandemic), Boney said. In most cases, we think that is how Boston Childrens can help us. Remote consults are great. No provider has to physically drive out to Springfield with telemedicine. She said already in place is a program with Boston Childrens pediatric skin specialists for which Baystate uses a camera specialty designed to take pictures of rashes. We take a picture of the skin and send it electronically to their pediatric dermatologists and they take a look at it, talk to our doctors here and they send us back a consult report, Boney said. They do not have to specifically be here. There are other possible collaborations in areas like rheumatology, Boney said. Boston Childrens neurologists come to Baystate Childrens weekends to provide in person, in-patient consultation for patients needing child neurology, she said. Also, they do some remote care on weeknights to help the existing neurology staff cope with demand that might have once meant a drive to Boston for patients and their families. Boney sees the arrangement as helping us to keep more of those patients local and giving community pediatricians even more confidence in referring to us in knowing that if we cannot provide the service, we can help expedite that care to Boston Childrens. Baystate Childrens has collaborated with Boston Childrens pediatric cardiology for at least six years, Boney said. One of the adult cardiologists interested in congenital heart disease actually comes out to Baystate physically to hold a clinic with our pediatric cardiologists for patients with congenital heart disease who are transitioning into adulthood. There are collaborations involving neurology and dermatology and areas in the works, she said. Boney credited Boston Childrens with having one of the best neurodevelopmental fellowships in the country. Those neurodevelopmental fellows have to do two years of pediatric training before they begin that subspecialty training in neurodevelopmental pediatrics. She added, So, we have one of their fellows doing his pediatrics training with us here at Baystate for two years and we are hoping to match another one to start next year. So, that is something we can do for them. She also noted the potential for small clinical studies between the two hospitals. Boston Childrens serves as a teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School and the University of Massachusetts Medical School now has a Baystate campus. When you are taking care of patients together and are both academic departments then you consider yourself a learning community and as you see patients and learn these things you want to share that within the field, Boney said. That is the most obvious way clinical research collaborations will happen. Related content: Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The larva of a tobacco hawkmoth Manduca sexta on a wild tobacco leaf: A detailed chemical analysis of larval frass (small black ball) revealed how toxins are activated in the caterpillars, thus providing clues to the biosynthesis of the toxins in the plant, the reversed process in comparison to digestion, or as the scientists called it: the "digestive duet". Credit: Anna Schroll Plants produce toxic substances to defend themselves against herbivores. In a new study, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena and the University of Munster, Germany, were able to describe in detail the biosynthesis and exact mode of action of an important group of defensive substances, the diterpene glycosides, in wild tobacco plants. Diterpene glycosides allow plants to fend off herbivores. The study shows that these plant chemicals attack certain parts of the cell membrane. To protect themselves from their own toxins and to prevent their cell membranes from being damaged, tobacco plants store these substances in a non-toxic form, which is synthesized in a very particular way. Autotoxicity and the protection against it seem to play a greater role in the evolution of plant defenses than previously thought. The research is published in Science. Many plants produce chemical defenses to protect themselves against being eaten. Still little is known about what makes these substances toxic to their consumers. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and the University of Munster have now investigated how plants produce toxins and store them in their tissues without harming themselves. In particular, they wanted to know whether the mechanisms of autotoxicity and its prevention share similar mechanisms as the toxic characteristics that provide defense against herbivores. Autotoxicity and defense For their experiments, they chose diterpene glycosides from Nicotiana attenuata plants, a wild tobacco species. "These substances occur at very high concentrations in the leaves of tobacco plants. But we had no idea why they were such effective defenses or why they could be so toxic to produce. So the situation was completely different from the other very abundant toxin that this plant produces, namely, nicotine. Nicotine is a specific neurotoxin. Since plants lack nerves and muscles, they offer no target for the toxin. So producing and storing nicotine does not harm plants," says Ian Baldwin from the Department of Molecular Ecology at the Jena Max Planck Institute, where the study was carried out. To their surprise, the researchers found that tobacco plants which had been transformed so they could no longer produced two proteins involved in the biosynthesis of the diterpene glycosides and thus also not form the defensive substances otherwise stored in the leaves in large amounts, showed conspicuous symptoms of self-poisoning: they were sick, unable to grow normally, and could no longer reproduce. Further experiments revealed that certain components of the cell membrane, so-called sphingolipids, had been attacked. Frassomics: Jiancai Li collects frass a Manduca sexta larva left on a tobacco plant for detailed analysis. Credit: Anna Schroll Targeting the cell membrane Sphingolipids are substances found in all animals and plants, including the enemies of wild tobacco, the larvae of the tobacco hawkmoth Manduca sexta. The researchers therefore asked whether the sphingolipid metabolism could be the target of the diterpene glycosides. In fact, Manduca sexta caterpillars, which had fed on plants without diterpene glycosides, grew significantly better than larvae, which had fed on controls that contained the defensive chemicals. Analyses of the frass of Manduca sexta larvae, which had ingested diterpene glycosides with their food, provided further insights, as the degradation of the plant toxins during larval digestion is more or less in reverse order to the synthesis of the substances in the plant. Plants prevent self-harm by storing the defensive substances in a non-toxic form. However, when insects feed on the plant, a part of the non-toxic molecule is cleaved off and the chemical becomes activated or "armed." "Interestingly, in both cases, in plants with incomplete diterpene glycoside biosynthesis and in feeding caterpillars, the target of the toxins is the sphingolipid metabolism," says first author Jiancai Li. Sphingolipids are mediators in many physiological processes. This makes the effect of diterpene glycosides on sphingolipid metabolism so intriguing. "Diterpene glycosides and their derivatives can have broad defensive functions against many agricultural pests and pathogenic fungi. At the same time, many human diseases, such as diabetes, cancers and some neurodegenerative diseases are also associated with elevated sphingolipid metabolisms," says Shuqing Xu from the Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity at the University of Munster, who is one of the senior authors of the study. Physicians have been searching for effective substances to treat these diseases by inhibiting the sphingolipid metabolism. The diterpene glycosides studied here could be potential candidates for further investigations. "Frassomics"a new powerful tool to study interactions between organisms The analysis of larval frass proved to be the key to success in this study. The scientists call this new approach "frassomics": a combination of frass (larval droppings) and metabolomicsthe analysis of all metabolites in an organism. "From this work, we realized that frassomics can be a very powerful research tool. The analysis of larval frass can provide metabolic clues about how what one organism produces is metabolized by consumer organisms," says Ian Baldwin. The scientists plan to gain more insights into the "digestive duets" that occur between plants and insects, in order to better understand ecological interactions between plants, insects and microorganisms. Explore further Strigolactones increase tolerance to weevils in tobacco plants More information: "Controlled hydroxylations of diterpenoids allow for plant chemical defense without autotoxicity" Science (2021). Journal information: Science "Controlled hydroxylations of diterpenoids allow for plant chemical defense without autotoxicity"(2021). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi 1126/science.abe4713 Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 15:21:08|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close DHAKA, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi government has protested against a recent statement of U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo over the presence of al-Qaida terrorist group in Bangladesh. "Attention of the government of Bangladesh has been drawn to a recent statement made by U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo," Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement released Wednesday night. "In the statement, Pompeo mentioned Bangladesh as a place where the terrorist group al-Qaida carried out attacks, falsely apprehending similar terrorist attacks in future. Such irresponsible comment by a senior leader is very unfortunate and unacceptable," said the statement. The statement said Bangladesh strongly rejects this kind of baseless remarks and falsification. "There is no evidence of any presence of al-Qaida in Bangladesh," it added. The foreign ministry said Bangladesh, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, maintains a "zero tolerance" policy against all forms of terrorism and violent extremism, and has been undertaking all possible measures and actions to address the menace. Enditem ADVERTISEMENT Anambra State has recorded 89 new confirmed cases of coronavirus in its second wave, bringing the total confirmed cases in the state to 169 as of January 13, C-Don Adinuba, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, has said. Mr Adinuba, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Awka, urged the citizens of the state to shield themselves from the COVID-19 pandemic following the second wave in Nigeria. He said the need to repeat the precautionary call was as a result of a considerable increase across the state, with 453 confirmed cases and 334 persons discharged. According to him, it is a worrisome situation with the state having recorded a total of 14,267 tests done. He appealed to the public to comply with all precautionary measures in order to sustain the health safety measures of the state. Mr Adinuba said the reports from across the state had shown a huge increase in the pandemic, which he said was against the health safety of the public. He warned that defaulters would be penalised if found going against COVID-19 protocols. He said the government needed the combined efforts with the public in order to curtail the virus so as to arrest a catastrophic result that might occur in the near future. Mr Adinuba added that with the confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state since the second wave began three weeks ago, the state had recorded an average of 40 cases per week. He said this was in contrast with what the state recorded in the first wave, describing the trend as worrisome. He said despite the death of some high-profile Nigerians in the second wave of the pandemic, it was disheartening that there were people in Anambra who doubted that COVID-19 was real. Mr Adinuba said the public should not flout the COVID-19 protocols and urged the people to go for tests and possible treatment, which were still free in the state. He said the Anambra COVID-19 Case Management Team had shown exceptional professionalism and competence as the state had not lost even one patient since the second wave. (NAN) SAN FRANCISCO Confined by the pandemic to her three-story Victorian home, Lauren Gunderson did not have to go far to find inspiration for her latest play. He was one room away, in the home office next to hers on the top floor. Over Rombauer chardonnay (for her) and a vodka tonic (for him) she set her phone down, opened the voice recording app and interviewed Nathan Wolfe, her husband of eight years. The transcripts of those conversations are the basis of The Catastrophist, her new solo play that was filmed on a stage near San Francisco in December and will premiere as cinematic theater later this month. With the exception of Shakespeare, Gunderson has been the most produced playwright in the United States in recent years, according to a tally by American Theater magazine.Wolfe has his own claims to stardom, albeit of the more academic variety. He is an expert on plagues who warned presciently about the risks of a big pandemic years before the word became such an everyday, and despised, piece of vocabulary. (This is Nathan Wolfe, read the cover headline on the summer issue of Wired magazine. We should have listened to him.) The founder of a company that models the risk of epidemics, Wolfe speaks with a measured cadence, as if an algorithm had carefully selected the words. Asked how he plans his own activities, his answer would not be out of place in a World Health Organization news release: We are not going to take any risks that are unnecessary because its not socially responsible and its not individually responsible. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft (L) speaks to Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen during a videoconference on Jan. 14, 2020. (Taiwan's Presidential Office) US Ambassador to UN Praises Taiwans Efforts in Curbing Pandemic TAIPEI, TaiwanU.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft applauded Taiwans success in containing the spread of the CCP virus, during a videoconference with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen Thursday morning. We discussed the many ways Taiwan is a model for the world, as demonstrated by its success in fighting COVID-19 and all that Taiwan has to offer in the fields of health, technology & cutting-edge science, Craft wrote on Twitter following her call with Tsai. Craft added: Unfortunately, Taiwan is unable to share those successes in @UN venues, including the World Health Assembly, as a result of PRC [Peoples Republic of China] obstruction. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that more information, more transparency, is part of the answer. Beijing sees Taiwan as a part of its territory despite the fact that Taiwan is a de-facto independent state with its own military, constitution, and democratically-elected officials. It has repeatedly blocked the island state from participating in international organizations. I made clear to President Tsai that the U.S. stands with Taiwan and always will, as friends and partners, standing shoulder to shoulder as pillars of democracy, she concluded. It was a pleasure to talk with @USAmbUN Kelly Craft earlier today. #Taiwan appreciates your staunch support for our international participation, & your recognition of the many ways the #TaiwanModel can help the world. Hope to see you here soon! pic.twitter.com/ecsrTUKHCh Tsai Ing-wen (@iingwen) January 14, 2021 Craft was initially going to visit Taiwan for three days this week, but her planned trip was dropped after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo canceled all travel due to transition efforts for the incoming Joe Biden administration. COVID-19 is a disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, that originated from the Chinese city of Wuhan in late December 2019. China was heavily criticized for its initial handling of the outbreak, as Beijing took the steps to silence whistleblower doctors who tried to warn the public about a new pneumonia disease on the Chinese social media. Taiwan, after reporting its first infection case on Jan. 21 last year, has recorded a total of 842 COVID-19 cases, with seven deaths, as of Jan. 14. The island has a population of about 24 million and sits just 80 miles from mainland China. Taiwans success in containing the virus has earned international accolades, as the islands authorities have been promoting its so-called Taiwan model to stem the spread of the virus without resorting to tough lockdown measures. Schools and businesses have remained open as usual. Beijing has prevented Taiwan from sharing its expertise by blocking the island from taking part in World Health Organization (WHO) meetings and its decision-making body, the World Health Assembly (WHA). Taiwan is currently not a WHO member. Craft also spoke to Tsai about a number of other issues regarding Taiwan. According to a press release from Taiwans Presidential Office, the two had extensive talks on strengthening Taiwan-U.S. cooperation, shared economic values, and opportunities to exchange educational resources. Tsai also expressed hope that Craft can still visit Taiwan in the future. Among those also present in the videoconference were David Feith, deputy assistant secretary for Regional and Security Policy and the Multilateral Affairs at the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs under the U.S. State Department; Taiwans foreign minister Joseph Wu; and William Brent Christensen, the Taipei Offices director of the American Institute in Taiwan, which is the de-facto U.S. embassy in Taiwan. On Jan. 14, at a daily press briefing, Chinas foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian accused Craft of interfering in Chinas internal affairs with her Twitter remarks. Zhao also threatened that U.S. officials who made wrong words and actions with regards to Taiwan will pay a heavy price. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 23:00:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BERLIN, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Germany's gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 5.0 percent year-on-year in 2020 in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) said on Thursday. "After a ten-year growth period, the German economy suffered a deep recession," Destatis noted. However, according to provisional calculations, the economic slump was less severe than during the 2009 financial crisis, when Germany's economy shrank by 5.7 percent. The contraction was much smaller than many experts had feared in the course of the year, said German Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier at a press conference here on Thursday. Albert Braakmann, who heads Destatis' National Accounts section, said the German economy "has come relatively well through the crisis" in 2020 compared with many other nations, German news agency dpa reported. Altmaier is confident that the economy will return to growth in 2021 despite the pandemic, saying that Europe's biggest economy will recover this year and "there will be an upswing year," dpa said. The German government will continue to provide the necessary financial resources "to protect the German economy from an irreversible loss of substance," Altmaier stressed. However, the coronavirus pandemic left "clear traces" in almost all economic sectors in Germany last year, according to Destatis. Production was "severely scaled-down" both in the service sector and in industry. The country's industry -- excluding construction, which accounts for about a quarter of its overall economy -- saw output fall by 9.7 percent year-on-year. The economic output of the important manufacturing sector even fell by 10.4 percent. Despite the COVID-19-induced recession, online trade increased significantly. Another sector in Germany that could sustain its business during the pandemic was construction, where gross value added increased by 1.4 percent year-on-year. Germany's foreign trade, on the other hand, was "massively impacted" by the crisis, Destatis noted. Exports and imports of goods and services fell for the first time since 2009. German exports decreased by 9.9 percent in price-adjusted terms and imports decreased by 8.6 percent. In 2020, the German labor force shrank by 477,000 people, or 1.1 percent, year-on-year, ending a 14-year surge in employment due to the coronavirus pandemic. According to preliminary calculations, Germany's general government budget closed last year with a financing deficit of 158.2 billion euros (191.8 billion U.S. dollars). "It was the first deficit since 2011 and the second highest deficit since the German reunification," Destatis noted. Enditem President Uhuru Kenyatta today at State House, Nairobi met visiting Foreign Affairs Minister of Japan Mr Toshimitsu Motegi. Mr Motegi, who is in the country on a two-day visit, expressed Japans continued commitment to supporting Kenyas development programs especially key infrastructure projects. The Foreign Affairs Minister singled out the ongoing expansion of Mombasa Port and the development of the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) as some of the projects that his government is keen on seeing through. This visit will see our two countries strengthen our relations. Japan sees Kenya as a key partner and a gateway to Africa thus prioritizing investment in the country, Mr Toshimitsu told President Kenyatta. The Japan Minister also briefed the Head of State on the planned Japan-Kenya Business Dialogue which is set to be held later this year in Japan and extended Prime Minister Yoshide Sugas invitation to President Kenyatta. The President acknowledged Japans continued support for Kenyas development programs saying Kenya will continue working on deepening its long and historical ties with the Asian nation. We truly appreciate your support that has been visible in several sectors of our economy, and we look forward to a more intentional partnership even as the world continues to face the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, President Kenyatta said. During his two-day visit, Mr Motegi and his delegation held several bilateral meetings with Kenyan counterparts to explore ways of expanding economic collaboration between Kenya and Japan in the post-Covid era and beyond. President Kenyatta was joined in the meeting by Cabinet Secretaries Raychelle Omamo (Foreign Affairs) and Ukur Yatani (National Treasury) as well as Head of Public Service Dr Joseph Kinyua and State House Deputy Chief of Staff incharge of Strategy Mrs Ruth Kagia. Also present were Foreign Affairs Chief Administrative Secretary Ababu Namwamba and Kenyas Ambassador to Japan Tabu Irina. Separately at State House, Nairobi, the President met and bade farewell to the outgoing United Nations Resident Coordinator Siddharth Chatterjee who is taking up a new posting in China. The Head of State congratulated Mr Chatterjee for his successful tour of duty in Kenya and wished him success in his new assignment. You have been a valuable partner to us and we acknowledge your efforts and tremendous help that you have accorded my administration in various sectors, the President told Mr Chatterjee. Earthworms are the architects of the soil. They mix the soil layers, form a network of burrows essential for soil water, air and nutrient dynamics, and decompose dead material. Credit: Valentin Gutekunst If you asked people which group of animals is the most abundant on earth, hardly anyone would know the right answer. Ants? Fish? No, and not humans either. The answer is nematodes, also known as roundworms. Four out of five animals on earth belong to this group, and the reason hardly anyone is aware of the fact is that they live underground, invisible to us. Together with thousands of other soil organisms, they quietly, discreetly and constantly perform enormously important services for the world above them. The soil is one of the most species-rich habitats in existence. Living under one square meter of healthy soil you can find up to 1.5 kilograms of organisms: among others, roundworms, earthworms, springtails, mites and insect larvae. There is also a multitude of microorganisms including bacteria, protists and fungi. They eat and transform living and dead animal and plant material into nutrients which become the basis for growth and new life. Without soil organisms, no plants would be able to grow and no humans could live. It is therefore all the more astonishing that soils have so far hardly featured in international strategies for protecting biodiversity. The authors of the new article in Science see this as a big problem: "If we do not protect soils for the next generations, aboveground biodiversity and food production cannot be guaranteed either". Their appeal goes out to the 196 nations who are currently negotiating a new strategy to protect biodiversity within the framework of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Healthy soils are becoming increasingly rare. They suffer the burden of intensive cultivation with heavy machinery, fertilizers and pesticides, are compacted, built over or are lost due to wind and water erosion. Global warming is putting them under additional pressure. According to the German Heinrich Boll Foundation, around 24 billion tons of fertile soil are lost worldwide every year. As a result, the soils' wide variety of services such as water purification and protection against plant diseases gradually decline. In addition, soils are the most important carbon reservoir on earth and therefore help slow global climate warming. Collembola, such as this Acanthanura sp., can be useful indicators of soil quality and also the focus of nature conservation measures. Credit: Andy Murray Call for greater consideration of soil biodiversity in global biodiversity protection strategies According to the researchers, these services are given far too little attention in the political debate. "Up to now, soil conservation has been mostly reduced to the impacts related to soil erosion and its importance for agriculture," said first author Dr. Carlos Guerra (iDiv, MLU). "It's about time that soil conservation policies consider the protection of soil organisms and ecosystem functions more than just for food production and other productive systems. Soil biodiversity monitoring and conservation can support the achievement and tracking of many sustainability goals, targeting areas such as climate, food and biodiversity protection." "Protection measures have so far mainly focused on life above ground, for example in the designation of protected areas", said senior author Dr. Diana Wall from Colorado State University. However, since these do not necessarily benefit underground biodiversity, the specific needs of the biotic communities in the soil have to be taken into account. A global network to unearth soil biodiversity observations for research and policy support. Credit: SoilBON, Guerra et al., Science (2021) Establishing global monitoring network Soil BON In order to be able to decide which regions of the world are particularly in need of protection, and which protective measures are appropriate, sufficient information must be available on the status and trends of biodiversity in soils. Since this has not been the case so far, the researchers launched the Soil BON monitoring network. "We want to move biodiversity in soils into the focus of conservation efforts. To do this, we must provide policymakers with the necessary information to support decision-making," said senior author Prof Nico Eisenhauer, research group leader at iDiv and Leipzig University. "Soil BON will produce and support the production of the relevant data to achieve this goal." The purpose of Soil BON is to help gather equivalent soil data, comprehensively and over extended periods of time. What is required is an internationally recognized standard which sets out what is to be recorded and how. The researchers propose a holistic system for this: the so-called Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs). EBVs are key parameters for measuring biodiversity. The concept was developed by, among others, iDiv and includes criteria such as soil respiration, nutrient turnover and genetic diversity. Indicators are derived from the EBVs which then serve as a basis for soil status evaluation and subsequent decisions regarding the level and type of protection necessary for the soils. According to the researchers, their proposed monitoring and indicator system will enable the worldwide condition of soils and their capacity to function to be recorded efficiently and monitored long term. They emphasize that it also serves as an important early warning system; with its help, it will be possible to identify, at an early stage, whether existing nature conservation goals can be achieved with current measures. Explore further Protecting soil biodiversity essential in adapting to climate change More information: C.A. Guerra el al. Tracking, targeting, and conserving soil biodiversity. Science (2020). Journal information: Science C.A. Guerra el al. Tracking, targeting, and conserving soil biodiversity.(2020). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi 1126/science.abd7926 Provided by German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig The North Atlantic Treaty Organization will dispatch a group of advisers to Mauritania to discuss cooperation with the countries of Africa's Sahel region, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th January, 2021) The North Atlantic Treaty Organization will dispatch a group of advisers to Mauritania to discuss cooperation with the countries of Africa's Sahel region, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday. Earlier in the day, Stoltenberg met with Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani discussing ways to strengthen security cooperation between the two sides. "So we work bilaterally with Mauritania, we work with Mauritania in the G5 Sahel [regional cooperation framework] context, Mauritania holding the Chairmanship of the group, the G5 Sahel ... We have decided to send a team of experts from NATO to Mauritania, as soon as possible to look into concrete activities, concrete projects and of course, that may also in some way or another involve working with the EU but I think it's wrong if I now speculate about what kind of concrete project that will be," Stoltenberg said at a press conference as quoted in the official transcript. West Africa and the Sahel have faced widespread political turmoil and security challenges. In 2014, France launched the counterterrorism operation Barkhane to stabilize the situation so that the region's countries could maintain security on their own. This mission is supported by G5 Sahel, which was founded the same year, to facilitate development and security between Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger. Story Highlights 36% of Ugandans confident in their national government 32% confident in the honesty of their elections Younger and older Ugandans share similar views WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Ugandans head to the polls Thursday to decide whether to give long-time President Yoweri Museveni a sixth term in office or usher in a new era with popular challengers such as Robert Kyagulanyi, who is better known as Bobi Wine. Gallup surveys in Uganda conducted late last year show Ugandans' confidence in their national government was slipping amid the violent lead-up to the elections. In October, 48% of Ugandans expressed confidence in their national government, but after scores of protesters were killed and Wine was arrested for a second time in November, this number dropped to 36%. Ugandans' confidence in their national government notably declined among those younger than 30, who make up the bulk of the country's voters, and those older than 30, who have typically supported the status quo. While the majority of Ugandans 30 and older (56%) expressed confidence in their national government in October, this percentage was 35% by late November and similar to the confidence levels among younger Ugandans. Ugandans' Confidence in National Government Drops October 2020 November 2020 % Confident % Confident All Ugandans 48 36 Aged 15 to 29 42 36 Aged 30+ 56 35 Gallup World Poll, 2020 In this atmosphere, neither younger nor older Ugandans expressed much faith in the honesty of their election process -- which does not bode well for the prospect of post-election violence. About one in three in each age group expressed confidence in the honesty of the elections in their country. While these figures are not the lowest Gallup has measured in Uganda, they are historically on the lower side. Younger, Older Ugandans Lack Confidence in Elections Confident in honesty of elections Not confident in honesty of elections % % All Ugandans 32 62 Aged 15 to 29 32 64 Aged 30+ 33 59 Gallup World Poll, October 2020 The jobs situation in Uganda may also be on young and older voters' minds as they cast their ballots. Although rampant unemployment and underemployment disproportionately affects younger Ugandans, younger and older Ugandans share common ground on the poor job prospects where they live. Few in either age group -- about one in three in both surveys in 2020 -- said it is a good time to find a job in the communities where they live. Ugandans Sour on Jobs Outlook % Good time to find a job October 2020 November 2020 % % All Ugandans 33 32 Aged 15 to 29 33 32 Aged 30+ 33 31 Gallup World Poll, 2020 Bottom Line Fearing post-election violence, Uganda has deployed its military ahead of the election, and the government has instituted a social media blackout. Although opposition leaders -- several of them still in custody -- have remained defiant when facing intimidation from security forces, like many other Ugandans, they do not expect their elections will be honest. And even if the incumbent does lose, there are still concerns about what the military could do. Uganda has never witnessed a peaceful transfer of power since gaining its independence in 1962. Marmorstein: You might soon be living in a million dollar home unfortunately Florida luxury lifestyle automotive events start back up again in February. The St. Petersburg event will take place Sunday, February 21st in Vinoy park overlooking the bay and the Orlando event will take place Sunday, March 14th at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande lakes. Two other shows will follow with April 18th being the date for Alpharetta, GA and then May 1st will be the World Equestrian Center in Ocala celebrating the Kentucky Derby. 200+ cars are expected to be on display at all venues. A wide variety of vehicles including Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, McLaren, Porsche, and others will all be featured. Shows operate from 10:00 am 4:00 pm. Throughout the day guests can enjoy fine wines, craft cocktails, unique culinary offerings, luxury brand displays and more. The afternoon will see an awards presentation where crystal trophies will be presented to car owners who have won top honors in their class of vehicles. In working to create a safe environment for all attendees cars will be spaced further apart than in the past to allow for social distancing. Overall, the layout of the event will be designed to allow for an easy flow of attendees in a wide-open format. Joe Sabatini founder of FESTIVALS OF SPEED had this to say, After almost a year of not being able to operate we are excited to get back to creating luxury lifestyle events. Since our events take place outdoors, we feel we can create an environment that people of all ages will feel comfortable in. One very special car that is new to the supercar market will be the ASPARK OWL from Japan. It is set to display at the Ritz-Carlton event. The first Japanese full-electric hypercar is also the worlds most powerful electric hypercar. The Owl has the most powerful automotive electric motors ever made producing 1480 KW with 2012 horsepower. Overall torque is approximately 2000 Newton meters. The Owl has almost three times more power than Formula-E cars and two times more than Formula 1 cars. The most astonishing performance is the acceleration, from 0 to 60 mph in 1.69 seconds. IMAGES AVAILABLE by contacting joe@festivalsofspeed.com or clicking this link.: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ofnm09m98i42vg0/AAAMXEkEhqvZMJnfE-WG52xfa?dl=0 Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. By Martinne Geller LONDON (Reuters) - Unilever is strongly encouraging employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus as soon as possible and floated the idea that it could buy shots to share with people in poorer countries. "There are one or two countries in the developing world, where the public purse is not so strong and they have approached us on a "buy two, keep one" basis," Unilever Chief Executive Alan Jope told Reuters on Wednesday in an interview at the Reuters Next conference. "So imagine in a country where we purchase 200,000 vaccine ... Flash Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday that China and Indonesia reached a five-point consensus during his visit to the country. At a joint press conference with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Wang said first, both countries should join hands to win the protracted battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. China is willing to work with Indonesia to promote cooperation in research and development, procurement and production, on the basis of the successful launch of the third phase of clinical trials of the vaccine. China will help Indonesia build a regional vaccine production center, and promote the health community with a shared future for mankind. Second, the two sides should work together to write a new development chapter. China is willing to expand Indonesia's exports to China, increase investments in Indonesia, and promote bilateral trade in a healthy and balanced way. The two countries could dovetail the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Indonesia's vision of Global Maritime Fulcrum, and actively press forward such key projects as the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway, the regional comprehensive economic corridor and industrial parks. Third, China and Indonesia should join hands to work for regional cooperation and development. The East Asia region has set an example for the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and become the bellwether of the world economic recovery. The two countries should jointly put into force Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) at the earliest possible date and release the dividend of the world's largest free trade bloc. Fourth, as two major coastal countries around the South China Sea, China and Indonesia should work together with other ASEAN countries to fully and effectively implement the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, actively and steadily advance the negotiation of the code of conduct in the South China Sea, and make effective and substantive regional rules to jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea. Fifth, both side should join hands to safeguard and promote multilateralism. The pandemic shows that all countries are a community sharing weal and woe, and multilateral mechanism is more important than ever. Both China and Indonesia are developing countries members in the Group of 20 (G20). China is willing to fully support Indonesia in hosting the G20 summit in 2022, work together with Indonesia to reform and improve global governance and cooperation, and maintain multilateralism and free trade, so as to contribute to world peace, stability and development in the post-pandemic era. (Natural News) The Left has the executive and legislative branches and the bureaucracy. If theyre able to remake the military in their image, will it be game over for constitutionalists? (Article by Luis Miguel republished from TheNewAmerican.com) The Pentagon is reportedly looking to crack down on right-wing extremism within the U.S. military, and the mainstream media is fomenting fears of hate groups in the ranks to encourage cultural engineering among the armed forces by the incoming Biden administration. A recent article at establishment outlet Politico claims that the Defense Department is currently confronting a resurgence of white supremacy and other right-wing ideologies in the ranks and calls on the Pentagon to tackle the issue head-on because former military personnel played a role in the deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol last week. According to the lawmakers, retired military leaders and experts on extremism that Politico selectively quotes, tackling the influence of hate groups, racist propaganda and anti-government sentiment in the officer corps and enlisted ranks must be an immediate task for Joe Bidens pick for secretary of Defense, retired Gen. Lloyd Austin. Politico restated what, for the Left and the establishment, is the dilemma: The overall problem of right-wing extremism has dogged the military for decades and tends to be more severe when there is a rise in wider society. In other words, the problem is that too many members of the armed services are conservative. Its long been common knowledge that current and veteran members of the military tend to swing right rather than left on the political spectrum. The Left hopes that the Biden administration will change that once and for all. Politico notes about right-wing extremism in the military: It has gained new attention in the wake of the revelation that a retired senior Air Force officer allegedly took part in last Wednesdays riot in the U.S. Capitol and a Navy veteran who also played a leading role was arrested over the weekend. Meanwhile, a rioter who was killed while trying to break into Speaker Nancy Pelosis office suite was also an Air Force veteran who espoused far-right and QAnon conspiracies. Mark Pitcavage, a specialist on far-right groups for the Anti-Defamation League, said to the House Armed Services Committee last year that the number of extremists in the military has increased due to a higher percentage of white supremacists attempting to join the military and the development of white supremacist leanings among some currently-serving personnel. To an even greater degree than in previous surges of extremism, he added, the Internet has played a role in the present one, with extremist content found on websites, discussion forums, chat rooms, social media, messaging apps, gaming and streaming sites, and other platforms. Such concerns, of course, are used by the Left to justify social-media censorship against right-of-center users and content creators. We are currently witnessing a major purge of such voices in the form of deplatormings (including of the president of the United States) from social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter and the coordinated cross-platform assault on conservative alternative social apps such as Parler. There appears to be support within the Pentagon for the Lefts war on alleged right-wing radicalism in the military. We dont tolerate extremists in our ranks. Thats the bottom line, said chief spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman. And we havent. Any effort and any opportunity we have to identify individuals that have extremist behaviors or extremist tendencies they will be addressed and they will be referred to appropriate authorities for addressing that, Hoffman added. That has been the premise of the Department as long as it has been in place and we will continue to do so. Representative Jason Crow (D-Colo.), a retired Army officer and member of the House Armed Services Committee, claims there is a rise of extremism and white supremacy in the ranks, and in a call over the weekend with Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy, he requested the expedited investigation and courts-martial against those involved in the breach of the Capitol last week. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) on Monday also demanded that the Pentagon investigate allegations that active troops and veterans took part in the Capitol incident. Pitcavage singled out the militia group Oathkeepers, a coalition of locally based groups comprised of active or retired military who say they are willing to fight to uphold the oaths they took to defend the Constitution. According to George Reed, a retired Army colonel and military policeman who investigated white supremacists for Army CID, such groups are a mortal threat to civil-military relations. In a memo last month, acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller directed a review of current policy, laws, and regulations concerning active participation by service members in extremist or hate group activity. If leftism is creeping into the military slowly under President Trumps watch, how rapidly will it infest the ranks with Joe Biden in office? Read more at: TheNewAmerican.com and LiberalMob.com Indonesia intercepted a Chinese survey ship that had been sailing near its islands with an on-board tracking system turned off, prompting the coast guard to escort the boat out of the countrys exclusive economic zone, officials said Thursday. The Xiang Yang Hong 03 switched off its automatic identification system (AIS) three times while sailing in Indonesian archipelagic sea lanes, with the captain later saying it was broken, according to the Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla). If they had sailed continuously without carrying out suspicious activities, it wouldnt have been a violation. But during this voyage, their AIS was turned off and this raised suspicion, First Adm. Suwito, the director of operations for Bakamla, told reporters. We asked why the AIS was turned off and their answer was that it was broken. We let it pass because the ship did not stop, he said. The incident occurred amid concerns over Beijings increased militarization in the contested South China Sea, and as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi wrapped up a visit to Indonesia on Wednesday. On Thursday in Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the United States would impose visa restrictions on executives of state-owned Chinese enterprises, and members of the Chinese military and communist party deemed responsible for, or complicit in the large-scale reclamation, construction, or militarization of disputed outposts in the South China Sea. The restrictions would also apply to those linked to the PRCs use of coercion against Southeast Asian claimants to inhibit their access to offshore resources in the waterway, Pompeo said. Separately, the U.S. Commerce Department announced it was adding the China National Offshore Oil Corp., a state-owned firm, to a blacklist of companies that threaten U.S. national security, because CNOOC was helping China intimidate neighbors in the South China Sea, the agency said. While Indonesia does not regard itself as a party to territorial disputes over the South China Sea among several countries, Beijing claims historic rights to parts of the maritime region that overlap Indonesias exclusive economic zone, or EEZ. Indonesia has had several stand-offs with China over allegations that Chinese fishing boats, escorted by China Coast Guard ships, operated in its EEZ off the Natuna Islands. Indonesia is the only archipelago-nation that has designated archipelagic sea lanes. All vessels, including warships, have the right of innocent passage in them as long as they conduct continuous and expeditious transit and do not pose a security threat. But Indonesia requires all ships passing through archipelagic waters both Indonesian and foreign to activate their automatic identification systems and report any damage to those systems to a coastal station. Suwito said the intercepted Chinese ships identification system was not activated for 13 hours while sailing in the North Natuna Sea, 34 hours in the South Natuna Sea, and 5 hours in the Karimata Strait at an average speed of 10.9 knots. A Bakamla patrol ship was alerted to the Xiang Yang Hong 03 as it passed the Sunda Strait around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday with its tracker on. At the time, the Chinese vessel was 40 nautical miles (about 45 miles) from a Bakamla ship that was on its way to join a search-and-rescue team looking for the wreckage of a Sriwijaya Air Boeing 737, which had crashed into the Java Sea minutes after takeoff from Jakarta last Saturday. Bakamlas KN Nipah 321 approached the Chinese ship and opened communications with its captain around 8 p.m. Bakamla spokesman Wisnu Pramandita said the patrol crew decided not to investigate the ship further because of poor weather, and escorted it out of the Indonesian exclusive economic zone. International waterways Still, Siswanto Rusdi, director of the National Maritime Institute (Namarin), called Bakamlas action excessive. Only if they stopped and refused to get out can Bakamla take immediate action. As long as there is no evidence that the ship has stopped or carried out activities in our EEZ, no violation has been committed, Rusdi told BenarNews. Any ship merchant ship or warship can pass through our EEZ without having to report. This is a common practice in the shipping world, Rusdi said. We should not be too reactive, or we will be accused of being paranoid by the international community. The intercepted Chinese ship did not violate Indonesian territory but may have stopped, said Beni Sukadis, a military observer at the Indonesian Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies. In Archipelagic Sea Lanes I, II and III, ships of any type are allowed to pass, whether military, commercial or foreign-owned, without notifying Indonesia. But they can't stop, Beni told BenarNews. I suspect that the [Chinese] ship had stopped, but this is for Bakamla to prove. Bakamla armed Meanwhile earlier this month, the Indonesian coast guard acquired 20 submachine guns for 10 of its patrol boats. The weapons are 12.7-milimeter guns but the coast guard has also received approval from the Ministry of Defense to purchase 30-mm caliber submachine guns, Bakamla spokesman Wisnu told BenarNews. In June, the House of Representatives (DPR) defense committee gave Bakamla the green light to buy military-grade weapons to strengthen coast-guard monitoring of Indonesian waters. Lawmaker Bobby Adhityo Rizaldi said at the time that Bakamla only had 10 patrol boats without a naval gun system, while Chinese coast guard vessels were equipped with weapons with a firing range of more than 5 kilometers (3.1 miles). Bakamla is only armed with light rifles with a range of under 1 kilometer, which is of course insufficient with the dynamics of the North Natuna Sea, Bobby said. Beni, an Indonesian military observer, said Bakamla had too few ships to patrol the sprawling Indonesian coastline, but that problem could be resolved by good coordination with the Navy. There should be discussions with the Navy on different areas where Bakamla and the Navy can operate. Currently its not clear who is in charge of which areas, said Beni. Last November, the Navy announced that it would move its combat squads headquarters to the Natuna Islands to protect Jakartas territorial interests near the South China Sea, amid incursions in national waters by Chinese and Vietnamese fishing boats. Moving the headquarters of the Guspurla combat force to the Natuna chain would enable it to respond faster to incidents at sea, compared with the HQs current location in Jakarta, the navy had said. As of Thursday morning, some 7,925 new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) disease were recorded in Ukraine, some 10,192 people recovered and 162 patients died, Ukrainian Health Minister Maksym Stepanov said. "Some 7,925 new cases of COVID-19 disease were recorded in Ukraine as of January 14, 2021. In particular, 233 children and 345 medical workers fell ill. Some 2,229 people were hospitalized, some 162 people died and 10,192 people recovered over the past day," Stepanov said on his Facebook page on Thursday morning. A day earlier, on January 13, the minister informed about 6,409 new cases; on January 12, some 5,116 new COVID-19 cases were recorded; on January 11, there were 4,288 new cases; on January 10, some 5,011 COVID-19 cases were reported; on January 9, some 4,846 COVID-19 cases were recorded; on January 8, some 5,676 new infected people with COVID-19 were detected; on January 7, some 8,997 cases of COVID-19 disease were reported. The number of infected people since the beginning of the pandemic on Thursday morning was 1.139 million people, while 20,376 people died from COVID-19 and some 837,063 people recovered. Over the past day, the largest number of confirmed cases was registered in Kyiv city (794), Donetsk (588), Zaporizhia (554), Lviv (482) and Mykolaiv (460) regions. The New York Times MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan Ammunition was depleted inside the bedraggled outposts in Laghman province. Food was scarce. Some police officers hadnt been paid in five months. Then, just as U.S. troops began leaving the country in early May, Taliban fighters besieged seven rural Afghan military outposts across the wheat fields and onion patches of the province, in eastern Afghanistan. The insurgents enlisted village elders to visit the outposts bearing a message: Surrender or die. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times By mid-month, security forces had surrendered all seven outposts after extended negotiations, according to village elders. At least 120 soldiers and police were given safe passage to the government-held provincial center in return for handing over weapons and equipment. We told them, Look, your situation is bad reinforcements arent coming, said Nabi Sarwar Khadim, 53, one of several elders who negotiated the surrenders. Since May 1, at least 26 outposts and bases in just four provinces Laghman, Baghlan, Wardak and Ghazni have surrendered after such negotiations, according to village elders and government officials. With morale diving as U.S. troops leave, and the Taliban seizing on each surrender as a propaganda victory, each collapse feeds the next in the Afghan countryside. Among the negotiated surrenders were four district centers, which house local governors, police and intelligence chiefs effectively handing the government facilities to Taliban control and scattering the officials there, at least temporarily. The Taliban have negotiated Afghan troop surrenders in the past, but never at the scale and pace of the base collapses this month in the four provinces extending east, north and west of Kabul. The tactic has removed hundreds of government forces from the battlefield, secured strategic territory and reaped weapons, ammunition and vehicles for the Taliban often without firing a shot. The base collapses are one measure of the rapidly deteriorating government war effort as one outpost after another falls, sometimes after battles, but often after wholesale surrenders. The surrenders are part of a broader Taliban playbook of seizing and holding territory as security force morale plummets with the exit of international troops. Buyoffs of local police and militia. Local cease-fires that allow the Taliban to consolidate gains. A sustained military offensive despite pleas for peace talks and a nationwide cease-fire. The government is not able to save the security forces, said Mohammed Jalal, a village elder in Baghlan province. If they fight, they will be killed, so they have to surrender. The surrenders are the work of Taliban Invitation and Guidance Committees, which intervene after insurgents cut off roads and supplies to surrounded outposts. Committee leaders or Taliban military leaders phone base commanders and sometimes their families and offer to spare troops lives if they surrender their outposts, weapons and ammunition. In several cases, the committees have given surrendering troops money typically around $130 and civilian clothes and sent them home unharmed. But first they videotape the men as they promise not to rejoin the security forces. They log their phone numbers and the names of family members and vow to kill the men if they rejoin the military. The Taliban commander and the Invitation and Guidance Committee called me more than 10 times and asked me to surrender, said Maj. Imam Shah Zafari, 34, a district police chief in Wardak province who surrendered his command center and weapons on May 11 after negotiations mediated by local elders. After the Taliban provided a car ride home to Kabul, he said, a committee member phoned to assure him that the government would not imprison him for surrendering. He said, We have so much power in the government and we can release you, Zafari said. The Taliban committees take advantage of a defining characteristic of Afghan wars: Fighters and commanders regularly switch sides, cut deals, negotiate surrenders and cultivate village elders for influence with local residents. The current conflict is really dozens of local wars. These are intimate struggles, where brothers and cousins battle one another and commanders on each side cajole, threaten and negotiate by cellphone. A Taliban commander calls me all the time, trying to destroy my morale, so that Ill surrender, said Wahidullah Zindani, 36, a bearded, sunburned police commander who has rejected Taliban demands to surrender his nine-man, bullet-pocked outpost in Laghman province. The negotiated surrenders are part of a broader offensive in which the Taliban have surrounded at least five provincial capitals this spring, according to a Pentagon inspector general report released May 18. The offensive has intensified since the U.S. withdrawal began May 1. The Taliban have used their control of several major highways to cut off bases and garrisons, leaving them vulnerable. The surrenders have a profound psychological effect. They call and say the Taliban are powerful enough to defeat the U.S. and they can easily take Laghman province, so you should remember this before we kill you, Rahmatullah Yarmal, Laghmans 29-year-old governor, said of the Taliban committees during an interview inside his barricaded compound in Mehtar Lam, the provincial capital. Its an effective propaganda tactic, the governor conceded so effective that some outpost commanders now refuse to speak to elders or Taliban negotiators. He said many elders were not neutral peacemakers, but hand-picked Taliban supporters. Yarmal said 60 police officers who surrendered and took refuge in his government center are now primed to fight to retake the seven lost outposts. I think well have them back in a month, he said. But just hours after the governor spoke on May 19, a nearby district center, Dawlat Shah, surrendered without any resistance after negotiations. By the next morning, five more outposts had surrendered the same way in the district of Alishing, also in Laghman, district officials said. Those Taliban victories were facilitated, in part, by a 30-day cease-fire negotiated by elders on May 17 in the heavily contested district of Alingar, allowing the Taliban to shift resources to the Alishing, where they forced the negotiated surrender of the five outposts just two days later. (On May 21, the Taliban violated the cease-fire with renewed attacks in Alingar, Khadim said.) The series of base collapses represented the second wholesale surrender in a Laghman district in two weeks. On May 7, three outposts and a military base collapsed the same way without a fight, said Nasir Ahmad Himat, the Alingar district governor. The soldiers simply dropped their weapons, got in their vehicles and went to the district center or provincial capital, said Faqirullah, a village elder who goes by one name. As Taliban fighters advanced on the provincial capital Sunday, Yarmal announced that 110 security force members who had surrendered, and several commanders who were supposed to supervise them, had been detained for negligence. Also Sunday, the Afghan military announced that troop reinforcements and the military chief of staff had rushed to Laghman to try to repel the Taliban assault. In Ghazni province, Hasan Reza Yousofi, a provincial councilman, said he begged officials to send reinforcements to an outpost and a military base that ultimately fell to the Taliban this month. He played a recorded phone call from a police officer, Abdul Ahmad, who said his ammunition was gone and his men were drinking rainwater because the base water tower had been destroyed by a rocket. We have been sold out we make calls for reinforcements, but officials dont help, the recorded voice said. The Taliban sent us tribal elders who said, Surrender, you are sold out, no one will help you. Yousofi said he did not know whether Ahmad survived after his outpost fell. Negotiations have proved remarkably fruitful for the Taliban in Baghlan province, where at least 100 soldiers surrendered, and in Wardak province, where about 130 security force members surrendered following negotiations, officials said. In Laghman province, negotiations leading to the surrender of the seven outposts stretched over 10 days. Khadim, the village elder, said different elders negotiated with commanders of each outpost. We guaranteed they would not be killed, he said. There was nothing written, just our word. A few miles away, Zindani refused to surrender his forlorn outpost near the front line. He said officers who had negotiated surrenders at three nearby outposts had betrayed their country. One of his men, Muhammad Agha Bambard, said he would fight to avenge the deaths of two brothers he said were killed by the Taliban. He would never surrender, he said. Zindanis nine men were down to a machine gun, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and one AK-47 rifle each inside a ramshackle outpost with bloodstained walls. But he said he intended to fight on as he told the Taliban commander who regularly phoned to demand his surrender. I told him, Im a soldier of my country, the commander said. I am not here to surrender. Four days later, on Sunday, the outpost was overrun during a firefight with the Taliban, a member of the provincial council said. One police officer was shot dead and Zindani and his outgunned men were taken prisoner. A few hours later, the Taliban released a video showing Bambard being questioned by a Taliban commander as he lay on a mattress, his face and neck bandaged. In a mocking tone, the commander asked why Bambard had posted on his Facebook page that he would not let the enemy capture his outpost while he was alive. The wounded officer responded, This is Afghanistan. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 2021 The New York Times Company "We are very excited that the John F. Kennedy School of Law has joined Northcentral University," said Dean Lisa Hutton. "Our online JD degree program maintains our core mission of hands-on learning, faculty mentorship and community service, while increasing access to a high quality, accredited CA-licensure education, especially important for those who can't attend law school in the traditional model." Northcentral has been a leader in online, graduate-focused education since its founding in 1996. Over 11,000 students are enrolled in fields such as education, business, social work, psychology, health sciences, technology and now law. The JD program is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California.* The JFK School of Law's student-focused program will provide highly motivated, diverse students with the tools they need to succeed in the legal profession. The curriculum is rigorous yet flexible, and courses are taught by faculty who are practicing attorneys, judges or legal professionals. Faculty expertise includes civil and criminal law, constitutional law, insurance defense litigation and public interest law. Faculty members bring their real-world expertise to the virtual classroom and are also available to the media as subject area experts. "The online JD program gives students significantly more individualized faculty feedback than the traditional law school model," said Dean Hutton. "Students have multiple opportunities to apply legal doctrine throughout each course, along with personalized faculty feedback, allowing for a much deeper understanding of the material and greater preparation for exams and, ultimately, for the CA Bar Examination." The program emphasizes clinical and practical skills training. In addition to online coursework, hands-on training experience is embedded into the curriculum through clinical and internship opportunities. A BarBri-designed California Bar Exam prep program is also included in tuition. "An entire year of intensive bar exam preparation is intentionally embedded into the required curriculum. We see this as essential to better prepare students to successfully sit for the CA Bar Examination," said Hutton. The John F. Kennedy School of Law is one of seven schools at Northcentral University, an accredited, nonprofit, online university headquartered in La Jolla, California. The law school recently transitioned to Northcentral from John F. Kennedy University. Other law offerings at Northcentral include a Bachelor of Arts in legal studies and a paralegal certificate program, both approved by the American Bar Association. "JFK University had a proud tradition of serving on-ground students in the San Francisco Bay Area, and we are excited to expand our educational excellence to more students through our expertise in online education," said NCU President David Harpool. Learn more at https://www.ncu.edu/programs-degrees/john-f-kennedy-school-law-programs Listen to a podcast with more information: https://www.buzzsprout.com/859747/4368086-ethe-ep-15-jfk-school-of-law About Northcentral University Founded in 1996, Northcentral University is a regionally accredited, nonprofit, online and graduate-focused university serving professionals globally. NCU offers doctoral, master's and bachelor's degrees in business, education and psychology, as well as doctoral and master's degrees in marriage and family therapy, technology and health sciences. Northcentral University is a nonprofit affiliate of the private, nonprofit National University System. It is regionally accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). For more information, visit ncu.edu or call 866.776.0331. *Study at, or graduation from, this law school may not qualify a student to take the bar examination or be admitted to practice law in jurisdictions other than California. A student who intends to seek admission to practice law outside of California should contact the admitting authority in that jurisdiction for information regarding its education and admission requirements. SOURCE Northcentral University Related Links http://www.ncu.edu The Daily Beast Rexburg Police DepartmentA psychological evaluation has found Lori Vallowthe doomsday mom accused of murdering her two childrennot competent to stand trial.Assessment determined at this time the defendant is not competent to proceed and recommends restorative treatment, Seventh Judicial District Judge Steven Boyce wrote in a Thursday order pausing the case.Prosecutors have already contested the reports findings, but the judges order remains in effect pending determination of the issue of competency.The news comes after Vallow and her husband, Chad Daybell, were indicted on several new charges and accused of justifying the murders of three peopleincluding Vallows two kidswith their doomsday-centered religious beliefs.On Thursday, the Chandler Police Department confirmed to The Daily Beast that it has also submitted its investigation into the death of Vallows ex-husband, Charles Vallow, who was fatally shot by his brother-in-law in July 2019, to the Maricopa County Attorneys Office. Police said they recommended that Vallow should be charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murderthough it is up to county prosecutors to make an official charge.A Maricopa County Attorneys Office spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast they received the Chandler Police Departments investigation into Charles Vallows death on April 1, but declined to comment on it.Doomsday Couple Allegedly Murdered Threeand Justified It With Religious Beliefs On Tuesday, the couple was indicted on several charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, in connection with the deaths of Vallows kids, 7-year-old J.J Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan. Daybell, a doomsday author, was also been charged with first-degree murder for the October 2019 death of Tammy Daybell, his ex-wife. Vallow has been separately charged with grand theft for allegedly diverting her childrens Social Security benefits into her personal bank account. Prosecutors allege Daybell and Vallow did endorse and espouse religious beliefs for the purpose of encouraging and/or justifying the homicide of all three people.Their alleged murder spree began in 2019, when Charles Vallow was fatally shot by his wifes brother, Alex Cox, during a domestic dispute. Cox, who was not charged and died months later from natural causes, said at the time he fired in self-defense. In divorce and custody petitions against Vallow, Charles wrote that his estranged wife had become obsessed with doomsday visions and had threatened his life. He said Vallow believed she was reincarnated to lead people during the second coming of Jesus in July 2020 and said that if he got in the way of her saving humanity, she would kill him, according to NBC News.Vallow believes that she is receiving spiritual revelations and visions to help her gather and prepare those chosen to live in the New Jerusalem after the Great War as prophesied in the Book of Revelations, the divorce petition read.Vallow and Daybell, who are members of a community of doomsday preppers and were married two weeks after Daybell was widowed, are already in prison for several other crimes related to the childrens disappearance in September 2019.Im Not Supposed to Be Talking to You: Doomsday Mom Called Hubby From Jail as FBI Searched His HomeProsecutors allege Daybell and Vallow killed Tylee Ryan on Sept. 8 or Sept. 9, 2019, after almost a year of planning. About two weeks later, the pair allegedly killed J.J. The indictment states that Daybell then murdered his ex-wife in October with the help of Vallow and her brother. In January 2020, Vallow made national headlines when she refused to comply with a court order to produce her two children. It was later revealed she had also asked a friend to lie to the police and say she was watching J.J.Last June, Idaho authorities charged the pair with conspiracy to conceal evidence after the remains of two kids were found in Daybells home. Daybell is scheduled to enter a plea on the murder charges on June 9. Vallow was supposed to make an initial appearance on Wednesday but her hearing was put on hold at the request of her lawyer, Mark Means. Attorneys for Daybell and Vallow did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's request for comment.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Update: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) said she filed articles of impeachment against President Joe Biden on Thursday, Jan. 21. * * * * * A newly elected Republican member of Congress says shell file articles of impeachment against President-elect Joe Biden on Jan. 21, one day after his inauguration. U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) told Newsmax on Wednesday that she plans to introduce a measure to impeach Biden on his first full day in office next week. I would like to announce on behalf of the American people, we have to make sure our leaders are held accountable, we cannot have a President of the United States who is willing to abuse the power of the office of the presidency and be easily bought off by foreign governments, foreign Chinese energy companies, Ukrainian energy companies, so on January 21, I will be filing articles of impeachment on Joe Biden, Greene told the conservative media outlet. Fox News reports Greene accused Biden of abuse of power, but did not specify exact charges. According to The Hill, the Trump loyalist repeated claims that Biden, while vice president, threatened to withhold a loan to Ukraine if then-prosecutor general Viktor Shokin was not replaced. Shokin was investigating the founder of Burisma Holdings at the time; Bidens son Hunter Biden served as a member of the Ukraine gas companys board from 2014 to 2019. On Twitter, Greene used the hashtags #ImpeachBiden, #QuidProJoe and #BidenCrimeFamily as she vowed to impeach Joe Biden. Both the president-elect and his son have denied wrongdoing. Hunter Biden said last month that he is facing a federal investigation into his taxes, after months of being targeted by the Trump campaign in the 2020 presidential election. Fox News said Greenes threat to impeach appears to be symbolic, as Congress will be controlled by the Democrats and she would need a majority of the House to bring charges to the Senate. The announcement also breaks with other Republicans who have argued Trumps second impeachment is divisive at a time when the country needs unity. The House voted Wednesday to impeach President Trump, 232-197; ten Republicans voted in favor of the resolution, making it the most bipartisan impeachment in modern times. A Senate trial could began when Congress returns Jan. 19, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said. On January 21, 2021, I'll be filing Articles of Impeachment against Joe Biden for abuse of power.#ImpeachBiden #QuidProJoe#BidenCrimeFamilly Marjorie Taylor Greene (@mtgreenee) January 14, 2021 * Username This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely! (@ChaudhryMAli88) A prominent international human rights watchdog body has denounced Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for intensifying repression in Jammu and Kashmir, targeting Muslims in India and for harassing, arresting and prosecuting activists, journalists, and others critics NEW YORK, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Jan, 2021 ) :A prominent international human rights watchdog body has denounced Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for intensifying repression in Jammu and Kashmir, targeting Muslims in India and for harassing, arresting and prosecuting activists, journalists, and others critics. In its World Report 2021, New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the government continued to impose harsh and discriminatory restrictions on Muslim-majority areas in Jammu and Kashmir since revoking the state's constitutional status in August 2019 and splitting it into two federally governed territories. Attacks continued against minorities, especially Muslims, even as authorities failed to take action against BJP leaders who vilified Muslims and BJP supporters who engaged in violence, the report said. The Covid-19 lockdown disproportionately hurt marginalized communities due to loss of livelihoods and lack of food, shelter, health care, and other basic needs, it said. "The Indian government seems determined to punish peaceful criticism using draconian laws, while sending a broader message that chills dissent," Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. "Instead of addressing growing attacks on Muslims, minorities, and women, Indian authorities increased their crackdown on critical voices in 2020." In the 761-page World Report 2021, its 31st edition, Human Rights Watch reviews human rights practices in more than 100 countries. In his introductory essay, Executive Director Kenneth Roth argues that the incoming United States administration should embed respect for human rights in its domestic and foreign policy in a way that is more likely to survive future US administrations that might be less committed to human rights. Roth emphasizes that even as the Trump administration mostly abandoned the protection of human rights, other governments stepped forward to champion rights. The Biden administration should seek to join, not supplant, this new collective effort. The report said that last February communal violence in Delhi killed at least 53 people, with over 200 injured, properties destroyed, and communities displaced in targeted attacks by Hindu mobs. While a policeman and several Hindus were also killed, the vast majority of victims were Muslim. The attacks came after weeks of peaceful protests against the Indian government's discriminatory citizenship policies. Violence broke out after BJP leaders openly advocated violence against the protesters, while witness accounts and video evidence showed police complicity. The Delhi Minorities Commission reported that the violence was "planned and targeted," and found that the police were filing cases against Muslim victims, but not taking action against the BJP leaders who incited it. In Kashmir, the report said scores of people remained detained without charge under the draconian Public Safety Act, which permits detention without trial for up to two years. The government also clamped down on critics and journalists. In June, it said, the government announced a new media policy in Jammu and Kashmir that empowers the authorities to decide what is "fake news, plagiarism and unethical or anti-national activities" and to take punitive action against media outlets, journalists, and editors. The policy contains vague provisions that are open to abuse and could unnecessarily restrict and penalize legally protected speech. The government also clamped down on critics, journalists, and human rights activists. The restrictions, including on access to communications networks, since August 2019 adversely affected livelihoods, particularly in the tourism-dependent Kashmir Valley. The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries estimated that the first three months of the lockdown to prevent protests since August 2019 cost the economy over US$2.4 billion, for which no redress was provided. Losses nearly doubled since the government imposed further restrictions to contain the spread of Covid-19 in March 2020. The pandemic made access to the internet crucial for information, communication, education, and business. However, even after the Supreme Court said in January that access to the internet was a fundamental right, authorities permitted only slow-speed 2G mobile internet services, leading doctors to complain that the lack of internet was hurting the Covid-19 response. The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act continued to provide effective immunity from prosecution to security forces, even for serious human rights abuses. In July, security forces killed three people in Shopian district, claiming they were militants. However, in August, their families, who identified them from photographs of the killings circulated on social media, said they were laborers. In September, the army said that its inquiry had found prima facie evidence that its troops exceeded powers under the AFSPA and it would take disciplinary proceedings against those "answerable." The security forces also continued to use shotguns firing metal pellets to disperse crowds, despite evidence that they are inherently inaccurate and cause injuries indiscriminately, including to bystanders, violating India's international obligations The intensifying repression in India resulted in international criticism, including by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, who raised concerns over human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, arrests of activists, and restrictions on civil society, the report added. Crimes against Dalits increased, in part as backlash by members of dominant castes against what they might perceive as a challenge to caste hierarchy, the report said. Crimes against women increased too. In September, a 19-year old Dalit woman died after being gang-raped and tortured, allegedly by four men of dominant caste in Uttar Pradesh. The authorities' response highlighted how women from marginalized communities faced even greater institutional barriers to justice. Bhavik Patel hoped for justice after his father was gunned down during a robbery inside a Hazleton convenience store last month. A month to the day after 50-year-old Ashokkumar Patel died inside Craigs Food Mart on West Broad Street, investigators announced criminal homicide charges against the alleged shooter in his death. Jafet Rodriguez, 40, of Hazleton is expected to be arraigned Wednesday morning on homicide, robbery and other charges. The news gives the younger Patel some peace, and possibly some answers, as he struggles to provide for his mother and sisters in India now that his father is gone. The elder Patel came to the United States nine years ago to provide for his family and give his son, who studied engineering, a brighter future, Bhavik said. My dad will not come back, he said via a social media message Tuesday. But we will find a reason why (the killer) did it. He clings to the words of the store owner, who he said told him that his father was cleaning when the robbery happened and he was working alone. Bhavik wonders if there was an earlier exchange that led to the shooting. The night Craigs was robbed, no one said anything to his father or made demands for money, the younger Patel was told. Luzerne County District Attorney Stephanie Salavantis called the shooting a murder in cold blood for no other reason than to leave no witnesses. His father, who previously worked in Maryland, was shot in an armed robbery at another store months earlier and underwent surgery at a hospital there. He had been attacked years before, as well. Bhavik Patel questioned his fathers safety or anyone elses in this country after the earlier incidents and then, the fatal shooting. A week ago, a traditional Hindu funeral for Ashokkumar Patel was held in New Jersey after his sons request for a visa to come here was denied. He was unable to attend the funeral or say goodbye to his father. Many attended the funeral in person, but dozens of others mourned virtually in their homes and businesses here and abroad. +3 Funeral held for slain store clerk; killer still sought An elderly woman sat on a couch alone wiping away tears during the live-streamed funeral of Bhavik Patel said that he was glad that the police worked to bring justice for his family, who are now struggling financially without the person who provided for them. The younger Patel hopes that he will still be able to come here to work and provide for his mother and sisters, as his father did. His mother, however, is hesitant to let her son go, even if a visa is granted. Its hard for a mother to allow an only son to come to the place where her husband was killed, he said. Still, the younger Patel has not given up hope for his family. There are 118 units in the new Courthouse Lofts and 85 of them are already filled via pre-leases ahead of the former Worcester County Courthouses redevelopment completion. A portion of residents will begin to move into some of those units next week. For most, it will be their first time seeing the building as the majority of residents have been signing their leases without visiting the property. Michael Lozano, vice president of development for Trinity Financial, the real estate development company overseeing the project, shared the news Thursday in a tour of the new lofts to city officials. Representatives in attendance from the citys administration included City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr, City Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson and Chief Development Officer Peter Dunn. The fourth and third floor we expect to open next week, said Lozano. The first and second floor of the 1950s annex, we expect to open in two to three weeks after that. And the older part of the building that was built in the 1800s, that will come later in February. Its been a challenging project in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, Lozano noted, but an end is in sight, he said. Its been difficult, as it has for everyone, but its been very rewarding, he added. The $60M project, which has received state and federal historic tax credits, brings life back to a building that has sat unused for at least 10 years. This is one of three big buildings in the North Main Street side with the Worcester Auditorium and the Boys Club, said Augustus. Ive always talked about these three as kind of a Berlin Wall that kind of kept the organic energy that we all know happens on Highland Street with all the businesses and the restaurants, and Becker on one side and WPI on the other, and all the good stuff happening on Main Street. And by activating these buildings, were connecting that energy. Instead of being a barrier, theyll be a connective tissue that have people walking from Highland to Main. And over to Grove Street and all the things that are happening over there. Councilor Mero-Carlson echoed Augustus sentiments. Its historic nature is just unbelievable, she said. I think this will be an awesome place for people to live. Its pretty exciting. And to have this building finally coming online, and hopefully we get the other two. Stay tuned for those. Exciting time for this area. Augustus said the fact that two-thirds of the units are already filled proves the strength of the housing market in Worcester. The 118 units that make up the former Worcester County Courthouse will be mixed-income. The apartments range in size from studios to three bedrooms. Square footage varies on a unit by unit basis with some just under 600 feet and others just shy of 3,000 feet, Lozano said. The building will offer several amenities to residents including a fitness center, pet spa, which allows you to wash your pet, a lounge, game room and maker space for residents to work on projects. A part of the redevelopment of the building included the creation of a public museum dedicated to cyclist Marshall Walter Major Taylor, a world champion who trained and competed on the streets of Worcester more than 120 years ago. Fidelity Bank recently announced it has donated $10,000 in funding to assist in the creation of the museum. Lozano said once the redevelopment is finished, the museum will be staffed with employees who will be able to offer visitors information about the cyclist and his history with the city. Trinity has preserved many of the historic components of the building including original marble, woodwork, judges benches, high ceilings and signs. A couple of units are former courtrooms. Lozano encouraged those interested in leasing a unit to act quickly and to visit the Courthouse Lofts website to apply. Related Content: Khartoum, Jan 14 : Sudan's National Borders Commission has accused Ethiopia of violating the historical border agreements signed between the two countries. On Wednesday, Maaz Tango, head of the Commission, briefed the ambassadors, diplomats and representatives of regional and international organisations to Sudan on the dimensions of the border dispute between the two countries, reports Xinhua news agency. "The Ethiopian encroachments upon the Sudanese territory have continued since 1957," Tango was quoted as saying during the briefing. Ethiopia also evaded its obligations in the border agreements which could be traced back to as early as 1903, he added. Khartoum has all the documents supporting its position and its sovereignty over the lands entered by the Sudanese Armed Forces, Tango noted. Earlier in the day, the Sudanese foreign ministry said an Ethiopian military plane penetrated the Sudanese border in what it termed as "a serious and unjustified escalation". Since September 2020, the Sudan-Ethiopia border has been witnessing rising tensions and skirmishes between the two sides. The border area of Fashaga between Sudan and Ethiopia, one of the five localities of Sudan's Gadaref State, often witnesses deadly attacks by Ethiopian militias during the preparation for agricultural season. Trump Calls on Americans to Promote Peace Amid Reports of Planned Demonstrations 'No violence, no law-breaking, and no vandalism of any kind' President Donald Trump issued a public message to the nation in a video issued late Wednesday, calling on Americans to promote peace, amid reports of planned demonstrations to take place in the coming days. Over the course of the past year, made so difficult because of COVID-19, we have seen political violence spiral out of control. We have seen too many riots, too many mobs, too many acts of intimidation and destruction. It must stop, he said. Whether you are on the right or on the left, a Democrat or a Republican, there is never a justification for violence. No excuses, no exceptions. America is a nation of laws. Those who engaged in the attacks last week will be brought to justice. Now I am asking everyone who has ever believed in our agenda to be thinking of ways to ease tensions, calm tempers, and help to promote peace in our country, he continued. There has been reporting that additional demonstrations are being planned in the coming days, both here in Washington and across the country. I have been briefed by the U.S. Secret Service on the potential threats. Every American deserves to have their voices heard in a respectful and peaceful way. That is your First Amendment right. But I must emphasize that there must be no violence, no law-breaking, and no vandalism of any kind. The president opened his speech by condemning acts of violence that took place amid the civil unrest on U.S. Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, when lawmakers gathered to count, debate, and certify electoral college votes for president-elect Joe Biden. The incursion of the U.S. Capitol struck at the very heart of our republic. It angered and appalled millions of Americans across the political spectrum, he said. I want to be very clear, I unequivocally condemn the violence that we saw last week. Violence and vandalism have absolutely no place in our country and no place in our movement. Making America Great Again has always been about defending the rule of law, supporting the men and women of law enforcement, and upholding our nations most sacred traditions and values. Mob violence goes against everything I believe in and everything our movement stands for. No true supporter of mine could ever endorse political violence. No true supporter of mine could ever disrespect law enforcement or our great American flag. No true supporter of mine could ever threaten or harass our fellow Americans. If you do any of these things, you are not supporting our movement, youre attacking it, and you are attacking our country. We cannot tolerate it. Trumps remarks come after Democrats in the House of Representatives, joined by 10 Republicans, just moments earlier voted to impeach him for a second time, alleging in a single article of impeachment that he incited an insurrection that resulted in the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. Trump has, since Jan. 6, repeatedly called for peace and repeatedly condemned the violence that took place at and near the U.S. Capitol that day. The violence occurred amid otherwise peaceful protests that were taking place in surrounding areas calling for election integrity. The breach of the Capitol building on Jan. 6 by a group of rioters interrupted lawmakers for several hours before congressional proceedings resumed. One woman, Air Force veteran Ashley Babbitt (also spelt Ashli), died that day after being shot by a Capitol police officer inside the building. It is unclear who instigated the breach of the building. A video of the event shows a known left-wing activist encouraging and convincing Capitol police to let trespassers through at several points. Separately, the civil unrest on Capitol grounds left at least four more people deadthree due to medical conditions, and a U.S. Capitol Police officer was confirmed dead by the department on Jan. 7, due to injuries sustained while on duty responding to riots. On Monday, Trump approved the District of Columbias emergency declaration after a request by Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser, who in her letter to the president, said that further violence is likely during the Inaugural period. She also wrote that based on intelligence assessments her administration has received, we must prepare for large groups of trained and armed extremists to come to Washington, DC. More than 20,000 National Guard troops are expected in the city by Jan. 20, Inauguration Day. The Department of Homeland Security will begin National Special Security Event operations for the Jan. 20 inauguration effective on Jan. 13 instead of Jan. 19, due to events of the past week and the evolving security landscape leading up to the inauguration. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form A Conservative MP has called for 'cyber-flashing' to be made a criminal offence to stop Britons sending X-rated snaps to strangers using the AirDrop function on their iPhones. Cyber-flashing is when a person is sent an unsolicited sexual image on their mobile device by a stranger nearby through AirDrop, a file-sharing function on iPhones. Victims are often targeted on public transport due to the technology's short range. There is currently no law which directly addresses 'cyber-flashing' in England and Wales, despite the act being made illegal in Scotland 12 years ago. However, MP for Brecon and Radnorshire Fay Jones, 35, has now called for 'digital flashing' to be made a criminal offence. MP for Brecon and Radnorshire Fay Jones, 35, has called for 'digital flashing' to be made a criminal offence in Britain She told MPs: 'The scourge of cyber-flashing - where unwanted and unsolicited indecent photographs are distributed to mobile devices - needs to be made a criminal offence.' Responding, Home Office minister Victoria Atkins said: 'We are running a call for evidence at the moment on producing a new violence against women and girls strategy,' adding: 'I am very, very aware of the offence about which she speaks and I very much want those sorts of 21st century online crimes to be dealt with.' Later, Labour MP Liz Twist said: 'Will the minister look again at introducing a statutory duty on public authorities to train frontline staff to recognise the signs of domestic abuse?' Ms Atkins replied: 'I see this as very much part of our overall efforts to ensure that people understand what domestic abuse is, the many forms it can take, and how it is everyone's business.' Cyber-flashing is when a person is sent an unsolicited sexual image on their mobile device by a stranger nearby through AirDrop, a file-sharing function on iPhones. Pictured: Stock image Police investigated the first ever case of cyber-flashing in 2015 after an unwanted graphic picture popped up on a shocked London commuter's iPhone. There were three cases reported in 2016 and 15 in 2017. Figures published by the British Transport Police show there were another 35 offences recorded in the first half of 2019 compared to 34 for the whole of 2018. The number of reported cases is also thought to be much lower than the actual number of instances, partly due to the fact that cyber-flashing is not in itself a crime. Some cases can be investigated under current public decency laws, or the Malicious Communications Act, but there are currently no specific provisions for cyber-flashing. AirDrop, which is specific to iOS devices such as iPads and iPhones, as well as Apple Macs, uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to connect over a short range to other devices. Its default setting is for 'contacts only', which means only people you know can see you. But to share information with other people, users can make a change to the settings and change it to 'everyone'. The setting allows anyone to send an image to that device where - unlike other messages apps such as WhatsApp or SMS - the photograph automatically appears on the screen. It is then up to the user to choose to 'accept' the image, although they will have already seen a preview. Three human rights activists went on trial in Poland yesterday for putting the LGBT rainbow on an image of the Black Madonna, a revered figure in Roman Catholicism. Elzbieta Podlesna, Anna Prus and Joanna Gzyra-Iskandar face up to two years in prison if found guilty of desecration and offending religious sentiment. During protests in 2019, they replaced the halos in the icon of the Black Madonna and baby Jesus with the LGBT rainbow flag. The activists said they were rallying against what they saw as the hostility of Poland's influential Catholic Church toward LGBT people. A group of supporters with rainbow flags and banners reading 'The Rainbow Gives No Offense' gathered outside the court. Human rights activists show an altered image with colors symbolizing LGBT rights as they gathered outside the provincial court in Plock, Poland Elzbieta Podlesna, a human rights activist, walks outside the provincial court in Plock, central Poland, before her trial The activists could face up to two years in prison if convicted on charges of offending religious sentiment and desecration of the Mother of God of Czestochowa, popularly known as the Black Madonna of Czestochowa (activist pictured holding the altered image) Podlesna said in court Wednesday that their 2019 action in the central city of Plock was spurred by an installation at the city's St. Dominic's Church that associated LGBT people with crime and negative behavior. The three do not deny putting the posters on walls and elsewhere around the church, but do not admit putting stickers with the image on garbage bins and toilets and deny wrongdoing. The Mother of God of Czestochowa, popularly known as the Black Madonna of Czestochowa, is a revered icon in Poland. It has been housed at the Jasna Gora monastery in the city of Czestochowa since the 14th century. LGBT protests in 2019 when the three activists were first arrested by police A group of supporters with rainbow flags and banners gathered outside the court Podlesna was arrested in an early morning police raid on her apartment in 2019. She was detained for several hours and questioned over the posters of the icon that were placed around Plock. A court later said the detention was unnecessary and ordered damages equaling some $2,000 be awarded to her. Amnesty International has called on Polish prosecutors to drop the charges against the activists. The case has highlighted the clash over social issues in predominantly Catholic Poland. The country's right-wing government supports laws against insulting religious beliefs and symbols. LGBT rights advocates say the laws are used to stifle human rights and freedom of speech. The ruling Law and Justice party has previously targeted LGBT communities and some Polish towns have declared themselves 'gay-free zones'. Detectives have released footage of a BMW in an appeal to track down information about the shooting of a gang member in south-west Sydney last year. Senior gang member Samer Marcus was shot at a home on Campbelltown Road at Denham Court on the evening of Friday, November 6. Police arrived at the property to find the 45-year-old in a critical condition, having suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Two months after the shooting, Mr Marcus remains in hospital. "His injuries were so significant and horrific that his future quality of life will be severely impacted," Criminal Groups Squad Commander Detective acting Superintendent Jayne Doherty said. The New York Times MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan Ammunition was depleted inside the bedraggled outposts in Laghman province. Food was scarce. Some police officers hadnt been paid in five months. Then, just as U.S. troops began leaving the country in early May, Taliban fighters besieged seven rural Afghan military outposts across the wheat fields and onion patches of the province, in eastern Afghanistan. The insurgents enlisted village elders to visit the outposts bearing a message: Surrender or die. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times By mid-month, security forces had surrendered all seven outposts after extended negotiations, according to village elders. At least 120 soldiers and police were given safe passage to the government-held provincial center in return for handing over weapons and equipment. We told them, Look, your situation is bad reinforcements arent coming, said Nabi Sarwar Khadim, 53, one of several elders who negotiated the surrenders. Since May 1, at least 26 outposts and bases in just four provinces Laghman, Baghlan, Wardak and Ghazni have surrendered after such negotiations, according to village elders and government officials. With morale diving as U.S. troops leave, and the Taliban seizing on each surrender as a propaganda victory, each collapse feeds the next in the Afghan countryside. Among the negotiated surrenders were four district centers, which house local governors, police and intelligence chiefs effectively handing the government facilities to Taliban control and scattering the officials there, at least temporarily. The Taliban have negotiated Afghan troop surrenders in the past, but never at the scale and pace of the base collapses this month in the four provinces extending east, north and west of Kabul. The tactic has removed hundreds of government forces from the battlefield, secured strategic territory and reaped weapons, ammunition and vehicles for the Taliban often without firing a shot. The base collapses are one measure of the rapidly deteriorating government war effort as one outpost after another falls, sometimes after battles, but often after wholesale surrenders. The surrenders are part of a broader Taliban playbook of seizing and holding territory as security force morale plummets with the exit of international troops. Buyoffs of local police and militia. Local cease-fires that allow the Taliban to consolidate gains. A sustained military offensive despite pleas for peace talks and a nationwide cease-fire. The government is not able to save the security forces, said Mohammed Jalal, a village elder in Baghlan province. If they fight, they will be killed, so they have to surrender. The surrenders are the work of Taliban Invitation and Guidance Committees, which intervene after insurgents cut off roads and supplies to surrounded outposts. Committee leaders or Taliban military leaders phone base commanders and sometimes their families and offer to spare troops lives if they surrender their outposts, weapons and ammunition. In several cases, the committees have given surrendering troops money typically around $130 and civilian clothes and sent them home unharmed. But first they videotape the men as they promise not to rejoin the security forces. They log their phone numbers and the names of family members and vow to kill the men if they rejoin the military. The Taliban commander and the Invitation and Guidance Committee called me more than 10 times and asked me to surrender, said Maj. Imam Shah Zafari, 34, a district police chief in Wardak province who surrendered his command center and weapons on May 11 after negotiations mediated by local elders. After the Taliban provided a car ride home to Kabul, he said, a committee member phoned to assure him that the government would not imprison him for surrendering. He said, We have so much power in the government and we can release you, Zafari said. The Taliban committees take advantage of a defining characteristic of Afghan wars: Fighters and commanders regularly switch sides, cut deals, negotiate surrenders and cultivate village elders for influence with local residents. The current conflict is really dozens of local wars. These are intimate struggles, where brothers and cousins battle one another and commanders on each side cajole, threaten and negotiate by cellphone. A Taliban commander calls me all the time, trying to destroy my morale, so that Ill surrender, said Wahidullah Zindani, 36, a bearded, sunburned police commander who has rejected Taliban demands to surrender his nine-man, bullet-pocked outpost in Laghman province. The negotiated surrenders are part of a broader offensive in which the Taliban have surrounded at least five provincial capitals this spring, according to a Pentagon inspector general report released May 18. The offensive has intensified since the U.S. withdrawal began May 1. The Taliban have used their control of several major highways to cut off bases and garrisons, leaving them vulnerable. The surrenders have a profound psychological effect. They call and say the Taliban are powerful enough to defeat the U.S. and they can easily take Laghman province, so you should remember this before we kill you, Rahmatullah Yarmal, Laghmans 29-year-old governor, said of the Taliban committees during an interview inside his barricaded compound in Mehtar Lam, the provincial capital. Its an effective propaganda tactic, the governor conceded so effective that some outpost commanders now refuse to speak to elders or Taliban negotiators. He said many elders were not neutral peacemakers, but hand-picked Taliban supporters. Yarmal said 60 police officers who surrendered and took refuge in his government center are now primed to fight to retake the seven lost outposts. I think well have them back in a month, he said. But just hours after the governor spoke on May 19, a nearby district center, Dawlat Shah, surrendered without any resistance after negotiations. By the next morning, five more outposts had surrendered the same way in the district of Alishing, also in Laghman, district officials said. Those Taliban victories were facilitated, in part, by a 30-day cease-fire negotiated by elders on May 17 in the heavily contested district of Alingar, allowing the Taliban to shift resources to the Alishing, where they forced the negotiated surrender of the five outposts just two days later. (On May 21, the Taliban violated the cease-fire with renewed attacks in Alingar, Khadim said.) The series of base collapses represented the second wholesale surrender in a Laghman district in two weeks. On May 7, three outposts and a military base collapsed the same way without a fight, said Nasir Ahmad Himat, the Alingar district governor. The soldiers simply dropped their weapons, got in their vehicles and went to the district center or provincial capital, said Faqirullah, a village elder who goes by one name. As Taliban fighters advanced on the provincial capital Sunday, Yarmal announced that 110 security force members who had surrendered, and several commanders who were supposed to supervise them, had been detained for negligence. Also Sunday, the Afghan military announced that troop reinforcements and the military chief of staff had rushed to Laghman to try to repel the Taliban assault. In Ghazni province, Hasan Reza Yousofi, a provincial councilman, said he begged officials to send reinforcements to an outpost and a military base that ultimately fell to the Taliban this month. He played a recorded phone call from a police officer, Abdul Ahmad, who said his ammunition was gone and his men were drinking rainwater because the base water tower had been destroyed by a rocket. We have been sold out we make calls for reinforcements, but officials dont help, the recorded voice said. The Taliban sent us tribal elders who said, Surrender, you are sold out, no one will help you. Yousofi said he did not know whether Ahmad survived after his outpost fell. Negotiations have proved remarkably fruitful for the Taliban in Baghlan province, where at least 100 soldiers surrendered, and in Wardak province, where about 130 security force members surrendered following negotiations, officials said. In Laghman province, negotiations leading to the surrender of the seven outposts stretched over 10 days. Khadim, the village elder, said different elders negotiated with commanders of each outpost. We guaranteed they would not be killed, he said. There was nothing written, just our word. A few miles away, Zindani refused to surrender his forlorn outpost near the front line. He said officers who had negotiated surrenders at three nearby outposts had betrayed their country. One of his men, Muhammad Agha Bambard, said he would fight to avenge the deaths of two brothers he said were killed by the Taliban. He would never surrender, he said. Zindanis nine men were down to a machine gun, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and one AK-47 rifle each inside a ramshackle outpost with bloodstained walls. But he said he intended to fight on as he told the Taliban commander who regularly phoned to demand his surrender. I told him, Im a soldier of my country, the commander said. I am not here to surrender. Four days later, on Sunday, the outpost was overrun during a firefight with the Taliban, a member of the provincial council said. One police officer was shot dead and Zindani and his outgunned men were taken prisoner. A few hours later, the Taliban released a video showing Bambard being questioned by a Taliban commander as he lay on a mattress, his face and neck bandaged. In a mocking tone, the commander asked why Bambard had posted on his Facebook page that he would not let the enemy capture his outpost while he was alive. The wounded officer responded, This is Afghanistan. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 2021 The New York Times Company 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. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has made his first public statements days after the social media platform banned the US President Donald Trump. A few hours ago, in a series of tweets, Dorsey explained why Trump was banned from the social network and insists that Twitter made the right decision. There have also been voices on social media which are calling this an overreach by social media networks (Facebook also barred Donald Trump from Facebook and Twitter apps for the time being, for instance) and could set a dangerous precedent that could see them ban any user at any time. Dorsey admits that the ban came about because Twitter failed to promote healthy conversation. In a series of tweets in which he also enthused about Bitcoin and how it is an internet technology not influenced by a single person or entity, Dorsey said that Twitter takes no pride in the decision and that the ban of Donald Trump is no reason to celebrate for the tech giant. He says that Twitter took action after clear warnings, and also factored in the warnings of threats to physical safety, on Twitter and in the real world. I believe this was the right decision for Twitter. We faced an extraordinary and untenable circumstance, forcing us to focus all of our actions on public safety. Offline harm as a result of online speech is demonstrably real, and what drives our policy and enforcement above all, he says. Dorsey admits that Twitter failed on its part to ensure that the platform is a place for healthy conversations . While there are clear and obvious exceptions, I feel a ban is a failure of ours ultimately to promote healthy conversation. And a time for us to reflect on our operations and the environment around us, he says. Will this change anything at Twitter or Twitter how we know it? We dont know just yet. There has been the debate about whether any social media platform or tech company should have the power or the rights to ban just about anyone from any conversation online. There are always two sides of the coin. Dorsey says, Having to take these actions fragment the public conversation. They divide us. They limit the potential for clarification, redemption, and learning. And sets a precedent I feel is dangerous: the power an individual or corporation has over a part of the global public conversation. He is also very straightforward in saying that any user who doesnt agree with Twitters rules and enforcement of these rules can switch to another service. Fatehgarh Sahib: Shooting of actor Janhvi Kapoor's film 'Good Luck Jerry' briefly came to a halt in Bassi Pathana here, after a group of farmers insisted that she make a comment on the ongoing farmers' protest. Kapoor is shooting for the film, produced by filmmaker Anand L Rai's Colour Yellow Productions and directed by Sidharth Sengupta, in Punjab. According to Sukhminder Singh Chauhan, DSP, Bassi Pathana, the incident happened on Monday (January 11) after 20-30 farmers reached the movie sets for a "peaceful" protest. "The shooting had stopped for two-three hours on January 11. There wasn't anything major. Around 20-30 people had reached the set. It was a peaceful agitation. "All they wanted was assurance of support from them (the actors). When they did, the shoot was resumed. It was mutually resolved. Now the shoot is going on smoothly," Chauhan told PTI on Wednesday (January 13). On Monday, the 'Dhadak' actor shared an Instagram Story in support of the farmers. Unlike other posts, Instagram Stories disappear after 24 hours from the time they are published. "Farmers are at the heart of our country. I recognise and value the role that they play in feeding our nation. I hope a resolution is reached soon that benefits the farmers," Kapoor had written. Braving the cold and rains, thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana, have been camping at several Delhi border points, demanding a complete repeal of the three farm laws and legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for their crops. Enacted in September last year, the three laws have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove middlemen and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country. However, the protesting farmers have expressed their apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of the MSP and do away with the "mandi" (wholesale market) system, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates. Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a stay of the implementation of the three new farm laws hoping this will end the prolonged protests by the farmers and also constituted a four-member panel of agriculture experts to resolve the impasse between their leaders and the Centre. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-15 03:14:19|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's interior ministry said Thursday that foreign experts supported the Houthi rebels in firing ballistic missiles at Aden's airport last month. The pro-government Interior Minister Ibrahim Haydan declared during a press conference in Aden "the preliminary results showed evidence that Iranian and Lebanese experts were behind the missiles which were used in the terrorist attack." Haydan headed the investigation committee formed by Yemen's President Abdu-Rabbu Mansour Hadi following the attack that targeted the airport on Dec. 30. He clarified that his committee had collected information from different sources and discovered that the ballistic missiles were launched from a site in the Houthi-controlled area 135 km away from the airport. On Dec. 30, the deadly missile attack struck Aden's International Airport, causing three huge explosions just minutes after a plane carrying members of the new power-sharing government arrived from Saudi Arabia's capital of Riyadh. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Saudi-backed Yemeni government accused the Houthi rebels of being behind it. Senior officials of the Houthi group had denied and blamed on Yemeni military factions linked to the Saudi Arabia-led coalition in the government-controlled southern provinces. The country's health authorities said nearly 27 people were killed and 110 others were wounded, including international aid workers and media employees, in the explosions. The southern port city of Aden is considered Yemen's temporary capital where the Saudi-backed Yemeni government has been based since 2015. The impoverished Arab country has been locked into a civil war since late 2014, when the Houthi rebels overran much of the country and seized all northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa. Enditem [Watch: Live analysis of Bidens Inauguration] Joseph R. Biden Jr. will become president of the United States at noon on Jan. 20 in a scaled-back inauguration ceremony. While key elements will remain traditional, many events will be downsized and reimagined to better adapt the celebration to a nation battling the coronavirus. Heres a guide to the event. What will the inauguration look like? Although many of the events will be virtual, Maju Varghese, the executive director of the Presidential Inaugural Committee, said the goal was an inclusive and accessible celebration that brings Americans together and unifies our nation, especially during such a tough time for our country. Mr. Biden will be sworn in by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. on the Capitols West Front sometime before noon. The new president is then expected to give his inaugural address and conduct a review of military troops, as is tradition. Two major celebrities will participate in the swearing-in ceremony: Lady Gaga will sing the national anthem and Jennifer Lopez will give a musical performance. Chennai: Giving a clear indication that merger of the two rival AIADMK groups is not possible, Puratchi Thalaivi Amma camp leader O Panneerselvam on Sunday announced dissolving a seven-member panel set up to hold merger talks with the Amma faction led by Chief Minister K Palaniswami. The former Tamil Nadu chief minister made the announcement at a meeting of party functionaries. It was received by cheers from supporters, with his senior colleagues rushing to congratulate him. He said he was being forced to come up with such an announcement as he had been tolerating all kinds of irresponsible statements from the opposition camp. People from all walks of life, especially women, students and the youth, were now opposing the idea of the merger, he said. In this situation, the panel that was formed on behalf of our team (to hold merger talks) is being dissolved, he said amid loud cheers from supporters. Panneerselvams announcement came as no visible progress was made in the proposed talks. Former ministers K P Munusamy (PT) and R Vaithilingam (Amma) led the respective panels, which were formed in April. Though both sides publicly announced their willingness to hold talks, the Panneerselvam faction remained firm on its demand for a CBI probe into the death of Jayalalithaa and the removal of AIADMK chief VK Sasikala and her family members, including Deputy General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran, from the party as a precondition for talks. None of the demands had been met, though a section of ministers revolted against Dhinakaran in April, asking him to stay away from party affairs. He had also announced then that he was stepping aside. However, he had recently, upon release on bail in the Election Commission bribery case, said he would continue with party work. Also Read: Talks on AIADMK merger between both camps are in progress, says Tamil Nadu minister At the meeting, Panneerselvam took a dig at the Palaniswami camp, saying MLAs were gifted gold, diamond and cash during their stay at a resort at Koovathur near here, prior to the February 18 trust vote faced and won by Palaniswami. Amma asked for votes for us and people voted. All should remember that, he said. Panneerselvam had revolted against Sasikala in February, alleging he was forced to make way for her elevation as chief minister. He later led the breakaway faction of some MPs and MLAs besides senior functionaries. Also Read: AIADMK factions heading towards merger, Panneerselvam says good ambience evolving for positive talks The faction has since challenged the election of Sasikala as AIADMK general secretary before the Election Commission, while also staking claim for the partys two leaves symbol. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Rena Bielinski, Vice President of Customer Success; Scott Byerley, Vice President of Sales Rena and Scott bring vast knowledge to their roles helping our customers benefit from Codoxos Healthcare Integrity Suite, the industrys most advanced investigative technology solutions. Codoxo, a trusted artificial intelligence-driven fraud, waste and abuse detection and investigation partner for health plans, today announced two key additions to its leadership team: Rena Bielinski, Vice President of Customer Success and Scott Byerley, Vice President of Sales. These strategic appointments come on the heels of a landmark year of growth and investment for Codoxo, which secured a $7 million Series A funding round in July, expanded its AI-powered suite of technology solutions to identify problems and control costs for healthcare companies and agencies, and unveiled a new corporate name Codoxo, formerly FraudScope. Rena and Scott bring vast knowledge to their roles helping our customers benefit from Codoxos Healthcare Integrity Suite, the industrys most advanced investigative technology solutions, stated Musheer Ahmed, Codoxo Chief Executive Officer. As we work with health payers and agencies to combat fraud, waste, and abuse and drive down healthcare costs, Rena and Scott already are delivering unparalleled guidance with insight-based outcomes to our customers. As the Vice President of Customer Success at Codoxo, Rena Bielinski is responsible for customer onboarding, satisfaction and success. Renas experience in the industry will bring sharing of best practices with clients and positioning them for strategic growth in their overall fraud, waste and abuse endeavors. She has a Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Illinois College of Pharmacy in Chicago (UIC), and she is also an Accredited Healthcare Fraud Investigator (AHFI). Prior to Codoxo, she spent 15 years at SCIO Health Analytics, an EXL Company, where she was the Chief Pharmacy Officer, with responsibility for building several clinical cost containment programs. She also developed the Retail Pharmacy FWA program which included pharmacy fraud investigations and compliance audits. She also served as a Vice President of Strategic Accounts at EXL, managing multiple payer and PBM clients. Dr. Bielinski is also an industry thought leader, with multiple publications and speaking engagements. Prior to SCIO, she spent many years as the Chief Operating Officer for a regional home infusion, home health, and DME company. Scott brings 20 years of experience in cost containment to Codoxo. As Vice President of Sales, Scott is responsible for growing Codoxos relationships with health insurer and provider customers. Scott served as VP of Sales at Equian (now a division of Optum), and most recently, as Vice President of Sales for The Phia Group. Prior to sales, Scott earned his law degree from The University of Louisville, Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, and started his career as an attorney and Director of Litigation for Gibson and Sharps. At the request of the CEO he transitioned to sales and grew his career from there. With his background, Scott is well versed in applicable laws and regulations that govern the healthcare industry, including but not limited to ERISA, FEHBA, Medicare, and Medicaid, and he has deep knowledge of the cost containment industry. Scott has spent many years working closely with large health plans across the country, where he developed a unique understanding of the impact that fraud, waste, and abuse has on the payer industry and in the overall U.S. healthcare system. Scott has published several articles on various cost containment related topics, both with NASP (the National Association of Subrogation Professionals) and other industry publications. To learn more about the Codoxo team, the Codoxo Healthcare Integrity Suite, or request a solution demo, visit the companys new website: http://www.codoxo.com. About Codoxo Codoxo is the premier provider of artificial intelligence-driven applications that help healthcare companies and agencies quickly identify and act to reduce risks from fraud, waste, and abuse. Codoxos Healthcare Integrity Suite helps clients reduce risks and costs across network management, clinical care, provider education, payment integrity, and special investigation units. Our software-as-a-service applications are built on our Forensic AI Platform, which uses a patented algorithm to identify problems and suspicious behavior earlier than traditional techniques. Our solutions are HIPAA-compliant and operate in a HITRUST-certified environment. For additional information, visit http://www.codoxo.com. Some of the major contributions of the CBI Programme to the SDGs include (1) No poverty, (3) Good health and well-being, (4) Quality education, (6) Clean water and sanitation, (7) Affordable and clean energy, (8) Decent work and economic growth, (9) Industry, innovation and infrastructure, (11) Sustainable cities and communities, (12) Responsible consumption and production, (13) Climate action, (16) Peace, justice and strong institutions and (17) Partnerships for the goals. A 2019 PricewaterhouseCoopers report highlighted these CBI contributions towards the targets: In line with SDG goals (1) & (8), CBI impact on Dominica's economy is estimated to increase GDP by around EC$150 million and tax receipts by around EC$30 million in the upcoming years. Additionally, CBI expenditure is forecasted to have had a significant long-term impact on the economic potential of the island; (3) three hospitals and six health centres were repaired after Hurricane Maria in 2017 with CBI funds, and 16 Dominican children were sent overseas for complex medical treatment; (4) fifteen schools were repaired through CBI; (6) CBI funded an investment of over EC$175 million in water sources over the period 2015- 2019. CBIP funds have also been used to dredge rivers in 11 different locations, an essential part of mitigating the risks of future flooding; (7), (11) & (12) EC$6 million allocated to the construction of a 7MW geothermal power plant in keeping with the Government's vision to become the first climate-resilient country in the world. This plant is projected to make Dominica self-reliant on energy; (8) CBI's contribution to the National Employment Programme funded 3,896 intern placements across the public and private sector over the 2013-2019 period. CBI's funding of hotels and eco-lodges created over 1,000 jobs during construction, providing direct employment for approximately 900 hospitality workers, and supporting the livelihoods of those connected with tourism; (9) CBI funding has resulted in the rehabilitation of 15 sections of damaged roads and 19 bridges. CBI also supported the construction of hurricane-resilient homes for 6,680 households; (11) & (13) most new infrastructure carried about by CBI follows a 'build back better' strategy to ensure durability against extreme natural disasters; (16) all the investments through the CBI Programme go through rigorous multi-tiered due diligence; (17) CBI projects like the Marigot Hospital have encouraged more international partnerships with countries like China. Regarding the country's sustainable development, Dominica's Prime Minister, Dr the Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit, said, "We've decided to focus on building a resilient nation [and] we've been using a significant portion of our CBI proceeds to help us build that resilient nation." "[The environment] is really all we have as a world to ensure the sustainability of our people, [the] livelihoods of our jobs and our own very survival. It's [a] hand-in-glove arrangement with regards to our efforts to build in a resilient nation and sustainable development," he added. Dominica has been offering its Citizenship by Investment Programme since 1993, making it one of the oldest citizenship programmes around. Investors may qualify for citizenship through a contribution to the government fund or investment in real estate. After a vetting process, successful applicants receive full rights to live and work in the country and visa-free access to 75 percent of the globe. Contact details: [email protected], www.csglobalpartners.com SOURCE CS Global Partners Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. For many, makeup took a back seat in 2020. For others it's been a case of taking time to experiment with their skincare routine. And even though the pandemic has made us feel like we are stuck in a loop of the unknown, the expiry clock is still ticking on our beauty products. So for your skin's sake, it's time to take stock, and toss the old mascara in the bottom of your makeup bag, or the expired serum at the back of your bathroom cupboard. From there, why not use the new year to consider some skin resolutions. Ahead, three experts offer guidance for creating a skincare routine you won't give up on and more importantly, one that achieves skin you won't want to cover up. Keep your products in a cool place, directly out of sunlight to maintain their lifespan. Credit:iStock First, out with the old Most products provide two ways to decipher their lifespan: an expiry date and a POA (period after opening), indicated within an open jar symbol, with a number and a "M" for months, usually printed at the bottom of the packaging. Under heavy pressure from his advisers, President Trump on Wednesday released a five-minute video recorded in the Oval Office condemning last weeks mob violence at the Capitol and urging his supporters to stand down from further rioting next week. The video was made public hours after Mr. Trump was impeached a second time and was the result, advisers said, of his realization of the catastrophic fallout from the deadly siege, which also left lawmakers fearing for their lives in the seat of American democracy. The video was released on a White House Twitter account. The president offered no note of humility, regret or self-reflection about his two months of false claims that the election was stolen from him. But it was also a broader condemnation of the violence than he has offered so far. A week ago, hours after the rampage began, Mr. Trump told his supporters who had stormed the Capitol: We love you. Youre very special. This story originally appeared on the Texas Tribune Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is the only state attorney general in the United States who did not sign on to one of two letters sent this week condemning the violent insurrection of the U.S. Capitol mounted last week by supporters of President Donald Trump. Paxton has individually condemned the violence on television and social media while falsely claiming the pro-Trump mob that invaded the Capitol was infiltrated by liberal antifa activists. There has been no evidence that antifa activists participated in the Jan. 6 attack that left five people dead and was intended to disrupt the certification of the presidential election results. Attorneys general from 46 states in addition to those representing Washington D.C. and three U.S. territories signed a letter Tuesday sent to Acting U.S. Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen condemning the attack. Only Paxton and the Republican attorneys general from Louisiana, Indiana and Montana did not sign the letter. The events of January 6 represent a direct, physical challenge to the rule of law and our democratic republic itself, the attorneys general wrote in the letter, sent by the National Association of Attorneys General. As Americans, and those charged with enforcing the law, we must come together to condemn lawless violence, making clear that such actions will not be allowed to go unchecked. By Wednesday, those three holdouts sent Rosen their own letter, which Paxton also did not sign. In addition to condemning the violent mob, the three attorneys general urged their colleagues to stand together against all political violence, calling out antifa activists. Asked why he did not sign either letter of condemnation, Paxton said through a spokesperson that he already addressed this issue multiple times and pointed to recent tweets and a Fox News interview in which he disavowed the mob and absolutely said its violent actors should be prosecuted. A certain, small percentage of those people crossed the line, and when you cross the line, and you start harming other peoples property, and you start harming people, you should be held accountable, Paxton said in the Jan. 7 interview with Fox Business. Paxton signed on to a Jan. 6 statement from the Republican Attorneys General Association condemning the violence, saying I call on protesters in our state and our nations Capital to practice their constitutional right in a peaceful manner. I stand for election integrity and the democratic process. I will not tolerate violence and civil disorder. Paxtons critics said they are not surprised the attorney general, among a number of Republicans and Trump supporters who have falsely claimed the election was stolen by Democrats, did not sign on to the letters. The morning of the attack, Paxton, a co-chair of the Lawyers for Trump coalition, urged Trump supporters to continue fighting President-elect Joe Bidens victory. After inciting the violence we saw last week and wasting Texas taxpayer dollars on baseless lawsuits that never see any results, Paxton is an embarrassment to this state and a traitor to this country, said Abhi Rahman, a spokesman for the Texas Democratic Party. On Wednesday, Paxton's office was also hit with the loss of one of its top staffers. Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins is leaving the agency at the end of this month. The exit comes in the wake of a scandal at the agency, and also Paxton's controversial lawsuit at the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to overturn the election results, which Hawkins the agency's appellate expert did not sign onto. Hawkins has not answered questions about why his name did not appear on the case. His replacement will be Judd Stone, an attorney in the solicitor general's office who previously worked for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. RIO DE JANEIRO - Containment efforts have largely failed. The coronavirus is everywhere. And President Jair Bolsonaro's response to the hundreds of thousands of dead has been a shrug: "Life goes on." For Brazil, hit by the third-most cases in the world, the only way out has long been a vaccine. But while wealthier countries have galloped into their vaccination campaigns, Brazil has been stumbling. Mass vaccination still hasn't begun. Misinformation and vaccine hesitance are rising. And now, a fresh setback: A vaccine that's good - but not great. Days after officials here announced that the vaccine produced by the Chinese company Sinovac - and tested on 12,000 Brazilians - was 78% effective in protecting against moderate and severe covid-19 infections, they clarified this week that its efficacy rate among all cases was only 50.4%. That exceeds the threshold established by the World Health Organization - but only just barely. The underwhelming results are a setback not only for Brazil, where more people have died of the virus than anywhere outside the United States, but for countries everywhere that have pinned their hopes on a vaccine that's cheap, easily transported and ready for mass production. It also clarified anew the role of global inequality in the spread of the disease. As wealthier countries deploy vaccines with efficacy rates greater than 90%, poorer countries have been left with fewer options. As a result, health analysts warn, the developing world will likely be dealing with the coronavirus for far longer than wealthier nations. "Brazil is not in a place where it can compete with very rich countries to buy vaccines like the ones by Pfizer and Moderna," said Natalia Pasternak Taschner, a scientist advising health authorities here on the vaccine rollout. "And then to have the capacity to transport them, implement them, and maintain them in the required low temperatures - we can't do it as a developing country." Sinovac has defended its vaccine, called CoronaVac, saying it's effective in preventing severe symptoms, and that its efficacy rate could prove higher for the general population than for the medical workers who were its trial participants here. "The clinical trial population in Brazil is relatively special," the company said in a statement. "Medical workers aren't only at the highest risk for disease infection, but are also at highest risk for disease transmission." Brazil and other countries plan to use the vaccine as soon as possible. Turkey said Wednesday it had granted CoronaVac emergency authorization. Indonesia President Joko Widodo went on television to receive the country's first dose. Turkey and Indonesia announced dramatically different efficacy rates for CoronaVac - 91% and 65% - based on studies that scientists say were too small to be conclusive. Sinovac said some of them variation could be attributable to differences in clinical trial setups among the countries. Indonesia's trial was conducted on members of the general public, not medical workers. Still, it's unusual for efficacy to swing so widely across trials, said Arthur Caplan, head of medical ethics at New York University's Grossman School of Medicine. "The difference is big enough that you start to wonder: Did they administer them properly?" Caplan said. The World Health Organization has long warned of the difficulties confronting developing countries trying to secure a vaccine quickly. In his New Year's address, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organization had secured 2 billion doses of promising vaccines, but urgently needed $4 billion to purchase enough doses for low- and lower-middle-income countries. "To protect the world, we must ensure that all people at risk everywhere - not just in countries who can afford vaccines - are immunized," he said. With the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines in short supply, many have bet heavily on China's vaccines, which President Xi Jinping has declared a "global public good." Countries including the United Arab Emirates opted for vaccines made by Chinese state-owned pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm, while others, such as Brazil, favored the private-sector vendor Sinovac. The global struggle has played out painfully in Brazil, where the disease has been devastating and Bolsonaro has encouraged Brazilians to get on with their lives. In the absence of federal leadership, governors and city mayors have established a patchwork of conflicting guidelines and procedures. In Sao Paulo state, where more than 48,000 people have died of covid-19, officials have tried on their own to secure the Sinovac vaccine, setting up large-scale clinical trials through the Butantan Institute in Sao Paulo. Politics quickly jeopardized the efforts. Bolsonaro has repeatedly taunted Sao Paulo Governor Joao Doria, a bitter political rival, for his ambitious vaccination plans, undermining trust in the vaccine. The president, who has declared he won't get the vaccine, has warned Brazilians that they take it at their own risk. "If you turn into an alligator, it's your problem," he said. "If you turn into Superman, grow a beard for some women, or a man starts speaking in a high pitch, [the drugmakers] won't have anything to do with it." He has raised the possibility of requiring people to sign waivers before getting injected. Confidence in vaccines in Brazil has been plunging. Surveys last year found 97% of Brazilians believed in the importance of vaccinating children. But now, only 72% of people in the cities of Rio and Sao Paulo say they intend to get the coronavirus vaccine. Brazilians have voiced particular mistrust of CoronaVac, which Bolsonaro's supporters have attacked with racist and xenophobic language. But rather than assuage those worries, officials in Sao Paulo appear to have exacerbated them. The release of data from the clinical trials in Brazil was repeatedly delayed in recent weeks. Doria, who is widely believed to be planning a run at the presidency in 2022, made bold promises he has failed or struggled to keep. And when officials finally released numbers on CoronaVac, they were exceedingly sparse, without any mention of antibodies - and later muddied by the fuller picture. Last week, officials said the vaccine was 100% effective in protecting against deaths and hospitalizations. They said it was 78% effective in protecting against severe infections. Doria, for his part, boasted in a statement that it was "78 to 100% effective against covid-19." But this week, Butantan officials, under increasing pressure for more transparency, conceded the efficacy rate fell to 50% when accounting for patients with "very mild" symptoms. "The errors in communication have taken a situation that was already complicated and made it much more complicated," said Joao Henrique Rafael Junior, a researcher at the University of Sao Paulo who tracks vaccine-related misinformation. Disinformation groups, he said, "are now using that to distort the picture and make their own narrative." Butantan did not respond to a request for comment. Doria defended the vaccine. "Renowned scientists declared their satisfaction with the presentation of the clinical studies in safety and efficacy for the Butantan vaccine," he said in a statement. "The appeal of science is for the end of polarization and the beginning of vaccination." But the end of vaccination will take longer to reach with a vaccine that works only half the time, even if it largely protects people from severe reactions to the virus. "To realistically achieve herd immunity we would need to vaccinate pretty much everyone," said Pedro Hallal, an epidemiologist at the Federal University of Pelotas. "If you have a vaccine with 50% efficacy, you need full coverage to stop the virus from circulating. There is no margin for error." - - - Dou reported from Detroit. The Washington Post's Heloisa Traiano in Rio de Janeiro, Kareem Fahim in Istanbul and Lyric Li in Seoul contributed to this report. Meng Wanzhou is currently on bail and under partial house arrest in British Columbia, Canada. She is currently subject to an extradition request made by the United States. US claims that she has violated US trade sanctions against Iran. Meng Wanzhou also known as Sabrina Meng is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of telecom giant Huawei. She is the daughter of Ren Zhengfei, the founder and CEO of the company. Meng Wanzhou is currently on bail and under partial house arrest in British Columbia, Canada. She is currently subject to an extradition request made by the United States, that is, the US wants her to face trial in New York. She is charged with Bank fraud, Wire fraud and conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. US claims that she has violated US trade sanctions against Iran. Currently Meng and her legal team have reached the court to push for loosening her CA $10M bail. According to reports Meng has survived thyroid cancer and has hypertension because of which she has fear of contracting COVID 19 from her security guards and because of that the legal team has been asking the court to release her from their custody. The prosecutor undermined this request by bringing up her shopping visits to high-end Vancouver boutiques, appointment of an art teacher, a masseuse and the 14 people party that she and her children attended despite Covid restrictions, defying local pandemic restrictions on Christmas, that booked out the entire restaurant. In addition, the court was also told about gatherings at a home rented by Huawei employees. Also Read: Karnataka cabinet expansion: MTB Nagaraj, Umesh Katti and 5 other ministers take oath Also Read: ISRO to adopt 100 Atal Tinkering Labs across country to promote STEM education Last year Meng was flown from China in a Boeing 777 chartered by Chinas consulate under the impression that she was about to be freed by the court. In another development, Meng has received multiple death threats and some bullets in mail, according to Doug Maynard, the Chief Operating Officer of Lions Gate Risk Management, the security firm that guards her. Maynard also claimed that due to the threats, Chinese government demanded her immediate through Global Affairs. To read this article and more, including our archive of drinks industry news, analysis & comment pieces from the last 20 years, try just-drinks for 30 days for just 1* First Name Last Name Job Title Email Take a trial *plus VAT if applicable Already a member? Log in here ALTBalaji, the OTT platform emerging on the country's digital frontier has been setting encouraging benchmarks by partnering with homegrown brands from their start. In an attempt to expand its narrative to the millennial women audience, the popular OTT platform ALTBalaji has tied up with leading global media company, Incnut Digital's properties - Stylecraze & Bridal Box, a brand operated by and for women with a vision to create a thriving ecosystem of information, opportunity and support for women. "As India's biggest community of 50 million millennial women, we strongly believe that the media's role and power to influence the portrayal of women is more important now than ever. We have and continue to witness violence in various forms which stems from the struggle for power, acceptance and more importantly the physical and economic disparities which continues to co-exist between the sexes even in today's times," said Natasha Garyali, Vice President, Business Development & Strategic Partnerships at Incnut Digital. Walking on a similar line, ALTBalaji's latest release Paurashpur gives us a peek into a fictional kingdom dominated by men where the women initiate the ultimate battle of the genders, to win the war against gender inequality. Speaking on the association, Divya Dixit, SVP, Marketing, Analytics, and Direct Revenue at ALTBalaji said, "With this partnership, ALTBalaji wants to ensure stringent support to the women out there who act as a strong catalyst now than ever before. We create shows that depict women's empowerment and stand by it. Our content viewership has a huge percentage of women audience and hence, there is no better tie-up than this to showcase our appreciation and respect to these influential individuals, along with helping us expand our narrative to inspire them." HerHQs purpose is to help brands leverage heterogeneous women communities from different life stages. In this association, HerHQ acts as a catalyst bringing content and communities together. ALTBalaji's original content - Paurashpur gives us a peek into the kingdom dominated by men where women fight the ultimate battle of gender inequality eventually winning it. We believe, IncNut is the obvious choice given its expansive platform reach of 50 million women community Meera Chopra, Founder HerHQ Media. Growing from strength to strength on the back of innovative business strategies, ALTBalaji has become one of the major players in the Indian OTT industry. With a vast library of 70+ originals across genres that cater to all kinds of audiences, the shows at ALTBalaji are a mix of thriller, crime, drama, romance, youth drama, horror, comedy, amongst others. Pennsylvania Republicans in the state House and Congress have often acted disgracefully in the last month, ranging from promoting lies about the integrity of Novembers election to refusing to seat a Democratic lawmaker elected to state office. Not to mention, all but one in Congress attempting to disenfranchise every voter in the state by objecting to Congress certification of the electoral votes. Thats why the failure of Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick the one Republican outlier who voted to certify those votes to support the impeachment of President Donald Trump on the charge of incitement of insurrection is disappointing and infuriating. Fitzpatrick has carefully cultivated a political brand centered around bipartisanship. In the last Congress, according to FiveThirtyEight, he broke with Trump in 62% of his votes. READ MORE: Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican from Philly suburbs, voted against impeaching Trump After the assault on the U.S. Capitol, Fitzpatrick tweeted: What happened today was nothing short of a coup attempt. The President of the United States has been lying to his supporters with false information and false expectations. He lit the flame of incitement and owns responsibility for this. Fitzpatrick also introduced a resolution to censure Trump for trying to unlawfully overturn the 2020 Presidential election and violating his oath of office. And yet, when it was time to vote for an article of impeachment, Fitzpatrick voted no. His rationale: that it will almost certainly result in an acquittal in the Senate, and the result would be too divisive. The impeachment vote did not call for a prediction of its ultimate outcome. It called for standing up for the truth and demanding accountability for a president who incited a violent and deadly insurrection. If all of Congress had come together to hold Trump accountable, there would have been nothing divisive about it. As it was, 10 House Republicans joined Democrats in the vote for impeachment. Fitzpatrick should have been one of them. This was a career-defining moment for our elected leaders, an opportunity to be clear about what they stand for and what they want our country and our government to stand for truth and accountability, not mob-driven myths that spiral into hysteria and violence. By voting against impeachment, Fitzpatrick has shown that he was undeserving of the faith we placed in him with our endorsement in the 2020 election. READ MORE: First it was fraud, then they just didnt like the rules: How Pa. Republicans justified overturning an election He is not the first candidate we have endorsed who has disappointed. Some candidates weve endorsed over the years have failed to deliver on their promises or, even worse, have broken the law and landed in jail. Elections, and thus endorsements, are far from perfect: Often, a less-than-stellar candidate is running against someone even less stellar. Voters must make choices. We endorse to help inform those choices. So while we cant undo our recent endorsement of Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, we are deeply disappointed that instead of showing political courage, he chose party over principle and country. Many Republicans disappointed especially those from Pennsylvania who continue to encourage the lies that the election was not legitimate. But we had higher expectations for Fitzpatrick, and suspect many of his 1st Congressional District constituents did, too. Citing the current surge in COVID-19 cases, Northside Independent School District Superintendent Brian Woods urged parents Wednesday to keep their elementary and middle school kids home and in virtual learning for the next two weeks. Hopefully this will get us past the surge in cases we are now seeing in our city, Woods said in a video posted on the Northside ISD website and social media accounts. To be clear, this is a request. It is not mandatory and we are not closing Northside schools, he added. Northside ISD, the largest in Bexar County, serves about 107,000 students, though only about 45 percent of them were in classrooms at its 121 schools as the fall semester ended. Woods had been encouraging a return to classrooms to combat the learning slide that kids have experienced since March, when the arrival of the pandemic closed all campuses for the rest of last years spring semester. Required Reading: Get San Antonio education news sent directly to your inbox Calls have been mounting from Northside American Federation of Teachers, the districts union, to scale back in-person offerings since virus cases started an upswing even before winter break began. Classes resumed Jan. 4 for middle and elementary school and this week for high school. High school students are excluded from Wednesdays request because they already use an alternating-day hybrid schedule that allows for smaller populations on any given day, Woods said. As of Jan. 10, the district reported 582 campus staffers, noncampus staffers and students had tested positive for the virus since the semester began. That exceeded the total for the three prior weeks, which included the winter break, of 425 cases, the district reported. That number itself was almost half the total of cases, 899, reported previously during the entire fall semester, the Texas Department of State Health Services database shows. Countywide, the virus outbreaks attributed to schools have been low, but the Northside teachers union cited the recent numbers in a message to district officials. Stop telling us kids are safe! Numbers dont lie, the union wrote on Twitter. Texas Education Agency rules prevent school districts from denying in-person learning to anyone who chooses it. School districts risk losing funding if they switch to fully remote learning again, as they did in the spring. Cases have continued to rise in San Antonio these last few weeks since the holidays, and we want to do our part to avoid broader closures of schools or other important institutions, Woods said. The state requires us to offer in-person instruction daily, and in fact, our funding is tied to this requirement, but we still want to do what we can to help keep the public health metrics in check. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio ISD chief part of national call for teachers to get early vaccine access Some districts have curtailed in-person learning, seeking parents cooperation to keep it limited to students who need it most. San Antonio ISD Superintendent Pedro Martinez has kept his on-campus population at about 30 percent by facilitating close communication between principals and teachers with their parents. In Edgewood ISD, district leaders have asked the parents of remote learners in elementary and middle school to consider keeping them studying at home until community spread wanes in San Antonio, Superintendent Eduardo Hernandez said. The parent always has the last say, but were going to really ask them to take that into consideration and I think some will take us up on it and others will continue to send them (back to classrooms), but it will be a smaller number, he said. The district had planned to bring high schoolers failing three or more classes back to campus with the start of the semester in an effort to provide them with additional support, but those plans have been pushed back a few weeks, Hernandez said. Woods asked parents who are able to keep their kids home to start doing so beginning Jan. 19 through the end of the month. Obviously, this is not feasible for all of our families. However, if your child can be successful in the virtual environment, I ask that you consider making this temporary change, Woods said. If you do choose to go to virtual learning for these two weeks, you will in no way give up an in-person slot for the rest of the school year. Staff Writer Andres Picon contributed to this report. krista.torralva@express-news.net The New York Times MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan Ammunition was depleted inside the bedraggled outposts in Laghman province. Food was scarce. Some police officers hadnt been paid in five months. Then, just as U.S. troops began leaving the country in early May, Taliban fighters besieged seven rural Afghan military outposts across the wheat fields and onion patches of the province, in eastern Afghanistan. The insurgents enlisted village elders to visit the outposts bearing a message: Surrender or die. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times By mid-month, security forces had surrendered all seven outposts after extended negotiations, according to village elders. At least 120 soldiers and police were given safe passage to the government-held provincial center in return for handing over weapons and equipment. We told them, Look, your situation is bad reinforcements arent coming, said Nabi Sarwar Khadim, 53, one of several elders who negotiated the surrenders. Since May 1, at least 26 outposts and bases in just four provinces Laghman, Baghlan, Wardak and Ghazni have surrendered after such negotiations, according to village elders and government officials. With morale diving as U.S. troops leave, and the Taliban seizing on each surrender as a propaganda victory, each collapse feeds the next in the Afghan countryside. Among the negotiated surrenders were four district centers, which house local governors, police and intelligence chiefs effectively handing the government facilities to Taliban control and scattering the officials there, at least temporarily. The Taliban have negotiated Afghan troop surrenders in the past, but never at the scale and pace of the base collapses this month in the four provinces extending east, north and west of Kabul. The tactic has removed hundreds of government forces from the battlefield, secured strategic territory and reaped weapons, ammunition and vehicles for the Taliban often without firing a shot. The base collapses are one measure of the rapidly deteriorating government war effort as one outpost after another falls, sometimes after battles, but often after wholesale surrenders. The surrenders are part of a broader Taliban playbook of seizing and holding territory as security force morale plummets with the exit of international troops. Buyoffs of local police and militia. Local cease-fires that allow the Taliban to consolidate gains. A sustained military offensive despite pleas for peace talks and a nationwide cease-fire. The government is not able to save the security forces, said Mohammed Jalal, a village elder in Baghlan province. If they fight, they will be killed, so they have to surrender. The surrenders are the work of Taliban Invitation and Guidance Committees, which intervene after insurgents cut off roads and supplies to surrounded outposts. Committee leaders or Taliban military leaders phone base commanders and sometimes their families and offer to spare troops lives if they surrender their outposts, weapons and ammunition. In several cases, the committees have given surrendering troops money typically around $130 and civilian clothes and sent them home unharmed. But first they videotape the men as they promise not to rejoin the security forces. They log their phone numbers and the names of family members and vow to kill the men if they rejoin the military. The Taliban commander and the Invitation and Guidance Committee called me more than 10 times and asked me to surrender, said Maj. Imam Shah Zafari, 34, a district police chief in Wardak province who surrendered his command center and weapons on May 11 after negotiations mediated by local elders. After the Taliban provided a car ride home to Kabul, he said, a committee member phoned to assure him that the government would not imprison him for surrendering. He said, We have so much power in the government and we can release you, Zafari said. The Taliban committees take advantage of a defining characteristic of Afghan wars: Fighters and commanders regularly switch sides, cut deals, negotiate surrenders and cultivate village elders for influence with local residents. The current conflict is really dozens of local wars. These are intimate struggles, where brothers and cousins battle one another and commanders on each side cajole, threaten and negotiate by cellphone. A Taliban commander calls me all the time, trying to destroy my morale, so that Ill surrender, said Wahidullah Zindani, 36, a bearded, sunburned police commander who has rejected Taliban demands to surrender his nine-man, bullet-pocked outpost in Laghman province. The negotiated surrenders are part of a broader offensive in which the Taliban have surrounded at least five provincial capitals this spring, according to a Pentagon inspector general report released May 18. The offensive has intensified since the U.S. withdrawal began May 1. The Taliban have used their control of several major highways to cut off bases and garrisons, leaving them vulnerable. The surrenders have a profound psychological effect. They call and say the Taliban are powerful enough to defeat the U.S. and they can easily take Laghman province, so you should remember this before we kill you, Rahmatullah Yarmal, Laghmans 29-year-old governor, said of the Taliban committees during an interview inside his barricaded compound in Mehtar Lam, the provincial capital. Its an effective propaganda tactic, the governor conceded so effective that some outpost commanders now refuse to speak to elders or Taliban negotiators. He said many elders were not neutral peacemakers, but hand-picked Taliban supporters. Yarmal said 60 police officers who surrendered and took refuge in his government center are now primed to fight to retake the seven lost outposts. I think well have them back in a month, he said. But just hours after the governor spoke on May 19, a nearby district center, Dawlat Shah, surrendered without any resistance after negotiations. By the next morning, five more outposts had surrendered the same way in the district of Alishing, also in Laghman, district officials said. Those Taliban victories were facilitated, in part, by a 30-day cease-fire negotiated by elders on May 17 in the heavily contested district of Alingar, allowing the Taliban to shift resources to the Alishing, where they forced the negotiated surrender of the five outposts just two days later. (On May 21, the Taliban violated the cease-fire with renewed attacks in Alingar, Khadim said.) The series of base collapses represented the second wholesale surrender in a Laghman district in two weeks. On May 7, three outposts and a military base collapsed the same way without a fight, said Nasir Ahmad Himat, the Alingar district governor. The soldiers simply dropped their weapons, got in their vehicles and went to the district center or provincial capital, said Faqirullah, a village elder who goes by one name. As Taliban fighters advanced on the provincial capital Sunday, Yarmal announced that 110 security force members who had surrendered, and several commanders who were supposed to supervise them, had been detained for negligence. Also Sunday, the Afghan military announced that troop reinforcements and the military chief of staff had rushed to Laghman to try to repel the Taliban assault. In Ghazni province, Hasan Reza Yousofi, a provincial councilman, said he begged officials to send reinforcements to an outpost and a military base that ultimately fell to the Taliban this month. He played a recorded phone call from a police officer, Abdul Ahmad, who said his ammunition was gone and his men were drinking rainwater because the base water tower had been destroyed by a rocket. We have been sold out we make calls for reinforcements, but officials dont help, the recorded voice said. The Taliban sent us tribal elders who said, Surrender, you are sold out, no one will help you. Yousofi said he did not know whether Ahmad survived after his outpost fell. Negotiations have proved remarkably fruitful for the Taliban in Baghlan province, where at least 100 soldiers surrendered, and in Wardak province, where about 130 security force members surrendered following negotiations, officials said. In Laghman province, negotiations leading to the surrender of the seven outposts stretched over 10 days. Khadim, the village elder, said different elders negotiated with commanders of each outpost. We guaranteed they would not be killed, he said. There was nothing written, just our word. A few miles away, Zindani refused to surrender his forlorn outpost near the front line. He said officers who had negotiated surrenders at three nearby outposts had betrayed their country. One of his men, Muhammad Agha Bambard, said he would fight to avenge the deaths of two brothers he said were killed by the Taliban. He would never surrender, he said. Zindanis nine men were down to a machine gun, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and one AK-47 rifle each inside a ramshackle outpost with bloodstained walls. But he said he intended to fight on as he told the Taliban commander who regularly phoned to demand his surrender. I told him, Im a soldier of my country, the commander said. I am not here to surrender. Four days later, on Sunday, the outpost was overrun during a firefight with the Taliban, a member of the provincial council said. One police officer was shot dead and Zindani and his outgunned men were taken prisoner. A few hours later, the Taliban released a video showing Bambard being questioned by a Taliban commander as he lay on a mattress, his face and neck bandaged. In a mocking tone, the commander asked why Bambard had posted on his Facebook page that he would not let the enemy capture his outpost while he was alive. The wounded officer responded, This is Afghanistan. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 2021 The New York Times Company Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Parler's CEO has said Amazon pulled his site from the internet because Donald Trump wanted to join it as 'Person X'. John Matze had earlier warned the app - favored by the president's supporters - may never get back online after it was scrubbed from the web by the tech giant. He said in a court filing Wednesday: 'Based on my interactions with AWS personnel during this period, I believe AWSs decision to terminate service to Parler was based, not on expressed concerns about Parlers compliance with the AWS [Customer] Agreement, but in part on a desire to deny President Trump a platform on any large social-media service. 'It was only after Twitter announced its intention to terminate Trump from its platform that AWS expressed any concern about Parlers compliance with its agreement.' It is not known why the president wanted to join the site under a pseudonym but he said to have been discussing the move since October last year. Matze said: '[Retracted], who is a Joe Biden supporter, was AWS's representative assigned to me by AWS, and was aware since at least October 11, 2020, that Trump was considering moving to Parler under the pseudonym 'Person X'. 'AWS knew there was a possibility that Trump might obtain a Parler account, likely bringing with him a surge of followers to the Parler platform.' Amazon cut Parler this weekend saying it had failed to effectively moderate violent content in the wake of the January 6 riot at the Capitol. Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google also kicked Parler from their app stores. Parler, which claims to have more than 12 million users, then filed a lawsuit against Amazon, which the tech giant said has no merit. The lawsuit accuses Amazon it of making an illegal decision to shut Parler down to benefit Twitter Inc. Matze had told Reuters Wednesday: 'It could be never. We don't know yet.' He later added: 'I am an optimist. It may take days, it may take weeks but Parler will return and when we do we will be stronger.' Parler's CEO John Matze, pictured, has said the site may never get back online after it was scrubbed from the web by Amazon and pulled from the app store by Apple and Google Tech giants have accused the social media site - which is favored by Donald Trump fans - of failing to police violent content in the wake of the January 6 riot at the Capitol aimed at preventing Joe Biden from becoming president Matze said that Parler was talking to more than one cloud computing service but refused to disclose names, citing the likelihood of harassment for the companies involved. He said the best thing would be if Parler could get back on Amazon. Matze told Reuters the company was considering suing other vendors but declined to say more. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey on Wednesday defended his companys ban of President Trump in his first public statement on the subject. 'I do not celebrate or feel pride in our having to ban @realDonaldTrump from Twitter,' Dorsey wrote. But he added: 'I believe this was the right decision for Twitter.' Snapchat on Wednesday said it has permanently banned Trump from the platform; Facebook and YouTube have already barred him from using their sites. 'It's hard to keep track of how many people are telling us that we can no longer do business with them,' said Matze. Matze said Parler's relationship with Amazon appeared to deteriorate overnight and without much warning, an assessment that Amazon disputes in legal filings. He said Parler had also been booted from online payments service Stripe and had lost its Scylla Enterprise database as well as access to Twilio Inc and Slack Technologies Inc, a popular workplace messaging app. He also said it had been ditched by American Express Co, but the company said it did not have a direct merchant relationship with Parler. Amazon cut Parler this weekend saying it had failed to effectively moderate violent content. Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google also kicked Parler from their app stores What are Parler's options now? Losing access to the app stores of Google and Apple whose operating systems power hundreds of millions of smartphones severely limits Parler's reach, though it had continued to be accessible via web browser. The decision by Amazon Web Services to remove Parler means it now needs to scramble to find another web host in addition to 'rebuilding the site from scratch'. Google and Apple both booted Gab from their app stores in 2017 and it was left internet-homeless for a time the following year due to anti-Semitic posts attributed to the man accused of killing 11 people at a Pittsburgh synagogue. Microsoft also terminated a web-hosting contract. It now hosts through its own servers, so that is an option. Or it can find another server willing to host the site. Max Aliapoulios, a computer science Ph. D candidate told Business Insider: 'It is realistic to expect that Parler will find another provider to host their services like AWS. 'That being said, now the precedent is set and Parler will likely always have an uphill battle with finding a home to host them on the internet.' On Monday it was reported that the site has since moved its domain name from DreamHost to right leaning web hosting company Epik. Advertisement ScyllaDB and Twilio said Parler violated their policies over violent content. Slack and Stripe did not immediately respond to Reuters requests to comment. Matze said Tuesday that pulling his app is unconstitutional and 'sick'. As of Wednesday, he said there had been no changes to investors in Parler. Hedge fund investor Robert Mercer and his daughter Rebekah Mercer and conservative commentator Dan Bongino are investors of the service. In its filing, Parler argued that Amazon Web Services breached its contract by cutting it off. Amazon earlier had said it had warned Parler about ugly and threatening language on its site, citing posts with vile language used to describe former first lady Michelle Obama, as well as postings such as 'the only good democrat is a dead one. Kill'em all.' Parler defended the insults to Obama as hateful but covered by the Constitution. The threat, the respondent said, 'has been passed on to our regulator contact for investigation.' In its filing Wednesday, Parler said it had removed most problematic posts. A second exhibit showed Parler postings that threatened specific acts of violence against people, some of whom are named while others are described as 'liberals' or black, gay, Jewish or transgender. 'We explained that given the events at the U.S. Capitol Building and the threats regarding the upcoming inauguration, we had real concern about this content leading to more violence,' an unnamed Amazon executive said in a statement included with the exhibits, referring to Biden's inauguration on January 20. Separately, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sent civil subpoenas to Amazon, as well as Google and Apple , which had dropped Parler from their app stores. Paxton said he was seeking to learn if the companies sought to 'eliminate speech they disagree with.' ST. LOUIS, Jan. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Post Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:POST), a consumer packaged goods holding company, today announced it will hold a conference call on Friday, February 5, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. EST to discuss financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2021 and fiscal year 2021 outlook and to respond to questions. Robert V. Vitale, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Jeff A. Zadoks, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will participate in the call. Post also announced it plans to release its financial results for the first quarter after market close on Thursday, February 4, 2021. Interested parties may join the conference call by dialing (877) 540-0891 in the United States and (678) 408-4007 from outside of the United States. The conference identification number is 1539554. Interested parties are invited to listen to the webcast of the conference call, which can be accessed by visiting the Investor Relations section of Post's website at www.postholdings.com. A replay of the conference call will be available through Friday, February 19, 2021 by dialing (800) 585-8367 in the United States and (404) 537-3406 from outside of the United States and using the conference identification number 1539554. A webcast replay also will be available for a limited period on Post's website in the Investor Relations section. About Post Holdings, Inc. Post Holdings, Inc., headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a consumer packaged goods holding company operating in the center-of-the-store, refrigerated, foodservice, food ingredient and convenient nutrition food categories. Through its Post Consumer Brands business, Post is a leader in the North American ready-to-eat cereal category offering a broad portfolio including recognized brands such as Honey Bunches of Oats, Pebbles, Great Grains and Malt-O-Meal bag cereal. Post also is a leader in the United Kingdom ready-to-eat cereal category with the iconic Weetabix brand. As a leader in refrigerated foods, Post delivers innovative, value-added egg and refrigerated potato products to the foodservice channel and the retail refrigerated side dish category, offering side dishes and egg, sausage and cheese products through the Bob Evans, Simply Potatoes, Better'n Eggs and Crystal Farms brands. Post's publicly-traded subsidiary BellRing Brands business is a holding company operating in the global convenient nutrition category through its primary brands of Premier Protein and Dymatize. Post participates in the private brand food category through its investment with third parties in 8th Avenue Food & Provisions, a leading, private brand centric, consumer products holding company. For more information, visit www.postholdings.com. Contact: Investor Relations Jennifer Meyer jennifer.meyer@postholdings.com (314) 644-7665 Billionaire Elon Musk posted a two-word confirmation on Twitter of the Cupertino-headquartered Tesla's imminent plans for the Indian market,. "As promised", Musk posted on Twitter late on Wednesday night in response to an article headlined 'Tesla Is Preparing for a Robust Entry into India, a Multi-Billion Dollar Market' by tesmanian.com, a website that posts regular updates of Tesla and SpaceX. Musk had earlier indicated the company's plans to enter India. In December, Nitin Gadkari, the union minister for road transport had said Tesla will enter India in 2021 and will sell cars. The article details Tesla's entry into India and states that the company is currently in talks with governments of at least five states in the sub-continent to set up sales outlets, research and development facilities and possibly a factory for production as well. The responses to Musk's post, which has nearly 12000 likes, includes suggestions by people on where the company could set up its factory in India. Tesla incorporated its India entity in Bengaluru on 8 January and have set up an office in upscale Lavelle Road locality of the city. The company has also named three directors for its India operations that includes the chief executive of xenon automotive and ClearQuote, two startups providing technology-based automotive solutions. The company is likely to open sales outlets in India that will be followed by an R&D centre, Mint reported this week. While the Karnataka government remains tight lipped on Tesla's plans, Musk's confirmation is likely to add to the excitement, anticipation and possibly fuel demand for the electric vehicles (EV) produced by the company. The article by tesmanian.com also argues that India is a good market for Tesla despite the prevailing amount of poverty. "Many people assume that if most of the country's population is poor, then there is no market for Tesla. However, they need to understand that the company is not aimed at selling cars to the entire population of India. In fact, out of 1.387 billion people, the producer is targeting a smaller (relative to the entire population), but a rather wealthy segment of the population," the article argues. India is also one of the largest and untapped automobile markets. Of which green vehicles account for less than 1% of the total number of automobiles in the country, presenting a huge opportunity for sustainable transportation companies like Tesla among others. Ola, a mobility service provider, is setting up the world's largest two-wheeler EV factory in Tamil Nadu with a production capacity of two-million vehicles per year to tap this demand as well as for exports. Large automobile players like Mahindra, Hyundai,Tata and Hero among others have also made efforts to bring out new EV products to cater to the growing demand. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Top officials from the Secret Service and the Pentagon, including Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as from other agencies were scheduled to meet on Wednesday and on Friday to review measures like aerial and maritime security, countersurveillance as well as the National Guards missions. One former top law enforcement officer emphasized the need for good planning and coordination before possible protests on Sunday and Inauguration Day next week, noting that the goal of the police and National Guard should be prevention and de-escalation of any violence. One official not directly involved in the planning this week was the acting secretary of defense, Christopher C. Miller, who is on a three-day trip to visit the militarys Strategic Command in Nebraska (which oversees the Pentagons nuclear arsenal), the Northern Command in Colorado (which oversees the militarys support for domestic defense), and Special Operations forces at Fort Campbell, Ky. Mr. Bidens top advisers went to F.B.I. headquarters on Wednesday to meet with its top officials and the Secret Service, about possible threats and the protection plan, according to one senior transition official. The delegation was led by Jake Sullivan, Mr. Bidens incoming national security adviser. Among the preparations are making sure that agencies that have no Senate-confirmed leaders including the Department of Homeland Security understand who the acting officials are when Mr. Biden takes office next week. Mr. Sullivan, aides said, has asked for a detailed plan on the timeline for the transfer of power on Jan. 20, in case events unfold during Mr. Bidens oath-taking, or the inaugural address. The planning has gone beyond Washington, officials say, as Mr. Bidens aides try to understand the plans for the capitals of all 50 states, where there is also fear of violence or attacks on State Capitol buildings or federal facilities. Transition officials have many concerns, according to people familiar with the conversations. Arming some of the National Guard troops, for instance, means having forces on hand who are trained in crowd control and can back up the police, but some officials are deeply anxious about what would happen if a shooting breaks out on Inauguration Day or the days leading up to it. That would undercut the concept of peaceful transition and, in the minds of Mr. Bidens representatives, could overshadow the message of unity that the president-elect is hoping to convey in his inaugural address. Closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High 'impacts our entire town' The Washington County Board of Education held a public hearing on the closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High School; the crowd pleaded against it. High notes Joshua Keiper, owner of Naked Toffee LLC in Carbondale, will be honored with the Chamber of the Northern Poconos Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Genevieve Reese, of the French Manor Inn and Spa in Newfoundland, will be honored as the chambers Business Person of the Year. Ryanne Jennings, executive director of the Wayne County Community Foundation, will receive the Community Achievement Award during the chambers annual virtual Membership Event on Feb. 4. Keipers award recognizes an individual who is 40 years old or younger and has shown an entrepreneurial spirit in their dedication and commitment to our community through their interest in business, leadership and personal achievement, according to the chamber. Keiper creates hand-crafted gourmet toffee and peanut brittle. Reese is being recognized as an outstanding business leader who enhances the region as a great place to live and work. Jennings award celebrates those who have made a significant contribution through a unique achievement or outstanding service in any area that provides a benefit to the community. They have devoted time and energy to making Wayne or Pike County more caring, dynamic, beautiful, healthy and unique. They inspire by their example, according to the chamber. The chamber was unable to hold its annual Community Awards Banquet in 2020 and will recognize the winners at the annual virtual Membership Event. Members are encouraged to virtually attend to catch up on chamber news, honor the awards recipients, listen to a brief update from the Wayne County Commissioners and vote in the 2021 slate of officers and board members. Space is available for those wishing to advertise in a digital full color commemorative booklet and join in the recognition of the honorees. Deadline for ads is Jan. 21. The general public is welcome to watch the meeting and awards live on the Chamber of the Northern Poconos Facebook page. For more details, contact the chamber at 570-253-1960 or email debbie@northernpoconoscham ber.com. Donation received The Commission on Economic Opportunity and its Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank received a $50,000 from Southwestern Energy Company to support its efforts in addressing food insecurity and promoting proper nutrition in local communities. This winter will be especially difficult for those who are struggling from the impacts of the unprecedented year, said Mike Narcavage, senior government and community affairs manager for Southwestern Energy. We live by a formula of being the Right People doing the Right Things at SWN, and we are proud to support the food bank, a respected organization in Northeastern Pennsylvania, in getting families the food they need. The food bank, a program of CEOs Monsignor Andrew J. McGowan Center for Healthy Living, provides faith-based nonprofit organizations with food assistance to carry out CEOs mission of reducing the effects of poverty among low income and vulnerable populations, according to the organization. The program distributes nutritious food items to families in Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties and partners with more than 160 agencies, including food pantries, homeless shelters, soup kitchens and after-school and summer programs for children. We are very grateful for the generosity of SWN during this difficult time, said Gene Brady, executive director of Commission on Economic Opportunity and the Weinberg Regional Food Bank. So many people are struggling, but because of supporters like SWN, families have a place to turn to for nutritious food. New Frontiers in mentoring, career development, and networking for women in cybersecurity careers. Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2021) - The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Center of Excellence ( CMMC COE ), hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public-private partnership serving the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, is proud to announce a Memorandum of Understanding with the Women in Cybersecurity Mid Atlantic affiliate. This unique partnership will extend efforts to advance the goals and objectives for improving the cyber and supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD) global Defense Industrial Base (DIB) network of contractors, suppliers, and vendors. The executed MOU establishes a cooperative agreement between the Women in Cyber Security Mid Atlantic and CMMC COE to partner in the furthering of their respective and complementary missions and objectives regarding the adoption, use, and expansion of CMMC based cybersecurity practices for the DIB contractor community and the information and communication technology community creating a broader CMMC ecosystem to improve security and resilience. Specific actions will include: The co-development of CMMC advisory services, cyber training and education programs to accelerate CMMC certification, increase cyber adoption and improve cyber protection & resilience. Expand and drive diversity across the cybersecurity workforce Co-sponsor symposiums, training programs and podcasts leveraging their combined cyber and IT expertise. Host regular working groups, with other partners, to enable collaboration and communications. Establish an independent Industry Cyber Security Advisory Council with peer organizations to advise and educate leaders across government and industry on the continued evolution and effectiveness of CMMC Through this exciting partnership, the CMMC-COE ( www.cmmc-coe.org ) will also focus on bringing together the many disparate cyber and national security communities of interest to reduce complexity, improve awareness, and accelerate industry effort to become more cyber resilient against the growing threats from nation states and criminal enterprises. The CMMC-COE establishes both a Market Place and Knowledge Clearinghouse that will include resources that support the overall effort, including white papers; tutorials; recorded webcasts; presentations; and more that will help reduce the cost and burden on small/medium size contractors already struggling from the impact of COVID. The CMMC-COE partner network will be sharing a wide range of capabilities from member organizations, including; cyber standards frameworks, education, solution architectures, cyber mentoring, workforce, and other elements needed to scale to the demands of the entire DIB market place in the US and abroad (400,000+ contractors). "This is exciting opportunity for us", said Mr. John Weiler, Chairman of the Board at CMMC Center of Excellence, "This new partnership will further help advance the goals and objectives for improving the supply chain security and resilience of the US Department of Defense (DoD)". "The WiCyS Mid-Atlantic is excited to team with the CMMC COE in efforts to enhance the overall security of the defense industrial base supply chain. This partnership clearly demonstrates the CMMC COE's commitment to a diverse cybersecurity workforce, which is key to defending the nation's cyber critical infrastructure. Creative and inclusive teaming is essential to the CMMC's success!", said Ms. Diane M Janosek, Founder and Senior Advisor, Women in Cybersecurity Mid-Atlantic. WiCyS is a non-profit membership organization with national reach that is dedicated to bringing together women in cybersecurity from academia, research and industry to share knowledge, experience, networking and mentoring. The initiative was created through an NSF grant (Award #1303441) by Dr. Ambareen Siraj at Tennessee Tech University in 2012, and has grown into a wonderful alliance among academia, government and industry. WiCyS offers mentoring, learning, networking and career development to women at all stages of their cybersecurity careers. Whether you are a student just considering a career in cybersecurity or an experienced leader in the cybersecurity workforce, WiCyS provides tangible benefits and a supportive community. The Women in Cybersecurity Mid-Atlantic Affiliate (WiCyS MAA) is a regional affiliate that covers the geographic areas: South New Jersey, South-East Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, and Northern Virginia, and will continue to undertake activities to promote recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in cybersecurity. For more information on the CMMC COE, please visit http://cmmc-coe.org email info@cmmc-coe.org or call 703-863-3766 For more information on the Women in Cybersecurity Mid Atlantic, please visit https://www.wicysmidatlantic.org/ About Us----------CMMC-COE.ORG is a unique non-profit public-private partnership, with a vision to accelerate Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) adoption, and reduce time & cost for security compliance for our partners by leveraging commercial best practices, CMMC standards, and innovative solutions for a measurable success. Our mission, focused on DOD mission objectives, cost containment and expeditious CMMC compliance, is to help the DIB improve cyber posture and resilience, and simplify its acquisition.The CMMC-COE is hosted by the Information Technology Acquisition Advisory Council (IT-AAC), a public/private partnership (P3) chartered in 2007 as an honest broker to reach outside the confines of the Federal IT advisories that lack dynamic reach into the Global IT Market, and dedicated to the adoption of commercial IT management standards of practice and innovations emanating from the Global IT market. Team IT-AAC has already demonstrated the value of its decade long investment, and provides a unique value to agencies seeking to achieve accelerate the transformation of legacy processes and systems. Our Just-in-Time SMEs apply an innovative suite of Technology Business Management and Agile Acquisition Processes needed to assure the business value of commercial IT.The Interoperability Clearinghouse (ICH), is the managing partner that make up the 24 NGO/SDO organizations that make up the IT-AAC. ICH provides the contract vehicles, clearances, and critical resources proven to guide sustainable, measurable and repeatable processes needed to drive better investment decisions as the speed of mission need, while aligning existing processes, methods and workforce with IT reform mandates contained in Clinger Cohen Act, FITARA, IT MGT Act, EO13838. Contact Details Bob Dix +1 703-975-6633 bob.dix@it-aac.org Company Website https://cmmc-coe.org View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/cmmc-center-of-excellence-announces-memorandum-of-understanding-with-women-in-cybersecurity-mid-atlantic-603038823 BrusselsCarles Puigdemont said he, Toni Comin and Clara Ponsati were very calm when they arrived at the European Parliament to be heard by the committee that will have to decide on their parliamentary immunity. Confidentiality is essential in a closed process. This is why the former president of the Generalitat has questioned whether the president of the committee, Adrian Vazquez MEP, respects confidentiality after he stated at a press conference hours before the hearing that Belgium's refusal to extradite former Catalan minister Lluis Puig has "nothing to do" with the case of the three MEPs. [January 14, 2021] 3D at Depth Launches SLn Technology Solution for Accurate, Streamlined Inspections for the Nuclear Industry LONGMONT, Colo., Jan. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 3D at Depth Inc., the worlds expert in commercial Subsea LiDAR (SL) laser technology, and leading provider of underwater survey support services and 3D data solutions, has announced the launch of its patented SLn nuclear solution. SLn enables rapid, accurate, measurable, underwater nondestructive survey campaigns to help utility operators improve the safety, reliability, and long-term productivity of their nuclear energy plants. 3D at Depth developed the nuclear measurement and survey solution around the unique features of its proven Subsea LiDAR technologyoriginally commercialized for the oil and gas industry in 2014. One tool, one set up, for multiple survey deliverables provides an optimized inspection campaign to reduce risk and decrease production downtime. SLn combines LiDAR optical hardware with a powerful backend software engine to generate robust, millimetric, repeatable 3D data sets that provide critical information for reliable inspections, preventive maintenance, control, and engineering analysis. Every Subsea LiDAR 3D data set is delivered in near real-time and can be exported into any standard format. The LiDAR enabled long-range, large area scan coverage is not dependent on supplemental light which reduces glare and shadow anomalies for enhanced image capture. In addition, the SLn solution allows for easy integration, analysis, and validation of archival data to help with regulatory and licensing requirements. Nuclear plant operators can quickly compare and evaluate archival data with current actual survey data. This feature is unique to subsea LiDAR 3D data sets and has positive implications across regulatory license renewal inspections to allow plant operators (owners) to have flexibility and control in their process. 3D at Depth first evaluated the use of commercial SL inside a nuclear power plant with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and the South Texas Project (STP) in October 2019. 3D at Depth and STP then went on to evaluate the application of the SLn technology solution. Trial results included non-destructive visual exams, validated engineering assumptions, and provided critical 3D data for Foreign Object Identification. 3D at Depth and STP found that the SLn technology solution and LiDAR usage helped to reduce critical path time with an overall decrease by 15 hours for outage refueling services. Today, 3D at Depth officially launches the commercial version of the SLn nuclear survey solution, the SL3n with expanded functionality. Nuclear plnt managers can now make more informed decisions across their operations to reduce outages, decrease maintenance costs, and limit downtime. The Company sees significant potential for future projects in the areas of fuel assembly gap verifications, spent fuel pool weir gate measurements, tank inspections, intake structure inspections, and license renewal inspections. Along with the commercial launch of SLn, the Company also announces that industry veteran Mr. Feldon Barlow will join the team to lead their nuclear and utilities-based business line. Feldon has an impressive track record across the industry, stated Carl Embry, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technology Officer of 3D at Depth, Inc., and we look forward to the expertise and insight he provides from a client perspective. There are many parallel concerns and issues between oil and gas operators and nuclear utility operators. We found that our design approach of one tool multiple applications in subsea oil and gas also applied to nuclear utilities where we see the same technology solution and patent portfolio applying to many underwater problems encountered by nuclear utilities. Throughout the South Texas Project, I saw firsthand the transformational capabilities of 3D at Depths SLn Underwater LiDAR technology, stated Feldon Barlow, Program Manager Nuclear Projects. With the results achieved over the past two years, I see a positive impact for the nuclear utility operators especially in the areas of reduced maintenance time, shorter less costly outages, and increased plant efficiencies. Prior to joining 3D at Depth, Barlow served as the Refueling Supervisor and Project Coordinator for the South Texas Project where he was instrumental in reducing outage costs and helped increase quality performance. Barlows prior experience includes management roles at Entergy Corporation and Westinghouse Electric Company where he was responsible for supporting successful project outcomes. With over twenty years of quality improvement and project management across suppliers and vendors, Barlow is able to bring a perspective to customer service that benefits nuclear utilities through cost reduction, higher quality products, and more reliable data. About 3D at Depth: 3D at Depth, Inc. is the world's leading expert in commercial Subsea LiDAR laser technology. Our advanced Subsea LiDAR laser (SL) systems and subsea survey support services help customers transform the value of underwater 3D data. From data collection and processing, through visualization and analysis, 3D at Depth delivers precise, accurate, repeatable, millimetric 3D point clouds to measure, map, and evaluate underwater assets and environments. The Company's locations in Australia, Europe, and the United States support customer survey operations around the world. For more information and a broader listing of services visit us at www.3datdepth.com and LinkedIn, or follow us on Twitter @3DatDepth. Media at 3D at Depth Media Contact: 3D at Depth: Colleen Hahn +1.703.851.6944 Colleen.Hahn@3datDepth.com Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ed6d1c36-215a-44f2-824a-413ec67e6819 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9b1b88df-6464-4679-8ccf-983a273f5326 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [January 14, 2021] SmartHealth PayCard Helps Patients Cope with the Unwelcome "Fresh Start" of Health Insurance Deductibles in the New Year After a difficult 2020, a new year has Americans eager to wipe the slate clean with a renewed sense of purpose and a determination to be fulfilled, happy and healthy. But resolutions for better health have been made more challenging thanks to the expensive health insurance deductibles that have arrived with the new year. According to recent U.S. government data, more than 43 percent of Americans are covered by high-deductible health plans sponsored by employers. Plans like these have deductibles of at least $2,800 a year per family and can exceed $13,000 out of pocket annually when combined with copayments and coinsurance. That doesn't include paycheck deductions for insurance premiums, which average nearly $6,800 a year per family. These are daunting expenses that may tempt many to put off getting the care they need when they need it. SmartHealth PayCard LLC, a healthtech payment solutions leader, introduced the SmartHealth PayCard Mastercard to help consumers overcome the financial obstacles to care. Designed specifically for healthcare expenses, the credit card can be used anywhere Mastercard is accepted to pay for deductibles, copayments, coinsurance, premiums, prescriptions and any other medical, dental, eyecare, mental health or veterinary expense not covered by insurance. "Deductibles have risen so high over the past decade that it can take months to meet them before your health insurance will cover anything. Because of that, the last thing any family wants to deal with in a new year is an unexpected medical expense - especially at the height of cold and flu season in the middle of a pandemic," said Jeff Blankinship, co-founder of SmartHealth PayCard. "We launched the SmartHealth PayCard to give consumers the freedom, convenience and flexibility to handle deductibles and other uncovered expenses over time." The SmartHealth PayCard Mastercard offers a revolving credit line of up to $30,000 that can be accessed immediately after an approval process that takes only a few minutes. At no additional cost, cardholders can save up to 85 percent on prescriptions at pharmacies nationwide through SmartHealth Rx. Benefits also include $5,000 in Accidental Death Insurance and up to $5,000 annually in Accident Medical Expense coverage to help with emergency room fees, outpatient surgery facility costs, surgeons' expenses, hospital room and board and ground/air ambulance. "Whether it's for routine checkups, urgent care, medical emergencies, elective surgeries or any other health, dental, eyecare or veterinary service, we're providing a financial safety net that has never been more important as we continue to fight through a global health and economic crisis," added Blankinship. To apply from your phone, visit www.smarthealthpaycard.com, or call toll free (833) PAY-SMART. About SmartHealth PayCard, LLC Based in Plano, Texas, SmartHealth PayCard is committed to providing financial solutions to simplify and make healthcare affordable. We seek to introduce transformative change to healthcare that benefits patients, healthcare providers and society at large. For more information, please visit SmartHealthPayCard.com and also watch this brief video overview. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005896/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Chief Minister Yogi early Thursday morning offered prayers at the Gorakhnath Temple here on the occasion of greeted people on the festival, which marks the end of the winter solstice. "I wish everyone a happy This festival is celebrated across the country in different names - In north India, it is called Sankranti, while in South India it is called Pongal Lohri in Punjab, and in Assam it is celebrated as Bihu," he said. The Chief Minister said that on the festival, which is dedicated to the Sun God, devotees bathe in rivers and offer prayers to the Sun deity. Adityanath, who is also head of Goraksh Peeth followed tradition by offering the first Khichdi at the Gorakhnath temple. "On this occasion, devotees congregate at the banks of Sangam, Prayagraj and other auspicious rivers to bathe and offer prayers. All arrangements has been done by the temple and district administrations," said. The Chief Minister further stated lakhs of people come to offer prayers at the Gorakhpur temple. The temple also holds a month-long Khichdi fair from the day of in the temple premises. Urging devotees to follow Covid-19 safety protocols Yogi said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi the country was gearing up for the rollout of a vaccination drive against the coronavirus disease. "India has got two vaccines recently which will be rolled out from January 16. The cases of Covid-19 in the state are dipping rapidly but I urge everyone to continue to follow precautions and keep wearing mask and social distancing," the chief minister 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 Jalisco State Attorney General's Office on Wednesday released photos of two suspects wanted for the murder of former governor Aristoteles Sandoval Sandoval was visiting a restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, on December 18 when he was gunned down inside a bathroom Local newspaper Mural learned through sources close to the investigation that a woman shot Sandoval three times before she and a male accomplice fled A $50,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of both individuals Authorities have arrested four people who have been charged for obstruction and cover-up Cops are hunting for a female assassin who gunned down a former Mexican governor inside a restaurant bathroom. Authorities in Mexico have released surveillance camera images of the woman wanted for executing former governor of Jalisco and ex Institutional Revolutionary Party member Aristoteles Sandoval, 46, in a restaurant on December 18 in the resort city of Puerto Vallarta. ADVERTISEMENT Pictures show a woman with blonde hair wearing a grey hoodie and blue jeans, and her male accomplice fleeing the eatery Distrito 5 after the shooting. Local newspaper Mural reports that the woman shot the 46-year-old ex-governor three times; one in the back of the head, a second shot struck him near the heart and the third shot hit his intestines. The Jalisco State Attorney General's Office revealed Wednesday photos of two suspects (pictured) wanted for the December 18, 2020 murder of former Jalisco governor Aristoteles Sandoval. The woman, according to local newspaper Mural, shot Sandoval three times, including once in the back of the head Former Jalisco governor Aristoteles Sandoval was executed December 18 inside a bathroom restaurant in the resort city of Puerto Vallarta Click here to resize this module Attorney General Gerardo Solis announced a $50,000 reward is being offered to anyone who can come forward and provide information that could lead to the arrest and/or prosecution of both individuals. 'Two people have been identified, a man and a woman, who could be related to the events under investigation,' Solis said. 'In order to obtain truthful information that allows us to identify these people, the State Attorney's Office offers a million pesos [$50,000] as a reward for those who provide accurate data on each of them.' Still image from a video released by the Jalisco State Attorney General's Office shows workers at the Distrito 5 restaurant in Puerto Vallarta cleaning up the area around the bar moments after former governor Aristoteles Sandoval was executed inside a bathroom on December 18, 2020 Still image from a surveillance video released by Mexican authorities reveals the moment restaurant workers remove a carpet after former Jalisco governor Aristoteles Sandoval was executed December 18, 2020 Sandoval arrived at the restaurant at 10pm local time with three friends, businessman Eduardo Riguero, Joaquin Sandoval, who is not related to the former governor, and Patricia Ceballos. Sandoval, who had his security detail present, went to the bathroom by himself and was gunned down shortly after 1am. A shootout erupted as his bodyguards tried to evacuate him from the restaurant, and found their escape was blocked by more gunmen outside. At least one of the security guard was seriously injured, but survived the attack. Restaurant employees in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, are seen on a security video scrubbing the floor following the execution of former Jalisco governor Aristoteles Sandoval on December 18, 2020 Authorities have so far arrested four workers and charged them with obstruction of justice and concealing evidence. A judge has issued arrest warrants for six other workers, who are wanted for the same offenses. ADVERTISEMENT Last week, Solis revealed footage that showed Distrito 5 workers cleaning the floor near the bar area and also removing a rug and scrubbing the hallway floor that leads to the bathroom. A federal official said authorities suspected the Jalisco New Generation Cartel's involvement. Sandoval was a member of the old ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party who governed the state from 2013 to 2018. His term was overshadowed by the local cartel's rise from obscurity under Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's Sinaloa Cartel to become one of the most powerful in Mexico, leaving a trail of death behind it. More murders and clashes with security forces followed. Authorities said the gang bought off thousands of police as it gradually extended its reach across Mexico. Today the Jalisco New Generation Cartel competes with the Sinaloa Cartel for control of much of the drug trade inside Mexico as well as to the United States. The cartel's leader, Nemesio 'El Mencho' Oseguera, is wanted by the U.S., which is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction. In May 2015, authorities launched an abortive attempt to capture El Mencho, but the efforts ended with the shooting down of a military helicopter by cartel henchmen in western Jalisco. ADVERTISEMENT In June 2020, El Mencho's gang was blamed for an unsuccessful assassination attempt on Mexico City's police chief Omar Garcia Harfuch. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 14:59:04|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A woman shows her inked finger after casting her vote at a polling station in Najjera, Uganda, Jan. 14, 2021. Uganda's presidential and parliamentary elections kicked off on Thursday with people in the east African country queuing up to cast their votes. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua) KAMPALA, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Uganda's presidential and parliamentary elections kicked off on Thursday with people in the east African country queuing up to cast their votes. A total of 11 candidates, including incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, are vying for the presidency in what observers described as a hotly contested election. Opinion polls put Museveni and Robert Kyagulanyi, a musician turned politician, as the major contenders. The country's Electoral Commission on Wednesday said the elections will close at 4 p.m. (1300 GMT) followed by vote counts. "All the districts in the country have received polling materials for tomorrow's (Thursday) election. The commission encourages voters to turn up at polling stations by 7 a.m. to witness the opening process," said Justice Simon Byabakama, chairperson of the Electoral Commission. Byabakama said the commission will declare presidential election results within 48 hours after polling closes. The election campaigns, which started in early November amid a COVID-19 pandemic, registered scenes of violence as police and opposition supporters clashed over adherence to the coronavirus prevention measures. Enditem Martin Luther King, Jr.s Everlasting Legacy for Peace in the Face of Racism and Violence Men, for years now, have been talking about war and peace. But now, no longer can they just talk about it. It is no longer the choice between violence and nonviolence in this world, its non-violence or nonexistencethat is where we are today. Martin Luther King, Jr., 1968. April 4, 1968A day after delivering his final speech, Ive Been to the Mountaintop, Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on the second story balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. His final speech, along with his leadership that contributed to the overall success of the civil rights movement, has created an everlasting legacy that will never die. By no means am I calling it clairvoyance; however, Kings spirited foresight to prophesize his own death, as well as predict the current social injustice issues, like economic inequality and feasible housing, is a testimony to Americas habitual inclination to revert to war in place of peace. That evening, in a crowded church rally, and just the day before his assassination, King stated, Well, I dont know what will happen now. Weve got some difficult days ahead, but it really doesnt matter with me now, because Ive been to the mountaintop. And I dont mind! Like anybody, I would like to live a long lifelongevity has its place. But Im not concerned about that now. I just want to do Gods will. And he has allowed me to go up to the mountain. And Ive looked over, and Ive seen the promised land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. So, Im happy tonight. Im not worried about anything. Im not fearing any man! My eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord! The campaign for a national holiday in MLKs honor began almost immediately after his assassination. However, the campaign faced legislative opposition, and the bill for MLK, Jr. Day was not passed into law until 1983, under The Ronald Regan Administration. ADVERTISEMENT Apart from Kings national holiday, he is remembered for his non-violent protests contrary to the brutally-enforced segregation by racist White Americans. King once said, I feel that organized non-violence resistance is the most powerful weapon that oppressed people can use in breaking loose of the bondage of oppression. Dr. Kings nonviolent strategy speaks for itself as it has led to numerous equal rights laws for all Americans. The Bus Boycott of 1955, a time when Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks violated Jim Crow laws by refusing to give up their seat on a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama. The two incidents, along with other indescribable acts of violence towards African Americans, triggered the famous Montgomery Bus Boycott. King emerged as the leader of the boycott; however, during the 385-day protest, Kings home was bombed and also taken under police custody. The United States District Court eventually ruled that all Montgomery public buses were to be desegregated in the litigation of Browder v. Gayle, catapulting King into a national figure and the face of the Civil Rights Movement. King once said, If passive resistance means just passively accepting violence or injustice, if it means cowardice and stagnant passivity, then there is a difference. Because non-violent resistance does resist. It is dynamically active, it is passive physically, but its strongly active spiritually. In 1965, King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) joined forces with the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in Selma, Alabama, which began the demonstration for the African Americans constitutional right to vote. King led three nonviolent protests, with countless protestors marching from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. These persistence non-violent protests led to President Lyndon B. Johnson passing The Voting Rights Act of 1965. Therefore, expanding the 14th and 15th amendments by banning racial discrimination in voting practices. King stated, After the Selma movement in 1965, we were able to get a voting rights bill. Now, all these things represent a stride, but we must see that the struggle today is much more difficult. It is more difficult today because we are struggling now for genuine equality. It is much easier to integrate a lunch- counter than it is to guarantee a livable income and a good solid job. Its much easier to guarantee the right to vote than it is to guarantee the right to live in sanitary and decent housing conditions. What was intended as a follow-up to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, The Fair Housing Act was in the context of contentious debate within the Senate. However, the bill was quickly passed by the House of Representatives days after the assassination of King. The bill prohibited any discrimination concerning the sale, rental and financing of housing based on race, religion, or sex. The Fair Housing Act of 1968 stands as the final great legislative achievement of the civil rights era. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a national holiday marking the birthday and legacy of man who sacrificed his life for the equality of all people in America. However, somehow, MLK, Jr. Day is misdirected from its initial intention. Its intent was never about using superficial things like coupons to buy a new mattress for half-price; it is a day of reflection, a day to reimagine the dream Martin Luther King, Jr. died for. King once said, So, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal I have a dream that little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. For the COVID-19 loner, which is the only way to be, the great asset of the Osage Beach area is the Lake of the Ozarks State Park. Its a beautiful place where, this winter anyway, you can be far more easily alone than is possible in Chicago. It is sufficiently beautiful and you might wonder why it does not receive more notice, especially since it encompasses over 17,000 acres. Note, though, that Chicago residents will still have to quarantine on their return; I got myself tested too. So, unless things change for the better, I recommend you file this report away for next winter, especially since crowds likely will return as nonwork travel restrictions loosen. Although one hopes people will have learned about masks and social distancing. Power management company Eaton has introduced a complete suite of solutions from its Vehicle Group to reduce vapor emissions produced during the refueling of gasoline-powered vehicles. Industry data reveals that significant amounts of hydrocarbons are commonly forced out through the filler neck and released into the atmosphere while a gasoline-powered vehicle is being refueled. This leakage occurs in all gasoline-powered vehicles, including passenger cars and an increasing number of small- and mid-sized commercial vehicles. This problem is even more pronounced in hybrid-electric vehicles, which require special measures to address evaporative emissions as the gas engine only operates intermittently, creating the need to store pressurized fuel vapor. If fuel vapor is released into the atmosphere, it contributes to a category of pollutants known as evaporative emissions. This category of emissions is the largest source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by automobiles, which are a main source of haze, ozone, and particulate matter. Reducing these kinds of emissions from all gasoline-powered vehicles can be accomplished with a number of different solutions. Eatons Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) vehicle emission control system works to reduce fuel emissions by collecting fuel vapor that evaporates during refueling in order to burn it during normal operation. The technology reduces harmful fuel vapor with 98% efficiency during the vehicle refueling process. Key benefits of Eatons ORVR system include: Prevents fuel leakage from tank in case of vehicle rollover; Provides overfill protection; Vents vapor gas from fuel tank to charcoal canister, preventing high pressure in the tank; Is configurable to different vehicle architectures; and Helps meet global emission regulations. Eatons ORVR system traps tank vapors displaced during refueling and holds them in an onboard charcoal canister, preventing them from entering the atmosphere. The system, depending on configuration, contains multiple engineered and specialized valves, including a Grade Vent Valve, Rollover Valve, Fill Limit Vent Valve, and Inlet Check Valve. A Fuel Tank Isolation Valve is offered for use in hybrid electric vehicles. Fuel tank with Eaton components. Eaton also offers its eVaptive electronically controlled fuel tank vapor venting system, which provides engineers who design automotive fuel systems a great degree of flexibility. eVaptive also reduces the complexity involved when designing a fuel and vapor-venting system by streamlining fuel system implementation for vehicle and fuel tank manufacturers. Current fuel vapor controls are largely composed of mechanical valves. The technology used in eVaptive seeks to enhance those traditional components by integrating software-controlled actuators not presently found in automotive fuel systems. eVaptives software ensures optimum fuel vapor management in all driving, stationary and refueling modes, and its hardware is a one-size-fits-all unit that can be programmed to fit any vehicle platform. This flexibility reduces complexity and cost by allowing customers to use one set of hardware across all vehicle lines and fuel tank variants, which can shorten validation cycles and development time and allow OEMs to design a system with fewer vent points. Eatons technology will help customers meet new emissions regulations, such as The California Air Resources Board (CARB) Low-Emission Vehicle (LEV) III regulations adapted as part of the Advanced Clean Cars rulemaking package that also includes the states zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) regulation. The LEV III regulations include increasingly stringent emission standards for pollutants for new passenger vehicles to be phased in through the 2025 model year. The rest of the US is currently adopting LEV III standards or harmonized on Tier 3 EPA standards. China and Brazil have already adopted similar evaporative emission regulations. The European Union is evaluating comparable evaporative emission regulations and is expected to follow suit in coming years. BENZIE AND LEELANAU COUNTIES - The Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department reports seven new cases of COVID-19 in Benzie County and eleven new cases of COVID-19 in Leelanau. County. One Leelanau case was transferred to another county. There are several items the health department would like to speak to in response to multiple questions from community members. There is a difference between the COVID-19 sign up survey and the COVID-19 Vaccine Update Email list. Everyone interested in the vaccine should fill out the sign-up survey to get on our list for future scheduling. The COVID-19 Vaccine update email list is a weekly email blast to share information about the COVID-19 Vaccine progress for the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department. Please subscribe if you would like to receive these updates. Individuals aged 65-74 are still technically in Phase 1C according to the priority list but MDHHS announced that this group was eligible to begin being vaccinated as of 1/11/2021. If you filled out a survey before the change, please do not fill out another survey. The department is working through that list to make sure you are contacted. The department did change the wording in the survey to make it clear that all individuals 65 and over can now complete the form. Although there is hotline assistance available for those who are unable to access technology and complete the form, we ask that if you are able to complete it electronically that you do so. Please do not do both call the hotline and complete the online form. Right now, the department has contacted individuals who have submitted applications before 1/6/2021. The department continues to make progress and will contact individuals as it received their survey response. We continue to work hard to schedule and fill vaccine clinics as we are notified of more allocations being delivered," said Lisa Peacock, health officer. "We are working week by week as we receive new shipments of vaccine, so you could be notified and scheduled for a clinic the same week or the following week. According to 2019 census data in Benzie and Leelanau, we have more than 11,500 individuals who are 65 years and older residing within our counties. We continue to ask our community residents to be patient as we make progress towards our goal of vaccinating 70% of Michigan residents. As of 4 p.m, the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department is reporting: Total COVID-19 cases in the following counties: Benzie 756, Leelanau 741 Active COVID-19 cases in the following counties: Benzie 149, Leelanau 174 Recovered COVID-19 cases in the following counties: Benzie 579, Leelanau 558 Confirmed COVID-19 deaths in the following counties: Benzie 28, Leelanau 9 Hospitalized: 102 total; 5 current The State of Michigan has reported 531,004 cases and 13,672 deaths. LONDON, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Urbanization is the major enabler for soaring demand of pigments in the global market. Rising construction activities have led to increased demand for building materials, bolstering the demand for pigments that lend the desired aesthetic. Fairfield Market Research predicts, the global pigments market will be worth US$40 Bn by the end of 2025 from US$30.1 Bn in 2017. The report indicates that the market will register a CAGR of 4.6% between 2021 and 2025. Paints and coatings industry is the largest consumer of pigments as it accounted for 57.5% of total market share in 2017. Pigments are primarily used for safeguarding paints against extreme weather conditions and corrosions. This makes it an ideal option for the paint and coatings industry to add visual and functional appeal to buildings. Request a Sample of this Report to understand the structure of the complete report: https://www.fairfieldmarketresearch.com/report/global-pigment-market/ In recent years, there has been a shift in preference as consumers are demanding eco-friendly products. This trend is expected to force manufacturers into innovating environment-friendly chemistries that have a low or zero VOCs. Rise in global demand for pigments is due to growing infrastructural developments, urbanization and higher uptake of building materials. The market is expected to confront a shift towards eco-friendly and economical products with rigid guidelines of government bodies pushing consumers to be more environment conscious. Strict Regulations Presents Opportunity to Develop Eco-friendly Pigments The market is however expected to face certain restraints such as rise in energy costs and raw material prices. Government bodies and regulatory authorities have laid strict regulations against release of toxic pollutants, which is significantly hampering market growth. Manufacturers are thus looking at investing in research and development of eco-friendly pigments for their consumers that match the quality of conventional oil-based paints or solvent-based paints. Sustainability will be the key focus area of pigment companies to remain relevant in the market, predicts Fairfield Market Research. Rise in Urbanization to Boost Demand for Paint and Coating Industry The paint and coating industry segment is expected to dominate the global market as urbanization continues to see a wave of new home buyers. Furthermore, consumers spending on renovations, interiors and overhauling, the demand for paints and coatings is suspected to soar during the forecast period. The modern paints industry, determined towards responsible manufacturing, use of renewable raw materials and application of environment-friendly technologies, will prove pivotal to the market in the near future. The demand for pigments will also be stirred by packaging industry that is always looking at appealing to consumer sensitivities. Furthermore, analysts also indicate that the use of pigments in development of printing inks that are used for printing on substrates such as paper, plastic and leather amongst others will generate sizeable revenue. Asia Pacific to Dominate the Global Market Owing to Large Consumer Base Asia Pacific is expected to lead the global market as this region has the largest consumer base. Asia Pacific held 42.3% of the total pigment market share in 2017 and is projected to grow by a CAGR of 5.9% from 2021 to 2025. This region is also witnessing high production output with supportive economies such as China and India that rely on manufacturing activities for growth of GDPs. Major producers are also moving to Asia Pacific to set up production units as the region offers affordable labor. Key Players are Investing in R&D Activities to Expand Product Portfolio Manufacturers are focusing on expanding their product portfolio owing to shift of consumer preference. They are actively investing in research and development activities to introduce eco-friendly products in the market that align with the demand of their consumers. The market has seen addition of new entrants at the regional level, which has intensified the competition. Key players are also engaging in technological collaborations to boost product portfolio to satisfy modern demands. The key players operating in the global pigments market are Venator, Lomon Billions, Chemours, LANXESS, Tronox, Kronos Worldwide Inc., Altana AG, DIC Corporation, and Heubach GmbH among others. In Order to place the Purchase Query Click Here: [email protected] About Us Fairfield Market Research is a UK-based market research provider. Fairfield offers a wide spectrum of services, ranging from customized reports to consulting solutions. With a strong European footprint, Fairfield operates globally and helps businesses navigate through business cycles, with quick responses and multi-pronged approaches. The company values an eye for insightful take on global matters, ably backed by a team of exceptionally experienced researchers. With a strong repository of syndicated market research reports that are continuously published & updated to ensure the ever-changing needs of customers are met with absolute promptness. Contact Fairfield Market Research London, UK UK +44 (0)3300948728 (Tollfree) USA +1 8443829746 (Tollfree) Email: [email protected] SOURCE Fairfield Market Research A new Brazilian trial of one of Chinas COVID-19 vaccines found that the treatment was only effective about 50 percent of the time. The CoronaVac vaccine was developed by Chinas Sinovac Biotech company. On Tuesday, researchers said a new late-stage trial in Brazil showed the vaccine was just 50.4 percent effective at preventing symptomatic infections. The Brazilian trial included data on what the researchers called very mild COVID-19 cases. Last week, researchers said the vaccine had performed with 78 percent effectiveness against mild to severe cases. CoronaVac is one of several vaccines being developed by Chinese companies. On New Years Eve, China approved its first COVID-19 vaccine for use by the public in China. The developer of that vaccine, Sinopharm, said early test data showed that its shots were 79 percent effective. However, the company did not release detailed information about the studies and said research and trials were still going on. Several nations have completed agreements with Sinovac Biotech to receive the CoronaVac vaccine. Both Malaysia and Singapore have such agreements. The latest results from the Brazilian trial led those countries to say that they will seek more data on the vaccines effectiveness before approving and buying supplies. The chairman of Sinovac Biotech, Yin Weidong, defended the performance and safety of the vaccine after the new results were released. He told reporters the Brazilian trial results are sufficient to prove that CoronaVacs safety and effectiveness are good around the world. The Sinovac Biotech chief added that, while different countries used vaccines from the same batch in their trials, they did not use the same testing methods. Health experts have raised concerns about the testing and trials of CoronaVac and other Chinese vaccines. They say the Chinese vaccines have not gone through the same public scrutiny as vaccines developed in the United States and Europe. The experts have called for more data on the trials to be shared. The new data from Brazil was released just as Indonesia began its vaccination campaign. Reports say that President Joko Widodo was first in the country to receive the CoronaVac vaccine. Malaysia said Wednesday it would only move forward with plans to receive the vaccine if the shots met all local requirements for safety and effectiveness. The Malaysian company Pharmaniaga Bhd signed a deal Tuesday with Sinovac to buy 14 million doses of CoronaVac and later to manufacture the vaccine locally. Singapore said it will wait and examine official data released by Sinovac before deciding whether to approve the vaccine. Thailand, which has ordered 2 million doses of CoronaVac, said it was still planning on receiving the vaccine starting next month. But it added that officials will also seek more trial data directly from Sinovac. Im Bryan Lynn. Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, and visit our Facebook page. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story late-stage adj. in the final steps of developing something like a product that requires a lot of testing symptomatic adj. showing signs of disease mild adj. not severe sufficient adj. enough, providing as much as is needed batch n. an amount of something that is made at one time scrutiny n. careful examination in a critical way dose n. the amount of something, such as a medicine, that is needed to have the expected result GREENSBORO, N.C., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE: SKT), a leading operator of upscale open-air outlet centers, announced today that its Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.1775 per share, payable on February 12, 2021 to common shareholders of record on January 29, 2021. "This dividend declaration reflects Tanger's strong liquidity position, with more than $80 million of cash on hand and $600 million of undrawn lines of credit, and the Board's confidence in our business, as demonstrated by the positive traffic and rent collections trends we recently reported," said Stephen Yalof, President and Chief Executive Officer. The Company currently intends to satisfy minimum taxable income distribution requirements to maintain its REIT status. About Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE: SKT) is a leading operator of upscale open-air outlet centers that owns, or has an ownership interest in, a portfolio of 38 centers. Tanger's operating properties are located in 20 states and in Canada, totaling approximately 14.1 million square feet, leased to over 2,700 stores operated by more than 500 different brand name companies. The Company has more than 40 years of experience in the outlet industry and is a publicly-traded REIT. For more information on Tanger Outlet Centers, call 1-800-4TANGER or visit the Company's website at www.tangeroutlets.com . Investor Contact Media Contact Cyndi Holt Quentin Pell VP of Investor Relations VP of Corporate Communications and Enterprise Risk [email protected] Management [email protected] SOURCE Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. Related Links www.tangeroutlet.com MASON CITY, Iowa A North Iowa traffic stop that led to a drug charge has been quickly resolved. Courtney TaSean Williams, 26 of Burnsville, MN, was pulled over for speeding on January 3 on U.S. Highway 18 in Cerro Gordo County. Williams was reportedly going 87 miles per hour and the arresting officer said the odor of marijuana was coming from Williams vehicle. Court documents state a search found several ounces of marijuana in the vehicle, along with packaging material, and a scale. Williams has pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana-1st offense and OWI-2nd offense. Hes been sentenced to nine days in jail, with credit for time served, and given a fine of $1,875. A chemist in north London and Boots and Superdrug branches will be among the first six stores in England to begin administrating the jabs. By the end of the month more than 200 community chemists will be able to give vaccines, according to NHS England. It comes as the Government aims to hit its target of vaccinating all people in the four most vulnerable groups by the middle of next month. Zahawi: Deployment infrastructure can handle volume of vaccines Boris Johnson also told MPs that distribution will be going to 24/7 as soon as we can but said supply of doses remained the main barrier. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer demanded ministers deploy Englands 11,500 community pharmacies to guarantee vaccines are delivered on all high streets. It comes after mayor Sadiq Khan called for more Covid vaccines to be distributed in London as it was revealed that the capital is losing out to the rest of the country. Coronavirus - In pictures 1 /80 Coronavirus - In pictures A sign advertising a book titled "How Will We Survive On Earth?" is seen on an underground station platform Getty Images Customers wearing face masks shop at the pork counter of a supermarket following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan, Hubei province Reuters Westminster Bridge is deserted in London the day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson put the UK in lockdown PA Canadian passengers Chris & Anna Joiner ask for help onboard the MS Zaandam, Holland America Line cruise ship, during the coronavirus outbreak, off the shores of Panama City via Reuters A man crosses a nearly empty 5th Avenue in midtown Manhattan during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in New York City Reuters The London Eye is pictured lit blue in support of the NHS, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters Boris Johnson addresses the nation on the Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons Commuters cope with Coronavirus Jeremy Selwyn Milan's Piazza del Duomo empty AFP via Getty Images People in protective clothing walk past rows of beds at a temporary 2,000-bed hospital for COVID-19 coronavirus patients set up by the Iranian army at the international exhibition center in northern Tehran, Iran AP Martina Papponetti, 25, an ICU nurse at the Humanitas Gavazzeni Hospital in Bergamo, Italy poses for a portrait at the end of her shift AP Pope Francis celebrating a daily mass alone in the Santa Marta chapel at the Vatican, as part of precautionary measures against the spread of the new coronavirus COVID-19 AFP via Getty Imag Vysheyshaya Liga - FC Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino v FC Belshina Bobruisk - Torpedo Stadium, Zhodino, Belarus, March 27, 2020 Players in action during the match despite most sport being cancelled around the world as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters Hanks and Wilson both have coronavirus Tom Hanks General view of an emergency makeshift field hospital as it is set up at Pacaembu Stadium for coronavirus (COVID-19) patients with a capacity of 200 beds in Sao Paulo, Brazil Getty Images People on a busy tube train in London at rush hour despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson calling on people to stay away from pubs, clubs and theatres, work from home if possible and avoid all non-essential contacts and travel in order to reduce the impact of the coronavirus pandemic PA Naomi Campbell catches a flight in a hazmat suit with goggles, a surgical mask and rubber gloves @naomi Sophie and Emily Ward pose for a photograph with their hand-drawn picture of rainbows and a message on their window in St Helens, as the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues Reuters Mia, aged 8, and Jack, aged 5, take part in "PE with Joe" a daily live workout with Joe Wicks on Youtube to help kids stay fit who have to stay indoors due to the Corona virus outbreak. PA Shoppers queue outside a branch of Costco, in Croydon, south London, on the weekend after Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered pubs and restaurants across the country to close PA Charing Cross Tube Bakerloo Line very quiet at 8.15am Jeremy Selwyn A woman with a plastic box over her head on the London Underground. PA A Racegoer attend Cheltenham Festival on Ladies Day wearing a fashionable face mask SplashNews.com Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits a laboratory at the Public Health England National Infection Service in Colindale PA A man who appears to be homeless sleeping wearing a mask today in Victoria Jeremy Selwyn A couple kiss in Milano Centrale railway station in Milan on March 8, 2020 AFP via Getty Images A combination picture shows visitors wearing protective face masks following an outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) looking at blooming cherry blossom nd a pigeon walking at an closed cherry blossom viewing spot during the first weekend after Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike (not pictured) urged Tokyo residents to stay indoors, in a bid to keep the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from spreading Reuters This combination photo created on March 5, 2020 shows tourists visiting Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap province on March 16, 2019 (top) and on March 5, 2020 AFP via Getty Images Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Getty Images U.S. President Donald Trump looks at the $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid package bill as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Vice President Mike Pence stand by during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House Reuters A satellite image shows an empty South Beach during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Miami, via Reuters General view inside the empty stadium as the two teams line up prior to the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund at Parc des Princes UEFA via Getty Images A Sainsbury's supermarket in Cambridge is among those to sell out of antibacterial hand sanitizer PA Tents and ambulances are set up next to the Princess Cruises Grand Princess cruise as it sits docked in the Port of Oakland on March 09, 2020 in Oakland, California. The Princess Cruises Grand Princess has been held from docking until today as at least 21 people on board have tested positive for COVID-19 also known as the Coronavirus Getty Images Medical staff produce traditional Chinese medicine to treat patients infected by the COVID-19 coronavirus at a hospital in Wuhan AFP via Getty Images Army soldiers wearing protective suits spray disinfectant as a precaution against the new coronavirus at a shopping street in Seoul, South Korea AP Russian President Vladimir Putin wearing protective gear walks at a hospital for patients infected with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the outskirts of Moscow via Reuters A woman who has recovered from the COVID-19 is disinfected by volunteers as she arrives at a hotel for a 14-day quarantine AFP via Getty Images Passengers on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship are seen as the ship arrives at Daikoku Pier where it is being resupplied and newly diagnosed coronavirus cases taken for treatment as it remains in quarantine after a number of the 3,700 people on board were diagnosed with coronavirus Getty Images Dave Abel pictured in hospital in Japan Manchester United fans in the stands during the Premier League match at Old Trafford PA Police officers wearing masks stand in front of the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel in La Caleta, in the Canary Island of Tenerife AP Carnival revellers wear protective face masks at Venice Carnival Reuters A general view is pictured of Burbage Primary School in Buxton, Derbyshire after the closure of the school as a pupil's parent has tested positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19 AFP via Getty Images People wearing face masks walk past the Olympic rings in front of the new National Stadium, the main stadium for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Game Getty Images People leave Kents Hill Park Training and Conference Centre in Milton Keynes where Coronavirus evacuees are due to be released from quarantine today and allowed to go home PA Matt Raw, a British national who returned from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, leaves quaratine at Arrowe Park Hospital on Merseyside PA A woman wears a mask while crossing London Bridg Getty Images A general view of Worthing Hospital in West Sussex PA Passengers relax on board the Holland America-operated Westerdam cruise ship, which has been denied permission to dock in Thailand over coronavirus fears via Reuters A child waves as she sits in a vehicle carrying residents evacuated from a public housing building, following the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, outside Hong Mei House, at Cheung Hong Estate in Hong Kong Reuters A woman wearing a Minnie Mouse face mask looks at her mobile phone in Beijing on February 11, 2020 AFP via Getty Images The Costa Smeralda cruise ship of Costa Crociere, carrying around 6,000 passengers, is docked at the Italian port of Civitavecchia after a health alert due to a Chinese couple and a possible link to coronavirus on board, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters A patient covered with a bed sheet at an exhibition centre converted into a hospital as it starts to accept patients displaying mild symptoms of the novel coronavirus in Wuhan AFP via Getty Images A medical official takes the body temperature of a man at the departure hall of the airport in Changsha, Hunan Province, as the country is hit by an outbreak of a new coronavirus, China Reuters The view of the Wuhan International Conference and Exhibition Center Getty Images A plane carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China, arrives at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire A police vehicle enters the gates of the Royal Air Force station RAF Brize Norton in Carterton AFP via Getty Images Passengers wear face masks as the push their luggage after arriving from a flight at Terminal 5 of London Heathrow Airport AFP via Getty Images French citizens arrive and settle aboard of an evacuation plane with destination southeastern France, before departure from Wuhan Airport (WUH), China AFP via Getty Images Police stand at a checkpoint at the Jiujiang Yangtze River Bridge that crosses from Hubei province in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, China Reuters A member of staff at Arrowe Park Hospital in Merseyside prepares for a bus carrying British nationals from the coronavirus-hit city of Wuhan in China PA Doctor Paul McKay, who is working on an vaccine for the 2019-nCoV strain of the novel coronavirus, poses for a photograph with bacteria containing fragments of coronavirus DNA, at Imperial College School of Medicine (ICSM) in Londo AFP via Getty Images Workers produce masks at the Thai Hospital Product Company Ltd. factory in Bangkok AFP via Getty Images Passengers wearing face masks are seen on a bus after disembarking from the Costa Smeralda cruise ship, after tests on a woman from Macau with suspected coronavirus came back negative, in Civitavecchia, Italy Reuters People hoard bottles of alcohol after the Philippine government confirmed the first case of the new coronavirus in the country, in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines Reuters Taking precautions: with fears growing that the coronavirus will spread from China, a health official checks a womans temperature on the underground in Beijing Getty Images An empty road is seen in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on January 27, 2020, amid a deadly virus outbreak which began in the city AFP via Getty Images Students wearing masks meditate prior to a lesson at a high school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia AP Medical staff at the Wuhan Red Cross Hospital wear protective clothing to help stop the spread of a deadly virus AFP via Getty Images Staff move bio-waste containers past the entrance of the Wuhan Medical Treatment Center, where some infected with a new virus are being treated, in Wuhan, China AP Workers driving excavators at the construction site of a field hospital In Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. The builders will complete the 1,000-bed hospital by February 3 to cope with the surge of 2019-nCoV patients in the city Getty Images Buddhist monks wear masks as they walk near Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodi AP A woman and a child wearing protective masks walk toward check-in counters at Daxing international airport in Beijing AFP via Getty Images An employee sprays disinfectant on a train as a precaution against a new coronavirus at Suseo Station in Seoul, South Korea AP A policeman wearing a mask walks past a quarantine notice about the outbreak of coronavirus in Wuhan, China at an arrival hall of Haneda airport in Tokyo, Japan Reuters Paramilitary police wear face masks as they stand guard at Tiananmen Gate adjacent to Tiananmen Square in Beijing AP The resident wear masks to buy vegetables in the market in Wuhan Getty Images Staff sell masks at a Yifeng Pharmacy in Wuhan AP Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV AP Andrews Pharmacy in Macclesfield, Cullimore Chemist in Edgware, north London, Woodside Pharmacy in Telford and Appleton Village pharmacy in Widnes will be in the first group to hand out the injections, alongside Boots in Halifax, and Superdrug in Guildford. The six pharmacies have been picked because they can deliver large volumes of the vaccine and allow for social distancing, and Health Secretary Matt Hancock said it was fantastic that jabs would be available on the high street. Vaccine programme to become 24 hours a day, says Johnson Pharmacies sit at the heart of local communities and will make a big difference to our rollout programme by providing even more local, convenient places for those that are eligible to get their jab, he said. The pharmacies join the 200 hospitals, around 800 GP clinics and seven mass vaccination centres where jabs are already being handed out. The expanded vaccination service in England comes as the daily reported UK death toll reached a new high on Wednesday, with 1,564 fatalities recorded within 28 days of a positive test. The latest figures meant the grim milestone of more than 100,000 deaths involving coronavirus has now been passed in the UK, according to official data. The Prime Minister warned hospital intensive care units (ICUs) face being overwhelmed unless coronavirus rates are brought under control, with the latest official figures showing more than 36,000 people are in hospital with coronavirus, including almost 3,500 on ventilation. He told MPs: If you ask me when do we think that the ICU capacity is likely to be overtopped, I cant give you a prediction for that. But all I can say is that the risk is very substantial and we have to keep the pressure off the NHS and the only way to do that is to follow the current lockdown. Mr Johnson told the Commons Liaison Committee that the situation is very, very tough indeed in the NHS and the strain is colossal on staff. The Scottish Government published a 16-page document setting out how it intends to vaccinate 4.5 million people, including 400,000 a week from the end of February. It set out the supply of vaccine from Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna from the start of April that it expects to receive each week. This angered ministers in London, with a senior Government source warning: Publication of numbers like these risks suppliers coming under pressure from other countries. These vaccines are a finite resource and as we have said throughout supply is the limiting step. Amid the warnings of struggling hospitals, the Governments top scientist also warned the country is in for a pretty grim period of deaths which will not reduce quickly. Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance told ITVs Peston programme: The daily numbers jump around a bit but I think we are in a position now when you look at the number of infections weve had over the past few weeks and how this is likely to continue, so I dont think theyre going to drop very quickly that Im afraid were in a period of high death numbers thats going to carry on for some weeks. Its not going to come down quickly even if the measures that are in place now start to reduce the infection numbers. So were in for a pretty grim period, Im afraid. In his two-hour questioning from a committee of MPs, the Prime Minister also acknowledged concerns about a new strain of coronavirus from Brazil, but stopped short of promising a travel ban on the South American country. We already have tough measures to protect this country from new infections coming in from abroad, he said. We are taking steps to do that in respect of the Brazilian variant. Meanwhile, a new study has found that Covid infection provides some immunity for at least five months, but people may still carry and transmit the virus. The first report from Public Health Englands Siren study found that antibodies from past infection provide 83% protection against reinfection for at least five months. KENTLAND, Ind. (AP) A man has been sentenced to 55 years in prison in the killing of a northwest Indiana woman who was strangled and dumped in a rural hunting shack. A Newton County judge sentenced Garrett Kirts, 22, on Monday. The Lebanon man had pleaded guilty in September to murder in the March 2019 slaying of Nicole Bowen, 30. Kirts told the judge he and co-defendant Ashley Garth conspired to get Bowen, of West Lafayette, to a Newton County trailer where she was killed, the Journal & Courier reported. Kirts had said during his September plea hearing that everybody in the trailer knew what was going to happen when he brought Bowen to the trailer. According to court documents, Kirts told police he and Garth strangled Bowen before wrapping her in a blanket. Kirts then allegedly drove to a rural area where Bowen's body was found the next day in a hunting shack. Garth has a pretrial conference in her murder case scheduled for Jan. 27 after she withdrew from an earlier plea agreement. According to court documents, Garth considered Bowen a rival and an enemy because she was the other woman in Kirts life." Kirts has said he intended to kill Bowen for allegedly revealing a methamphetamine operation he was involved with. Three other people have been charged in connection with Bowen's killing. Donald Trump became the first American head of state to be impeached twice. The House of Representatives voted 232-197 on the proposal to oust him. While this was Trump's second impeachment, he was not the first to face such an action. (Image: AP) Democrat Andrew Johnson, the 17th American President, was the first in the country's history to be impeached. Johnson, on March 2, 1868, was charged by Republican-controlled House of Representatives for "high crimes and misdemeanours". The motion was moved after he had removed Secretary of War Edwin M Stanton. The Republicans accused him of violating Tenure of Office Act, as the Senate's permission was not sought for Stanton's removal. The House voted to impeach him, and the trial in Senate began three days later. Johnson was eventually acquitted as the motion to impeach him fell short by one vote to achieve two-third majority. (Image: Reuters) Bill Clinton, a former-two time US President, was impeached by the House in his second term. He was charged with high crimes and misdemeanours for allegedly lying under oath and obstructing justice. The motion was based on two major rows in which Clinton was involved. The sexual harassment charge levelled on him by civil servant Paula Jones in 1994. And Clinton's infamous denial of affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky in his testimony. The House voted to impeach him on October 9, 1998. Clinton was acquitted as the motion failed to achieve two-third majority in the Senate. (File Image) WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - COVID-19 deaths are up by 10 percent or more in 25 states across the United States, as per latest data published by COVID Tracking Project. Over the past week, an average of more than 3,300 deaths from coronavirus infection occurred in the country every day, which marks an increase of 217 percent from mid-November, according to Johns Hopkins University. With 3968 additional fatalities reporting in the last 24 hours, the total U.S. death toll from the deadly disease rose to 384764, as per the latest data from the Johns Hopkins. During the same period, 230451 new cases have been reported across the country, taking the total number of patients infected with the disease to 23077259. A total of 130,833 patients are admitted in U.S. hospitals with coronavirus, the U.S. collaborative volunteer-run effort to track the pandemic said on Twitter Thursday. Out of this, 23,760 patients are being treated in ICU. Acting Secretary Christopher Miller said that on Wednesday, 1,463,900 additional COVID vaccines were distributed to the American people, bringing the total number of vaccine doses distributed in the country to 29,107,500. An ensemble forecast published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention projects that there will be more than 90,000 coronavirus deaths in the United States in the next three weeks. On Thursday, Germany reported its highest single-day coronavirus death toll - 1,244. In its World Report 2021 published Wednesday, Human Rights Watch accused Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro of sabotaging efforts to slow spread of Covid-19. The World Health Organization urged wealthy nations to help bridge a global vaccine inequity gap. 'There are populations out there who want and who need vaccines who are not going to get them unless or until we begin to share better,' Dr. Mike Ryan, director of the World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Program, said at a news conference on Wednesday. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de The Daily Beast Rexburg Police DepartmentA psychological evaluation has found Lori Vallowthe doomsday mom accused of murdering her two childrennot competent to stand trial.Assessment determined at this time the defendant is not competent to proceed and recommends restorative treatment, Seventh Judicial District Judge Steven Boyce wrote in a Thursday order pausing the case.Prosecutors have already contested the reports findings, but the judges order remains in effect pending determination of the issue of competency.The news comes after Vallow and her husband, Chad Daybell, were indicted on several new charges and accused of justifying the murders of three peopleincluding Vallows two kidswith their doomsday-centered religious beliefs.On Thursday, the Chandler Police Department confirmed to The Daily Beast that it has also submitted its investigation into the death of Vallows ex-husband, Charles Vallow, who was fatally shot by his brother-in-law in July 2019, to the Maricopa County Attorneys Office. Police said they recommended that Vallow should be charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murderthough it is up to county prosecutors to make an official charge.A Maricopa County Attorneys Office spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast they received the Chandler Police Departments investigation into Charles Vallows death on April 1, but declined to comment on it.Doomsday Couple Allegedly Murdered Threeand Justified It With Religious Beliefs On Tuesday, the couple was indicted on several charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, in connection with the deaths of Vallows kids, 7-year-old J.J Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan. Daybell, a doomsday author, was also been charged with first-degree murder for the October 2019 death of Tammy Daybell, his ex-wife. Vallow has been separately charged with grand theft for allegedly diverting her childrens Social Security benefits into her personal bank account. Prosecutors allege Daybell and Vallow did endorse and espouse religious beliefs for the purpose of encouraging and/or justifying the homicide of all three people.Their alleged murder spree began in 2019, when Charles Vallow was fatally shot by his wifes brother, Alex Cox, during a domestic dispute. Cox, who was not charged and died months later from natural causes, said at the time he fired in self-defense. In divorce and custody petitions against Vallow, Charles wrote that his estranged wife had become obsessed with doomsday visions and had threatened his life. He said Vallow believed she was reincarnated to lead people during the second coming of Jesus in July 2020 and said that if he got in the way of her saving humanity, she would kill him, according to NBC News.Vallow believes that she is receiving spiritual revelations and visions to help her gather and prepare those chosen to live in the New Jerusalem after the Great War as prophesied in the Book of Revelations, the divorce petition read.Vallow and Daybell, who are members of a community of doomsday preppers and were married two weeks after Daybell was widowed, are already in prison for several other crimes related to the childrens disappearance in September 2019.Im Not Supposed to Be Talking to You: Doomsday Mom Called Hubby From Jail as FBI Searched His HomeProsecutors allege Daybell and Vallow killed Tylee Ryan on Sept. 8 or Sept. 9, 2019, after almost a year of planning. About two weeks later, the pair allegedly killed J.J. The indictment states that Daybell then murdered his ex-wife in October with the help of Vallow and her brother. In January 2020, Vallow made national headlines when she refused to comply with a court order to produce her two children. It was later revealed she had also asked a friend to lie to the police and say she was watching J.J.Last June, Idaho authorities charged the pair with conspiracy to conceal evidence after the remains of two kids were found in Daybells home. Daybell is scheduled to enter a plea on the murder charges on June 9. Vallow was supposed to make an initial appearance on Wednesday but her hearing was put on hold at the request of her lawyer, Mark Means. Attorneys for Daybell and Vallow did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's request for comment.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. As the World Health Organisation (WHO) team landed in Wuhan on Thursday to study the cause of the Covid-19 outbreak, blocked two members of the 13-member team from travelling to the epicentre of the pandemic after they failed the antibody test in Singapore. The WHO first tweeted that the team of 13 scientists examining the origins of the virus that causes Covid-19 arrived in Wuhan. The experts were to begin their work immediately during the two-week quarantine protocol for travellers. Later, in a separate tweet, WHO said that two members of that team remain in Singapore after they were "tested positive for IgM antibodies". IgM antibodies are among the earliest potential signs of a infection and false positives are also possible with such tests. "Two scientists are still in #Singapore completing tests for #COVID19. All team members had multiple negative PCR and antibody tests for COVID-19 in their home countries prior to travelling," the WHO said in a tweet. "They are being retested for both IgM and IgG antibodies." IgG is the most common type of antibody found in blood circulation. At a press conference on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the country "will strictly follow the relevant epidemic prevention regulations and requirements, and provide corresponding support and facilities for WHO experts who come to to carry out international cooperation on tracing the origin of the virus". Asked about the two scientists denied entry, Zhao would not comment, instructing reports to ask "the relevant authorities." According to the report, this is the second delay for the WHO team, which was due to arrive in earlier this month. The team was blocked from flying there by the Chinese authorities, triggering a rare rebuke from the United Nations (UN). "I am very disappointed with this news," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "I have been in contact with senior Chinese officials and I have once again made clear that the mission is a priority for WHO and the international team." The US has also demanded transparency in WHO operations in China. The overall global caseload has topped 92 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 1.97 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University. In its latest update on Thursday morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 92,291,033 and 1,961,987, respectively. The US is the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 23,067,796 and 384,604, respectively, according to the CSSE. India comes in second place in terms of cases at 10,495,147, while the country's death toll soared to 151,529. --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.) Protesters chant slogans during a rally against a new national security law in Hong Kong on July 1, 2020. (Dale de la Rey/AFP via Getty Images) Hong Kong Telecom Provider Cites Security Law to Block Website HONG KONGHong Kong Broadband Network (HKBN) said on Jan. 14 that its blocked a website that publishes material mainly on the 2019 pro-democracy protests, to comply with the citys national security law, marking the first censorship of a local website under the law. While the internet in mainland China is heavily censored and access to foreign social media platforms and news sites is blocked, residents in Chinese-ruled Hong Kong have so far enjoyed greater freedoms under the one country, two systems framework. We have disabled the access to the website in compliance with the requirement issued under the National Security Law, a spokesperson for internet service provider HKBN said in an email to Reuters, adding that the action was taken on Jan. 13. The website, HKChronicles, first reported disruptions to its service last week. On Jan. 10, the South China Morning Post newspaper, citing unnamed sources, reported that Hong Kong police had invoked the national security law for the first time to block HKChronicles, which curates anti-government posts and publishes personal information on Hong Kong police officers. The news has caused concern among local residents and activists community. Naomi Chan, editor of HKChronicles, said HKBNs response had been expected and it would not affect operations. Efforts would continue to find ways to restore Hong Kongers access to the website, Chan said. This case represents a clear step towards the end of a relatively free and open internet in Hong Kong, said Fergus Ryan, an analyst with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. A China Mobile advertising board is seen on the side of a building in Hong Kong, on March 14, 2010. (Daniel Sorabji/AFP/Getty Images) Other major internet service providers in Hong KongChina Mobile and PCCWdidnt immediately reply to requests for comment by Reuters on Jan. 14. HKBN declined to comment about why HKChronicles faced issues last week. The Hong Kong Security Bureau last week in an email declined to comment on specific cases, but said police will act on the basis of actual circumstances and according to the law. The police didnt respond to a request for comment from Reuters. The security bureau said offenses endangering national security include secession, subversion, organization, and perpetration of terrorist activities and collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security. The offenses are punishable with up to life in jail, according to the security law. All relevant action will be taken strictly in accordance with the law, a Hong Kong Security Bureau spokeswoman added. Under the controversial security law imposed by Beijing on the Chinese-ruled city last June, the police can ask service providers to restrict access to electronic platforms or messages that could pose a threat to national security. In mainland China, access to foreign social media platforms and news sites such as Facebook and the New York Times is blocked by what is called the Great Firewall, which filters and blocks traffic between Chinese and overseas servers. Residents in Hong Kong, in contrast, have hitherto enjoyed freedoms unavailable on the mainland because of a one country, two systems framework that is meant to be valid until at least 2047. Rights groups have voiced concern that the national security law may herald the introduction of a censorship mechanism similar to the Great Firewall in Hong Kong. Closing this website represents another brick in the Great Firewall that Beijing is gradually building up around Hong Kong, Ryan said. In the long term, it will push activism to go further underground, like people already switching to use Signal, referring to a chat messaging app, said Lokman Tsui, an assistant professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong who specializes in privacy and online communications. By Hong Kong newsroom. NEW YORK, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As 2021 begins, a new survey from The Conference Board reveals the biggest issues that will keep business leaders up at night in the new year. CEOs in the United States are more worried about higher corporate taxes and increased regulation, but less worried about global political instability and disruptions to global trade. And compared to their global peers, U.S. CEOs are more eager to have staff return to the physical workplace. U.S. executives also see the widespread availability of a vaccine as a game changer for their businesses. The survey gauged CEOs and C-suite executives from around the world about their biggest business challenges in 2021. Among the top stressors worldwide, respondents primarily cited COVID-19, recruiting and retaining top talent, recession risk, vaccine availability, and accelerating digital transformation. The survey, C-Suite Challenge 2021, was conducted between November 7th December 10th. More than 900 CEOs and more than 600 C-suite executives weighed in from primarily three regions: Europe, Asia, and North America. Highlights and insights include the following: External Challenges in 2021: Highlights U.S. CEOs think vaccine distribution will have an outsized impact on their businesses. U.S. CEOs: They see vaccine availability as a game changer, ranking it 2 nd (the highest among CEOs globally). They see vaccine availability as a game changer, ranking it 2 (the highest among CEOs globally). CEOs Globally: Among CEOs worldwide, it ranks 3 rd . Among CEOs worldwide, it ranks 3 . Chinese CEOs: They rank it much lower, at 9th. U.S. CEOs are more worried about regulation & taxes, less worried about trade & global turmoil. More concern about corporate tax rates: In 2020, it was U.S. CEOs' 14 th top worry; in 2021, it rose to 5 th . In 2020, it was U.S. CEOs' 14 top worry; in 2021, it rose to 5 . More concern about regulation: In 2020, it was their 9 th top worry; in 2021, it rose to 4 th . In 2020, it was their 9 top worry; in 2021, it rose to 4 . Less concern about trade disruptions: In 2020, it was their 4 th top worry; in 2021, it dropped to 7 th . In 2020, it was their 4 top worry; in 2021, it dropped to 7 . Less concern about global political instability: In 2020, it was their 4th top worry; in 2021, it dropped to 10th. Recession fears: Chinese CEOs are more worried than U.S. CEOs about another downturn. U.S. CEOs: They rank recession risk as their 3 rd top worry for 2021. They rank recession risk as their 3 top worry for 2021. Chinese CEOs: They rank recession risk 1 st their top worry. They rank recession risk 1 their top worry. CEOs Globally: Among CEOs worldwide, it ranks 2nd. Internal Challenges in 2021: Highlights Turbocharging innovation: COVID-19 has accelerated the need for creativity. Accelerate pace of digital transformation: Both U.S. CEOs and CEOs globally rank it 1 st . Both U.S. CEOs and CEOs globally rank it 1 . Improve innovation: Both U.S. CEOs and CEOs globally rank it 2nd. As recession fears linger, companies stay defensive by prioritizing cash flow & controlling costs. Lower costs: Globally, CEOs rank the need to control costs as 4 th ; U.S. CEOs rank it 3 rd . Globally, CEOs rank the need to control costs as 4 ; U.S. CEOs rank it 3 . Improve cash flow: Globally, CEOs rank it 6th; U.S. CEOs rank it 7th. Human Capital Management Challenges in 2021: Highlights Returning to the office: U.S. CEOs are most committed to bringing workers back. Bringing workers back to the physical workspace: Among CEOs globally, it ranks 9th; U.S. CEOs rank it 3rd. Remote work stabilizes: Few CEOs plan to further increase or decrease their remote workforce. Increase number of remote workers: Globally, CEOs rank it 17 th ; U.S. CEOs also rank it 17 th . Globally, CEOs rank it 17 ; U.S. CEOs also rank it 17 . Decrease number of remote workers: Globally, CEOs rank it last, at 21st; U.S. CEOs rank it 18th. Talent reigns supreme: Recruiting and retaining the best and brightest remains the top priority. Recruit and retain top talent: Regardless of a company's location or size, attracting and retaining top talent ranks as the top priority for CEOs and other C-suite executives globally in 2021. This was also true in 2020. COVID-19's Legacy: CEOs Rank the Pandemic's Long-Term Impacts Reduced business travel is likely here to stay. U.S. CEOs: They rank reduced business travel as the 2 nd most likely long-term impact of COVID-19. They rank reduced business travel as the 2 most likely long-term impact of COVID-19. CEOs Globally: They rank this scenario as the most likely long-term impact. Will my work office shrink? U.S. CEOs expect reduced office space. U.S. CEOs: They rank reduced office space as the most likely long-term impact of COVID-19. They rank reduced office space as the most likely long-term impact of COVID-19. CEOs Globally: They rank this scenario as the 5th most likely long-term impact. CEOs expect automation to accelerate. U.S. CEOs: They rank more automation of tasks as the 3 rd most likely long-term impact of COVID-19. They rank more automation of tasks as the 3 most likely long-term impact of COVID-19. CEOs Globally: They rank this scenario as the 2nd most likely long-term impact. Commentary on the survey results Rebecca Ray, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Human Capital, The Conference Board "In 2021, a hybrid model with a mix of onsite and remote workers will likely be the new norm. In this environment, as new employees join teams and have little personal contact with existing team members, leaders will need to ensure that all have a sense of belonging. Organizations should take a hard pause to ask themselves: Is the culture we had and, perhaps, want to preserve the right culture for this new environment?" Dana Peterson, Chief Economist, The Conference Board "While CEOs continue to fret about a possible downturn, 2021 is poised to be the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. In most regions especially the United States CEOs believe the distribution of a successful vaccine will have a significant impact on their businesses this year. The spread of COVID-19 vaccines will, among other benefits, provide greater clarity and predictability around short-term planning and operations." Chuck Mitchell, Executive Director of Content Quality, The Conference Board "The current crisis means the luxury of having a years-long lead time to digitally transform is gone. Investment in digital technology is only a piece of that puzzle. Organizational culture, enlightened leadership, and talent will ultimately create a sustainable competitive advantage. Recovery will require finding the right balance between conserving cash and investing in innovation needed to succeed in a new commercial landscape." Ataman Ozyildirim, Global Research Chair, The Conference Board "Looking beyond reduced business travel, altered landscape of commercial office space, and increased automation of tasks, CEOs believe the need to address the resilience of global supply chains will be one of the most likely long-term legacies of COVID-19. During the pandemic, many policymakers and companies learned that a heavily optimized supply chain often lacked the agility to substitute alternate sources of supply. While concerns about global trade disruptions diminished recently, the global pandemic has exposed new vulnerabilities in supply chains." About The Conference Board The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers trusted insights for what's ahead. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. www.conference-board.org SOURCE The Conference Board Related Links http://www.conference-board.org .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal A Las Cruces man who was being held in prison despite a judge ordering his immediate release four weeks ago was let out of the Otero County Prison Facility on Tuesday morning. Judge Douglas Driggers of the 3rd Judicial District Court ordered Johnny Malones immediate release on Dec. 17 after finding that Malone, 37, had completed his sentence for 2007 rape and kidnapping convictions. Despite the order, Malone was still being held in prison earlier this week. Corrections Department spokesman Eric Harrison told the Journal on Monday that the department was looking into the legality of Driggers order. After completing the review of the order, the department determined that it was appropriate to release Mr. Malone, Harrison said in an email Wednesday. Malones attorney, Kenneth Stalter, told the Journal that Malone was released from the facility Tuesday morning, the same day the Journal and other outlets published news articles about the case. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ They (Corrections) never clarified for us what their decision was, but the timing strongly suggests that it was in response to media attention, Stalter said. Malone was sentenced to six years in prison followed by two years of parole and five years of supervised probation after pleading guilty to one count of criminal sexual penetration and one count of kidnapping. He violated his probation in 2012, and his sentence was changed to require five to 20 years of parole. Malone was serving his parole in custody. Driggers ruled that Malones sentence was illegally modified in 2012 and ordered his release. Stalter said he is investigating potential civil action. 4WD HP Manufactured in Thailand, the UK-spec model is a pretty interesting proposition if youre a fleet owner, thanks to a five-year and 125,000-mile (201,170-km) warranty accompanied by five years of roadside assistance. Stronger and more durable than the D-Max before it, the newcomer is also more assertive thanks to sharp contours, bi-LED headlights, and 18-inch alloy wheels.Isuzu has also worked its magic inside the cabin, where youll find a sophisticated layered dashboard design and new infotainment systems. As far as phone connectivity is concerned, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are the highlights. Soft-touch paneling, improved road and wind noise sound-proofing materials, and speed-sensitive electronic power steering also need to be mentioned, along with the shift-on-the-flysystem.The All-Purpose and Adventure trim levels are a little more capable off the beaten path thanks to a locking rear differential. Isuzu makes a case for larger rails and an extra panel for the frame, which is strong enough for over a metric ton of payload and up to 3.5 tons (7,716 pounds) in terms of towing.Offered with 2WD as standard and 4WD at an additional cost, the D-Max can be specified with a six-speed manual or a torque-converter automatic. Regardless of the drivetrain, only one engine is available this model year in the guise of a 1.9-liter turbo diesel that cranks out 164 PS (162).The horsepower rating isnt all that impressive, and the same can be said about the 360 Nm (266 pound-feet) of torque. Dont forget, however, that Isuzu is all about dependability and reliability. Forcing an engine of this displacement would forfeit those two, which is why the Ford Ranger only offers three years or 60,000 miles (96,560 km) of warranty in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. PURCHASE (dpa-AFX) - PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP) announced Thursday plans to more than double its science-based climate goal, targeting a reduction of absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across its value chain by more than 40% by 2030. It has accelerated efforts to build a more resilient and sustainable food system. This action is expected to result in the reduction of more than 26 million metric tons of GHG emissions or the equivalent of taking more than five million cars off the road for a full year. In addition, the company has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040, one decade earlier than called for in the Paris Agreement. The company's emissions target aligns to the Business Ambition for 1.5C pledge and has been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative as the most ambitious designation available through their process. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. China enjoyed an 18 per cent export boom in December and saw its trade surplus with America widen during 2020 as the country where the coronavirus pandemic began continues to enjoy its economic rebound. Beijing hailed its 'outstanding achievements in foreign trade' as customs data showed exports surging to $282billion in December and rising 3.6 per cent to $2.6trillion over the whole year. While other top economies such as the US, Britain and Germany saw their GDP take a dramatic downward turn in 2020, China enjoyed a projected 1.8 per cent growth - making it the only OECD country to see an expansion. The US economy was projected to shrink by 3.7 per cent, the eurozone's by 7.5 per cent and Britain's by 11.2 per cent in the year of the pandemic. After China's early lockdowns brought the virus epidemic to a standstill within its own borders, factories re-opened and the country's exporters benefited from global demand for masks and medical supplies. Exporters have also grabbed market share from foreign competitors still living under tough lockdown restrictions after cases rebounded in most of the West. China's Communist rulers have touted their success in combating the pandemic, with China the only one of the world's eight richest countries to enjoy economic growth in 2020, according to these OECD figures China's strong export figures saw its politically volatile trade surplus rise to $535billion, one of the highest ever reported - with a 7.1 per cent rise in its surplus with America. Exports to the US rose by 7.9 per cent to $45billion despite tariff hikes on most Chinese goods by the Trump administration, which has been at loggerheads with Beijing over a long list of issues. Imports of US goods rose by 9.8 per cent to $14billion, boosted by Beijing's promise to buy more American soybeans, natural gas and other products. The figures show that China's trade surplus with America has widened by 15 per cent since Trump took office in 2017. Even with Trump leaving office next week, analysts expect few changes in the US-China relationship due to widespread frustration in Washington with China's record on trade, human rights and technology theft. The two governments have also clashed over China's security crackdown in Hong Kong and its handling of the pandemic. Beijing promised to buy more American exports in a 'Phase 1' agreement last January aimed at ending the tariff war. The two countries agreed to postpone further planned tariff hikes on each other's goods, but penalties on billions of dollars of imports remain. China initially fell behind on meeting those commitments but started to catch up as demand rebounded. Meanwhile, China's global exports surged in December were 18 per cent higher than a year earlier, reaching $282billion. Customs spokesman Li Kuiwen said that shipments of electronics rose, with increases seen in notebook computers and household appliances, as well as medical instruments and equipment. A container ship prepares to leave a port terminal at Lianyungang today as China hailed its trade success during the year of coronavirus China exported 224billion masks from March to December, Li added, nearly 40 masks for every person outside of China. Iris Pang, ING chief economist for Greater China, said that China's exports likely did well because 'other exporters for most of the year had been in difficult positions because of Covid-19', shifting more orders to China. 'The other thing is, during Covid-19, some commodity prices went down and affected the value of what China imported,' she said. Imports rose by 6.5 per cent to $204billion, reflecting a rebound in consumer demand after the government reopened factories, shopping malls, offices and auto dealerships. Also in 2020, exports to Europe rose 6.7 per cent to $39 billion despite anti-virus controls that shut down travel and business in major markets. 'In 2020, China made outstanding achievements in foreign trade, which did not come easy,' said a statement by the General Administration of Customs of China. It warned against complacency, saying the global economic situation 'is still grave and complex.' Exporters' advantage over foreign rivals is expected to fade as vaccines bring an end to the pandemic in the rest of the world, while demand for medical goods should also recede. 'The current strength of exports is unlikely to be sustained indefinitely,' said Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics in a report. He said imports 'are likely to drop back' as the government reduces high spending and other support for economic activity. 'With the pandemic under control in China, factories and export-oriented companies have resumed normal operations earlier than most other countries, allowing China to meet global demand better,' said Axi strategist Stephen Innes. DEPUTY Richard ODonoghue said in the Dail this Thursday that he will take the vaccine. He also hit out at a junior minister for Limerick (Patrick ODonovan) saying in the Leader, Waiting to see how your neighbours get on (with the vaccine) is cowardly. Speaking during questions from opposition leaders or their representatives to the government, Deputy ODonoghue said he had been informed that people have been "called twice to get their vaccinations to be told within the hospital system they are out of it and come back in a few days time". Talking about his own attitude to the vaccine, the TD asked is it OK in this country to ask a question? "Is it OK in this country to be scared? Six weeks ago I was asked would I take the vaccine and on that same day I answered truthfully that I would have to speak to my doctors because they were dealing with an underlying condition that I was dealing with. "My doctors told me when the vaccine becomes available they will advise me to take it and I will take it. People have put out a stigma that it is not OK to ask a question, said Deputy ODonoghue, whose advice to anyone who has concerns is "consult your GP who knows you best". In reply, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said it is OK to ask questions, it is OK to have doubts, OK to seek reassurance and OK to seek information. "I think that is entirely reasonable. I worked in vaccine clinics. People would have questions and concerns and my job was to answer questions, give background information and assuage their concerns. We are both on the same page in that regard," said Tanaiste Varadkar. Deputy ODonoghue said he agreed with "every sentiment" the tanaiste said. "So you would be right in saying, tanaiste, it isnt OK for one of your junior ministers to come out and call people cowardly that were asking for medical advice and asking questions because your junior minister for Limerick came out and stated this in a newspaper that people were cowardly that asked questions, and that to me is completely wrong, said Deputy ODonoghue. He said he has people ringing him from University Hospital Limerick that say they "havent been vaccinated yet, yet there has been people not working within the hospital system that are out on leave that have been called in for their vaccinations". "I had people yesterday (Wednesday) that were called twice to get their vaccinations to be told within the hospital system they are out of it and told, Come back in a few days time we might have it then. "I have never questioned frontline staff in this country - I commend them wholeheartedly but I do question the management of certain hospitals in how to manage this pandemic and how to manage their staff and do not call somebody for a vaccine if you do not have the vaccine," concluded Deputy ODonoghue. Tanaiste Varadkar said he knows there have been issues from time to time in individual hospitals on individual days of vaccines running out but "by and large the people who are providing our vaccines in our hospitals and healthcare settings are doing a very good job". "We do now expect, certainly before the end of the month, everybody in a nursing home and everybody working in a nursing home will be offered their first dose and will have the second dose in mid-February. "Bear in mind over 60% of deaths occur to people who are residents in nursing homes so think of the different space we could be in when we achieve that. It is intended that all healthcare workers will have received their first dose and second dose by end of February. And then of course we will be able to move on to over 70s," said Tanaiste Varadkar. SpaceX Dragon cargo ship loaded with science experiments, a case of wine, and live mice, has made its first ever splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean, NASA confirmed. The spaceship autonomously undocked from the International Space Station on Tuesday, January 12 after a 36 day stay attached to the orbiting laboratory. Among the experiments on the ship are a crate of Bordeaux wine, live mice, and 3D printed buds that could one-day produce human organs from stem cells. In total there were 4,400lb of scientific research and other cargo that splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico off the West Coast of Florida at 01:30 GMT this morning. This photo provided by NASA shows SpaceX's Dragon undocking from International Space Station on Tuesday, January 12, 2021 Previous SpaceX dragon cargo missions finished with a parachute assisted splashdown in the Pacific, but this new version of the spaceship is designed to land closer to the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This is where the space agency processes scientific experiments carried out on board the ISS - so its splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. SpaceX Dragon is designed to be a reusable spacecraft that can safely deliver Equipment and cargo to the ISS as well as return science experiments back to Earth. 'The upgraded cargo Dragon capsule used for this mission contains double the powered locker availability of previous capsules, allowing for a significant increase in the research that can be delivered back to scientists,' NASA said. 'Some scientists will get their research returned quickly, four to nine hours after splashdown.' This is the first time science experiments from the space station have been able to return via Florida since the Space Shuttle stopped operating in 2011. This image shows some of the cargo that was loaded onto the Dragon ship as it first headed to the ISS last year. It can hold more in cold storage than the original Dragon NASA astronaut Kate Rubins poses next to storage in the SpaceX CRS-9 cargo Dragon spacecraft in 2016. The new cargo spacecraft has more powered locker space, enabling additional cold stowage space To get back to the Earth, the experiments had to travel by capsule, helicopter, boat, plane, and car before making their way back to the researchers who designed them. 'I am excited to finally see science returning here again because we can get these time sensitive experiments into the lab faster than ever,' says Kennedy Space Center utilisation project manager Jennifer Wahlberg. 'Sending science up to space and then receiving it again on the runway was definitely something in the shuttle days that we really took pride in, and being able to rejoin that process is great.' As the spacecraft returns to Earth, the experiments start to experience the effects of gravity again, NASA explained in a blog post. There is quite a process involved in getting the experiments from the floating capsule back to universities, companies, and other institutions. NASA described the process, saying: 'After a SpaceX boat scoops the capsule out of the water, a waiting team pulls time-critical science out of the spacecraft and loads it onto a waiting helicopter. 'The helicopter will deliver this science to shore a few hours after splashdown. Any remaining scientific cargo will come back either in a second helicopter load or stay aboard the boat and be removed at the port.' The helicopter will land the experiments at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF), previously used for space shuttle return activities. Then a team will move most of the cargo to the Kennedy Space Center Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) by truck, where science teams will be waiting. 'We are going to have a parade of researchers ready at Kennedy Space Center waiting to receive samples,' said Kennedy's Research Integration Office utilisation flight lead Mary Walsh. The spaceship left the international space station on Tuesday and after some delays finally made splashdown of the Gulf of Mexico in the Atlantic Ocean this morning There is a lot involved in returning science experiments back to scientists, this includes shipping it via boat, helicopter and car Traditionally used to prepare experiments for launch to space, the SSPF is home to world-class laboratories that provide the tools and workspace to immediately take data and analyse samples, the space agency explained. 'The scientists will take a quick look to get initial results and then ship it back to their home bases,' says Wahlberg. 'The benefit of being able to observe the science earlier is the ability to negate any gravitational effects on the research after it has been in space.' From the hub at Kennedy Space Center, the science samples and experiments will head around the globe to California, Texas, Massachusetts, Japan, and more. The large amount of science returning to Earth on this mission is possible thanks to upgrades to the SpaceX cargo Dragon spacecraft, which has double the powered locker capability of the company's previous capsules. The Rodent Research Hardware System is one experiment returning to Earth - it includes three modules: (left) habitat, (center) transporter, and (right) animal access unit Another experiment saw a case of wine sent to the ISS to age in orbit over a year - it will be tasted in February and studied for changes in bubble content On return, it can support up to 12 powered lockers, enabling transport of more cold cargo and power for additional payloads. 'The old capsule was like a cream filled doughnut. You packed everything around the walls, and then in the middle we put a big giant stack of bags,' said Walsh. 'This upgraded cargo Dragon is more like a three-story house. You put stuff in the basement, then you pack that second story, then you go upstairs and pack the third story. So it's really different from a design perspective.' The next SpaceX Dragon cargo mission will be in May, and the crew Dragon capsule currently docked with the space station is due to return its four person crew in May. Before that another crew Dragon spaceship will launch in March to send another four astronauts up to the orbiting laboratory. The current flare of coronavirus in St. Tammany Parish has prompted two cities to halt in-person city council meetings and require appointments for people to come to government offices, a decision that Coroner Charles Preston said is warranted. The limits, reminiscent of the early days of the pandemic, were put in place by Covington last week and by Mandeville this week. Officials in both cities cited the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases, with daily new case counts in the triple digits for much of December and January. St. Tammany had a test positivity rate of 11.4% for the past seven days, the 13th highest among Louisiana's 64 parishes. The parish has seen the rate even higher, hovering around 15% to 17%, Preston said. Anything over 5% is considered cause for concern and, in Louisiana, triggers bar closings, for example. I feel this is in the best interest of our employees and residents," Mandeville Mayor Clay Madden said, adding that other municipalities and St. Tammany Parish government already had those restrictions in place. +2 Louisiana coronavirus: 1,754 more confirmed cases, 46 deaths reported Wednesday; see latest data The Louisiana Department of Health reported 1,754 more confirmed coronavirus cases and 46 more confirmed deaths in its noon update Wednesday. St. Tammany Parish government has been requiring people to make appointments to do business at its offices since the initial shutdown in March. But the Parish Council held its January meeting last week in person, and the Slidell City Council and St. Tammany School Board are still meeting in person. Preston said he's been concerned about the numbers for some time, but even more so now as the third wave, which he said was predicted, is happening. "In March and April, we were concerned about 15 to 20 new cases per day," he said. Now there are days with 200, even 300 new cases. On Thursday, for example, there were 255 new cases in St. Tammany according to data from the Louisiana Department of Health. Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up "This is post-holiday," Preston said. "When you look back, early December is when the numbers started to consistently be in the high hundreds." He called the third wave a perfect storm of holidays, people holding gatherings and what he called the very real COVID fatigue that is resulting in a falloff of preventive measures such as social distancing, masking and hand-washing. "It's time to go to virtual meetings," Preston said. "There's a lot of anxiousness to get back to normal, but we're not there yet." St. Tammany Health System had 58 COVID patients who were being treated at St. Tammany Parish Hospital on Wednesday, a number that spokeswoman Melissa Hodgson said is not the highest ever but is very high. "Our numbers continue to be higher than they were in the spring and summer peaks," she said. Slidell Memorial Hospital had 59 COVID patients on Wednesday. Spokesman Sam Caruso Jr. also described it as near the earlier peaks if not higher. The concern, he said, is the capacity of local hospitals to treat any and all people who need care. "Right now, they're awfully close to their limit," he said. Preston stressed the importance of continuing hand-washing, social distancing, avoiding crowds and wearing mask but also getting people to embrace the new vaccine. "This whole issue has been so tainted by misinformation and nonsense," Preston said. Armie Hammer has been publicly accused of raping and abusing a woman, with the Los Angeles Police Department confirming its investigating the actor as part of a probe into alleged sexual assault. The woman, identified as Effie, spoke out on Thursday during a press conference with her attorney Gloria Allred. In a statement to The Independent, Hammers attorney Andrew Brettler said that Effies own correspondence with Mr Hammer undermines and refutes her outrageous allegations. The allegation comes after the actors name was trending on Twitter earlier this year after direct messages allegedly sent by him surfaced, alluding to misconduct. The messages, which appeared to be sent from the actor's official Instagram account, describe graphic sexual fantasies, and included references to rape, violence and cannibalism. According to Page Six, the direct messages were leaked by anonymous social media account House of Effie. Read more: Amid the scandal, Hammer stepped back from his upcoming romantic comedy Shotgun, which also stars Jennifer Lopez. Hammer dismissed the claims, which he referred to as "bulls**t". In a statement at the time, the Call Me By Your Name star said: "In light of the vicious and spurious online attacks against me, cannot in good conscience now leave my children for four months to shoot a film in the Dominican Republic. Lionsgate is supporting me in this and Im grateful to them for that. Following the alleged leak, past interviews with the star have resurfaced, in which he discusses rough sex and his sex life with his wife, Elizabeth Chambers, whom he separated from in July. Here's what the actor has discussed publicly about his sex life. Hammer says he used to be a dominant lover In an interview with Playboy in 2013, Hammer said he was previously "dominant lover" before getting together with his wife Elizabeth Chambers. "I don't know how much we can put here without my parents being embarrassed, but I used to like to be a dominant lover," he said. "I liked the grabbing of the neck and the hair and all that. But then you get married and your sexual appetites change. And I mean that for the betterit's not like I'm suffering in any way. "But you can't really pull your wife's hair. It gets to a point where you say, 'I respect you too much to do these things that I kind of want to do.'" Days later, the 34-year-old told E! Online that he had been drunk during the interview. "Let's just say hindsight is 20/20," Hammer said. "Don't drink during an interview." Hammer claims a woman tried to stab him during sex Speaking to Elle magazine in 2013 while promoting his film The Lone Ranger, Hammer talked about his time on the LA party scene. "I'd grown up in a household of so much love and so much good, everything just felt wholesome. Once I was on my own, I was like, Let's see how hot this candle can burn," he said. Hammer said that for three or four years, he spent time partying, staying up for days and meeting girls he described as "bad, bad news". "One chick tried to stab me when we were having sex. I should so not be telling this story," he said. "She was like, 'True love leaves scars. You don't have any.' And then she tried to stab me with a butcher knife. Of course I promptly broke up with her... Seven months later." Hammer is spotted liking BDSM tweets The Rebecca actor liked a series of tweets in 2017 about ropes and bondage and didn't unlike them after this was reported on. Later in 2017, BuzzFeed News published a scathing account of Hammer's career, describing him as a "little bit of an asshole". Hammer called the article "bitter AF" on Twitter, and deleted his account a day later. The actor says Marquis de Sade would be his dream dinner guest Whilst it was not a public comment on his sex life or his own preferences, in November last year, Hammer was asked which historical person he'd most like to have dinner with during an interview with Netflix Brazil, while promoting Rebecca. The actor answered with Marquis de Sade, an 18th century philosopher who inspired the term sadist, offering no further comment on his choice. The finance boss at an Oxford Covid vaccine firm who drove 250 miles to his second home 'in search of better wi-fi' has been spoken to by police. Lee Warren, finance director at AstraZeneca vaccine manufacturer Cobra Biologics, travelled from his home in Stoke-on-Trent to Rothbury in Northumberland last Monday - the same day Boris Johnson announced a third national lockdown. He spent three nights at his second home before complaints from angry locals prompted police to arrive and order the family to return home. Both Staffordshire and Northumberland were in Tier 4 prior to the national lockdown - with Government guidance stating: 'You must not leave a Tier 4 area or stay overnight away from home.' Mr Warren, 37, was reported to police on January 7 and referred for a breach of coronavirus regulations, but police say 'no further action will be pursued'. Lee Warren, finance director at Covid vaccine manufacturer Cobra Biologics, was told to return home by police after travelling from Stoke-on-Trent to Rothbury in Northumberland in search of better broadband last Monday Soon after Mr Warren was asked to leave, a post appeared on Facebook in defence of his decision to travel. The post, which has since been deleted, claimed they had travelled to get better internet signal while working from home. It read: 'The family live some miles away but also have a home and relatives here. 'He is a key worker in production of the covid vaccine and now has to work from home during the pandemic. 'Their broadband strength is nothing short of appalling. Both Stoke-on-Trent and Rothbury were under Tier 4 measures when Mr Warren made the trip last Monday. Police received a report from angry neighbours on January 7 and he was asked to leave. 'As a result he is unable to carry out his work and video conferencing involved and nor can their child entertain online schooling, hence their journey.' The post also referred to the people who had reported Mr Warren as 'idiots' and received a backlash from the local community. One social media user replied: 'These idiots you talk about are looking out for their family and the community. 'God forbid they haven't brought anything into the village or your post is going to make you look like the idiot.' Another added: 'Poor broadband signal does not constitute breaking the law.' A spokesperson for Cobra Biologics said the firm did not wish to comment. Northumbria Police issued a statement which read: 'We can confirm we received a report of a possible breach of Coronavirus legislation regarding a family who had travelled to stay at an address in Rothbury. A Facebook post branded locals 'idiots' for reporting Mr Warren's journey. The 37-year-old is finance director at Cobra Biologics, which is responsible for manufacturing the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine (pictured) 'We visited the premises and spoke to the occupants and requested they return to their primary address, which they complied with. 'Those involved were reported for breaches of legislation, and as is our standard practice for all enforcement this was reviewed, where it was determined no further action would be pursued. 'We would urge everyone to follow the legislation and guidance which is in place to help protect us all from Covid-19.' Rohingya refugees aboard a Bangladesh Navy ship are relocated to a flood-prone island in the Bay of Bengal, Dec. 29, 2020. Updated at 7:16 p.m. ET on 2021-01-13 China-brokered talks between Bangladesh and Myanmar aimed at repatriating hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees are expected to resume next week after being stalled for a year, officials said Wednesday. Myanmar has not cooperated in ironing out related issues, but Bangladesh is hopeful some headway will made at the upcoming meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs A.K. Abdul Momen told journalists. We hope it will be a fruitful meeting, Momen said of the talks that will take place in Dhaka next week. He said that China had initially set the date for Jan. 9-10, but postponed it due to Foreign Minister Wang Yis visit to Myanmar on Monday and Tuesday. The last tripartite meeting on Rohingya repatriation was held in January last year. Since then there have been no meetings of the three nations representatives because of the COVID-19 pandemic and national elections in Myanmar on Nov. 8, Momen said. Most of the 1 million Rohingya who fled Myanmar live in 34 refugee camps in and around Coxs Bazar, including more than 740,000 who escaped a brutal crackdown in Rakhine state in 2017. In late 2017, Bangladesh and Myanmar officials agreed to begin repatriating Rohingya in early 2018. The countries had set two dates to begin the repatriation November 2018 and August 2019 but refugees were reluctant to return to what they said was a hostile environment in Rakhine. Bangladeshs foreign minister said Myanmar had been dragging its feet on the repatriation issue. For instance, Myanmar is very slow in verifying the names of the refugees, Momen said. Bangladesh has handed over a list of 840,000 Rohingya to Myanmar for verification. But Myanmar has verified only 42,000 people. They are very slow in this regard. Myanmar lacks sincerity, Momen said. He also said that when Myanmar had agreed to take back some refugees it was planning to split up families. Myanmar wants to take members of the same family to different places. That is why the complexity is increasing, Momen said. The foreign minister said that repatriation was the only solution to end the Rohingya crisis. There is no alternative to repatriation. We are doing our part of job but our neighbor is not cooperating with us, Momen said. Last month, the United States and United Nations praised Bangladesh for its generosity toward the Rohingya who were forced to flee their country. They said Myanmar needed to ensure that conditions there were safe for the refugees return. The United States calls again upon Burma to create the conditions conducive for Rohingya refugees voluntary, safe, and dignified return, Cale Brown, a U.S. State Department spokesman, said in a statement issued as the world marked Human Rights Day, on Dec. 10. He referred to Myanmar by its earlier name. Myanmar is the one that has to solve the Rohingya refugee crisis, said Tom Andrews, the U.N. special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. Make no mistake: the Rohingya crisis emanated from Myanmar and can only be solved in Myanmar, Andrews said in a statement also issued that day. Diplomatic momentum This time around, something concrete could emerge from the meeting because recent developments may spur China to pressure Myanmar on Rohingya repatriation, Delwar Hossain, a professor of international relations at Dhaka University, told BenarNews. Though there was no positive outcome from the meeting in the past, the current context needs to be looked at a little differently. Because, in the last few months, there has been a kind of diplomatic momentum on the issue, Hossain said. He said the Rohingya issue came up twice recently at a U.N. General Assembly committee tasked with discussing social, humanitarian affairs and human rights issues around the world. There were more than 130 votes against Myanmar. China, India and Japan also said they will try to resolve the issue by talking to Myanmar at the highest level, he said. At meetings in November, the committee approved a draft resolution on Myanmar, expressing grave concern at reports of serious rights violations by the military and security forces against the Rohingya. The draft resolution was passed with 131 countries voting in favor. The nine nations who voted against it included Myanmar and China. The resolution drew attention specifically to reports of rights violations in Myanmars Kachin, Rakhine, and the southern Chin and Shan states, leading to the forced displacement of more than 860,000 Rohingya and other minorities to Bangladesh. In response, Myanmars delegate called the draft intrusive in pushing his country to follow illegitimate demands. He said the resolutions sponsors were fanning the flames and conveniently ignore[d] coordinated attacks that Myanmar believes were perpetrated by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, a militant group. Nevertheless, the General Assembly committee in December adopted the draft resolution, titled The Situation of Human Rights of Rohingya Muslims and other Minorities in Myanmar, with China and Myanmar again voting against it. At that time, Myanmars representative said his country and the government had taken steps to address human rights issues. Dhaka Universitys Hossein said these developments, along with the interim verdict of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Myanmar in January 2020, again highlighted the plight of the Rohingya to the world. The U.N.s top court had in January ordered Myanmar to protect Rohingya Muslims from genocidal acts, with 17 judges unanimously supporting the imposition of measures on the country to refrain from destroying evidence of alleged crimes that could be used in future hearings. All these are positive. But we cannot keep confidence in Myanmar due to the character of the state or the behavior of its rulers. Greater international pressure needs to be exerted on Myanmar to begin repatriation, Hossein said. The involvement of China in the diplomatic process is a positive development, but Beijing continues to support the Myanmar regime. They voted for them at the U.N. a few days ago. Still, a Rohingya refugee in Coxs Bazar in Bangladesh told BenarNews that he was hopeful about the meeting. We hope China will play a positive role for Rohingya repatriation in the meeting and will stand by the refugees, Master Mohammad Ilias, president of Arakan National Union, an organization of Rohingya refugees, told BenarNews. Sunil Barua contributed to this report from Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh. India and Oman on Thursday reviewed the entire spectrum of their relationship and vowed to regain momentum in trade and investment linkages once normalcy returns after COVID-19. A meeting of the India-Oman Strategic Consultative Group (IOSCG) was held here physically with the Indian delegation led by Sanjay Bhattacharya, Secretary (CPV&OIA), Ministry of External Affairs, and the Omani delegation headed by Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali al-Harthy, Undersecretary for Diplomatic Affairs, Foreign Ministry. This was the first high-level official visit from Oman to India since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic. India assured assistance to Oman in its requirement for COVID-19 vaccines, the MEA said in a statement. India's drugs regulator has approved Oxford COVID-19 vaccine Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute, and indigenously developed Covaxin of Bharat Biotech for restricted emergency use in the country. Indian and Omani sides expressed satisfaction that despite the COVID-19 pandemic they have kept in close touch and sustained momentum in further consolidation of their strategic relationship, the MEA said. Secretary (CPV&OIA) thanked the Omani side for taking excellent care of the large Indian community in Oman during the pandemic, it said. The Omani side expressed appreciation that India had facilitated food and medical supplies to Oman during the pandemic. Both sides also expressed happiness that the air bubble arrangement between the two countries is functioning well. During the meeting, both sides reviewed the entire spectrum of India-Oman relationship including in political, energy, trade, investment, defence, security, space, mining, Science & Technology, culture and consular fields. It was agreed that the two sides will pursue various agreements and MOUs in these areas for a future-oriented relationship, the MEA said. They looked forward to trade and investment linkages regaining momentum once normalcy returns after COVID-19, it said. They also discussed intensifying cooperation in the areas of health and food security. The two sides also exchanged views on recent regional developments as well as global issues of mutual interest, the MEA said. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also received the Omani undersecretary on Thursday and conveyed congratulations to the Omani side on the first anniversary of the reign of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq. He reiterated the invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Sultan for a visit to India. He also looked forward to the continuous strengthening of India-Oman strategic partnership in various fields. Sheikh Khalifa will be paying a visit to Sushma Swaraj Institute for Foreign Service on Friday. Family doctors have been told to stop routine appointments and only help people facing medical emergencies during the vaccine rollout. Guidelines issued to GPs say most surgeries should pause non-urgent appointments such as health checks, routine blood tests and medication reviews. The guidance has been issued by the Royal College of GPs and the British Medical Association to help doctors to 'prioritise workload' during the pandemic. Urgent appointments such as suspected cancer must go ahead as usual with face-to-face appointments offered where necessary, it states. It comes as GP surgeries in London warned patients of the 'severe strain on health care in London' from coronavirus. Guidelines issued to GPs say most surgeries should pause non-urgent appointments such as health checks, routine blood tests and medication reviews (stock photo) Messages sent to patients in west London said the 'NHS has advised GPs to suspend all routine care, until further notice' and that surgeries 'are still open' but were prioritising urgent care and those with symptoms that may reflect a serious underlying medical condition. Experts warned this could lead to non-Covid patients becoming 'collateral damage' of the pandemic. Cancer charities have repeatedly said mass disruption to treatment could cost thousands of lives, while charity Versus Arthritis said millions of patients are being left in agony. The guidance, which was brought in for the vaccine rollout, said it was vital GPs 'remain open' to the public. But it suggests the additional pressures of Covid mean they have no choice but to postpone services. Doctors have been given a traffic light system to follow, which colour codes patient care from red to green in order of priority. The guidance has been issued by the Royal College of GPs and the British Medical Association to help doctors to 'prioritise workload' during the pandemic (stock photo) Those in areas with highest infection levels must continue with the most urgent appointments. Childhood vaccination, smear tests and treatment such as palliative care should all continue, whatever the infection level, it states. But doctors should stop offering health checks, designed to spot early signs of stroke, kidney disease, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes or dementia. Around 800 GP sites are now offering the coronavirus vaccine many giving out hundreds a day. Doctors' leaders say GPs are under 'immense pressure' to balance the demands of the vaccine drive while also providing non-Covid care. The latest figures from the Royal College of GPs show that in the nine weeks to the end of 2020, general practice delivered 2.5million more appointments than in the same period in 2019. But Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of the college said 'tough decisions' had to be made about what services need to be prioritised. An NHS spokesman said GPs are working hard to vaccinate patients, while 'providing appointments for those who need them'. They said those with 'concerns' should come forward for the care they need. Syracuse, N.Y. A Syracuse man charged in the riot inside the U.S. Capitol admitted to the FBI that he was inside building, calling the time he spent inside as a little adventure. Albert Ciarpelli, 65, also told FBI agents that he left the Capitol after about 15 minutes when he got the feeling that he should not be there and decided to leave. Ciarpelli was charged with two federal misdemeanors on Wednesday. Related: Read the 7-page federal complaint against Syracuse man arrested in D.C. riot Surveillance photos and news photos captured Ciarpelli in the riot. In a seven-page criminal complaint, the FBI included extensive details from an interview with Ciarpelli. Ciarpelli detailed his trip from Syracuse to the District of Columbia to attend the rally for President Donald Trump on Jan. 6, following a group of people to the Capitol after the rally and finding a small door to the right of the main entrance with its glass broken and deciding to go inside. Ciarpelli described his time in the Capitol as a student might describe a field trip. He told the FBI that he was sightseeing and took pictures throughout the building, including of a painting of President Andrew Jackson, whom Ciarpelli said he admires. Ciarpelli told the FBI that when looking back on the riot, he was out of his mind and had never done anything like that before. At least three photos show Ciarpelli inside the Capitol. Ciarpellis face is clearly visible, as he did not wear a mask or any other kind of face covering. One of the photos shows Ciarpelli and others pointing at and accosting what appears to be U.S. Capitol Police. This is one of three photographs in a federal complaint identifying Albert Ciarpelli, 65, of Syracuse inside the U.S. Capitol during the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021.Provided image Another photo shows Ciarpelli taking pictures feet away from Jacob Chansley or Jake Angeli, who calls himself the QAnon Shaman or Q Shaman. Syracuse resident Albert Ciarpelli (far left, with phone) during the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Ciarpelli told the FBI that Angeli, who was bare-chested and wearing face paint and an animal fur hat with horns, did not seem right, was getting rowdy, and seemed like he was trouble. The FBI were able to search a database and found that Ciarpellis 2014 black Nissan Frontier pickup truck was photographed heading south on Interstate 81 in Binghamton on Jan. 5 at 5:24 a.m., the day before the riot. The same vehicle was later photographed traveling north on I-81 in Binghamton at 11:07 a.m. on Jan. 7. The FBI also said it matched Ciarpellis drivers license photo with the photos of him inside the building. According to the criminal complaint, William Sullivan, Ciarpellis lawyer, contacted the FBI early in the day on Friday to say that Ciarpelli was in Washington and took part in the protests, but did not make entry into the Capitol. A syracuse.com | The Post-Standard reporter reached Ciarpelli by phone late Friday morning to ask about his presence at the Capitol riots. He acknowledged the question, but quickly hung up. Two minutes later, Sullivan called the syracuse.com | The Post-Standard reporter to say that Ciarpelli was at the protest, but offered no specifics and denied that his client did anything illegal. Each phone call lasted approximately one minute. Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard then sent Sullivan two images of Ciarpelli, taken inside the Capitol. According to the criminal complaint, Ciarpelli called his lawyer after one of Ciarpellis neighbors told him that a picture of him inside the Capitol was being displayed in the media. Sullivan then called the FBI back to say that Ciarpelli may have been inside the Capitol. One misdemeanor charge is knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail. The other charge accused him of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in jail. Ciarpelli told the FBI that on Oct. 28, he purchased round-trip flights for himself, his wife and another person to Washington from Jan. 19 to 22 for what he anticipated would be the inauguration of Trumps second term as a president. He said he recently canceled that trip for the inauguration, but hell be back in Washington soon anyway. Ciarpelli is due back to court in Washington on Jan. 25. Contact Jacob Pucci at jpucci@syracuse.com or find him on Twitter at @JacobPucci. The Dean of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC), Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso, has urged President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to consider having a lean government in his second term. He said having a lean government would cut down expenditure cost and force efficiency through hard work. Dr Antwi-Danso made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra. He said the previous Akufo-Addo Administration had about 110 ministers just because of the type of agenda they put in place to execute; saying they needed all those ministers in order to fulfil that agenda. However, upon the creation of the new 16 regions, additional regional ministers and their deputies were also appointed by the President in 2019. Cabinet Article 76 (1) of the 1992 Constitution stipulates: "There shall be a Cabinet, which shall consist of the President, the Vice-President and not less than 10 and not more than 19 Ministers of State." But Dr Antwi-Danso explained that although the constitution required there should not be more than 19 cabinet ministers, beyond that the President could appoint additional ministers (who were not cabinet members) depending on his (Presidents) agenda. He said it was always very difficult to advise the government on the number of ministers but a little twig at political science would show that the larger the number of ministers; the more government spending, the more there would be duplication of functions and the more there would be bureaucracy. "And so, always many intellectuals have advocated for a lean government; a lean government meaning having a small cabinet/a smaller number of ministers but that is the ideal," he said. Mergers Dr Antwi-Danso noted that ministries such as Railways could be merged with other ministries now to have one ministry for many of them. "Depending on the agenda of the government, I expect the next ministries to be smaller than we had in the previous government," he said. He suggested that the Ministry of Railways, the Ministry of Roads and Highways, and all those allied in infrastructure would be put into one ministry and called Ministry of Roads and Highways or Ministry of Infrastructure and added that it would only cause the minister and his deputy to work harder than maybe if they were split apart. Ministers Dr Antwi-Danso said the only thing which was debilitating by the constitution was that the President must appoint majority of his ministers from Parliament; adding that "and that is debilitating enough, he is a Parliamentarian, he is a minister and all kinds of things". "And so, maybe at times we have to spread it and that makes the ministries a little bit larger. But by and large we are learning from our experiences," he added. He recalled that then Presidential Candidate John Agyekum Kufuor castigated his predecessor for having a larger government of about 80 ministers, but when he came into office, he saw that he needed more, and subsequently apologised to the nation. He noted that depending on the agenda of President Akufo-Addo in his second term, Ghanaians would soon see the number of ministers he would be appointing; declaring that "but I am not expecting very large ministries this time". He maintained that a leaner government was ideal but where there was a pinpointed kind of necessity to create ministries for the execution of a certain agenda, then Ghanaians would have to allow the government to do that. 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 None of my years of cooking and eating veggie burgers, both at home and in restaurants, could have prepared me for the hulk I encountered at Malibus Burgers on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland. The restaurants Tasha Grande is Malibus take on the McDonalds Big Mac, though the sandwichs $18.50 price tag immediately flagged the difference between the two. Ms. Grande is a tower of two plant-based meat patties with pickles, lettuce and the works enclosed in a soft, sesame seed-studded bun. The sandwich oozes with vegan mayonnaise sauce and coconut oil-based American cheese; landing the initial bite is much like climbing a boulder. Its attributes suggested the ample greasiness of an animal-based product, even if no animals had anything to do with it. Soleil Ho / The Chronicle In a surprising twist, the future of food looked very much like the present. At this point, plant-based fast food is a scene unto itself in the Bay Area. Malibus is just one of a legion of places that have opened or expanded in the past few years. Places like Senor Sisig Vegano in San Francisco, Vegan Mob in Oakland and the Amys Drive Thru restaurants in the North Bay are prominent faces of vegan food here. Other spots like the Italian Baia in Hayes Valley and Lion Dance Cafe in Oakland also have meat-free cuisine baked into their concepts, while many older Asian restaurants, like Golden Era in San Franciscos Tenderloin and Nature Vegetarian in downtown Oakland, have been serving up meat-free cuisine for years. Of all those, though, one of the most popular and growing markets is the take on the all-American burger joint, like Malibus and Amys. Both have slightly different approaches to the concept. The former relies on tech-driven innovations in plant-based protein. The fast-food truck-turned-restaurant from Darren Preston, Natasha Fernandez-Perez and Wahid Brown is entirely vegan and utilizes plant-based meat from Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods. Its modeled after places like Los Angeles Montys Good Burger, which serves In-N-Out-style burgers and shakes (though, frankly, with much better fries than In-N-Out). Like Montys, Malibus is premised on the idea that not all vegan food needs to be health food. The nutritional facts of the core ingredient, Impossible meat, also bear this out: A 4-ounce patty may have no cholesterol, but it does provide more saturated fat and way more sodium than the average beef patty. Malibus Burgers Now popular among both vegan and non-vegan establishments, the ubiquity of the product (and its counterpart by Beyond Meat) means that theres often not much difference that one can discern from burger-to-burger, unlike house veggie burger blends or even custom meat blends. The standardization of plant-based burger meat, while making the vegan option more accessible to restaurants and chains, makes for a rather boring landscape. But from the get-go, Malibus has distinguished itself through its excesses. Theres joy in getting something like the Fieriesque Needy Meaty burger ($16), a bestial stack of slippery caramelized onions, vegan bacon, cheese and a piquant, jalapeno-and-vegan mayo lizard sauce. Like a sandbag in the face of a tsunami, the chewy pretzel bun can barely contain the pure, sloppy force of the sandwich. One can order at the counter for pickup. Often, Malibus will have intriguing specials and collaborations with other vegan businesses run by people of color on the menu, like ground beef-stuffed pastelillos made by Oaklands Casa Boriquena. The deep-fried and blistered turnovers crackle when you bite into them and feature the ideal treatment of plant-based ground meat: cooked down with plenty of onions, garlic, herbs and seasonings to add flavor and moisture. Jessica Christian / The Chronicle 2020 Amys Drive Thru has also introduced a meat-free take on an old fast-food model, meant to serve hard-working citizens, busy families and road-weary travelers. (What about us lazy citizens?) Yes, this is the same Amys that makes the burritos and Greek rice bowls in your grocers freezer. Its three locations along Highway 101 clearly indicate that the chain is poised to become a road-trip fixture, perhaps as ubiquitous as the golden arches that tower over countless gas stations around the country. Its first location opened in Rohnert Park in 2015, and the Corte Madera location opened five years later. Everything on the vegetarian menu is also available in vegan and/or gluten-free variations. If youve eaten any of the Amys Kitchen products available at many grocery stores, the menu will look very familiar. Eating those soups and burritos from a restaurant instead of the freezer is odd at first, like taking your first steps out of Platos allegorical cave and touching a real, live plant. The chunky tomato bisque ($4.29) doesnt have that distinct canny taste to it. Nor do the burritos feature the molten-hot filling and somewhat icy center that I had become accustomed to during college, though its still bland and spice-less. But like any other drive-through, the burgers are the bedrock of Amys. The Amy ($6.49) consists of two juicy vegetable patties covered with melted cheese, a sweet-and-spicy mayonnaise-based sauce, lettuce and other typical burger toppings on a squishy bun. Pickle slices add flashes of tang to your bite. Served in a cardboard clamshell printed with the Amys logo, this is a road burger through-and-through, leaving hardly any evidence of its existence on your lap (or your gut) as you eat in the car. A side of spot-on sweet potato fries ($3.79) is light, crunchy and not very salty: The texture feels junk foody, but its definitely a vegetable. Most impressive is the price point of the menu here, which doesnt seriously outpace that of the typical fast-food joint. Ive taken countless road trips, and I believe if there were more Amys Drive Thrus around, those drives would have been a little more tolerable. I wouldnt get the burrito again, but those burgers would be a welcome alternative to the fare at the dominant road food institutions. Excelling at mimicking American fast food is one way to reduce meat consumption among average Americans, though it can have its downsides. I couldnt finish any of the burgers I got from Malibus. Its not that the food tasted bad the drippy sauces and fillings were just so much to deal with. The caloric density of the meat, sauce and cheese was overwhelming. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. With roots in many cultures around the world, plant-based cuisine has numerous facets to it, but in the United States we keep coming back to the fast-food burger. Climate-change activists, vegans, halal foodies, fine dining chefs and nativists make it and remake it in their own images: This burger is all-American; this burger is what real men eat; this burger will advance luxury automated communism; this burger is the new face of conspicuous consumption. While neither espouse grand ideals about how their take on fast food will change the world, its all in the subtext. Malibus, a Black-owned business, is part of a growing group of restaurants and caterers in the Bay Area that speak directly to vegans of color, many of whom struggle to fit into Eurocentric vegan communities. Jessica Christian / The Chronicle 2020 And by adopting as banal a restaurant model as the American drive-through restaurant, Amys normalizes its brand of organic eating and vegetarianism, assimilating it into an interaction that most of us associate with commodity beef and chicken. The solar panels on the roof express hope that fast-food restaurants could play a part in fighting climate change, though one could easily argue that embracing car culture as an integral part of its model is a significant step back from meaningfully reducing greenhouse gases. The idea that vegan fast food is a realistic way to meet American diners where theyre at will likely continue to resonate with restaurateurs hoping to make plant-based food more commonplace in this country. So what are the contenders at Malibus Burgers and Amys Drive Thru trying to say? Perhaps theyre insisting that the desire for junk food is universal which is as American a sentiment as you can get. Malibus Burgers. 2-8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday -Saturday; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday. 3905 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. Amys Drive Thru. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 5839 Paradise Drive, Corte Madera. Correction: A previous version of the story misattributed a food item. Annie's Homegrown makes bunny crackers, not Amys Kitchen. Soleil Ho is The San Francisco Chronicles restaurant critic. Email: soleil@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hooleil Closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High 'impacts our entire town' The Washington County Board of Education held a public hearing on the closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High School; the crowd pleaded against it. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / January 14, 2021 / Gratomic Inc. ("Gratomic" or the "Company") (TSXV:GRAT)(FRANKFURT:CB82)(WKN:A143MR)(OTCQB:CBULF) is pleased to announce that it has completed the settling reservoir on the mine site and has begun the commissioning process on the settling and water filtration tanks. The Company is thrilled to report that it remains on target for its planned commissioning in March of 2021. Gratomic has mobilized a crane through local company, Coleman Transport, located in Rosh Pinah, Namibia. Coleman Transport will assist the team with the placement of the custom engineered plant equipment to allow for final assembly. The custom equipment arrived on site in October as per the Press Release dated October 15th, 2020. The Aukam team will begin commissioning the crushing and grinding circuit the third week of January. Steel Frames and Structures are expected to be installed by the 25th of January. The Company welcomes Andre Bennet and Theodoris Stephanus to the Aukam team. Andre Bennet will arrive at the site Jan 25 as the site's Lead Mechanic and Maintenance Supervisor. Prior to accepting the position with Gratomic Inc., Andre Bennet was the Maintenance Manager for Imerys Graphite and Carbon. He was responsible for plant commissioning, enforcement of safety protocols, plant maintenance, inspections, permitting, certifications, meeting OEM product specifications, and liaising with the Engineering team on a daily basis. Andre was responsible for the control of all permits to work including, hot work permits, working at heights, scaffolding, confined spaces, risk assessments, lockout procedures, lifting permits and plans. His vast experience also includes the role of Maintenance Manager at Gecko Namibia, time spent as a Certified Engineering Superintendent, Proprietor and operator of A.F. Bennet Engineering, and Plant Manager for African Portland Cement, to list a few of his many accomplishments. Theodoris Stephanus will be responsible for the Electric Design and Installation for the final plant assembly phase. Theo's vast experience includes 14 additional Certifications in various areas including Risk Assessment, Snakes and Hazards, Heights, Confined Spaces, Lifting and Rigging, Moving Machinery and others. His background consists of work with various plant components including conveyors, crushers, pumps, raw material handling, compressors, lifts and various elements of the construction process. Mr. Stephanus has held various important roles including Electrical Engineer for Hernic Ferrochrome Pty Ltd -Shaft Maroelabult, where he was responsible for the maintenance of electrical and reticulation systems, problem solving and troubleshooting electrical equipment and reticulation systems, arranging shift coverage with electricians, supervise during shutdowns, and planning of new projects. *Above image: Depicts Aukam Team Member sealing the processing plant settling reservoir. The team will proceed with commissioning of the remaining equipment in the coming month and is on track for its March commissioning as planned. Assembly is strategically planned for each unit, or section of the plant, in order to maintain our strict timelines. Contingency plans are in place to account for any, and prevent any, potential delays. "We are thrilled to have assembled such a fantastic team of people, here at Gratomic, and I am personally grateful for our team members for their hard work and dedication to the Company and the Aukam Graphite Project. We are also grateful to our valued shareholders for their continued support and belief in our vision for Gratomic, we wouldn't be where we are today, only weeks away from commissioning, without their support." stated Arno Brand, President and CEO. "These are challenging and exciting times for Gratomic's Aukam teams, as work of different disciplines such as steel structure, hydraulic, electric and masonry will be done simultaneously and need to come together smoothly. The competences in our team are the best we could ask for to make that happen", stated Armando Farhate, COO & Head of Graphite Marketing and Sales. About Gratomic Inc. Established in 2014, Gratomic is focused on the proposed production of low-cost mine to market carbon-neutral, eco-friendly, high purity vein graphite to be provided to the EV and Energy Storage supply chains. Gratomic is anticipating full operational capabilities in 2021. Gratomic is in the process of solidifying its plans for micronization and spheronization of its clean Aukam graphite. This significant milestone is a small, additional step in the Company's proposed eco-friendly processing cycle and is intended to allow it to meet ideal North American battery grade standards for use in Li-ion battery anodes. The Company plans to deliver mine-to-market traceability and guaranteed quality control. This will be accomplished by providing documented tracking on all graphite generated at its flagship Aukam Graphite Project. The tracking will begin at Aukam and will be verified at every stage during transport. Two off-take purchase agreements are currently held for lump-vein graphite sourced from Gratomic's Aukam Graphite Project in Namibia, Africa. Fulfillment of the contracts is anticipated to begin in Q1 of 2021. The agreements exist with TODAQ and Phu Sumika. TODAQ is an innovative deeptech company that can containerize assets, transactions & markets, and will partner with Gratomic on its mine-to-market commodity tracking and trading. Containerized assets are verifiably unique, keep an immutable record of who has owned them, have embedded smart logic, can be transferred P2P, and are interoperable with any system. Asset owners enjoy stronger ownership control, value retention when trading, and ability to prove authenticity in seconds. Phu Sumika is a large global graphite supplier to battery and lubrication companies. Gratomic Inc. is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol GRAT, on the OTCQB under the symbol CBULF and on the Frankfurt Exchange under the symbol CB82. For more information: visit the website at www.gratomic.ca or contact: Arno Brand at abrand@gratomic.ca or 416 561-4095 Subscribe to the link below to be added to our mailing list and receive news and updates directly to your inbox https://gratomic.ca/contact/ "Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release." Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com). SOURCE: Gratomic Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/624355/Gratomic-Announces-Update-on-Construction-at-Aukam-Graphite-Project Police responded to a call at Goodwill, 4850 Hwy. 58. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the store manager who wanted to file a shoplifting report. The manager said a white man and white woman entered the store together and stolen several items from the business. The manager said he could not provide specific items or a total cost of what was stolen. The manager said the man was wearing a gray hat, white shirt, blue jeans and brown boots, and the woman was wearing a black Champion T-shirt with blue jeans.The manager said the couple exited the store and the man entered a small black sedan and drove off. The manager said the man left the woman behind, but she began walking in the direction of Jersey Pike.* * *Police observed a suspicious vehicle parked in the closed park on Harrison Pike at Water Haven Drive. Officers made contact with a man who was sitting in the front seat without any pants on. The officer ran the man though NCIC and found he had a valid drivers license. The officer told the man that he cannot be in the park after dark. The man said he was going to his friend's house.* * *Police responded to suspicious activity at Patten Towers, 1 E. 11th St. Upon arrival, officers made contact with a man who works as front desk security for this location. The security officer said hewas getting on the elevator when he observed a black man zipping up his pants. The security officer said he believed the man was urinating in the elevator prior to his arrival. The security officer told the man he was going to notify the police, at which point the man fled the location. The security officer said the man was banned from this location, however he did not know the man's name or age. The security officer said the man was wearing heavy clothing and carrying backpacks. Officers patrolled the location, but were unable to locate anyone matching the physical description the security manager gave.* * *Police were dispatched to the Citgo, 1910 Market St. Police made contact with a vehicle driver who said he was avoiding striking another vehicle when he backed his semi trailer into the ice machine sitting on the sidewalk, damaging the machine. Police spoke to the store owner who said he would have to contact Tennessee Valley Ice company to come look at the machine to know the extent of the damage. Police provided the manager with the report number, which includes the vehicle's insurance information.* * *Police were called to the Mapco, 6206 Lee Hwy. Officers approached an established camp beside the business and were met by two men and a woman who informed officers that they did not have consent from the property owner to make camp at that location. Officers informed the trio that the owner of the property did not want them staying on his property and that they were to gather their things and exit the property. Officers informed the individuals to not return to the property in the future or they would be arrested for criminal trespass.* * *Police responded to a vandalism call at Suntrust, 8171 E. Brainerd Road. Upon arrival, officers spoke with the operations officer at Suntrust. The man said there was damage to the side window of the bank. Police observed the side window of the bank broken. The broken glass was only the outside pane of the glass and did not go into the inside of the bank, so no alarm was ever recorded. No suspect information is known at this time. The man said they would watch video and get back with police if anything was seen.* * *Police responded to a shoplifting at Home Depot, 7421 Commons Blvd. Upon arrival, officers spoke to a loss prevention officer. The officer said that a white man with a thin build stole a RIGID Power drill, power grinder, and Impact driver. He said the shoplifter passed the point of sale and ran west towards Shallowford Road. He said the power drill and impact driver were valued at $140 each and the power grinder was valued at $120. The LP officer said the shoplifter wore a dark-colored "Adidas" T-shirt and had blonde "scruffy" hair.* * *Police responded to a delayed theft from motor vehicle call at 55 Highway 153. Upon arrival, police spoke with a man who said that someone had busted the window of his vehicle and stole some of his tools that were in the back seat. The man said that over the weekend he had to leave his vehicle parked on Highway 153 because it had broken down.* * *Police were called to 6862 Robin Dr. regarding a suspicious package call and made contact with a woman who told police that there were two strange packages "taped to the road" with flashing red lights inside of freezer bags. Officers with the Bomb Squad arrived on scene and determined through info channel that these devices did not belong to Public Works or Traffic Division. It was then determined that the packages were MH Corbin Traffic analyzers. One of the analyzers remained fastened to the roadway. The other unit was taken to property, because it could not be secured to the roadway. In September 2019, when the academic year began, it took off smoothly albeit challenges with the placement of first year students under the Computerised School Selections and Placement System (CSSPS). All went well in the country until March 11, 2020, when Ghana recorded the first case of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; the academic year was never to be, as government on March 15, 2020 ordered the closure of all educational institutions in the country in line with measures to contain the pandemic. Closure of schools Initially, the closure did not include final year students of the senior and junior high schools but following appeals by civil society organisations, teacher unions and parents over the safety of the students and staff of the schools, the management of the countrys education finally ordered the final year students to also go home. The closure marked a new chapter in the history of the educational sector in the country, where management of education had to adopt new ways to ensure that the schoolchildren were still in learning mode. Since then, it has been 10 months when the academic calendar was interrupted and thrown out of gear, while students were sent home. Distance learning Upon the directive by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Ministry of Education was tasked to roll out online programmes and distance learning in collaboration with the Ministry of Communications for the purposes of learning by students from upper primary up to the university level. Consequently, a team was constituted comprising the Ministry of Education, the National Council for Tertiary Education, the University of Ghana the, University of Education, Winneba, the Ghana Education Service, the Centre for National Distance Learning and Open Schooling, the Ghana Library Authority and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment to come up with the solutions in the short, medium and long terms. The team was also tasked to bring out solutions, as well as conceptualise effective and feasible solutions for the short, medium and long terms. They were to explore and ensure its appropriate content and resources for both pre-tertiary and tertiary institution and that explained the need to be guided and guard what was broadcast to Ghanaian students. The virtual classes christened the Ghana Learning TV eventually started on April 3, 2020 with the senior high schools (SHSs) and later extended to the junior high school (JHS) students and upper primary pupils and on June 15, 2020, the Ministry of Education with the generous support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) launched the radio version. Dubbed the Ghana Learning Radio Reading Programme, the programme, which caters for school pupils between Basic One and Basic Three, aimed at teaching children how to read while at home. So far, all the 11 GES-approved Ghanaian language (Asante Twi, Akuapem Twi, Dagaare, Dagbani, Dangme, Ewe, Fante, Ga, Gonja, Kasem, Nzema) radio lessons are now airing mainly on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Gradual reopening Then as part of the gradual easing of the restrictions, the President directed all final year university students to resume lectures on June 15, 2020, while final year SHS students and second year students under the Gold Track resumed classes on June 22. JHS final year students also reported to school on June 29, 2020. Prior to the reopening, all schools, both public and private, were disinfected to make the school environment more convenient for congenial teaching and learning. This was to enable the final year students to write their terminal examinations, while the gold track students completed their first semester. The SHS final year students, who were the first batch of the governments Free SHS products, wrote their examinations between July 20, 2020 and September 5, 2020, while the JHS final years wrote theirs from September 14 to 18, 2020. The WASSCE was released on November 13, 2020, while the BECE was released on December 18, 2020. As part of the protocols, all educational activities such as sporting activities, social events and other academic activities had been banned. Since the lockdown, the educational system in the country had never been same with most institutions, especially the tertiary ones resorting to a blend of face-to-face and online academic work. New laws During the year under review, a number of the Bills developed by the Ministry of Education since 2017 were passed into law by Parliament. These included four of them covering the establishment of four public universities while the rest are the Education Regulatory Bodies' Act, the Ghana Library Service Act and the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana Act. The four new public universities established by the Act of Parliament are the S. D. Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies Act 2019, Act 1001, the C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Science, Navrongo Act 2019, Act 1000, the Akenten Appiah-Menkah University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development Act, 2019 Act 1026, and the Ghana Communication Technology University Act, 2020 Act 1022. 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 1. Yes. The public must have assurances that ethical standards are met by everyone. 2. Yes. As long as an independent board hears the grievances, its a worthwhile idea. 3. No. The concept is too broad. It should be limited to the citys elected officials. 4. No. There are plenty of stipulations in place already. An ordinance is a waste of time. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say without seeing how it would be structured and applied. Vote View Results Big Tech company Twitter cried foul after Ugandan internet providers shut down social media prior to elections in the said country, reports say. "Ahead of the Ugandan election, we're hearing reports that Internet service providers are being ordered to block social media and messaging apps. We strongly condemn internet shutdowns - they are hugely harmful, violate basic human rights and the principles of the #OpenInternet," Twitter said in its Public Policy account, the Gateway Pundit reported. "Earlier this week, in close coordination with our peers, we suspended a number of accounts targeting the election in Uganda," Twitter added. "If we can attribute any of this activity to state-backed actors, we will disclose to our archive of information operations." The post is linked to their "Information Operations - Twitter Transparency Center", which provides "insights into attempts to manipulate Twitter by state-backed entities". The Gateway Pundit said Twitter "openly condemned" such an act "for alleged censorship on its own platform" considering that the social media giant just "banned the President of the United States and removed or censored his top followers." "These people really are clueless," the Gateway Pundit remarked on the news item presenting a picture of Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey during the Ferguson riots in St. Louis. The Gateway Pundit said Dorsey was one of those who "burned down the business district a second time" and sarcastically said, "Promoting violence was OK back in 2014." Breitbart, on the other hand, reported the irony in Twitter's standing up for free speech and open internet considering that it "continues to suspend and expel tens of thousands of Trump supporters" and even went to the extent of kicking off its "main competitor, Parler" from "Amazon's servers" citing a tweet they said on it. "Access to information and freedom of expression, including the public conversation on Twitter, is never more important than during democratic processes, particularly elections," Twitter proclaimed. In contrast, Breitbart also cited what Twitter did to a New York Post story that exposes the emails of Hunter Biden on his father, former Vice President Joseph Biden, meeting with a business associate from Burma, who is a renowned "corrupt Ukranian energy company"; as well as, on the Biden family's "attempt to start a joint venture with a Chinese company, in which Joe Biden--the 'big guy'--was to have received a 10% stake"; which were all censored by Twitter in its platform. The Blaze, in a similar vein, cited many government officials as far as Germany and France and other individuals who condemned Twitter for its permanent ban on President Donald Trump in its platform amidst contesting what Uganda did to them in line with their elections. Among those The Blaze named as against Twitter's inconsistent actions were German Chancellor Angela Merkel, France Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, former South Carolina Governor and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, and Indian-American Filmaker and far-right political commentator Dinesh Joseph D'Souza. "The chancellor sees the complete closing down of the account of an elected president as problematic, can be interfered with, but by law and within the framework defined by the legislature--not according to a corporate decision," Merkel said through Steffen Seibert, her chief spokesman, during a news conference regularly held in Berlin that was reported by Fortune. While the Post Millenial Editor-At-Large Andy Ngo retweeted a New York Post Cover article, "Won't Censor, Big Tech's purge of 'hate' and Parler' Pure Hypocrisy: Marcus", as he announced, "BLM and Antifa openly organizing riots on the platform is something that doesn't get censored." At the moment, hosting providers like us do not actively police the content we host. It would be impractical for us to do so. We rely on reports from third parties. But in recent years, the internet infrastructure industry has been sucked into more and more debates around content and what should be online and who should have access to it. In an ideal world, the website or service operators would self-police and handle content moderation properly. Unfortunately, as weve seen, there are some actors who either take an extreme view of freedom of speech or simply do not care. This means that calls to get content removed or blocked end up being directed further down the line to the hosting providers, domain name registrars, domain name registries and other parts of the 'infrastructure stack'. That trend will continue and theres very little that anyone can do to stop it. Providers are free to make their own decisions, but I think we will see more calls to protect speech from civil society on the one hand and to swiftly take action on extremist content from government and law enforcement on the other. Its not ideal as we dont have a scalpel. We only have sledgehammers. As the DNS provider for a site or service, I cant remove an offending image or video. I can only pull the plug on the entire site or service. If we host a site we might be able to block access to certain images or other content, but more often than not our only option is to pull the plug on the entire site. Read More This is a problem, as it means that instead of blocking or removing only the offending content it becomes all or nothing. When Cloudflare pulled the plug on Daily Stormer back in August 2017 many of us in industry agreed that it was the right thing to do. However some of us were decidedly uncomfortable with how Matthew Prince explained the rationale behind that decision. It wasnt that Daily Stormer had gone too far, but that Matthew made an emotional decision. That is far from ideal. When someone signs up with ourselves or one of our competitors they need to feel confident that we arent going to knock them offline on a whim. Providers are private companies so they can choose who they do business with. We all have terms of service which set out what we will or wont allow people to do with the services we provide. As businesses we are conscious about our reputations, but we need to balance both protecting our clients speech with societal norms. However, it does open up discussions around censorship and restrictions on free speech. Industry leaders have been discussing their respective roles in dealing with these issues over the last few years and, as youd expect, there are a wide range of views. However, a group of us came together to formulate the DNS Abuse Framework which lays out when we will act without court orders or other firm legal obligations. We agree that certain types of content are universally unwelcome so we will take action against things like child sexual abuse material (sometimes referred to as 'child porn'), malware or where there is a clear threat of imminent harm. When it comes to other types of content, however, its not as simple. We have clauses in our terms of service that focus specifically on 'hate' sites. But many, even bodies such as Ireland's Law Society, debate how that should be defined. Theres a line of some kind that exists which separates content that I personally dont like and content that oversteps the line. But where is that line? Michele Neylon is the CEO and owner of Blacknight Solutions, one of Irelands largest domain registration and web hosting companies. Facilitating goods train movement upto Durgapur, Baroud and Chhaal mines of SECL Ircon International achieved yet another milestone by opening the 30 KM section between Korichhapar to Dharamjaigarh within the targeted date i.e., 31 December 2020. A Trial run was carried on 31 December 2020. The cost of this line is approximately Rs 325 crores and the work is executed by Ircon International under an SPV named Chhattisgarh East Railway. SECL, IRCON and Chhattisgarh Government are shareholders for the Chhattisgarh East Railway. A section of 44Km length between Kharsia to Korichhaparis already made operational by IRCON in October 2019. Now, with the completion of Korichhapar-Dharamjaigarh, the complete section of 74 Km between Kharsia- Dharamjaigar his functional. Commencement of this section will help in evacuation of coal from North Chhattisgarh Area thereby helping in developing the entire nation. This 74 Km is the first stretch being commissioned under the PPP model. Following this development, the Goods train can reach upto Durgapur, Baroud and Chhaal mines of SECL, consequently enhancing the earning of SECR and SECL Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New York, Jan 14 : Less than 24 hours ago, when Donald John Trump became the first President in the 244-year history of the United States to have been impeached twice, it was a historic rebuke. On January 13, 2021, Trump was charged with "incitement of insurrection" over the deadly siege of the US Capitol a week ago as his presidency hurtles towards a stunning collapse. It was the most bipartisan presidential impeachment in modern times, even more than against Bill Clinton in 1998. We break it down to three standout themes. Final tally: 232-197:Only 10 out of 211 Republicans voted to impeach Trump. At one level, it shows the sway Trump still extends, it also tells us the dam broke. When Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, the most unsentimental Republican in the chamber, said he was "pleased" with the impeachment article, the ground beneath Trump opened. What seemed impossible a year ago seemed within reach - that enough Republican senators might defy Trump and vote to remove him during a trial. Those Republicans who voted to impeach in the House included political heavyweights including Wyoming Republican Liz Cheney, whose father Dick Cheney served as vice president under George W. Bush. "There has never been a greater betrayal by a president of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution," said Cheney. The final 232-197 tally was a stark departure from Trump's first impeachment which played out along partisan lines. Action now shifts to the Senate but not immediately. McConnell, who has tolerated a lot of Trump tantrums over the last four years to get the political deliverables he wanted, is said to be fed up with Trump and keen to sideline him. If he votes to convict in the Senate trial, the possibility of a required two thirds majority to convict Trump becomes more real than at any other time. The trial won't happen until Trump is already out of office, but the outcome could still prevent him from running for president again. Trump, unplugged: Another first. For the first time in the last four years, Trump's thumb could do nothing but zap the TV remote while he was getting impeached, barely a mile away. With his Twitter megaphone banned, Trump sat in his private dining room and stewed as history unfolded on the world's screens. An American President who kept ranting about content moderation got deplatformed and this marked a transformational moment for the relationship between the tech industry, the digital public square and reactive public policy which is what we've seen so far from online platforms. When Trump showed up on a video many hours after the vote, it was muted, teleprompter fare,Ageared to deflect from legal exposure for inciting a mob to storm the US Capitol on 6 January. Before that siege, Trump's legal peril centered around cases in New York. Now, in just one week, Trump has escalated his dangers to a whole new level. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has already opened 170 cases and warned of hundreds more. They did not mention Trump but they did say that they are poring over 100,000 pieces of digital media to tie all the pieces together. Chilling stuff. Soldiers everywhere:Finally, the visual elements of the second House impeachment vote against Trump were inescapable metaphors for the Trump era. Hundreds of National Guard members slept on the vast marble floors of the US Capitol, where awed visitors once roamed. Seven feet tall wire mesh fencing has been erected almost overnight across the Capitol grounds, the whole place has the look of an urban war scene, reminding us all how we got here. Trump has constantly pinned his appeal on shows of military strength, the construction of a "big, beautiful walla and urged his generals to "dominate the streets", tear gassed peaceful crowds outside his home and wrapped the White House grounds with extra fencing. "Fight like hell", he told his extremist base, saying that they would otherwise lose their country. One week later, five people are dead because of that pro-Trump mob and hundreds of law enforcement officers are in Trump's backyard to protect Americans from Trump-incited violence. Trump is watching the show on TV, seething. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text T he entire National Mall in Washington will be closed to the public for Joe Bidens inauguration amid fears of a repeat of last weeks deadly Capitol riot, according to reports. The area will only be accessible to security personnel and the media, sources told the Washington Post and NBC News. More than 20,000 National Guard, local and federal officials had already established a downtown security zone to protect president-elect Bidens swearing on January 20 from a pro-Donald Trump mobs Five people died including a Capitol police officer after violence erupted on January 6 following Mr Trumps repeated baseless claims about widespread voter fraud in the election he lost to Democrat Biden. Members of US Capitol Police try to fend off a mob of Trump supporters during the mayhem at the Capitol / REUTERS The move is significant because the Mall has been the traditional site where the general public gather to view Inauguration Day in person and on large screens. According to two people familiar with the matter who spoke to the Post on condition of anonymity, the extraordinary closure is the latest in a series of security measures to harden the city. One of the officials said: That means no one will be able to get into the Mall. I would think about it as if you are going to watch, you are not going to be able to see anything. You would maybe be able to see the top of the Capitol. Joe Biden said the violence at the US Capitol was not a protest, its an insurrection" / AP Washington officials have warned the public to stay away in the week leading up to the inauguration as right-wing groups plan armed protests and threats of violence have surfaced on social media. Thirteen rail stations will close within the downtown security perimeter and bus routes diverted. Airbnb also announced it would cancel and block reservations in the city leading up to inauguration. Mr Trump became the first US president impeached for a historic second time by the House of Representatives, charged with incitement of insurrection over the mob siege in a swift and stunning collapse of his final days in office. The House voted 232-197 on Wednesday to impeach Mr Trump just one week after violent loyalists stormed the Capitol, egged on by the presidents calls for them to fight like hell against the election results. Ten Republicans joined Democrats who said Mr Trump needed to be held accountable and warned ominously of a clear and present danger if Congress should leave him unchecked. DETROIT A suspect is accused of breaking into a Detroit home, demanding a womans guns and car keys, stealing her vehicle and then crashing into a utility pole while attempting to evade police, WDIV Local 4 reports. The male suspect sustained minor injuries during the crash, according to a news release from Michigan State Police Metro Detroit. Police deployed a Taser in order to arrest him. Detroit Police responded to the home invasion, kidnapping and stolen vehicle incident, and later called MSP for assistance around 8:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 13. The stolen vehicle was tracked using its OnStar equipment, police said. Police caught up with the suspect in the area of 11 Mile and Dequindre roads in Warren. A state trooper attempted to conduct a traffic stop but the suspect fled, initiating a short chase, which ended when the suspect crashed into a utility pole in the area of 11 Mile and Parkview Boulevard. Detroit Police took the suspect into custody after deploying a Taser, police said. The suspect sustained minor injuries. No officers or troopers were injured. The incident remains under investigation by the Detroit Police Department. READ MORE: U.P. road worker dead after driver didnt stop for work zone Michigan prosecutor will look the other way when it comes to certain kinds of prostitution Former Gov. Snyder, 8 others criminally charged, accused of trampling trust of Flint people Police ID suspect wanted for injuring state trooper by ramming him off the road Firefighters rescue dog from icy river in Northern Michigan DNR offers accelerated conservation officer training academy for first time This year has pushed us hard to deliver on our mission to empower software and fintech companies to accept payments in every way, and with the guidance of our experienced senior leadership team, weve been able to do just that," said Vijay Sondhi, CEO of NMI. NMI, a leading payments enablement technology company, today announced another year of major successes for 2020, as demonstrated by record business performance, key partnership wins, a multitude of product enhancements and a growing senior leadership team, as well as its plans to continue growth in 2021. 2020 has tested the flexibility of businesses around the world and were proud of the flexibility that NMI has proven throughout it, said Vijay Sondhi, CEO of NMI. This year has pushed us hard to deliver on our mission to empower software and fintech companies to accept payments in every way, and with the guidance of our experienced senior leadership team, weve been able to do just that. Exceptional Business Performance As consumers turned to contactless, mobile and online payments to facilitate nearly all of their transactions in 2020, NMI was uniquely positioned to help its customers innovate on their existing payment offerings as well as integrate new offerings to meet rising demands. By the end of 2020, NMIs platform enabled nearly 1,500 ISO and software vendor partners, and over 150,000 merchants resulting in more than 1.2 Billion transactions. Key Partnerships NMIs ecosystem expanded in 2020 to power payments for diverse new partners including: Instant Systems: A developer of unattended retail payment solutions in Europe and the US, partnered with NMI to process payments using QR codes and vend items at kiosks, creating a similar experience to Amazon Go and launched its solution during the pandemic. BCycle: A bicycle sharing company based in the US and operating across 47 major cities. Through its partnership with NMI, BCycle has launched 20 new locations over the past year, with more looking to be launched in 2021. Bleuco: An ISV specialized in the restaurant vertical and focused on providing touchless payments using a phone or mobile devices, chose NMI as its primary payment gateway partner for a 350 location restaurant chain. Staqq: An ecommerce solution provider currently operating in the US has partnered with NMI as it looks to expand into the UK and Europe. iStream: A financial services company that facilitates payments, enables integrations and manages data while delivering treasury management solutions has partnered with NMI to reduce the complexities associated with payments and processing. Product Innovation through a Pandemic COVID-19 accelerated the race for merchants to deliver safe and convenient payment experiences and forced many to overhaul their payment device strategies. According to NMIs recent data, nearly 30% of consumers feel uncomfortable using cash to make purchases during the pandemic and 43% actively avoid shopping with retailers that dont offer contactless payments. Through a series of product launches and enhancements in 2020, NMI streamlined contactless and ecommerce payments to address these evolving shopping preferences and help businesses of all sizes stay afloat amid the pandemic. Ecommerce payment offerings: NMI developed a variety of solutions, including, Collect.js and Collect Checkout, to enable businesses to quickly and easily accept payments online. The offerings can be integrated into everything from a simple website to a complex modern web app. They can even generate payment links, including QR codes that can be shared on social posts or via text messaging. Contactless payments: NMI accelerated its support for new payment terminals that enable contactless payments, both mobile and card, to ensure those who build on NMIs software can offer this safe, sanitary payment option to consumers re-entering stores following the COVID-19 shutdowns. ChipDNA Cloud: In October, NMI announced the launch of ChipDNA Cloud which allows partners to integrate payment processing into their software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution quickly and easily, enabling acceptance of contactless and chip-based credit card payments instantly via cloud based POS. Automatic Card Updater: This offering ensures that businesses that offer subscriptions never miss a payment due to an expired card. In light of the pandemic, NMI added additional functionality that allowed businesses to pause subscriptions for consumers facing hardships. Unattended solution offerings: We expanded our unattended device offerings in the US to better enable the parking, vending, ticketing and transit industries. NMIs data confirmed that these product additions and updates allowed merchants to enable more payments revealing a 342% increase in US contactless payment transactions from cards and NFC devices and a 289% increase in transactions with its online checkout solution. Corporate Momentum NMIs business performance and product innovation were driven by its growing team, which reached more than 200 employees in 2020, including a list of executive hires dedicated to delivering more value and better solutions to clients. The appointment of industry veteran Kyle Pexton from Chief Financial Officer to President allows the company to double down on scaling the companys commercial and business development efforts, as well as drive the companys organic and inorganic growth. The appointment of Leo Castro as Chief Marketing Officer brings more than 20 years of fintech and partner marketing experience to NMI, helping to build out its marketing profile and exceed its aggressive growth goals. The appointment of Jagdeep Sohota as Vice President of Strategic Alliances will bring new alliances and expansion of existing NMI relationships with existing ecosystem partners and commerce marketplaces to drive growth. The appointment of Kim Norwesh as Chief People Officer will further cultivate NMIs culture and evolve its people processes in support of the companys continued sales, solution and customer growth. I am proud of what our team accomplished together this year despite market disruptions across every industry. Weve helped new companies innovate their payment experiences and pivot amid the pandemic through our enhanced and new product offerings and relationships with key partners," said Sondhi. "We're excited to build upon this momentum in 2021 and bring continued success to our customers as they navigate our ever-changing world by empowering them to accept payments in more ways than ever before." In 2021, NMI plans to roll out its own tap-on-phone solution and build on its recent partnership with Mastercard surrounding the Cloud Tap on Phone solution launch. It will also expand ecommerce payment solutions to additional UK customers fulfilling its commitment to enabling more payments, in more ways, and in more places and providing further flexibility and options to its customers. To learn more about NMI, visit: https://www.nmi.com/ About NMI NMI is one of the worlds leading card payment gateways, processing over 1.2 billion transactions a year from retail POS, e-commerce and self-service terminals. Our mission is to use our expertise to enable more payments, in more ways, and in more places, all with the utmost security and reliability. To do this we provide ISOs, fintech innovators and technologists with the software tools to be able to work with us easily. It gives them the freedom to focus on what they do best, liberates them from restricted payment methods, and gives them access to the latest payment technology now and in the future. Our team spans the globe and has a twenty-year track record of delivering innovative payment solutions across specific retail sectors and has unparalleled experience in EMV technology. Caribbean tourism officials are rushing to increase Covid-19 testing as the US and UK demand that returning holidaymakers present a negative result. The United States became the latest country to require nearly all arriving passengers to present a negative test within 72 hours of departure. Some tropical vacation spots, which attract U.S. tourists banned from traveling to other regions, face a strain on their COVID-19 testing resources as more governments take additional steps to curb a second wave of the pandemic. Jamaica on Wednesday named a special task force to boost the country's COVID-19 testing capacity following the new U.S. order which goes into effect on January 26. Caribbean tourism officials are rushing to increase Covid-19 testing as the US and UK demand that returning holidaymakers present a negative result. Above, an island in the Maldives Vanessa Ledesma, acting CEO and director general of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, called COVID-19 testing rules from the United States, Canada and Britain 'a tremendous challenge' for the region due to a lack of testing equipment and lab facilities that can meet large demand in short turnaround times. 'Most of the region needs additional time to rapidly build up additional capacity,' she said by email. U.S. infectious disease specialist Dr. David Freedman warned of the risk of straining resources in poor countries that are struggling to test their own residents. While analysts and some airline executives expect the new order will disrupt demand in the short term, U.S. carriers back the testing rules with the long-term goal of reopening international markets. 'I think you can see some short-term demand fluctuation but it's the right answer for the long term,' Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian told Reuters ahead of the carrier's earnings on Thursday. With global travel limited by COVID-19 restrictions, the Caribbean is important for U.S. carriers American Airlines , United Airlines and Delta as well as for low-cost carriers like Southwest Airlines Co and Spirit Airlines. Unlike the U.S. announcement, a decision by Canada to require testing for inbound passengers as of Jan. 7 caught airlines by surprise. Hundreds of passengers were denied boarding on return flights for ineligible tests. With global travel limited by COVID-19 restrictions, the Caribbean is important for U.S. carriers American Airlines , United Airlines and Delta as well as for low-cost carriers like Southwest Airlines Co and Spirit Airlines Air Canada and WestJet Airlines announced job cuts after the government decision, citing in part new testing requirements. In turn, Canada had to postpone the requirement for travelers from Jamaica to adhere to the negative COVID-19 tests on arrival, instead allowing passengers to test upon arrival in Toronto. UK celebrities were rushing home from Dubai earlier this week before Britain forced international arrivals to have a negative Covid result up to 72 hours before they fly back. Love Island's Wes Nelson was among the first wave flying home ahead of the new restrictions from Friday. Dubai has become a popular lockdown holiday destination for the social media elite with influencers and reality stars jetting off to the city for winter sun. Celebrities who travelled to Dubai include Love Island star Jess Gale (left) and Geordie Shore's Chloe Ferry (right) The influencer shared a picture on a plane with a glass of champagne as he watched a film in a travel bed. He got back before passengers returning to the UK from the UAE had to quarantine for 10 days, which was brought in at 4am Tuesday. But from Friday they will need to have a negative Covid test - using a PCR test or on some occasions a LAMP or lateral flow test - from up to 72 hours before their flight. Stars from Love Island, TOWIE and Geordie Shore descended on holiday spots such as Dubai to escape Britain's lockdown and see in 2021 under the sun. Since lockdown, life has been rather quiet behind the Dragon Gate. Cocktail lounges and cafes have dimmed their neon lights. Red lanterns solemnly sway in the wind; shop doors firmly remain shut. Once a popular tourist destination and beacon for Chinese immigrants, the oldest Chinatown in the United States is now at risk of vanishing due to financial fallout from the pandemic. The neighborhood is no stranger to hardship. COVID-19 is just one hurdle that the community has faced since it was first established in 1848. For over a century, Chinatown has collectively endured the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Black Plague, bloody turf wars and devastating fires. A potent combination of xenophobia, natural disasters, and corporate interests have relentlessly threatened the neighborhoods existence. Now, Chinatowns merchants, families, and community organizers must fight for survival once more. This battle for recognition is nothing new. Malcolm Yeung, Executive Director of the Chinatown Community Development Center, says that immigrant communities have always had to rally for support and that the virus is exposing the rifts between ethnic enclaves and local governments. Historically, thats always been the case, he says. In order to get the needs of our POC and immigrant communities met, we have to organize, raise our voices, and advocate, otherwise it's easy to overlook them. This has never been truer during COVID. San Franciscos Legacy of Anti-Chinese Policies and Sentiments When Chinese immigrants first settled in Tang People Town in the 1850s and opened shops along Grant Avenue then called Dupont Street they were quickly met with hostility from local newspapers and city officials. By the late-19th century, racist rhetoric and anti-immigrant political campaigns isolated the community. Asian immigrants were second-class citizens, and Chinatown was labeled a blight on San Francisco. Then-president of the Manufacturers' and Producers' Association, A. Sbarboro, once told the San Francisco Call that Chinatown was "synonymous with disease, dirt and unlawful deeds and that its community dwell[s] among us in filth. Sbarboro, who proudly formed numerous anti-Chinese clubs, successfully appealed to Congress to enforce the Geary Act, which extended the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. These punitive, anti-immigrant policies fueled the notion that the Chinese community was a terrible menace to the peace, harmony and happiness of the people of California, and that San Francisco was on the frontline of an invasion. Kate Beale/ Special to SFGATE The San Francisco Board of Health agreed with the immigration measures, and even suggested that Chinatown be destroyed. "Chinatown, as it is at present, cannot be rendered sanitary except by total obliteration, they said in the November 1901 issue of the San Francisco Call. It should be depopulated, its buildings leveled by fire and its tunnels and cellars laid bare. Then, from 1900 to 1904, Chinatown faced another threat: Yersinia pestis, also known as the bubonic plague. The outbreak in Chinatown which was dangerously overcrowded and impoverished at the time bolstered the health departments anti-immigrant agenda. Journalist David K. Randall, who wrote "Black Death at the Golden Gate," says that the outbreak was framed as a racial disease, and that city officials unjustly quarantined Chinatown. Its residents were not allowed in or out of the neighborhood confines, leading to civil unrest. Subsequently, to avoid further punishment, Chinese families hid their sick and their dead from wolf doctors, the citys health inspectors. Across time, politicians downplayed and denied both the plague and COVID-19, treating them as uniquely Chinese afflictions. Since March 2020, Asian Americans have been dying of COVID-19 at higher rates and reporting hundreds of hate crimes. According to Stop AAPI Hate, an advocacy group that tracks hate crimes against Asian Americans during the pandemic, California reported over 800 new incidents in a three-month period. The attacks, many of which took place in San Francisco, include anything from physical assault to verbal harassment. Immigrant-Owned Businesses Struggle to Receive Funding Advocates, residents, and health officials agree that the interplay between systemic racism and lack of resources contribute to physical and economic hardship in Chinatown. Per the San Francisco Department of Public Health, of the COVID-19 deaths in the city, the Asian population comprises roughly 35% the highest of all racial categories. Now, the pandemic is crippling Chinatowns legacy businesses. According to a survey conducted by the Chinatown Community Development Center in May 2020, Chinatown businesses lost an average of 70% of revenue, and nearly 200 employee jobs were lost since the COVID crisis struck. In July, Malcolm Collier, a professor of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University, reported that between 50-75% of businesses were vacant or closed along certain blocks of Grant Avenue an area which was once a bustling tourist destination. Kate Beale/ Special to SFGATE Local restaurant owners quickly took notice. Steven Lee, co-owner of the historic Sam Wo Restaurant, says that a month prior to lockdown, the Chinese New Year Parade had a third fewer tourists than usual and Chinatown restaurants were empty. Meanwhile, lines to get into restaurants in Union Square and North Beach were wrapping around the block. He also says that since lockdown took effect, its been difficult for small businesses to receive government support due to language barriers. Many PPP loans were applied for late because they had to be translated, and money ran out by the time [small business owners] got their application in, he says. Similarly, Allan Low, a legal representative at Perkins Coie, says that Chinatown business owners didnt receive PPP funds because educational materials on how to access them were not in their native language, or their community banks didnt participate in the programs. Subsequently, he says, a lot of small businesses in communities of color were shut out. But even when restaurants like Sam Wo did apply for small, government-funded grants ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, Lee says they were rejected without reason. There's no transparency on how they process applications, he says. As a result, to stay afloat, the restaurant has had to join forces with Help Kitchen, a food program which partnered with Chinatown restaurants to deliver meals to seniors living in SROs. Without this program, he says, Sam Wo would have permanently closed. Chinatown Fights for Recognition and Survival Sam Wo eventually received just four months of PPP funding, so businesses still need to find creative ways to generate income. But not every restaurant is suited for takeout, delivery, and outdoor dining. Far East Cafe, which just celebrated its 100th birthday, announced that it would close on New Years Eve. Lee says that the 500-person-capacity restaurant which was booked for banquets and parties every night didnt have the business model for takeout. For older generations, making the shift to online takeout and delivery has also been a struggle. Lee says many immigrant families who own restaurants are having their kids help them register on third-party delivery platforms and help with e-mail correspondence. Immigrant parents work hard so their kids can become doctors, lawyers, and businessmen ... So they don't have to go back to Chinatown. Now, a lot are coming back to help out their parents. Kate Beale/ Special to SFGATE Economically, the situation has become so dire that Chinatown business owners and community organizations collectively wrote a letter to Mayor London Breed requesting more financial aid. Chinatown businesses face the compounding effects of xenophobia, restrictions on business operations, and the threat of commercial gentrification, the letter states. Approximately 50% of the businesses we surveyed stated they may not survive through 2020. Now, with the help of Supervisor Aaron Peskin and Sandra Lee Fewer, the city is considering implementing a $1.9 million relief plan for the neighborhoods small businesses. The plan, called the Chinatown Restaurant Support & Food Security program, would pay up to 80 Chinatown restaurants, bakeries, and cafes to distribute food to the communitys low-income, food-insecure residents. However, community organizers still dont know if its enough. I dont hope for anything anymore, who knows what's coming around the corner, Yeung says warily. Low, too, doesnt know if and when the relief plan will be implemented. And while local government deliberates, Chinatowns legacy hangs in the balance. Arguably the heart and soul of San Francisco are its unique neighborhoods and many, if not most, or vast majority have their origins in the history of immigration. Yeung says. Without them, the city is not San Francisco at all. So what will it become? Ariana Bindman is a freelance writer in the Bay Area, find her on Instagram at @ariana.bindman. Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration are stepping up efforts to address violence and disruption on flights and at airports ahead of next weeks presidential inauguration, citing a rise of threatening and aggressive behavior by some airline passengers before and since last weeks attack on the Capitol. Under a Wednesday order from its chief, Steve Dickson, the F.A.A. plans to take legal action against passengers who assault, threaten, intimidate or interfere with airline crew members, which could include fines of up to $35,000 and referral for criminal prosecution. The agency previously had the authority to impose fines and refer people for prosecution but tended to issue warnings before going that far. Now, it will no longer issue warnings as a first step. Flying is the safest mode of transportation, and I signed this order to keep it that way, Mr. Dickson said in a statement. Some lawmakers have called on the Trump administration to go even further. Senator Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat who will soon be the Senate majority leader, said on Tuesday that the names of people who had stormed the Capitol should be added to the federal no-fly list, a tool the federal government uses to keep terrorism suspects out of American airspace. Based in Jersey, Alex brings with him over 17 years' experience in the financial services industry, of which, 14 years have been focussed on private capital fund administration. He has significant specialist expertise in private capital covering private debt and private equity (spanning venture, growth and buyout). This announcement follows an impressive series of recent hires and expansion for Crestbridge. The business has continued to grow, despite the global pandemic, driven, in large part by private equity, venture capital and real estate fund managers seeking the high levels of service, expertise and technology driven processes that Crestbridge is known for. Additionally, Michael Johnson becomes Group Head of Institutional Services. Michael will lead the business's Private Equity Services, Real Estate Services, Management Company Services, Corporate Services and Governance Services teams, comprising over 300 members of staff across seven locations. Michael commented, "It's a pleasure to welcome Alex Di Santo to the Crestbridge team. In an industry with increasingly complex requirements around regulation, transparency and technology, his extensive knowledge and experience in private capital fund administration will make him an asset to the business. His appointment represents a positive step in Crestbridge's ongoing strategy to continue to identify and hire world-class expertise." Alex commented, "Fund administration services for private capital is a highly active and exciting space and I am delighted to be joining Crestbridge, one of the fastest growing players in the industry globally. I look forward to working with Michael and the rest of the Crestbridge team." Notes to editors We are a leading global administration, management & corporate governance solutions business. We provide a broad range of outsourced fiduciary, administrative, accounting and compliance services globally our expertise spans services, asset classes and jurisdictions. Since 1998, we have been putting our insight and experience to work for clients who include leading corporations, sovereign wealth funds, investor groups, asset managers and ultra-high net worth families. Crestbridge employs over 350+ people and has seven international offices: Bahrain , Cayman, Jersey, London , Luxembourg , New Jersey and New York . , Cayman, Jersey, , , and . We are regulated in our locations (see here for more details) For further information, please contact: Nicola Nicholson, Head of Marketing at Crestbridge on tel. +44 (0) 1534 835014 or e-mail [email protected] SOURCE Crestbridge Concerns: An ageing memorial at the Bessborough Mother and Child Home cemetery in Cork. Photo: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision Taoiseach Micheal Martin said he has deep concerns over proposed residential developments on the site of the former Bessborough Mother and Baby Home with infant graves on the sprawling Cork site still unidentified. Mr Martin has been challenged by mothers who gave birth at Bessborough to help suspend all development work until the grave sites are properly located. Of the more than 900 babies who died at Bessborough or in Cork hospitals, having been transferred from the mother and babies home over seven decades, only 70 have known individual burial sites. Three-quarters of all babies born at Bessborough in 1943 died without reaching their first birthday. Childrens Minister Roderic OGorman has already expressed concerns over the proposed Bessborough residential developments. The Taoiseach said identifying baby burial sites should be a priority. There needs to be first of all an examination, and the proper robust identification of the burial sites of all children, he said. I would have deep concerns about construction going ahead, in the absence of that having been established and protected, and measures taken to protect such a burial site. Its perhaps premature at this stage to talk about legislation on the issue, but the Bill that the minister is bringing forward in respect of Tuam can be applied to other sites as well. Women who endured Bessborough slated as an insult the decision not to sanction a full excavation of the entire Blackrock site to locate every grave of the 923 children who died there. One woman who fearlessly campaigned for over 30 years to trace the grave of her infant daughter at Bessborough said a detailed site excavation was the least the Government owed to families. Ann OGorman from Limerick gave birth to her baby daughter Evelyn in the Cork facility in 1971 when she was just 17. Read More Ms OGorman was never told where her baby was buried and has no marked plot to visit. She never saw her babys body and, for a time, even wondered whether the little girl survived and was instead offered for a secret adoption. The Mother and Baby Home Commission (MBHC) previously said it was not considered feasible to excavate the 60 acres remaining of the Bessborough estate that, back in the 1940s, extended to over 200 acres. Its an insult to us all, Ms OGorman said. Im begging for the ground to be examined and marked for these angels. Ms OGorman said her message now was simple that justice must be done for the children who died at Bessborough and other notorious mother and baby homes. Please help us it is not right what is happening. It is what all the babies and the mothers at Bessborough deserve. They were forgotten for so long. They deserve to be treated with the respect they were never shown there. We need closure. Bessborough which at one time was Irelands largest mother and baby home is infamous for having one of the highest infant mortality rates of any such facility. Campaigner Catherine Coffey OBrien said development at the site should be suspended pending site investigations. What we want from the council is no rezoning of property within Bessborough for development we want this investigated properly, she said. We want an independent body to come in, excavate the land, check it and make sure to find these babies. Sinn Fein TD Donnchadh O Laoghaire is set to make a formal submission to Cork City Council and An Bord Pleanala on the proposed development which includes 179 residential units. Planning permission is being sought from the council for 67 apartments at the site and, separately, to An Bord Pleanala for 179 residential units. Mr O Laoghaire said the development would clearly be hurtful and very insensitive to those with associations to Bessborough and he called on the Taoiseach to support the move. The developers involved said they will now carefully study the Mother and Baby Home report released on Tuesday. Bessborough suffered not only from a high infant mortality rate in the 1930s-50s, but was also the focus of controversial Irish vaccine trials. Several mother and baby homes had an infant mortality rate of 55pc six times higher than that for babies in ordinary Irish society between 1930 and 1950. Research by historian Michael Dwyer also revealed that 2,051 children drawn from the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary facilities at Bessborough and Sean Ross Abbey in Roscrea were part of secret vaccine trials. Mari Steed, now based in the US, was born at Bessborough in 1960 and was used as part of the vaccine trials. We were used as human guinea pigs. We carried this hurt with us it is very tough to say. I know a lot of fellow, as we call ourselves, banished babies. Ms Steed only made the vaccine trial discovery when she was searching through her records. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Israel is revising military options for a possible clash with Iran, an Israeli newspaper reported on Thursday, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government braces for differences with the incoming U.S. administration on Iranian nuclear policy. U.S. President Donald Trump delighted Netanyahu by quitting the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and reimposing sanctions on it that had been lifted in return for limits on activities that could, potentially, produce nuclear weapons in the future. Tehran responded by breaching many of those restrictions. President-elect Joe Biden wants to rejoin the deal if Tehran - which denies seeking the bomb - returns to strict compliance. Israel, alarmed by Iranian rhetoric that it is a state that should not exist, is wary of the softer line, even though threats of U.S. military action from Trump did not curtail Iran's nuclear moves. A front-page article in Israel's largest-circulation daily said the military is crafting three options to "undermine Iran's nuclear efforts or, if need be, counter Iranian aggression, which will soon be presented to the government". The paper, Israel Hayom, did not cite any sources. But it went on to quote Defence Minister Benny Gantz as saying: "Israel needs to have a military option on the table." Israel has long had plans in place to counter Iran. The article appeared designed to signal that these were now being updated. During the previous Democratic administration of Barack Obama, which championed diplomacy with Iran, Israel occasionally threatened preventive airstrikes against Iranian nuclear sites. Some U.S. officials at the time doubted that Israel - whose advanced military includes a reputed nuclear arsenal - could effectively hit Iranian targets that are distant, dispersed and well-defended. Israeli officials have voiced hope that Biden will maintain Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign on Tehran, involving tough sanctions, until the Iranian nuclear programme is dismantled. But one of them, Finance Minister Israel Katz, acknowledged on Army Radio: "There are disputes (with Biden) regarding the perspective on Iran, and of course that will prove challenging." Katz sounded encouraged by Biden's intent to include Iran's ballistic missile programme in any re-negotiation of the nuclear deal. Biden's pick for U.S. national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, signalled openness, during a Jan 3 CNN interview, to consulting "regional players" - a possible allusion to Israel. Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen told Ynet TV the Netanyahu government was not yet in formal dialogue with the incoming administration. But asked if Israel was trying through informal channels to sway Biden on Iran, Cohen said: "Yes. There are efforts." Short link: COLUMBUS, Ohio A teen male attempting to rob a man at a market was shot and killed by the victim, according to police. Officers responding to the shooting Tuesday night at E&E Market found Kiran Hill, 18, wounded in the shooting, police say. Hill was taken to Riverside Methodist Hospital, but he died of his injuries. According to police, Hill and a 17-year-old male tried to rob another male inside the market on East Hudson Street. Hill was armed with a handgun, police say. The victim, whose identity was not released, also was armed with a handgun and exchanged gunfire with Hill. After shooting Hill, police say the victim remained at the scene waiting for officers. The victim has a permit to carry a concealed weapon and currently is not facing any charges, according to police. The 17-year-old was arrested charged with a delinquency count of murder in Franklin County Juvenile Court, the Columbus Dispatch reports. Anyone with information regarding the incident can call police at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS (8477). More crime-related content on cleveland.com: East Cleveland City Council president demands firing of police officer who shot teen during pursuit Woman, 24, dies in stabbing in Akron Man shot, wounded during carjacking in Willoughby Hills apartment complex parking lot Woman dies eight days after boyfriend shot her in the face in Clevelands Central neighborhood, officials say Interstate 77 police pursuit ends with Broadview Heights officer cut in the face and suspect shot, authorities say Cleveland police officer wrongfully arrested woman, left toddler with man accused of child abuse, investigators say Ohio man, woman accused of keeping kidnapping victim in dog cage [January 14, 2021] USC Annenberg Study and Livestream: Polarization of America Will Likely Increase Despite Calls for National Unity Muck Rack will share the results of two timely surveys on Politics, Polarization and Purpose conducted by the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism during a livestream on Friday, Jan. 15, at Noon EST. Muck Rack CEO Greg Gallant will emcee the discussion with Fred Cook, director of the USC Center for Public Relations, and Carrie Brown, editor of Politico. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005633/en/ According to USC Annenberg's online survey of 1,000 U.S. residents, despite President-elect Joe Biden's commitment to bring people together, 53% of U.S. residents expect polarization of opinion on social issues to stay the same and 31% predict it will increase. Fewer than half (48%) believe the Biden presidency will lead to national unity, while 23% believe it will result in more civil unrest, as witnessed in the recent Capitol riots. The trend toward further divisiveness is reflected in the personal attitudes of the American public. Only 28% said their willingness to listen to different points of view will increase, while a mere 18% stated their empathy towards people who disagree with them will grow. Just 27% report that, based on this election's outcome, they are interested in learning more about other ethnic groups. A disappointing 72% of these Americans predict racism in the U.S. will remain the same or increase. In the separate survey of over 1,500 journalists and PR professionals - conducted in conjunction with Muck Rack - more than one-third of journalists forecast that the amount of news coverage devoted to politics will decline after the inauguration, along with the average American's consumption of news. In a more troubling trend, more than three-fourths predict the spread of fake news and the proliferation of conspiracy theories will stay the same or increase during the Biden administration. Forty-three percent of journalists forecast growth in the use of social media for political purposes, and they also forecast more government regulation of social media platforms. While only about one-fourth of the journalists surveyed believe that the credibility of the media and balanced reporting will increase as an outcome of the election, a whopping 78% report that the credibility of the White House Press Corps will improve. Corporate communicators, who are responsible for managing the reputations of their companies and clients, predict that consumers, employees and activists will expect more action from U.S. corporations on the most polarizing societal issues, like climate change, racial justice and affordable healthcare - topics that many organizations say they are not planning to publicly address. Sixty percent also believe that their consumers' purchase decisions will be increasingly based on their perception of the company's values and practices as well as the character of their CEO. In response to these heightened expectations, the majority PR executives say they plan to develop more purpose-driven comunication campaigns, hire more diverse employees and conduct additional diversity, equity and inclusion training. The percentage of those who plan to increase their partnerships with activist groups have doubled since last year to 29%. Almost half of the journalists and PR executives agreed that polarization will increase under the new administration, and the majority predict that the level of cooperation between Republicans and Democrats will stay the same or decrease in the future. On the positive side, both groups believe the change in Presidential leadership is a "true turning point" that will have a positive impact on the U.S. economy, the stock market and the reputation of the United States overseas. For many citizens, politics trump truth, as the 2020 presidential election continues to be a divisive issue. Among the general public, 20% found the results of the election not credible, but only 8% stated their patriotism will lessen as a result of the election. Thirty-seven percent of conservatives report their trust in government has decreased, while 42% of liberals feel the opposite. Similarly, 35% of those on the left have gained faith in the democratic process, while 30% of those on the right have lost faith in it. And no one appears to be giving in or giving up. Nearly nine out of ten individuals, regardless of their political leanings, say their commitment to social change will stay the same or increase, along with their engagement in the political process. Almost half of the corporate communicators plan to spend more time communicating their company's values, and one-third will raise their public profile on social issues. In spite of their profound differences, 63% percent of Americans surveyed say they have a positive outlook on the next four years. Women are more energized about the future than men, and older Americans are more relieved than younger ones. Not surprisingly, those on the political left (78%) and in the center (63%) feel significantly more hopeful about the future than those on the right (41%). Thirty-seven percent of liberals said their desire to move to another country has decreased, while 21% of conservatives are thinking more about packing their bags. "The recent presidential election was billed as an historic game-changer for our nation, but our research shows that the majority of voters plan to double down on the same attitudes and opinions they held before," said Fred Cook, director of the USC Center for Public Relations. "The current extreme level of polarization is a critical problem for our nation that government, business and media must work together to solve. Healing the deep divisions that exist in society today requires a collaborative approach to communication that is consistent, inclusive and honest. The fact that Americans remain hopeful is a foundation for positive change." The USC Center for PR reviewed the data that was collected through two online surveys fielded by the organization for its annual Global Communication Report, due this spring. The first survey encompasses 940 responses from communication professionals and 519 responses from journalists, was distributed through email lists, social media channels and by Muck Rack, and was live between November 30, 2020 and January 6, 2021. The second survey of 833 U.S. residents was conducted for USC Annenberg by Qualtrics from December 1-4, 2020. All responses reflect opinions based on Joe Biden taking office on January 20. Livestream information: Save your seat for Muck Rack Live: Friday, January 15th at Noon EST / 9 a.m. PST - visit info.muckrack.com/usc-purpose-politics. About the USC Center for Public Relations Based at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, the USC Center for Public Relations (CPR) connects corporations, agencies, academics and students to define the future of our industry and to develop those who will shape it. Signature initiatives include the Global Communication Report, USC Annenberg's Kenneth Owler Smith Symposium, and the Relevance Report. The Center's podcast series, #PRFuture, features interviews with professionals and advocates who are changing how the industry communicates. Follow CPR at @Center4PR and #PRFuture. About the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism The Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California is an international leader in education and scholarship in the fields of communication, journalism, public diplomacy and public relations. With an enrollment of more than 2,200 students, USC Annenberg offers graduate and undergraduate degree programs that prepare the most promising minds to inquire, innovate and lead at the global crossroads of media, technology and culture. About Muck Rack Muck Rack's Public Relations Management (PRM) platform enables PR teams to work together to find the right journalists for their stories, send customized pitches, build meaningful relationships with the media, monitor news and quantify their impact. Thousands of organizations, including Taco Bell, Pfizer, Golin, International Committee of the Red Cross, Knight Foundation, and Penguin Random House, use Muck Rack to take their communications to the next level. Muck Rack is also the solution of choice for journalists, who use Muck Rack's free, automatically updated portfolios to showcase their work and to provide information about what stories they're looking for. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005633/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Kimora Lee Simmons and family are currently enjoying a relaxing vacation to celeb-beloved island St. Barts. And the 45-year-old fashion mogul looked simply radiant as she and daughter Aoki, 18, hit the beach this week. Kimora looked more like Aoki's sister than her parent as she slipped into a chic black one-piece that matched her offspring's swimwear. Seeing double! Kimora Lee Simmons and daughter Aoki Lee looked more like sisters are they relaxed on the beach in St. Barts this week The Baby Phat visionary was happy to show off her toned figure in the simple suit, which dipped low to offer a generous amount of cleavage. Dressing things up, mother-of-five Kimora added a delicate necklace, hoop earrings, and diamond studs for accessories. She also stacked bangles on her wrists and added anklets for an extra touch of glitz. The ever-glamorous star didn't ditch her makeup for the beach day, opting for just a touch of eyeliner, thick lashes and well-arched brows for the outing. It was clear Aoki, who Kimora shares with music mogul ex husband Russell Simmons, took after her mother's stunning looks as she sunned in a spaghetti strap version of the same leggy look. Ooh la la: The Baby Phat visionary was happy to show off her toned figure in the simple suit, which dipped low to offer a generous amount of cleavage Splashing around: The fashion designer took a brief dip in the ocean, holding younger kids Kenzo, 11, and five-year-old Wolfe's hands as they walked through the water together The fashion designer took a brief dip in the ocean, holding younger kids Kenzo, 11, and five-year-old Wolfe's hands as they walked through the water together. Son Gary, 10, seemed to be elsewhere. Lee Simmons appeared in awe of the island's natural beauty as she made sure to snap several shots of the clear blue waters on her phone. After a few photos, Aoki leaned over mom's shoulder to help her choose the perfect photo. By this time the ladies had slipped on some cover-ups. Kimora glowed in a flirty orange and white frock which barely covered her backside while Aoki, who is currently studying at Harvard, wrapped a red and white paisley skirt around her waist. Snapshot: Lee Simmons appeared in awe of the island's natural beauty as she made sure to snap several shots of the clear blue waters on her phone Pick and choose: After a few photos, Aoki leaned over mom's shoulder to help her choose the perfect photo Is St. Barts COVID free? How the island is tackling coronavirus With a population of just over nine thousand, St. Barts has been able to keep their COVID cases relatively low. After banning visitors, the country reopened to tourists on June 22, 2020 after successfully eradicating coronavirus on the island. From April to June, it had no active cases of COVID-19. Throughout December, it has had 37 new cases, and has recorded just one death. The government hopes to keep the island mostly virus free through testing. Travelers are expected to present a negative test result before heading to the country or go to a test center within 24 hours of their arrival. They are then asked to self isolate until the test results are received. Advertisement The Simmons family are just some of the VIPs who have been enjoying winter vacations in St. Barts. The elite have flocked to the island nation because of it's minimal COVID-19 restrictions. Sir Paul McCartney, Amy Schumer, Robbie Williams, Vogue and Spencer Matthews, Sofia Richie, Wendi Deng and Chrissy Teigen are among the stars spotted on the French-speaking haven in recent days, eager to enjoy its restaurants, five-star hotels and spas - with minimal Covid-19 restrictions. This is despite America's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warning travelers to 'avoid all nonessential travel to [the island],' which has had a smattering of COVID-19 cases in December. Right now, visitors don't have to quarantine as long as they provide proof of a negative Covid test or take one on arrival. Eateries are open for indoor dining but have limited tables to parties of six and encourage social distancing but are open until midnight. The island is only 10 square miles, but has 16 beaches, with Colombier, Gouverneur and Salines its star attractions. All beaches are open with no restrictions in St. Barts, although social distancing between different households is still encouraged. St. Barts has encouraged tourism in an effort to bolster the industry after Hurricane Irma ravished the nation in 2017, destroying many of its luxurious hotels and resorts. It has been a good start to the year for Amy Huberman The second season of the actress and writers show Finding Joy has launched this week in the UK, US and Canada. Last month, Amy gave birth to her third child with husband Brian ODriscoll. Although it hit Irish screens back in the autumn, the second series of Finding Joy has just landed through Acorn TV in the US, UK and Canada. Read More The comedy programme sees Huberman star as Joy Morris, who has rediscovered herself by becoming a lifestyle vlogger. My other baby, Finding Joy series 2 has its due date today, whoop! Huberman wrote on her Instagram. There she is now, she wrote in a caption accompanying a trailer for the second season of the show. Huberman and her husband, former rugby Ireland and Leinster rugby star Brian, welcomed their third child Ted ODriscoll on December 28 last. Sharing a snap of him carrying Ted into their home, ODriscoll captioned it: 2020 was a bit crap but the end of it was aiiiiight! "Ted ODriscoll arrived on Dec 28th and he is deadly. His mum is a champion and his brother and sister are thrilled at having a new little bro. Amy and Brian, who have been married for more than 10 years, have two other children together, Sadie (7) and Billy (5). With schools closed for the coming weeks, Amy is one of thousands of parents who will be trying her hand in home schooling her children. Writing on Twitter, she joked that she was having issues with Maths and candidly wrote about the challenge in juggling two schoolchildren with a brand new baby. This teacher would like to apologize to her students for turning up late, in PJs, with a tiny v loud assistant in tow* and failing herself to be able to actually add two and two together. The actress later clarified that her tiny assistant was the baby. Not the husband. Just to be clear. PFAS investigation in Pellston completes second round of samples Officials discovered polyfluoroalkyls in Pellston residential water sources in late 2019. The airport is believed to be the source of the substances. The head of one of Boeing's biggest customers, Dubai's Emirates, wants the planemaker to demonstrate fundamental changes after producing a flawed 737 MAX jet and has urged it to recognise "culpability and accountability" from the very top. Influential Emirates President Tim Clark said a crisis over crashes of its 737 MAX had damaged the air travel industry as a whole, but he was confident the redesigned jet was safe. "Boeing need to take a good hard look at themselves; I'm sure they have," Clark told Reuters. "But they have to (show) evidence to people like the airline community, the travelling public, that they have made the changes that are required of them in a transparent manner," he said, suggesting a shift of emphasis on financial matters. "That (can) only be done at board level and executed ... at senior level," Clark said. "I believe they still have work to do in Boeing to get themselves sorted out ... There is a top-down culpability and accountability and they need to recognise that." Another friend wrote on Facebook: "You will always be my sunshine, my beautiful friend. You were taken from us way too soon." Another said Ms Hamed was "loved by everyone" and had "such a beautiful soul and heart". "No words can be said to describe the pain of losing you," another friend wrote. "You brought happiness to everyone that met you with your gorgeous smile and warming heart, we will miss you forever." Several helicopters were deployed to the dramatic scene at Bushrangers Bay where two men had jumped into the water to rescue Ms Hamed, her friend and two teenage girls after they were swept into the sea by a large wave. Victoria Police confirmed a 45-year-old woman, a 47-year-old woman, a 19-year-old woman and a 13-year-old girl had been swept into the sea about 3.30pm on Wednesday. Two men, aged 28 and 47, then jumped in after them. Loading Multiple helicopters from Victoria Police, Life Saving Victoria and Air Ambulance scoured the water for the six people, alongside water police and local lifesavers. All were pulled from the water, including Ms Hamed. Paramedics transported the five survivors to hospital: four to Frankston Hospital and one to Rosebud Hospital. Mornington Peninsula Local Area Commander Inspector Janene Denton said if two bystanders hadn't jumped in to assist the four family members, there might have been more fatalities. A view from Bushrangers bay lookout at the Mornington Peninsula on Thursday. Credit:Paul Jeffers "If they hadn't done that, I think more people [would have] drowned, more people [would have] lost their life," Inspector Denton said. "It can be very, very hazardous these waves crept up in this situation." Inspector Denton said one of the men, an off-duty lifeguard, grabbed his surfboard and huddled the imperilled swimmers together to keep them afloat until they could be rescued. Three of the women, including Ms Hamed, were winched out of the water by helicopters. The 13-year-old girl and the two rescuers were pulled into a Victoria Police boat. In a separate incident, a man in his 80s died on Wednesday after being pulled unconscious from the water at Rye front beach. Loading The day's third drowning happened on Wednesday night at Venus Bay in Gippsland where, police said, a teenage girl was seen struggling in the water about 7.30pm and a number of people entered the water to help her. One of those who went to help, a woman in her 20s, got into trouble herself. Police said an off-duty lifeguard pulled the woman from the water and started CPR but could not revive her. All others involved in the incident came out of the water unharmed, including the teenager who had initially been in distress. Police will prepare reports for the coroner for all three deaths. JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Coeur d'Alenes Company (Cd'A Metals), a full-line metal service center headquartered in Spokane, WA, has been acquired by Norfolk Iron & Metal (NIM) of Norfolk, NE. The acquisition complements NIM's market coverage as well as expands their product line and processing capabilities. Heritage Capital Group, a mergers & acquisition firm with offices in Jacksonville, FL and Savannah, GA acted as exclusive financial advisor to Cd'A Metals. The deal team included Bert Tenenbaum, John Pregulman, Doug Kravet, Don Wiggins, and Nick Hoover. Cd'A Metals has been acquired by Norfolk Iron & Metal. Heritage Capital Group served as the exclusive financial advisor to Cd'A Metals. "The most important ingredient for selling your business is experience," Lawrence Coulson, President & CEO of Cd'A Metals apprised. "Heritage navigated the complicated path of selling a business while keeping the end goal and the route to it in focus." Mr. Coulson went on to say, "Bert Tenenbaum and John Pregulman's families each sold their metal distribution businesses and eventually became key players helping others do the same. I was astonished at the vast number of qualified buyers with whom they developed interest in my business. Doug Kravet understands the complexities of selling a business including having experienced nearly all the unexpected turns that can arise. Together, they closed the deal on my business, exceeding my expectations." Cd'A Metals specializes in distributing a broad range of metal products. The company delivers a wide variety of materials, including various grades of stainless steel, aluminum, wear resistant steel, as well as ornamental iron. With three locations, Cd'A Metals is one of the largest metal distribution companies in the Inland Northwest. NIM is a family-run, full-line steel service center and one of the nation's largest carbon steel distributors. Headquartered in Norfolk, NE, the company has 13 locations across the U.S., with warehouses stocked with plate and sheet steel, structural and mechanical tubing, merchant bar products, beams, and rebar. In 2018, NIM acquired Metalwest, a leading processor and distributor of non-ferrous and carbon flat rolled metal products. The acquisition of Cd'A Metals complements NIM's current market coverage and further expands its processing capabilities and product lines. Heritage Capital Group is a merger & acquisition advisory firm with offices in Florida and Georgia. It provides objective advice to private companies in the areas of mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, business valuations, debt and equity capital raises, corporate restructurings, and financial and strategic advisory services. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Media Contact: Katie Quackenbush 904-354-9600 [email protected] SOURCE Heritage Capital Group Related Links http://www.heritagecapitalgroup.com Rahul said the Centre is is under the impression that they can 'destroy the cultures of this country', but he came to Madurai to send a message that nobody can suppress Tamil spirit Madurai: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday watched the bull-taming sport jallikattu, noting the animals were not getting injured as was being made out and said his visit was a message to the Centre that wants to "suppress" the Tamil culture. The BJP ridiculed Gandhi for his 'hypocrisy' by witnessing jallikattu and praising the sport, reminding that the Congress-led UPA had banned it in 2011. Sharpening his attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government over the three contentious farm laws which have put farmers, mainly from Punjab and Haryana on the warpath, he accused the government of "conspiring to destroy" peasants to benefit a select few businessmen. Flanked by senior Congress leaders KC Venugopal, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and TNCC President K S Alagiri, Gandhi witnessed jallikattu at Avaniapuram and said his visit was aimed at sending out a message to "those who think they can run roughshod on Tamil people." The former party president was joined by DMK Youth Wing Secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin on the dais. Jallikattu is held in the state, especially with much vigour in this district, coinciding with the Tamil harvest festival Pongal which heralds the auspicious Tamil month Thai. "One of the main reasons I came is, today the government in Delhi is under the impression that they can destroy the cultures of this country. They believe that they can suppress the emotions of Tamil people, they believe they can crush the language of the Tamil people, they can suppress the spirit of the Tamil people." "I came to give them a message that nobody can suppress the Tamil spirit," he told reporters at the airport here before returning to Delhi. After witnessing jallikattu he got a sense of why Tamil people appreciate it, Gandhi said. "There was a sense. Many people had mentioned to me that jallikatu is harmful to the bulls. I witnessed it today and I must say that the way it was done there was absolutely no chance of the bull getting injured." "In fact if it was anyone to get injured it was the young men doing jallikattu. I am happy to say that there have been some changes to make it safer for everybody," he said. Gandhi further said he flew down from Delhi to watch the hugely popular event "because I think Tamil culture, Tamil language (and) Tamil history are essential for the future of India and need to be respected by everybody." The Tamil spirit cannot be crushed, he said, adding he was 'completely' against the idea of one particular idea, language and notion. "There are many different languages, ideas and all these contribute to our strength and that is my message," he said. However, the BJP lashed out at the Congress leader over his visit to the temple town today. Party national general secretary and Tamil Nadu in-charge, CT Ravi accused Gandhi of insulting Tamil 'makkal' (people) on jallikattu with his hypocrisy. Taking a dig at Rahul's visit to Avaniyapuram, Ravi made a reference to the UPA government banning the sport by adding bulls in the list of performing animals. Dear @RahulGandhi, Your Govt in 2011 labelled #JalliKattu as cruel & barbaric. Your Party manifesto supported ban on Jallikattu. Today, you are in Tamil Nadu to watch this traditional sport live. Aren't you insulting lovely Tamil Makkal with your hypocrisy? Happy Pongal C T Ravi (@CTRavi_BJP) January 14, 2021 Hitting out at the Centre on the contentious farm laws, Gandhi alleged that the government was "conspiring to destroy" the ryots and asserted that his party will stand with them. "The government is not just neglecting them (farmers), the government is conspiring to destroy them. There is a difference. Neglecting is ignoring...they are not ignoring them," he said in response to a query. "They are trying to destroy them because they want to benefit two or three of their friends. They want to give what belongs to the farmer to two or three of their friends," he alleged. "You are suppressing the farmers (and) helping a handful of businesses," he said. Extending his party's support to the farmers, Gandhi said the laws will indeed be repealed. "Mark my words..these laws the government will be forced to take them back," he said, adding he was "proud" of what the farmers were doing (protesting against the laws). Charging Narendra Modi with "not supporting" the common man during the coronavirus pandemic, Gandhi asked, "whose Prime Minister are you?" "Are you the Prime Minister of the people of India or the Prime Minister of two-three selected businessmen?" he asked. He also sought to know why Modi was "silent" on the months-long Sino-India standoff, asking "why are the Chinese people sitting inside Indian territory." Earlier, Gandhi attended the Pongal celebrations with people of Thenpalanji village in the district and also had food with them. He took photos with local youth and interacted with some elderly people. BERLIN After Helga Weyhe locked up her bookstore in the town of Salzwedel, Germany, each evening, she would make her usual commute a trudge to the apartment upstairs. She had been making the same trip since World War II, just as her father had before then, and as her grandfather had before him. The H. Weyhe Bookstore is one of the oldest bookstores in Germany. It was founded in 1840, before Germany was a country. Ms. Weyhes grandfather Heinrich Weyhe bought it 31 years later. It endured through World War I, the Weimar Republic, the Nazi regime. Ms. Weyhe took over the store from her father in 1965, four years after East Germany built the Berlin Wall, and guided it through Communist rule and reunification with West Germany. She locked up for the last time one day in December. She died at 98 sometime before Jan. 4; her body was found in her home, said Ute Lemm, a grandniece. With her life, she closed a circle, Ms. Lemm said. She died where she was born. Helga Weyhe (pronounced VIE-eh) became an anchor in Salzwedel, about 110 miles west of Berlin. The town was in the former East Germany, and during Communist rule she stocked religious books that were unavailable in state-run bookstores, frowned on as they were by the regime. It was a boon to the faithful, and for her a quiet act of defiance. Listen to article Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, former representative of Rivers South-East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, has called on Rivers people to come out en masse and participate in the forthcoming local government council elections, in order to be involved in a democratic process to elect who represents them at the grassroots. Abe made the call while speaking at a meeting of stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Port Harcourt recently. The senator recalled that Wike had severally advocated for free and fair elections devoid of federal might and force to influence election outcome, therefore it behoves on him to justify his mantra by giving the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RESIEC), a free hand to conduct, free and credible polls. He objected to some dissenting voices in the All Progressives Congress (APC), that wanted members to boycott the election, insisting that political parties are formed as a vehicle whereby, members could aspire and be elected to serve their people and condemned such insinuation as counterproductive. Abe said, "the fact that we have different political parties does not mean that we are suddenly, no longer Rivers people. It is not correct, and that is not how to grow the state. If we don't come out to participate, how do we tell the world that the election was free or fair? How do we say what was wrong with an election we refused to take part? How do we make elections better in Rivers State if we don't come out and participate? The requirement to contest in an election is that you should be a member of a political party and we are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and therefore eminently qualified to contest in the elections in Rivers State. It is our State. The purpose of election is to serve the people. If they pick our people, they should be allowed to serve. We are challenging the governor of Rivers State to organize the election in the way he said he wanted elections to be organized and let Rivers people go out and contest. Test their popularity for the people to decide on those they want to run the affairs at the grassroots. That's the purpose of politics. Wike has always talked about how he wants free and fair election without federal might and force, this is the time to show working. We are challenging the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to make the election free and fair, let Rivers people go out and contest. I want to encourage any politician who wants to aspire to an office; this is the time for you to test your teeth. Even though you don't win, at the end of the day you learn valuable lessons on how to plan, organize, and grow in your political career". He however, vowed to continue in the pursuit of justice in the APC in order to promote a better model of politics in Nigeria. Signed: PARRY SAROH BENSON, ANIPR Spokesperson to Senator Magnus Ngei Abe January 14, 2021 Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Napa County wants to help residents answer two of todays burning questions when and how can I get a COVID-19 vaccination? The situation can be confusing, with a priority system being used to distribute the vaccine. People who are different ages and in different professions are eligible to be vaccinated at different times. Residents can fill out a new vaccination interest form on the countys website for notification when their time for vaccination eligibility has arrived. The form at this point is for the initial categories, such as people over age 65 and frontline essential workers. This form is intended to make sure no one is left behind, county spokesperson Janet Upton said. Go to https://bit.ly/3qfqy0M to find the vaccination interest form. People using it can quickly determine if they fall under the initial categories that could be eligible for vaccinations either immediately or over the next couple of months. If they do, they will receive a county notification when they are eligible for free vaccinations. They can then make appointments to go to a drive-through vaccination clinic at Napa Valley Expo or to a clinic at the countys South Campus. WASHINGTON DC Minnesota and Iowas Congressional representatives split along party lines in the vote to impeach President Trump. Minnesota Republican Jim Hagedorn and Iowas Randy Feenstra and Ashley Hinson joined the overwhelming majority of GOP House members in voting against impeachment. Congressman Hagedorn (MN-01) issued the following statement: Instead of looking toward the future and doing the business of the American people, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats have prosecuted another unwarranted and politically-motivated impeachment. This latest effort by House Democrats to impeach President Trump is further dividing an already splintered nation and subjecting the American people to yet another partisan battle. Democrats began working to impeach and remove the President before he even took the Oath of Office four years ago. They lack credibility on this issue. It is time to move forward as a nation. Congressman Feenstra (IA-04) had this to say: I will be voting no on impeachment. President Trump, who has committed to a peaceful transition of power, only has seven days left in his term. It is time for our country to come together and move forward -- not to pursue divisive and rushed political exercises. It has been a challenging year, but we must not forget that we are one Nation, under God -- and Im confident that together, we can work towards a brighter future. I was elected by the great people of Iowas 4th District to deliver results, and with their input and feedback, thats exactly what I plan to do as we move forward and focus on conducting the business of our country. Congresswoman Hinson (IA-01) released the following statement regarding efforts to impeach President Trump The violence in the Capitol last week was unacceptable and those involved should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. As more details emerge about the attack, I am increasingly grateful to the heroic Capitol Police officers who kept us safe--and am devastated they lost some of their own in the name of protecting us. I believe the President bears responsibility and that is why I urged him personally to call off those who were violently storming the Capitol last week. I wish he had spoken up sooner, but he did not. Words matter; there must be accountability for those who feed into dangerous rhetoric on either side of the ideological spectrum. However, impeachment is the wrong path forward for several reasons. Speaker Pelosi is bypassing regular order - including the process of collecting evidence, conducting committee hearings, and having preliminary votes - to rush toward a second impeachment of President Trump. Just a week out from a new Administration, impeachment will only serve to feed the flames and further divide our nation. Next week, there will be a peaceful transition of power to the Biden Administration, and we must re-focus on moving this country forward and solving the everyday problems facing Americans. Amid the chaos, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to present real challenges to working people and businesses - Iowans are still trying to put food on the table, handle homeschooling, and struggling to pay their bills. I remain focused on solving these problems. This week, my team and I continued to have productive conversations with the Biden Transition Team on ways we can work together for Iowans. I also spoke with Secretary-Designate Vilsack about key agriculture priorities I aim to work with him on and I hope he is confirmed by the Senate. While last week was one of the darkest days in our nations history, I am committed to unifying our country and serving Iowans because I know there will be brighter days ahead. Minnesota Congresswoman Angie Craig sided with the Democratic House majority in voting to impeach President Trump. She also released a statement on the matter: Nearly four years ago, on the steps of the United States Capitol, President-elect Donald Trump swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and to faithfully execute the duties of his office to the best of his ability. Last week, the nation watched in horror as an angry mob of insurrectionists summoned and incited by President Trump marched on those same steps and attacked the Capitol, resulting in five deaths, including a Capitol Police officer. Like President Trump, I took an oath to uphold our Constitution and defend our Democracy. Unlike the President, I intend to uphold mine. After witnessing and experiencing the January 6th attack on our Capitol, it is clear that President Trump asked these terrorists to show up in Washington, assembled them and incited them to march to the Capitol to attack a separate branch of government. For that reason, I am voting today in support of his impeachment. Williamson, WV (25661) Today Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 68F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 68F. Winds light and variable. Prosecutors are asking the Kenosha County Circuit Court to modify the bond conditions of Kyle Rittenhouse, who is facing homicide charges in the death of two men during protests last August, according to a motion filed by the Kenosha County District Attorney's Office on Wednesday. The office is requesting that Rittenhouse be prohibited from possessing or consuming alcohol or being in any establishment that serves it; be prohibited from making any public display of any "white power" or "white supremacy" signs, symbols, or hand gestures; and not have any contact with any known militia members or members of any violent white power/white supremacist groups including the group identified as the "Proud Boys." Mark Richards, the attorney representing Rittenhouse, said his client does not object to the modified bond conditions proposed, according to court documents filed Thursday. "As Mr. Rittenhouse has no membership, affiliation, or affinity for any of the identified groups, the defense has no objection to a bond modification prohibiting Kyle Rittenhouse from having any knowing contact with any known hate groups or their members," he wrote. He also did not object to a bond condition prohibiting the possession or consumption of alcohol. The Kenosha County Circuit Court has not issued a decision on the filings. The 18-year-old is out on a $2 million bail after being arrested in connection with a fatal shooting in Kenosha. Rittenhouse is alleged to have been in the midst of protests that had broken out in the Wisconsin city over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, and authorities allege he fired at protesters. Rittenhouse was arraigned January 5 on two felony charges of homicide in the deaths of two men and a felony attempted homicide charge in the wounding of another man. According to prosecutors, Rittenhouse was seen at a local bar with his mother about 90 minutes after the arraignment, and his presence and behavior were confirmed by surveillance video. Rittenhouse was seen with other individuals flashing "the 'OK' sign, which has been co-opted as a sign of 'white power' by known white supremacist groups," and was "directly served a beer by the bartender," the motion said. The document also states that Rittenhouse turned 18 this month and lives in Illinois. "Under Illinois law, it is a Class A Misdemeanor for anyone under the age of 21 to possess or consume alcohol in a public place," the motion states. In Wisconsin, however, it is legal for someone under the age of 21 to possess and consume alcohol if a parent is present. Prosecutors are also asking the court to "prohibit the defendant from publicly displaying symbols and gestures that are associated with violent white supremacist groups and from associating with known members of those groups, particularly the Proud Boys" -- as they believe it could result in potential witness intimidation. Richards said in his filing that Rittenhouse has never been a member of any of the organizations listed in the motion from prosecutors. "The State's bond motion is a not-so-thinly veiled attempt to interject the issue of race into a case that is about a person's right to self-defense," he wrote. Rittenhouse pleaded not guilty to the charges for which he was arraigned. Rittenhouse's attorneys have maintained that Rittenhouse was acting in self-defense when he opened fire. In a hearing last month, Richards accused prosecutors of presenting "a one-sided, stilted view" of events that night. Richards introduced screenshots of surveillance video that he said showed his client acted in self-defense while being chased by a gun-toting protester. In another image, Rittenhouse appeared to be struck with a skateboard while on the ground. Anthony M. Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum were killed in the incident, and Gaige Grosskreutz was wounded. Correction: An earlier version of this story gave the wrong age for Kyle Rittenhouse. He is now 18. Queensland police have accidentally released details of hundreds of firearms owners in an embarrassing privacy and security breach, which is under investigation. Compounding the error, the move was an attempt to warn firearms owners to secure their properties following a spate of thefts of guns. An email from the Queensland Police Service with the subject line weapons audits included the email addresses of all 500 recipients, information that could be used to work out the physical addresses and other details of firearms owners. Credit:iStock The Queensland Police Service has acknowledged the breach "has caused confusion and anguish and the service apologises for this", saying it had launched an immediate inquiry into how it happened. "The inquiry into how this error occurred is on-going.," the service said in a statement, "however, the Moreton District has immediately contacted all officers within the district to remind them of the importance of double-checking emails and the high value and importance the QPS places on maintaining the privacy of our stakeholders." Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Gujarat: 23-year-old woman ends her life, records last message before jumping into Ahmedabads Sabarmati river Curfew in Ahmedabad extended till 6am on May 21; Night curfew to continue in 36 cities for another 3 days Uttarayan 2021: Amit Shah flies kite in Ahmedabad India oi-Madhuri Adnal Ahmedabad, Jan 14: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday celebrated the Uttarayan festival by taking part flying a kite in Ahmedabad in a low-key manner in view of the COVID-19 pandemic situation. Shah, who is on a visit to his home town on the occasion of the festival, offered prayers at the Jagannath Temple here with his family members to mark the day. He performed ''aarti'' and also worshipped a cow and an elephant at the temple as per the tradition. Tight security arrangements were made at the temple ahead of his visit. Why do we celebrate Makar Sankranti 2021 on 14th Jan? Why did Bhishma waited for Uttarayan? "On the auspicious occasion of Uttarayan, offered prayers at the famous Shri Jagannath Temple in Ahmedabad today. May Lord Jagannath extend his blessings to all. Jai Jagannath!" Shah tweeted in Hindi. Unlike the past when Shah used to visit the residence of one of the local BJP leaders to fly kites along with his supporters, the Union minister celebrated the festival this time only with his family members. The Gujarat government has banned flying kites in open grounds or public areas. The government has also prohibited loudspeakers and sound amplifier systems, and allowed only family members and residents of housing societies on terraces to avoid large gatherings. People across the state kept the celebrations simple in view of the restrictions. In many places, people flew kits on the terraces of their houses in small groups and did not play loud music. Long queues were seen at some places outside shops selling traditional delicacies like ''Undhiyu'', but people followed the social distancing norms. The state police kept a strict vigil to ensure people follow the government''s guidelines. To prevent large gatherings, the police used drone cameras and binoculars to keep an eye on the terraces of high-rises and open grounds. Patrolling was also intensified in some sensitive areas of Ahmedabad,a police official said. New Delhi, Jan 14 : An application was moved in the Delhi High Court on Thursday against instant messaging application WhatsApp's upcoming data and privacy policy, on the grounds that it violates the right to privacy of citizens of India. The petition, moved by advocate Chaitanya Rohilla, states that the policy gives a 360-degree profile view into a person's online activity and that this level of insight into a person's private and personal activities is done without any government oversight. Among other requests, the petitioner has sought injunction against the updated Privacy Policy by WhatsApp with immediate effect. Rohilla has also sought a direction to Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to lay down guidelines to ensure that WhatsApp does not share any data of its users with any third party or Facebook and its companies for any purpose. "Issue guidelines or directions to ensure that any change in Privacy Policy by Respondent No. 2 (WhatsApp) is carried out strictly in accordance with the Fundamental Rights guaranteed in Part-III of the Constitution till such time as rules and guidelines are framed by Respondent No. 1 (Centre)," it added. The petitioner has further submitted that the sharing of users' data by WhatsApp to third parties and Facebook is in itself illegal because WhatsApp can only use the information for purposes that are reasonably linked to the purpose for which the information was given. It rued that the absence of a data protection authority, it leaves the users with a company's own assurances and privacy policies. The petitioner also pointed out that India, being a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), is obligated to implement essential data protection regime, in both the public and private sectors. WhatsApp is asking users to either give their consent to sharing data with Facebook or lose their accounts after February 8. To continue using the services, users will have to accept the terms and conditions. If the users do not accept the new terms of service, they will no longer be able to use the app. President Donald Trump's iron grip over the Republican Party slipped on Wednesday, as a small but vocal group of his fellow party members -- including No. 3 House Republican Liz Cheney -- voted to impeach him in a historic rebuke that drew battle lines in the coming war for the soul of the GOP. As the party plots a course to regain control of Congress in two years -- and the White House in 2024 -- some senior elected officials see value in purging its once-unquestioned leader. But walking away from Trump and his followers might not be as easy as that, especially when no new standard-bearer for the GOP has yet emerged. That poses a dilemma for Republican senators who must decide if they're prepared to level the ultimate sanction on Trump and effectively excommunicate him from a party whose base remains remarkably loyal to him. Even if Trump loses his political influence out of office and without the bullhorn of social media, the party's leadership at the national and state levels is controlled by his allies. Some 74 million Americans voted for him in November. The question now is how many of those voters will remain loyal to him -- and simply retreat from politics -- or to the Republican Party, and remain a force. Republicans such as Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Utah Sen. Mitt Romney are willing to oppose Trump but could struggle in a party still dominated by Trump loyalists. Sens. Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley are being shamed for their role as Trump lieutenants in trying to overturn the results of November's election, but don't have the star power with his base. Some rioters at the Capitol chanted for Vice President Mike Pence to be put to death, showing how reviled he now is among some of Trump's core supporters. But he earned goodwill in some corners of the party by refusing Trump's demand to undo Joe Biden's victory, though he will long be criticized in other quarters for his unblinking loyalty to Trump. Former United Nations Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has balanced carefully between both worlds but, like Cruz and Hawley, is unlikely to inspire the kind of passion that Trump inspired in his base. "The party is basically looking at how does it move on," said Saul Anuzis, a former Michigan Republican Party chairman. "It's not that it's anti-Trump, it's just for all the successes and victories he had on a policy front, his demeanor and style has caused a tremendous amount of angst among many -- and people are trying to redefine what the Republican Party is going to look like." More than eight in 10 Republicans say that Trump should not be impeached or resign, according to a new CBS News/YouGov poll. Almost three quarters of Republicans, 72%, say Trump should complete his term because he did nothing wrong to warrant his removal or resignation, the survey shows. Only 23% of Republicans said that Trump's words and actions leading up to the riot at the Capitol encouraged violence. "Almost all the condemnation from the GOP about the events of Jan. 6 has come from the governing wing of the party, not the populist wing," said Whit Ayres, a veteran Republican pollster whose clients have included Republican Sens. Marco Rubio, Lindsey Graham, Jim Inhofe and John Kennedy. "Donald Trump did not create Trumpism. He tapped into it and exacerbated it but he did not create it," he said in an interview last week. In a video message released by the White House after the impeachment vote, Trump disavowed the violence carried out by his supporters and urged them to "ease tensions" -- a message that appeared aimed at Republican senators considering whether to remove him from office. He did not mention the House vote. His statement came after some senior GOP senators, including Rob Portman of Ohio, had called on the president to address the nation and call off his supporters before they perpetrated further acts of terror. Yet even Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who has backed Trump on policy issues and remained largely silent on his controversial statements, left open the possibility he might vote to convict after hearing the arguments once the issue is in his chamber. If Trump were convicted, a separate Senate vote could block him from holding federal office again. A cadre of 10 House Republicans, led by Cheney, daughter of former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney and chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, voted with 222 Democrats to impeach Trump for his role in the assault on the U.S. Capitol as it met to ratify Biden's victory. "There has never been a greater betrayal by a president of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution," Cheney said in statement on Tuesday. Some 197 House Republicans voted against impeachment and senators such as Lindsey Graham of South Carolina criticized Senate leadership for suggesting they might support a vote to convict. Cheney is facing calls from her own caucus to resign her leadership position for supporting the impeachment. Almost two-thirds of House Republicans and eight GOP senators still voted to overturn legally certified Electoral College votes as Trump demanded, many fearing Trump's Twitter wrath and the political power he wielded to encourage primary challenges to them. Republican Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona said even if Democrats succeed in impeaching and convicting Trump, it would only make him stronger politically. "Yours will be a Pyrrhic victory, for instead of stopping the Trump train, his movement will grow stronger for you will have made him a martyr," Biggs said during the impeachment debate. A survey conducted by Trump's campaign pollster found that Republicans and Trump supporters in battleground states hold a dim view of lawmakers who vote to impeach the president, according to a memo obtained by Bloomberg News. Eight in 10 Americans who cast their 2020 ballot for Trump, as well as three-quarters of self-identified Republicans, say they would be less likely to vote for those members of Congress. "President Trump is the heart and soul of the Republican Party, and his supporters have made clear they will oppose any Republican voting to impeach him," Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, said in a text message. Trump's ability to egg on supporters who then took part in an insurrection shows his power over the GOP base, which isn't going away when he leaves office, said Kevin Madden, a senior adviser to Romney's 2012 presidential campaign. "For anybody who's been around political power, it doesn't just wane," Madden said. "It requires competition for that power. And so if there are people within the party that really want to take on his influence, they have to do it in a very broad and sustained effort to confront him." Julian Zelizer, a political historian at Princeton University, pointed to all the episodes during the past four years when observers predicted that Trump's support in the party would wane, such as his first impeachment at the end of 2019. That support only increased, and his brand is now the Republican brand, Zelizer said. "You have just a very polarized and divided Republican party," said Antonia Ferrier, a former McConnell aide. But "make no mistake," she said. "It's Donald Trump's Republican Party right now." ROME, JAN 14 - Ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi went to a hospital in Monaco Thursday for a heart problem which entailed his being taken there instead of returning to Italy for treatment, his doctor said. "I ordered the hospitalisation in Monaco because I did not think it prudent to face transport back to Italy," said Dr Alberto Zangrillo, a top doctor at Milan's premier San Raffaele hospital. Zangrillo said the issue, with the 84-year-old media mogul, who had an aortic valve replaced in 2016, was "an arrhythmical cardiac problem". "On Monday," Zangrillo told ANSA, "I urgently went to where the premier is temporarily living, in southern France, due to a worsening (in his condition)". The three-time former premier checked into the Principality's premier heart clinic. The leader of the centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party will return home in a few days, his entourage said earlier, saying that he was having "routine tests". Berlusconi had been staying at Valbonne near Nice where he also spent most of the COVID lockdown. Berlusconi had a bout of the virus in September which he described as "the most dangerous and frightening experience" of his life. (ANSA). WASHINGTON - The manhunt for key figures in the storming of the U.S. Capitol apprehended more key figures Thursday, including two men accused of attacking police officers, a Utah man who allegedly recorded the shooting death of one rioter, and a Delaware father and son photographed carrying a Confederate flag. Robert Lee Sanford, Jr., 55, of Chester, Penn., a recently retired firefighter, threw a fire extinguisher at members of the Capitol Police, according to law enforcement. Peter Francis Stager, of Arkansas, is accused of using a large American flag to beat a member of the D.C. police. Kevin Seefried, who was photographed carrying a Confederate flag inside the Capitol, turned himself in to authorities in Wilmington, Del., on Thursday morning, according to an FBI spokeswoman, Joy Jiras. He and his son, Hunter Seefried, are charged with misdemeanor counts of trespassing and disorderly conduct; Hunter Seefried is also accused of destruction of property. John Earle Sullivan, 26, of Utah, was charged after allegedly entering the building and recording when Ashli Babbitt was shot by an officer while she attempted to climb through an opening outside of the Speaker's Lobby. In a video he posted online and gave the FBI, Sullivan could be heard narrating the riot, saying "There are so many people. Let's go. This [expletive] is ours! [Expletive] yeah," and "Let's burn this [expletive] down!" according to charging papers. Newly public arrest affidavits continued to fill in a picture of chaos, violence and gleeful mayhem on part of some rioters, including several who said they came to Washington to rally with President Donald Trump and then "went crazy" when Vice President Mike Pence announced he would not agree to block the certification of Trump's defeat. The extinguisher incident connected to Sanford was captured in two widely distributed videos of the scene outside the U.S. Capitol at the Lower West Terrace. U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick, who died as a result of injuries sustained in the riot, was hurt in a separate incident. Stanger was identified from videos in which a D.C. officer is seen being dragged down the steps of the Capitol and attacked. He later gave an interview in which he declared, "Everybody in there is a treasonous traitor. Death is the only remedy for what's in that building." According to an affidavit, Stanger told an informant that he did not realize the man he attacked was a police officer and instead believed him to be a left-wing activist. The same informant told the FBI that Stanger planned to apologize to his children and turn himself in to law enforcement. The agent who wrote the affidavit said after watching videos of the attack, Stanger "was able to clearly see the police markings on B.M.'s uniform and was aware that the individual who he was striking was, in fact, law enforcement." In charging papers, the FBI said a tipster in Pennsylvania called Tuesday saying that Sanford, a friend of many years, "had confessed to the complainant that he was the person that the FBI was looking for" in connection with videos showing a man apparently wearing a stocking cap, dark jacket, plaid shirt and backpack hurling an object at a group officers. A Capitol Police officer was struck in the helmet by what he later saw was a fire extinguisher, the FBI said. The officer was evaluated at a hospital and cleared to return to duty. The device also ricocheted off two others, the FBI said in a charging affidavit. The tipster said Sanford told them he traveled on a bus with a group to Washington, listened to Trump's speech, "and then had followed the President's instructions and gone to the Capitol," according to the FBI. Sanford said the group he was with left the Capitol grounds after about 10 minutes, and did not mention having thrown anything, but acknowledged he was the man wearing a hat with the initials CFD, the tipster said, according to FBI Agent Samad D. Shahrani. Sanford recently retired from the Chester Fire Department, the agent said, and the complainant identified him in video to the FBI. The FBI said it had also received an anonymous tip identifying another person as the person throwing the fire extinguisher, but that the Illinois resident did not appear on flight manifests to the Washington area nor was the license plate of his vehicle entered into D.C. logs at the time. "I'm just stunned," said retired Chester Fire Department battalion chief Charles Hopkins Jr. "That's totally out of character for him." He described Sanford as a "quiet guy" who "never messed with anyone ... he did his job and went home." He added, "If you weren't working with him you wouldn't know he was there." In a statement, Chester Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland said Sanford joined the department in 1994, retired last February and is not a current employee. "As the First Amendment of our Constitution outlines the right to free speech and to peaceful assembly, the actions of the rioters in D.C. last week hinged on characteristics of domestic terrorism," Kirkland added. "As such, if any person, be it current or former employee or resident, is confirmed to have participated in last week's event at the Capitol, then we hope our legal system will work according to its purpose and bring them to justice." Kevin and Hunter Seefried were identified as among the first group to break into the Capitol after a colleague called the FBI to report that the younger man had bragged about being at the riot with his father, according to court records. In an interview, authorities say Kevin Seefried acknowledged being the man photographed with the Confederate flag, which normally hangs outside his Delaware home. The men entered the Senate Building through a broken window at about 2:13 p.m., with a helmeted group captured in a widely shared video, according to an arrest affidavit. According to court records, Kevin Seefried said both men came to hear Trump's speech, and then marched to the Capitol led by a person with a bull horn. He also confirmed that because his son was wearing gloves, Hunter Seefried was asked by a stranger to punch out glass from a Capitol complex window after others broke it with a 2x4 wooden plank, giving rioters entry, the FBI said. Also charged was Hunter Ehmke, of California. He is accused of being one of the first to try to break into the U.S. Capitol by breaking a window of the building during last week's riot, according to court documents An officer who was part of a line struggling to hold back the mob on the Capitol's east side at about 2:15 p.m., that he saw Ehmke on the ledge gesturing for others to join him, court documents said. "They're going to break the window" the officer shouted. He then left the line and ran toward Ehmke, according to the affidavit. He used his riot shield to push Ehmke off the ledge, he says, causing them both to fall in broken glass, the affidavit said. About 10 officers made a new line at the window to keep a small crowd from getting through. Ehmke was handcuffed. But the crowd "began to show aggression" and threatened officers, saying, "You're not leaving with him," according to court papers. The officers tried to radio for instructions but "could not be clearly heard or unable to be broadcast due to the many other calls of service by USCP officers." So they let Ehmke leave, after photographing him and the window and seizing his driver's license and advising him they would seek a warrant for his arrest. The Justice Department and the FBI have carried out a nationwide manhunt in the Jan. 6 Capitol breach by Trump supporters, during which a woman was fatally shot by police and an officer died after he was injured. Prosecutors have called the investigation one of the largest ever undertaken by the FBI, and it has led to charges against more than 70 people and the identification of 170 suspects to date. Also Thursday, a New York man who authorities say drove to the Washington area from that state to take part in the protest was denied bail for the second time by Arlington Circuit Court. Moses Geri, 38, of Weedsport, N.Y., was arrested Jan. 1 after allegedly getting in a drunken argument with other guests at his Rosslyn, Va., hotel and then firing a gun outside. He had more than 800 rounds of ammunition, including white phosphorous and armor-piercing bullets, according to prosecutors. Also charged with misdemeanor trespassing and disorderly conduct were Christine Marie Priola of Willoughby, Ohio, who the U.S. Marshals Service alleged was the person photographed wearing a red jacket and blue "MAGA" pants and holding a sign reading "The Children Cry Out for Justice," and apparently photographing a rioter occupying Pence's chair on the Senate dais; and Pete Harding of Buffalo, who was photographed allegedly attempting to set news media equipment on fire and taking credit in a video for joining the Capitol mob, which he said was organized by "Marching Patriots." File image: US President Donald Trump (right) meets with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. (Image: AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said a lot of nice things about Donald Trump over the years, from expressing admiration for the U.S. president to suggesting he might be worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize. But after a mob of Trump supporters invaded the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, Johnson has changed his tune. Trump, he said, had encouraged the violent insurrection, had disputed the result of a free and fair election, and was completely wrong. It was a dramatic pivot for someone who has often been compared to Trump and refrained for years from openly criticizing him. Other world leaders also have faced dilemmas in dealing with the volatile and unpredictable president who trashed international agreements and institutions with abandon. But Johnsons critics say his years of flattering and, some say, imitating Trump have harmed Britains international authority and poisoned its political culture. Leslie Vinjamuri, director of the U.S. and the Americas program at the Chatham House think tank, said the issue of how to deal with Trump has been the biggest question in in Western diplomacy for the past four years. And I would say that the U.K. was on the wrong side of it, she said. Johnson is not the only Western leader who sought to befriend, persuade or placate Trump. French President Emmanuel Macron had an early bromance with the U.S. president, inviting Trump to Paris in 2017 for a Bastille Day military parade and dinner at the Eiffel Tower. Johnsons predecessor, Theresa May, visited the White House just days after Trumps inauguration and was photographed holding the presidents hand. Both relationships soon turned sour, but Johnson was more successful in keeping on the good side of a president who praised him, ungrammatically, as Britain Trump. The dirty open secret of Europe during the Trump era was that everyone thought he was a menace, said Brian Klaas, associate professor of global politics at University College London. Its just that Boris thought he was a menace who could potentially serve his own interests. Johnson supporters argue that he had no choice but to woo the leader of the U.K.s most important ally especially as Britain left the European Union and sought a key trade deal with Washington. Johnson did try to change Trumps course, attempting unsuccessfully to coax him back into the Iran nuclear deal. He also initially resisted U.S. pressure to ban the Chinese technology company Huawei from Britains 5G telecommunications network - although he eventually caved in. Meanwhile, the coveted U.K.-U.S. trade deal has yet to emerge. Critics say Johnson took his courting of Trump too far, and got little in return. Emily Thornberry, a senior lawmaker for the opposition Labour Party, said the Conservative government's indulgent attitude to Trump had been humiliating and unnecessary. We did everything that we could in order to charm him, she told The Associated Press. There was no charming this man. He was a bully and the way to deal with bullies is to stand up to them. It was wrong in principle. It didnt forward our interests in any way, and it gave some sort of credibility to Donald Trump that he didnt deserve, she said. Like Trump, Johnson has engaged in populist stunts, exaggerated promises and, at times, racist and inflammatory language. But on most big policy issues, Johnson is closer to President-elect Joe Biden than to Trump. Johnson, leader of Britain's Conservative party, believes in international alliances such as NATO and thinks the fight against climate change should be a government a priority. Some U.K. politicians and officials are concerned that the governments relationship with Trump, who was impeached Wednesday by the U.S. House of Representatives for a historic second time, could hurt it with Biden's new administration. Biden mistrusts Johnson, who once insulted President Barack Obama by saying the half-Kenyan leader had an ancestral dislike of Britain. Biden criticized Johnson in the fall when the British leader threatened to breach an international Brexit treaty that he himself had signed. Kim Darroch, who lost his job as U.K. ambassador in Washington after his candid confidential comments about Trump were leaked in 2019, wrote in the Financial Times that there will be a price to pay, somewhere down the track, for our obsequiousness to Mr. Bidens predecessor. The change in American leadership is also awkward for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a staunch ally who didnt even mention Trumps name when he condemned the disgraceful Capitol riot. Netanyahus reluctance to criticize his good friend was not surprising. In the past four years, Trump has showered Netanyahu with diplomatic gifts, from recognizing the contested city of Jerusalem as Israels capital to delivering a series of diplomatic agreements between Israel and Arab countries. But Netanyahu may also have been wary of criticizing tactics that he himself uses against his enemies. Like Trump, Netanyahu frequently rails against the media and belittles opponents with language seen as racist or incendiary. On trial for corruption charges, Netanyahu also lashes out at the countrys democratic institutions. Netanyahu arrived at the opening of his trial last year with an entourage of lawmakers and Cabinet ministers, who stood behind him as he accused the media, police, prosecutors and judiciary of conspiring to oust him in a coup. More recently, Netanyahu has remained silent as supporters have been accused in attacks on anti-Netanyahu demonstrators. Israels figurehead president, Reuven Rivlin, implored citizens to learn lessons from the U.S. turmoil and remember that democracy is not to be taken for granted. The right to vote, the voice of the citizen exercising their democratic rights, alongside the strength of the judiciary and maintaining the rule of law, must be principles shared by us all, he said. In Britain, there are also warnings that authoritarianism and post-truth provocation have seeped into the country's political bloodstream. Neil OBrien, a Conservative lawmaker who debunks anti-science posts online, said Britons would be wrong to see events in the Capitol as a uniquely American crisis. He said Britain, too, has conspiracy theorists who have clashed with police at demonstrations against coronavirus lockdowns and politicians who flirt with them to gain clicks and exploit their energy. OBrien wrote that the mayhem in Washington happened not just because of one man, but because people in positions of power made short-termist decisions to feed the beast, and play along. Dont think it couldnt happen here, he said. A more recent publication of this set of statistics is available. Latest publication: Turnover of trade 2021, April Published: 14 January 2021 Turnover and sales volume in trade increased in November According to Statistics Finland, turnover in total trade adjusted for working days increased by 0.8 per cent in November from November 2019. Turnover grew in November in all main industries of trade apart from wholesale trade. In total trade, the working day adjusted volume of sales, from which the impact of prices has been eliminated, rose by 2.4 per cent in November. In last year's October, turnover fell by 0.7 per cent, while sales volume rose by 0.9 per cent. Annual change in working day adjusted turnover and sales volume in total trade (G), % Working day adjusted turnover in retail trade has developed positively since May of last year due to strong growth in daily consumer goods and department store trade. The positive growth continued also in November as turnover rose by 7.1 per cent and sales volume by 7.9 per cent from the previous year's November. The growth in daily consumer goods trade has been quite rapid since March 2020. The working day adjusted turnover in daily consumer goods trade continued to grow strongly, by 9.2 per cent in November compared to November 2019. Working day adjusted turnover in department store trade was 7.4 per cent up year-on-year in November. In specialised store trade, the development of working day adjusted turnover has slowed down slightly in recent months after the recovery in summer. In November, the growth in turnover of the industry in question picked up again to over three per cent and sales volume, in turn, grew by nearly five per cent compared to the previous year. The working day adjusted turnover of the biggest trade industry in terms of turnover, that is, wholesale trade, has decreased throughout 2020 and in November it decreased further by close on three per cent. By contrast, sales volume in wholesale trade remained almost on level with November 2019. Turnover adjusted for working days in motor vehicle trade rose in November, as turnover grew by 1.7 per cent from one year ago and sales volume adjusted for working days by 0.5 per cent from the previous year's November. Annual change in working day adjusted turnover and sales volume in industries of trade, November 2020, % (TOL 2008) Turnover and sales volume grew month-on-month The development of seasonally adjusted turnover in total trade compared with the previous month has been positive since the plunge in April 2020 up to September 2020. In October, in turn, turnover and sales volume decreased, as turnover contracted by 0.6 per cent and sales volume by 1.0 per cent from September. In November, seasonally adjusted turnover in total trade made a slight upturn again, when turnover increased by 0.5 per cent compared to October. Over the same time period, sales volume went up by 0.8 per cent. Change in seasonally adjusted turnover and sales volume in total trade (G) from the previous month, % Trend of turnover and sales volume in total trade The calculation of indices of turnover of trade is based on the Tax Administrations data on self-assessed taxes, which are supplemented with Statistics Finlands sales inquiry. The volume index of sales is calculated by removing the effect of price changes from the value index series. The factors caused by the variation in the number of weekdays are taken into account in adjustment for working days. This means taking into consideration the lengths of months, different weekdays and holidays. In addition, seasonal variation is eliminated from seasonally adjusted series, on account of which it makes sense to compare observations of two successive months as well. The data for the latest month are preliminary and they may become significantly revised particularly on more detailed industry levels in coming months. Source: Turnover of trade, Statistics Finland Inquiries: Suvi Kiema 029 551 3509, Mauri Niiniaho 029 551 3409, palvelut.suhdanne@stat.fi Head of Department in charge: Katri Kaaja Publication in pdf-format (296.9 kB) Updated 14.01.2021 Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Turnover of trade [e-publication]. ISSN=1799-0939. November 2020. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 27.5.2021]. Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/klv/2020/11/klv_2020_11_2021-01-14_tie_002_en.html Toronto: Huawei Technologies had a plane waiting to take chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou back to China from Vancouver as a key verdict in her extradition case was to be handed down last May, prosecutors said in a Canadian court. Meng, 48, has been fighting extradition from Canada to the United States since her arrest at Vancouver International Airport over two years ago. She has been charged with bank fraud for allegedly misleading HSBC on Huawei's business dealings in Iran, causing the bank to break US sanctions. Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei, outside the BC Supreme Court on Wednesday. Credit:AP She has said she is innocent and is fighting extradition. She was released on bail shortly after her arrest and has been under house arrest in Vancouver since then. In May, a Canadian judge sided with prosecutors representing the Canadian government on a key component of Meng's case, allowing her extradition hearing to continue. That ruling supported the prosecutors' case that Meng's alleged actions were illegal in both Canada and the United States and therefore met the standard of double criminality. David Xol-Cholom, of Guatemala, hugs his son Byron at Los Angeles International Airport as they reunite after being separated during the Trump administrations wide-scale separation of immigrant families (Ringo HW Chiu/AP) US Justice Department leaders under President Donald Trump knew their 2018 zero tolerance border policy would result in family separations but pressed on with prosecutions even as other agencies became overwhelmed with migrants, a government watchdog report has suggested. The report from the inspector general for the Justice Department found that leadership failed to prepare to implement the policy or manage the fallout, which resulted in more than 3,000 family separations and caused lasting emotional damage to children who were taken from their parents at the border. The policy was widely condemned by world leaders, religious groups and politicians in the US as cruel. Expand Close An asylum-seeking boy from Central America arriving from an immigration detention centre to a shelter in San Diego (Gregory Bull/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An asylum-seeking boy from Central America arriving from an immigration detention centre to a shelter in San Diego (Gregory Bull/AP) Former attorney general Jeff Sessions, along with other top leaders in the Trump administration, were bent on curbing immigration. The zero tolerance policy was one of several increasingly restrictive policies aimed at discouraging migrants from coming to the southern border. Trumps administration also vastly reduced the number of refugees allowed into the US and all but halted asylum at the border, through a combination of executive orders and regulation changes. President-elect Joe Biden has said Mr Trumps restrictive immigration policies are harmful, but it is not clear yet what he will do when he is in office to alter the system. The zero tolerance policy meant that any adult caught crossing the border illegally would be prosecuted for illegal entry. Because children could not be jailed with their family members, families were separated and children were taken into custody by Health and Human Services, which manages unaccompanied children at the border. The policy was a mess, as there was no system created to reunite children with their families. The watchdog report found that it led to a 227 million US dollars funding shortfall. According to the report, department leaders underestimated how difficult it would be to carry out in the field and did not inform local prosecutors and others that children would be separated. They also failed to understand that children would be separated for longer than a few hours, and when that was discovered, they pressed on. The policy began on April 6 2018 under an executive order that was issued without warning to other federal agencies that would have to manage the policy, including the US Marshals Service and Health and Human Services. It was halted on June 20 2018. The watchdog report found that judges, advocacy groups and federal prosecutors raised concerns over the policy. But Mr Sessions and others wrongly believed that arrests at the border would not result in prolonged separation, and ignored the difficulty in reuniting families. Justice leadership looked at a smaller version of the policy enacted in 2017 in West Texas, but ignored some of the same concerns raised by judges and prosecutors at that time. Top leaders were focused solely on increased illegal activity and did not seek information that would have shown concerns over the family separations that would result. The report follows other scathing investigations of the policy, adding to the evidence that Trump administration officials knew a zero-tolerance policy would result in family separations and inflict trauma on immigrant parents and children. A watchdog report from the Department of Health and Human Services found that children separated at the border, many already distressed by their life in their home countries or by their journey, showed more fear, feelings of abandonment and post-traumatic stress symptoms than children who were not separated. The chaotic reunification process only added to their ordeal. In a November 2017 email, a top Health and Human Services (HHS) official wrote that there was a shortage of beds for babies as an apparent result of separations in and around El Paso, Texas, that occurred months before the national policy began. Other emails suggested that the Department of Homeland Security did not tell HHS officials about the pilot program, even as government facilities for minors run by HHS saw a rise in the number of children who had been taken from their parents. The emails were released by congressional Democrats in an October 2020 report. And close to three years after the Trump administration enacted zero-tolerance, more than 600 parents who were separated from their children have still not been located by a group of outside lawyers working to reunite families, according to a court filing on Wednesday. When the Mars Perseverance rover makes its landing on the Red Planet on February 18, not only will it collect images and rock samples, the data it accumulates might also include sounds from Mars which shall be the first sound clips from any other planet, NASA said as per a report in IANS. It has a pair of microphones that will provide audio of arriving and landing on Mars, plus the sounds of the rover working along with wind and other noises. "It is stunning all the science we can get with an instrument as simple as a microphone on Mars," said Baptiste Chide who works in NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and is a contributor to the SuperCam' microphone. Sounds on Earth different on Mars The way we hear sounds on Earth is to be slightly different on Mars. The Martian atmosphere is just 1% of the density as that of Earth on the surface level with a different makeup to ours, NASA "But the discrepancy between sounds on Earth and Mars would be much less dramatic than, for example, someone's voice before and after inhaling helium from a balloon," said NASA's statement. One microphone aboard Perseverance is on the SuperCam instrument on the mast and it shall be used to record audio of Perseverance and natural sounds on Mars. The aim is to capture sounds of the rover's laser turning rock into plasma. NASA Because the SuperCam microphone is located on the remote sensing mast, it can be pointed to wherever there is a potential sound source. One more experimental microphone aboard the rover shall try to record sounds during the entry, descent, and landing. "We put a little grid at the end of the microphone to protect it from Martian dust," said Dave Gruel from JPL. NASA "I think it's going to be really neat to actually hear sounds from another planet," he added. The Mars 2020 mission is just one section of a larger programme which also includes missions to the moon to prepare for human exploration of Mars. With an aim to return astronauts to the moon by 2024, NASA wants to establish a human presence in the long term on and around the moon by 2028 its Artemis lunar exploration plans. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 20:35:37|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close HANGZHOU, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chen Shifu was thrilled when an embankment road went operational 14 years ago, becoming the first and only land route connecting his hometown islet with the mainland in east China at the time. The laver farmer is even more thrilled now, as part of the dike is being dismantled to restore the marine ecology. "At long last, I won't have to relocate my seaweed to help it survive," said Chen, 58. Via a dike-breaking project that started in late December, the 14.5-km-long Lingni Embankment linking Dongtou District and the coastal city of Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, will be left with a 247-meter gap, said Zheng Jinmao, a vice manager of project planning with the transportation development company of the district. The gap will allow seawater to flow and marine life to migrate, said Zheng. Consisting of some 300 islets, including 14 inhabited ones, Dongtou is home to more than 100,000 people. For many years, residents had to rely on boats to reach the outside world. Chen said it used to take him eight hours to make the round-trip journey between his home and downtown Wenzhou. "Only one vessel shuttled once a day, and we had to wait for days when the weather was bad," he recalled. In 2003, construction began on the Lingni Embankment linking a major islet of Dongtou and the mainland, as a key transportation project in the area. After it was completed and opened to traffic in April 2006, farmers like Chen were able to transport their aquatic products more timely and efficiently. Improved transportation also brought tourists, boosting the district's pillar tourism industry. According to the district government, local GDP expanded threefold to 6.15 billion yuan (about 950 million U.S. dollars) within 10 years of the embankment opening, with the annual growth reaching 13.8 percent on average. However, Chen soon found that his laver seedlings often became rotten and even died each September, because the dike had divided the aquaculture area into two parts, blocking seawater flow. "During the annual flood season, fresh water from the estuary would reduce the salinity at the northern side of the dike, leading to the death of seedlings," said Chen. To save the seedlings, he had to move them to the southern side of the dike before transferring them back later to grow, which added more than 10,000 yuan to his annual costs. The dike also blocked the route of many migratory marine animals, such as basses and eels, forcing them to take a detour of some 30 nautical miles. Now that residents have a second land route to reach the mainland since the Dongtou section of National Highway 330 opened to traffic in 2018, the district government decided to break the dike and boost the local ecology. Li Changda, an official in charge of the marine environment restoration of Dongtou District, said breaking the dike was just the first step. "A bridge will be built to connect the rest of the embankment, which is expected to resume its function as a transportation route," Li said, adding that an ecological oceanic trench with a width of more than 200 meters will also be dug to facilitate the migration of marine animals. The entire project is expected to be completed in the third quarter, according to Li. Enditem Springfield Police Capt. Brian Keenan spoke on the need for funding when it comes to training the police as part of the new reform bill. Keenan, who is also the head of the department Supervisors Association, spoke of the starvation budget the citys police are working with. On Wednesday, Keenan, Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood and Officer Joseph Gentile, head of the patrolmans union met with reporters and editors of MassLive and the Republican to discuss police reform and its impact on the city. The bill was signed by Gov. Charlie Baker on Dec. 31 after months of negotiations with state officials. After not being able to secure a veto majority, lawmakers advanced a compromise policing proposal. Its a gigantic step for Black and brown people in terms of police reform, Rep. Bud Williams said. He added that although it isnt perfect, its a step in the right direction and he hopes there will be more to come. Williams serves on the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, which worked with lawmakers and the governor for months before the first proposal was introduced in June. The bill creates a Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, a civilian-led oversight board that certifies officers and can decertify those facing misconduct complaints and other violations. The legislation also bans racial profiling, chokeholds, tear gas on large demonstrations and most no-knock warrants where a child or a person over age 65 is home unless that child or older person is at risk. Its very ambiguous and rushed and I think it could have been done much better, said Keenan. With police, between the [police] unions, the chiefs, the sheriffs, the legislators [all] in the same room. Keenan highlighted that the lack of funding impacts the level of training his officers can receive. He underlines that extra training would not only benefit the officers in Springfield but the public as well. The City Council approved in June a $727.6 million budget for the city with just over $50 million allocated for the police department in the fiscal year 2021. In an 8-5 vote, the council cut the proposed $1.8 million police overtime budget by $200,000 which was opposed by Mayor Domenic J. Sarno. The budget includes $620,000 in funding for the body worn camera program and also $125,000 funding for taser replacements. In February, the city council approved $1 million in spending for the purchase of 20 new police vehicles as part of an ongoing effort to upgrade the aging fleet. At the city budget hearings in June, Clapprood said her highest priority under the proposed budget is safety and training. Her total $50.5 million budget reflects a decrease of $402,000 over this years adopted budget. She had asked for a $2 million increase. Its tight but we can live with it, Clapprood said. The total city budget has seen a year over year increase. In 2020, the city was allocated $691.7 million. In 2019, the city had a $656.2 million budget. The department had a $50,929,856 budget for the police department in 2020, a 12.2% increase over the fiscal 2019 budget. For the last seven or eight years around here, weve always exceeded, Springfield [Police Department] has always exceeded the minimal training requirements, Keenan said. Since 2016, the department and a Springfield-based non-profit, the Behavioral Health Network have worked to embed mental health professionals on calls when there is a concern that an individual is suffering a mental health crisis. Southend Metro and C3 Police Sergeant Brian Elliott and Officer Carla Daniele outside the Behavioral Health Network building on Liberty Street. (Douglas Hook / MassLive) In 2019, the Springfield Police Department was awarded $80,000 to support Crisis Intervention Training and Springfields Homeless Outreach Provider Engagement (HOPE) program. As part of the partnership with BHN, officers can volunteer for training with BHN clinicians and roughly 30% of the department took up the program. Ideally, we would love to shoot four times a year, we have enough money to shoot twice a year. We would love to have a legal scholar teaching our guys every single week, bringing them up to date with things. You just cant do it, said Keenan. If youre going to start mandating additional days of training, you have to put additional officers on the street to backfill the officers in training. Keenan brought up a point that Clapprood had spoken to MassLive about in November. As commissioner, she would like to put all her officers through extra training with BHN in crisis intervention, but she cannot spare the officers. I think thats another detriment to the Reform Bill, Clapprood said on Wednesday. Its going to hurt me with recruitment and retaining. It makes the profession that much harder to do your job in some instances. Im having a hard time now recruiting within Springfield. Even before the dystopian year of 2020 with the pandemic infecting thousands of people and the resulting protests over the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, Springfields police department faced staffing issues. Just before the COVID shutdowns in March, she highlighted the difficulty of retaining officers and attracting new ones in a climate she believes has seen an increase in danger and disrespect. Clapprood gave an example of one officer that resigned recently, citing the increasing dangers the job entails as a result of COVID and the changes. For the first time to my knowledge, Ive had resignations of officers who have only been on the job a couple of years and have already decided that this is not what they want. They dont want to put their family through it, said Clapprood. So theyre leaving early. Leaders and representatives from more than three dozen law enforcement labor unions met and offered remarks to the news media regarding S. 2820 and the serious concerns raised by the sudden passage of S. 2820 in the Massachusetts Senate and its status before the Massachusetts House of Representatives. (Douglas Hook / MassLive) Police are put into situations that have the potential to escalate extremely quickly, Keenan stressed. He used the military as an example, saying that recruits would endure six months of basic training before the military would consider sending them to their units and an additional six months before deployment. The police officers receive one week of training for every 51 weeks. [Police] are required to make split-second decisions in dark alleys and stairways in the middle of the night, Keenan expressed after speaking to a selection of lawmakers that worked on the bill. They dont have the benefit of being in a board room or being in a courtroom or being in the statehouse when they make these decisions, and you cant transmit that. The former police firing range is unsafe and unhealthy, and going to a private range elsewhere or building a new range would be too costly. However, the city opened a new police range late in 2020, at 229 Page St. in East Springfield. It is under a 20-year, $16 million lease that was opposed by the City Council. The city will pay $698,781 annually for the lease and an estimated $100,000 annually to cover utilities, taxes, assessments, water and sewer charges, levies, and license and permit fees. The general effect was leadership was behind this and there was no slowing it down, Keenan added referencing previous conversations on the bill with lawmakers. The thing was, this was happening and there was no slowing it down. In France, a man was saved from being deported because of his health condition, and deporting him would worsen his ailment. The man was reported to have been diagnosed with severe asthma, and his country of origin is one with terrible air quality. Sending him home would be a turn for the worse and exacerbate his breathing disability. Despite being the first case in the country to have been ruled in this manner, environmental concern is a global issue that is one reason for international migration. Cases like this will most likely grow in numbers as the climate crisis continues. A severely asthmatic Bangladeshi man has avoided French deportation after his plea to prevent the risk of severe health deterioration that might lead to premature death if he returned to his homeland. The unnamed man has been living in the French city of Toulouse for quite some time. He arrived in the country in 2011 to flee from persecution and, in 2015, was granted temporary residency under the grounds of being a foreign national that requires medical treatment. The Bordeaux court overturned the deportation order against the Bangladeshi on the grounds of facing "a worsening of his respiratory pathology due to air pollution" in his home country of Bangladesh. Related Article: Seafood's Secret Ingredient: Microplastic Bangladesh Air Pollution In 2020, prestigious educational institutions, Yale and Columbia universities' EPI (Environmental Performance Index) ranked Bangladesh as the 179th placeholder in the global air quality. The country also has six times the recommended maximum concentration of fine particles in the air, according to the WHO (World Health Organization). It has also been shown that among the 572,600 deaths caused by noncommunicable diseases in 2018, ambient and household air pollution was among the highest factors. Court Ruling Bordeaux court considered that the drugs and medications that the man is receiving in the country (France) are unavailable in Bangladesh. They also took into accounts that the Bangladeshi health system can only provide the night-time ventilation equipment that the Bangladeshi man needs to treat his terrible sleep apnoea. The man's defense also told the court that his father died due to an intense asthma attack at 54. And, the moment he arrived in France in 2011, he immediately started treatment, which improved his respiratory capacity. It was shown that his respiratory capabilities were only at 58 percent in 2013, but it eventually increased to 70% in 2018. "For all these reasons, the court decided that sending my client back to his country would mean putting him at real risk of death," the lawyer, Ludovic Rivier, said. "Respiratory failure as a result of an asthma attack would be almost inevitable." After being granted temporary residency in 2015, doctors advised the immigration authorities that the man's condition could be treated adequately in Bangladesh. Fortunately, the court overturned that decision. According to his lawyer, "It decided my client's life would be endangered by the air quality in Bangladesh. To my knowledge, this is the first time a French court has applied the environment as one of its criteria in such a case." ALSO READ: Earth 'Net Zero': The Race to Stabilize Global Heat Spikes For more news update about the environment and similar topics, don't forget to follow Nature World News! There used to be a level of gatekeeping that went on with how members developed a profile when they got to Washington, said Kevin Madden, a strategist who served as a senior adviser to Mitt Romney during his 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns. Usually you had to work for it and earn that notoriety. Now its given to you with one YouTube video. In an introductory video of sorts that she released last week, Ms. Boebert was shown walking against a Washington backdrop with a gun holstered at her waistline. I refuse to give up my rights, especially my Second Amendment rights, she said to the camera. In her short time in office, Ms. Boebert has already sparred with a Republican colleague over security lapses at the Capitol last week and expressed interest in bringing her gun to work. Her Twitter account was temporarily suspended after she spread the falsehood that the presidential election was rigged. She also faced criticism, and some demands that she resign, for tweeting out information about some lawmakers locations during the siege at the Capitol by a violent mob last week. The behavior exhibited by Ms. Boebert and some of her fellow freshman Republicans prompted Timothy Blodgett, the Houses acting sergeant-at-arms, to send a memo to lawmakers on Tuesday notifying them that security screenings would be required for members seeking access to the chamber and that lawmakers who declined to wear masks would be removed from the House floor. Several Republicans responded by yelling that their rights were being violated as they passed through the metal detectors, behavior that has exasperated Democrats. I dont know what the consequences are going to be for people who hold power and dont ever want to be held accountable, Rep. Tim Ryan, Democrat of Ohio, told NPR on Wednesday about lawmakers who bypassed security measures in the Capitol. He added that defiance by lawmakers was a sign of how obnoxious things have become for some of these folks who were supporting Donald Trump. The rules dont apply to them. Ms. Boebert unofficially started her campaign for Congress in September 2019 in Denver, announcing to the Democratic presidential candidate Beto ORourke that he would not be taking one of the most potent symbols of rural autonomy: her guns. January 14, 2021 marks 123rd death anniversary of English writer Charles Lutwidge Dodgson also known as Lewis Carroll. Lewis was born on January 27, 1832, in Daresbury, Cheshire, England. Lewis was the eldest son and third child of the Rev. Charles Dodgson and Frances Jane Lutwidge. He grew up in isolated villages in the English countryside with his ten siblings. The writer who gave the world much of muchness through one of his greatest works Alice in Wonderland went to Christ Church, a constituent college of Oxford University. Besides being a captivating writer, Lewis also excelled in the study of classics and mathematics. He received several honours for his work in mathematics and held positions as a senior student and a lecturer in Christ College. Let us look at some of Lewis greatest works: Alices Adventures in Wonderland This fantasy fiction was written for children. The book was published in 1865 and its illustrations were done by British artist John Tenniel. Alice in Wonderland is a story about a girl named Alice who falls into a rabbit hole that transfers her into a magical world of smiling cats, talking animals and a fancy tea party with the mad hatter. Through the looking Glass A sequel to Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There was published in December 1871 after the first book was well-received by the readers. This novel describes some more adventures of protagonist Alice as she transfers to another mystical world through a mirror. This world is ruled by some illogical behaviour, chess boards and chess pieces. It is also in the end of this novel that we find out who inspired Lewis to write this classic. A boat beneath a sunny sky, the poem that comes at the end of this novel is an acrostic that spells out Alice Pleasance Liddell, who was an acquaintance and photography subject of Lewis. The Hunting of the Snark: An Agony in Eight Fits Published in 1876, this poem is quite similar to his previous works in terms of its nonsensical elements. The poem is about a sea voyage of a bellman, boots, barrister, broker, billiard marker, banker, beaver, baker, and butcher and their search for the elusive and abstract snark. Sylvie and Bruno This novel along with its sequel Sylvie and Bruno Concluded were Lewis last novels. Sylvie and Bruno were published in 1889. The book took its readers to two different worlds, one real and another fantastical. Sylvie and Bruno Concluded The last novel of Lewis came out in 1893 and has the typical writing style of the British writer. There are fairies and other fantastical creatures in Elfland described in this novel. The novel traces the journey of two siblings Sylvie and her little brother Bruno. A remote mining camp is one of a handful of sites the Queensland government is eyeing to move international arrivals out of Brisbane quarantine hotels to another city-wide lockdown. Homeground Villages at Calliope, near Gladstone in central Queensland, is fitted out with a pool, life-size chess board, tennis court and cinema and is a stark contrast to the Brisbane hotels where travellers are deprived of fresh air and exercise breaks. International arrivals could be quarantined at Homeground Villages near Gladstone under a proposal being considered by Queensland authorities. Credit:Homeground Villages Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is pushing for national cabinet to consider the proposal, but it has already been rubbished by NSW. Ms Palaszczuk has ordered a team of public servants to pull together a list of suitable sites outside of the south-east after a highly contagious strain of COVID-19 escaped the confines of a quarantined hotel room. [January 14, 2021] uCarenet Technologies Offers Care-based Translation App to Support Vulnerable Seniors in Latest Ontario Lockdown TORONTO, Jan. 14, 2021 /CNW/ - In response to the Ontario government's recent lockdown, uCarenet has accelerated its mission to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable seniors through their technology. For the next 30 days, uCarenet is offering health care professionals a free download of its uCareLINGO app. uCareLINGO, a care-based voice translation app, is a step toward fulfilling the company vision of providing elderly patients (and their caregivers) with tools and resources to live comfortably and independently. For non-English speaking seniors, living at home or in long term care, daily communications with health care providers can be frustrating, evoking feelings of loneliness and isolation. Without a translator or family member to assist them, seniors are challenged with clearly communicating their needs or symptoms. uCareLINGO breaks down language barriers between caregivers and patients in 17 languages with the most common care-based wods and phrases, plus real-time translation for spontaneous conversation. The recent Ontario lockdown will result in more seniors being further isolated from family, caregivers, or community members. Putting uCareLINGO into the hands of everyone, from healthcare workers to next door neighbours, will ensure that those who do not speak English will feel more connected to their immediate community. According to Dr. Martin Chasen, medical director of palliative care at William Osler Health Centre, "When aging seniors feel understood by their caregivers, because they are able to communicate in their native language, it is a win-win for all parties. Patients who can express their needs and wishes more easily are happier and more content patients, which of course fosters and promotes lower stress levels for frontline caregivers." Research shows that mobile technologies are playing a crucial role during the COVID-19 crisis. A new AGE-WELL poll conducted by Environics Research in July 2020 shows that two-thirds (65%) of Canadians aged 65 and older own a smartphone, and most who own one (83%) use it daily. "At a time when older adults face enormous challenges, it is encouraging to see that many are reaching for technologies and apps to help," says Dr. Alex Mihailidis, AGE-WELL Scientific Co-Director and CEO. "Our aging community is particularly vulnerable with regard to mental health issues like loneliness and depression. New technologies like uCareLINGO may help ease that fallout." Download http://uCareLINGO.com for FREE. SOURCE uCarenet Technologies, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] U.S. appeals court rules two murderers with COVID-19 can be executed in Trump's final week By Jonathan Allen TERRE HAUTE, Indiana (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court ordered that the last two scheduled federal executions under President Donald Trump's outgoing administration could proceed on Thursday and Friday, overturning a stay from a lower court delaying them until March to allow the two condemned men to recover from COVID-19. The U.S. Department of Justice announced last month that Corey Johnson, 52, and Dustin Higgs, 48, had been diagnosed with COVID-19 but that it would proceed with their executions set for Thursday and Friday. Both men, convicted in separate murders, are being held on death row at a federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana. On Tuesday, Judge Tanya Chutkan of the U.S. District Court ordered the executions be delayed until at least March 16 to allow the condemned men to heal, siding with medical experts who said their coronavirus-damaged lungs would result in inordinate suffering if they were to receive lethal injections. A split panel of judges at U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit overturned Chutkan's stay by a 2-1 vote overnight on Wednesday. Lawyers for the two men asked the appeals court to reconsider the ruling by filing a petition on Thursday morning seeking a so-called rehearing en banc. "We will ask the full court to step in to reinstate the stay, but it is time for the government to stop carrying out super-spreader executions," Shawn Nolan, a federal defender representing Higgs, said in a statement. Trump, a Republican and a long-standing advocate of capital punishment, oversaw the resumption of federal executions last summer after a 17-year hiatus as the novel coronavirus continued to spread. Death row inmates, at least two of their lawyers and multiple prison and execution staff have since become ill with COVID-19. President-elect Joe Biden, a Democrat, will be inaugurated next Wednesday, and says he will seek to abolish the death penalty. Higgs was convicted of overseeing the kidnapping and murder of three women on the Patuxent Research Refuge in Maryland in 1996. He did not kill anyone himself, which his lawyers have argued is grounds for clemency. Johnson was convicted of murdering seven people in Virginia in 1992 as part of a drug-trafficking ring. His lawyers say he has an intellectual disability that means it would be unconstitutional to execute him. Their lawyers, citing medical experts who testified in court, say that their damaged lung tissue would rupture more quickly than usual after lethal doses of pentobarbital, a powerful barbiturate, had been administered. There could be a period of several minutes in which the men experience drowning as their lungs filled with bloody fluids a pulmonary edema before the drug rendered them insensate or killed them, the lawyers argued, calling it a form of torture. (Reporting by Jonathan Allen; Editing by Alexandra Hudson) FLINT, MI The owner of a Flint chemical company has pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge related to the dumping of nearly 50 million gallons of untreated landfill liquid into the citys sewer system. Robert J. Massey, the president and owner of Oil Chem Inc., on Thursday, Jan. 14, appeared U.S. District Judge Stephanie Dawkins Davis at the federal courthouse in Flint and pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act. Prosecutors allege Massey illegally discharged more than 47 million gallons of landfill leachate into Flints sewer system over eight and a half years. The charge is punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 to $50,000 per day of violation. Oil Chem, located at 711 W. 12th St. in Flint, held a permit issued by the City of Flint under the auspices of the Clean Water Act, which allowed it to discharge certain industrial wastes within permit limitations. Flints sanitary sewers flow to its municipal wastewater treatment plant, where treatment takes place before the wastewater is discharged to the Flint River. The treatment plants discharge point for the treated wastewater was downstream of the location where drinking water was taken from the Flint River in 2014 to 2015. According to the plea agreement, Oil Chems permit prohibited the discharge of landfill leachate waste. Landfill leachate is formed when water filters downward through a landfill, picking up dissolved materials from decomposing trash. The Clean Water Act is our nations law for protecting the quality of the waters of the United States, and the health of people who rely on those waters. The criminal conduct here violated the Act and Oil Chems permit, said Jonathan D. Brightbill, acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Departments Environment and Natural Resources Division. Robert Massey ignored clear legal prohibitions and requirements in the interest of generating more revenue for his company. He knew better and should have done better. The outcome of this case will deter others, and hopefully chart a new course for this company. Protecting Michigans water is one of the most important and sacred things we can do, added U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider. The actions of the defendant were done with total disregard for the Flint River and the environment. Fortunately for the people of Flint, these contaminants did not end up in their drinking water, because the discharge point was several miles downstream of the drinking water intake. This case should stand as a warning to other businesses that they will face criminal charges for this kind of pollution. Massey signed and certified Oil Chems 2008 permit application and did not disclose his company had been and planned to continue to receive landfill leachate, which it discharged to the sewers untreated, the Justice Department stated. Massey also did not disclose to city officials when Oil Chem started to discharge this new waste stream, which the permit also required, officials alleged. Massey directed employees of Oil Chem to begin discharging the leachate at the close of business each day, which allowed the waste to flow from a storage tank to the sanitary sewer overnight, officials said. From January 2007 through October 2015, Massey arranged for Oil Chem to receive approximately 47,824,293 gallons of landfill leachate from eight Michigan landfills. One of the landfills was found to have polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in its leachate, which are known to be hazardous to human health and the environment. The manufacture of PCBs was stopped in the United States in 1977 because of harmful effects to health and the environment, according to information the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Massey is to be sentenced at 11 a.m. on May 14. Read more: Oil Chem owner accused of dumping nearly 50 million gallons of landfill liquid into Flint sewers Flint hits chemical company with $2.6M in fines over industrial waste Chemical company searched over possible illegal industrial waste discharge Both versions of the COVID-19 vaccine require two doses to protect against the novel coronavirus a priming shot and a booster shot. The injections are spaced three or four weeks apart, depending on which you get: The wait is three weeks for Pfizer/BioNTech and four weeks for Moderna. But what if you miss your second dose? What if a hospital or pharmacy runs out of stock? Is there a grace period? Are you partially protected, even if you dont receive your booster for months? Definitive answers remain elusive as more research needs to be conducted on the new vaccines. But some experts say you dont want to delay getting the second dose because you risk rendering the vaccine less effective and could raise your odds of having an allergic reaction. The last thing you want to do is be shooting from the hip here and starting to dose everybody one time, and then run out of a second dose, and then expose people to an ineffective vaccine, said Dr. Reynold Panettieri, vice chancellor for translational medicine and science at Rutgers University. Supply concerns have grown in recent days following the shift in federal government guidelines that could complicate the immunization rollout. The initial plan under Operation Warp Speed was to reserve second doses of vaccine to ensure that anyone who got the first shot also got the second within the prescribed time frame. But now the plan is to send the reserved second doses to states to get as many people vaccinated with a priming shot while hoping that the supply chain keeps up with demand. In New Jersey, people 65 and older and those between the ages 16 and 64 who have certain medical conditions or smoke became eligible Thursday, Gov. Phil Murphy announced. Why the change? Demand is spiking, especially among those vulnerable to the complications of COVID-19, while the vaccine rollout has been sluggish nationwide. There have been distribution issues, and pharmaceutical companies still arent producing enough vaccine to meet demand, hence the need to reserve the second shots. But at the current pace, experts say it will take years before enough people are vaccinated to achieve herd immunity, which is needed to halt the spread of COVID-19. New Jersey has received 654,900 doses of the coronavirus vaccine, according to figures tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On Thursday, state officials reported 287,840 doses have been administered including 253,775 first doses and 33,898 second doses. Meanwhile, the state announced another 5,967 new coronavirus cases, one day after setting a record of 6,922. Its still unclear whether the federal governments new guidelines could risk depleting resources. Too soon to tell, said Donna Leusner, spokeswoman for the state health department, in an email. We are waiting for the federal guidance to come out. We want people to get as much immunity as possible, and right now, the second dose [regimen] provides the greatest protection. But what happens if residents face a long delay after the first shot longer than the recommended three or four weeks? Lets just say you dont want to do that, according to experts. The first shot the priming shot gets the immune system going. The first dose engages your immune system. It identifies the foreign protein, Panettieri said. Essentially, it sets off an invader alert that then triggers the immune system to recognize: Not self, he added. The body then begins to generate antibodies, Panettieri said. The second vaccine dose engages the immune systems memory T cells. And the T cell memory is the one thats going to give us longer lasting immunity, Panettieri said. So if someone only gets the first shot, youre not going to have as effective immunity to the virus, and you may not get a long-lasting T cell memory response, which is so critical to sustain immunity at six and 12 months. Picture it like a water well and pump, he said. Those two immune processes are linked, Panettieri said. So what you want to do is have a priming event its sort of like priming a well. You get the water up, [and] the next time you pump, youre going to get a big rush of water. And its the same thing with the immune system. Thats why you dont want these separated [say,] one dose and then six months later, a second dose because basically, youre starting from scratch. And thats why they are bundled so closely. Its unclear how long after missing the established three- or four-week period for a second dose that the vaccines efficacy wanes. If you look at other vaccines, the vast majority that we have, if you delay you dont generally restart, said Dr. David Cennimo, an infectious disease expert at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. You just say, Hey, wish that didnt happen, but you resume vaccinating. Not (with) all of them, but most of them. That thinking is being applied to the current vaccines. Right now, the guidance for the two available COVID vaccines are saying you dont start over, Cennimo said. But a lack of data remains an issue. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were approved under emergency authorization to stem the pandemic. They continue to be studied. There isnt a group of people that waited three months in between dose one and dose two and said it went OK. So we dont really know, Cennimo said. If you delay the second vaccine shot for six months and then restart, it could cause an allergic reaction, Panettieri said. Because the last thing you want to do is start again with a foreign protein in your body, he said. And if your body recognizes (it) as foreign, you may get an allergy to it, not get the benefit and have consequences. Only time will tell how the new federal guidelines are handled on the state level. But Panettieri, like many other experts, was disappointed by the initial rollout. I think we all are disappointed, he said. And we all want to ramp this up as fast as we can. However, we have to be protective that there will be enough of a second dose. Otherwise, what were doing is wasting opportunity and resources. So my hope is, as we roll it out to a broader population, that we keep in reserve enough to give the second doses. And in essence, thats where were hoping that everyone whos getting dosed is being followed closely, Panettieri said. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 22:10:35|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A contestant car is seen on the race track during an international autonomous car ice and snow driving challenge in Changchun City, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, Jan. 14, 2021. The three-day event, which was designed to test the adaptability and durability of autonomous cars in ice and snow circumstances, concluded Thursday at the Lianhuashan Eco-tourism Resort in Changchun. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan) To make upfront payment of Rs 165 crore NHPC has signed definitive agreement on 13 January 2021 for implementation of the approved resolution Plan submitted by NHPC for takeover of Jalpower Corporation (JPCL), who was implementing 120 MW Rangit Stage-IV HE Project in Sikkim. Hon'ble National Company Law Tribunal (NCL T), Hyderabad bench has approved the NHPC's resolution plan for taking over JPCL as going concern vide its order dated 24 December 2020. NHPC will make upfront payment of Rs.165 crore for the resolution plan of JPCL. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rome, Jan 14 : Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's cabinet passed a national recovery plan to boost the economy in the post-Covid phase. Overall, the multi-year package was worth 310 billion euros (US $378.3 billion) over the next six years, most of which made of European Union (EU) funds, Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday. Italy is in fact meant to receive 209.9 billion euros in low-interest loans and grants from the EU. That is its portion of the 750-billion-euro European Recovery Fund provided by the Next Generation EU program approved by the EU in July 2020 to help member states cope with the economic consequences of the pandemic. In the 172-page national plan, the Italian cabinet added 13 billion euros coming from the REACT EU social cohesion package, some 7.9 billion euros from other EU projects, and 79.8 billion euros in national funds provided by Italy's financial program 2021-2026. The "Recovery and Resilience Plan" outlines six macro-areas to which these funds will be allocated, and the kind of spending to be made (both in new projects and in some underway). The six macro-areas of intervention, or strategic axes, including digitalization and innovation, green transition, health, and social inclusion; each area comprises different sectors. Overall, more than 70 per cent of the resources will be destined for public investments, and the rest to relief measures and stimuli to support private investments, the government said in a statement. The largest portion -- some 67.5 billion euros -- will be invested in the green transition area for a further ecological transformation of the Italian economy, the third-largest in the euro-zone. "With the European resources, our country can now truly change," Economy and Finance Minister Roberto Gualtieri wrote on Twitter. "Now let's start with the debate in parliament and in the country." Now that the cabinet passed it, the recovery plan will, in fact, go before the Italian parliament to be discussed, eventually amended, and voted. EU's member states have until the end of April to present their final recovery plans to Brussels, where the EU Commission will examine them to see if they are consistent with the standards required by the Next Generation EU program. If not, the EU executive branch can ask member states to modify their plans. According to an outlook report by Italian economic think tank Prometeia in December, Italy's gross domestic product (GDP) could gain 0.3 percentage points in 2021 as a direct result of using the first tranche of the EU recovery funds -- estimated at 24.9 billion euros -- with "a cumulative positive impact of 1.2 percentage points on GDP at the end of 2023." (CNN) -- South Korea's highest court has upheld former President Park Geun-hye's 20-year prison sentence for her 2018 bribery conviction, ending a corruption scandal that has gripped the country for years. Park was initially sentenced to 24 years in prison after she was found guilty on multiple counts of abuse of power, bribery and coercion. Those charges related to a massive influence-peddling case that prompted widespread protests, implicated some of the country's most powerful figures and saw her removed from office in 2017. Park's 2018 sentence was reduced to 20 years last July following a retrial. Prosecutors appealed that sentence and requested a heavier penalty, but on Thursday, South Korea's Supreme Court upheld Park's 20-year jail term, according to a news release from the court. The Supreme Court is South Korea's highest court, meaning that Thursday's decision is expected to be the end of Park's legal avenues to appeal her sentence. Park will have to serve 22 years behind bars -- she faces an additional two-year prison term for a 2018 conviction for meddling in the nomination of candidates for Saenuri Party, a conservative political party previously led by her. "This is the conclusion of a state corruption affair which follows the people's candlelight revolution, impeachment by the Assembly, and a judicial ruling. It is a manifestation of our democratic republic's constitutional spirit and signifies advancement and maturity of Korean democracy," South Korea's presidential Blue House said in a statement Thursday. "We must make sure to take this unfortunate event -- the imprisonment of the former President -- as a historical lesson and avoid repeating it." South Korea corruption scandal The daughter of former dictator Park Chung-hee, Park Geun-hye became South Korea's first female President when she came to power in 2013. But her term was marred by controversy and in 2017, she became the country's first democratically elected leader to be forcibly removed from office after the country's Constitutional Court upheld a parliamentary vote to impeach her. That vote came after millions of South Koreans took to the streets over a period of several months to demand Park's ouster, after revelations emerged about the undue influence wielded by her adviser and confidant, Choi Soon-sil, the daughter of a cult leader. Shortly after Park was stripped of her office, she was arrested and put on trial for soliciting bribes from major conglomerates in the country, including Samsung. In 2018, she went on trial over separate accusations that she received illicit funds from the National Intelligence Service. Several others were also implicated in the scandal. In 2018, Park's confidant Choi was sentenced to 20 years in jail on 18 charges including abuse of power, coercion, fraud and bribe, and was fined $16.6 million. In 2017, Samsung chief Lee Jae-yong was found guilty of bribery and other corruption charges and sentenced to five years in prison. In 2018 a higher court reduced his sentence and suspended it for four years although he has since undergone a retrial of that charge and a verdict is expected next week. In a related case, he was last year indicted over a controversial 2015 merger that helped him tighten control over the company. This story was first published on CNN.com, "South Korea's top court upholds former leader Park Geun-hye's 20-year prison sentence" Credit: CC0 Public Domain As the story goes, the Greek mathematician and tinkerer Archimedes came across an invention while traveling through ancient Egypt that would later bear his name. It was a machine consisting of a screw housed inside a hollow tube that trapped and drew water upon rotation. Now, researchers led by Stanford University physicist Benjamin Lev have developed a quantum version of Archimedes' screw that, instead of water, hauls fragile collections of gas atoms to higher and higher energy states without collapsing. Their discovery is detailed in a paper published Jan. 14 in Science. "My expectation for our system was that the stability of the gas would only shift a little," said Lev, who is an associate professor of applied physics and of physics in the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford. "I did not expect that I would see a dramatic, complete stabilization of it. That was beyond my wildest conception." Along the way, the researchers also observed the development of scar statesextremely rare trajectories of particles in an otherwise chaotic quantum system in which the particles repeatedly retrace their steps like tracks overlapping in the woods. Scar states are of particular interest because they may offer a protected refuge for information encoded in a quantum system. The existence of scar states within a quantum system with many interacting particlesknown as a quantum many-body systemhas only recently been confirmed. The Stanford experiment is the first example of the scar state in a many-body quantum gas and only the second ever real-world sighting of the phenomenon. Super and stable Lev specializes in experiments that extend our understanding of how different parts of a quantum many-body system settle into the same temperature or thermal equilibrium. This is an exciting area of investigation because resisting this so-called "thermalization" is key to creating stable quantum systems that could power new technologies, such as quantum computers. In this experiment, the team explored what would happen if they tweaked a very unusual many-body experimental system, called a super Tonks-Girardeau gas. These are highly excited one-dimensional quantum gasesatoms in a gaseous state that are confined to a single line of movementthat have been tuned in such a way that their atoms develop extremely strong attractive forces to one another. What's super about them is that, even under extreme forces, they theoretically should not collapse into a ball-like mass (like normal attractive gases will). However, in practice, they do collapse because of experimental imperfections. Lev, who has a penchant for the strongly magnetic element dysprosium, wondered what would happen if he and his students created a super Tonks-Girardeau gas with dysprosium atoms and altered their magnetic orientations 'just so.' Perhaps they would resist collapse just a little bit better than nonmagnetic gases? "The magnetic interactions we were able to add were very weak compared to the attractive interactions already present in the gas. So, our expectations were that not much would change. We thought it would still collapse, just not quite so readily." said Lev, who is also a member of Stanford Ginzton Lab and Q-FARM. "Wow, were we wrong." Their dysprosium variation ended up producing a super Tonks-Girardeau gas that remained stable no matter what. The researchers flipped the atomic gas between the attractive and repulsive conditions, elevating or "screwing" the system to higher and higher energy states, but the atoms still didn't collapse. Building from the foundation While there are no immediate practical applications of their discovery, the Lev lab and their colleagues are developing the science necessary to power that quantum technology revolution that many predict is coming. For now, said Lev, the physics of quantum many-body systems out of equilibrium remain consistently surprising. "There's no textbook yet on the shelf that you can pull off to tell you how to build your own quantum factory," he said. "If you compare quantum science to where we were when we discovered what we needed to know to build chemical plants, say, it's like we're doing the late 19th-century work right now." These researchers are only beginning to examine the many questions they have about their quantum Archimedes' screw, including how to mathematically describe these scar states and if the system does thermalizewhich it must eventuallyhow it goes about doing that. More immediately, they plan to measure the momentum of the atoms in the scar states to begin to develop a solid theory about why their system behaves the way it does. The results of this experiment were so unanticipated that Lev says he can't strongly predict what new knowledge will come from deeper inspection of the quantum Archimedes' screw. But that, he points out, is perhaps experimentalism at its best. "This is one of the few times in my life where I've actually worked on an experiment that was truly experimental and not a demonstration of existing theory. I didn't know what the answer would be beforehand," said Lev. "Then we found something that was truly new and unexpected and that makes me say, 'Yay experimentalists!'" Explore further Filming quantic measurement for the first time More information: "Topological pumping of a 1D dipolar gas into strongly correlated prethermal states" Science (2021). Journal information: Science "Topological pumping of a 1D dipolar gas into strongly correlated prethermal states"(2021). science.sciencemag.org/cgi/doi 1126/science.abb4928 California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development opening office in Yerevan US Department of State issues statement on detention of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces Armenia 1st President says Aliyev is certain that Pashinyan won't win elections and is trying to get all that he can UN calls for $ 95 million in aid to Palestinians Twitter is concerned about safety of its employees in India Artsakh hero: Impotent and perhaps also treacherous authorities of Armenia need to be removed from power immediately France MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to show maximum restraint Azerbaijani attacks Russia citizen of Armenian descent in Moscow Armenia acting MOD provides President with information about capture of Armenian servicemen Lithuania MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to go to de-escalation of situation and pull out troops Russian Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia acting FM resigns Acting Deputy FM: Armenia reserves itself the right to take necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity China speaks on dark history of US intelligence in connection with Biden's order Netanyahu slams hypocritical and deceitful moralizing statements of French FM Turkish authorities issues new arrest warrant for mafia after his scandalous revelations of Erdogan's entourage EU-Armenia Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security holds 11th Meeting Armenia acting PM deletes statement on Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers "being intertwined" from Facebook post 6 Armenian soldiers captured: situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border is tense, May 27 digest Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff deputy chief explains difficulties with settlement of border with Azerbaijan UN: Israeli forces may have committed war crimes during 11-day war with Hamas Nikol Pashinyan presents plan for resolving border situation Dollar gains value in Armenia Opposition party leader: Armenia Security Council to convene session with heads of parliamentary factions this evening His Holiness Karekin II receives newly appointed UK Ambassador to Armenia Greece and Turkey FMs to meet in Athens Armenia acting PM says he will present plan for peaceful solution to border situation very soon Armenia Parliament Speaker sends letters to counterparts of partnering legislatures Zarif: Iran welcomes willingness of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tension Armenia acting Deputy MOD on news about soldiers being ordered to not open fire ANCA calls on US Congress to block financing of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Armenia to allocate lands in Syunik Province to Russian border guards Armenia Armed Forces General Staff deputy chief: We can destroy all Azerbaijani soldiers who invaded territory Armenian advocates file lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan Army general staff deputy chief: About 1,000 Azerbaijan soldiers are illegally in Armenia Army general staff: Armed forces can capture Azerbaijani soldiers who marched into Armenia Armenia legislature approves several amendments to laws Armenian opposition MP: Villages mentioned by ruling bloc's deputy are Armenia's buffer zone Armenia Gegharkunik Province villager to acting PM: Over 50% of our pastures are now under Azerbaijan control Armenia Kotayk Province has new governor Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US ambassador, discusses border situation NEWS.AM BREAKING: 6 Armenian soldiers are captured by Azerbaijan military in early morning European Council head says process of implementing sanctions against Belarus is launched Armenia acting MOD leaves for Moscow Armenia President, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces discuss current situation on border Armenia acting PM to residents of borderline village: If we cede our border, Azerbaijanis will get more excited Armenia MOD not confirming reports about Azerbaijan firing shots at Tavush Province Ex-President Kocharyan meets with Yerevan residents, "Armenia" bloc members (PHOTOS) Armenia petitions to European Court to ensure fundamental human rights of 6 soldiers captured by Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier: We need to unite in this situation Serj Tankian makes statement on Azerbaijans displayed horrific racism Man detained in US for intending to commit attempt on Biden Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD continues disseminating disinformation Erdogan to visit Baku and Shushi Two Armenia legislature committees to hold closed joint meeting regarding tense situation on Azerbaijan border Holy Etchmiadzin on capture of Armenia soldiers: Such behavior of Azerbaijan authorities is strongly condemnable Gegharkunik Province village border area situation very tense, says Armenia enlarged community leader Armenia opposition MP: Shots are heard Gegharkunik Province Armenian National Congress party electoral list is announced Armenia MFA: Azerbaijan leadership bears responsibility for consequences of actions by its armed forces Opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament demands convening Security Council special session 140 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Acting premier: Our servicemen were abducted from Armenia territory Armenia MOD announces names of 6 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan military early morning Armenia parliament majority leader to CSTO: Our international partners do not call it like it is Armenia parliament manages to have quorum in 2nd attempt World oil prices falling Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan popularity rating consistently drops over the past week Newspaper: Russia peacekeepers commander does not return from Azerbaijan with encouraging news for Armenia MOD: 6 Armenia soldiers are surrounded, captured by Azerbaijan military early morning William Shakespeare, 1st man in world to get approved coronavirus vaccine, dies aged 81 Spain Congress of Deputies committee accepts pro-Armenian motion Ex-PM comments on double-digit growth in Armenia economy Facebook calls Russia, Iran leading purveyors of disinformation Erdogan says meeting with Biden will mark 'start of new era' in relations with Washington Armenia acting Deputy PM on creation of third high-voltage electric communication line with Iran Vladimir Zaynetdinov: CSTO has taken note of application submitted by Armenia acting PM Armenia's Pashinyan says addressing UN Security Council not ruled out Armenia acting FM: International pressure on Azerbaijan is growing Netanyahu tells Blinken that Israel is against reopening US consulate for Palestinians 23 political parties and 4 alliances apply to Armenia Central Electoral Commission ahead of snap parliamentary elections Instagram launches ability to hide likes Iran FM on solutions to problems in the region, territorial integrity Bloomberg: Support for Erdogan's ruling party hits record low Inter-agency commission sums up reports on implementation of roadmap for EU-Armenia CEPA Armenian acting PM on CSTO and Russia and their duties as Armenia's allies Slovakia allows use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V Armenia acting PM on situation in Syunik Province: CSTO still hasn't clearly expressed its position Armenia's Pashinyan: It's very rarely that Baku made provocations in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces on its own Armenia acting PM: There will be no demarcation of borders until Azerbaijani troops are pulled out of territory Record-setting number of political parties register to run in snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Blinken describes Egypt as a "real and effective partner" Armenia's Pashinyan slams opposition again Yerevan court ends trial over Armenia 3rd President's nephew Hayk Sargsyan Armenia President expresses condolences on passing away of Catholicos-Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan Armenia President hosts Iran FM-led delegation Armenia acting PM doesn't see need to declare martial law in the country Iran to send delegation of intellectual companies to Armenia EU demands to fine AstraZeneca for not fulfilling contract Zakharova: Russia is closely participating in settling Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident LONDON, Jan. 14, 2021, has announced its expansion to three new European cities as Covid continues to cause a boom in demand across the digital rental market. Spotahome has seen how Covid has spurred a boost in demand across Europe's digital rental market, not only from those looking to secure a rental property in a foreign city without the physical need to view the property, but also amongst tenants moving within their home city who also want to minimise risk and exposure to the virus. So much so, Spotahome has expanded its area of operations to Florence, Porto and Vienna, as international tenants lay the foundations for a return to normality and life after Covid. Like all areas of life, Covid hit the rental market hard, with widespread restrictions on travel, work and education resulting in a fall in tenant demand. As a result, Spotahome saw rental demand reduce by a monthly average of -46% between January and April of this year, with the largest decline coming from international professional tenants forced to put their career progression on hold. However, the unique nature of the digital rental market has enabled many to now traverse the Covid rental landscape and plan for the future, even while the virus continues to linger. While traditional landlords and lettings platforms have seen demand dwindle in major cities leading to a dramatic decline in the rent achieved, Spotahome has seen a significant uplift in market activity from both student and professional tenants looking to move within their own cities as well as those planning a move from one city or country to another. Since April, Spotahome has seen demand increase at a rate of 25% per month across Europe and not only are tenants returning, but they're opting to stay within the sector for longer. Spotahome's data shows that the average tenant is now staying for 153 days, an 8% increase from the average of 141 days in 2019. Consequently and perhaps unusually in commerce right now, Spotahome has expanded its operations across three new European cities to cater for the lift in demand, in addition to the 11 major European destinations it is already well established in. VP, Business & Operations at Spotahome, Eduardo Garbayo, commented: "The digital rental platforms, such as Spotahome, have provided local tenants and landlords a new way of renting their properties, easier, quicker and more secure, since it does not require physical contact." Of course, many tenants have remained cautious about their future and how Covid could impact it, so understandably, they don't want to commit to a lengthy rental agreement should they need to return home. However, with a vaccine around the corner, many are planning for a return to normality, and they want to be ready to hit the ground running when it happens. The digital rental market enables this perfectly, and so demand across the sector has started to climb at a notable rate with tenants also staying for longer until the dust has fully settled." Spotahome is now operational across Florence, Porto and Vienna with 200 to 500 available properties in each of the cities, having seen strong inbound demand via their platform for tenants looking for rental options within these cities. These three locations bolster Spotahome's existing list of 11 other major European cities of operation and provide yet further opportunities for those looking to rent within the digital rental sector. Spotahome CEO, Alejandro Artacho, commented: "Like most, the second quarter of last year was particularly tough, forcing us to scale back our operations to ensure a super-efficient third quarter. As a result, we saw some of the best margins on record as a business. But as demand returned at a rapid rate during Q3, we decided it was time to stop reducing costs and to start expanding to service this demand. Our latest expansion allows us to diversify our risk in a geographical sense, but it has also been a part of our longer-term strategy to offer greater choice in our core markets. We had always planned to move into Porto to further bolster our operations in Portugal alongside Lisbon as one of our key markets. Italy has also been a strong market for us having operated in Rome and Milan for many years, and so further expansion to Florence also came naturally. While Austria is a new market for us, there is a strong connection with Germany in terms of the language and flow of individuals. So it made sense to include Vienna in our expansion plans to further support our operations in Berlin. A starvation of travel ability has created a coiled spring off tenant demand on a global scale. While this is yet to fully unravel, the digital rental market is seeing strong signs that this will erupt in 2021. Although our hands have been somewhat tied due to the pandemic, we've taken the time to prepare for this by implementing the right business infrastructure so we can scale next year." www.spotahome.com Media enquiries: James Lockett PropergandaPR james@propergandaPR 07584248960 If youve been waiting these past two years for the Sopranos movie to come out, get ready to wait some more. The release of The Many Saints of Newark, the forthcoming film prequel to the New Jersey-set HBO series, has been postponed again. The film was originally supposed to debut in theaters Sept. 25, 2020, but COVID-19 meant that plan had to be scrapped. As various theatrical releases were pushed back by months, in December a new premiere date was announced March 12, 2021 along with news that the film would simultaneously be released in theaters and on HBO Max. Now, the stars of the movie say we have to wait six more months, but they maintain it will all be worth the wait. The new release date for The Many Saints of Newark is Sept. 24, 2021. Michael Gandolfini, who plays a young Tony Soprano in the movie, posted on Instagram about the date change Wednesday night. Rival gangsters, the Newark riots, and a ton of gabagool will be delivered directly to theaters and @hbomax, he said of the film, which is partially set in the 1960s. The wait will be worth it. Love yall. On the set of the film in 2019, Newark streets were strewn with debris and a car was set ablaze. Background actors playing Newark residents, police and National Guardsmen crowded in near an armored vehicle to depict the Newark riots of 1967. Gandolfini, 21, is son of James Gandolfini, who won three Emmys for playing Tony Soprano in the TV series and died in 2013. He shared a photo of Christopher Moltisantis tombstone along with the announcement. Anyone paying attention to the particulars of the movie that are known so far is already aware that Moltisanti translates to Many Saints, linking Tonys onetime mentee with the films title. Anyone who watched the series (slight, 14-year-old spoiler alert) also knows that it was Tony himself who killed Christopher (Michael Imperioli), suffocating him after he was injured in a car accident in 2007. Alessandro Nivola (Face/Off, Disobedience) stars as Christophers father Dickie Moltisanti in The Many Saints of Newark. He serves as a mentor to Gandolfinis young Tony in the film mirroring Christophers future relationship with Tony. "Many Saints of Newark" background actors filmed riot scenes in Newark in the spring of 2019.Amy Kuperinsky | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com On Instagram, Nivola noted that the movies new date moved it back to its original September week of planned release. He seemed to point to COVID-19 risk as one reason for waiting longer, being that some will choose to see the film in theaters instead of on HBO Max at home. Back to our original weekend, one year later, said Nivola, 48. Long f$*kin time to wait but its where we belong since March is too soon to pile into movie theaters and get all cozy again. Hang in there. Jon Bernthal (The Punisher) plays Tonys father Johnny Boy Soprano and New Jersey native Vera Farmiga (Up in the Air, The Departed) plays the formidable Livia Soprano, Tonys mother. TWAS SO MUCH FUN and an HONOR to be a part of THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK, Farmiga, 47, said in an Instagram post, sharing the Moltisanti grave photo. On September 24, watch as rival gangsters rise up during the explosive era of the Newark riots. "The Many Saints of Newark" director Alan Taylor (at center) on set in Newark in May 2019. Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com The film, written by Sopranos creator David Chase and Lawrence Konner, is directed by series alum Alan Taylor, who won an Emmy for directing an episode of the show. Many Saints filmed in Newark as well as at Holstens, the Bloomfield ice cream parlor where Tony Soprano and family were last seen in 2007. Sharing the films new premiere date, Nivola posted a photo from the set showing Dickie and young Tony in a booth at Holstens, but not just any booth the one marked as being reserved for the Soprano family. Its the same spot where James Gandolfini, Edie Falco (Carmela Soprano) and Robert Iler (A.J. Soprano) filmed the final scenes of the show before the infamous cut to black. The movie also recreated the side of Satriales Pork Store on a building in Paterson, and filmed other scenes in various boroughs of New York City. Actors run in a scene depicting the 1967 Newark riots. Filming took place in Newark, Bloomfield, Paterson, New York and more locations in 2019. After the film was postponed, more scenes were filmed in 2020.Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com While the cast, including Gandolfini, celebrated a wrap on the film in 2019, after the release date was initially pushed back to March, more filming was done in New Jersey and New York. The full Many Saints cast includes Corey Stoll (First Man) as a young Corrado Uncle Junior Soprano, Billy Magnussen (Aladdin) as a young Paulie Walnuts Gualtieri, Tony winner Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton), John Magaro (David Chases Not Fade Away) and Unions own Ray Liotta (GoodFellas). Hollywood newcomer Michaela De Rossi, an actress from Italy, also plays a role. She shared a sneak peek on Instagram, too, from a scene filmed with Odom at the makeshift Satriales parking lot in Paterson. It will have been worth the wait, she said, echoing her castmates. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup on Twitter. While federal aid has helped keep Pennsylvanias school districts afloat during the pandemic, the state will have to intervene as those dollars dry up and local revenues falter amid the economic downturn, according to a new report.. The report, released Wednesday by the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials, Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators, and Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools, credited the influx of federal funding for the states 500 school districts $575 million this year, followed by $1.6 billion expected in the next with subsidizing costs brought on by the pandemic. But, it warned, school districts could be facing a budget hole once the aid expires in 2023 particularly if the money is used to backfill traditional funding streams, as during the Great Recession more than a decade ago. Many schools used that federal stimulus money to cover positions as state funding plunged; when it expired, districts were forced to make deep cuts, the effects of which endured for years. READ MORE: Pennsylvania schools need an additional $4.6 billion to close education gaps, new analysis finds Gov. Tom Wolf and lawmakers this year maintained state aid to schools at last years levels, though what will happen in the coming budget is unknown. And local revenues, which Pennsylvania school districts heavily rely on, are uncertain. Property tax collections occur in the spring; school districts, some of which have suspended penalties for late payments, are unsure what collections will look like amid the economic downturn. The federal aid is not a silver bullet, Hannah Barrick, assistant executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials, said Wednesday. School districts are not out of the woods in terms of the COVID impact. READ MORE: Pa. shortchanged its poorest school districts in giving out federal CARES Act money, report says The report looked at financial information submitted by school districts to the state, as well as survey responses from 269 school business managers and 215 superintendents. It found that at least 20% of districts lost some local revenue last year as the economy slowed and interest earnings, real estate transfer taxes and earned income tax revenues decreased. School districts also held back on raising taxes: For the first time since before the passage of Act 1, a property tax relief measure passed by Pennsylvania lawmakers in 2006, more than half of school districts did not raise their rates, according to the report. While districts were able to save some money as school buildings shuttered last year in part by renegotiating transportation contracts costs increased in other areas as schools responded to the pandemic. About 75% of districts reported increased instructional and special education costs, according to the report, which also noted that state law required public schools to continue paying employees last spring after the building shutdowns. This year, districts have also incurred increased costs for technology to facilitate remote instruction, and cleaning supplies and custodial staff for schools operating in person. For schools offering both instructional models many districts that have opened in person have also given families the option of online schooling the costs were extreme on both sides, the report said. And some fiscal pressures that existed before the pandemic have accelerated. Among the most pressing: A surge of students have enrolled in cyber charters, which are funded by school districts and have long stirred scrutiny and criticism from public school advocates. Tuition payments from school districts to charter schools are estimated to grow by $475 million this year, the report said more than double the annual growth in recent years. The increase is wreaking havoc on school district budgets for 2020-21, the report said. Nearly 25% of superintendents surveyed named charter tuition payments as their top financial concern, it said more than any other challenge, including the impact of pending tax appeals (selected by 13% of superintendents) and state funding prospects (almost 12%). READ MORE: Cyber charter enrollments are surging. School districts are picking up the tab. While this years level of state aid was very positive for school districts given the financial challenges facing the state, the report said, if funding remains flat for another year, districts that rely most heavily on state aid will be especially challenged. State funding increases for public schools are distributed through a formula that directs more money to the neediest districts; if there is no increase, then those districts dont see any greater share of state dollars. The report also noted that the federal funding coming to Pennsylvanias districts is expected to be double what the states schools received during the Great Recession meaning its eventual expiration could leave a bigger hole in district budgets. Given the ongoing fiscal challenges facing many districts including growing special education and pension costs the state will need to step up to fill in the federal funding void and address the constant increase in mandated costs, it said. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! It was a sobering moment to vote in support of impeachment today; to walk over to the U.S. Capitol, our symbol of democracy, and recall the violent insurrection we witnessed here just one week ago, said Kinzinger, who was one of 10 Republicans voting to remove Trump to make it the most bipartisan impeachment vote in U.S. history. This is not a vote I took lightly, but a vote I took confidently. Im at peace. OAKLAND, Calif., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente, the nation's largest integrated, nonprofit health system, has awarded $8.15 million to support dozens of nonprofit and community-based organizations whose programs address systemic racism and accompanying trauma on individuals and communities of color. These grants are part of a $25 million commitment Kaiser Permanente announced in June 2020 to promote health equity among its members, communities, employees, and physicians and to break the cycle of trauma and stress driven by racism that leads to poor health outcomes. This first set of grants, awarded to 40 organizations in the District of Columbia and the eight U.S. states where Kaiser Permanente operates, supports established national and regional community-based organizations led by people of color, that address racial and social justice or trauma, including the lifelong impacts of adverse childhood experiences. Funding will be used for community organizing, policy advocacy, and movement building, among other objectives. "As we reflect on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., I hope Kaiser Permanente is one of many voices plainly saying that there is much, much work still to be done to realize Dr. King's ideal of an equitable society that guarantees every individual the opportunity to thrive," said Greg A. Adams, Kaiser Permanente chairman and CEO. "I am encouraged as I see what progress is possible through organization, activism, and advocacy and I want our support to enable future generations to follow that path to create change." Among the initiatives funded is a $2 million national partnership with PolicyLink to design and scale racial equity strategies, projects, and campaigns. The core issues PolicyLink addresses include housing justice, water equity and climate resilience, corporate racial equity, and reducing inequality. "To truly honor Dr. King, we must build a just and fair society where all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential. Sadly, due to us not heeding Dr. King's charge, more than 100 million people 1 in 3 Americans still live in or near poverty," said Michael McAfee, president and CEO of PolicyLink. "Our partnership with Kaiser Permanente will support creating anti-racist practices and policies inside the organization, within Kaiser Permanente's vast network, and in the broader society. This project will help to ensure that all people in America particularly those who face the burdens of structural racism participate in a just society, live in a healthy community of opportunity, and prosper in an equitable economy." As part of this partnership, PolicyLink will also play a role in working with organizations receiving grants convening, engaging, and mobilizing regional grantees to catalyze learning and action communities. Kaiser Permanente and PolicyLink will evaluate the outcomes of funded programs, with input from a panel of national racial justice and trauma experts, to track and measure overall progress. The grants will be distributed through Kaiser Permanente's fund at the East Bay Community Foundation. About Kaiser Permanente For 75 years, Kaiser Permanente has been committed to shaping the future of health and health care and helping our members, patients, and communities experience more healthy years. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Since July 21, 1945, Kaiser Permanente's mission has been to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.4 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. Media Contact: Hilary Costa, [email protected] SOURCE Kaiser Permanente Related Links http://www.kaiserpermanente.org Joe Biden will become president of the United States at noon on January 20 in a scaled-back inauguration ceremony. While key elements will remain traditional, many events will be downsized and re-imagined to better adapt the celebration to a nation battling the coronavirus. Heres a guide to the event. What will the inauguration look like? Although many of the events will be virtual, Maju Varghese, the executive director of the Presidential Inaugural Committee, said the goal was an inclusive and accessible celebration that brings Americans together and unifies our nation, especially during such a tough time for our country. Biden will be sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts on the Capitols West Front sometime before noon. The new president is then expected give his inaugural address and conduct a review of military troops, as is tradition. But instead of a parade of cheering spectators along Pennsylvania Avenue as the new president, vice president and their families make their way to the White House, there will be an official escort with representatives from every branch of the military. For remote viewers, the inaugural committee has planned what it is calling a virtual parade across the country featuring music, poets and dancers paying homage to Americas heroes on the front lines of the pandemic. At 5:30 pm on January 19, the evening before Biden takes the oath, the committee will hold a lighting ceremony around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in remembrance of people in the United States who have lost their lives in the coronavirus pandemic. Is unrest expected? For weeks, Washington has been preparing for the possibility of protesters. But the nations capital was kicked into high alert after a violent mob breached the Capitol building on January 6 and forced lawmakers to halt the official counting of Electoral College votes to affirm Bidens victory. Mayor Muriel Bowser has warned that extremists who support President Donald Trump might continue to wreak havoc, and she extended the citys public emergency through January 21. The FBI and Secret Service have ramped up security efforts around the inauguration. Experts have warned that some far-right extremist groups are already discussing an assault on Inauguration Day similar to the deadly attack on the Capitol. Unrest on Inauguration Day is not unprecedented: During Trumps inauguration in 2017, crowds in Washington damaged storefronts, threw rocks and bricks at police officers, and lit a limousine on fire in protest of Trumps election. The day ended in more than 200 arrests. Will Trump attend? Trump announced on Friday he would not attend Bidens inauguration. Biden called that decision one of the few things he and I have ever agreed on. Still, it is a major break with tradition for a president to skip the ceremonial heart of the countrys democracy: the peaceful transfer of power. Vice President Mike Pence will attend, an aide said Saturday, after Biden made clear Friday that he was welcome. Only three presidents have missed their successors swearing-in: John Adams in 1801, his son John Quincy Adams in 1829 and Andrew Johnson, a Democrat who sat out the 1869 inauguration after he was replaced in favor of a Republican, Ulysses S. Grant. Who will attend? And can I attend? Former President George W Bush has confirmed he will travel to Washington for Inauguration Day, along with Laura Bush, the former first lady. Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are also expected to attend, along with former first ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton. Jimmy Carter, who at 96 is the oldest living former president, announced that he and his wife would not attend. It will be the first presidential inauguration Carter has missed since he was sworn in. Traditionally, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies would distribute hundreds of thousands of tickets to the swearing-in ceremony for members of Congress to invite constituents, but this year tickets are not available to members of the public. Planners are urging people to stay home and participate in virtual inaugural events to prevent large crowds that could easily spread the coronavirus. Events will be livestreamed by the Presidential Inaugural Committee and by The New York Times. Why is a presidential inauguration so important? The 20th Amendment to the Constitution requires that the term of each elected president and vice president begin at noon Jan. 20 of the year after the election. Every president has taken the oath of office, and they cannot assume their positions without doing so. Symbolically, it marks the peaceful transfer of power from the current president to the next. Inauguration Day will be all the more important this year, as Biden ascends to the presidency at a time when political division has threatened the nations democratic institutions and his predecessor has gone to extreme lengths to stay in power. The inauguration is also a notable fundraising opportunity for the incoming president. Although traditional events like balls have been canceled, Bidens inaugural committee is offering special VIP participation to corporations and well-heeled individuals who can use the opportunity to curry favor with the new administration. Excess donations cannot be transferred to federal campaigns or party committees. Past inaugural committees have given unspent funds to charities for disaster relief as well as groups that decorate and maintain the White House and the vice presidents residence. Aishvarya Kavi c.2021 The New York Times Company PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Striving to provide the best-in-class PWA solutions to enable the eCommerce community, CedCommerce releases the Cenia Pro Magento 2 PWA theme 1.1.0. This theme is exclusively curated for entrepreneurs running their eCommerce business on the Magento 2 eCommerce platform. Cenia Pro 1.1.0 is a PWA packed with dynamic features to enhance the capabilities of eCommerce businesses. The theme offers a wide range of features for progressive web apps like sliding banner images, product configuration, sign in and log in, infinite scroll, and much more. Every webpage of the theme is meticulously organized to run an eCommerce PWA in a systematic way. These features of Cenia Pro Magento 2 PWA theme 1.1.0 makes the entire experience faster and smoother than ever. One can add slides of banner images at the beginning of the homepage in the Cenia Pro PWA theme. Going further down, new and trending products can be added. This is done to display the most popular products that are selling rapidly. Not only the product page is curated to perfection, but also all the other webpages are given equal attention. For example, the product page of the Cenia Pro PWA theme has attributes for rating and reviews, call to action for adding a product to a wishlist, related products, and stock availability message. These features of Cenia Pro PWA theme 1.1.0 are created using the technique of scaffolding and other PWA-making tools like React JS and GraphQL that Magento 2 PWA studio provides. The components of this PWA theme are compliant to make faster-loading and low-cost progressive web apps. Contact the CedCommerce team for this exceptional PWA theme and matchless 24*7 support to satisfy your specific needs. "We commit to delivering the best of business experience to our clients who aspire to scale their business. PWAs have proved their mettle and will emerge as the most popular choice for businesses. We are elated to contribute to the PWA boom with its Cenia Pro theme based on the Magento 2 PWA Studio and are excited to see the impact it creates," said Mr. Mudit Shukla , Associate Director, CedCommerce. Read more- The success story of a client who used Cenia Pro Magento 2 PWA Theme in her online store known as Cloth Face Mask. About CedCommerce CedCommerce is known for connecting millions of eCommerce entrepreneurs globally to provide quality solutions for their online ventures. Since 2010, CedCommerce has helped them to expand their businesses that are based on various eCommerce platforms like Magento 2, Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Prestashop, and Opencart. Making the internet a reliable platform to make their online businesses, CedCommerce is known for its round the clock support service. Media Contact : Mr. Mudit +917234976892 [email protected] SOURCE CedCommerce Sir Brian Leveson has published his first report on Boohoo's supply chain overhaul Sir Brian Leveson, known for his inquiry into the Press eight years ago, has published his first report on Boohoo's supply chain overhaul. Last year the fashion retailer was exposed for sweatshop-style conditions and low pay at the Leicester factories it uses. Following the revelations retired judge Leveson (pictured) was hired in November to oversee Boohoo's so-called Agenda for Change with accountants KPMG tasked with independently tracking its progress. As part of the agenda the company has been reviewing its UK supply chain across Britain and internationally to replace bad actors with alternative ethical suppliers. So far Boohoo has removed 64 suppliers from its UK roster. Leveson said it had started well although some areas remained a 'work in progress if the group is to create and establish a critical 'hearts and minds' programme involving everyone in the buying chain'. Executive chairman Mahmud Kamani said he was 'immensely proud' of the speed of change at the company. Government officials say last week's Capitol riot will likely encourage domestic extremists to carry out more violent attacks, according to a new intelligence bulletin. Officials warn domestic extremists 'very likely pose the greatest domestic terrorism threats in 2021' in a Joint Intelligence Bulletin published Wednesday, produced by the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center. Federal authorities said in the bulletin the Capitol protest will 'likely serve as a significant driver of violence for a diverse set of [domestic violent extremists]'. They say the attacks are fueled by racial division, QAnon conspiracies and other fringe views. Officials explain that extremists see violence 'as a step toward achieving their initiatives' and they 'consider the death of a perceived like-minded individual as an act of martyrdom.' The notice comes as the FBI is investigating whether the attack on the US Capitol was more than just a protest but a planned siege, citing evidence including weapons and tactics caught on surveillance video that suggest a level of planning. A Joint Intelligence Bulletin published Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center warns that last week's Capitol riot will lead to more violent attacks In the January 6 protest a Trump-inspired mob stormed the Capitol building to stop Congress from certifying the presidential election. They forced their way into the House floor, were seen in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office and overall five people were left dead. The government intelligence document blamed the Capitol siege on 'false narratives' claiming the 2020 presidential election was 'illegitimate' In the violent protest Trump supporters clashed with police as lawmakers were forced to shelter inside the Capitol building During the January 6 protest, a Trump-inspired mob stormed the Capitol building to stop Congress from certifying the presidential election. They forced their way onto the House floor, were seen in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office and overall five people were left dead. The report noted that some of the rioters displayed symbols associated with violent extremists like the Confederate flag, neo-Nazi and QAnon symbols, nooses and the phrase 'Murder the media' was found scratched onto a door in the Capitol. The government intelligence document blamed the Capitol siege on 'false narratives' claiming the 2020 presidential election was 'illegitimate, or fraudulent, and the subsequent belief its results should be contested or unrecognized.' On Wednesday Trump was impeached for the second time during his presidency for 'incitement of insurrection' in the siege. The Wednesday document says the riot was part of a trend of extremists using demonstrations to carry out ideologically motivated violence. Authorities warn extremists and QAnon conspiracy theorists could commit small, lone actor attacks. It states the protest 'likely will inspire others to engage in more sporadic, lone actor or small cell violence' against 'racial, ethnic or religious minorities and institutions, law enforcement, and government officials and buildings.' The document entitled 'Domestic Violent Extremists Emboldened in Aftermath of Capitol Breach, Elevated Domestic Terrorism Threat of Violence Likely Amid Political Transitions and Beyond' explains the violence that unfolded on January 6 and how it'll inspire further attacks The document says political tension as well as COVID lockdowns may inspire new threats. 'In 2021, threats and plotting of illegal activity, including destruction of property and violence targeting officials at all levels of the government, law enforcement, journalists, and infrastructure, as well as sporadic violence surrounding lawful protests, rallies, demonstrations, and other gatherings by [domestic violent extremists] will very likely increase due to renewed measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, socio-political conditions and perceived government overreach.' The document also noted that journalists may be threatened by violent attacks. 'Criminal activity by rioters targeting members of the media at the breach is also indicative of an increased and prolonged threat of targeted violence against members of the press due to perceived complicity in a system hostile to their beliefs.' President Donald Trump pictured speaking to his supporters before they stormed the Capitol building on January 6. The government intelligence document blamed the Capitol siege on 'false narratives' claiming the 2020 presidential election was 'illegitimate, or fraudulent, and the subsequent belief its results should be contested or unrecognized' A mass of Trump supporters left his rally on Wednesday and headed straight for the Capitol The report noted that some of the rioters displayed symbols associated with violent extremists like the Confederate flag, neo-Nazi and QAnon symbols, nooses and the phrase 'Murder the media' was found scratched onto a door in the Capitol. A view of a rioter carrying a Confederate flag above A view of QAnon conspiracy theorists at the Stop the Steal rally on January 6 above The document warned federal agencies and local governments to 'remain vigilant' in light of the 'persistent threat' posed by the domestic violent extremists. The FBI said to Yahoo News that the agency is 'supporting our state, local, and federal law enforcement partners with maintaining public safety in the communities we serve.' 'Our efforts are focused on identifying, investigating, and disrupting individuals that are inciting violence and engaging in criminal activity. As we do in the normal course of business, we are gathering information to identify any potential threats and are sharing that information with our partners. The FBI respects the rights of individuals to peacefully exercise their First Amendment rights. Our focus is not on peaceful protesters, but on those threatening their safety and the safety of other citizens with violence and destruction of property.' The FBI is investigating whether the January 6 riot was a planned attack to deliberately break into the Capitol building. Evidence so far shows weapons and tactics on surveillance video suggesting a level of planning, a federal law enforcement official said as per CNN. Some evidence shows participants of Trump's rally earlier in the day leaving the event early, possibly to retrieve items used in the Capitol raid. Investigators and prosecutors are combing through travel and communications records to see if they can build a case similar to a counterterrorism investigation. The FBI is also investigating whether any of Trumps supporters who attacked the Capitol conspired to hurt lawmakers or take hostages. Dozens have already been arrested for their role in the riot, but now a probe is underway to see if there was a deeper plot to kidnap or harm members of Congress. 'We're not looking at this as a grand conspiracy, but we are interested in learning what people would do with things like zip ties,' said one law enforcement official. At least two mob members, one of them a retired Air Force officer, were spotted on the Senate floor carrying zip-tie handcuffs, while another was caught with a pistol on the Capitol grounds. In this image from video made available by Blue Origin, the company's New Shepard rocket lands after a test flight in West Texas on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. (Blue Origin via AP) Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin company launched a new capsule into space Thursday to test all the astronaut perks before people strap in. Thursday's flight with a dummy named Mannequin Skywalker lasted 10 minutes and reached 66 miles (106 kilometers) above West Texas. Both the New Shepard rocket and the capsule landed successfully. It was the 14th flight to the fringes of space for a New Shepard rocket. The first was in 2015. "The success of this flight puts us one really big step closer to flying astronauts," launch commentator Ariane Cornell said from company headquarters in Kent, Washington. "There's going to be a lot of fun ahead in 2021." Blue Origin plans to launch paying passengerstourists, scientists and professional astronautson brief hops over West Texas' remote desert. It's also working on a bigger rocket, New Glenn, that would blast off from Cape Canaveral as well as a lunar lander for astronauts under NASA's Artemis moon program. The capsule soaring Thursday featured the latest crew upgrades: microphones and push-to-talk buttons for the six seats, wall panels to muffle engine noise, a safety-alert system, and temperature and humidity controls to keep passengers comfortable and the big windows free of fog. In this image from video made available by Blue Origin, the company's RSS First Step capsule uses parachutes for landing after a test flight in West Texas on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. (Blue Origin via AP) The launch and landing team was scaled back because of the pandemic. New Shepard is named for the first American in space, Alan Shepard. New Glenn honors John Glenn, the first American in orbit. Explore further Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launches spacecraft higher than ever 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Monday announced a Rs 56 crore package for farmers in Cauvery delta districts in the state to take up kuruvai (short-term) paddy and pulses plantation. This included supply of 12 hours of three-phase power, Chief Minister K Palaniswami said. Considering the low water storage level at the Mettur Dam, he said it was not possible to open the sluice gates for irrigating kuruvai crops this year. Water is released from the dam when the storage level is at 90 feet as against its full capacity of 120 feet, he said in a statement. He also said Karnataka had not released Tamil Nadus due share of Cauvery water last year, affecting the prospects of both Samba and kuruvai crops then. Due to this, the water level at Mettur dam also stood at just 23.68 feet, Palaniswami said and also referred to the unprecedented drought being faced in Tamil Nadu and recalled the various mitigation measures rolled out by the state. Palaniswami said he had reviewed the situation with Agriculture Minister R Doraikannu and senior officials following which it was decided to provide a Rs 56.92 crore kuruvai package to enable farmers to take up short-term crops. Like in the past years, 12-hour three phase power will be supplied to the Delta districts. Further, using available water resources, it has been decided to take up paddy cultivation on just 1.60 lakh acres of land, he said. Also Read: Demanding loan waiver, Tamil Nadu farmers strip in front of PMO Last year, paddy cultivation was done on 3.16 lakh acres, he added. However, the government will promote the cultivation of pulses of various kinds on another 1.32 lakh acres as an alternative to paddy, he said. He announced 100 per cent subsidy on different types of manure and fertilisers for paddy cultivation, besides granting total subsidy to farmers taking up cultivation of pulses. The subsidy would also be provided to machines used in transplantation and specific PVC pipes, he added. The package would achieve the objectives of paddy and pulses cultivation using groundwater and improve soil health, the Chief Minister said. He said he had directed the Agriculture Department to immediately initiate the works. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A land dispute between a band of Buddhists and a mining company part-owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich is coming to a head following years of stalemate. After talks broke down between Evraz, a London-headquartered mining company, and a small group of Russian Buddhists occupying a mountaintop in western Siberia, local authorities have vowed to "resolve the issue as soon as possible." Meanwhile, the Buddhists decry what they say are underhanded tactics to force them off the disputed land. Shad Tchup Ling was founded in 1995 by Mikhail Sannikov, a former Soviet soldier who saw heavy action during the 1979-1989 occupation of Afghanistan. He converted to Buddhism soon after his return to the U.S.S.R. Evraz claims the land Sannikov chose to build on sits atop a vast deposit of iron ore, which the mine needs to expand their business and keep thousands of locals employed. Sannikov and his followers never received a permit to build on the isolated mountaintop and have no legal recourse to stop Evraz taking over the site. But with its photogenic, Himalayan appearance, Shad Tchup Ling monastery has become Instagram-famous, and each year the nearby town of Kachkanar hosts thousands of mostly Russian tourists who come to make the hike to the mountaintop monastery. The issue of removing the monastery has been further complicated by the building of several stupas, sacred Buddhist shrines, at the site. The optics of Buddhist monuments being crunched into rubble by a demolition crew has the potential to spark an international outcry. After talks with local authorities broke down in 2020, the Kachkanar Buddhists say a step-by-step campaign to remove them suddenly intensified over the past two months. In an e-mail sent to RFE/RL on January 13, the Buddhists say they are in "a state of siege" atop the mountain and that both roads toward the monastery have checkpoints with guards that block any entry on weekdays and require a pass from weekend visitors. The Buddhists say Evraz workers and "an unknown man with a video camera" patrol the mountain attempting to catch the Buddhists illegally collecting firewood. At the same time, the Evraz men prevent vehicles from carting legally obtained firewood up the mountain. Evraz, for its part, says that despite having no legal obligations to do so, they have made repeated offers to the Buddhists, including a payment of 26 million rubles (about $350,000) and plots of land to resettle in a nearby village. But after a November deadline passed and the Buddhists remained in the monastery, a local official told reporters the Buddhists "are not behaving as partners." Semyon Zagorodny, one of the Kachkanar Buddhists, told RFE/RL that it's "impossible" to relocate any of the monuments in the monastery. "Religious structures can't be moved -- they have to remain in place." In an apparent reference to Roman Abramovich, who has Israeli citizenship, he added, "It's our land, not the land of those people sitting in London and Israel making money from Russian resources." Jeju Shinhwa World Police on Jeju Island investigating a massive cash theft at a casino said Thursday they have retrieved what appears to be the bulk of the stolen money and are tracking down three suspects. The police investigation began Jan. 4, when Jeju Shinhwa World, one of South Korea's largest integrated resorts, made public the mysterious disappearance of South Korean cash worth 14.56 billion won (US$13.38 million) from its casino building. At that time, Landing International Development Ltd., the Hong Kong-based operator of the Jeju casino, asked the Jeju police to track down a female Malaysian executive in charge of the cash, saying she had not come to work after leaving for vacation at the end of last year and remains out of contact. Jeju's provincial police agency said it has so far discovered about 12 billion won presumed to be part of the stolen money 8.15 billion won from the Jeju casino's VIP room safe and about 4 billion won from where the Malaysian executive used to stay and that it has launched a manhunt for the woman and two suspected co-perpetrators. The 55-year-old Malaysian executive of Chinese descent and one of her two suspected accomplices, identified only as a 30-something Chinese national, are believed to be staying abroad, and another unidentified accomplice is still in South Korea, the agency said, adding the alleged co-perpetrators are not employees of the casino. "All the retrieved money is cash in new 50,000-won bills. The possibility of other accomplices being involved in the theft cannot be ruled out," a police official said. The official said the Malaysian executive had taken the cash out of the Jeju casino's safe in accordance with its due security procedures. (Yonhap) Apple's Taiwanese manufacturing partner Foxconn Technology Group is setting up a car venture, strengthening its automotive capabilities at a time when technology companies including its California ally are looking to expand in vehicles. Foxconn is joining forces with Chinese carmaker Zhejiang Geely Holding Group to provide production and consulting services to global automotive enterprises, according to a statement from the companies on Wednesday. Amid reports of Apple considering making its own electric vehicles, Foxconn has been bulking up its automotive muscles swiftly. Such moves may help the company become a major contender to make cars for its largest customer. An Apple car would rival electric vehicles from Tesla and offerings from carmakers like Daimler and Volkswagen. Credit:Fairfax Media With development work still at an early stage, Apple will take at least half a decade to launch an autonomous electric vehicle, people with knowledge of the efforts have told Bloomberg News. That suggests the company is in no hurry to decide on potential auto-industry partners. Last week, Hyundai Motor backed away from a statement confirming it is in talks with Apple, saying it had been contacted by potential partners for the development of autonomous electric vehicles. Formula 1 has flatly denied suggestions the sweeping new rules for 2022 could be delayed yet another year. Last year, as the sport scrambled to cope with economic crisis triggered by the coronavirus shutdowns, the teams agreed to delay the planned introduction of sweeping new technical rules from 2021 to 2022. But with the pandemic still not over, La Gazzetta dello Sport claimed on Wednesday that a further 12-month rules delay to 2023 may now be in the works. The Italian newspaper said the teams, seven of which are based in Britain where a reportedly more virulent strain of covid-19 is spreading, are scheduled to discuss the matter at a meeting in February. "Any suggestion the 2022 regulations will be delayed is wrong and has not been discussed," a Formula 1 spokesperson told us. "The new regulations are designed to improve competition on track and give our fans closer racing. This combined with the new financial regulations will improve Formula 1 and create a healthier and stronger business model for the whole sport," the official added. (GMM) Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. The man shown in this surveillance photo is wanted in connection with the robbery of a Sugar Land Bank last month. (Photo from Twitter) Gorakhpur, Jan 14 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced plans to launch a seaplane service from Ramgarh Tal in Gorakhpur and international flights from Kushinagar, for which the process would be started soon. "There are nine flights operating from Gorakhpur to all major cities in the country. Soon, international flights will commence from Kushinagar," he said at a function in Gorakhpur. He also urged people to be patient with the vaccination drive to be launched across the country from January 16. "The vaccination drive against coronavirus will start after Makar Sankranti under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Have patience and wait for your turn; do not rush for the vaccination." Adityanath also said that Gorakhpur had the potential to become a hub for readymade garments. He also promised to get constructed an auditorium in Taramandal (planetarium) area this year. Its been a big week for tech companies and content moderation. US president Trump was excommunicated from social media platforms, ranging from Facebook and YouTube to Twitter and Reddit. Right wing social media platform Parler was shut out from Amazon Web Services, as well as the Apple and Google app stores. While many have cheered the tech companies actions, they do raise serious questions about control: who should decide whether elected officials, or others, have a voice online? Do the events of the last week show that civic society doesnt have the guts to legislate for big calls, hoping instead that a handful of billionaire tech CEOs will make the right decisions instead? This unease was articulated most clearly by German chancellor Angela Merkel in a response to Twitters Trump ban. Ms Merkel said that it's better for society to regulate speech in accordance with the laws and within a framework defined by the legislator, not by the decision of the management of social media platforms. French ministers agreed. While this response might be dismissed as being wrapped up in a different European narrative, that the tech giants are too powerful and need to be more tightly regulated anyway, it points to the same obvious gap in governance. Amazons intervention adds another question: how far down the technology stack should moderation responsibility go? Simply within the site or social media service itself? Or deeper, to a hosting provider, an app store or even a domain registrar? Read More We know that advertisers increasingly feel an obligation to pull commercial support from controversial content. But might responsibility soon rest with a mobile or broadband telecoms provider, as Irish online safety and anti-piracy campaigners argued in the 2000s? Few in politics or in the tech industry are keen to grasp what might be considered a fundamental quandary in the ethics of exactly where responsibility for platforming content starts and finishes. It's not a technical problem, it's a society problem, says Tanya Lokot, an associate professor in digital media and society at Dublin City Universitys School of Communications who specialises in internet freedom, censorship and internet governance. Part of the problem is that the companies themselves are entirely unprepared for the kind of power they now wield as spaces for public debate. I don't think any of them set out to be that. Cloudflare, a large hosting provider, has been to the fore of the debate in recent years. In 2017, it removed the neo-Nazi site, The Daily Stormer, from its services. In 2018, it did the same thing with 8Chan following violence that was planned on the site. On both occasions, Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince admitted to being uneasy about being the arbiter of who or what gets to have a presence online. Without a clear framework as a guide for content regulation, a small number of companies will largely determine what can and cannot be online, he wrote. Law enforcement, legislators, and courts have the political legitimacy and predictability to make decisions on what content should be restricted. Companies should not. Those supporting the status quo say that issues of communication or speech dont arise, as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and others are private companies who set their own rules that they are entitled to enforce. However, when a hosting company, or a number of them, cut off access it becomes less like booing a speaker off the stage than cutting off the electricity to a building, said Sara Fischer a media reporter at US website Axios in describing Amazons action against Parler. What might happen to make decision-making clearer? EU lawmakers are introducing tighter measures on social media firms which will make them more accountable for content deemed unacceptable to civic institutions. This may take some of the power, as well as the responsibility, away from tech CEOs. The Digital Services Act recognises that that infrastructure we have may not be sufficient, says Ms Lokot. And so maybe some of that power should be devolved back to the states or each country, because obviously the context in each country is also different. Well known industry commentators such as Ben Evans believe that this EU move will be to international moderation standards what the General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR) is to privacy rules and become a global law through the back door. There probably isnt any one perfect answer as to which institution should be regulating all of it, says DCUs Ms Lokot. The only consensus so far is that it's really hard to make rules for production content moderation, because the context keeps changing, she says. "There's a reason why Facebook's content moderation manual is now practically as vast as an Encyclopedia Britannica and yet they still have to make exceptions because it's the edge cases that cause these issues. I think the only consensus is that companies shouldn't have all the power and states shouldn't have all the power. Polarisation doesn't just happen because of the Facebook algorithm. It happens because there's inequality and it's structural. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 23:23:46|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TEHRAN, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian naval force on Thursday fired torpedoes from the home-made Fateh(Conqueror)-class submarine, as well as cruise missiles from the seashore and vessels on the second day of a large-scale drill in Iran's southern waters, Press TV reported. This is the first time Iran's indigenous submarine has fired torpedoes. The cruise missiles and the torpedoes hit mock targets successfully during the last stage of the massive military drill in the Sea of Oman, codenamed Eqtedar-e Daryayi (Naval Strength) 99. Meanwhile, Deputy Navy Commander for Coordination Hamzeh-Ali Kaviani, spokesman of the maneuver, issued a warning against any hostile "violation or encroachment" on Iran's maritime borders. A foreign submarine was detected approaching the area during the exercise, said a statement issued by the public relations office of Iran's Army. The underwater intruder was monitored by helicopters in a timely manner and left the area immediately after a warning was issued, the statement added. The Makran forward base ship, hailed by local media as Iran's largest-ever military vessel, and missile-launching frigate Zereh (Armor) joined the drill that started on Wednesday. Enditem [Heres how you can get the coronavirus vaccine in New York City.] It wasnt until last fall that many parents started to breathe easier, as it became clear that elementary schools, at least, were not cesspools of infection with the coronavirus. But the alarming news of a more contagious version of the virus, first identified in Britain, revived those concerns. Initial reports were tinged with worry that children might be just as susceptible as adults, fueling speculation that schools might need to pre-emptively close to limit the variants spread. But recent research from Public Health England may put those fears to rest. Based on detailed contact-tracing of about 20,000 people infected with the new variant including nearly 3,000 children under 10 the report showed that young children were about half as likely as adults to transmit the variant to others. That was true of the previous iteration of the virus, as well. There was a lot of speculation at the beginning suggesting that children spread this variant more, said Muge Cevik, an infectious disease expert at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and a scientific adviser to the British government. Thats really not the case. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 14:39:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Wind power equipment is being loaded on a cargo ship at a port in Lianyungang City, east China's Jiangsu Province, Jan. 14, 2021. China's total goods imports and exports expanded 1.9 percent year on year to 32.16 trillion yuan (about 5 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2020, hitting a record high despite a worldwide slump in shipments, official data showed Thursday. (Photo by Wang Jianmin/Xinhua) by Xinhua writers Zheng Xin and You Zhixin BEIJING, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- China's total goods imports and exports expanded 1.9 percent year on year to 32.16 trillion yuan (about 5 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2020, hitting a record high despite a worldwide slump in shipments, official data showed Thursday. Exports rose 4 percent, while imports went down 0.7 percent, according to the General Administration of Customs (GAC). In December alone, exports surged by 10.9 percent year on year in yuan terms. China emerged from the global economic and trade challenges in 2020 as the world's only major economy to have registered positive growth in foreign trade in goods, GAC spokesperson Li Kuiwen told a news conference. During the first 10 months of last year, the country's foreign trade and exports accounted for 12.8 percent and 14.2 percent of the world's total, respectively, both reaching historic highs, Li said, citing data from the World Trade Organization and available national statistics. "China's exports are gaining global market share for two reasons," said Alicia Garcia Herrero, the chief economist for the Asia-Pacific zone of the French investment bank Natixis. "First, it has successfully contained the spread of the virus and reopened its manufacturing capacity, while most other major economies are still grappling with production problems." "Second, the sectoral specialization seems to have played a very resilient role despite the overall uncertain global environment," she said, adding that China saw a pronounced recovery in major commodities, including the textile sector which is supported by the demand for medical equipment such as face masks. POSITIVE INFLUENCER "China's foreign trade has achieved a rapid return to stability and continued to improve, displaying strong resilience and comprehensive competitiveness," the GAC spokesman said, noting that China's foreign trade has achieved positive growth for seven consecutive months as of June 2020. In the first five months of 2020, foreign trade in goods dropped by 4.9 percent year on year to 11.54 trillion yuan, matching the decrease from the January-April period. The rebound in trade mirrored the Chinese economy's V-shaped recovery. GDP expanded 4.9 percent year on year in the third quarter of 2020, up from a 3.2-percent rise in the second quarter and a 6.8-percent plunge in the first quarter. The Chinese economy would grow at a rate of 2 percent in 2020, the World Bank Group said in its latest Global Economic Prospects. The reading is low given China's stellar record, but will still make the country the only major economy to emerge with positive growth. "China's recovery maintained the global supply chain. The resilience of China not only benefited itself, but also benefited the global economy," J.P. Morgan's Chief China Economist Zhu Haibin told Xinhua. "Despite the pandemic and the shutdown of international travel, China is still increasing its focus on further openness," Zhu said. China has made notable achievements in promoting multilateral trade in 2020, including the signing of the landmark Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership that launched the world's largest free trade bloc, and the conclusion of negotiations for the China-EU investment treaty. "These institutional factors are very important, because China will be able to radiate its positive influence on international trade and investment more effectively than before," said Chris Leung, chief China economist of Singapore-based DBS Bank. GAINING CURRENCY Meanwhile, a stronger renminbi, China's currency, has raised concerns over China's export competitiveness. Hong Kong-based Hang Seng Bank expects the renminbi to strengthen markedly this year. Reasons include the market's exceptionally optimistic expectations for China's growth in 2021 and a weaker dollar. Still, the bank expects China's exports to accelerate this year. "The global reliance on China's industrial supply chain has greatly increased rather than weakened. Global companies will continue to diversify their production lines to reduce the risk of overreliance on China, but this will have a limited impact on trade," said Wang Dan, chief economist of Hang Seng Bank China. Shedding light on China's trade growth momentum, Leung said trade growth in Chinese exports was initially driven by demand for pandemic-related products such as face masks and computing equipment for home working. "Yet the recovery has since broadened out, with other shipments now up year on year too." The recovery in non-pandemic-related demand will also help, Leung said. "For instance, retail sales have gone from strength to strength lately in the United States. China's exports of furniture and household appliances have been particularly strong." The customs administration expects China to maintain positive trade growth this year, as the world economy is expected to recover and the world's second-largest economy is projected to return to steady growth. Enditem Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. A Government minister claimed fish in UK waters are 'better and happier' since Brexit took place - amid growing fury at red tape costing the seafood industry millions. Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg made the claim in the Commons today after days of claims that exporters have been hit by a 'perfect storm' of bureaucracy, IT problems and confusion since the EU trade agreement kicked in on January 1. There were complaints of shellfish rotting in ports as the 'disastrous' hold-ups meant they could not be sold in Europe. After SNP politicians claimed that the hold-ups were costing 1million per day, Tory Brexiteer Mr Rees-Mogg said: 'What is happening is that the Government is tackling this issue, dealing with it as quickly as possible, and the key thing is we've got our fish back. 'They're now British fish and they're better and happier fish for it.' At this the Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle intervened and noted: 'Obviously there's no overwhelming evidence for that.' Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg made the claim in the Commons today after days of claims that exporters have been hit by a 'perfect storm'of problems Some Scottish fishing businesses will be compensated because of hold-ups in the wake of the Brexit deal after exporters have been hit with a 'perfect storm' of problems since New Year Jamie McMillan from Loch Fyne Langoustines today in Tarbert, Scotland. There are claims the Scottish industry is losing 1million per day Welsh fish firm faces 50,000 write-off due to paperwork delay A fourth-generation Welsh shellfish wholesaler is facing having to write-off a 50,00 consignment of fish sent to France due to a paperwork anomaly. Nerys Edwards said the future of Syren Shellfish was hanging in the balance after the lorry load of lobsters, prawns and crabs was delayed for more than 30 hours on a lorry to Spain. The 53-year-old sent the lorry from Pembrokeshire to the continent via Portsmouth. But new border rules - brought in as part of the UK's new relationship with the European Union - stopped the lorry in the French port of Caen. It is not being allowed to carry on until Ms Edwards resubmits paperwork. She and daughter Lissa have spent two years preparing to export into the EU after Brexit and both thought they were fully up to date with all the paperwork requirements. She had already paid 48,000 to a group of 25 Welsh fishers. She even found herself in a car park in Narberth finalising the paperwork with a health officer at midnight just hours before the lorry left for Portsmouth. Even so, issues at the border meant the consignment was stuck in Portsmouth for 24 hours before it crossed to France where it was held by French customs for another seven. 'The shellfish is dying while it sits in Caen,' she said. Ms Edwards said she was not confident that every document was correct and the worry and stress had caused sleepless nights. She claimed the importer in France had made a mistake on the document that he needed to complete. Her family and her parents before her have been sending live shellfish to Spanish customers every week, but she says she is feeling 'exceedingly unimportant' as the authorities try to make Brexit work. 'The powers that be should have been able to give us guidance,' she said. 'We've had no opportunity to practice. Not even a week to practice and implement these new rules. 'I'm exhausted and ready to jack it in. I can't keep up with the stress of this again.' Advertisement Mr Rees-Mogg's SNP counterpart Tommy Sheppard had earlier labelled it the 'Brexit fishing disaster' and asked for a debate on compensation for the Scottish fishing industry. He said: 'Boats confined to harbour, lorry loads of seafood destroyed, the industry losing 1million a day as firms go bust - all as a result of Brexit red tape imposed by this Government. 'Yet when asked about this yesterday, the Prime Minister refused to answer.' It came as the Fisheries Minister faced ridicule for admitting not reading the post-Brexit trade deal with Brussels when it was agreed because she was busy organising a Nativity trail. Banbury MP Victoria Prentis faced calls to quit after her remarks to the Lords EU Environment Sub-Committee Asked if her jaw had dropped when she saw the deal with the EU on Christmas Eve, Ms Prentis told peers: 'No, the agreement came when we were all very busy on Christmas Eve, in my case organising the local Nativity trail.' Some Scottish fishermen are now landing their catch in Denmark to avoid the 'bureaucratic system' that exports to Europe now involve, Scotland's Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing claimed today. Meanwhile, Scottish Government analysis of the Brexit deal finally agreed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson has claimed the amount of fish the fleet can land will fall for a number of key catches - including North Sea haddock and cod. Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross told the Commons this morning that fishermen must be compensated for seafood export delays. Mr Ross said financial compensation is 'clearly needed by our fishermen right across the country' as the environment secretary promised the Government is 'working hard to address these problems' surrounding the export of Scottish seafood to the EU. His comments came after Prime Minister Boris Johnson told a committee of MPs that fishing businesses would be compensated for what he described as 'temporary frustrations' on Wednesday. During an urgent question on the matter in the Commons on Thursday, MPs from all parties voiced their concerns about exports of Scottish seafood from smaller companies being halted for a further five days by transport company DFDS. DFDS stopped exports last week after delays in getting new paperwork introduced following the expiry of the Brexit transition period for EU border posts in France. Paperwork has to be approved before consignments can be sent to DFDS's warehouse in South Lanarkshire and then on to English Channel ports Mr Ross shared the story of a local skipper whose catch is currently worth 'half of what he needs to cover his costs', adding: 'So can the secretary of state outline the discussions that he's having with the Scottish Government regarding the problems at Larkhall and with the compensation scheme that is clearly needed by our fishermen right across the country?' Environment Secretary George Eustice replied: 'I am having a discussion with DFDS (a Danish shipping and logistics company) later today to see if we can offer help. 'They are working through quite a difficult situation, working hard to address these problems, as are Food Standards Scotland.' But Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael described the situation as 'a shambles of the Government's own making'. Mr Carmichael, who tabled the urgent question, said: 'For years this Government has promised our fishing industry a sea of opportunity, but today our boats are tied up in harbour, their propellers filled with red tape manufactured in Whitehall.' Mr Carmichael added: 'Yesterday, the Prime Minister told the Liaison Committee that compensation had been considered for our fishing industry. 'Who is going to be compensated, for what and by how much?' He also noted that Victoria Prentis 'apparently didn't think it was worth reading the agreement as soon as it was made, even though every second counted', following the fisheries minister's comment to the Lords Environment Committee that she was 'very busy on Christmas Eve' when the agreement came through, 'organising the local nativity trail'. Responding to Mr Carmichael, Mr Eustice told MPs: 'Yesterday we had a meeting with the Dutch officials, earlier this week we had a meeting with the French, on Friday we had a meeting with the Irish to try to iron out some of these teething problems. 'They are only teething problems, once people get used to using the paperwork goods will flow normally.' Fisheries Minister Victoria Prentis faced ridicule for admitting not reading the post-Brexit trade deal with Brussels when it was agreed because she was busy organising a Nativity trail The Environment Secretary also denied that Fisheries Minister Ms Prentis had not read the agreement, adding: 'I think the record will show that she did not say she didn't have time to read the agreement, what she actually said is that her jaw did not drop when she was told what was in the agreement. 'Now there may be a reason for that, which is that she knew what was likely to be in the agreement for at least a week, since I'd been discussing it with her and we were both in regular contact with our negotiators.' On compensation, he added: 'We will look closely at this issue, but in the meantime, we're going to work very closely with the industry to make sure we can iron out these difficulties.' The DUP's Ian Paisley later spoke in defence of Ms Prentis, saying she has been subject to 'a character assassination' over her comments and that she had taken a call from him on the issue of fishing on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile, Labour's Bill Esterson urged Mr Eustice to 'rethink' his suggestion that Scottish export delays are simply down to 'teething problems'. Mr Esterson said: 'The shortage of vets to inspect fish, the lack of customs agents to process border forms and there not being enough time for businesses to adapt to new rules of origin are, I would suggest, a lot more than teething problems. 'The Secretary of State might want to rethink his analysis there.' Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Margaret Fleming was 19 when she was last seen in December 1999 It was not until October 2016 that a missing person investigation was launched Edward Cairney and Avril Jones, of Inverclyde, were arrested in 2017 and convicted of her murder in July 2019 - 20 years after she first disappeared The carers who killed tragic teenager Margaret Fleming could have got away with the murder if they hadn't been hoarders who kept vital evidence, a leading lawyer has said. In Murder At My Door: The Mystery of Missing Margaret Fleming, which will air on Crime+Investigation next month, IaIn McSporran QC, who led the prosecution against Edward Cairney and Avril Jones, said a hotel receipt found in their rundown seaside cottage was crucial to the case against them. ADVERTISEMENT Margaret was 19 when she was last seen in December 1999, but it was not until October 2016 that a missing person investigation was launched. Cairney, 78, and Avril Jones, 60, of Inverkip, Inverclyde, were arrested in 2017 and convicted of her murder in July 2019. The pair have refused to reveal what they did with her body. Margaret Fleming (pictured) was 19 when she was last seen in December 1999, but it was not until October 2016 that a missing person investigation was launched Carer Avril Jones (pictured) who was found guilty in July of the murder of Margaret Fleming Cairney and Jones kept letters which they claimed were from their victim in an attempt to prove she was alive - including one said to have been sent from the Regent Palace Hotel in London in January 2000. However, police discovered an invoice showing that the couple had in fact been staying at the hotel on the date the letter was sent. In the new TV documentary on the murder. Mr McSporran said without that paperwork there wouldn't have been a strong enough case against the pair. Click here to resize this module He said: 'Cairney and Jones were real hoarders, they did not throw anything away. On the one hand they say 'Well we don't throw anything away and that's why we have still got those letters from Margaret, we can prove she was alive and well.' 'Nor whoever did they throw away the invoice from the Regent Palace Hotel showing that a couple by the name of Jones had stayed there on the 13th of January 2000. 'Without that I'm not convinced there would have been a case. Carer Edward Cairney (pictured) who was found guilty in July of the murder of Margaret Fleming 'To find that invoice was a real stroke of luck. It's an astonishing mistake to have made. 'The reality is criminal geniuses are very few and far between. The jails are full of people who aren't as clever as they thought they were.' ADVERTISEMENT In the Crime+Investigation channel documentary Murder At My Door, presented by actress Kym Marsh, Mr McSporran also told how Cairney's performance in the witness box did him few favours. He said: 'He started contradicting things he had previously said. Quite significant contradictions. 'It was a bit like nailing jelly to a wall. If one story didn't turn out to be any good he would change it to another story. 'Since the two of them had twinned their fate really, although Avril Jones didn't give evidence, the damage he was doing he was doing to her as well.' Jurors found that Cairney and his partner Jones murdered Margaret between December 1999 and January 2000. They were jailed for life with 14-year minimum terms. The authorities were alerted to Margaret's disappearance in 2016 when Jones applied for personal independence payments on her behalf. She wrote that Margaret needed constant care and had self-harmed and been found eating from a dog bowl. Her claims prompted social services and police to visit the home. It was later found that Jones had falsely obtained more than 182,000 in benefits meant for Margaret. ADVERTISEMENT Murder At My Door: The Mystery of Missing Margaret Fleming will be shown on Crime+Investigation at 9pm on February 1. Ha Tinh man fined for skipping health declaration procedure A man in the central province of Ha Tinh has had to pay a fine of VND2 million (USD86) for deliberately hiding their health status after returning home from Laos. On December 24, Phan Hai Nam, 37, from Tho Dien Commune, Vu Quang District entered Vietnam through the central province of Quang Nams Nam Giang border gate area along with five others. One day later, Nam took a passenger bus to come back to his home in Ha Tinh, but he did not inform his return to local authorities for the health declaration procedures and quarantine as stipulated. Until January 2, when his eight-year-old son suffered from fever, he took him to a clinic in Vu Quang Town for a medical check-up. His appearance was detected by some local residents who then reported this to the authorities. He and his son have been quarantined since January 4. They have tested negative for Covid-19 twice. They're watching you, wherever you walk. They know exactly where you pause, when you slow down and speed up, and they count you in and out of the city. What's more, they're tracking your phone, so they can tell exactly how many people from your country or region are in which area, at which time. And they're doing it in a bid to change tourism for the better. Welcome to Venice in a post-Covid world. The canal city may have been known as La Serenissima, or The Most Serene, during its centuries ruling the waves as the powerful Republic of Venice. In the past few years, however, things have become rather less serene, thanks to the almost 30 million visitors who descend each year on the city of just 50,000 inhabitants. Before Covid-19 struck, tourists were arriving in often unmanageable numbers, choking the main streets and filling up the waterbuses. Authorities had tried various measures, from introducing separate residents' lines at major vaporetto (waterbus) stops to bringing in turnstiles that would filter locals from tourists on busy days. A planned "entrance tax," due to debut in 2020, has been postponed to January 2022, due to the pandemic. But as well as controlling footfall, the authorities wanted to track tourism itself -- not just by registering overnight guests but, in a city where the vast majority of visitors are daytrippers, by counting exactly who is in the city -- and where they go. On the island of Tronchetto, next to the two-mile bridge separating Venice from the Italian mainland, the Control Room opened in September 2020. A former warehouse that had been abandoned since the 1960s, it's part of a new headquarters for the city's police and government -- a self-described "control tower" for the city. The building has offices for the mayor, other dignitaries, and a large CCTV room, with cameras feeding in images from around the city, watched over by the police. So far so normal. But then, across the corridor, there's the Smart Control Room -- another bank of screens with images and information coming live from around the lagoon. They're not being monitored for crime, though; they're feeding information to the authorities that will create a profile of the hordes of people visiting Venice. The hope is that gathering the information will not only track footfall now, enabling the authorities to activate turnstiles and start charging for entrance on busy days. Eventually, they hope that the data will help create a more sustainable tourism plan for the future. The Venice control room, which opened in October 2020, is logging the movements of people int the city -- in an attempt to manage the overtourism problem "This is the brain of the city," says Marco Bettini, co-director general of Venis, the Venice-based multimedia and tech company which built the system. "We know in real time how many people are in each part [of the city], and which countries they're from." He clicks on the video feed from the Grand Canal -- the "freeway" of Venice, as he calls it -- to look at the traffic. "There's huge traffic pressure here," he says. Public waterbuses, boats delivering goods, taxis, residents zipping up the "road" in their own, private boats, and, of course, those famous gondolas -- they're all jostling for space on the Grand Canal. With no designated lanes, it can be a free-for-all. But the new system not only records what's going on; it analyzes the traffic, recognizing the different types of boats, from gondola to a "topo" -- essentially a water-truck. It then stores the numbers. And it even tallies with the public transportation timetables, logging if a waterbus is late and, if so, by how many minutes. Workers can also activate a "time machine" to look back -- so far today, for example, there have been more than 1,000 boats passing under the main bridge at Piazzale Roma, the main entry point to the city. It's the pedestrian numbers, however, that are of more interest to the authorities looking at tourism patterns. The system not only counts visitors in the vicinity of cameras posted around the city, but it also, in conjunction with TIM (Telecom Italia, Italy's largest telecommunications provider), crunches who they are and where they come from. On this winter day, before the Veneto region entered another semi-lockdown, for example, so far, 13,628 people have entered Venice, and 8,548 have left. In the hour after 7am, 1,688 people arrived at Piazzale Roma (the gateway to the city by road and tram) -- the commuters. At 10am, the arrivals reached a peak of 2,411: most likely the daytrippers. The Venice control room, which opened in October 2020, is logging the movements of people int the city -- in an attempt to manage the overtourism problem The authorities can see where these new arrivals are from by analyzing their phone data (the information is all aggregated automatically, so no personal details can be gleaned). There are 97 people in the area around St Mark's Square on this Saturday afternoon, according to Bettini -- of which only 24 are not Italian. And so far today there have been 955 people in the area, 428 of whom have come from abroad. Of the 527 Italians, only 246 are resident in Venice (if a mobile phone is regularly logged in the city, it is counted as a resident). "As you can see, the number of daytrippers -- is steep," says Bettini. This is crucial information, because these "hit-and-run" tourists are usually charged with causing the most damage to the struggling city. They tend to come in from other parts of Italy -- often from beach resorts on a bad weather day -- and rarely spend money, bringing their own food and eating illicit picnics on bridges and on waterfronts. But since they don't stay overnight, they cannot be counted by the authorities -- until now. Counting the daytrippers and tracking where they tend to visit, and which streets they take, could be crucial for a city which has resorted to closing its main thoroughfares to non-locals at busy times in an attempt to spread people throughout the city. As Valeria Duflot, co-founder of Venezia Autentica an online social enterprise working on sustainable tourism, says: "The problem is not that Venice has too many visitors. The problem is that all the visitors go to the same two places: St Mark's Square and the Rialto Bridge." The Venice control room, which opened in October 2020, is logging the movements of people int the city -- in an attempt to manage the overtourism problem Italians are logged by the region they live in. Of the foreigners, the system breaks down where they come from (data is based on where their mobile phone is registered, so most likely their country of origin), and displays them as bars on a map on the city -- a graphic representation of overcrowding in real time, with colors going from white to red as the numbers get higher. Today, 36% of foreign visitors are German, followed by the Swiss (16%) and British (13% -- this visit took place before the new UK variant saw British travelers banned from Italy). Just 1.312% of visitors are from the United States -- although, given that American travelers are still banned from the European Union, it's a surprise it's even that much. And today, there have been 85,000 people logged in Venice. A much greater number, 177,000, have been in Mestre, on the mainland. On the islands -- where places such as Burano and Murano are popular with tourists -- there are 5,700 people, this Saturday afternoon. There's plenty more that the authorities are keeping tabs on: how fast people are moving in places like St Mark's Square (start running and the machine highlights you), the tide levels throughout the lagoon (crucial for monitoring acqua alta flooding, and determining when the new Mose flood barriers should be raised). The system took three years to build, at a cost of 3m ($3.5m). And although some might baulk at the privacy implications (although no personal data is recorded, you and your provenance is essentially being logged as you move around the city), the authorities are very proud. "In 2021, Venice celebrates its 1,600th anniversary," says Bettini. "And we'll be celebrating with technology." A team of scientists from the United Kingdom and Spain has demonstrated that a technique called fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy in conjunction with a fluorescent probe can identify four-stranded quadruple helix DNA structures within nuclei of live cells. Guanine-rich sequences of DNA can fold into tetra-stranded helical assemblies known as G-quadruplexes. These structures are implicated in a number of essential biological processes such as telomere maintenance, transcription, translation, and replication. A different DNA shape will have an enormous impact on all processes involving it such as reading, copying, or expressing genetic information, said co-lead author Dr. Ben Lewis, a researcher at Imperial College London and the MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences. Evidence has been mounting that G-quadruplexes play an important role in a wide variety of processes vital for life, and in a range of diseases, but the missing link has been imaging this structure directly in living cells. G-quadruplexes are rare inside cells, meaning standard techniques for detecting such molecules have difficulty detecting them specifically. Its like finding a needle in a haystack, but the needle is also made of hay. To solve the problem, Dr. Lewis and colleagues used a chemical probe called DAOTA-M2, which fluoresces in the presence of G-quadruplexes, but instead of monitoring the brightness of fluorescence, they monitored how long this fluorescence lasts. This signal does not depend on the concentration of the probe or of G-quadruplexes, meaning it can be used to unequivocally visualize these rare molecules. By applying this more sophisticated approach we can remove the difficulties which have prevented the development of reliable probes for this DNA structure, said co-senior author Dr. Marina Kuimova, a researcher at Imperial College London. The authors used their probes to study the interaction of G-quadruplexes with two helicase proteins molecules that unwind DNA structures. They showed that if these helicase proteins were removed, more G-quadruplexes were present, showing that the helicases play a role in unwinding and thus breaking down G-quadruplexes. In the past we have had to rely on looking at indirect signs of the effect of these helicases, but now we take a look at them directly inside live cells, said co-senior author Dr. Jean-Baptiste Vannier, a researcher at Imperial College London and the MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences. The team also examined the ability of other molecules to interact with G-quadruplexes in living cells. If a molecule introduced to a cell binds to this DNA structure, it will displace the DAOTA-M2 probe and reduce its lifetime; how long the fluorescence lasts. This allows interactions to be studied inside the nucleus of living cells, and for more molecules, such as those which are not fluorescent and cant be seen under the microscope, to be better understood. Many researchers have been interested in the potential of G-quadruplex binding molecules as potential drugs for diseases such as cancers, said co-senior author Professor Ramon Vilar, a researcher at Imperial College London. Our method will help to progress our understanding of these potential new drugs. The teams paper was published in the journal Nature Communications. _____ P.A. Summers et al. 2021. Visualising G-quadruplex DNA dynamics in live cells by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy. Nat Commun 12, 162; doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-20414-7 New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 87F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 73F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Donald Trump's second impeachment trial will be the first to extend beyond a president's time in office, creating a novel legal question that ultimately could require Supreme Court resolution. The answer isn't settled but history has bad news for Trump: a sparse but consistent line of lower-level impeachments in the past suggests the Senate retains power to put him on trial even after his term ends. If it convicts him, the Senate could take a second vote to bar him from running for office again. A number of legal scholars say the framers of the Constitution didn't intend to leave presidents free in the waning days of their terms to engage in egregious wrongdoing without consequence. "Drafting history, impeachment practice, and basic constitutional design all point clearly in favor of the constitutionality of trying an ex-president," said Kate Shaw, a constitutional law professor at Cardozo School of Law. The Constitution doesn't explicitly say whether a Senate trial can take place after a president leaves office. Article II, Section 4 says the president and other officers "shall be removed from Office" if convicted. Article I, Section 3 says the Senate's remedies are limited to removal and disqualification from holding office in the future. But the context in which the Constitution was written provides some clues. The 1787 Constitutional Convention took place as the British Parliament was in the process of impeaching and trying Warren Hastings, the former governor-general of India. And practice since then suggests a broad understanding that the Senate retains jurisdiction, according Brian Kalt, a professor at Michigan State University College of Law and author of a 2001 law review article about so-called late impeachments. "In multiple cases, the House and Senate have proceeded as though they can impeach and try people who have already left office, and in one case the Senate took a specific vote to that effect," Kalt said. Congress invoked the impeachment power for the first time in 1797, when the House impeached Sen. William Blount, R-Tenn., for conspiring to let the British take control of the Spanish-controlled territories of Florida and Louisiana. The Senate held a trial even though it had already expelled Blount. Senators eventually acquitted him on the separate grounds that he wasn't an "officer" subject to the impeachment clause. In 1876 the Senate voted 37-29 that it had authority to try ex-Secretary of War William Belknap even though he had resigned just as the House was poised to impeach him for accepting kickbacks. The Senate eventually acquitted Belknap. In several instances since then, including the 2009 case of former U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent, lawmakers have said that the official's resignation didn't affect the right of the Senate to hold a trial, Kalt and University of Missouri law professor Frank Bowman wrote this week in The Washington Post. A prominent retired federal appeals court judge, J. Michael Luttig, argued this week that the Senate can't try Trump after he leaves office. Luttig wrote in The Post that the purpose behind the impeachment clause was to prevent an official from using a government position to inflict further harm on the nation. "The very concept of constitutional impeachment presupposes the impeachment, conviction and removal of a president who is, at the time of his impeachment, an incumbent in the office from which he is removed," Luttig wrote. But he added that history offers "some backing" for the argument that the Senate can hold trial after Trump leaves office. Luttig, who was a shortlist candidate for the Supreme Court when Republican George W. Bush was president, recently advised Vice President Mike Pence that he lacked authority to change the election outcome during congressional vote-counting session, according to the New York Times. Gregg Nunziata, a former Republican lawyer for the Senate Judiciary Committee, tweeted Wednesday that "some conservatives are being misled by Judge Luttig." "The impeachment power includes the power to disqualify for life," Nunziata added. "If officeholders could simply resign to evade this important punishment, it would render that a nullity." Regardless of the merits, it's not clear the Supreme Court would even consider a Trump challenge to the Senate's authority. In 1993 the court said it was a "political question" -- and therefore beyond the purview of the courts -- when an impeached judge objected to the use of a Senate committee to hear evidence as part of his trial. Pointing to the Constitution's grant of authority to the Senate to "try" impeachments, the court said that term "lacks sufficient precision to afford any judicially manageable standard of review." Trump could counter by pointing to a 1969 decision that let Rep. Adam Clayton Powell Jr., D-N.Y., challenge the House's refusal to seat him. That fight centered on the constitutional provision that lets the House and Senate judge their members' "qualifications." The Supreme Court said the political-question doctrine didn't apply because the case required "no more than an interpretation of the Constitution." Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told GOP colleagues in a letter Wednesday that he would block starting an impeachment trial before Joe Biden takes office Jan. 20, after which control of the Senate will shift to Democrats. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Quick Heal Technologies share price rose 7 percent intraday on January 14 after the company made further investment in Israel based L7 Defense. The company has signed a definitive agreement to invest USD 2 million in L7 Defense. L7 is an Israel based cybersecurity start-up specializing in Application Program Interface (API) Security and Next Generation Web Application Firewall (NG-WAF). Quick Heal Technologies had invested USD 300k in L7 Defense in the previous financial year. "L7 Defense has proven its unique capabilities in the area of API Security and NGWAF which led us to further increase our investment. Simultaneously, this move enables Seqrite to foray into application security and strengthen our solution stack to secure modern enterprises against the next-generation of cyber-attacks, said Kailash Katkar, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Quick Heal Technologies. At 11:10 hrs Quick Heal Technologies was quoting at Rs 175.30, up Rs 7.45, or 4.44 percent on the BSE. The share touched its 52-week high Rs 183.25 and 52-week low Rs 62.45 on 14 October, 2020 and 19 March, 2020, respectively. Currently, it is trading 4.34 percent below its 52-week high and 180.7 percent above its 52-week low. Some of the favorite gurus of tech workers are already there, like Tim Ferriss, life-hacker, who left for Austin in 2017, and Ryan Holiday, whose writing about stoicism is influential among the start-up set. Sahin Boydas, the founder of a remote-work start-up who had lived in San Francisco and its suburbs over the last decade, saw all of that. He looked at his wife and two young children, working and learning from home while crammed into a Cupertino rental that had seen better days. Much of the late summer, the air was full of smoke from wildfires. For days, electricity would go in and out at his house. You start to feel stupid, said Mr. Boydas, who is 37. I can understand the 1 percent rich people, the very top investors and entrepreneurs, they can be happy there. So he and his family moved to Austin. For the same price as their three-bedroom apartment in Cupertino, they have a five-bedroom home on an acre of land. For the first time, Mr. Boydas has outdoor space. He just acquired two rabbits for his children. Sure, its (very) hot, but hes ready for it. Were going to get a cat and a dog, he said. We could never do that before. And its not just the cost of rent that is lower the water bill is lower; the trash bill is lower; the cost of a family dinner at a restaurant has fallen significantly. Mr. Boydas said he hadnt even known about the taxes. I run payroll for myself, and when I saw zero, I called the accountant like theres an error theres no tax line here, he said. And they were like, Yeah theres no tax. Beijing has hit back once again at Western media's repeated allegations of forced labor in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs held a news conference on Monday to debunk claims that citizens in the region are denied the freedom to choose where to work. The ministry hosted local officials and residents of Xinjiang, which is home to 13 ethnic minority groups. Authorities said all residents are protected by China's labor laws. "In reality, laborers of all ethnicity in Xinjiang choose their jobs out of their free will," Zulhayat Ismayil, spokesperson of the Information office in Xinjiang regional government, told reporters. The spokesperson added that laborers sign contracts with and receive payment from companies on the basis of equality and their willingness to work, according to The Labor Law of People's Republic of China and relevant regulations. "Who wouldn't go?" Echoing words made by Ismayil, Mamatreyim Nasridin, a Xinjiang resident and migrant worker, gave his ideas on the topic, refuting the so-called massive "forced labor" in his hometown. "We can earn more money in inland cities, which provide more experiences for personal development. Who wouldn't go? If I was forced into labor, why would I introduce my family members to work in my previous company?" When Western media talk about alleged "forced labor" in Xinjiang, there's another buzzword they use "re-education camps", which they describe as a living hell. But the reality on the ground is otherwise. Similar to the West's correctional programs "There have been no so-called 're-education camps' in Xinjiang," Elijan Anayat, another regional government spokesperson reaffirmed, stressing that the vocational education and training centers legally established in Xinjiang are schools aimed at deradicalization. "These are no different in essence from the 'community corrections' enforced in the U.S., the Desistance and Disengagement Program in the UK, and the deradicalization centers in France, which are all conducive efforts and proactive measures of preventive counter-terrorism and deradicalization." Being a former trainee of Kashgar Prefecture in Xinjiang, Nijat Muhtar said the training center is a school for him. "The classrooms are spacious and bright. We have a reading room and a playground. Even the accommodation is free. We have class from Mondays to Fridays, and take a rest on weekends," said Muhtar. From 2014 to 2019, Xinjiang has averaged an annual growth rate of 7.2 percent. GDP in the region rose from more than 919 billion yuan ($141 billion) in 2014 to 1.35 trillion yuan ($208 billion) in 2019. Xinjiang has also been peaceful, with no cases of terrorism occurring in the past four years. Officials say Xinjiang now enjoys sound economic growth, along with a constant improvement of people's livelihood and steady progress. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low near 40F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low near 40F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. It is time for the winter break and that means that drivers and teams can enjoy a well-deserved holiday. In the F1 Social Stint of GPblog.com you will find out what drivers and teams are doing in preparation for the Formula 1 season of 2021. Aston Martin teasers In preparation for the new Formula One season, it is natural for drivers to visit the factory, especially if you have switched teams. One of the most high-profile switches announced last year was of course that of Sebastian Vettel. He has left Ferrari behind to take his place alongside Lance Stroll at Aston Martin F1 Team. That team is now sharing teasers via Twitter that Vettel has arrived at the factory. More soon, no doubt. We don't think you're ready for this. #IAMF1 pic.twitter.com/rmLYjMctBy Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team (@AstonMartinF1) January 26, 2021 Verstappen trains hard for a 'Full Send' in 2021 Max Verstappen is still training hard to be completely ready for the 2021 Formula 1 season. The Dutchman enjoyed a nice holiday, but is now back to work. On Twitter, the Dutchman posts a video of running in Monaco. Leclerc very lucky to test in 'The Beast' Charles Leclerc is very happy to be driving the 2018 Ferrari. The Monegasque made his debut at Ferrari in 2019, so he never drove the car with which Sebastian Vettel was seriously competing for the world title for a long time. It is Leclerc's first day back on the track after testing positive for the corona virus this winter. Raikkonen and Giovinazzi have a race to load cars Kimi Raikkonen and Antonio Giovinazzi see competition in almost everything. Even when it comes to loading their cars for a holiday or a big move. Although Raikkonen doesn't seem to be too keen this time around. Big move coming up? Call Kimi and Antonio @alfa_romeo pic.twitter.com/G86meIMYes Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN (@alfaromeoracing) January 25, 2021 Giuliano Alesi follows in his father's footsteps Giuliano Alesi today followed in the footsteps of his father Jean Alesi. Alesi sr. sat in a Ferrari F1 car for the first time in 1990. More than thirty years later it is the turn of son Giuliano. Alesi drove today during the Ferrari test at Maranello. Nice detail is that he drove with number 28 on his car, the number his father drove with during his Ferrari years. Jean Alesi drove for the Italian team from 1991 to 1995. First images from Ferrari's test day at Fiorano Ferrari will be at the Fiorano circuit this week, working with old cars to make some metres in 2021. Carlos Sainz gets the chance to step into the red car for the first time, but on Monday it is the turn of young talents first. Today Giuliano Alesi, Marcus Armstrong and Robert Shwartzman will step into the Ferrari ui 2018. Ricciardo gets a warm welcome from McLaren fans Daniel Ricciardo will be McLaren's new driver in 2021, after two years with Renault. The fans of the team from Woking are looking forward to the arrival of the Australian and let them know in a new video from McLaren. If this does not make you feel special as a driver, then what does? No welcome to this team is complete without a word from our fans. Take it away, team...#FansLikeNoOther @DanielRicciardo pic.twitter.com/4AhNMyWUkL McLaren (@McLarenF1) January 21, 2021 Hamilton speaks of historic day for America Lewis Hamilton has made it clear on Twitter that he is delighted with the inauguration of Joe Biden as America's new president. According to Hamilton, it is a historic day, which will hopefully lead to a brighter future and more room for diversity. Hamilton wishes Biden and Kamala Harris the best of luck in their new roles. A historic day in America. Today brings so much hope for the future, an example of diversity in leadership that I hope to see mirrored across industries and governments. Congratulations @JoeBiden and @KamalaHarris, best of luck. pic.twitter.com/FX6t4PfpCu Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) January 20, 2021 Mclaren reveals colours and new name of 2021 car McLaren is just busy with the marketing team to hype up the new 2021 car as much as possible. In a new message on Twitter, we clearly see the colours orange and blue returning, but we also see the new name of the car. In big letters it says MCL35M. This suggests that the 2020 MCL35 will only be updated in name with the Mercedes engine, which is why the 'M' has been added to the car's name. Alonso in the snow, Gasly in the gym Now that there are no races, the drivers have a bit more free time than usual. Nevertheless, the new Formula 1 season is slowly approaching and that means that the training sessions are becoming more important again. Both Fernando Alonso and Pierre Gasly are working on that, but both in their own way. Alonso is braving the snow-covered mountains in Spain, while Pierre Gasly chooses the old familiar gym. Clearly in a slightly warmer capacity, in Dubai. Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram Een bericht gedeeld door Fernando Alonso (@fernandoalo_oficial) Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram Een bericht gedeeld door PIERRE GASLY (@pierregasly) McLaren hopes Australian fans will be patient a little longer The Australian fans will have to wait a little longer to see their hero, Daniel Ricciardo, in action in his own country. At McLaren, they have also thought about that and so a letter went out to the fans in Australia. Be patient and ask yourself one important question: How is the weather in November? Bottas to rally in Lapland with unique helmet design In the time that Valtteri Bottas is not in a Formula 1 car, he enjoys driving rallies. Because the Finn does this purely for fun and has no sponsor obligations, he can go to such rallies with unique helmets. For the Arctic Lapland Rally he will therefore be wearing a special helmet designed by his partner Tiffany Cromwell. Grosjean is not yet allowed to go out into the cold, so he's going to cook Romain Grosjean is getting better and better, but is not yet allowed to do everything. On Instagram, he tells us that his wife and children are out for a walk, but Romain's hands still can't cope with the cold. So he goes to work in the kitchen baking a chocolate cake. Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram Een bericht gedeeld door Romain Grosjean (@grosjeanromain) Next Wednesday, Joseph R. Biden will be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States and Kamala Harris will be sworn in as the first female vice president and the first woman of color and Indian heritage to hold the office in our history. I should be excited! I really have tried, but the events of the past months, and especially last week, have me worried and scared about how this new administration is going to have to begin its work to unite this heavily divided nation. As a Democrat, the good news for me was knowing by December that a majority of the American people had helped Biden secure the necessary Electoral College votes to make him our next president. And last Wednesday, Jan. 6, the day those votes were certified, should have been a day of excitement and celebration. Instead, that day turned into an unforgettable nightmare that will forever be etched into our history books. Crowds of rioters and protesters stormed our nations Capitol during the early stages of the Electoral College certification process, attacking Capitol security and causing members of our House of Representatives and Senate to run for their lives. Fortunately, a few people had the good sense to grab the containers of Electoral College votes as they fled the chamber and ensure that none of the members of the violent protests could tamper with the contents. And within hours, Congress, in the purest form of democracy, resumed certifying Electoral College votes. By Thursday morning, Biden and Harris were officially declared the next president and vice president of the United States. Meanwhile, more eyes focused on our soon-to-be former president, Donald Trump, and the alleged role he may have played in inciting the riots on Wednesday. After all, he had held a rally in the very area where the inauguration was to take place on Jan. 20 and his words certainly seemed to have encouraged loyal followers to march to the Capitol and take back our country in his name. Protesters carried confederate flags, many wore sick t-shirts labeled Camp Auschwitz and others displayed racist and anti-Semitic paraphernalia and screamed hateful epithets. As the grim statistics about casualties and wounded victims emerged throughout the next day, Congress faced an unexpected postscript to this tragedy the need to remove this lame duck, vengeful president from office before Joe Biden took the oath next week. But more complicated than the task of removing our current president was how to accomplish it. Ideally, President Trump could simply resign. Of course, I knew that would never happen. Another solution was for Vice President Pence and a majority of the cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment, which would remove the president from office due to his inability to properly perform his duties. The vice president sent a polite letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejecting that idea. A few members of Congress recommended censuring the president, which also didnt happen. That left only one solution a possible second impeachment of Donald J. Trump. And on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, legislators completed debates in the House of Representatives on a single article of impeachment inciting insurrection. The impeachment resolution, according to National Public Radio, includes one article, citing incitement of insurrection. Sponsors of the resolution maintain they have the votes already to pass it. The resolution states: President Trump gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government. He threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coequal branch of Government. He thereby betrayed his trust as President, to the manifest injury of the people of the United States. On Wednesday afternoon, the House voted to impeach Trump. This impeachment makes him the only president to receive the rebuke twice in history. Unlike the impeachment 13 months ago, this time the decision was more bipartisan. Some GOP lawmakers joined Democrats at pointing the finger at the president for using rhetoric that helped spark a violent insurrection at the Capitol last Wednesday that left at least five dead. Current Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky)has indicated he is in favor of the impeachment, because removing Trump could clear a path for rebuilding the Republican Party. But at the same time, he was not willing to begin an impeachment trial in the Senate before Jan. 19. That seemed a little bizarre to me. So here we are, a week away from what I hope will be the dawn of a new administration uniting our country and suddenly the current president is about to be impeached and the COVID-19 cases are even worse than the first wave last March. Despite security being beefed up 10-fold for the Inauguration, I cannot help worrying that some domestic terrorist or some group of anarchists might try something. This past Monday, the Biden Inaugural Committee announced that the theme of the event will be America United. The committee said, At a time of unprecedented crisis & deep divisions, America United reflects the start of a new journey to restore the soul of America, bring the country together, and create a path to a brighter future. While I love the words and I am desperately trying to muster the excitement to believe them, I cannot help but be wary that the damage and disappointing legacy of this outgoing president will create some very tough hurdles for the Biden administration to overcome. Nevertheless, I still have hope that Americas future will be brighter and, I hope, more peaceful, under President Biden. Only time will tell. Steven Gaynes is a Fairfield writer, and his In the Suburbs appears each Friday. He can be reached at stevengaynes44@gmail.com. At first, it was all about making sure the COVID-19 vaccine got to the right people in the right order. But five weeks into its mass vaccination program, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is shifting its strategy, with a heightened focus on vaccinating as many people as fast as possible. The way were going to get through this is not through the number of vaccine doses we have, but the number of vaccinations were able to do, said Dr. Christine Nefcy, chief medical officer of Munson Healthcare in Traverse City. Really, the goal is to get as much vaccine into arms as quickly as we can. Through December, vaccine eligibility was limited to frontline health-care workers and residents and staff of skilled nursing homes, a group labeled as 1A. That strategy followed federal recommendations and it made sense considering those groups have been especially vulnerable in the pandemic. But vaccine hesitancy among some of those eligible was one of several factors contributing to a slow rollout of the vaccine program. By Jan. 1, Michigan health-care providers had received 525,575 doses of vaccine but only 135,382 -- 26% -- had actually been administered. It was a frustrating conundrum for some health-care providers: Even as they were trying to coax reluctant health-care workers into vaccine clinics, there was an increasing clamor for the vaccine from the public at large, especially among senior citizens whose age makes them especially susceptible to COVID-19. Last week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer moved to quicken the pace, expanding eligibility to include all those age 65 and older as well as K-12 teachers and child-care providers, first-responders and state and federal workers who interact with the public. The change became effective Monday, Jan. 11. One of the lessons we learned is this really needs to be a large-scale process, said Tina Freese Decker, CEO of Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids. By having a large pool of eligible candidates for the vaccine, we can vaccinate hundreds of people a day, thousands of people ... We believe this is the way to get more shots into arms. Linda Vail, head of the Ingham County Health Department, said her agency had no trouble using whatever vaccine doses they were given, but acknowledged some health departments and hospitals were struggling to find enough eligible people to fill their vaccination clinics. That shouldnt be a problem now, she said. Its like, OK, heres a big group of people who are now eligible, he said. You wont be able to vaccinate them all at the same time. However, we wont need to talk about (who is eligible) for a long time because its going take you awhile to get through all these folks. Indeed, the expansion has created a new challenge for public health agencies and hospitals. Now the problem isnt getting people into clinics; rather, its having enough vaccine to meet the demand. I just can ask people to have patience because the demand is obviously incredibly high and were doing our best, but not everyone will get their appointments today, said Dr. Darryl Elmouchi, president of Spectrum Health West Michigan. Subtracting vaccine doses already administered and those allocated to the vaccination program for long-term care residents and staff, Michigan had a little less than 300,000 vaccine doses available as of Monday, according to the MDHHS vaccine dashboard online. Vail said the dashboard appears to be undercounting doses administered and its likely more people already have been immunized. At any rate, she and other health providers predict whatever unused vaccine exists right now will go quickly. At that point, the pace of the program will be determined by vaccine availability, they say. The only limitation over the coming weeks will be the vaccine allotment to the state and ultimately to us, and were sure hopeful that that will continue to expand, Elmouchi said. And that could be a substantial limitation, said Nefcy, the Munson medical director. We got less than a 1,000 doses this week and weve been told were not getting anymore Moderna vaccine until the end of the month, she said. What we request and what we get isnt always the same. In fact, Michigan gets its vaccine doses from the federal government, and its unclear from week to week how much the state will receive for distribution to hospitals, local health departments and other health-care providers. That uncertainty means those administering the vaccine are reluctant to schedule appointments too far in advance. For instance, Elmouchi said that Spectrum Health has scheduled 11,000 vaccine appointments this week but is awaiting to see how much vaccine they will receive for next week before opening up that schedule for appointments. Nefcy said that providers and patients can expect more changes as the vaccine program progresses. Its going to be a very fluid thing, she said. We got our first vaccines and its changed significantly even since then. Were just really trying to work together as best we can to get people immunized as quickly as possible, Nefcy added. But its a huge undertaking. Read more on MLive: What worked in 2020 and what needs work in 2021 for 12 Michigan schools 2020 was Michigans deadliest year on record, and COVID-19 was the No. 3 killer For Michiganders newly eligible for vaccine, excitement is high but details are few Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. IOWA CITY, Iowa, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Iowa City Schools, known for staying ahead of the curve with innovative curriculum tools, leveraged itopia and Google Cloud to implement a more scalable, resilient, and easy-to-manage system for delivering educational applications to thousands of students. This decision paid off in more ways than one, as the cloud deployment of the itopia solution helped the district quickly adapt to virtual education when the COVID-19 pandemic struck only months later. With itopia, students can launch graphically intensive Windows apps like AutoCAD and Adobe Creative Cloud from their Chromebooks, no matter their location. "Every school deserves a modern, streamlined solution for delivering high-touch learning experiences to its students regardless of whether those students learn at school, at home, at the library, or beyond. As a parent, it's reassuring to see institutions like the Iowa City Community School District holding this idea in high regard," said itopia CEO and Co-Founder Jonathan Lieberman. The district had previously used another tool to deliver virtual applications to secondary students but ran into issues related to delivery reliability, low performance, and costly upgrade requirements to maintain server infrastructure. The district's IT leadership decided to embark on replacing this legacy system with a cloud-native solution that would simplify management and slash costs, while also allowing for flexible scalability in case of unpredictable events. Adam Kurth, the district's director of Technology and Innovation, consulted with trusted experts at Google Cloud who suggested that itopia's Cloud Automation Stack met these criteria. After Mr. Kurth comparatively evaluated itopia and alternatives based on performance, scalability, ease of management, and cost efficiency, it was clear that itopia would be the most effective solution. A few months later, the itopia solution helped the district's students adapt to virtual learning rapidly when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. While countless schools sought out solutions that would enable the virtual delivery of Windows apps to remote students, the Iowa City Community School District already had the best solution in place, and had the ability to rapidly scale up cloud resources with itopia to accommodate its increase of remote students. The district was able to quickly transition to a fully virtual distance learning format, improving students' experiences and eliminating downtime. As some students opt to return to learning on campus as allowed, and others decide to exclusively learn from home, Mr. Kurth said, "itopia has been tremendously helpful to us in terms of being able to provide students what they need, regardless of what our learning mode is." In addition to praising the itopia professional services team's responsiveness, the IT veteran noted the platform's ease of use and automation capabilities. "Learning environments in 2020 have faced a host of challenges unlike any we've previously experienced," said Kevin Kells, Global Director, Education at Google Cloud. "We're proud that, in partnership with itopia, the Iowa City Community schools were able to leverage Google Cloud and Chromebooks to power learning environments that support the unique needs of teachers and students alike." About itopia As enterprises seek to simplify their digital transformation, itopia automates and orchestrates infrastructure on Google Cloud , enabling enterprises to shed IT burdens and focus on what they do best. itopia's core offerings include accelerating VDI workload migration to cloud-native Desktop as a Service (DaaS), eliminating costly & complex infrastructure overhead from vendors like Citrix or VMware, and providing a unified, end-to-end lifecycle management console for securely delivering Windows virtual desktops & apps to global, distributed workforces. About the Iowa City Community School District The Iowa City Community School District serves more than 14,000 students, spans approximately 133 square miles, and comprises more than 40 schools. It is the fifth-largest school district in the state of Iowa. The mission of the Iowa City Community School District is to ensure all students become responsible, independent learners capable of making informed decisions in a democratic society as well as in the dynamic global community. For more information, please contact: itopia | Alex Shapero 949-910-1628 [email protected] www.itopia.com SOURCE itopia Related Links https://itopia.com Weather Alert ...FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 8 AM EDT FRIDAY... * WHAT...Temperatures in the lower to mid 30s will result in frost formation. * WHERE...All of northern New York, and much of central and northern Vermont away from Lake Champlain. * WHEN...From 1 AM to 8 AM EDT Friday. * IMPACTS...Frost could kill sensitive outdoor vegetation if left uncovered. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. && Im still shocked: Indonesian airline crash shakes small fishing village by Dera Menra Sijabat and Richard C. Paddock January 14,2021 | Source: The New York Times Hendrik Mulyadi was checking his crab traps when he heard a huge explosion on the water nearby. The sea suddenly rose, lifting the Indonesian fishermans boat as smoke filled the air. Im lucky it didnt hit me, he recalled on Monday, sitting at his home on Lancang Island and still visibly shaken by what he saw. It was like lightning, very fast. It exploded when it hit the water. I saw debris floating. It was airplane debris. Mr. Hendrik, 30, was one of five crab fishermen who were out working on the water Saturday afternoon when Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 fell from the sky minutes after takeoff with 62 people onboard, 10 of them children and babies. The plane crashed into the Java Sea, about 300 feet from where Mr. Hendrik was fishing. Normally a sleepy island with relatively few visitors, Lancang has become a base for the aircraft search and recovery operation led by Basarnas, Indonesias national search and rescue agency. The crash site is less than a mile from the islands mangroves, coconut and banana trees. The islanders, many of whom live in colorful, single-story homes, can now see dozens of vessels offshore, combing the area for wreckage and bodies and trying to recover the black box. The Sriwijaya flight, which was bound for the city of Pontianak on the island of Borneo, is the third passenger plane in just over six years to crash into the Java Sea after departing from airports on Java island. Air Asia Flight 8501 crashed into the Java Sea off the coast of Borneo in December 2014 with 162 people aboard as it flew from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore. Investigators eventually blamed the disaster on the failure of a key component and an improper response by the flight crew. And in October 2018, Lion Air Flight 610 nose-dived into the Java Sea northeast of Jakarta, the capital, minutes after takeoff with 189 passengers and crew on board to Pangkal Pinang. The anti-stall system malfunctioned on the Boeing 737 Max, a different model from the plane that crashed this weekend. Lancang is one of the so-called Thousand Islands, which actually number about 110 and are scattered in the Java Sea north of Jakarta. Some of the islands are popular tourist destinations. Others, like Lancang, are devoted almost exclusively to fishing. Since the Lion Air crash, I often think when Im on the sea and I see a plane pass by, what if an airplane crashes here? Mr. Hendrik said. There are many fishermen here. We would die. Less than a mile long and a third of a mile wide, Lancang is home to about 2,100 people, nearly all of them connected to the fishing trade. The small, mostly Muslim community is just 15 miles northeast of Jakarta and one of the closest of the Thousand Islands to the citys Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. There are no cars and residents get around on foot or by motorbike. The main road is only one lane wide, and it takes less than an hour to walk all the way around the island. Few of the islanders have ever flown on an airplane. On clear days, they can see them pass overhead as they take off from Jakarta for northern destinations. Still, Mr. Hendrik said he never could have anticipated what happened on Saturday. I never thought a plane crash could happen here, he said. The islands village chief, Mahtum, 47, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, said many families on the island eke out a living and lead simple lives. Lancang has been virtually untouched by the coronavirus, with just three cases that were detected last week. But the islanders live under the threat of tsunamis. The highest elevation in the entire Thousand Island chain is 23 feet, leaving many vulnerable to rising sea levels and the kind of extreme storms that delayed the Sriwijaya flight before takeoff. Lancangs highest point is seven feet above sea level. Some fishermen thought Saturdays crash was a coming deluge. Not only Lancang Island, but all islands in the Thousand Islands are threatened by high tides and strong winds because of climate change, Mr. Mahtum said. When the airplane fell into the sea, it was so close to the island that it rattled windows. One fisherman, Sahapi, was on the water with his crew of one, checking his crab traps not far from Mr. Hendriks boat when the disaster struck. Mr. Sahapi, 52, a fisherman on Lancang Island since 1987, said he heard what sounded like a huge explosion. He felt the sea lift his boat and saw flashes of yellow and red beneath the surface. I saw debris in the rising water, he said. Thick black smoke filled the air and the rain was heavy. The water was yellow and red. At first, he thought there might have been a tsunami, then he realized Mr. Hendriks boat was closer to the site of the explosion. He decided his friend must have been struck by lightning. I was afraid to be rolled by the wave, he said. I looked right and left and I didnt see my friends boat. I didnt hear any airplane sound, he said. He hurried home to deliver what he thought was the bad news of Mr. Hendriks death. To his relief, Mr. Hendrik returned soon after and reported that there had been an airplane crash. Mr. Sahapi took police officers from the island out to the scene after he learned of the crash and helped them use an anchor to pull up some wiring and bits of clothing from the aircraft. By Sunday, searchers had located the airplanes flight data recorders and hoped to recover them soon. But it could take months before investigators determine the cause of the crash. Efforts continued Monday to extract bodies and recover the data recorders from the wreckage. The Sriwijaya plane, a Boeing 737-500, was deemed safe to fly before takeoff and the airline had never suffered a crash that resulted in fatalities on board. More than 50 ships and thousands of people are involved in the search and recovery. Mr. Hendrik, who was born and raised on Lancang, started fishing with his father as a child and has been a fisherman ever since. His crew of two was on his 33-foot boat with him at the time of the crash. He said he was still in such shock after what he witnessed that he declined to go with the police to show them the location. I was still in trauma, he said. I just sat at home shaking, and I was stuttering while speaking. I have lost my appetite until now. Im still shocked. The authorities have not allowed the Lancang crab fishermen to check their traps near the crash site since Saturday. Mr. Hendrik has 550 traps waiting in the sea. 2021 The New York Times Company Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. Brooksby France Brooksby demonstrated a facility for drawing at an early age. Accompanying her father for business trips, her family travelled constantly throughout the United States. From this itinerant childhood, the American artist developed a real appetite for travelling. At age eight, she was already studying drawing from models at the University of California at Los Angeles. Two years later, she was an apprentice for a Japanese ceramist in West Virginia. She then became interested in photography. Her photographs won her several scholarships, including a senatorial scholarship as well as the most prestigious award from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. At the school of Fine Arts, she discovered a passion for sculpture and earned her degree in 1987, just before leaving for Florence, Italy, where she settled for more than twenty years. Her love affair with painting began in the Tuscan countryside, during scooter rides. Then she began travelling with her easel and canvas hung on the baggage rack. For ten years, she worked in the open air on the streets of Florence where the major U.S. media would come to meet her. She opened a studio and gallery in the historic centre of the Italian city to paint and organize exhibitions. In 2006, her wandering spirit woke up, and on visiting Paris for a weekend, she decided to settle there. The French capital inspired her first urban scenes, now a major focus of her work. Brooksby considers herself a colourist and devotes part of her paintings to the ""blue hour"", the in-between part of the day that is neither day nor night. For her oil paintings, the artist uses her photographs as models. She boasts membership to the current American ""Contemporary Realism"". Deeply rooted in the reality of the moment, her works are intended to be evidence of an era. Ready for the Moon Orion is NASA's new human-rated exploration-class spaceship that will take astronauts into deep space including the Moon and Mars. Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for NASA and built the crew module, crew module adaptor and launch abort system. The European Space Agency provides the European Service Module for Orion. The Artemis I mission will be the first launch of the Orion spacecraft aboard NASA's Space Launch System rocket. Over the course of three weeks, the uncrewed Orion capsule will fly out and orbit the Moon and return to Earth. This test mission will validate the spacecraft, rocket and ground systems for future crewed missions. "Orion is a unique and impressive spacecraft and the team did an outstanding job to get us to this day," said Mike Hawes, Orion vice president and program manager for Lockheed Martin. "The launch and flight of Artemis I will be an impressive sight, but more importantly it will confirm Orion is ready to safely carry humans to the Moon and back home. This tremendous advancement opens the door to a new era of deep space exploration that will ultimately benefit us back here on Earth." Orion is being transferred from the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy, where it was assembled, to multiple Kennedy facilities where EGS will load propellants and other consumables such as ammonia, helium and nitrogen, and integrate the launch abort system and protective ogive fairing. After this is completed, it will be taken to the Vertical Assembly Facility to be lifted onto the SLS rocket and prepared for roll to the launch pad. Crewed Missions Underway The launch later this year will be the beginning of many Artemis missions to the Moon. The next mission, Artemis II, will be the first with a crew onboard and will go out to orbit the Moon and return. That Orion crew module and service module adapter are well under assembly at Kennedy and will see its first power-on of its integrated computers this summer. Artemis III will see the first woman and the next man to walk on the Moon. Orion will carry them out to orbit the Moon where they will ultimately land on the surface using a lunar landing system. That spacecraft is already under construction as major structural elements of the crew module pressure vessel are arriving at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility. As part of an Orion production and operations contract, NASA ordered three Orion spacecraft from Lockheed Martin for Artemis missions III-V with plans to order three additional Orion spacecraft for Artemis missions VI-VIII and options for up to 12 missions. More information about Orion: Lockheed Martin Orion page: https://www.lockheedmartin.com/orion NASA Orion page: https://www.nasa.gov/orion About Lockheed Martin Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 110,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. For additional information, visit our website: www.lockheedmartin.com. Please follow @LMNews on Twitter for the latest announcements and news across the corporation. SOURCE Lockheed Martin Related Links http://www.lockheedmartin.com One thousand vials of Covaxin, the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Indian pharmaceutical company Bharat Biotech, arrived at the state vaccine store at Anand Rao Circle here on Wednesday. Each vial contains 20 doses. SpiceJets freighter flight SG 7555 took off from Hyderabad at 8.50 am, carrying three boxes weighing 90 kg of Covaxin, and landed in Bengaluru at 10.23 am. An official in the immunisation wing of the Karnataka Health Department confirmed to DH that they had received 20,000 doses of the vaccine. Unlike Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, Covaxin has been approved under the clinical trial mode. During the first two months of the rollout, Bharat Biotech has to notify drug regulators every fortnight the adverse effects of the vaccine. Also read At least 3.57 lakh healthcare workers to get Covid-19 vaccine now The 20,000 doses that arrived on Wednesday are among the 40,000 doses of Covaxin that have been allotted to Karnataka, according to Dr C N Manjunath, state nodal officer for Covid-19 testing and a member of the Technical Advisory Committee. Covaxin hasnt been without controversies and its still in Phase 3 trial (the period when the vaccine is administered to thousands of people to test its efficacy). In Karnataka, healthcare workers will be the first recipients of Covaxin. Dr Manjunath said the participants consent would definitely be taken as the vaccine was being rolled out in the clinical trial mode as per the approval given by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) and because all healthcare workers being vaccinated with Covaxin were in essence trial participants. If no consent is taken, it will be like doing a trial under the shadow of the vaccination programme, he added. The union health secretary clarified recently that healthcare workers would not get to choose between Covishield and Covaxin. An expert who would be quoted said that if Bharat Biotech was mandated to report the adverse effects of Covaxin to the DCGI every two weeks, then the healthcare workers receiving the vaccine should be monitored. If they have to be monitored, they should be informed which vaccine they are getting, he added. Choice and consent are different. The expert further said that if Covaxin was being rolled out alongside Covishield from January 16 onwards in a clinical trial mode, it wasnt clear who would be the principal investigator and who all would be part of the Data Safety Monitoring Board and the Ethics Committee. WEST SPRINGFIELD The mayor and School Committee want students back in class, in person, within the next month. First, theyll have to convince the teachers union. At Tuesdays meeting of the school board, Mayor William Reichelt said hes not satisfied with the agreement negotiated by school officials and ratified on Monday by the West Springfield Education Association. That agreement, an amendment of the COVID-19 work rules agreed by teachers before the school year began, continues to bar West Springfield from reopening its schools until the town is taken off the states list of high risk communities. That would likely keep students in their homes until at least April, Reichelt said. I honestly think thats unrealistic for our students, he said. The numbers do need to go down over the next couple weeks, but at the same time, I think we need to give folks a date to work for, and an idea that we can reasonably get back to school soon. School Committee members agreed to reopen negotiations with the teachers union and aim for more flexibility in moving students, particularly the youngest ones, to a hybrid model with two days per week of in-person instruction. School officials said theyre becoming worried about the mental health of West Springfield children, many of whom havent seen the inside of a classroom, participated in extracurricular activities, or had a chance to socialize at recess, since last March. Jennifer Brennan, the districts director of social and emotional learning, said Massachusetts has seen an increase lately in the hospitalization of school-age children for mental health reasons. My counselors have a lot of concerns around kids mental health, and their level of being able to engage and perform, said Brennan. She said parents have a major concern around the isolation some of our kids are facing. She said she also suspects there has been an increase in unreported child abuse, as victims are no longer in personal contact with teachers and school staff who are trained to spot the signs of abuse. Committee member Pat Garbacik said she has heard from constituents about the downside of all-remote learning. Emotional problems that the kids are having are there, very evident, she said. We need to get our kids back. The trigger for returning to school under the proposed rules is the same as under the current union agreement: the town must be out of the red the states list of highest-risk towns, defined as those with COVID-19 infection rates of 5% or higher for two straight weeks. In West Springfield, 7.99% of tests came back positive in the two-week period ending Jan. 2, according to the states Department of Public Health. Infection rates shot up after Halloween. Reichelt said he hopes the continuing high rates represent infections during the holiday season that will recede as the effects of holiday travel and parties are accounted for. Most West Springfield classrooms have been fully remote all school year. In the fall, some special needs and English-learning students were able to return to in-person instruction. Kindergartners and most first- and second-graders had one week of hybrid learning in October before rising COVID-19 infection rates triggered a return to the all-remote model. School Committee members on Tuesday defended their decision to stay all-remote at the start of the year, but said its time for a new strategy that takes into account more than the infection statistics. My views have changed since September, said William Garvey. I was metrics, metrics, metrics. But its becoming obvious that metrics alone are not the only answer to this. The agreement approved by the teachers union this week, although it did not make changes to the trigger for starting hybrid learning, would have allowed the district some leeway in responding to future spikes in the infection rate. Rather than mandating a closure of all school buildings if the town enters the high risk category again, the agreement calls for the school administration to look at the locations and demographics of the new COVID-19 patients, and use the all-remote model only in neighborhoods or age groups that appear at risk. Both the mayor and Superintendent Tim Connor said flexibility is key to avoiding a ping-pong effect of repeatedly opening and closing all schools as infection rates fluctuate. Maintaining a consistent educational experience has been one of the benefits of the all-remote model, Connor said. Connor also introduced a new initiative, #RockTheMaskWS, spearheaded by School Committee member Nancy Farrell. In the coming weeks, town officials and students will use social media to encourage their neighbors to follow government guidelines such as wearing a mask, using hand sanitizer and avoiding large gatherings, in an effort to reduce West Springfields coronavirus infection rate and enable a faster return to in-person learning. Related Content: (HealthDay)One month after the United States began what has become a troubled rollout of a national COVID vaccination campaign, the effort is finally gathering real steam. Close to a million dosesover 951,000, to be more exactmade their way into the arms of Americans in the past 24 hours, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday. That's the largest number of shots given in one day since the rollout began and a big jump from the previous day, when just under 340,000 doses were given, CBS News reported. That number is likely to jump quickly after the federal government on Tuesday gave states the OK to vaccinate anyone over 65 and said it would release all the doses of vaccine it has available for distribution. Meanwhile, a number of states have now opened mass vaccination sites in an effort to get larger numbers of people inoculated, CBS News reported. But even with the recent pickup in vaccinations, more than two-thirds of the doses sent to states have yet to be administered. As of Wednesday, nearly 29.4 million doses had been shipped to all 50 states and all U.S. territories. Of those, just 10.3 millionabout 30%had actually been used, CDC data shows. The urgency of the vaccination campaign began even more apparent on Wednesday after scientists at Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center reported they have spotted a new coronavirus variant that carries a mutation identical to a more infectious variant already reported in the U.K., but it likely arose in the United States. The researchers also reported the emergence of another U.S. variant that has acquired three more gene mutations not previously seen together in the virus. The findings are under review for publication in BioRxiv, an online repository of research that has not yet been peer-reviewed. While the new variant has only been seen in one patient from Ohio, the evolving variant with the three new mutations became the dominant virus in Columbus between late December and January, the researchers said. "This new Columbus strain has the same genetic backbone as earlier cases we've studied, but these three mutations represent a significant evolution," study leader Dr. Dan Jones, vice chair of the division of molecular pathology at Ohio State, said in a university news release. "The big question is whether these mutations will render vaccines and current therapeutic approaches less effective," added Peter Mohler, study co-author and chief scientific officer at Wexner. "At this point, we have no data to believe that these mutations will have any impact on the effectiveness of vaccines now in use." All Americans over 65 should get COVID vaccine: Trump administration U.S. Health Secretary Alex Azar said Tuesday that the federal government would now release all available vaccine doses and told states to vaccinate every American over 65. "This next phase reflects the urgency of the situation we face," he said. "Every vaccine dose that is sitting in a warehouse rather than going into an arm could mean one more life lost or one more hospital bed occupied." A third coronavirus vaccine may soon join the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines that have already been approved for emergency use: Johnson & Johnson said Tuesday that it plans to announce trial results on its one-dose vaccine soon, though the company probably won't be able to provide as many doses this spring as it first promised the federal government because of production delays, The New York Times reported. If the vaccine can strongly protect people, as some scientists expect, only one shot would be required, making it far easier for local health departments and clinics to vaccinate residents. Its vaccine can also stay stable in a refrigerator for months, whereas the other two vaccines have to be frozen, the Times reported. Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, said state health officials were clearly excited about Johnson & Johnson's one-dose vaccine. "You can get it and you're done," he said. "Everybody is eager to have it out there. It has a lot of potential." But the hope of a third vaccine that can guard against COVID-19 infection is dampened by production lags. In the company's $1 billion contract with the federal government, Johnson & Johnson pledged to have 12 million doses ready by the end of February, ramping up to a total of 100 million doses by the end of June, the Times reported. However, federal officials have been told that the company has fallen as much as two months behind the original production schedule and won't catch up until the end of April, when it was supposed to have delivered more than 60 million doses, two people familiar with the situation who were not authorized to discuss it publicly told the Times. Even if Johnson & Johnson's vaccine pans out, it won't be enough to completely quell the pandemic, Plescia told the Times. He predicted that state health departments would need a total of four vaccines available in the next six months if they hope to reach their goals of offering a vaccine to every American who wants one. More infectious COVID variant now seen in 12 states The more contagious coronavirus variant that has brought Britain to its knees in recent weeks is showing signs that it is spreading widely throughout the United States, health officials and experts say. Wisconsin and Maryland joined Minnesota, Indiana, Texas, Pennsylvania and Connecticut, California, Florida, New York, Georgia and Colorado this week with reports of variant cases, the CDC reported Wednesday. A total of 76 variant cases have now been reported in the United States. The New Mexico Department of Health did announce on Wednesday that it has confirmed its first case of the British variant. The male patient had traveled to the U.K. in December, the health department noted. A South African variant that is also more contagious hasn't been spotted anywhere in the United States yet. The CDC said its strain surveillance program is on track to more than double the number of genomic sequences being uploaded to public databases by the end of the week. "The general consensus is there's no single variant driving current U.S. cases. That said, we need to be on the lookout for these variants of concern," Duncan MacCannell, chief science officer with the CDC's Office of Advanced Molecular Detection, told the Washington Post this week. Other scientists agree. "We don't see any evidence of a particular variant 'outrunning' others," Kristian Andersen, an immunologist at the Scripps Research Institute, told the Post. "That's not to say there isn't one, but we haven't seen any evidence of it so far and we are looking, just not enough." Andersen said the British and South African variants will likely become dominant in the United States within months. "Our mitigation efforts are woefully insufficient to deal with those," he warned. While the variants show no signs of being more deadly than the original version of the virus, they could send more people into hospitals, up the number of COVID-19 deaths, and prolong the effort to reach herd immunity in this country, the Post reported. "We are in a race against time," Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore, told the Post. "We need to increase our speed in which we act so that we don't allow this virus to spread further and allow this [British] variant to become the dominant one in circulation. The clock is ticking." A global scourge By Thursday, the U.S. coronavirus case count passed 23.1 million while the death toll passed 384,800, according to a Times tally. On Thursday, the top five states for coronavirus infections were: California with over 2.8 million cases; Texas with over 2 million cases; Florida with more than 1.5 million cases; New York with over 1.2 million cases; and Illinois with more than 1 million cases. Curbing the spread of the coronavirus in the rest of the world remains challenging. In India, the coronavirus case count was over 10.5 million by Thursday, a Johns Hopkins University tally showed. Brazil had over 8.2 million cases and nearly 206,000 deaths as of Thursday, the Hopkins tally showed. Worldwide, the number of reported infections passed 92.4 million on Thursday, with nearly 2 million deaths recorded, according to the Hopkins tally. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak More information: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on the new The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on the new coronavirus Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved. She documented her struggles with skin pigmentation during her first pregnancy. And pregnant Bachelor star Laura Byrne has now revealed she's struggling with melasma yet again as she prepares to welcoming her second child with fiance Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson. Posting a makeup free selfie to Instagram on Thursday, the heavily pregnant 34-year-old admitted her melasma was 'three times worse' the second time around. 'Truthfully its about three times worse this pregnancy': The Bachelor's Laura Byrne, 34, (pictured) revealed on Thursday that her melasma has returned with a vengeance during her second pregnancy 'I spoke a lot about melasma during my last pregnancy,' she began her refreshingly candid caption. 'Mainly because most days I felt like s**t about my pigmentation which (thanks to raging hormones) had taken up residence like someone had spilt an espresso across my entire face', the jewellery designer continued. Laura said her melasma returned with a vengeance when she fell pregnant for the second time. 'Pigmentation freaking sucks!' Laura uploaded this makeup-free selfie in December 2018, when she was suffering from melasma while pregnant with her first child 'Truthfully its about 3 x worse this pregnancy, plus I have some cute new wrinkles to really balance the whole shebang out,' she mused. The brunette completed her post by reminding her fans not to buy into the superficial world of Instagram. 'This is just a reminder that if you have melasma you aint alone, and life isnt an endless scroll of smooth skin, pert butts and boobs that make eye contact - and thank god for that,' she declared. Keeping it real: The brunette completed her post by reminding her fans not to buy into the superficial world of Instagram Melasma is a skin condition that causes brown or gray-brown patches to appear on the face. Matty and Laura, who met on The Bachelor in 2017, welcomed their first child, daughter Marlie Mae, in June last year. In April 2019, Matty got down on bended knee and popped the question to Laura while on holiday in Fiji. Netflix is shooting an upcoming horror series in Pittsburgh. The filmtitled Archive 81is currently using the area around East Ohio Street on the North Side as its set, and is scheduled to complete filming in the area around March. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that so far, the cast and crew have been spotted filming at the Government Center, a record store, and Sweet Time General Store. Should citizens have been at any of these locations and stumbled upon spooky goings-on, dont worryit was all movie magic, not the supernatural. Archive 81 is an on-screen adaptation of the horror podcast of the same name. The podcast follows events based upon found footage showcasing the unexplainable and, typically, the terrifying. It appears that the Netflix series will generally be following that plot. The official page on the streaming platform reads, An archived hired to restore a collection of tapes finds himself reconstructing the work of a filmmaker and her investigation into a dangerous cult. If youre a huge horror fan and a bit skeptical towards the quality of any scary Netflix content that comes out, heres something that may sell this to you: James Wanthe master behind hit horror blockbusters such as Saw and The Conjuring universeis tagged on as the shows executive producer. Deadline additionally reports that actor Mamoudou Athie, who is best known for his role in The Circle, has signed on as the starring character of the troubled archivist, Dan Turner. Additional cast members include Netflix alum, Matt McGorry (Orange is the New Black), and Ariana Neal (Hidden Figures). Screen Rant states that a release date for Netflixs Archive 81, as well as any other information, is pending confirmation. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. In brief: Google has been pursuing an acquisition of fitness tech company Fitbit for quite some time now, but the deal has been held up by a lengthy privacy-related investigation from the European Commission. However, the investigation has finally come to a close, and Google has been able to move forward: it's now the new owner of Fitbit. After months of discussions between Google, Fitbit, and the EC, a deal has finally been struck, and Google officially owns Fitbit. This news was announced separately today by both Fitbit itself and its new search giant overlord. Fitbit's post largely focuses on the ways in which being acquired by Google will lead to a brighter future for the company and its users while downplaying the potential privacy risks. "On our own, we pushed the bounds of what was possible from the wrist, pioneering step, heart rate, sleep and stress tracking," Fitbit CEO and co-founder James Park writes. "With access to Googles incredible resources, knowledge and global platform, the possibilities are truly limitless." Park goes on to say that user trust will "continue to be paramount," and their strong data privacy and security protections will be maintained post-merger (partially due to the European Commission's demands, we'd imagine). "Google will continue to protect Fitbit users privacy and has made a series of binding commitments with global regulators," Park assures customers. "...Fitbit users health and wellness data wont be used for Google ads and this data will be kept separate from other Google ad data." It remains to be seen whether or not these lofty claims will hold true in the long term. The European Commission's rules for this merger are good for the next decade, but as we all know by now, big tech companies are always looking for new and creative ways to skirt regulations. The transaction between Google and Fitbit was reportedly worth about $2.1 billion in total, which should result in a nice payout for Fitbit's stakeholders and founders. DETROIT - Toyota will pay $180 million to settle U.S. government allegations that it failed to report and fix pollution control defects in its vehicles for a decade. FILE - In this Aug. 2, 2019, file, photo, people walk by the logo of Toyota at a show room in Tokyo. Toyota will pay $180 million to settle U.S. government allegations that it failed to report pollution control system defects in its vehicles for a decade. The company, on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021, also agreed in court to investigate future emissions-related defects quickly and report them to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in a timely manner. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File) DETROIT - Toyota will pay $180 million to settle U.S. government allegations that it failed to report and fix pollution control defects in its vehicles for a decade. The company also agreed in court to investigate future emissions-related defects quickly and report them to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in a timely manner. Toyota's actions undermined the EPA's self-disclosure system and likely led to delayed or avoided emissions-related recalls, Audrey Strauss, the acting U.S. Attorney in Manhattan said Thursday in a prepared statement. The Japanese automaker's actions from 2005 to 2015 brought financial benefits and excessive vehicle pollution, the statement said. The company was accused in a government lawsuit of delays in filing 78 emissions defect reports as required by the Clean Air Act. The reports covered millions of vehicles, and some of them were as many as eight years late, the statement said. The lawsuit was filed Thursday and settled on the same day, according to the statement. In a statement, Toyota said it reported the problems to the EPA five years ago after finding a process gap" that brought delays in filing the defect reports. Within months of discovering this issue, we submitted all relevant delayed filings and put new robust reporting and compliance practices in place, the company said. The company said the reporting delays resulted in a negligible impact on emissions, contradicting the government's statement alleging excessive pollution. The company said that despite reporting delays, it notified customers and fixed vehicles that needed to have emissions recalls. Automakers have to report to the EPA if there are 25 cases of the same pollution control defect in a model year. But Toyota decided to report the defects only when required under a less-stringent California standard, the Justice Department said. Toyota is the third automaker in recent years to pay penalties for Clean Air Act violations. The worst was cheating by Volkswagen, which for years programmed its diesel vehicles to turn pollution controls on for EPA lab tests and turned them off for roadway driving. In 2019, Fiat Chrysler agreed to a settlement over allegations that it rigged pollution tests on diesel pickup trucks and SUVs. Fiat Chrysler has maintained that it didnt deliberately cheat emissions tests and the company didnt admit wrongdoing. Pennsylvania reported almost 900 new COVID-19 deaths over the last three days as fatalities hit a record pace. The daily report from the Pennsylvania Department of Health includes 7,175 new cases and 313 deaths, which puts the states total case count at 748,564 since March. The Pa. COVID-19 death toll is now at least 18,742. The Lehigh Valley accounts for nearly 45,000 cases and 1,086 deaths. (Cant see this map? Click here.) Pennsylvania is planning mass COVID-19 vaccine clinics and the Lehigh Valleys two major health networks are accepting registrations to get the shot. This is your coronavirus update for Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. Coronavirus in Pa. The 7,175 new coronavirus cases and 313 new deaths reported Thursday mean over the last week the states averaged almost 8,000 new cases a day and an all-time high of 223 daily deaths. The record pace of new deaths in Pennsylvania comes after a deadly November and December surge of new cases. Just on Tuesday, the state became the seventh state in the nation to lose more than 18,000 residents to the coronavirus. If this pace keeps up, Pennsylvania could surpass 19,000 on Friday. The majority of the people who have died are over 65 and 52% of them lived in long-term care facilities. (Cant see this chart? Click here.) The state does not report deaths on the day they occurred rather when they are notified of them. But it does make death information by date of occurrence available. That means that 260 of the 313 deaths reported Thursday occurred in January, while 51 were in December and two in November. Pennsylvanias surge in deaths follows an all too predictable pattern. Cases climbed for much of December reaching a peak of almost 10,600 average daily new cases over the last week on Dec. 16. Then came the hospitalizations surging above 6,000 patients. Typically, deaths peak two to three weeks after a case surge, a trend that is often delayed due to reporting lags associated with deaths. Hospitalizations have dropped from their mid-December peak, but still remain nearly double the spring peak. There are 4,980 patients currently hospitalized with 1,035 people requiring intensive care. Most of the patients are over 65. (Cant see this chart? Click here.) State Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said this week will be critical in determining the intensity of Pennsylvanias post-holiday case surge. While daily reports can vary widely, a seven-day rolling average can more clearly show trends. As of Thursday, Pennsylvania averaged 7,925 new cases and 223 deaths a day over the last seven days. That is an 11% increase in new cases and a 24% increase in deaths over two weeks ago. The health department estimates 76% of Pennsylvania coronavirus patients have recovered, surviving more than 30 days since their initial positive test. Coronavirus in the Lehigh Valley (Cant see this map? Click here.) Like the state, the Lehigh Valley has also seen an overall rise in cases. The Lehigh Valley had 512 new coronavirus cases and 13 more deaths, bringing the regions total cases to 44,648 cases and 1,086 deaths. Lehigh County reported 284 cases and seven deaths bringing its tally to 24,667 total cases and 587 deaths. Northampton Countys 228 new cases and six more deaths bring its tally to 19,981 cases and 499 deaths. The Lehigh Valley crossed 40,000 combined cases and 1,000 deaths last week. Only three counties Philadelphia, Montgomery and Allegheny have more deaths than the Lehigh Valleys combined total, and only Philadelphia and Allegheny have more total cases. (Cant see this chart? Click here.) When and where can you get vaccinated? As Americas most ambitious vaccination campaign ramps up, details keep changing rapidly. It is hard to keep up with: who is eligible? Who is administering vaccinations in your community? Here is a breakdown of the latest COVID-19 vaccine developments: The first shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine were delivered to Pennsylvania hospitals the week of Dec. 14. The Moderna vaccine started arriving Dec. 21. Through Wednesday, 337,539 of the more than 1 million vaccine doses allocated to Pennsylvania have been administered across the state. (This does include staff and residents of long-term care facilities which were inoculated by CVS via federal partnership.) A total of 269,279 people have received their first dose while 52,135 people are fully immunized after receiving their second shot. Dr. Levine has cautioned there is a reporting lag from both when doses are delivered to hospitals and administered by staff. The federal government often listed vaccines as distributed before theyve arrived with healthcare providers, she said. In Lehigh and Northampton counties, at least 36,476 people have been vaccinated, with 5,306 of them fully vaccinated. At Northampton Countys Gracedale nursing home, 81% of residents and 42% of staff have been vaccinated during the first four CVS clinics. CVS has scheduled more vaccine drives through February. The county is offering a $750 bonus to employees who take the vaccine, in hopes of overcoming vaccine hesitancy. While we are not yet at 50% of the employees being vaccinated, we remain hopeful that the next several clinics will greatly increase those numbers, county executive Lamont McClure said in a news release. We remain convinced vaccination against COVID-19 will save lives and livelihoods. This chart outlines the Pennsylvania Department of Health vaccination phases. The state is currently in Phase 1A and plans to move to the next tier soon.Pennsylvania Department of Health Pennsylvania and Lehigh Valley healthcare providers are gearing up for the next phase of the vaccination campaign. Currently, the state is vaccinating frontline healthcare workers and staff and residents at long-term care facilities. All of Pennsylvanias seniors are moving up in the line after the federal government this week advised states should make the vaccines available to anyone over 65, and to people 16 and older with chronic medical conditions. Locally, Lehigh Valley Health Network has moved on to the next phase, opening appointments up to the next tier, which includes first responders, adults over 75 and essential workers. Once you register at MyLVHN, the health network will send you a message via MyLVHN when you are eligible to schedule your vaccination. The health network has tents set up at Dorney Park in South Whitehall Township for mass vaccinations. On Tuesday the network vaccinated more than 3,200 people and is ready to vaccinate about 5,000 per day if the vaccine supply permits. St. Lukes University Health Network asks patients to sign up for its MyChart so the network can alert you when you are eligible to schedule your vaccine appointment. The Bethlehem Health Bureau expects to finish this week with 2,000 vaccinations of phase 1A patients. The bureau said they anticipate moving to the next phase shortly in a Facebook post. The Allentown Health Bureau is scheduling appointments for those in the first phase as well. Mass vaccination clinics are coming statewide and retail pharmacies should soon have doses, Levine said Thursday in a PennLive.com interview. Gov. Tom Wolf announced Thursday hes approved a temporary waiver so pharmacists can administer COVID-19 vaccines without a doctors order when doses are available to the public. It will allow pharmacists to order and administer the vaccine without an agreement with a medical provider. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. FUSSA, Japan, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Energy and sustainability expert, Schneider Electric, today announced the start of construction on an energy savings performance contract (ESPC) project with the United States Air Force to improve energy resilience and enhance mission readiness at Yokota Air Base (Yokota AB), located outside of Tokyo, Japan. The ESPC totals $403 million, consisting of $167 million in implementation costs along with 21 years of operations, maintenance, repair, and replacement services. The project includes a combined heat and power (CHP) plant with microgrid controls that can produce more than 10 MW of power to support the base's critical buildings and enhances the efficiency of more than 450 buildings to further optimize demand. This massive project is funded with energy savings guaranteed by Schneider Electric over the 25-year contract term. The project will provide an alternate source of prime power to most of the base's mission-related buildings, alleviating growing concerns of power reliability in the area and further reducing utility costs. This ESPC expands an existing partnership between Schneider Electric and the Air Force, representing the fourth performance contract between the two entities in the past four years. The Yokota AB project is one of the largest and most comprehensive resilience performance contracts for the Department of Defense (DoD) to date, showcasing the increasing importance of reliable energy infrastructure and operation continuity. Aging infrastructure challenges, such as the electrical grid incurring more frequent blackouts in the Tokyo area, are putting stress on the critical facilities and systems that ensure power quality and reliability for the protection of our armed forces and the citizens they serve around the world. Additionally, with the understanding that military bases are dynamic and mission requirements may change, Schneider Electric incorporated flexibility and growth capabilities in the microgrid controls and building automation system design. The Air Force has become a leader within the DoD in taking an active approach to modernizing its bases to prevent potential power and systems interruptions from impacting national security. This strategic project is being implemented via an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC), a finance contracting mechanism that secures funding without capital outlay from the Air Force. Nineteen total conservation measures will provide an average of $20 million in annual guaranteed energy savings, which will pay for the improvements over the life of the 25-year contract. "Yokota AB is a strategically located installation for the Air Force, requiring dependability of building systems, reliability of operations, and resilience to deliver on its missions. As a team, we are proud to build upon past ESPC experience to make the necessary decisions and enhancements to assure energy supply and maintain mission assurance," said Mr. Michael Ringenberg, GS-13, ESPC/UESC PMO, U.S. Air Force. "The scope of the Yokota AB project demonstrates what is possible for providing comprehensive resilience solutions through an ESPC, and along with conservation updates, that uniquely enables us to reach our mission goals." The Yokota AB project is the result of a broader energy initiative within the Air Force. To protect the nation's interests, the Air Force requires Airmen, robust weapon systems, and resilient infrastructure, all of which require energy to operate. As such, the Air Force implemented the strategic energy goals of improving resilience, optimizing demand, and assuring supply. Schneider Electric worked collaboratively with the Air Force and the Defense Logistics Agency Energy Division to fully align this project with these goals and objectives. "Optimizing energy usage for top-line and bottom-line benefits for our customers is in our DNA. It's a privilege to leverage this expertise to protect our nation's security with the added benefit of increasing sustainability, lowering energy costs, and enhancing resilience," said Aamir Paul, US Country President, Schneider Electric. "We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Air Force and the Department of Defense to collaborate on a structured path towards resilience as projects like these become more necessary and prevalent in the US and globally." In addition to energy resilience, the project will generate significant energy savings for Yokota AB. Yearly energy costs for the Air Force are upwards of $8 billion, with nearly $880 million spent on facilities. This project will save nearly 1.5 percent of the total energy spend annually by the Air Force through offsetting electrical consumption from the grid with the CHP plant, optimization of base-wide central plants, building automation system expansion and consolidation, lighting upgrades, and plumbing fixture replacement. Schneider Electric will also provide a team to operate, maintain, repair, and replace critical infrastructure and conduct ongoing training of military staff on operations to ensure long-term sustainment of the implemented scope and achievement of energy savings. "Along with assuring mission readiness, this project is also playing a critical role in helping the Air Force reduce its carbon footprint and sustainability impact," said Steve Wilhite, Senior Vice President of Schneider Electric's Energy and Sustainability Services. "The strategic energy and resource efficiency measures that are core to this project will have a meaningful and lasting environmental impact on the air base and the local community." Construction for the Yokota AB project is anticipated to last approximately three years. Upon completion, the base will save more than 30 million gallons of water, 80 thousand MMBTU, and 75 million kWh annually. Over the past 28 years, Schneider Electric has successfully implemented more than 800 ESPC projects across the nation, saving its clients more than $2.7 billion. This project delivery method helps publicly funded entities make capital improvements over longer payback periods and offers many long-term benefits such as improved facility efficiency, occupant comfort, financial management and environmental protection. Schneider Electric has also recently been named the #1 Energy Services Company and the #1 Energy-as-a-Service company by Guidehouse Insights. For more information on how Schneider Electric helps federal agencies tackle their top priorities with energy efficiency and resilience, please visit www.schneider-electric.us/fedgov. About Schneider Electric At Schneider, we believe access to energy and digital is a basic human right. We empower all to do more with less, ensuring Life Is On everywhere, for everyone, at every moment. We provide energy and automation digital solutions for efficiency and sustainability. We combine world-leading energy technologies, real-time automation, software and services into integrated solutions for Homes, Buildings, Data Centers, Infrastructure and Industries. We are committed to unleash the infinite possibilities of an open, global, innovative community that is passionate with our Meaningful Purpose, Inclusive and Empowered values. www.se.com Follow us on: Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram | Blog Hashtags: #SchneiderElectric #YokotaAB #microgrid #energyefficiency #LifeIsOn SOURCE Schneider Electric Related Links https://www.se.com/us/en Admit it or dont, but making your beauty choices based on your zodiac sign preferences is just an exciting way to groom yourself and feel like a true queen. Also, when it comes to painting your nails, you are constantly on the hunt for a trend or colour that you havent tried before or you zealously reach for your favourite shade that always has your back. It is that one shade that you can trust will always make you feel great is what we are talking about. Each zodiac sign has one such favourite hue. Read on to find out! GRAND RAPIDS, Minn., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tacora Resources Inc. ("Tacora" or the "Company") today announced that it has completed the acquisition of Sydvaranger Mining AS and its subsidiaries ("Sydvaranger"), an iron ore mine and processing plant located in Sr-Varanger, Norway. The acquisition of Sydvaranger provides Tacora with a 4 million tonne per year shovel-ready expansion opportunity and geographical diversification in a tier 1 jurisdiction. Sydvaranger operated from 1910 to 1997, and then from 2009 to 2015 producing high grade iron ore concentrate, with an iron content of 68%, for pelletizing operations. The Tschudi Group, a Norwegian shipping and logistics company, has been involved with the Sydvaranger Mine since 2006. In 2016, the Tschudi Group re-acquired the Sydvaranger assets and has since focused its activities on completing a feasibility study and preparing for restarting the operations. Sydvaranger's high quality, low impurity, magnetite iron ore concentrate has significant environmental and cost benefits for steel producers and pelletizing operations, including increased blast furnace productivity, reduced slag volumes, lower CO 2 emissions per tonne of steel produced and reduced energy requirements for pelletizing, amongst others. Thierry Martel, the President and CEO of Tacora will lead the expanded organization. Mr. Martel said, "With this acquisition, we bring together two responsible mining companies with capacity to produce an iron ore concentrate with characteristics very desirable to steelmakers. The Sydvaranger Mine builds upon our strategy to deliver high grade iron ore products to steelmakers globally allowing them to produce more steel per tonne of raw material input and therefore reduce their environmental footprint." Felix Tschudi, Chairman and owner of the Tschudi Group, said, "We are pleased to welcome Tacora as the new owners of Sydvaranger. Since 2016, the Tschudi Group has sought to provide Sydvaranger with the financial and operational capabilities to enable a restart of the mining operations. By introducing Orion Mine Finance as a financial partner in 2018 and by now combining Sydvaranger with the operationally experienced Tacora team, we believe Sydvaranger is in an excellent position to succeed with a restart. The Tschudi Group will remain strong supporters of the Sydvaranger Mine and continue its considerable presence in Kirkenes and the Troms og Finnmark county more broadly through its other business activities in the region." Mr. Martel continued, " on behalf of our current Tacora employees, we welcome the Sydvaranger team into the Tacora family and thank the Tschudi Group for their stewardship of the Sydvaranger assets. With both operations being compatible in many ways, the collective capabilities and similarities of both assets make for a perfect match as we continue to focus on our employees' safety and well-being, working closely within the communities we operate, with our stakeholders to build a reputable and performing company we can all be proud of." The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price which is paid in the form of shares in Tacora. Media Contact: Name: Brenda Armstrong Tel: +1 709.280.1578 Email: [email protected] About Tacora Resources Inc. Tacora is an iron ore mining and mineral processing company focused on the acquisition, development and operation of iron ore reserves and assets which allow for the sale of high-grade and quality iron ore products. The Company's equity investors include: funds managed by Proterra Investment Partners LP; Aequor Holdings LLC; Cargill, Inc.; a fund managed by Orion Mine Finance; and MagGlobal LLC. In July 2017, the Company purchased the Scully Mine, a 6 million tonne per year iron ore concentrate producer, located in Wabush, Newfoundland and Labrador and recommenced operations in June 2019. 100% of the Scully Mine concentrate is purchased and marketed globally by a subsidiary of Cargill Inc. Additional information about the company is available at www.tacoraresources.com. About Tschudi Group The Tschudi Group has roots back to 1883 and is today managed by the 4th generation of the Tschudi family. The Tschudi Group is primarily active in shipping, logistics and the ocean industries with operations in 13 countries across the globe, with a particular focus on Northern Norway and the Arctic. Additional information about the group is available at www.tschudigroup.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that are forward-looking in nature and relate to our expectations, beliefs, and intentions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed to be forward-looking. Although Tacora believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors and are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may accordingly differ materially from those in forward-looking statements, and these statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause outcomes to differ from our expectations. The forward-looking information set forth herein reflects Tacora's expectations as at the date of this press release and is subject to change after such date. Tacora disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE Tacora Resources, Inc. Related Links http://www.tacoraresources.com Advertisement A team of WHO scientists arrived in Wuhan today on a politically-charged mission to investigate the origins of the coronavirus - but two scientists were held up in Singapore amid fears that China will try to obstruct the probe to prevent embarrassing discoveries. The 13 visitors, who will be quarantined for two weeks before starting their work, were met by Chinese officials in hazmat suits after arriving from Singapore on their much-delayed trip. But two others were denied entry after testing positive for Covid-19 antibodies in Singapore - despite the fact that the entire team tested negative for a current infection using the gold-standard PCR test. Beijing has long resisted pressure for a full investigation and has touted theories that the virus might not have originated in Wuhan, but the WHO team has been allowed in after months of negotiations with Chinese authorities. While the team will investigate the wet market linked to an early cluster of infections, there are no plans to assess whether the virus was accidentally released from a Wuhan lab as Donald Trump and others have suggested. Amid speculation that Trump will release a cache of intelligence blaming the Wuhan lab before he leaves office next Wednesday, a UK-based expert said it would be a 'routine activity' to do a 'scientific audit' of the institute. China's Communist rulers have boasted of their success in wrestling infections down to a minimum within the country's borders, making it the only OECD nation to enjoy economic growth in 2020. But the US has accused China of hiding the extent of its initial outbreak, and criticised the terms under which Chinese experts did the first phase of research. A Chinese government spokesman said this week that the WHO visitors would 'exchange views' with Chinese scientists, but gave no indication whether they would be allowed to gather evidence. It came as China registered its first official virus death since last May, with cases at their highest level since the end of the initial outbreak. A Chinese official wearing a hazmat suit and goggles directs members of the WHO expert panel on their arrival at Wuhan airport on Thursday Members of the WHO team board a bus following their arrival at a cordoned-off section in the international arrivals area in Wuhan Who is on the WHO team investigating the origins of the coronavirus? The WHO unveiled a 10-strong panel in November tasked with investigating the origins of the coronavirus, including with this month's visit to China. They are: Thea Fischer, Denmark - Virologist and epidemiologist at University of Copenhagen and Nordsjaelland Hospital, previously worked at Denmark's State Serum Institute. Expert in epidemic control and vaccinology John Watson, UK - UK's deputy chief medical officer from 2013 to 2017, after helping lead response to the 2009 swine flu pandemic. Also an honorary professor of epidemiology at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Marion Koopmans, Netherlands - Dutch virologist who is head of the Erasmus Medical Centre department of viroscience in Rotterdam. Has written about spread of Covid-19 between humans and mink in Denmark Dominic Dwyer, Australia - Australian microbiologist at Westmead Clinical School in Sydney who helped grow the virus for research last February. Wants to investigate role of laboratories in the coronavirus outbreak Vladimir Dedkov, Russia - Epidemiologist and deputy director of research at the Institute Pasteur in Russia. Helped to diagnose Ebola patients during 2014 outbreak Hung Nguyen, Vietnam - Vietnamese biologist based at Kenya's International Livestock Research Institute who specialises in food safety risks in wet markets. Says the team will interview people from Wuhan food market Fabian Leendertz, Germany - Microbiologist at Germany's Robert Koch Institute who researches how viruses jump between animals and humans. Led researchers who tracked 2014 Ebola outbreak to a bat-filled tree in Guinea Peter Daszak, UK/US - British zoologist who is president of the US-based EcoHealth Alliance and has come under fire over links to the Wuhan virology lab and China's so-called 'bat woman' virologist Shi Zhengli Farag El Moubasher, Qatar - Epidemiologist at Qatar's ministry of public health who researches emerging diseases. Wrote a thesis on Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), a coronavirus which emerged from camels in 2012 and killed 858 people Ken Maeda, Japan - Director of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan. Has publications to his name about animal diseases and bat coronaviruses Advertisement Scientists initially believed the virus jumped to humans at a market selling exotic animals in Wuhan, triggering the epidemic that spiralled around the world, wrecked the global economy and killed nearly two million people and counting. But experts now believe that the market was not been the origin of the disease, but rather the site of a super-spreader event where the outbreak was amplified. It is widely assumed that the virus originally came from bats, but a suspected third animal that transmitted it between bats and humans remains unknown. Stung by allegations that it caused the pandemic, China has promoted theories that the outbreak could have started with imports of tainted seafood, a notion rejected by international scientists and agencies. After Australia called in April for an independent inquiry, Beijing retaliated by blocking imports of Australian beef, wine and other goods. Some of the WHO team were en route to China a week ago but had to turn back after Beijing announced they had not received valid visas. The bureaucratic delay 'raises the question if the Chinese authorities were trying to interfere,' said Adam Kamradt-Scott, a health expert at the University of Sydney. Today, the team faced further delays after two of the scientists were held up in Singapore because of their antibody test results. A positive antibody test suggests that someone has had coronavirus in the past - but the entire 15-person travelling party tested negative for a current infection. The 13 who have landed in China are made up of seven people from a specialist panel investigating the origins of the virus, five experts who work for the WHO and one operative from the World Organisation for Animal Health. Another five experts are taking part remotely, the WHO says. The WHO team have been at pains to cut the political baggage attached to their mission, saying they are not looking for 'culprits' and are willing to go 'anywhere and everywhere' to find out how the virus emerged. Peter Ben Embarek, the leader of the WHO mission, said the group would be 'able to move around and meet our Chinese counterparts in person and go to the different sites that we will want to visit'. He warned it 'could be a very long journey before we get a full understanding of what happened'. 'What we would like to do with the international team and counterparts in China is to go back in the Wuhan environment, re-interview in-depth the initial cases, try to find other cases that were not detected at that time and try to see if we can push back the history of the first cases,' Ben Embarek said in November. 'I don't think we will have clear answers after this initial mission, but we will be on the way,' Embarek added. 'The idea is to advance a number of studies that were already designed and decided upon some months ago to get us a better understanding of what happened,' he said. This map shows how numerous countries have found evidence of virus transmission well before China alerted the world China's Communist rulers have touted their success in combating the pandemic, with China the only one of the world's eight richest countries to enjoy economic growth in 2020, according to these OECD figures A staff member in protective suit stands next to buses before the expected arrival of the World Health Organisation team in Wuhan today Passengers arriving on the flight from Singapore are processed by staff in protective clothings and directed towards a covered walkway to a separate exit China's official timeline vs new evidence Official timeline Dec 8, 2019 - Earliest date that China has acknowledged an infection Dec 31 - China first reported 'pneumonia of unknown cause' to the World Health Organisation Jan 1, 2020 - Wuhan seafood market closed for disinfection Jan 11 - China reported its first death Jan 23 - Wuhan locked down Jan 31 - WHO declared 'outbreak of international concern' as China admitted having thousands of cases Feb 23 - Italy reports cluster of cases in first major outbreak in the West New evidence Sep 2019- Blood samples are taken in a lung cancer screening trial in Italy which later test positive for coronavirus Oct-Dec - Rise in 'flu and pneumonia' cases in northern Italy which could be linked to coronavirus Nov - Sewage samples taken in Florianopolis, Brazil, suggest virus was present Nov 10 - Milanese woman has a skin biopsy, producing a sample which later shows signs of the virus Nov 17 - Leaked documents suggest case detected in China on this date Dec 1 - Chinese researchers report an infection on this date in a peer-reviewed study, but it has not been acknowledged by Beijing Dec 18 - Sewage samples taken in Milan and Turin suggest virus was circulating in the cities Jan 2020 - Sewage samples from Barcelona suggest virus was in the city Advertisement Hung Nguyen, a Vietnamese biologist who is part of the team, said the team planned to spend two weeks interviewing people from research institutes, hospitals and the market linked to the early cluster of cases. 'My understanding is in fact there is no limit in accessing information we might need for the team,' said Hung, an expert on food safety risks in wet markets. But according to WHO's published agenda, there are no plans to assess whether there might have been an accidental release at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. One of China's top virus research labs, the Institute built an archive of genetic information about bat coronaviruses after the early-2000s SARS outbreak. A 'scientific audit' of Institute records and safety measures would be a 'routine activity,' said Mark Woolhouse, an epidemiologist at the University of Edinburgh. The WHO previously came in for searing criticism from Trump and others over its alleged deference to China during the early weeks of the outbreak. Tedros met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping last January, with the WHO praising Beijing for its 'seriousness' and 'transparency'. In September, a WHO official offered his 'deepest congratulations' to China's people and health workers for bringing the crisis under control. Arriving today wearing face masks, the scientists were greeted by airport staff in full protective gear, complete with mask, goggles and full body suits. The team members include virus and other experts from the United States, Australia, Germany, Japan, Britain, Russia, the Netherlands, Qatar and Vietnam. They will undergo a two-week quarantine as well as a throat swab test and an antibody test for Covid-19, according to state broadcaster CGTN. A single visit is unlikely to confirm the virus's origins. Pinning down an outbreak's animal reservoir is typically an exhaustive endeavor that takes years of research including taking animal samples, genetic analysis and epidemiological studies. 'The government should be very transparent and collaborative,' said Shin-Ru Shih, director at the Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections at Taiwan's Chang Gung University. Their trip comes with more than 20million people under lockdown in the north of China and one province declaring an emergency as local clusters continue to thwart Beijing's efforts to stamp out the virus. China had largely brought the pandemic under control through strict lockdowns and mass testing, hailing its economic rebound as an indication of strong leadership by the Communist authorities. China's GDP grew by 1.8 per cent in 2020, according to the most recent OECD estimates, while the US economy shrank by 3.7 per cent, the eurozone by 7.5 per cent and the UK by 11.2 per cent. New figures show that China's trade surplus with the United States widened by 7.1 per cent last year, and is 14.9 per cent higher than when Trump took office. The Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market in Wuhan, pictured last January, was initially thought to be the source of the outbreak - but experts now believe it may have been the site of a super-spreader event which amplified an epidemic that started elsewhere The campus of the Wuhan Institute of Virology which has come under scrutiny after the new coronavirus surfaced in the city WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, pictured last January with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, has come under criticism from Donald Trump for his alleged closeness to China Chinese scientists and officials have variously suggested that the virus could have originated in Bangladesh, the US, Greece, Australia, India, Italy, Czech Republic, Russia or Serbia But the virus remains a sporadic threat within China's borders, and another 138 infections were reported by the National Health Commission on Thursday - the highest single-day tally since March last year. And the officially-reported death toll rose by one for the first time since May 2020, bringing the total to 4,635. The news seeded alarm across China, with the hashtag 'New virus death in Hebei' quickly racking up 100million views on Chinese social media platform Weibo. 'I haven't seen the words 'virus death' in so long, it's a bit shocking! I hope the epidemic can pass soon,' one user wrote. Beijing is anxious to stamp out local clusters ahead of next month's Lunar New Year festival when hundreds of millions of people will be on the move across the country. China was the first nation to impose lockdowns because of the virus last year, but a number of other countries have found evidence that the coronavirus had already reached them in the late months of 2019. Italy, France, and Brazil have all found traces of the virus from before the WHO's China office was officially alerted about the outbreak on December 31, 2019. The virus was first confirmed to have spread outside China in January, when a 61-year-old woman was found to be infected with it in Thailand. A young Chinese doctor, Li Wenliang, was subsequently reprimanded by police after trying to raise the alarm about the disease - and later died of it. China has always denied allegations of a cover-up. EDWARD LUCAS: The evidence points to a Covid-19 cover-up... but the truth can't be hidden for ever By Edward Lucas for the Daily Mail Secrets, lies and thuggery are the hallmark of the Chinese Communist regime. And in the mystery of the devastating Wuhan virus, all three are combined. The strongest evidence of a crime is a cover-up. And the Chinese authorities have provided that. They have fought ferociously to prevent an international inquiry into the pandemics origins. Their repeated obstruction of the World Health Organisations fact-finding missions has provoked even that notoriously supine body to protest. Even now, WHO investigators are being prevented from accessing the vitally important laboratory in Wuhan that is likely to be at the heart of Americas allegations. Pictured: Virologists work in the P4 lab of the Wuhan Institute of Virology in central China Researchers work in a lab of Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, Hubei province, China Experts have been questioning the Chinese authorities account of events for a year. Now, it appears, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is to make a direct accusation. Was it really pure chance the virus first attacked the human race in the only city in China with a research lab specialising in manipulating the worlds most dangerous viruses? That would be as odd as a new disease emerging in the surroundings of Britains top-secret biological defence research establishment of Porton Down in Wiltshire. To this day, scientists who support the theory that the virus is a mutation that emerged from Wuhans wet market have not been able to find a convincing candidate for the animal in which this mutation actually occurred. The official explanation is the new virus was 96 per cent identical to a bat virus, RaTG13, found in Yunnan province in southern China. But as Chinese professor Botao Xiao pointed out in a paper in February, no such bats are sold at the citys markets. And the caves where they live are hundreds of miles away. Pictured: A woman walks past a shop on a street selling deep-fried scales of endangered pangolins, or scaly anteaters, in Hong Kong despite being the subject of an international ban That paper disappeared from the internet. Mr Xiao perhaps mindful of the fate that awaits those in China who promote inconvenient truths disavowed it. Many scientists privately assumed an engineered virus released via a laboratory accident was at least as likely as the idea of a series of stunningly unfortunate chance mutations. After all, Shi Zhengli, the Chinese scientist nicknamed Bat Woman was a regular visitor to those caves. When news of the outbreak broke, she initially feared that a leak from her research institute was to blame. That thought alone should have prompted a full-scale and searching inquiry. Instead, the Chinese Ministry of Education issued a diktat: Any paper that traces the origin of the virus must be strictly and tightly managed. But even the Chinese regime cannot hold back the truth forever. Over the past twelve months independent research, official leaks and news reports have strengthened the lab-leak hypothesis. Investigation: Former Brexit Secretary David Davis said it was vital the WHO team probe the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China (pictured) as the possible origin of the Covid pandemic In February a Taiwanese professor, Fang Chi-tai, highlighted a curious feature of the viruss genetic code, which would make it more effective in attacking targeted cells. This was unlikely to be the result of a natural mutation, he suggested. Much scientific research involves modifying viruses to understand how they function. Many observers have worried for years that the risks of such experiments are not properly thought through. Lab safety procedures are riddled with potential loopholes and flaws: breakages, animal bites, faulty equipment or simple mis-labelling can all lead to a deadly pathogen reaching its first human victim. If so, such carelessness has now cost tens of millions of lives. Yet we should be clear. The Chinese authorities are ruthless. But even they would not unleash a global plague. Only in the fevered imagination of conspiracy theorists is Beijing deliberately waging biological warfare on the West. Paradoxically, such speculation promoted by among others President Donald Trumps former adviser Steve Bannon may have hampered the search for the truth, by making the lab-release theory seem racist and politically toxic. In February, in Britains politically correct medical journal, the Lancet, scientists published an open letter denouncing conspiracy theories and rumours, urging solidarity with Chinese colleagues. Yet it was just those colleagues who were bearing the brunt of the regimes frantic attempts to censor the truth about the outbreak. The Chinese regime prizes self-preservation above all certainly over the truth, or the health of its own people, let alone the lives of foreigners. Kirbyjon Caldwell, Houston megachurch pastor and former spiritual adviser to two U.S. presidents, was sentenced on Wednesday to six years in federal prison for his role in a scheme that defrauded more than two dozen people out of millions of dollars through the sale of worthless Chinese bonds. But it may be another year until the 67-year-old, who has prostate cancer, enters the prison system because of the threats posed to his health by COVID-19. Caldwell was a spiritual adviser to presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. He grew Windsor Village United Methodist Church from roughly 25 members in the 1980s to more than 16,000 today making it one of the countrys largest protestant congregations. NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up for breaking news email alerts from HoustonChronicle.com here In 2018, he and another man, Shreveport-based investment adviser Gregory A. Smith, were charged by federal authorities for using their status and access to encourage 29 people to invest about $3.5 million in historical Chinese bonds between April 2013 and August 2014. Smith pleaded guilty last summer and is currently in prison. Smith and Caldwell, a Houston native with a degree from the Wharton School of Business, told investors they could see returns as high as 15 times their initial investment, according to the indictment. However, the bonds from the former Republic of China only existed prior to the 1949 communist takeover there. The Securities and Exchange Commission considers them collectible memorabilia, but they are no longer recognized by Chinas government and have no investment value, according to court documents. Caldwell initially denied the allegations, but eventually pleaded guilty last year. At a Wednesday sentencing in Louisiana federal court, he apologized for causing undeserved financial harm, emotional distress, emotional pain. They trusted me with their money, and I abused that trust, Caldwell said in a roughly seven-minute statement. I misled them, I profited at their expense, and for that I am very sorry. As a result of my actions, good people lost hard-earned money. Retirement funds were used, mortgages and other important bills went unpaid, and things that the victims wanted to do for their families and friends just went undone. Before sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. noted Caldwells history of community service and the more than $4 million he has since repaid to victims which Hicks said was a rarity in most fraud cases. SUBSCRIBE TODAY: Stay informed with accurate reporting you can trust on HoustonChronicle.com But Caldwells business acumen and stature in the community, Hicks continued, made the scheme particularly egregious. He is not average in any manner, way, shape or form, Hicks said, adding that Caldwell had a responsibility to confirm the value of the bonds before endorsing them. Either he failed to do it, he didnt want to do it or he turned his back on what was easily available to him to determine that these bonds were worthless. Caldwell used his share of profits to open a personal line of credit, according to court records. He has since been defrocked by the United Methodist Church, though it was revealed in court on Wednesday that he has continued to serve in a paid position at Windsor while his wife serves as lead pastor. In a lengthy statement, Windsor officials praised Caldwell, their "visionary leader," for his contributions to the church and broader community. The church also noted that Caldwell voluntarily paid restitution to his victims prior to sentencing, which the church said was "virtually unheard of and extremely rare in these kinds of cases." Hicks said he received numerous statements in support of Caldwell prior to the hearing, as well as a roughly one-hour video testimonial. TRY THE APP: Get alerts, breaking news and in-depth coverage on what's happening in Houston through our mobile app In a statement, Bishop Scott Jones, head of southeast Texas United Methodist group, said Caldwell confessed his crimes and offered a sincere expression of remorse for his actions and the harm they caused as well as taking extraordinary steps toward repairing the damage. Jones continued: The court heard about these efforts and many additional factors, including the significant accomplishments over decades as a pastor and community leader, when determining Mr. Caldwells appropriate punishment for the confessed crimes. U.S. prosecutors similarly noted Caldwells contributions in Houston, but said his legacy in Louisiana, home to most of the victims, will be far different. Here, he is the man who swindled widows out of their annuities and couples out of their retirements, one prosecutor said. Here, he is the man who extolled the virtues of these wonderful investment opportunities while taking the money for himself and others. Unanswered in the case, Judge Hicks continued, was the age old question of why this ever occurred. That remains unanswered, he said. It remains untouched as an issue. robert.downen@chron.com The Department of African American Studies presents a special virtual presentation of a video compilation of the Emory community celebrating Dr. King's legacy. Learn more here . The Emory community will honor Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s life and legacy with several virtual activities that reflect his vision for civil rights and social justice. Observances will take place after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Monday, Jan. 18 to better accommodate the universitys adjusted spring semester dates due to COVID-19. One long-time highlight of Emorys King Week, the Day On event that promotes student service opportunities and social justice work, will take place in April. Here is the current schedule of King Week activities. All programs will be held online and are free and open to the public. Thursday, Jan. 21 John R. Lewis Racial Justice Case Competition 3 p.m. Registration required The John R. Lewis Racial Justice Case Competition is the first case competition focusing on the intersection of business and racial inequality. It honors the late U.S. Rep. John R. Lewis (1940-2020), the civil rights icon and congressmember from Georgias 5th district. The event is a virtual student-run case competition that connects corporations and students interested in business in an effort to create innovative and actionable racial justice initiatives for those corporations. Twenty-four semifinal teams will share their presentations the morning of Jan. 21; six winning teams from the semifinal round will compete virtually for the grand prize that afternoon. Read how the competition became a reality. Thursday, Jan. 21 Emory Explores: How to Be an Effective Advocate 5 p.m. Registration required Are you passionate about a cause or a movement and trying to find out how to address issues you feel strongly about? Emory Alumni Association and the Office of Government and Community Affairs have partnered on a series of programs that bring together Emory thought leaders and advocates to share their journey, their challenges and how they realized their passions. Join this digital conversation to hear from inspiring leaders and start mapping out your path to becoming an advocate and leader. Panelists include: Gregory J. Esper, professor and vice chair of clinical affairs for Emorys Department of Neurology and affiliate professor of business at Goizueta Business School professor and vice chair of clinical affairs for Emorys Department of Neurology and affiliate professor of business at Goizueta Business School Jasmine Clark, Georgia State House of Representatives legislator, representing House District 108 Georgia State House of Representatives legislator, representing House District 108 Hillary Thrower, director of state affairs at Emory and an official liaison between Emory University and Georgia's legislative, executive and regulatory bodies director of state affairs at Emory and an official liaison between Emory University and Georgia's legislative, executive and regulatory bodies Kallarin Mackey, assistant vice president of state affairs, will moderate the discussion. Friday, Jan. 22 Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Awards 12 p.m. Registration required For more than 20 years, Emory has honored Kings legacy through the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Service Awards. This recognition began with Rollins School of Public Health and Goizueta Business School; Emorys School of Medicine joined the partnership in 2020. This years awards celebration is centered on Kings quote, Only in the darkness, can you see the stars. With this, Emory recognizes that despite the difficult times our communities and country have faced during the past year, there are people and moments that lift us up. Awards will recognize individuals and groups from the Emory community for their outstanding and unparalleled response to the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and systemic racism. Nominees may have demonstrated, but are not limited to, actions or initiatives within Emory or in the broader Atlanta communities that extend beyond typical responsibilities in service of addressing an issue or challenge raised by COVID-19 or systemic racism. Friday, Jan. 22 King Week Interfaith Event 3 p.m. Registration required The Rev. Jennifer Bailey, AME minister, interfaith leader and founder of the Faith Matters Network (a Womanist-led organization equipping faith leaders and organizers), will speak on Healing the Soul of the Nation. She will be in conversation with Greg McGonigle, university chaplain and dean of religious life, and Jewish chaplain Rabbi Jordan Braunig. Tuesday, Jan. 26 The Words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Reading and Conversation 11 a.m. Registration required Join the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for a reading of Americas Chief Moral Dilemma, a speech by King. Following the reading, faculty experts will discuss Kings words. What is our legacy and responsibility as the Emory community? Thursday, Jan. 28 MLK Jr. Celebration Lecture 4 p.m. Registration required Emory alum Maggie Anderson author, academic and activist will speak on Legacy and Responsibilities. Anderson is former U.S. Rep. John Lewis former aide, President Barack Obamas former law student and a successful corporate executive. The author of Our Black Year, she and her family received global media attention in 2009 as they lived out her public pledge to buy Black only for an entire year. SAN FRANCISCO (dpa-AFX) - Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) and Acacia Communications (ACIA) have amended their merger agreement, by which Cisco will acquire Acacia for $115 per share in cash or about $4.5 billion on a fully diluted basis, net of cash and marketable securities. In July 2019, Cisco had agreed to buy Acacia Communications for $70.00 per share in cash or about $2.6 billion on a fully diluted basis, net of cash and marketable securities. The companies said Thursday that they expect to complete the acquisition by the end of the first calendar quarter of 2021. 'We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Cisco and are excited to move forward with the combination which we believe will transform the optical industry...' Raj Shanmugaraj, president and CEO of Acacia said on Thursday. Upon completion of the acquisition, CEO Raj Shanmugaraj and Acacia employees will join Cisco's Optics business. On Monday, Acacia Communications said that it filed a counterclaim against Cisco Systems seeking a declaration that Acacia validly terminated the merger agreement with Cisco because the required Chinese regulatory approval was not obtained and the merger did not close before the agreed-upon termination date under the agreement. On January 8, Acacia delivered to Cisco a notice to terminate the merger agreement for the proposed acquisition of Acacia by Cisco. The merger agreement had afforded the parties 18 months to obtain the necessary antitrust approvals from the Chinese government before, either Acacia or Cisco could terminate the agreement on January 8, 2021. Such approval was not received before January 8, and Acacia delivered a notice of termination of the merger agreement on that date. Cisco had initiated litigation against Acacia in Delaware challenging the company's termination of the merger agreement, claiming that the Chinese Government's State Administration for Market Regulation or 'SAMR' approval was received on January 7. Acacia said Monday that it believed that a January 7, email from a SAMR employee stating Cisco's submission was 'sufficient to address the relevant competition concerns' did not constitute regulatory approval, as Cisco claims. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX CISCO-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Lim Jae-won, director general of the National Gugak Center Courtesy of the National Gugak Center By Park Ji-won Listening to "gugak," or traditional Korean music, may not be familiar even to many Koreans. Since the influx of Western music after the 1950-53 Korean War, globally popular music has been enjoyed in mainstream culture while the traditional genre has only been consumed among a very small group of people. However, since the release of BTS's Suga's (August D) "Daechwita," a K-pop song sampling Korea's traditional military band music "Daechwita" in May last year, and thanks to the rising popularity of megahit promotion videos from the Korean Tourism Organization starring Leenalchi, an alternative pop band incorporating pansori (traditional singing performances and lyrics) themes, things started to change. Many saw the possibility of exploiting gugak for financial gain and growing Korea's global brand. Marking the 70th anniversary of its establishment, Lim Jae-won, director general of the National Gugak Center, which provided the sampling of "Daechwita" for Suga to use, responded to the rising interest in Korea's traditional music with initiatives to expand the center's reach to a wider public with its open music-related sources available for anyone. The center was founded back in 1951 to succeed and develop the traditional music forms such as court and folk music, traditional dance, and contemporary gugak. Lim, who started his career as a daegeum (Korean bamboo flute) player at the center in 1982 and has served as a music professor and artistic director in multiple art troupes, said this is the most important period for gugak amid the growing popularity of K-pop and it is the center's calling to provide as much material as can be used in various art forms and to share them with people from all over the world so as to keep the tradition alive. "Since the release of Suga's Daechwita, there have been a lot of requests asking for more information about gugak. As you can see from the audio sample used in the song, there are so many good materials in gugak which can be used in modern collaboration works. Minyo (folk music), pansori, orchestral music, and so on. Their storylines are funny and well-established reflecting the characteristics of Korean people. So we decided to make an online dictionary of gugak which provides all the information you could want," Lim said during an interview with The Korea Times at his office in the National Gugak Center, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Jan. 8. Lim, who assumed the role of director general there in August 2018, will leave office in March after serving for three years. The details of the so-called interactive dictionary haven't been finalized, but it secured 3 billion won ($2.73 million) in government subsidies to make the online platform over four years that will include traditional instruments, sounds, scores and music, and also videos. The National Gugak Center's Dance Theater Courtesy of National Gugak Center The National Gugak Center's Court Music Orchestra Courtesy of National Gugak Center It has been a difficult task for the traditional music scene to expand its audiences as some traditionalists opposed this and there were certain taboos blocking people from transforming the traditional form creatively because this was considered disrespectful to the tradition. However, Lim stressed that tradition is not something unchangeable and an absolute mission, but a living art form that changes over time. "Keeping the tradition and transforming the traditional sources with modern tastes cannot be contradictory. Some may say we need to stick to a Korean thing because we are Korean. But I think it won't last long just because of that reason. People will no longer enjoy an art form if it is not valued. Including gugak, any living art form should evoke people's emotions. So, it is natural that traditional music materials should be used in collaborations." To better connect with the public, the center opened its first museum on North Korean music last year, which features about 82,000 pieces of material gathered over the years from neighboring countries such as the North, Japan and China. It took about 20 years to analyze and gather enough material on North Korea because it is a very sensitive, and sometimes expensive, pursuit. Opening the museum on North Korean music was not simply about sharing the material with the public for Lim, it was more about rediscovering "Koreanness" on the Korean Peninsula. "The Korean Peninsula has been divided for over 70 years. But I don't think it will last forever. Our job is to analyze the music the two Koreas have and discover the Koreanness of the two so that we feel less separated when we meet I hope people will remember the center as the best place to find anything about Korean traditional music on the Korean Peninsula." There were times that traditional music was not treated well and marginalized because the country was busy chasing economic growth. After the country economically stabilized, people began to appreciate the value of tradition again, he recalled. "Now you can commonly hear traditional music in subways or buses. But in the past, you could only listen to trot or pop music in the street. There were very few traditional instrument players. But after the 1988 Seoul Olympics, people began to appreciate the value of traditional music and gained a better understanding of cultural assets in the country along with the economic growth of Korea." Joining hallyu, or the Korean wave, and exploring the possibilities of gugak, the center is launching new programs with masters and K-pop stars. In "K-Maestro," a handful of gugak masters will be introduced in a video series, while "K-rock" program explores the possibilities of collaboration works with gugak and the boundaries of the traditional music with artists from different fields such as K-pop musicians, fashion designers, and authors. To better promote traditional Korean music to an international audience, the center is also set to launch an online audition program on gugak later this year. "The gugak audition, which is similar to a Korean speech contest for amateur foreign gugak lovers who play traditional instruments or sing pansori will be held throughout the world in the Korean cultural centers in each region this year. Once the candidate passes the preliminary round, he or she will be invited to Korea for the final in the fall. Due to the spread of COVID-19, a final plan hasn't been set, but I hope the program will raise awareness and create more Korea-savvy people," Lim said. Foreigners participate in a janggu class at the National Gugak Center, Seoul, in this undated photo Courtesy of National Gugak Center Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 14) President Rodrigo Duterte said he is determined to leave Malacanang in 2022 even amid the possibility of a term extension due to the revival of charter change talks in Congress. "Maski ibigay mo sakin on a silver platter, maski ibigay mo sa akin libre another ten years sabihin ko sayo, p******na mo, iyo na lang yan, tapos na ako," Duterte said in a speech at the inauguration of the Skyway Stage 3 project in Quezon City. [Translation: Even if you give it (term extension) to me on a silver platter, even if you give me ten years for free, take it. I am done.] Earlier, Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III revealed that lawmakers met with Duterte in November to talk about changes to the Constitution. The President suggested amending the party-list system and some economic provisions, Sotto said. On Monday, before Congress resumed session, the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments convened and started deliberations on economic provisions of the 1987 charter. Their session, however, was hounded by concerns over whether or not they were already meeting as a constituent assembly or Con-Ass. A Con-Ass means members of the House of Representatives and the Senate together will decide on constitutional amendments, unlike the constitutional convention which requires nationwide elections to select delegates. Committee chairman Alfredo Garbin and vice chairman Lorenz Defensor had maintained the panel only limits itself to discussions on economic provisions, and will not tackle any possible political amendments, such as term extensions and the abolition of term limits among national and local government officials. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Clevelanders, breathe a sigh of relief: Meteorologists say the polar vortex they expected to affect the United States hit Europe and Asia instead. Its not out of the question that a piece of the polar vortex will swing into the Northern Plains at the end of January, but not likely Ohio, said Accuweather senior meteorologist Dave Samuhel. We did have a disruption with the polar vortex during the first week of January, and that did send some colder away from the pole, but most of that went on the other side of the globe, Samuhel said. Asia, Europe, its been very cold. The polar vortex is a cluster of cold air that sits at the North Pole throughout the year. When the jet stream isnt strong enough to hold it at the North Pole, cold air goes blows far south. So we wont see extreme cold. What about snow? National Weather Service meteorologist Alexa Maines said lake-effect snow is possible this weekend. On Friday, temperatures will drop to the low-30s, and Northeast Ohio is slated to receive rain or a rain-snow wintry mix. Then, a low pressure system will come Saturday. Once the low pressure and the cold front move through, there will be some lake effect snow showers in the snow belt, Maines said. Maines said Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and the citys suburbs will probably receive less than an inch of snow. West side suburbs will probably see a dusting. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, highs are forecast to be in the low 30s, with overnight lows in the mid to upper 20s, about average for this time of year. As for the rest of the month, Maines said the Climate Prediction Center is forecasting an equal chance of above average and below average temperatures from Jan. 21-27 for Northeast Ohio. In the northwestern U.S. and possibly upper Midwest, areas such as Minnesota, Wisconsin and possibly northern Illinois have the potential for below average temperatures from Jan 21-27. Maines said its possible that cold could come farther east. As of now, were not getting any strong signals of any cold air outbreaks through the end of the month, Maines said. A high-level Sudanese delegation led by Sudans ruling Sovereign Council member Lieutenant General Shamseldin Kabashi arrived Egypt on Thursday to discuss bilateral ties and push means of joint cooperation. According to an official statement, Sudans Sovereign Council said Kabashi, who is accompanied by intelligence chief Lieutenant General Jamal Abdel Majeed and other officials, was received by Egypts foreign minister Sameh Shoukry. Earlier, state-owned Al-Arabiya said the delegation will head to Egypt to discuss mounting tensions between Ethiopia and Sudan over the disputed eastern border region of Al-Fashqa. Ethiopia and Sudan have been exchanging accusations over ownership rights of the agricultural area. The visit comes one day after Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, the head of Sudans Sovereign Council, had visited Al-Qadarif, an area of which Al-Fashqa is part, to emphasise the ability of the armed forces to protect the territory. It also comes one day after a high-level delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) concluded a one-day visit to Khartoum in an attempt to break the deadlock on the disputed Grand Renaissance Dam (GERD) after a recent collapse of African Union sponsored talks between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan this week. Sudan accused Ethiopia on Wednesday of a dangerous and unjustified escalation after an Ethiopian military aircraft crossed the disputed border area. The move could have dangerous consequences and cause more tension in the border area, Sudans foreign ministry said. Ethiopia warned Sudan on Tuesday that its patience was wearing out over Khartoums military build-up in the area despite efforts to resolve the rift diplomatically. The Ethiopian statement came as Sudan said armed Ethiopian gangs killed five women and a child in the area. Search Keywords: Short link: Sydneys North Shores look set to lose another chapter of television history with reports ABC has announced a proposal to sell its Artarmon studio. Studio 26 has 700m of production floor space, scenery runway, production offices, kitchen, parking, art department and wardrobe facilities. News Corp reports the notice of proposed sale states the site would be sold in its existing state and the organisation would seek leaseback arrangements for a period of time with the new buyer. The Gore Hill site operated from 1956 but after its closure was turned into the Gore Hill Technology Park and is now home to an Ausgrid depot and a $238 million data centre currently under construction. Late last year Nine vacated its historic Willoughby Studios for North Sydney. ABC is also yet to announce a buyer for its former Ripponlea studios in Melbourne. An ABC spokesman said a final decision had not been made on the proposed sale. Public feedback is only open to January 18. Related BEIJING, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A report from China Daily: Since the beginning of 2020, President Xi Jinping has been emphasizing the need to foster a new development paradigm in which the domestic market plays the main role, and the domestic and world markets complement each other, in order to ensure sustainable development. Accordingly, the recent Central Economic Work Conference charted out the country's economic course for 2021. And as part of the new "dual circulation" development paradigm, the island province of Hainan is integrating the construction of its free trade port into the country's overall development plan based on its actual conditions. The new "dual circulation" development paradigm is based on "internal circulation" (domestic economy) and aimed at integrating internal circulation with "external circulation" (global economy) to develop new advantages for China in the global market, while the Hainan free trade port is designed to promote China's further opening-up in the new era. Despite their seemingly different emphases, the two share the same goal of sustainable development. Further opening up domestic economy The new development paradigm is not about pursuing closed domestic circulation. Instead, it is about synergizing the domestic and global markets. Despite emphasizing the strategic importance of boosting domestic demand, the new development paradigm does not mean China is closing the door on the outside world or abandoning foreign markets, rather it is about further opening up the Chinese economy to the outside world. And given the ever-intensifying anti-globalization sentiment in many economies, it will help the government meet the Chinese people's growing demand for a better life. The new development paradigm emphasizes that China deepen supply-side structural reform to strike a dynamic balance between supply and demand. And to achieve this goal, the country needs to promote higher-level opening-up by, among other things, lifting the institutional barriers that hinder the flow of factors of production to attract more global resources to China. Also, China should make more efforts to build a fair, reasonable and transparent system of global economic and trade rules, advance trade and investment liberalization, and promote greater openness, exchanges and integration of the global economy. Incidentally, all these are also the major tasks for the Hainan free trade zone, which will act as the intersection of internal and external circulations. And given its special advantages in terms of geographical location and connectivity, Hainan is in a good position to become the meeting point of the domestic and global economy. Middle node connecting China and Southeast Asia Hainan is China's southernmost province, which, from a global perspective, is the node connecting China and Southeast Asia, the two most dynamic economic regions in the world at present. A four-hour flight from Hainan can cover 21 Asia-Pacific countries and regions, which account for 47 percent of the global population and 30 percent of the world's GDPand an 8-hour flight can cover 59 countries and regions, comprising 67 percent of the world population and 41 percent of the global GDP. The Hainan free trade port will adhere to high-level international trade and economic rules, and thus have special opening-up policies in terms of taxation and cross-border flow of factors of production. By making good use of these policies, the province will attract domestic and foreign goods, investments, talents, technologies and other factors of production, while facilitating their flows between the domestic and international markets. Which will make the island not only a "transit" hub but also a link between the domestic and global economies. The signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement a few weeks ago has created new development opportunities for the Hainan free trade port and will help the province use its geographical and policy advantages. For example, the growth in trade among the RCEP member states will increase the flow of people, goods and services in the region, and Hainan is perfectly placed to act as a transit hub for them. Policy advantages of free trade port Hainan can use its policy advantages in tax exemption for offshore and daily consumer goods to promote consumption, expand purchase channels and attract more high-end consumer goods, which will help upgrade domestic demand. Hainan will also use the advantages it enjoys in some other fields as well as the special free trade port policies to work out new business models with greater operational value, so as to promote innovation-driven industrial chains. And through its special policies and sales channels, the Hainan free trade port will provide Chinese consumers with more quality foreign products and services at lower prices. This will prompt more and more Chinese people who travel abroad mainly to purchase foreign products to visit Hainan instead to buy these goods and thus boost the internal circulation. Keeping in mind the huge amount of money Chinese people traveling abroad spend, Hainan will focus on opening more offshore duty-free shops, developing medical tourism in the Lecheng pilot zone and establishing an international education center. This too will help keep the money, which the Chinese tourists otherwise would have spent abroad, within the domestic market and therefore boost the domestic economy. Since the implementation of the offshore duty-free shopping policy, Hainan has seen rapid growth in sales. From July to November, 2.4 million shoppers spent 15.72 billion yuan ($2.68 billion) in Hainan's duty-free shops, a year-on-year increase of 61.7 percent and 205.4 percent respectively. The growth potential is still high. Chinese tourists spent an estimated 1 trillion yuan overseas in 2019. Assuming there is no increase in the amount in the next five years, even if Chinese travelers spend 10 percent of that amount in Hainan in the next two years to buy such products, the island will attract 100 billion yuan by 2022. Add to this the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone's goal of offering the Chinese people the fastest access to the most advanced medical devices and health services, and you have huge business potential. So far, the first new drug used simultaneously by patients in China and the rest of the world has been launched in Hainan, and more than 110 medical devices available on the island have not been introduced in the rest of the country. Hainan will also strive to address the thorny development issues through institutional integration and innovation, as well as by studying ways to establish branches of public hospitals, promoting medical reform such as separating medicine sales from medical treatment, and expediting the implementation of the free trade port policies, so as to create a model project to integrate Hainan's development plan into the country's new development paradigm. The free trade port's zero tariff policy for raw and auxiliary materials and tariff exemptions for goods with over 30 percent value added imported by the Chinese mainland will facilitate the development of Hainan's high-tech and advanced manufacturing industries. The list of zero tariffs on raw and auxiliary materials has already been approved by the State Council, China's Cabinet, and some related policies have been implemented. By combining the free trade port's special policies with its unique advantages, Hainan will focus more on the two ends of the "smile curve" to provide more competitive services. On one end, it will accelerate the development of design, seed breeding and other industries in accordance with the goals of building a global design center, as proposed in the overall plan for the free trade port. And on the other end, it will focus on expanding the shipping service industry and developing bonded warehousing, global logistics and distribution, and other business sectors. As such, the Hainan free trade port has a bright future. The author is secretary of the Communist Party of China Hainan Provincial Committee. The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily. https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202101/12/WS5ffcdbbaa31024ad0baa1dcf.html SOURCE China Daily Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Leaving has never been easier, said Pioneer Institute Executive Director Jim Stergios. In some cases, high earners can stay put and simply move money into trusts located in other states. Multiple rounds of tax increases aimed at high earners and corporations triggered an exodus from Connecticut of large employers and wealthy individuals, according to a new study published by Pioneer Institute. Its no coincidence that the states ongoing economic struggles have corresponded with a string of experimental tax hikes, said Greg Sullivan, who co-authored Connecticuts Dangerous Game: How the Nations Wealthiest State Scared Off Businesses and Worsened Its Fiscal Crisis, with Andrew Mikula. Over the last quarter-century, Connecticut has endured a series of budget crises. To cover ballooning costs, the state enacted sharp tax increases, including four income tax hikes in the last 20 years that caused the top rate to jump by 77 percent. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont said that the tax increases totally disadvantage the state, noting that it already has some of the highest income tax rates in the country and we pay a price for that. In recent years, Connecticut has increasingly turned to high earners and large companies to close budget gaps, doubling a surcharge on large firms, establishing and then increasing a tax on luxury goods, and raising the income tax for the states highest earners. The results have been disastrous. From 2008 to 2020, the state placed 49th among the states in private sector wage growth. In just the last couple of years, General Electric and Alexion Pharmaceuticals both moved their headquarters to Massachusetts. The flight of jobs has in turn affected existing homeowners, and before COVID-19, property values in wealthy Fairfield County were still 18 percent below their 2006 peak. Further, these tax increases have failed to stabilize Connecticuts finances, and large deficits continue to be projected for the state. According to 2016 Connecticut Department of Revenue Services data, the states wealthiest 3 percent of families account for 41 percent of all income tax revenue. Between 2012 and 2018, Connecticut lost high earners at a rate that trailed only Washington, D.C., and those who fled earned more on average than taxpayers who migrated into the state. Despite rate increases, the amount of taxes paid by Connecticuts 100 top taxpayers plummeted 45 percent between 2015 and 2016 alone. Massachusetts took a very different approach in the wake of the 1990-91 recession. A state income tax that was once 6.25 percent now stands at 5.0 percent. In recent years, the Commonwealth has gained millionaires at a higher rate than the national average, and nearly twice the rate of Connecticut. Between January 2008 and January 2020, employment in Massachusetts grew by 12.5 percent. In contrast, Connecticut still hasnt recovered all the jobs it lost during the Great Recession, and those it has created are, on average, lower paying. Massachusetts has also benefited from Connecticuts struggles to retain major corporations and wealthy individuals, and Connecticut is one of the few states from which taxable income migration to Massachusetts has been positive in recent years. That said, wealth migration remains a concern in Massachusetts, especially given the large scale of tax avoidance. Leaving has never been easier, said Pioneer Institute Executive Director Jim Stergios. In some cases, high earners can stay put and simply move money into trusts located in other states. About the Authors Andrew Mikula is a Research Assistant at Pioneer Institute. Mr. Mikula was previously a Lovett & Ruth Peters Economic Opportunity Fellow at Pioneer Institute and studied economics at Bates College. Gregory Sullivan is Pioneers Research Director. Prior to joining Pioneer, Sullivan served two five-year terms as Inspector General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and was a 17-year member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Greg is a Certified Fraud Investigator, and holds degrees from Harvard College, The Kennedy School of Public Administration, and the Sloan School at MIT. About Pioneer Pioneers mission is to develop and communicate dynamic ideas that advance prosperity and a vibrant civic life in Massachusetts and beyond. Pioneers vision of success is a state and nation where our people can prosper and our society thrive because we enjoy world-class options in education, healthcare, transportation, and economic opportunity, and where our government is limited, accountable and transparent. Pioneer values an America where our citizenry is well-educated and willing to test our beliefs based on facts and the free exchange of ideas, and committed to liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise. SENS ANNOUNCEMENT (the "Notice" or "Announcement") ISSUER ZCCM INVESTMENTS HOLDINGS PLC ("ZCCM-IH") [Incorporated in the Republic of Zambia] Company registration number: 771 Share Code: ZCCM-IH ISIN: ZM0000000037 Authorised by: Chabby Chabala - Company Secretary SPONSOR Stockbrokers Zambia Limited [Founder Member of the Lusaka Securities Exchange] [Regulated and licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zambia] Contact Person: Natasha Nelson Contact Number: +260-211-232456 Website: www.sbz.com.zm APPROVAL The captioned Notice or Announcement has been approved by: the Lusaka Securities Exchange ("LuSE") the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") Stockbrokers Zambia Limited ("SBZ") RISK WARNING The Notice or Announcement contained herein contains information that may be of a price sensitive nature. Investors are advised to seek the advice of their investment advisor, stockbroker, or any professional duly licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zambia to provide securities advice. ISSUED: 15 DECEMBER 2020 ZCCM INVESTMENTS HOLDINGS PLC [Incorporated in the Republic of Zambia] Company registration number: 771 Share Code: ZCCM-IH ISIN: ZM0000000037 ["ZCCM-IH" or "the Company"] MARKET ANNOUNCEMENT - UPDATE ON ONGOING ZCCM-IH TRANSACTIONS Shareholders of ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc ("ZCCM-IH" or "the Company") and market participants are advised by way of update of the ongoing key strategic and operational activities in the Company as outlined below. Strategic Plan (2020-2026) The ZCCM-IH Board approved the Strategic Plan (2020-2026) in September 2020. With a renewed strategic focused investment impetus in the mining and mining-related projects, the Strategic Plan will focus on 4 key goals: Extract, and where possible, to add value to the current portfolio; Invest in greenfield and brownfield mining, and mining-related ventures across a diverse range of minerals: Commodity diversification to include cobalt, gold, manganese and other base metals, gemstones, limestone, phosphate and rare earth minerals; Value addition downstream and exploration upstream, and Energy - to sustain sustainability of mining operations. Achieve operational and financial excellence; and Generate greater shareholder value by ensuring price discovery on stock exchanges where ZCCM-IH is listed. In 2020, ZCCM-IH revised its business model and positioned itself to deliver superior shareholder value. The revisions include taking steps to enhance value extraction from its current portfolio through diverse means other than dividend income. It includes broadening its investments in the mining sector to include the whole value chain across a diverse mineral portfolio. These initial steps show the strategic intent stemming from this new strategic focus. Upgrade from Euronext Access to Growth ZCCM-IH places the generation of greater shareholder value as one of its key strategic goals. To that end, the Board approved the upgrading of the listing of the ZCCM-IH shares on the Euronext Stock Exchange from the Access tier to the Growth tier. This will ensure that ZCCM-IH improves the liquidity of its shares on Euronext via access to a greater pool of investors than is currently the case. In addition, over the next 6 years, ZCCM-IH will take steps to improve the liquidity and price discovery of its shares on all the Stock Exchanges where it is listed. Zambia Gold Company Limited ("ZGC") Zambia Gold was incorporated on 10 January 2020 and is 51% owned by ZCCM-IH and 49% by the Ministry of Finance. ZGC's main objective is to lead the development of the Zambian gold sector from the current state of activities, which are characterized by illegal mining and trading, to a commercially viable sector which will not only benefit the investors but also all other relevant stakeholders. In order to achieve this objective, ZGC is undertaking the following activities: Acquire exploration licences with a specific focus on gold tenements in Zambia; Raise funding or identify potential partners for the purpose of carrying out mineral exploration and evaluation on the acquired tenements; Develop tenements into fully operational gold and other precious mineral mines in subsequent years; Refining, processing, and grading of gold and other precious minerals; Active trading of gold and other precious minerals; and Support artisanal mining operations and transforming these into commercially viable activities. For the flagship project - Kasenseli Mine in the Mwinilunga area (North-Western Zambia), mechanised partial surface mining and processing activities are being undertaken as part of the exploration works that commenced in March 2020. Using gravity concentration method to test mineralised zones/areas and generate data. In Phase one of the detailed exploration activities completed in September 2020, the initial target of 5,000 meters has been drilled around targeted pits. Infill drilling targeting 2, 000 meters commenced at the end of November 2020. Core samples from Phase one are currently being analysed and results are expected in the next couple of months. For gold trading, purchases were extended to Vubwi, Lumezi and Rufunsa districts in May/June 2020 and these activities are ongoing with the ZGC team increasing its footprint and experience. In June 2020, the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Development in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry donated equipment to selected Cooperatives in Rufunsa, Lumezi and Vubwi. Following this development, ZGC facilitated the training of cooperative members in governance, gold production and processing methods among other matters. In total 149 members representing 11 cooperatives have been trained. This is aimed at improving their gold production that ZGC will be off taking. Industrial Development Corporation ("IDC") Group Restructuring As part of the IDC Group Rationalisation and Reorganisation, ZCCM-IH and IDC are in the process of undertaking a share swap in which IDC will swap its stake in Kagem Mining Ltd for ZCCM-IH's stakes in Mushe Milling Ltd and Investrust Bank Plc. This process is intended to rationalise the portfolio of ZCCM-IH to reflect the new mining focus. It is expected that this process will be concluded by end of Quarter one (1) 2021. Kabundi Resources Limited ("KRL") Mining operations commenced in May 2020 with a monthly production target of 20, 000 tonnes of manganese ore. Wash Plant operations commenced in September 2020 producing approximately 100TPD (tonnes per day) of washed Manganese. A second wash plant is currently being installed with a capacity of 150TPH (Tonnes Per Hour). This will increase the processing capacity to approximately 10,000 tonnes per month of washed manganese. Exploration to open new mine operations within the license area is currently ongoing. Feasibility studies have also commenced to ascertain the viability of setting up a 60, 000 tonnes ferroalloy smelter. The Mining Supply Chain ("MSC") Over the Strategic Period (2020-2026), the MSC will be undertaken in three phases: Phase I: Supply of Consumables such as flocculants, mill balls, explosives and valves and pumps; Phase II: Providing Contract Mining services to mining investee companies; and, Phase III: Manufacturing of consumables. Explosives and mill balls have been identified as initial targets. Tentative steps have been taken already in this regard including some trial transactions and samples being purchased for Phase I. Once scaled up, the MSC initiative will lead to greater participation in the mining value chain and therefore more synergistic relationships with all Investee Companies. Mopani Copper Mines ZCCM-IH is in discussions with Glencore Finance (Bermuda) Ltd regarding the future of Mopani Copper Mines Plc ("Mopani"). Glencore Finance is the major shareholder of Carlisa Investments Corporation which in turn is the majority shareholder of Mopani. The circumstances relating to the Company and the full impact of the discussions are currently being determined and the market will be appraised on the outcome once finalised. Konkola Copper Mines Court Processes Shareholders of ZCCM-IH are referred to the announcement dated 23rd May 2019, concerning the filing by ZCCM-IH of a petition in the High Court of Zambia for: the winding-up of Konkola Copper Mines PLC on 21st May 2019; the appointment by the Court of Mr. Milingo Lungu as provisional liquidator of KCM; and, the legal proceedings commenced in the High Court of South Africa and applications made to the Zambian High Court by Vedanta Resources Limited and Vedanta Resources Holdings Limited. Shareholders are informed that Vedanta appealed against the decision of the High Court which denied them their application to stay the liquidation proceedings and refer the matter to arbitration.The Court of Appeal on 20th November 2020 found in favour of Vedanta and stayed the liquidation proceedings and referred the matter to arbitration. ZCCM-IH intends to appeal against the decision of the Court of Appeal and to stay the judgment. ZCCM-IH will provide details on this matter, as it progresses, in due course. Kansanshi Holdings Limited Confidential Arbitration On 11th November 2019, Kansanshi Holdings Limited ("KHL") filed a Request for Arbitration in London against ZCCM-IH (as Respondent) and Kansanshi Mining Plc ("KMP") (as Nominal Respondent). These Arbitration proceedings are strictly confidential as between the parties. The Arbitration proceedings follow a criminal complaint made by ZCCM-IH against the allegedly unauthorised transfer by KMP of KMP monies to a KHL related party/affiliate.The matter is yet to be determined and shareholders will be updated as the case progresses. Ndola Lime Company Ltd Restructuring The restructuring of Ndola Lime Company Limited ("NLC") commenced. The restructuring was done through a hybrid of Out of Court Settlement and formal insolvency procedures. In this regard, it was decided that a Scheme of Arrangement ("the Scheme") and reconstruction of creditors be undertaken. The objective of the Scheme was to create a new company that was free from liabilities and able to operate more efficiently. Therefore, the new company was incorporated and is known as Limestone Resources Limited ("LRL"). Furthermore, the restructuring involved the transfer of the business and assets of NLC to LRL and the consequent issue of equity shares by LRL to the shareholders of NLC. Accordingly, shareholders of ZCCM-IH are advised to exercise caution when dealing in securities of the Company until further information is published. Mr. Mabvuto Chipata Chief Executive Officer ZCCM Investments Holdings Plc Issued in Lusaka, Zambia on 15 December 2020 Lusaka Securities Exchange Sponsoring Broker T | +260-211-232456 E | advisory@sbz.com.zm W | www.sbz.com.zm Stockbrokers Zambia Limited (SBZ) is a member of the Lusaka Securities Exchange and is regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zambia Issued 15 December 2020 ------------------------ This publication embed "Actusnews SECURITY MASTER ". - SECURITY MASTER Key: l5pqY8aalpydnGlxZJZml5RqaZiVmWWUZpbHmpZsaJ/HcJ9lm5thaJWcZm9nnmtq - Check this key: https://www.security-master-key.com. ------------------------ Copyright Actusnews Wire Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-66964-zccm-ih-market-announcement-update-on-ongoing-zccm-ih-transactions-sens-15122020.pdf The Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) yesterday began an indefinite nationwide strike to demand better conditions of service for its members. However, members of the union working in the security, payroll and hospital departments have been excluded from the strike. The union has also discharged a taskforce to every campus to ensure that members who are not within the aforementioned categories comply with the strike. Conditions of service Addressing hundreds of aggrieved TEWU members at the University of Ghana yesterday, the General Secretary of TEWU, Mr Mark Korankyi, said the conditions of service, which expired in 2010, had not been renewed, a development which had negatively affected the members, reports Justice Agbenorsi. He decried the consistent discrimination against members of TEWU, and added: We have come to the point where we can no longer bear our frustration. The feet dragging and delay is becoming too much for us and until the government sits with us to revise the conditions of service and attend to us, we are going to lay down our tools, he said. Mr Korankyi noted that despite engaging the relevant authorities, such as the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission since 2019 and the Presidency, the needs of the union had still not been addressed. We feel we are not being treated fairly, and we think that the government must take us seriously, Mr Korankyi added. He said the roles of TEWU members in the various universities were as crucial to teaching and learning as those of lecturers. The labourer on the ground is also ensuring that students and lecturers live in a clean and healthy environment for teaching and learning to go on, so if you think that it is the lecturers who matter, I am afraid you are making a mistake, he said. Discrimination Mr Korankyi observed that some members of the senior staff association had seen improvement in their conditions of service, while nothing had been done about concerns raised by TEWU on the conditions of service of its members. He said since June 2019, the leadership of TEWU had been at the negotiating table but nothing positive had come out of the meetings. We can no longer continue to work under the old conditions of service, he explained. Reacting to the potential impact of the strike on students, Mr Korankyi explained that their children were also students in various public universities, hence the need for the welfare needs of their members to be attended to. Kumasi situation From Kumasi, Kwadwo Baffoe Donkor reports that with the exception of security and health workers, all other members of the TEWU of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) laid down their tools in compliance with the directive by the mother union. The Local Union Chairman, Mr Charles Arthur, told the Daily Graphic that until their demands were met, they were not returning to work. He said the union had exempted the security and health workers from the strike due to the critical nature of the services they provide. All other members have been asked not to report to work until further notice, he said. Checks at the Akenten Appiah-Menka University for Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AA-USTED), however, indicated the opposite. According to the University Relations Office, all members of the local TEWU were at post. The university, which reopened last Monday, is currently organising an orientation for fresh students. The Kumasi Technical University (KsTU) too is not experiencing any disruption of activities on the campus. According to the University Relations Officer, Dr Charles Obeng Sarpong, the members of the technical universities belonged to a different union and were not part of TEWU. HTU on strike Mary Anane Amponsah writes from Ho that members TEWU at the Ho Technical University (HTU) have joined the nationwide strike. When the Daily Graphic visited the campus, there were no lecturers. Some few students were seen on the campus, while others were said to be in their various hostels. A Level 300 student studying Agricultural Engineering, Mr Mark Makafui, said: "School has been quiet today because students and lecturers have not reported. Bolga on strike From Bolgatanga, Vincent Amenuveve reports that the leadership of TEWU in the Upper East Region has appealed to the government to call members of the union to the negotiating table to resolve issues of their remuneration immediately. The Regional Vice-Chairman of TEWU, Mr Elias Ayinbila Apasiya, pointed out that for the past 12 years, the demands of TEWU members had not been met. The Local TEWU Chairman of the C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences(CKT-UTAS), Mr Samuel Ayuu Ayitio, indicated that the leadership of the local union met with the management of the university earlier to inform the management about the strike. He said the regional executives of TEWU had also met with local union members on campus to explain to them the reason for the action. UDS campus In Tamale, the members of TEWU at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale Campus, with red strips of cloth tied to their heads and hands, converged in front of the Central Administration around 9:30 a.m. yesterday, writes Fredrick Daoyenikye. The branch chairman, who doubles as the Northern Regional Chairman of TEWU, Mr Sulemana Abdul-Rahaman, indicated that all members of the union across the region were taking part in the strike to prompt the government to renew their conditions of service. 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 Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. More than 30 years after doi moi was initiated, Vietnam is increasingly expanding the presence of its brands across global markets. However, uncertainties about proper market positioning and the lack of branding strategies impede otherwise successful Vietnamese technology brands. Vietnamese tech companies are slowly conquering foreign markets, but need to up their game to compete with other brands With the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership coming into effect on January 15, Tran Tien Dong from the Vietnamese Association in Myanmar hopes that he can finally buy Vietnamese mobile phones at more affordable rates. I like Vietnamese phones but so far I have bought Chinese models as they were cheaper, Dong explained, who also mentioned that although Vietnamese phones have been exported to Myanmar, Chinese and Thai devices have been dominating the market for a long time. The first telecom companies from Vietnam crossed the border to Myanmar in 2016, with Viettel first and then VNPT. Both major telecom providers are licensed to offer their services in the countrys market, and Viettel even entered joint ventures with over 10 local companies to support its operations. However, not every Vietnamese company can showcase similar successes when it comes to venturing abroad. In June 2019, Mobile Star Corporation, the owner of the Mobiistar smartphone brand, announced its departure from the Indian market, just one year after entering it. The main reason for the companys defeat in India was the bankruptcy of its partner, Vsun Technologies, a month earlier, which disrupted the supply chain of the Vietnamese smartphone maker. At his last appearance in the media, CEO of Mobile Star Corporation Ngo Nguyen Kha explained that as Vsun Hong Kong and Shenzhen lost liquidity in the Chinese market, they could no longer support Mobile Stars operations in India. Kha added that while many investors his company sought out were initially impressed by the rapid development of Mobile Stars presence in India as well as the companys brand identity, Vsuns massive debt frightened them, leading to failed negotiations. After launching a total of nine different models in the Indian market during its short presence, Mobile Stars devices are now no longer available. Meanwhile, the companys smartphones are also nearly non-existent in the Vietnamese market, even though some larger distributors like Mobile World are still listing them, albeit without available stock. Missed opportunities Most national brands of other countries succeed by going global with their distinctive brands. Pham Thi Kim Loan, president of Ngan Ha Co., Ltd., a Ho Chi Minh City-headquartered company specialised in providing vertebrae-treatment products branded Doctorloan, commented, Although many Vietnamese products show a decent level of innovation, they miss out on inviting international investors onto their journey and thus dont make use of their full potential. Up to now, Ngan Ha has been granted 236 patents globally and only focuses on production, application, and trade. Loan still remembers the proposal of a Chinese investor an owner of a large Chinese brand. When she came to Taiwan and was introduced to our products, she was amazed at what we had. However, after that, she went to Vietnam and told me that it would be difficult for our products to be labelled as Made in Vietnam when exported to China, Loan explained. The investor asked us to set up a company in Singapore and use the Made in Singapore label or mix our production with that of Chinese manufacturers. Loan said that, though she thought about following the investors suggestion, she decided to withdraw and continue to build her Vietnamese brand. However, to build a good brand one must go from a solid foundation, with high-quality products, sophisticated customer care, and innovative marketing. Just being Vietnamese alone is not good enough. While many telecom companies are still confused with their internal problems, Hanoian security software and electronics company BKAV promoted its Bphone smartphones in Myanmar for more than a year, even setting up a branch called BKAV Myanmar. According to the companys representative, one of its biggest advantages is the trust that the people from Myanmar have in Vietnamese brands, which are perceived of higher quality than Chinese or Thai products while offering affordable prices. As high quality is not the only element that matters for the success of a product line, intangible factors such as brand value are increasingly respected by investors as they reflect the reputation of businesses in the marketplace and the fiercely competitive world today. At the end of November, BKAV began exporting its AI View cameras to the US market, enabled by cooperation with tech giant Qualcomm. Tommy Le, BKAVs vice president of US business development, said, At Qualcomms headquarters, our AI View cameras will be presented within a key project in the companys smart city strategy. BKAV got the first order after more than three months in the US, which represents a huge step forward that reaffirms our capabilities and the quality of our products. From here, we have the foundation to further develop in this market, towards becoming one of the top five camera manufacturers in the world. However, to even be able to enter the US market, BKAVs AI View camera had to go through multiple tests and receive the FCC certification, a rigorous proof issued by the US Federal Communications Commission, which applies to electronic products sold in the US. Finding the right market Most international business experts agreed that branding becomes increasingly important. Aware of this trend, BKAV last year joined the Open Security and Safety Alliance along with leading names such as Bosch, Qualcomm, and Hanwha. The 150 members of the alliance aim to provide image and video analysis solutions as well as create a framework providing standards for operating systems, Internet of Things infrastructure, data security and privacy, and improved levels of performance. Equally aware of the importance of branding, the Vietnamese government decided to work together with consulting firms such as Brand Finance to design the national branding programme Vietnam Value, thereby receiving the attention of the business community and investors at home and abroad. With the Vietnam Value Programme, the country is on the right path to progress in branding and economic development, according to analysts. Every year, brand evaluation and strategy consultancy Brand Finance examines thousands of the worlds top brands. In December, the consultancy stated that the overall value of Vietnams top 50 most valuable brands increased by 28 per cent, growing from $18.8 billion in 2019 to $26.1 billion in 2020. Additionally, Brand Finance stated, Viettel continues to dominate as the nations most valuable brand for the fifth consecutive year, with its brand value increased by $1.5 billion. Meanwhile, Vietcombank overtook BIDV to become Vietnams strongest brand with the brand strength rating AAA-, the consultancy stated. Each brand in the companys assessment is assigned a Brand Strength Index score out of 100, which feeds into the brand value calculation. Based on this, each brand is assigned a corresponding rating of up to AAA+, similar to credit ratings. As such, the efforts of Vietnamese brands are being recognised increasingly. While in the early 2000s, Vietnamese enterprises did not appear in international rankings, latest since last year, the total value of the 50 leading brands reached over $9.3 billion. However, the way to bring Vietnams technology brands to the global market is not entirely clear. Nguyen Thanh Son, branding expert and chairman of MVV Entrepreneur Academy said, One of the weaknesses of Vietnamese brands is the lack of a global vision, which is crucial when expanding worldwide. However, as it is not possible to dominate global markets immediately. Son added that Vietnamese brands have to consider their key markets before spreading too fast too thin. VIR Hai Anh Transparency, new policy needed for progress in science and technology development Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam spoke on January 6 at a conference reviewing 2020 and discussing implementation of tasks in 2021. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. A true breakthrough IoT solution requires the work of several partners, and Johnson Controls continues to partner, co-innovate and invest with major companies in digital innovation and the broader industry IoT Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global Internet-of-Things (IoT) market, today announced that Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, has been selected as the winner of the IoT Partner Ecosystem of the Year award in the 5th annual IoT Breakthrough Awards program. The company was honored for its OpenBlue digital platform and extensive work implementing a network of OpenBlue Innovation Centers around the world. In 2020, Johnson Controls won the coveted IoT Breakthrough Overall IoT Company of the Year award and in 2019, Johnson Controls won IoT Innovator of the Year. The mission of the IoT Breakthrough Awards program is to recognize the innovators, leaders and visionaries from around the globe in a range of IoT categories, including Industrial and Enterprise IoT, Smart City technology, Connected Home and Home Automation, Connected Car, and many more. This years program attracted more than 3,850 nominations from companies all over the world. A true breakthrough IoT solution requires the work of several partners, and Johnson Controls continues to partner, co-innovate and invest with major companies in digital innovation and the broader industry, said James Johnson, managing director at IoT Breakthrough. The companys commitment to spearhead the creation and adoption of disruptive solutions for the built environment through its OpenBlue platform is moving full steam ahead, and we want to congratulate them again this year on winning an IoT Breakthrough Award. Johnson Controls OpenBlue Healthy Buildings integrated technology solutions breaks the traditional conflict of cost versus sustainability and delivers critical outcomes for healthy, smart places and experiences. Johnson Controls has developed a network of OpenBlue global innovation centers designed to accelerate the reinvention of urban living, with significant investments targeted at digital innovation. These nine digital innovation centers, based in Cork (Ireland), Milwaukee, Boca Raton, Cranston and Birmingham (USA), Wuxi (China), Pune (India), San Jose (Costa Rica) and Singapore pioneer, together with major partners that include the National University of Singapore and Microsoft, new technologies for safety and sustainability in connected spaces. The centers are built on the Company's new suite of connected solutions, known as OpenBlue, a complete suite of connected solutions and services that combine Johnson Controls 135 years of building expertise with cutting-edge digital technology. When integrated with Johnson Controls core building systems and enhanced by ecosystem partners, OpenBlue connects what have traditionally been separate systems to create new capabilities for safer, more agile and sustainable space usages. "Our growing network of OpenBlue digital innovation centers are all designed to accelerate the reinvention of the building landscape, unifying all aspects of an intelligent building to deliver healthy people, healthy places and a healthy planet " said Mike Ellis, executive vice president and chief customer & digital officer at Johnson Controls. "We are confident that our focus of co-innovating cutting-edge digital and connected technologies through our innovation centers and OpenBlue will spark breakthrough innovation and true differentiation for our customers, and we are thrilled to see this recognition by IoT Breakthrough. In September of 2020, Johnson Controls opened its latest OpenBlue innovation center in Singapore, located within the School of Design and Environment (SDE) at the National University of Singapore (NUS). The center is a living laboratory for a new breed of customizable, contact-free applications built on OpenBlue. OpenBlue Innovation centers are all designed to accelerate the reinvention of the building landscape, creating dynamic smart facilities that help businesses meet their sustainability commitments, while delivering healthy people, healthy places and a healthy planet. #### About IoT Breakthrough: Part of the Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the IoT Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in Internet-of-Things technologies, services, companies and products. The IoT Breakthrough Awards program provides a forum for public recognition around the achievements of IoT companies and products in categories including Connected Home and Home Automation, Connected Car, Industrial IoT (IIoT) and Smart City, Consumer IoT and more. For more information visit IoTBreakthrough.com. About Johnson Controls: At Johnson Controls, we transform the environments where people live, work, learn and play. From optimizing building performance to improving safety and enhancing comfort, we drive the outcomes that matter most. We deliver our promise in industries such as healthcare, education, data centers and manufacturing. With a global team of 100,000 experts in more than 150 countries and over 130 years of innovation, we are the power behind our customers' mission. Our leading portfolio of building technology and solutions includes some of the most trusted names in the industry, such as Tyco, YORK, Metasys, Ruskin, Titus, Frick, Penn, Sabroe, Simplex, Ansul and Grinnell. For more information, visit johnsoncontrols.com or follow us @johnsoncontrols on Twitter. People want more information about the rollout of coronavirus vaccines in Pennsylvania. And they want it now. Our readers are complaining they dont know when they will be able to get the vaccine or even how to sign up for it. Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine told PennLives Editorial Board that a plan is being worked out and a website will be up next week to provide information. But many people, especially the elderly and people with disabilities, do not have access to the internet. And too many still have questions about the safety and effectiveness of whatever vaccines are coming to Pennsylvania. PennLive Editorial Board with Dr. Rachel Levine Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine explains the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine. Posted by PennLive.com on Thursday, January 14, 2021 Thats not to cast blame on any one person or agency. Its certainly not to cast blame on Secretary Levine, who clearly needs more resources to tackle the problem. She says the $100 million expected to come soon from the federal government will help provide resources, but it still wont be enough to meet the need. And theres no clear date when the money will come and exactly how it will be spent. And to be fair, the vaccine rollout has been marred from the beginning with misinformation in social media, confused messages coming for the CDC as well as political posturing in the White House that has caused millions to question the safety and efficacy of rushed vaccines. To her credit, Dr. Levine acknowledges improvement is needed at the state level. We want to do more, and we want to do better, she told PennLives Editorial Board. But as she refines the rollout plans and responds to ever-changing guidance from the CDC, she might make communicating to the people a priority. Communication needs to happen not only through press conferences and postings on websites. There must be an urgent grassroots effort to reach people more directly through the organizations, non-profits and community centers they know and trust. A "promotora" (health promoter) from CASA, a Hispanic advocacy group, tries to enroll Latinos as volunteers to test a potential COVID-19 vaccine, at a farmers market in Takoma Park, Maryland on Sept. 9, 2020. Minority enrollment in studies of two shots has inched up in recent weeks, but even more is needed this fall as additional vaccine testing gets underway over the next two months. (AP Photo/Federica Narancio)AP This is especially true in minority communities. Gloria Merrick, a member of our board and Director of the Latino Hispanic American Community Center (LHACC), says her organization has had little interaction with the Department of Health even though it serves hundreds of Latino families in our region. An education campaign to provide concrete information about the vaccines and dispel myths now circulating through the Latino community is essential. The same could be said of the African American community. Dr. Ala Stanford, a founder of the Philadelphia-based Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, sits for the vaccination as a way of building trust for it within communities of color.Associated Press Too many Black people in our region say they will not take the vaccine because of their distrust of President Trump, who has rushed to take credit for its warp speed development. And too many Black people distrust the medical community, which they believe suffers from systemic and historic racism. So far, neither the Department of Health nor any other state agency has done enough to overcome the misinformation and distrust that is so rampant in minority communities. It compels us to ask, is anyone advocating for these communities in the hierarchy of the Wolf Administration? Whos at the table representing these communities when decisions are being made about the coronavirus or any other public health issues? Do they even have a voice in the administrations power structure? Secretary Levine did provide a dose of good news in announcing a plan to open mass vaccination clinics. But again, details are scarce. The secretary says, Thats going to start soon. But when? Where? How? Health care workers prepare to give COVID-19 vaccinations at the Morris County vaccination site. COVID-19 vaccinations begin Friday, Jan. 8 at one of six planned mega-sites in New Jersey. Gov. Phil Murphy toured the opening of the site at Rockaway Townsquare mall.Sarah Blesener for the New York By now, Pennsylvanians should have more answers to the basic question of when most of us will be able to get the vaccine and where. At least tell us where to sign up to be on the list to be saved from COVID-19. We have no doubt Gov. Tom Wolf and Secretary Levin are working night and day to try to answer our questions. And we fully accept chaos in the federal government has made their jobs even harder. But the fact remains, more people in other states are being protected quicker from COVID-19. And we have a right to know why. Quality local journalism has never been more important. You deserve the best. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. Journalist Hopewell Chinono appearing in court for allegedly publishing or communicating a falshood. He allegedly posted a video on Twitter claiming that a policeman killed a child who was strapped on his mother's back. Police say the tweet was false. Netflix is also strengthening its ties with the U.K.s Aardman Animations, which is producing two half-hour specials for the streamer. One of them, Robin Robin, was initially slated for the 2020 holidays, and was probably delayed because the pandemic disrupted the stop-motion shoot. In October, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos revealed that the company is aiming to start releasing six original animated features a year. It isnt quite there yet the list below contains five, and in any case Sarandos was not referring to acquisitions or films produced by third parties. The 2021 slate is also short on the sorts of tentpole releases from high-profile talent that Netflix promises in future years. Films like Richard Linklaters Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Adventure, Guillermo del Toros Pinocchio, Aardmans sequel to Chicken Run, Henry Selicks Wendell & Wild, and Nora Twomeys My Fathers Dragon are all due for 2022 or later. In the meantime, heres what subscribers will be getting in the next 12 months A Winters Tale From Shaun The Sheep Director: Steve Cox Format: Half-hour special Synopsis: In this 30-minute special from Aardman, the worlds favourite sheep stars in his very own winters tale. Shauns seasonal excitement turns to dismay when a farmhouse raid to get bigger stockings for the Flock inadvertently leads to Timmy going missing. Can Shaun get Timmy back before he becomes someone elses present? Prepare for a Santastic adventure as everyone learns the true value of Christmas. Back to the Outback Directors: Clare Knight, Harry Cripps Format: Feature Synopsis: Tired of being locked in a reptile house where humans gawk at them like theyre monsters, a ragtag group of Australias deadliest creatures plot a daring escape from their zoo to the Outback, a place where theyll fit in without being judged for their scales and fangs. Leading the group is Maddie, a poisonous snake with a heart of gold, who bands together with self-assured thorny devil lizard Zoe, lovelorn hairy spider Frank, and sensitive scorpion Nigel. But when their nemesis Pretty Boy, a cute but obnoxious koala unexpectedly joins their escape, Maddie and the gang have no choice but to take him with them. So begins a hair-raising and hilarious road trip across Australia, as they are pursued by a zookeeper Chaz and his adventure-seeking mini-me. Maya and the Three Director/creator/showrunner: Jorge Gutierrez Format: Limited series Synopsis: Set in a mythical Mesoamerican inspired world, a warrior princess embarks on a quest to recruit three legendary fighters to help save the world of men and gods. The Loud House Movie Director: Dave Needham Format: Feature Synopsis: In Nickelodeons The Loud House Movie, the biggest family on television goes on the biggest Loud family vacation ever! The adventure follows the Loud family to Scotland where they discover that they are descendants of Scottish royalty. The family quickly indulges in the most wish-fulfilling high-life ever when they discover their ancestral home is a castle. Wish Dragon Director: Chris Appelhans Format: Feature Synopsis: In Sony Pictures Animations Wish Dragon, Din, a working-class college student with big dreams but small means, and Long, a cynical but all-powerful dragon capable of granting wishes, set off on a hilarious adventure through modern day Shanghai in pursuit of Dins long-lost childhood friend, Lina. Their journey forces them to answer some of lifes biggest questions because when you can wish for anything, you have to decide what really matters. Robin Robin Directors: Dan Ojari, Mikey Please Format: Half-hour special A stop-motion holiday musical special from Aardman. When her egg fortuitously rolls into a rubbish dump, Robin is raised by a loving family of mice. As she grows up, her differences become more apparent. Robin sets off on the heist to end all heists to prove to her family that she can be a really good mouse but ends up discovering who she really is. Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie Directors: Ant Ward, Andy Suriano Format: Feature Synopsis: In Nickelodeons Rise of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie, the Ninja Turtles are faced with their greatest challenge yet when a mysterious stranger arrives from the future with a dire warning. Leo is forced to rise and lead his brothers, Raph, Donnie, and Mikey in a fight to save the world from a terrifying alien species the Krang! Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans Directors: Johane Matte, Francisco Ruiz Velasco, Andrew L. Schmidt Format: Feature 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. [January 14, 2021] Citco Opens Abu Dhabi Headquarters at ADGM following 400% Increase in MENA Assets The Citco group of companies (Citco) has opened offices this month in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the award-winning international finance center in the United Arab Emirates, after increasing its assets under administration (AUA) in the region last year by 400% to approximately $125 billion. Citco's decision to establish a base in ADGM follows a marked rise in calls for asset servicing, administration, banking and governance services from sovereign wealth funds and managers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region last year. Citco will partner with ADGM to create a sustainable, fully-integrated ecosystem for the investment management industry, and provide a platform for the local population to further develop the financial services industry in the UAE. To support ADGM's goal of increasing local employment in the UAE's financial sector, Citco will: Source (News - Alert) talent for roles in its asset servicing, administration, custody and governance services business lines with local Emiratis; Promote training and employment through internships, seminars and educational programs in conjunction with local institutions and providers; and Commit to the employment of women in finance and accounting. Roald Smeets, President and COO of The Citco Group Limited, said: "Citco has been dedicated to serving the global investment industry for over 50 years, becoming the world's largest organically-grown asset servicer in alternative investments. We accomplished this feat with long-term sustainability in mind, a trait mirrored in ADGM's commitment to further establishing Abu Dhabi as an international financial center through region-wide education and employment programs. "Given the significant increase in demand for our solutions in MENA, we felt that there was one clear solution to our need for a regional headquarters - ADGM. We look forward to sstainably and significantly growing our operations in Abu Dhabi in the years to come." Juma (News - Alert) Al Hameli, Senior Executive Director of Strategy and Business Development at ADGM, said: "Our partnership with Citco further demonstrates the strategic importance of ADGM as a leading international financial centre and reinforces our robust commitment to attract the world's leading corporations to Abu Dhabi's expansive portfolio of institutions. As we continue to grow, this symbiotic relationship will enable us to leverage Citco's global reputation and reach within the alternative investments sector, while providing the financial infrastructure and recruitment opportunities necessary to build a long-term, sustainable hub in the MENA region." With its rapid expansion across the MENA region, Citco, with over $1 trillion in global AUA and 7,000 staff deployed across 40 countries, is leading the way in providing asset servicing solutions to the global alternative investment industry. Offering a full suite of middle office and back office services including treasury and loan handling, daily NAV calculations and investor services, corporate services, regulatory and risk reporting, banking solutions, and tax and financial reporting services, Citco is dedicated to supporting the needs of investors in the region. --ENDS-- Notes to Editors About the Citco group of companies (Citco) The Citco group of companies (Citco) is a network of independent companies worldwide. These companies are leading providers of asset servicing solutions to the global alternative investment industry. With over $1 trillion in assets under administration and 7,000 staff deployed across 40 countries, Citco's unique culture of innovation and client-driven solutions have provided Citco's clients with a trusted partner for more than four decades. Having grown organically into one of the largest asset servicers in the industry, Citco's Fund Services companies offer a full suite of middle office and back office services including, treasury and loan handling, daily NAV calculations and investor services, corporate and legal services, regulatory and risk reporting as well as tax and financial reporting services. Investing heavily in innovation and technology whilst further developing its current suite of client friendly solutions, Citco will continue into the future as a flagbearer for the asset servicing industry. About Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), an international financial centre (IFC) located in the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, opened for business on 21 October 2015. Established by a UAE Federal Decree as a broad-based financial centre, ADGM augments Abu Dhabi's position as a global trade and business hub serving as a strategic link between the growing economies of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia and the rest of the world. ADGM's strategy is anchored by Abu Dhabi's key strengths panning over private banking, wealth management, asset management, derivatives and commodities trading, financial innovation, sustainability and more. Comprising three independent authorities: ADGM Courts, the Financial Services Regulatory Authority and the Registration Authority, ADGM as an IFC governs the entire 114 hectares (1.14sqkm) of Al Maryah Island which is a designated financial free zone. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005646/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor says the government should take advantage of the peaks in the Indian equity markets right now and sell stakes in while prioritising spending to get the economy back on track. The upcoming Budget for the fiscal year beginning April 1 should look to provide "relief to the poorer households and small and medium enterprises," he said. And then move on to getting the economy back on track. "It (the government) has to prioritise spending which means focus on what is essential" such as relief to poor households and small businesses, he told ET Now. He did not elaborate. Also, the government must look to boost spending on infrastructure as it is "one of the best ways" of getting the economy back on track, he said, according to a transcript of the interview provided by the channel. And since states do most of such spending, they should get the money, he said. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will on February 1 present the budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year that is expected to set course for economic pick-up after the COVID-19 carnage. Rajan said the resources needed for boosting spending can be found from selling public sector units (PSUs). A "greater source of reducing the deficit (between the revenue generated and expenditure) may be in selling assets," he said. Targets from disinvestment have not been achieved. "Nothing really has been privatised. What you have really done is share sales," he said. "Where are the share sale sales? You should be selling shares from every rooftop if you are in a tight constraint. Why are we not doing that? What is holding them back?" he asked. While some progress may have been made in recent months, "I would want to take advantage of the high prices (in the stock market) if I could," he said. "So more infrastructure financed by share sales and so on and getting the infrastructure spending out through the states may be easier than getting it all done by the Centre. Those are things to consider as we go forward." On reforms, he said, they were important "but we have to do them in a way that does not prompt a reaction which means much more thought going into them, much more consultation and much less of my way or the highway." The comments come amidst a farmers' agitation against three new farm laws which critics and opposition parties claim were pushed through without much consultation. On economic recovery, he said a strong wave of growth is likely as any country has to grow after being down 25 per cent of GDP. India's economy contracted by a record 23.9 per cent in April-June 2020 following the lockdown imposed to curb coronavirus spread. "We will see a rebound but the question is what are we doing to make up the lost ground? The world bank estimates we will have lost USD 900 billion of GDP by the time this is over and I do not know how good those estimates are but that is one-third of GDP! How long will it take to reach the track we were on before the pandemic now?" he said. India, he said, may not be back to the pre-pandemic level till late 2022. He said making fundamental processes better would drive the economy rather than raising monetary or fiscal spending. "I keep saying that we are missing the need to repair. There is a lot of repair and relief that is needed in the economy and we don't need to focus so much on stimulus when in fact there are parts of the economy which are hurting deeply and need support," he said. The government, he said, has been attempting some reforms but a lot more is needed as the growth rate was falling even before the pandemic. "We need to ensure that we have a much higher growth rate not just to recover the ground we have lost but also to create jobs for those many millions who are joining the labour force," he said. Columbia Senior Activity Center hot lunch The Columbia Senior Activity Center is at 1121 Business Loop 70 East. This month, hot lunch is $5 and is served every weekday from 10:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. The dine-in option is open until 12:30 p.m. but lunch to go is available until 12:45 p.m. Masks and social distancing are required in the dining room. Lunch is available to any Columbia resident, but the focus is on seniors. More information is available on the Center's website. Presidente @FSagasti: Estamos frente a un rebrote del COVID-19 y tenemos que estar muy atentos si se mantiene de manera continua. pic.twitter.com/JFvQZghlYf Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. When the Thomas Fire raged through Ventura and Santa Barbara counties in December 2017, Danielle Touma, at the time an earth science researcher at Stanford, was stunned by its severity. Burning for more than a month and scorching 440 square miles, the fire was then considered the worst in California's history. Six months later the Mendocino Complex Fire upended that record and took out 717 square miles over three months. Record-setting California wildfires have since been the norm, with five of the top 10 occurring in 2020 alone. The disturbing trend sparked some questions for Touma, who is now a postdoctoral researcher at UC Santa Barbara's Bren School for Environmental Science & Management. "Climate scientists knew that there was a climate signal in there but we really didn't understand the details of it," she said of the transition to a climate more ideal for wildfires. While research has long concluded that anthropogenic activity and its products -- including greenhouse gas emissions, biomass burning, industrial aerosols (a.k.a. air pollution) and land-use changes -- raise the risk of extreme fire weather, the specific roles and influences of these activities was still unclear. Until now. In the first study of its kind, Touma, with fellow Bren School researcher Samantha Stevenson and colleagues Flavio Lehner of Cornell University and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), and Sloan Coats from the University of Hawaii, have quantified competing anthropogenic influences on extreme fire weather risk in the recent past and into the near future. By disentangling the effects of those man-made factors the researchers were able to tease out the roles these activities have had in generating an increasingly fire-friendly climate around the world and the risk of extreme fire weather in decades to come. Their work appears in the journal Nature Communications. "By understanding the different pieces that go into these scenarios of future climate change, we can get a better sense of what the risks associated with each of those pieces might be, because we know there are going to be uncertainties in the future," Stevenson said. "And we know those risks are going to be expressed unequally in different places too, so we can be better prepared for which parts of the world might be more vulnerable." Warm, Dry and Windy "To get a wildfire to ignite and spread, you need suitable weather conditions -- you need warm, dry and windy conditions," Touma said. "And when these conditions are at their most extreme, they can cause really large, severe fires." Using state-of-the-art climate model simulations available from NCAR, the researchers analyzed the climate under various combinations of climate influences from 1920-2100, allowing them to isolate individual effects and their impacts on extreme fire weather risk. According to the study, heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions (which started to increase rapidly by mid-century) are the dominant contributor to temperature increases around the globe. By 2005, emissions raised the risk of extreme fire weather by 20% from preindustrial levels in western and eastern North America, the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia and the Amazon. The researchers predict that by 2080, greenhouse gas emissions are expected to raise the risk of extreme wildfire by at least 50% in western North America, equatorial Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia, while doubling it in the Mediterranean, southern Africa, eastern North America and the Amazon. Meanwhile, biomass burning and land-use changes have more regional impacts that amplify greenhouse gas-driven warming, according to the study -- notably a 30% increase of extreme fire weather risk over the Amazon and western north America during the 20th century caused by biomass burning. Land use changes, the study found, also amplified the likelihood of extreme fire weather in western Australia and the Amazon. Protected by Pollution? The role of industrial aerosols has been more complex in the 20th century, actually reducing the risk of extreme fire weather by approximately 30% in the Amazon and Mediterranean, but amplifying it by at least 10% in southeast Asia and Western North America, the researchers found. "(Industrial aerosols) block some of the solar radiation from reaching the ground," Stevenson said. "So they tend to have a cooling effect on the climate. "And that's part of the reason why we wanted to do this study," she continued. "We knew something had been compensating in a sense for greenhouse gas warming, but not the details of how that compensation might continue in the future." The cooling effect may still be present in regions such as the Horn of Africa, Central America and the northeast Amazon, where aerosols have not been reduced to pre-industrial levels. Aerosols may still compete with greenhouse gas warming effects in the Mediterranean, western North America and parts of the Amazon, but the researchers expect this effect to dissipate over most of the globe by 2080, due to cleanup efforts and increased greenhouse gas-driven warming. Eastern North America and Europe are likely to see the warming and drying due to aerosol reduction first. Southeast Asia meanwhile, "where aerosols emissions are expected to continue," may see a weakening of the annual monsoon, drier conditions and an increase in extreme fire weather. risk. "Southeast Asia relies on the monsoon, but aerosols cause so much cooling on land that it actually can suppress a monsoon," Touma said. "It's not just whether you have aerosols or not, it's the way the regional climate interacts with aerosols." The researchers hope that the detailed perspective offered by their study opens the door to more nuanced explorations of the Earth's changing climate. "In the broader scope of things, it's important for climate policy, like if we want to know how global actions will affect the climate," Touma said. "And it's also important for understanding the potential impacts to people, such as with urban planning and fire management." ### An "elderly" man has been rushed to hospital in a critical condition after a near-drowning in open water off Wellington Point, east of Brisbane, on Thursday. Paramedics, including the specialist high acuity response unit, were called to Reserve Esplanade about 1pm after the man was "pulled from the water". Open water off Reserve Esplanade in Wellington Point in Redland City, east of Brisbane. Credit:Google Maps The patient, described by a Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman as "an elderly male" was taken to the Princess Alexandra Hospital about 2pm. The flag has always represented white resistance to increasing Black power. It may be a coincidence of exact timing, but certainly not of context, that the riot happened the day after the Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff won U.S. Senate seats representing Georgia. Respectively, they are the first Black and first Jewish senators from the former Confederate state. Warnock will be only the second Black senator from below the Mason-Dixon Line since Reconstruction. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said today hes glad the U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump. In a meeting with local news publishers just minutes after the House vote Wednesday, Schumer spoke briefly about the Jan. 6 siege at the U.S. Capitol and the resulting impeachment of the president. We all know who caused this: Donald Trump, Schumer said. He encouraged them to come, he encouraged them to march on the capitol, he used violent words knowing that they were prone violently...And so Im glad that about an hour ago, the House impeached Donald Trump. He shouldnt be in office. And he shouldnt be allowed to hold office in the future. Schumer lauded Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming, and her nine fellow Republicans who broke ranks with their party to support the impeachment. U.S. Rep. John Katko, R-Camillus, was among those Republicans. Schumer quoted Charles Dickens while describing the events of last weeks insurrection, saying it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. He had stayed up until 4 a.m. the previous night watching election returns from the Georgia Senate races, he said. By morning, he realized he would soon be the Senate majority leader. Just hours later, he said, he was hurried off the Senate floor as rioters outside breached the Capitols entryways and rampaged through the halls. By 2 p.m. there was a capitol police officer in a bulletproof vest with a submachine gun standing next to me saying, let me help you get out of here, because we were in danger, Schumer said. At one point I was 30 feet from some of these thugs. The call had been previously arranged with the New York News Publishers Association and the New York State Broadcasters Association to thank Schumer for his help steering federal stimulus money to local news organizations, most of which werent initially eligible for the money. I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for your heroic efforts during these very difficult times, to cover what you have covered, Schumer told the group. Youre the ones who shine a light on what is wrong in our society. As he spoke, Schumers cell phone rang several times. He said the calls were from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President-elect Joe Biden. Pelosi has called me and Biden so I wont be able to be on for too much longer, he said. TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) U.S. Rep. Jim Baird (R-District 4) on Tuesday joined fellow Republican lawmakers from Indiana to vote against impeaching President Donald Trump. Baird was also one of several Hoosier members of the U.S. House of Representatives voting last week to object to certifying election results in several key battleground states. The vote came after Trump supporters sieged the Capitol Building on Jan. 6. Baird says he condemns the violence but stopped short of characterizing the attack as an insurrection. "The president I've read his remarks did not encourage people to break into the Capitol ... To start equating this as an insurrection and all the things that people are labeling it with, is very unfortunate, I think," Baird says. But Indiana Democratic Party Chair John Zody disagrees. "That is the very definition of an insurrection when people from the citizenry break in to try to stop what the government is doing," Zody says. Baird says he wants to investigate Trump's claims that the election was stolen. He says election officials in states like Arizona and Pennsylvania bypassed their legislatures to enact new voting rules during the pandemic. "If they didn't follow their legislature, then I think that brings into question their process, so it was more about where we're going and what the next election is going to be like," Baird says. But Zody says there's no evidence of voter fraud during the 2020 election. "Over 60 times there have been court rulings saying that there was no irregularity that would overturn any result or that spoke to any larger irregularity about the election," Zody says. Baird, an outspoken Trump supporter who represents Tippecanoe and surrounding counties, says he'd rather see Congress focus on pandemic relief for businesses instead of impeachment. "It's time to move for those kind of things instead of wasting time of these kinds of issues," Baird says. But Zody says impeachment sends a message that inciting violence is unacceptable. "I don't believe there's a bigger fish to fry than the security and efficacy of our democracy," Zody says. The FBI is warning of armed protests leading up to Inauguration Day, according to CBS News. Baird says there's no room in the political process for violence. The man who shut down the Twitter feed of the leader of the free world, while leaving the Chicoms, Nicolas Maduro, and Iran's mullahs safe to continue tweeting bile, would have you think he's all in for free speech and kumbaya. In a bizarre string of tweets, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey waxed philosophical about the "noble ideals" of the internet and how he's just constantly striving to be better. No creepy gray little "Lives of Others" censor's life for him, opening everyone's mail and reporting what he doesn't like to the authorities. Nope, he'd have you think that he's Mr. Free Speech, and he's all in for whirled peas, with this string of tweets claiming as much. This sounds like Davos-type stuff, but also strange as hell from the man who shut down President Trump in order to deprive him of any capacity to speak to his 80 million followers. He silenced his company's biggest voice, and his stock took a tumble. Same as typical state censors, he cites "safety" concerns. Dorsey apparently knew how bad some of this stuff sounded, so in addition to his attempt to gaslight us all about his supposed fealty to free speech, he also started to follow top Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, who made a stunning string of tweets blasting Dorsey's naked censorship. Jack follows only 4,520 people on Twitter from among 5.1 million followers. Apparently, Navalny, who is so dangerous to the Russia regime that he was poisoned in the previous year, got his attention. But he certainly didn't get Jack to change his behavior. Jack's blather then got worse. Here is another what-planet-is-he-on string of tweets: So Jack, who's a San Francisco leftist, would have us think he never celebrated the Twitter banning of Trump? No shimmy of pleasure, no thrill up his leg? He reminds me again of Nancy Pelosi, who during Trump's first impeachment assured that she, too, didn't impeach lightly. This before the videos got out of the Democrats partying hearty, giggling and dancing, with their famous impeachment commemorative pens in tow. Pelosi told them to keep that out of the public eye. Jack kept gaslighting with his remark about internet companies shutting down Trump in a strange cartel-like unison, claiming they all acted independently. Every single one, coming to the same conclusion, at the same time, and all of them shutting him down at once. Sound believable? Don't think so. What's more, these social media companies acted in unison on the long runway of censoring individual conservatives, all at the same time again and in the same form, and there have been many other seeming collusions. We're not supposed to see this evidence of our own eyes, you see; we're just supposed to take Jack's word for it. He'd know, see, yet based on the logic of his claim, he'd have to be on pretty cozy terms to talk to his rivals to get this kind of info. He couldn't possibly know it enough to declare it any other way. On cartel collusion, can you say "gaslight"? Here's another whopper: his claim to be concerned about transparency and improving his game. That's a little hard to swallow, from the company that repressed an authentic New York Post scoop about Hunter Biden's abandoned laptop and all its corruption-suggestive contents, just in time for elections. Just as Jack makes his mea culpa at the top of this sequence, it's important to note that what he says and what he does are two different things. You're supposed to pay attention only to what he says, see. Pay no attention to that man with the levers behind the curtain. Lastly, he said anyone who doesn't like his rules can go to another internet service, sounding for all the world like the heartless capitalists of the Victor Hugo literature who suggested that freedom for the poor was the freedom to sleep under bridges. According to Business Standard: "The check and accountability on this power has always been the fact that a service like Twitter is one small part of the larger public conversation happening across the internet. If folks do not agree with our rules and enforcement, they can simply go to another internet service," Dorsey emphasised. That was probably the biggest insult of all the things he said, given that his cartel buddies shut down independent Parler, and Twitter in any case has a near monopoly in itself. It's also the sort of thing a corrupt politician might say and come to think of it, some of California's politicians, speaking to beleaguered businesses, actually have. Move someplace else. Dorsey says so many of these things, in strange circular logic contrary to reality, that one wonders if maybe he just believes them. His lack of contact with reality resembles his congressional testimony in that he claims there's no social media cartel, shadowbanning, or censorship while doing lots and lots of it. Or else he's deluding himself, same as Pelosi does, repeating lies so often that she can't help but believe them. As for us, it's still gaslighting, attempting to make people believe fantastical things. He does it for Congress, and he does it for his customers, and disbelieve the evidence of their own eyes. Image credit: Screen shot from Fox News video via shareable YouTube. Jiang Xiaochong, from Shangshui village in the Wanzhi district of Wuhu, Anhui province, squatted beside a pond in front of his house, washing vegetables for his lunch just as he did when he was a child. "It's not something I could have imagined doing again years ago, since the pond had become severely polluted and smelly," he said. Wanzhi literally means "small land in the middle of the estuary".Located near the junction of the Yangtze and Qingyi rivers, the district is full of water resources. But this village in inland Anhui, intersected with rivers and scattered with ponds, has seen its waters deteriorate due to increasing pollution from decades of wanton manufacturing and sprawling livestock. For example, in 2015, the majority of surface water was lowered to Grade IV, the second lowest in China's five-tier water quality evaluation system, data from the local water resource authority showed. This destroyed the villagers' sweet memories about their hometown, Jiang said, and the local government has been striving to improve the rural environment and people's livelihood since 2015. A report by the Wanzhi government showed that the district's investment in pollution prevention projects reached 700 million yuan ($108 million) last year, about 3.6 percent of its GDP. The government has invested 300 million yuan to collect and process garbage and has issued policies requiring livestock to be raised on qualified farms, meaning the pollutants from the farms have to meet the requirements, according to Ding Meijian, deputy director of the district's water resource bureau. In 2019, 185 unqualified livestock farms were closed, further cutting emissions, the report showed. "Now, the proportion of surface water quality at and lower than Grade IV has been reduced to less than 20 percent," Ding said. With the environment improving, Taoxin township, which governs Shangshui, has become more attractiveparticularly its lotus plants, which have been blooming in its clean rivers and ponds since 2017. In 2019, over 500,000 tourists visited the township, bringing in over 80 million yuan, the township government said. In addition to the lotus, the well-preserved original residences in the township, especially in Huaqiao village, have grown more popular as well. "The old residences are a living art. They can tell us a lot of stories of how the villagers live," said Song Yu, a rural development expert in Wuhu, adding that a team of young artists are now protecting the village's original residences. After studying the stories of the village and its residents, the artists have charted a plan for Huaqiao's tourism development, according to Song. A former teacher from the Wuhu-based Anhui Normal University, he is now in charge of the rural revitalization business sector in Dingfeng Education, a local art training school. He noted that Wanzhi district has more interest in maintaining the villages' traditional lifestyles while improving the environment. When the school opened in Yingang village in 2006, there was a large group of manufacturing plants behind the campus. In the 1980s, shortly after the country initiated the reform and opening-up process, Yingang villagers started to run manufacturing businesses, so the village soon emerged as one of the richest in Wanzhi district, which had been Wuhu county until earlier last year. "As the firms developed, pollution became a problem," said Xia Yunlong, an executive of the school. "By 2015, the local government had closed the firms that failed to tackle the pollution problem and relocated others to the city's modernized industrial development areas," Xia said. As a result, the vacant plants were left for the government's disposal, which triggered debates. The school's proposal to build the area into a hub of art-related startups was supported by the government, Xia said. The school renovated the plants into classrooms, conference venues and offices for startups, making the area a popular site for tourists, he said. To date, 126 firms have been attracted to or founded in the area, which is named Yingang Art Creation Town. Their main business includes art training and design. "Operating revenue of the firms in 2020 had reached more than 400 million yuan by the end of November," said Xia, adding that many of the startups have being engaged in reshaping the local villages' economy. "Take Huaqiao village as an example. We tell the villagers to do farming in a more ecological way to improve their products' quality, and we design the brands and packages for the products," Song said. He said the firms also help to promote the products through online and offline channels and attract tourists to the village with integrated services including catering and homestay. LOS ANGELES, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Arcview Group's Women's Inclusion Network joins forces with Women Empowered in Cannabis (WEiC) to develop a cohesive program that benefits members of both organizations. In 2021, Women's Inclusion Network and WEiC will offer joint membership, access to all programs within each network, as well as reveal three unique co-hosted events in a mutually beneficial collaboration. Arcview Women's Inclusion Network "Together, we're working to make this industry more inclusive. We want everyone, women and men, to have equal access to capital, shelf space, board seats, C-suite level opportunities, education, and deal flow," says Laura Toomey, Chief of Staff of The Arcview Group. "We want members at all levels in the business to feel connected." Women's Inclusion Network and WEiC look to do more than level the playing field across the cannabis industry. Both networks are lighting things up 'the women's way.' "We're not trying to fit in where the men are; we're developing our own space that will help women achieve the same level of success," comments Sarah Falvo, Director of Community for The Arcview Group. Helping people generate the right connections, which is very important when raising funds to build a new cannabis company, is what Women's Inclusion Network and WEiC aim to accomplish. "A powerful network can open doors to funding and other support necessary for a successful business. By sharing our network with one another, the WEiC community enables more women to step into a place of empowerment in their businesses," Kyra Reed, Founder and Director of Community of WEiC. Joint membership to Women's Inclusion Network and WEiC includes exclusive webinars, mentorship sessions, video series, speed-networking, speaking events, site tours, and an interactive job board. Member-driven events will cover a vast array of topics including supply chain, marketing, and finances. Additionally, the networks consist of Legacy Employees that are in place to assist new companies to enter and compete in the market. Joint membership starts at $600 per individual. To learn more or become a member, please visit https://arcviewgroup.com/win/. About Women's Inclusion Network: The Arcview Group's Women's Inclusion Network champions the movement of bringing more women investors, companies, and products to the forefront of the cannabis industry. Women's Inclusion Network is dedicated to supporting women in the cannabis industry and empowering each other with facts, conversations, mentorship, and deal flow. Visit https://arcviewgroup.com/WIN/. About Women Empowered in Cannabis (WEiC): Working in Cannabis, Hemp & CBD, the WEiC members are executives, entrepreneurs, professionals, politicians, activists, influencers, and community leaders. The group shares resources, provides support, and builds networks around the world with women who are part of a movement to create an inclusive, diverse and equitable cannabis industry. WEiC believes that women collaboration creates a strong community, impacts policy, and develops solutions to the industry's biggest issues. PR Contact: Christia Brockman [email protected] (858)449-3469 Related Files Women's Inclusion Network Logo.png Women Empowered in Cannabis Logo.png Related Images arcview-womens-inclusion-network.png Arcview Women's Inclusion Network Arcview Women's Inclusion Network SOURCE The Arcview Group NEW DELHI (dpa-AFX) - The Indian rupee strengthened against the U.S. dollar in the evening session on Thursday, as regional shares rose, tracking positive global cues, on expectations of a large U.S. stimulus package from the the Democratic-led U.S. government. President-elect Joe Biden is due to outline his proposals for massive fiscal stimulus later in the day. The Indian rupee advanced to a 10-day high of 72.95 against the greenback from a 2-day low of 73.29 seen in the morning session. The rupee is seen facing resistance around the 70.00 level. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Moderna is actively recruiting San Antonio participants to test the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine candidate in adolescents. Moderna's vaccine, mRNA-1273, is currently approved by the Federal Drug Administration for those 18 and older. Phase 2 of the study is targeting children ages 12-17. San Antonio is one of four active trial site locations. The study is also recruiting in is in Houston, Meridian, Idaho and La Mesa, Calif. Sites like Minneapolis and Oklahoma City are in queue. RELATED: 22 Mayors to Biden: Give cities direct allotments of vaccines An estimated 3,000 participants are needed overall. Moderna was not immediately available to comment on how many local adolescents are needed to meet the goal. According to TrialScope, a website used to connect studies with participants, the volunteers will be tracked by medical staff for 13 months. The trial includes six visits to a site clinic and two by phone or video with a study doctor. The young volunteers will either receive the vaccine or a placebo at random assignment with a 2:1 ratio, meaning there is a 67 percent chance the participant will be inoculated, according to online details. This isn't the first time San Antonio's youth has been part of an important vaccine campaign the city was also a testing site during the polio crisis. In 1954, nearly 14,000 kids in Bexar County, called the "Polio Pioneers," were administered Dr. Jonas Salk's vaccine against the potentially paralyzing illness. To qualify for the current trials, volunteers must be between the ages of 12-17, have never tested positive for COVID-19 and be in good health. Individuals who have traveled outside of the U.S. in the past month, have participated in another trial in the last month or are a smoker or have a history of smoking are ineligible. Interested families are asked to complete a six-question eligibility survey online. Upon completion, parents are prompted to share contact information with TrialScope to connect the sponsor with potential volunteers. Moderna is working with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) on the study, which dosed the first adolescent participant in December, according to a news release. Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said the goal of the study is to provide enough data to support the use of the vaccine in younger populations ahead of the 2021 school year. "We hope we will be able to provide a safe vaccine to provide protection to adolescents so they can return to school in a normal setting," he said in the release. During a press conference on Tuesday, Dr. Moncef Slaoui, the scientific head of Operation Warp Speed, noted Moderna's "real challenge" to find participants. Only 800 participants have signed up so far, he said during a press conference. "It's really very important for all of us, for all the population in America, to realize that we can't have that indication unless adolescents aged 12 to 18 decide to participate," Slaoui said during the press conference. Those interested in participating in the study can check eligibility here. Madalyn Mendoza covers news and puro pop culture for MySA.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @maddyskye Representative Andy Kim helps ATF police officers clean up debris and personal belongings strewn across the floor of the Capitol Rotunda in the early morning hours of Thursday, January 7, 2021, after a rioting mob stormed the Capitol on Wednesday. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik "I was just overwhelmed with emotion. It's a room that I love so much -- it's the heart of the Capitol, literally the heart of this country. It pained me so much to see it in this kind of condition." You may have heard those words spoken by Democratic congressman Andy Kim, the first Asian American to represent New Jersey in Congress. Kim was referring to the condition of the Capitol Rotunda and the National Statuary Hall, inside the Capitol, when he laid his eyes on it after it was ransacked by Trump supporters. "Litter and trash and garbage and debris everywhere -- all over the statues, the benches were all askew, and it just broke my heart," Kim told CBS Philly. As a former national security aide under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, what did Kim do next? The most natural thing any good servant leader would do. He grabbed a trash bag, got down on his hands and knees, and started cleaning up the place. And he was just getting started. Kim filled a half dozen trash bags with debris, and then returned to the House floor to debate Pennsylvania's vote count, a session that lasted until 3 a.m. The pictures of Kim picking up trash went viral but Kim wasn't doing it for show. It was instinct. New Jersey governor Phil Murphy commented on Kim's actions, calling him a "true public servant who makes us proud every single day." The servant leader in a business context It's not hard to make the link between Kim's intrinsic act of service to how great leaders operate as servant leaders in today's business and the workplace. The evidence asserts that these leaders lead by serving first; everything else follows to exceptional business results. In the words of Robert K. Greenleaf, the chief servant who kicked the servant leadership movement into high gear several decades ago, "The servant-leader is servant first ... It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead." Servant leaders symbolically "pick up trash" by selflessly putting others -- their employees -- ahead of themselves. Here are six ways they demonstrate true servant leadership to gain a competitive advantage. 1. Invest in people development Servant leaders consistently invest in their employees because employees who feel valued are more likely to be concerned about a company's business. One way they do it is by offering learning opportunities outside of the typical job role. With these newfound skills, employees will feel confident in their ability to do their jobs effectively. 2. Stay engaged Servant leaders remain engaged with employees to ensure everyone understands how their role and work fits into the company's overall success. They talk with them, listen to concerns, and always save room for positive feedback. 3. Be encouraging A servant leader says to a fellow team member, "You can do this and I got your back," instead of merely giving the command of "go do it." When employees feel they are responsible for their own actions, they also feel more empowered. In turn, they are more likely to take bold initiative. 4. Let people share their ideas Servant leaders eliminate tension and fear by being transparent and allowing for ideas to freely flow in the (Zoom) room. Even what may sound like a dumb idea could inspire someone else to pursue something great. 5. Share the decision-making process The nature of work and its workforce has changed. Success in management today requires collaboration, not command. As servant leaders, asking people to take part in deciding the goals that they will be a part of is an essential component to engaging employees' heads and hearts. 6. Impact the life of others. Servant leaders measure the success of their work and role by asking one overarching question: Did I have an impact on someone today? This question has to be a constant reminder that will help a servant leader take ownership of being the very best leader he or she can be for others. By holding up the mirror and asking the question, it forces the servant leader to measure up against the high standards of leadership. "Poverty, a lack of access to health care services and insurance, and other disparities have led to one of the most glaring examples of inequality in the nation; Black men and women are more likely to die from cancers than white men and women with the same illnesses," said Steve Alperin, co-founder and CEO of SurvivorNet. "Close the Gap is SurvivorNet's effort to educate, increase awareness and eliminate disparities in cancer outcomes, and we're grateful to be partnering with the experts at Perlmutter Cancer Center to bolster this effort." While addressing racial disparities in cancer care has been part of SurvivorNet's mission since its inception, the Close the Gap vertical will now serve as a hub of education and awareness within the patient-focused media company, specifically catering to news and human stories as they relate to this topic. Within this vertical, SurvivorNet will continue to provide expert videos from the nation's leading oncologists and real stories from real patients who've experienced firsthand racial inequities in healthcare. In addition, it lays out hard facts and statistics, including: A Black woman who gets breast cancer in America has a 39% higher chance of dying than a white woman. than a white woman. African-American men with prostate cancer are almost twice as likely to die as white men with the same disease. are almost twice as likely to die as white men with the same disease. Hispanics and Latinos have the highest rates of liver, stomach, and cervical cancers, and they're more likely to be diagnosed at a late stage when cancer is less curable. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are twice as likely to die from liver and stomach cancers as white Americans. "Education and awareness are among the most effective ways to move the needle," Alperin said of SurvivorNet's Close the Gap efforts. "We need to come together to discuss the critical blockers that prevent people in minority populations from accessing cancer care, engaging in basic preventive behaviors, and taking part in clinical trials." A longtime SurvivorNet partner, NYU Langone Health's Perlmutter Cancer Center agrees with this philosophy, and brings renowned medical experts to the table for the initiative, including Benjamin Neel, MD, PhD, director of Perlmutter Cancer Center. "Our mission is to bring visionary thinking and compassionate care to the science of treating cancer," Dr. Neel said. "That is why Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Health is pleased to partner with SurvivorNet on the health equity initiative Close the Gap. As partners, we will collaborate with SurvivorNet, as well as other health and community groups, to provide expert advice and new information to achieve meaningful reductions in the racial and ethnic inequities that exist in healthcare and beyond. We aim to provide all people with the best cancer care and support possible." Dr. Neel and Perlmutter Cancer Center, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center, bring additional, established insight to Close the Gap, having already activated the program Stamp Out Cancer Brooklyn, a related initiative that involves the center's health professionals providing community-centered, evidence-based solutions to reduce the overall burden of cancer specifically Brooklyn's low-income communities and communities of color. The same enthusiasm will be applied to Close the Gap, leaving Alperin optimistic about the future of this joint effort. "By working together and collaborating with partners like NYU Langone Health's Perlmutter Cancer Center, we at SurvivorNet believe we can move things forward in a really profound way," Alperin said. "We are hopeful that we will close the gap, and help create a future that's free from healthcare inequality." About SurvivorNet: SurvivorNet is the country's leading media company for cancer information. The company has democratized access to the world's leading cancer experts, helping millions of Americans make better decisions about their care. SurvivorNet's resources are built in collaboration with leading cancer centers, including The National Cancer Institute, Cedars Sinai, Stanford, and The Dana-Farber Cancer Center. The company's daily news operation is syndicated widely and serves as an important source of information for millions of Americans every month. SurvivorNet was founded by Steve Alperin and Tim Langloss. SOURCE SurvivorNet Related Links https://www.survivornet.com/ Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Featuring upbeat and "down to earth" video content, live streams, downloads, self-help courses and interviews with wellbeing experts, the girls aim to give people easy tools to help overcome everyday struggles. The idea came after both women faced a nightmare start to 2020, even before Covid struck. They were each left devastated by the loss of their close friend, BBC presenter Stephen Clements, whose sudden death on January 6 last year stunned people right across Northern Ireland. Living just five minutes apart in Belfast, the girls supported each other through the first tough months of their grief and later when their businesses suffered due to lockdown. Cate (44), who co-hosted a show with Stephen and still presents part-time for Q Radio, also runs Quirky Weddings, a bridal marketing business. Ciara has her own make-up academy Ciara Daly Makeup on Belfast's Lisburn Road. Both businesses were virtually wiped out by lockdown and for Ciara in particular it was a difficult time as she also struggled with depression. A search for help with her illness opened her eyes to the need for better information for people struggling with mental health on just what support is available to them. This led to the two girls coming up with the idea of The Life Lounge. Ciara (42), who is a single mum to Jay (13) and Darcy (12), explains: "Cate and I are best buddies but only got to know each other after Stephen's death. "Just the sheer shock of what happened led us to reach out to each other and as we just live five minutes away from each other we were able to 'bubble' and go for walks and lunches together during lockdown. "Covid was catastrophic for my business. I had the stress of not earning and also I am a landlord to people in my building who weren't earning either, so I had that pressure. "All the special events, weddings and classes I had booked were cancelled and even when things opened again, no one was getting their make-up done because there were no special occasions. "I was grateful though that I was able to diversify and take some stuff online and I had my make-up range which I could continue to sell online." However a combination of her grief and business pressure did takes its toll and Ciara found herself physically and mentally worn out during the summer months. Having been prone to depression before, she decided this time after medication failed, that she would get to the bottom of it. She was surprised to be diagnosed with the condition Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder which causes severe depression in the week or two before a period. Her battle to get better gave her an insight into the challenges people with mental health face in simply trying to find the right support and it was this which planted the seeds for The Life Lounge. Expand Close Ciara and Cate (right) with lifestyle coach Helen Hughes from Achievers Excel / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ciara and Cate (right) with lifestyle coach Helen Hughes from Achievers Excel She explains: "I had a really tough time with depression over the summer. "I had been on medication that didn't work and decided to pay to get a private consultation with a gynaecologist and a psychiatrist and I also had acupuncture. "People told me they didn't know that they could book a private appointment with a consultant and get it so quickly which surprised me, and others were asking how I knew acupuncture could help. "I believe the words 'mental health' are thrown about too easily and people are told they just need to talk but sometimes it's not that simple. "I felt there must be different things we could all do collectively to help our wellbeing and as Cate's company organises events I asked her if there was an event we could set up and it grew from there." Cate was similarly struggling with low mood and after Stephen's death had received thousands of messages from people who also had lost someone through suicide. She recalls: "Stephen's death was such a shock and after it everything unravelled in the world, never mind in my life. "Just as I was starting to get back to work the pandemic struck and we went into lockdown. My company is a marketing business for bridal firms and the wedding industry came to a standstill. "I do holiday shifts at Q Radio and there was no one going on holiday. I did three shifts over Christmas and was really glad of them. "As horrendous as it has been, on the positive side I took the time to rest. When you are self-employed it can be a full-time job just looking for work and I had no pressure to do that. "I found myself in a state of complete numbness as if I had been desensitised from everything. "After Stephen's death everything was a blur, and I had a lot of people coming into my life to help me and I made a lot of new friends. I had people appearing from nowhere to help, and from that point it has been amazing. "The weirdest part was that my grief was so public and in some ways that made it easier and in other ways it made it harder. "Whenever I was out before lockdown people would just come up to me and start talking about Stephen and I would have ended up in tears in the taxi on the way home. "I got thousands of messages from people who had experience of suicide in their family or among friends who wanted to talk to me about it." The girls used their 'bubble' time together to bounce ideas off each other on how they could help others going through similar struggles. The Life Lounge was launched at the beginning of January. It followed months of careful planning during which the girls had a series of videos professionally recorded to inspire people. They aim to post one a day, every day in January to offer inspiration and an instant pick-me-up for anyone who is struggling during lockdown. Keeping their videos 'real' and fun is very important to both Cate and Ciara who have a natural, upbeat approach as they interview specialists in the wellbeing field or simply sit around the kitchen table chatting. Ciara says: "We will be posting something every day in January to help people get through lockdown. Life Lounge is a community-based app and looks a bit like a Facebook page allowing people to post and interact. "We will have a series of interviews with people who specialise in health and wellbeing such as hypnotherapy, yoga and nutrition, which members can access at any time. "The community part is so important as it is about local people who are all speaking the same language. "The idea is that we understand the past year has been rough but now we are looking at how we can make things better in 2021 in what will be a very down to earth, relatable way. "At the end of the day we are all in the same boat. Stephen appeared to have it all - a dream job, lovely family, and a big smile and people asked how could that happen to him. It just shows underneath we are all the same and we all need support to get through." Whether you are struggling with low mood, loneliness, going through grief, divorce or a break-up, whatever your personal challenge, the girls hope The Life Lounge will provide light relief as well as daily inspiration, encouragement and practical tools to help you to cope. Discounts from some of the wellbeing services and experts featured on the app will also be available to members including free access to Ciara's online make-up course which usually costs 60. Cate adds: "We just want the app to help make people's day a bit better and help them to feel they are not alone even though they are stuck at home right now. We are only getting started as we have so many ideas for developing it further. "We want people to be able to relate to us so we are not sitting like two dolly birds dressed up for the camera, we are just real." Within a few days of its launch The Life Lounge already has 450 subscribers. Ciara and Cate have ambitious plans to continue to develop the app even further next year with more content. It costs 4.99 a month to be a member of The Life Lounge which can be downloaded from your local app store Underwater photos of Volta's electric eel (Electrophorus voltai), the species of electric eel recently discovered by researchers to hunt in groups. A team of scientists describe this novel behavior in the Jan. 14 issue of the journal Ecology and Evolution. The findings overturn the idea that these serpentine fish are exclusively solitary predators and open the door to new questions about how these little-understood fish live.This new paper is the latest in a string of revelations about the mysterious lives of South America's electric fishes. Just last year, scientists tripled the number of known species of electric eels, which had stood at one for roughly 250 years. One of the new species of electric eel presented in the 2019 paper, Volta's electric eel, can reach lengths of up to 8 feet and is capable of producing 860-volt electric shocks--the strongest electric discharge of any animal on Earth and 210 volts higher than the previous record. Credit: L. Sousa Deep in the Brazilian Amazon River basin, scientists led by the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History fish research associate C. David de Santana discovered a small, river-fed lake filled with more than 100 adult electric eels, many of which were upwards of 4 feet long. On its own, this was an intriguing discovery, electric eelsa type of knifefish rather than true eelswere thought to be solitary creatures. But in this lake along the banks of the Iriri River in Brazil's state of Para, the researchers witnessed the eels working together to herd small fish called tetras into tightly packed balls. Then groups of up to 10 eels periodically split off to form cooperative hunting parties, not unlike packs of wolves or pods of killer whales. Those smaller groups then surrounded the prey ball and launched simultaneous electric attacks, stunning the tetras into submission. "This is an extraordinary discovery," de Santana said. "Nothing like this has ever been documented in electric eels." De Santana is the senior author of a new paper describing this novel behavior in the Jan. 14 issue of the journal Ecology and Evolution. The findings overturn the idea that these serpentine fish are exclusively solitary predators and open the door to new questions about how these little-understood fish live. "Hunting in groups is pretty common among mammals, but it's actually quite rare in fishes," de Santana said. "There are only nine other species of fishes known to do this, which makes this finding really special." This new paper is the latest in a string of revelations driven by de Santana's investigations of the mysterious lives of South America's electric fishes. His pioneering expeditions into the murky, remote waters of the Amazon and its many tributaries have brought to light 85 new species of electric fishes. Just last year, he tripled the number of known species of electric eels, which had stood at one for roughly 250 years. One of the new species of electric eel presented in his 2019 paper, Volta's electric eel (Electrophorus voltai), is capable of producing 860-volt electric shocksthe strongest electric discharge of any animal on Earth and 210 volts higher than the previous record. The freshly described Volta's electric eel, which can reach lengths of 8 feet, is also the species behind the social hunting strategy at the center of de Santana's new research. An animated video abstract describing newly discovered group-hunting behavior found in electric eels.A team of scientists describe this novel behavior in the Jan. 14 issue of the journal Ecology and Evolution. The findings overturn the idea that these serpentine fish are exclusively solitary predators and open the door to new questions about how these little-understood fish live. Credit: Bastos, D. et al. 2021 and Animate Your Science "If you think about it, an individual of this species can produce a discharge of up to 860 voltsso in theory if 10 of them discharged at the same time, they could be producing up to 8,600 volts of electricity," de Santana said. "That's around the same voltage needed to power 100 light bulbs." Direct measurements of these simultaneous shocks are one of the things de Santana and his colleagues hope to collect on their next expedition to the remote waterways of the Amazon basin. Fortunately for de Santana, who has been shocked more than once by individual eels in the field, the shock only lasts about two-thousandths of a second, but it is enough to cause a painful muscle spasm that might knock a person off their feet. De Santana's team first witnessed Volta's electric eel hunting in groups during a field expedition in August of 2012. Douglas Bastos, a then Master of Science candidate at Brazil's Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazonia (INPA) and the paper's first author, travelled five days by boat to explore the fish diversity of the Iriri River. Bastos, now a scientist at INPA, discovered a small lake directly connected with the Iriri River, and to his amazement, the lake held more than 100 adult electric eels. A subsequent expedition in October 2014 found a similarly prodigious collection of Volta's electric eels in the same locality, which allowed Bastos to document the behavior in greater detail and confirm that it was not just a one-time event. In all, the team logged 72 hours of continuous observation of the eels congregating in this location along the Iriri River. For the majority of the day and the night, the eels lay almost motionless in the deeper end of the lake, only occasionally coming to the surface to breatheelectric eels get the vast majority of their oxygen from air, an adaptation in response to the low-oxygen waters they sometimes inhabit. But at dusk and dawn the congregation began to stir. In these twilight hours, the eels started interacting with each other and then began swimming in a large circle. This churning circle of electric eels corralled thousands of the 1-to-2-inch tetras into tighter and tighter shoals. The researchers watched the group herding the concentrated tetras from the deeper end of the lakearound 12 feet deepto shallow, 3-foot deep waters. With the tetras trapped by the main group, de Santana says bands of two to 10 eels would separate, move in closer and then launch joint electric attacks on the prey ball. The electric shocks sent the tetras flying out of the water, but when they splashed down the small fish were stunned and motionless. Finally, the attacking eels and their compatriots easily picked off their defenseless prey. According to de Santana, each dawn or dusk hunting ritual took around one hour and contained between five to seven high-voltage attacks. Electric eels shocking their prey as a group in a coordinated hunting effort. A team of scientists describe this novel behavior in the Jan. 14 issue of the journal Ecology and Evolution. The findings overturn the idea that these serpentine fish are exclusively solitary predators and open the door to new questions about how these little-understood fish live. With the tetras trapped by the main group, bands of two to 10 eels would separate, move in closer and then launch joint electric attacks on the prey ball. The electric shocks sent the tetras flying out of the water, but when they splashed down, the small fish were stunned and motionless. Finally, the attacking eels and their compatriots easily picked off their defenseless prey. Each dawn or dusk hunting ritual took around one hour and contained between five to seven high-voltage attacks. Credit: Douglas Bastos "This is the only location where this behavior has been observed, but right now we think the eels probably show up every year," de Santana said. "Our initial hypothesis is that this is a relatively rare event that occurs only in places with lots of prey and enough shelter for large numbers of adult eels." In de Santana's estimation, the team's interviews with locals would have turned up tales of writhing pools filled with electric eels if these gatherings were common. "These animals can be 8 feet long and produce 860-volt electric shocks; if 100 of them being in one place was a common occurrence, I think we would have heard about it before now." But when the conditions are right, this hunting technique allows the eels to subdue huge quantities of prey that are normally too evasive to capture. Electric eels customarily feed alone at night by sneaking up on sleeping fish and jolting them into an easy-to-eat torpor. De Santana and his team hope that their newly launched citizen scientist program called Projeto Poraque may help locate more of these special aggregations of eels. The project, named for an Indigenous Brazilian word for electric eel, will allow users to report sightings and log observations. Now, de Santana and his colleagues are in the early stages of organizing the next expedition to this unique location along the Iriri. They hope to collect additional tissue samples and mark individual eels with radio tags to understand possible kin relations and hierarchy within the group. De Santana will also aim to take direct measurements of the electrical discharges produced during group hunting to assess their maximum voltage and to determine whether the eels might also be using low-voltage shocks to communicate and orchestrate their efforts, similar to how some marine mammals such as whales and dolphins use sound to coordinate when hunting their prey. Many of these measurements will be challenging to collect in the field, so de Santana has secured permits to collect eight to 10 adult eels and bring them to a special facility in Germany where he and his collaborators can conduct more controlled tests, which could later be replicated in the field. This would be the first time a group of adult Volta's electric eels has been held in captivity together. With the Amazon under threat from deforestation, fire and climate change, de Santana said there is a profound sense of urgency to accelerate biodiversity assessment in the region. "Electric eels aren't in immediate danger, but their habitats and ecosystems are under immense pressure. This paper is an example of how much we still don't know, how many organisms whose life histories we don't yet understand." Explore further Electric eels found to use jolt also for electrolocation In the Procudo Laser Peening cell at LSP Technologies, Bill Colgan can quickly confirm parameters from the offline programming routine set up for a standard shape or component. LSP Technologies (LSPT) has announced Procudo Laser Peening System upgrades and enhancements to integrate laser peening more easily and effectively into factory workflow and operations. The Procudo Laser Peening System upgrades (see more product information) include: Secure remote monitoring worldwide for customers and LSPT Technical Services. AI-based alerts for system conditions, maintenance, and supplies. A more user-friendly human machine interface (HMI) with a clearer graphic workflow. Optional Offline Programming with 3D models to speed development of laser peening metal treatment patterns for complex geometric shapes. Streamlined HMI screens will ease training and make laser peening more manageable on the factory floor, said Eric Collet, LSP Technologies Chief Operating Officer. Meanwhile, secure remote monitoring provides two things every business wants: actionable data and high-level operational control. Were extremely proud of the Procudo System upgrades. What is laser peening, and how does it work? The patented laser peening process directs short pulses of laser energy to metal surfaces, causing a shock wave that penetrates deep below the surface. This pressure creates compressive residual stress, which counteracts corrosion, cracking, and many other symptoms of metal fatigue. Laser peening requires precision and some specialized knowledge, but we can now provide equipment that is much more intuitive for a novice user to operate, said Michael Yao, LSP Technologies Head of Controls Engineering. The HMI takes more of a linear path, devoid of clutter, matched to the sequence of tasks in the laser peening cycle. Weve also deployed a cloud-based monitoring system that allows us to monitor whats happening across multiple laser peening systems, and that has enhanced our Technical Services for all customers, said Mark Bloomberg, VP Engineering for LSP Technologies. The remote system follows international ISA99 cyber-security standards. Many software updates can now occur remotely for units in both domestic and international locations. Machine learning for AI alerts and diagnostics Procudo Systems have always included self-diagnostic and self-adjusting technologies to monitor power levels, assure laser beam quality, and deliver accurate spot size, as well as monitoring for chillers, water flow, hydraulics, and air flow intrinsic to the laser peening process. Now, these systems feed data to artificial intelligence software to monitor supplies and all component functions by learning how they match up against typical operations patterns, Yao said. Saving operational time with offline programming The Procudo System upgrades put Offline Programming into the hands of customer operations on the shop floor, a powerful technology no other laser peening provider can match. These offline programming tools streamline and standardize the process of laser peening a number of common metal component shapes, using 3D FEA models of the components and how they will interact with our equipment, explained Mark Bloomberg, LSP Technologies Vice President of Engineering. That saves customers time in planning laser peening, and it also eliminates imprecise experiments with samples. Its like having our 25 years of laser peening experience with shapes, alloys, and thicknesses, already in a time-saving toolkit, Bloomberg said. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the rollout of India's Covid-19 vaccination programme on January 16, the Union Health Ministry said on Thursday. He is likely to interact via video link with some healthcare workers from across the country who will be receiving the shots on the first day, according to sources. Covid-19 vaccine Modi is also likely to launch the Co-WIN (Covid Vaccine Intelligence Network) App, a digital platform created for real-time monitoring of Covid-19 vaccine delivery and distribution, they said. Officials at New Delhi's AIIMS and Safdarjung hospitals, which are among the shortlisted facilities, said they are "ready for a two-way communication". Around three lakh healthcare workers will get vaccine shots at 2,934 sites across the country on the first day of the massive nationwide Covid-19 vaccination drive, a senior official said. Each vaccination session will cater to a maximum of 100 beneficiaries. Narendra Modi According to the guidelines issued to the shortlisted vaccination centres, healthcare workers (those registered in Co-WIN to be vaccinated) on the launch shall include not only doctors, nurses but also nursing orderlies, safai karamcharis, ambulance drivers, and would be from a mixed age group, including above 50 years. The full initial procurement of 1.65 crore doses of Covid-19 vaccines - Covishield and Covaxin-- has been allocated to all states and UTs in proportion to their healthcare workers database. According to the government, the shots will be offered first to an estimated one crore healthcare workers, and around two crore frontline workers, and then to persons above 50 years of age, followed by persons younger than 50 years of age with associated comorbidities. Cost of vaccination of healthcare and frontline workers will be borne by the central government. MahaRERA Asks Nirmal Lifestyle To Pay 9% Interest Since 2006 to Homebuyer for Delayed Possession Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) recently passed an order directing a developer to pay interest since September 2006 (when the project ought to have been completed) on the total amount paid by a home-buyer for a flat in a high-rise at Kurla for failure to mention the date of possession in a 2003 agreement for sale. The developer, Nirmal Lifestyle Ltd, has been ordered to pay simple interest at 9% per annum for the past 14 years. The order says that interest has to be paid on the total consideration of about Rs28.13 lakh that was paid from 2006 till the date of handing over of possession. The developer was represented by advocate Atharva Dandekar and advocate Vaishali Mohite, who said that the apartment would be completed by December 2021. The complainantsVivek and Yojana Shindehad booked the flat (A wing- 501) in Nirmal Lifestyle Blu Diamond One Edition. The couple was represented by advocate Anil D'Souza who contended there was a delay in possession and said that the Shindes were entitled to interest on the investment made till they were given possession under Section 18 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, or RERA. The developer executed the agreement for sale in the complainants favour on 5 March 2003 but did not mention the date of possession in it. However, in the letter addressed to the bank, the developer mentioned that possession for the flat would be handed over in March 2006. They said they had paid the full sum and expected possession by 2006. When RERA was implemented, the builder set December 2021 as the possession date. Nirmal Lifestyles counsel argued that the developer was not responsible for the delay as the land was declared a private forest from 2006 and construction stopped till a 2014 judgment of the Supreme Court clarified the issue and the 'private forest' tag was removed. The developer's reply stated that, since March 2020 a nation-wide lock-down to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic caused "massive shortage of labour and building material and hence work could not be restarted." BD Kapadnis, member MahaRERA, said in his order that even after the Act came into force, the builder did not rectify the sale agreement by mentioning a possession date, violating Section 13(2) of the RERA Act. The agreement was executed under Maharashtra Ownership of Flats Act (MOFA) and its Section 4(1A) (a)(ii) lays down that, the agreement shall contain the date by which possession of the flat is to be handed over to the purchaser. Despite all these provisions the developer did not mention the date of possession. MahaRERA pointed out that the Supreme Court (SC) had held that when an agreement does not mention the possession date, "the reasonable period of possession is only three years." Section 18 of the RERA Act provides that if the promoter fails to hand over the possession of the flat or complete it as specified in the agreement on the date of possession mentioned in the agreement, then the allottee is entitled to claim interest on his investment for delayed possession until the possession is handed over. As per MahaRERA order, Nirmal Lifestyle was liable to hand over the possession of the apartment by 5 March 2006. This date cannot be extended beyond six months as per Section 8(b) of MOFA even if the reasons delaying completion of the project were beyond the developers control. Hence, the liability to pay interest starts from 5 September 2006. The prescribed rate of interest is 2% above SBIs highest MCLR which is currently 7% per annum. MahaRERA also said that the complainants were also entitled to get Rs20,000 towards cost of their complaint from the builder. The order added that the developer has to hand over the possession of the apartment with all agreed amenities and completion certificate and occupation certificate to the complainants at the earliest but not later than December 2021. Advocate DSouza, counsel for the home-buyers, expressed his satisfaction for the order saying Once again MahaRERA has shone like a beacon of hope for aggrieved home-buyers. Imagine the anguish, on one hand high EMIs and on the other obscenely high rents of Mumbai. MahaRERA always carefully evaluates the situation on facts of the case and points of law, and strikes a judicious balance. Nirmal Lifestyles has said it would file an appeal. ROME, JAN 14 - Premier Giuseppe Conte was considering his options on Thursday after ex-premier Matteo Renzi triggered a government crisis by pulling the support of his small Italia Viva (IV) party. IV's two ministers finally resigned on Wednesday after weeks of threats from the centrist group focused on differences over the government's COVID-19 Recovery Plan and its failure to take up the option to obtain around 37 billion euros from the European Stability Mechanism to invest in the national health system. As a result Conte's coalition executive, which also had the backing of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), the populist 5-Star Movement (M5S) and the left-wing LeU group, does not appear to have a working majority in parliament. Conte said IV's move, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, had caused "considerable damage" to the country. Conte's options include calling a vote in parliament to see if his executive does have the support of the majority of lawmakers, perhaps with the backing of some so far unidentified 'responsible' MPs from outside the ruling coalition. He could also try to form a new government or decide to resign. The centre-right opposition is demanding snap elections. Another possibility is the formation of a government led by a non-political technocrat. The premier is expected to make a move shortly as President Sergio Mattarella has called for the crisis to be brought to a rapid conclusion. PD sources said that the so-called responsible lawmakers had not materialised and there was a risk of Italy having to hold elections in June. PD leader Nicola Zingaretti ruled out any form of government agreement involving the centre-right opposition during a party meeting. He also said that IV had shown their "political unreliability in all scenarios". Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said there was no chance of his M5S dumping Conte to facilitate a new government featuring IV and led by a different premier. "There are some fixed points in this dramatic climate of uncertainty, in this stormy sea," Di Maio said in a Facebook post. "The first is President Sergio Mattarella, who has all our support for this difficult phase that he will find himself managing. "The second is Premier Giuseppe Conte, who we will be loyal towards and, as the 5-Star Movement, we will support firmly. "The third solid point is Europe". (ANSA). .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... PHOENIX A judge on Wednesday refused to order Maricopa County to turn over a raft of election data and copies of all mail-in ballots from Novembers election to Republicans who control the Arizona Senate, instead imploring the two sides to settle their bitter dispute. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Timothy Thomason said it would be far better for the citizens of Arizona if the county and Senate Republicans who sought the material in the wake of Democrat Joe Bidens victory reached a deal. I do wonder why these senators and county officials cant sit down and work this out, Thomason said. It just seems that as responsible government officials it is incumbent upon them, and Im talking to both sides here, to sit down and work this out. ADVERTISEMENTSkip ................................................................ Thomason said hed give the two sides a week to reach a deal before again taking up the request by Senate Republicans to enforce sweeping subpoenas they issued last month. Many Republicans have made unsubstantiated claim that the results were fraudulent, despite multiple court rulings rejecting such allegations. The Senate Judiciary Committee and GOP Senate President Karen Fann are seeking election files to try to prove or disprove those claims. They also want to do an audit of the machines used to count the ballots, despite numerous checks and hand-count audits done by county and state officials before and after the election. The senators said in court filings they needed the information to inform Congress before Biden was formally certified as incoming president. But with that deadline now passed, they say they still need the information to potentially re-write state election laws. Senate Democrats oppose the efforts. The GOP-controlled county Board of Supervisors stands by the integrity of the election. The board asked the court to block the requests because they sought private voter information and access to ballots and secure voting machines. The Senate countered by seeking a court order to enforce the subpoenas. Because the subpoenas were issued before the new Legislature was seated on Monday, the county said those subpoenas were voided. The Senate issued replacement subpoenas late Tuesday, but the countys attorney, Stephen Tully, told the judge the current case was therefore moot. The judge said he believed he could still rule. Still, Tully said the county was willing to try to reach an agreement on the subpoenas and work out a transfer of the information and to work out even a method of performing some type of computer audit within the bounds of law and with acceptable security protocols. They so far have been unwilling to do that, desiring the win that they feel like they need, Tully added. Which is unfortunate. The new subpoenas ordered the Board of Supervisors and county treasurer and recorder to appear at the Senate at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Board Chairman Jack Sellers said he appeared as ordered, but it was clear upon our arrival that those who had issued the subpoenas had no intention of meeting with us today. We came in good faith, as we have in the past, to work with the Senate and move forward with an independent audit of the Countys election machines and processes, Sellers said in a statement. We were ready to have serious discussions, we did not see the same from the Senate. Fann said in a statement that the Senate had attempted to partner with the board to investigate the election results but that Sellers and the others arrived empty-handed. It is disheartening that the Board continues to thwart our attempt to gain access to vital information in order to further legally valid legislative purposes, confirming the results of the election and investigating whether we need to modify statutes regarding the voting process, she said. Kory Langhofer, the Senates attorney, said the county was making a mockery of the Legislatures authority to subpoena information it needs to write laws. And at this point, the issue is not just the response to these, but what everyone whos watching these proceedings may learn about how seriously you have to take the oversight function of the Legislature, Langhofer told the judge. In a final vote of 232-197, the House of Representatives has once again voted to impeach president Donald Trump. The lower chambers Wednesday vote reflected the fact that its Democrat-controlled, but members didnt simply vote along party lines. Alongside the 222 Democrats who voted in favour of the article, ten Republicans joined ranks against their leader. Trump was first impeached in September 2019 but was aquitted in a trial at the GOP-controlled Senate by December. Shortly following news of the impeachment Wednesday afternoon, Trump posted a video calling for peace and unity. The president has still failed to take responsibility for his part in the insurrection. Why was Trump impeached a second time? The article of impeachment, which is just four pages long, indicts President Trump of inciting a riot, with false claims of a stolen election that led to the storming of the Capitol and at least five deaths. Trump has since shown no remorse for his part in encouraging the historic and shocking violence on 6 January at the Capitol which endangered the lives of members of Congress. As the impeachment debate was on going in the House Wednesday afternoon, Trump - who has been banned or suspended from posting on all social media released a statement in response to rumours of future demonstrations expected as Joe Bidens inauguration looms. In light of reports of more demonstrations, I urge that there must be NO violence, NO lawbreaking and NO vandalism of any kind, the president said. That is not what I stand for, and it is not what America stands for. I call on ALL Americans to help ease tensions and calm tempers. Thank You. Which Republicans voted to impeach Donald Trump? The ten Republicans who broke ranks to side with Democrats against president Trump are: Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) Peter Meijer (R-MI) Fred Upton (R-MI) Liz Cheney (R-WY) John Katko (R-NY) Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) Tom Rice (R-SC) Jamie Herrera Beutler (R-WA) Dan Newhouse (R-WA) David Valadao (R-CA) When Dan Newhouse of Washington became the sixth Republican to publicly break with Trump, Democrat colleagues applauded in encouragement. These articles of impeachment are flawed, but I will not use process as an excuse, he said. There is no excuse for President Trumps actions. Republican Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington, another defector, said, I am not choosing a side Im choosing truth. Its the only way to defeat fear. On Tuesday, the third most powerful Republican in Congress Liz Cheney of California said in declaring her support for impeachment: The President of the United States summoned this mob, assembled the mob, and lit the flame of this attackthere has never been a greater betrayal by a President of the United States of his office and his oath to the Constitution. What happens next with Trumps impeachment? Now that the House has impeached Trump, the next stage in the process is that the president will face trial in the Senate. The outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell today refused a request from Minority Leader Democrat Chuck Schumer to reconvene the Senate as a matter of urgency to launch Trumps trial. This means that Trumps impeachment trial in the Senate will start at the very earliest on 19 January, just one day before Bidens inauguration. According to the US constitution a two-thirds Senate majority is necessary to convict a president of an article of impeachment. The penalty for an impeached official is removal from office and in some cases, disqualification from holding any public office in the future. Georgia Democrat Senators Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, as well as future president of the Senate and vice president Kamala Harris, have not been sworn in to their roles in the upper chamber yet, which is due to tip the balance of power in the Senate to whisper-thin Democrat control, with a 50-50 split, and Harris breaking ties where necessary. Unseated Republican Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue have conceded defeat and the incoming Democrats could be sworn in as early as 20 January. Democrats will need at least 17 Republican Senators to vote in favour of Trumps impeachment for him to be convicted. Eleven students from Brazil and Chile have filed a federal human trafficking lawsuit accusing a northwest Iowa community college, a recruitment company, a pet food manufacturer and a packaging company of subjecting them to involuntary servitude under the guise of a work-study program. The lawsuit filed Monday in the Northern District of Iowa says Western Iowa Tech Community College and J&L Staffing, both in Sioux City, lured the students to Iowa in 2019 under a work- and study- based visa exchange program only to push them into up to 50 hours-a-week factory jobs making pet food that had no educational value and were unrelated to the field of study. The complaint alleges the students were told the would be deported, or have their housing and food withheld if they took a sick day. Two students from Chile and nine from Brazil, among the Carilyns Camus (pictured), have filed a federal lawsuit accusing an Iowa community college, a recruitment company, a pet food manufacturer and a packaging company of human trafficking Lawsuit alleges Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City (pictured) lured the students to Iowa in 2019 under a work-study visa exchange program only to push them into 50 hours-a-week factory jobs The lawsuit also says the plaintiffs, two of whom are from Chile and nine are from Brazil, were paid significantly less than US employees, and half of their $15-per-hour wages was deducted from their paychecks to fund kickbacks to the college and staffing agency. Some of the students suing the school said they did not have enough money to buy food and were told by college officials to seek help at a food pantry, reported Sioux City Journal. Civil rights lawyer Roxanne Conlin said her clients remained in Iowa after the program ended and that the lawsuit seeks to require the college to make good on its promise to provide them with an education. 'It appears to us the documents are very clear what promises were made. It's also clear that they never had any kind of a program to teach these students robotics or the culinary arts. They worked at a pet food manufacturing company on the line,' she said. 'You cannot coerce or persuade people to go to work by making false promises and that's what they did here.' The jobs were at a Royal Canin pet food plant in North Sioux City, South Dakota, and Tur-Pak foods, a Sioux City company that packs and assembles food products. Students who worked at Royal Canin as part of the program said their jobs consisted of carrying 50-pound bags of pet food ingredients, or moving 50-pound blocks of frozen meat. Students who worked at a Royal Canin pet food plant (pictured) as part of the program said their jobs consisted of carrying 50-pound bags of pet food ingredients Missouri-based Royal Canin said in an email response Thursday that it's aware of the lawsuit but does not comment on pending litigation. Conlin filed the lawsuit under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act; the Fair Labor Standards Act; and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. She also claims violations of the Iowa Wage Payment Collections Act. She's asking the court to prohibit the college and companies from any further participation in the work-and-study J-1 visa program, and to award the students monetary damages, provide them with the educational opportunities promised and compensate them for the past and future mental and emotional harm and anguish. J&L Staffing and Tur-Pak Foods did not respond to messages seeking comment. The students were enrolled in classes at the community college but segregated from the general student population, only taking classes with other Brazilians and Chileans in the J-1 visa program, the lawsuit alleges. It says college officials dictated when and where the students could work and under what conditions. 'Defendants collectively required plaintiffs to work under conditions that constituted involuntary servitude,' the lawsuit alleges. 'Defendants took advantage of the natural isolation that occurred because plaintiffs were immigrants with limited English abilities.' A spokeswoman for the community college denied the allegations. 'Western Iowa Tech Community College vehemently denies the claims brought forth in the lawsuit,' said Andrea Rohlena, the college's director of marketing. 'These accusations are completely untrue, sensational, and offensive. We look forward to defending the college and its employees in district court and welcome the opportunity refute these malicious allegations.' It is the second lawsuit to be filed against the community college, the recruiter and the companies. The first was filed in November on behalf of eight students from Chile who alleged they were brought to Iowa 'into debt bondage at a Sioux City, Iowa, area food packaging plant and dog food factory by offering them a degree with free tuition, room, and board.' Some of the students worked at Tur-Pak foods, a Sioux City company that packs and assembles food products, earning $15-per-hour but getting to keep only half The community college began its J-1 program in early 2019 when 60 students were brought to Iowa in July and August of that year. By November that year, it was under investigation by the U.S. State Department after an anonymous complaint was filed. In January 2020, the college issued a statement saying it had learned students in the program were unhappy and blamed a 'failure to clarify expectations' and 'a breakdown in communication' for some of the problems. The community college discontinued the program in March 2020 citing the coronavirus pandemic. The college said it bought airline tickets for the students to return home. Conlin said many chose to remain in the United States. All too often it seems like we look at Revelation as a book telling us what the end of the world will be like. We spend time trying to map the details of Johns visions to current events. But I believe when we do that, we miss the real reason Revelation was written. Revelation was written to believers near the end of the first century. And it was written to encourage and challenge them amidst the difficulties they were facing at that time, not to tell them what the distant future held. As we read the visions in Revelation, we will find two cities mentioned by name: Babylon and Jerusalem. This article will look at these two cities, the central place they have in Revelation, and the relevance they had for those first century churches, as well as us today. Some Background on Revelation Revelation was written by John, often thought to be the apostle John, in the latter part of the first century. It was written to seven churches in the province of Asia, what is today Turkey. And it is apparent that there was some opposition to Christianity at that time. John identifies himself as their companion in suffering and endurance, and at Patmos (a Roman prison colony) because of his stand for God (Rev. 1:9). The individual letters he includes for the seven churches (Rev 2:1-3:22) indicate that at least some of them were suffering for their faith. But some of these churches also seemed guilty of compromising with the world around them. I do not believe that the message Jesus gave John to pass on to these seven churches was primarily about the distant future. That would have done little to help them in what they were currently experiencing. Rather, I believe it was relevant for their day, dealing with the issues they were currently facing. And I believe that it is also relevant for churches and believers today who are facing many of the same issues. It is written to encourage those who are faithful and suffering because of their faithfulness. And it is written to challenge those who are compromising their faith to be able to better fit into the world around them. Photo credit: SparrowStock Babylon Babylon was the capital city of a mighty empire during a part of the Old Testament period and was responsible for the final destruction of the Jewish kingdom of Judah. Babylon was frequently mentioned by the Old Testament prophets. Some wrote about the coming destruction of Judah at the hands of Babylon. But more common was the condemnation of Babylon for what she had done. Babylon receives more condemnation in the prophetic writings than any other foreign nation. In Revelation, Babylon gets passing mention in 14:8 and 16:19 but becomes the primary focus of chapters 17 and 18. In these chapters, Babylon is described as a woman, the mother of prostitutes and drunk on the blood of the saints. Babylon is further described as being at the center of the worlds commerce and exercising great power in the world. But these chapters, rather than exalting Babylon, are written to describe her doom. Babylon is facing destruction complete and utter ruin. Babylon will fall to rise no more. Her fall will negatively impact much of the world that depended on her for their livelihood and they will mourn her passing. But Gods people are told to come out from her, to not share in her sins, or in her destruction (Rev. 18:4). And we are told to rejoice over her punishment because of what she has done to us (Rev. 18:20). While Babylon was at the center of the world, she was the enemy of Gods people. New Jerusalem The second city mentioned in Revelation is New Jerusalem which occupies the last two chapters of the book. John sees this city descending from heaven and we can imagine it coming to rest on the new earth. New Jerusalem is described as a cube that was 1,400 miles in length, width, and height. It has twelve foundations and twelve pearl gates and streets of gold. There are many other descriptive terms used for this city, including those that describe Gods presence and activity within the city as well as the river and tree of life. While it is popular among many I know to view this as a physical city, at the beginning of the vision it is identified as the bride of Christ (Rev. 21:2, 9). Thus, it would appear not to be a literal city but rather the glorified church as Christs bride. I believe that the New Jerusalem represents all of Gods people throughout the ages. And that the vision of the New Jerusalem is not just a vision of the future. The New Jerusalem is in existence now, and when an individual comes to faith, they become a part of this holy city. In this description of the New Jerusalem there are three reference to the nations (Rev. 21:24, 26; 22:2) that make much more sense when the city is viewed as a present reality. The kings of the earth will bring their splendor into the city; the glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it; and the leaves of the tree of life are for the healing of the nations. This city is distinct from the world, yet it is interacting with it, something that would not seem possible after the world is judged and destroyed. Those in the city walk in the light of the Lord and there is no night in the city. Its gates are always open, but only the pure and holy can enter. The water of life that Jesus promised to the woman at the well (John 4:14) flows out of the city. And access to the tree of life from Genesis 2-3 is restored to us. These all describe the present reality for Gods people. Babylon Will Fall and Jerusalem Will Be Exalted Revelation was written to encourage those who were suffering for their faith, and to warn those who were compromising their faith in order to better fit into their culture. Johns message to these churches is that the forces of spiritual evil that they are facing may seem to be in control. But, in the end, they are not. Babylon, representing the world around them, is strong. But God is stronger still. And Babylon will fall, along with all who are connected with her. Compromise with Babylon will only lead to sharing in her punishment. Those who remain faithful will experience suffering at the hands of Babylon. But they are a part of a city that is even greater a city that will be victorious over Babylon and all she represents. They are encouraged to walk in the light of the one on Jerusalems throne and to endure faithfully. All is not as it seems. God is in control and working everything out according to his intended purpose. As believers today, we are faced with much the same choices as these seven churches that Revelation was originally addressed to. We live in a world that is at odds with God and his people. A world that is represented by Babylon, and a redeemed people represented by New Jerusalem. We are challenged to be faithful to our calling regardless of the pressure applied by the world; to not compromise our faith in order to pacify the opposition. We are encouraged to come out of Babylon and enter New Jerusalem, to walk by the light of God that fills the city, and to partake of the river of the water of life. The future is not in Babylon. It is in New Jerusalem. Photo credit: Getty Images/digitalskillet Ed Jarrett is a long-time follower of Jesus and a member of Sylvan Way Baptist Church. He has been a Bible teacher for over 40 years and regularly blogs at A Clay Jar. You can also follow him on Twitter or Facebook. Ed is married, the father of two, and grandfather of three. He is retired and currently enjoys his gardens and backpacking. This article is part of our larger End Times Resource Library. Learn more about the rapture, the anti-christ, bible prophecy and the tribulation with articles that explain Biblical truths. You do not need to fear or worry about the future! Seven Churches of Revelation Antichrist Seven Trumpets New Heaven and New Earth Who Are the 144,000? Listen to our podcast, The Bible Never Said That. All of our episodes are available at LifeAudio.com. Businesses yesterday called for tougher lockdown measures, with some going as far as proposing a long curfew spanning from 6 p.m to 6 a.m. The curfew now starts at 9 p.m. and goes till 5 a.m. Businesses also called on the Government to free up the importation of Covid-19 vaccines to allow private sector participation and to allow people to travel overseas to get vaccinated. BIELEFELD, Germany, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- itelligence | NTT DATA Business Solutions, one of the world's most successful SAP service providers, is enhancing its sustainability by converting to 100 percent green electricity in Germany. This change took effect on January 1, 2021 and covers itelligence's data centers in Bautzen and Bielefeld and the office premises in Bautzen, Bielefeld and Dresden. Norbert Rotter, CEO of itelligence | NTT DATA Business Solutions: "itelligence's motto 'We Transform. Trust into Value' does not only apply in the area of consulting. With this change, we are demonstrating that we are not only committed to our customers' success but also to an ecofriendly, sustainable approach in our business operations." Andre Walter, Vice President Global Managed Services - Cloud Infrastructure Services, responsible for the data centers around the world at itelligence, adds: "By changing to certified green electricity, we are reducing our CO2 footprint, fostering regenerative energies and purposefully pursuing our Green IT Investment strategy." As of January 1 of this year, itelligence | NTT DATA Business Solutions is procuring electricity obtained from sustainable sources, such as wind, sunlight, hydropower, geothermal plants and biogas, from energy provider E.ON Energie Deutschland. Dr. Victoria Ossadnik, CEO of E.ON Energie Deutschland comments: "By taking the step of a wholesale change to certified green electricity from E.ON, itelligence is providing further impetus to the green digitalization, actively supporting the successful realization of the Energy Transition in Germany's business world." itelligence's annual energy consumption amounts to 10 million kilowatt hours, roughly corresponding to that of 2,500 four-person households, i.e. almost a small town. At its three German data centers, Bautzen, Bautzen/Salzenforst and Bielefeld, itelligence runs over 11,700 servers for some 1,000 managed cloud services customers. Including the office buildings in Bautzen and Dresden and the Bielefeld head office of itelligence | NTT DATA Business Solutions, some 1,800 employees of the company now work using green electricity in Germany. Press contact: Head of Corporate Public Relations Silvia Dicke itelligence AG Konigsbreede 1 D-33605 Bielefeld T: +49 (0) 521 / 9 14 48 - 107 E-mail: silvia.dicke@itelligence.de About itelligence itelligence AG transforms IT landscapes and business processes through the combination of innovative SAP software and technology with services and products developed in-house. As an SAP Global Platinum Partner, itelligence supports SMEs and large enterprises in every phase of their digital transformation. itelligence's range of services includes IT strategy and transformation consulting, software deployment and implementation, as well as application management and managed cloud services. The excellence of these services is built on the foundation of itelligence's local presence, global capacity, and comprehensive industry expertise. itelligence partners with customers to create new and innovative business opportunities through the use of IT - for each facet of the customer's business. Thousands of satisfied customers have placed their trust in itelligence, many of them since the company was founded 30 years ago. itelligence's contribution to innovation and long-term business success has been confirmed by numerous SAP awards and leading market analysts. itelligence is part of the global NTT DATA group and employs about 10,000 people across 28 countries. In 2019, itelligence generated about 1 billion euros in total revenues. https://itelligencegroup.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1419765/itelligence_AG_NorbertRotter_NTT.jpg Chinese Embassy Tried to Silence Me, UK Rights Activist Benedict Rogers Reveals The Chinese Embassy in Britain made repeated attempts to pressure a prominent human rights advocate to stop criticising the Communist regime, it has been revealed. Benedict Rogers, co-founder and deputy chair of the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission, told The Epoch Times American Thought Leaders program about his own very small experience of the Chinese regimes infiltration into Western democracies. Ive had at least four different British members of Parliament, on four different occasions, telling me that they have been directly lobbied by the Chinese embassy to ask me to, or to tell me to stop doing what Im doing, to tell me to stop speaking, Rogers said. To their credit, all four members of Parliament made it clear to me they were not telling me to stop doing what Im doing. They were just alerting me to the fact that they had been lobbied. Rogers believes this might serve as an indication of the extent of the regimes infiltration in the UK. If thats going on just with me, I wonder what the full extent of it is, he said. The Darkness Deepens Rogers is the primary author of a major new report published on Wednesday, which said the intensifying assault on human rights in China illustrates the mendacity, brutality, inhumanity, insecurity, and criminality of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) regime. The report (pdf), entitled The Darkness Deepens: The Crackdown on Human Rights in China 2016-2020, showed that Chinas human rights situation has deteriorated dramatically further during the past four years, not only in the well-publicised cases of Hong Kong and the Uyghurs, but across the board with Christians, Falun Gong practitioners, Tibetans, human rights defenders, and lawyers also suffering worsening abuse. In particular, Rogers said there has been growing evidence that the regime has been killing prisoners of conscience to harvest their organs for sale. The independent China Tribunal, chaired by Sir Geoffrey Nice QC, said in its 2019 verdict that forced organ harvesting continued to happen, and that it was a crime against humanity. The verdict changed the debate, Rogers said, because its made it much harder for sceptics to dismiss the claims. Western Liberties Threatened The CCP is not just a threat to the Chinese people. Rather, Rogers said, Westerners should also recognise that their liberties are also threatened by this regime. The extensive use of forced labour in China has contaminated Western supply chains, he said, with slave labour featuring a very significant role in the supply chains of at least 83 or more international brands, companies that consumers will all be familiar with throughout the Western world. While Chinese tech companies such as Huawei and Hikvision, are well known globally now, Rogers said we should not forget that these companies are directly at the heart of the CCPs surveillance state, supplying the regimes security services with facial recognition technology, drones, and other artificial intelligence. The use of Chinese technology poses a direct threat to Western free societies, he said, but many countries havent woken up to that. We need more pressure on Western corporations to make sure that they either stop doing business with this regime or, at a minimum, to make sure that their supply chains, as far as possible, are not built on slave labour, and that were not using technology from these Chinese tech companies that are at the heart of the Orwellian surveillance system. Rogers stressed that the West should stand up for our values in our academic institutions, and should not allow them to be compromised by CCP funding or interference in the form of institutions like the Confucius Institutes, which are part of the regimes propaganda apparatus. I know one or two individuals who have, on other issues in other parts of the world, taken a very good and strong line on human rights, but who happened to have been given an honorary professorship at Peking University, he said. And the moment theyre given that, their ego is flattered, and they lose all sense of defending their values. So we need to be much more robust at resisting those sort of temptations and defend our values, he said. Heads in Sand In Rogers view, the West has been naive and has had our heads in the sand for too long. The Vaticans agreement with the Chinese regime, reached in 2018 and renewed last year, is a case in point. That agreement was presumably designed with the intention of improving the situation in regard to Chinese Catholics right to practise their religion, but, he said, the situation is has absolutely worsened. Likewise, Rogers found the European Unions decision to reach an investment agreement with the Chinese regime extraordinary, as it came just days after the European Parliament passed a resolution calling for targeted sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for the atrocities against the Uyghurs. It was a decision made when the U.S. is in transition, and you would have thought the EU as an ally of the United States, would not undermine either the relationship with the existing administration in its final days, or undercut the new administration before its had a chance to make its position clear. The EU-China deal was not just criticised by the Trump administration, but was also condemned by Chris Patten, the last governor of Hong Kong, who is a former EU Commissioner and a supporter of the EU. Rogers said the free world needs to wake up to the threat posed by the CCP, because the repression is not just affecting people in China, but affecting people beyond Chinas borders as well. Its in our interest to stand up, because we see what happens when we dont respond early onyou know, Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and then we found ourselves in a world war, he said. We need to act fast, before its too late. Great Credit to Trump Rogers praised the Trump administration for its role in reshaping U.S. policy on China. Whatever other observations or criticisms of the outgoing president and administration people may have, I think the one policy area that I would really give him and the administration great credit for is having the courage to see the danger of the Chinese regime, the repressiveness of that regime, and not just the courage to see that and to say so, but to change policy as a result, he said. I really applaud many of the things that the administration has done to move away from this naive idea that you can just engage with such a repressive regime behind closed doors only with words, he said. Actually, what you need to get the message across is punitive measures, the kind of sanctions that the U.S. has introduced. Rogers said he hopes the new U.S. administration will continue that approach, as perhaps one of the few areas of bipartisan consensus is on the China question. He said he thinks its a good thing that the Biden administration may try to take a more multilateral approach on China. I think the free world needs to stand together and form a united front to confront Chinas united front, as long as that isnt a lowest common denominator approach, as long as its a robust approach. But he said multilateralism shouldnt be at the expense of unilateral action where thats necessary and justified. It shouldnt be the lowest common denominator. We should try to work together with allies across free countries as much as possible, but that shouldnt excuse countries from taking their own action where thats necessary. In a phone interview with Pioneer Press after Tuesdays board meeting, Hunt said Chagrin Falls schools were in hybrid mode until the end of October for all students choosing in-person instruction. The district then began a shift to full in-person instruction for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Hunt said by Jan. 19, all students whose families chose in-person instruction are scheduled to be back in school full-time. Vietnam advocates a coherent and integrated approach to address security, as well as humanitarian and socioeconomic development challenges in Mali, Ambassador Pham Hai Anh, Charge d'Affaires of the Vietnamese mission to the UN, said. Peacekeepers patrol in Gao city Addressing the UN Security Councils online meeting on the Mali situation and instabilities after the Central Africa elections on January 13, Anh stressed the importance of implementing the peace accord, and recognising the representation of the signatory movements in the transitional Government as an important step towards advancing the peace process. Anh called on relevant parties to follow the appeal for a peaceful, inclusive transition to institutional and electoral reforms before the anticipated elections by Mahamat Saleh Annadif, the Secretary-Generals Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). Commending MINUSMA for promoting the presence of State authority in northern and central Mali, the Vietnamese representative underlined the need to redeploy the reconstituted units of the national armed forces, especially in the north. He also expressed his countrys support for the efforts of the United Nations, African Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the international community in facilitating the transitional process towards peace and security in Mali. Speaking at the meeting, Annadif welcomed the fact that all transitional bodies are now operational and the parties have agreed to a revised Transitional Road Map for implementation of the 2015 Agreement on Peace and Reconciliation in Mali. He said the transitions success relies on the implementation of critical reforms and the holding of credible elections, the outcome of which is accepted by the majority of Malians. Many delegates welcomed the support demonstrated by MINUSMA, ECOWAS, the Group of Five for the Sahel (G5 Sahel) joint force and other regional entities in helping Malis transitional authorities restore stability. Several also welcomed the agreement on a revised Transitional Road Map, while underlining the need for the global community to remain engaged in Malis political process and in counter-terrorism efforts across the wider region. Many also criticized attacks against civilians and UN peacekeeping forces in Mali./.VNA The New York Times MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan Ammunition was depleted inside the bedraggled outposts in Laghman province. Food was scarce. Some police officers hadnt been paid in five months. Then, just as U.S. troops began leaving the country in early May, Taliban fighters besieged seven rural Afghan military outposts across the wheat fields and onion patches of the province, in eastern Afghanistan. The insurgents enlisted village elders to visit the outposts bearing a message: Surrender or die. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times By mid-month, security forces had surrendered all seven outposts after extended negotiations, according to village elders. At least 120 soldiers and police were given safe passage to the government-held provincial center in return for handing over weapons and equipment. We told them, Look, your situation is bad reinforcements arent coming, said Nabi Sarwar Khadim, 53, one of several elders who negotiated the surrenders. Since May 1, at least 26 outposts and bases in just four provinces Laghman, Baghlan, Wardak and Ghazni have surrendered after such negotiations, according to village elders and government officials. With morale diving as U.S. troops leave, and the Taliban seizing on each surrender as a propaganda victory, each collapse feeds the next in the Afghan countryside. Among the negotiated surrenders were four district centers, which house local governors, police and intelligence chiefs effectively handing the government facilities to Taliban control and scattering the officials there, at least temporarily. The Taliban have negotiated Afghan troop surrenders in the past, but never at the scale and pace of the base collapses this month in the four provinces extending east, north and west of Kabul. The tactic has removed hundreds of government forces from the battlefield, secured strategic territory and reaped weapons, ammunition and vehicles for the Taliban often without firing a shot. The base collapses are one measure of the rapidly deteriorating government war effort as one outpost after another falls, sometimes after battles, but often after wholesale surrenders. The surrenders are part of a broader Taliban playbook of seizing and holding territory as security force morale plummets with the exit of international troops. Buyoffs of local police and militia. Local cease-fires that allow the Taliban to consolidate gains. A sustained military offensive despite pleas for peace talks and a nationwide cease-fire. The government is not able to save the security forces, said Mohammed Jalal, a village elder in Baghlan province. If they fight, they will be killed, so they have to surrender. The surrenders are the work of Taliban Invitation and Guidance Committees, which intervene after insurgents cut off roads and supplies to surrounded outposts. Committee leaders or Taliban military leaders phone base commanders and sometimes their families and offer to spare troops lives if they surrender their outposts, weapons and ammunition. In several cases, the committees have given surrendering troops money typically around $130 and civilian clothes and sent them home unharmed. But first they videotape the men as they promise not to rejoin the security forces. They log their phone numbers and the names of family members and vow to kill the men if they rejoin the military. The Taliban commander and the Invitation and Guidance Committee called me more than 10 times and asked me to surrender, said Maj. Imam Shah Zafari, 34, a district police chief in Wardak province who surrendered his command center and weapons on May 11 after negotiations mediated by local elders. After the Taliban provided a car ride home to Kabul, he said, a committee member phoned to assure him that the government would not imprison him for surrendering. He said, We have so much power in the government and we can release you, Zafari said. The Taliban committees take advantage of a defining characteristic of Afghan wars: Fighters and commanders regularly switch sides, cut deals, negotiate surrenders and cultivate village elders for influence with local residents. The current conflict is really dozens of local wars. These are intimate struggles, where brothers and cousins battle one another and commanders on each side cajole, threaten and negotiate by cellphone. A Taliban commander calls me all the time, trying to destroy my morale, so that Ill surrender, said Wahidullah Zindani, 36, a bearded, sunburned police commander who has rejected Taliban demands to surrender his nine-man, bullet-pocked outpost in Laghman province. The negotiated surrenders are part of a broader offensive in which the Taliban have surrounded at least five provincial capitals this spring, according to a Pentagon inspector general report released May 18. The offensive has intensified since the U.S. withdrawal began May 1. The Taliban have used their control of several major highways to cut off bases and garrisons, leaving them vulnerable. The surrenders have a profound psychological effect. They call and say the Taliban are powerful enough to defeat the U.S. and they can easily take Laghman province, so you should remember this before we kill you, Rahmatullah Yarmal, Laghmans 29-year-old governor, said of the Taliban committees during an interview inside his barricaded compound in Mehtar Lam, the provincial capital. Its an effective propaganda tactic, the governor conceded so effective that some outpost commanders now refuse to speak to elders or Taliban negotiators. He said many elders were not neutral peacemakers, but hand-picked Taliban supporters. Yarmal said 60 police officers who surrendered and took refuge in his government center are now primed to fight to retake the seven lost outposts. I think well have them back in a month, he said. But just hours after the governor spoke on May 19, a nearby district center, Dawlat Shah, surrendered without any resistance after negotiations. By the next morning, five more outposts had surrendered the same way in the district of Alishing, also in Laghman, district officials said. Those Taliban victories were facilitated, in part, by a 30-day cease-fire negotiated by elders on May 17 in the heavily contested district of Alingar, allowing the Taliban to shift resources to the Alishing, where they forced the negotiated surrender of the five outposts just two days later. (On May 21, the Taliban violated the cease-fire with renewed attacks in Alingar, Khadim said.) The series of base collapses represented the second wholesale surrender in a Laghman district in two weeks. On May 7, three outposts and a military base collapsed the same way without a fight, said Nasir Ahmad Himat, the Alingar district governor. The soldiers simply dropped their weapons, got in their vehicles and went to the district center or provincial capital, said Faqirullah, a village elder who goes by one name. As Taliban fighters advanced on the provincial capital Sunday, Yarmal announced that 110 security force members who had surrendered, and several commanders who were supposed to supervise them, had been detained for negligence. Also Sunday, the Afghan military announced that troop reinforcements and the military chief of staff had rushed to Laghman to try to repel the Taliban assault. In Ghazni province, Hasan Reza Yousofi, a provincial councilman, said he begged officials to send reinforcements to an outpost and a military base that ultimately fell to the Taliban this month. He played a recorded phone call from a police officer, Abdul Ahmad, who said his ammunition was gone and his men were drinking rainwater because the base water tower had been destroyed by a rocket. We have been sold out we make calls for reinforcements, but officials dont help, the recorded voice said. The Taliban sent us tribal elders who said, Surrender, you are sold out, no one will help you. Yousofi said he did not know whether Ahmad survived after his outpost fell. Negotiations have proved remarkably fruitful for the Taliban in Baghlan province, where at least 100 soldiers surrendered, and in Wardak province, where about 130 security force members surrendered following negotiations, officials said. In Laghman province, negotiations leading to the surrender of the seven outposts stretched over 10 days. Khadim, the village elder, said different elders negotiated with commanders of each outpost. We guaranteed they would not be killed, he said. There was nothing written, just our word. A few miles away, Zindani refused to surrender his forlorn outpost near the front line. He said officers who had negotiated surrenders at three nearby outposts had betrayed their country. One of his men, Muhammad Agha Bambard, said he would fight to avenge the deaths of two brothers he said were killed by the Taliban. He would never surrender, he said. Zindanis nine men were down to a machine gun, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and one AK-47 rifle each inside a ramshackle outpost with bloodstained walls. But he said he intended to fight on as he told the Taliban commander who regularly phoned to demand his surrender. I told him, Im a soldier of my country, the commander said. I am not here to surrender. Four days later, on Sunday, the outpost was overrun during a firefight with the Taliban, a member of the provincial council said. One police officer was shot dead and Zindani and his outgunned men were taken prisoner. A few hours later, the Taliban released a video showing Bambard being questioned by a Taliban commander as he lay on a mattress, his face and neck bandaged. In a mocking tone, the commander asked why Bambard had posted on his Facebook page that he would not let the enemy capture his outpost while he was alive. The wounded officer responded, This is Afghanistan. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 2021 The New York Times Company The 6 January will remain a day to remember in the roughly 250-year history of the United States. It may be considered the day when the wall of the American sense of superiority, as far as the best democratic exercises are concerned, fell. Protesters, pushed by a president who rejected the results of elections and called them fraudulent, rushed to occupy the US Capitol in Washington, yelling and breaking windows in a shocking and stereotypically third-world scene. Far-right supporters of outgoing US president Donald Trump broke all established norms, at least when it comes to one long-held view of the American people, climbing over the walls of the Capitol and taking photographs of themselves seated in the chair of the speaker of the US House of Representatives, among other shocking scenes that world watched live on television. No one will be able to forget the image of one member of the mob carrying a lectern home as he strolled through the rotunda area of the House. At some moments, and unless one was quite sure that one was tuned into a US TV channel, such scenes might have been mistaken for those coming out of a banana republic. As one Kenyan newspaper put it in a sarcastic headline, Who is the banana republic now? For decades, the US government, people and media have done their best to brainwash the minds of millions of people across the globe that US democracy is the best ever and that the US is the sole protector of human rights and the staunch defender of civil liberties and freedoms. While the US is a country of law and order, the US form of democracy is not the holy scripture that successive US administrations have advocated it as being. It is a system that appeals to people living in the US, through which they have succeeded in building a nation and a true superpower, but it remains an American experience that cannot be simply copied elsewhere. Like a dictator clinging to power, Trump has plainly told his fellow Americans that the elections were rigged and that the US would be governed by an illegitimate president should his victorious opponent Joe Biden be inaugurated as president, triggering ridiculous conspiracy theories in which even extraterrestrial beings may have interfered in favour of his rival. Shockingly, Trump wanted the US army to interfere in his favour, replacing his defence secretary with another to that end. Though he vowed that there would be an orderly transition of power to his successor, Trump has abstained from admitting defeat in public. While it is true that more than 74 million Americans voted for Trump, in any democratic exercise, as the US has taught the world many times, a single vote can make the difference, and such a vote should be honoured. This is true for all, except for the defeated US president. Even so, the US media has often not honoured this single vote theory as far as the situation on non-American soil is concerned. On the contrary, it has put countries in the line of fire when its fair-haired boy has not been picked in a given election process, using the same language of fraudulence and rigged elections used by Trump. This is how US media outlets have portrayed such incidents elsewhere on the globe, except in countries allied with the US. The US government and media have usually preached the necessity of respecting the right of protesters to express their views no matter how this right may be exercised, brushing aside any counter-arguments. They have also rejected any need to listen to the other side of the story, whether from the governments concerned or the peoples themselves, dubbing the first as dictatorial and the second as sycophants. With last weeks incidents taking place on American soil, the word insurrection has been employed, when this could easily have been replaced with revolution should other nations have been involved. This is not a call for rehabilitating autocracy, but it is a call to heed the fact that Egyptians are culturally different from their opposite numbers in India, for example, and that the American way of doing business is not necessarily a standard. Even in the darkest moments in Egypt, prior or even after the fall of former president Hosni Mubarak in the 25 January Revolution, no one stormed into the Egyptian parliament, and no one tried to create a state of chaos matching the scenes of protesters putting the US Capitol under siege to prevent the ratification of the US presidential elections. Many Egyptians may, however, recall a similar incident when, under the rule of former Muslim Brotherhood president Mohamed Morsi, his supporters placed Egypts Supreme Constitutional Court under siege to prevent the justices from ruling on a challenge revoking the elections to the now renamed Senate, the upper chamber of the Egyptian parliament. It is time the US media in particular and the Western media in general revisited their stereotyped and partial covering of affairs in the Middle East and Africa. Their biased news covering has given audiences a false image of how things are done in African or Middle Eastern nations. It is high time that American journalists and correspondents considered the other side of the story and fact-checked the news before they publish it. Fact-checking is no fantasy it is a must, particularly when assessing the damage partial news covering may inflict on peoples and nations. In their book Elements of Journalism, US journalists Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel argue that the first obligation of journalism is to the truth and that the journalistic truth begins with a professional discipline of assembling and verifying facts. However, most US correspondents have usually not done this while covering news of Africa and the Middle East, except when it comes to Israel. Most, if not all, of their stories have not been committed to the principle of verification, and they have therefore wrongly affected the way their audiences perceive a given nation, its people or the political situation unfolding in it. Reporting the truth is not synonymous with trumpeting it. Rather, it is a process that begins with the professional collecting of data, their verification, and then the inclusion of as many different views as possible. Instead of using the refrain that we tried to reach so and so for comment, but there was no response, there is a need to do all that can be done to give space to opposing views, since otherwise a reporter is opinionated and guides his or her audience in the wrong direction. The tough language used by the US media and officials about the storming of the US Capitol last week is a reminder that fair rules of impartial news covering ought to be heeded when reporting on incidents happening on US territory or elsewhere. The writer is a former press and information officer in Ethiopia and an expert on African affairs. *A version of this article appears in print in the 14 January, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Short link: As the bird flu scare looms large, all three civic bodies in Delhi have issued orders, directing all restaurants and eateries not to serve processed chicken and egg preparations to customers. 10 states, including Delhi-NCR, have confirmed avian flu. "National capital region and 10 other states have reported bird flu and in light of that, the government of Delhi has ordered the wholesale poultry market. It has also banned the import of poultry and unprocessed poultry meat," a Hindi order issued by South Delhi MCD's veterinary services department stated. Similar orders have also been issued by two other MCDs -- South and East -- on Wednesday. "All meat shops, meat processing units, other places of keeping, processing, and packaging poultry have been banned with immediate effect," the order states. Also read: Bird flu: Sale of poultry products down 70-80%; prices of chicken crash 50% Those violating the order will be banned from trading in meat in the future and their trade licence will be cancelled. All hotels and restaurants have also been ordered not to serve eggs, poultry meat, and poultry products. The ban came shortly after the Delhi Health Department issued an advisory asking people to avoid contact and prevent exposure from 'sick-looking sluggish chicken'. "Avoid contact and prevent exposure from sick-looking sluggish chicken. Avoid direct contact with bird secretions and droppings," the advisory stated. It said bowls used for feeding birds, and their cages should be washed properly with soap or detergent. All slaughter waste must be disposed of properly, the DGHS authorities said. Due to the fear of bird flu that has been confirmed in multiple states across the country, sales in the poultry industry have seen a dip. Transportation of hens from one state to another has been banned in northern India, resulting in a significant dip in sales of chicken and chicken products. Poultry Federation of India President, Ramesh Khatri, told news agency IANS that chicken sales had fallen by almost 70 to 80 per cent over the last three to four days. Prices, however, fell by 50 per cent. Also read: Bird flu: BMC issues guidelines in Mumbai; sets up rapid response team Also read: Bird flu outbreak confirmed in 10 states This month, our category commentators are lining up to share with us their thoughts on how 2021 will shape their respective sectors. Here's our aged spirits expert, Amy Hopkins, with her take on the year ahead. What does 2021 have in store for aged spirits? The fact that the Oxford English Dictionary found it impossible to name just one 'word of the year' for 2020 is testament to the seismic change and upheaval that ripped through the last 12 months. Instead, the OED's team of lexicographers decided to select multiple "words of an unprecedented year". They include established words that have seen an exponential increase in use, such as 'lockdown', 'furlough' and 'bubbles', as well as new jargon, such as 'covidiot', 'anti-masker' and 'doomscrolling'. A new pandemic parlance has also emerged in the spirits industry, with words such as 'quarantini', 'curfew' and - perhaps most ubiquitously - 'pivot' becoming part of everyday drink-speak. Just as COVID has altered the language we use, it has also affected what, how and where we drink. More online exclusives The coronavirus has accelerated the speed of some trends, while quickening the demise of others - this has become received wisdom. For the drinks industry, one of the most transformative trends arising from the pandemic has been the mass migration to online - something that looks set to have a permanent effect on the way consumers buy and interact with brands. This year, we're likely to see more online exclusives from aged spirits brand owners that take advantage of the exalted position of the digital marketplace. Furthermore, while Global Travel Retails remains stunted in many parts of the world, e-commerce could benefit from exclusives that otherwise would have been earmarked for duty-free outlets. An adjacent trend for 2021 will be the rise of digital tourism, particularly for the Scotch whisky industry, which has invested heavily in top-class visitor experiences in recent years. Online tastings have also proven popular during the pandemic, and are likely to continue through 2021 - although, perhaps to a lesser extent than 2020 as Zoom fatigue sets in. Shifting market focus Compounding the difficulties brands have faced during the pandemic is the ongoing trade spat between the US and Europe, which has caught aged spirits in the firing line. In a dispute over aircraft subsidies, the US recently implemented a 25% tariff on certain Cognacs and other brandies (as well as still wines from France and Germany). This is in addition to the US's already-existing tariff on single malt Scotch. Late last year, the EU announced retaliatory tariffs on US-made vodka, brandy, rum and vermouth, which are in addition to the bloc's import tax on American whiskey. Exports of the affected categories - most notably single malt Scotch exports to the US and Bourbon exports to the EU - have plummeted. Brands and industry representatives will take comfort in the establishment of a new administration in the US, but the tariff dispute looks set to continue well into 2021. As such, brands' focus on other regions will most likely be sharpened in the months to come. In the long term, this courtship of previously-neglected markets could prove to be a valuable exercise. The squeezed middle This year could stage the spirits shakeout that many have been prophesising since the start of the pandemic. Struggling under the weight of both COVID market conditions and tariffs, there will surely be a number of brands and distilleries that don't make it through to the other side. Supermarket mainstays have performed well, boosted by a consumer mindset that steers them towards familiar and trusted brands in times of crises. Consumers' drive to support local businesses also means small producers that rely mostly on their local markets are keeping afloat. However, medium-sized independent brands and lesser-known brands owned by multinationals have faced greater difficulty. For 'craft' distillers big enough to rely on a wide on-premise distribution network and some overseas sales, the challenges of 2021 could be the final straw. 'Dark' RTDs On a brighter note, 2020 saw aged spirits brand owners further explore a hitherto untapped opportunity in RTDs, and plans look set to ramp up in the year ahead. As I wrote last year, RTDs could help spur the next wave of growth in aged spirits, tapping into consumer demands for both convenience and flavour innovation. Speaking to just-drinks, executives at Beam Suntory and Diageo expressed their desire to move further into the category, with both promising more whisky-based RTD activity in the year ahead. Could other whisky brands be seeking to capitalise on the much-touted hard seltzer boom, following in the footsteps of Jack Daniel's? I wouldn't be surprised. Whisky, brandy and rum's adoption of RTDs may be further enabled by significant growth in the range of tonics that have been formulated specifically to pair with dark spirits. Spirit-mixer partnerships such as that between Patron and Fever-Tree (for the launch of Fever-Tree Citrus Tonic Water) have proven to be successful. It's unlikely that aged spirits brands have been oblivious to this. Millennial whiskies and brandies It's no secret that aged spirits brands have been engaged in a long-running mission to endear themselves to Millennial consumers, whether through new liquids, new serves or new purchasing platforms. Diageo rounded off 2020 with the launch of Johnnie Blonde, a "fruity" whisky that's "made for mixing". The Johnnie Walker extension is being trialled in selected cities around the world and aims to capitalise on home-cocktail occasions, which are particularly popular among younger LDA drinkers. Similar 'cocktail whiskies' have been launched in the past with a mixed success rate, so it will be interesting to see how Johnnie Blonde fares in 2021. Off the back of this - and Pernod Ricard's energetic push behind The Glenlivet's Caribbean Reserve expression - don't be surprised to see a new wave of cocktail-orientated whiskies come to the fore. Elsewhere, Cognac is following a similar path with products such as Sazerac's Seignette VS, created for Cognac novices and cocktail enthusiasts. More generally, whisk(e)y, brandy and rum brands will focus on making their products more inclusive, following last year's Black Lives Matter movement and allegations of sexism in whisky. New campaigns and expressions will aim to bring spirits into a new era, despite the troubling geopolitical backdrop. Twenty three seafarers stranded aboard Indian vessel MV Jag Anand off the Chinese coast for the past 10 months are set to return via Japan's Chiba Port. However, there seems to be a delay. An official said that they will reach Chiba port on January 14 and after following procedures related to Covid-19 protocols, they will fly back to India. A media report, however, states that the arrival in Japan has been deferred to January 18. The ship, 'Jag Anand', carrying a huge consignment of Australian coal to China, had been stuck at Jingtang port since June. Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had also said that another vessel, MV Anastasia, with 16 Indian nationals as its crew, was at Caofeidian port in China since September 20, was waiting for discharge of cargo. Gaurav Singh, navigation officer on board Anastasia, told News18 that the crew members feel disheartened as they have not received any information about their return yet. "Sailors feel that Jag Anand is an Indian-flagged ship and hence, its release was smooth due to government's pressure but we are stuck because we are Panamanian flag ship," he said. "Our company contacted the receiver of the cargo to divert the vessel to Japan day before yesterday and straight away he denied the request and stated that if we try to divert, we will be taken to court and crew would be arrested," Singh added. The two ships the Swiss-Italian MV Anastasia and the Indian bulk carrier Jag Anand were transporting coking coal to China. But since they were refused permission by the Chinese authorities to offload their cargo, they have no choice but to wait it out. Nor is China allowing the shipping companies to send in other sailors relieve the crew. International student Nguyen Le achieved an impressive ATAR of 99.5 and appeared fit and healthy as he tackled a science degree at one of the country's most prestigious universities. His father said his "very clever son" had no signs of poor mental health. Records appear to show that he had not visited a GP since moving to Australia for high school in 2011. The Coroners Prevention Unit has uncovered 47 suicides of international students in Victoria between 2009 and 2019. But the 21-year-old Vietnamese-born student was struggling. On December 12, 2018, he died from a fall at the University of Melbourne. His death would later be ruled a suicide by coroner Audrey Jamieson, who published her findings on Thursday. Buffalo, N.Y. More than 90 restaurants in the Buffalo area have won the first round in a legal challenge to Gov. Andrew Cuomos orange zone dining restrictions. On Wednesday, State Supreme Court Justice Henry J. Nowak granted the restaurants an injunction lifting the orange zone ban on indoor dining that took effect in Erie County in late November, the Buffalo News reported. The restaurants had argued the indoor dining ban was unfair, wasnt based on scientific evidence and cost them thousands and in some cases millions of dollars in lost revenues. Other parts of the state, including most of Staten Islands South Shore, are also in orange zones, and indoor dining is shuttered across New York City, but Wednesdays ruling will have no immediate effect on those areas. The state is likely to appeal and the ruling in Erie County does not set a binding precedent elsewhere. Cuomo established the color-coded zone system in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus in areas with high positive tests rates (later adding hospital capacity as another metric.) Across the state, restaurants and bars caught in the restrictive orange zones have argued they make no sense. Patrons can easily travel outside an orange zone to dine in, the restaurants say, and they say the state has presented no evidence that restaurants are a major source of COVID-19 spread. In the Erie County case, lawyers for the restaurants had used an argument made by restaurants in other parts of the state: In December, Cuomo presented a chart showing that restaurants and bars account for just 1.4% of cases, compared to 74% from household social gatherings. The restaurants are not causing the problem, the restaurants lawyer, Corey Hogan, said at a hearing in the Erie County case, according to the Buffalo News. Theres no proof anywhere that they are. But the state has countered that those numbers represent just a small sampling of cases from September to November in which the source of the spread can be traced. This court cannot find evidence that the state had a rational basis to designate portions of Erie County as an orange zone on Nov. 18, Nowak said in his written ruling, according the Buffalo News. Nowak added that the restaurants have also demonstrated that the orange zone designation has caused loss of revenue, unemployment, potential foreclosure and hardship upon Erie County residents. Nowaks ruling also questioned the states argument that the 1.4% link to restaurants is not conclusive. While limitations with contract tracing casts doubt on the statistic relied upon by (the restaurants), it also undermines and inhibits the (state Department of Healths) ability to properly designate specific areas under the microcluster-strategy, which is premised upon the states ability to identify areas of infection on a block-by-block basis, Nowak wrote. Cuomo, meanwhile, last week admitted that the zones are problematic, but has not yet taken any steps to amend or lift them. A group of 37 restaurants in Buffalos orange zone filed the initial suit just before Christmas. They were later joined by others, bringing to the total near about 90. They include small businesses and some better known operations in Erie County, including Duffs Famous Wings and Santoras Pizza Pub and Grill, both of which have multiple locations. Don Cazentre write for NYup.com, syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Reach him at dcazentre@nyup.com, or follow him at NYup.com, on Twitter or Facebook. Nicky Whelan is often dressed to impress on the red carpet. And the former Neighbours star, 39, oozed sex appeal on Wednesday as she posed up a storm during a photo shoot in Los Angeles. The actress went braless under a $1,800 silk suit, flashing a hint of her cleavage and toned stomach. She means business: Former Neighbours star Nicky Whelan, 39, oozed sex appeal as she posed up a storm during a photo shoot in Los Angeles on Wednesday Nicky gave her best angles to the fashion photographer in a behind-the-scenes video she posted on Instagram. She carefully moved the suit jacket around for different poses, making sure she didn't reveal too much. 'I love @mastani.label all sustainable and made in my hometown Melbourne. Check them out! P.S. I got to keep this suit,' she captioned the clip. Blonde bombshell: Nicky slicked back her short blonde hair for the photo shoot and opted for a glamorous makeup palette comprising blush, dark eyeliner and pink lipstick She slicked back her short blonde hair for the shoot and opted for a glamorous makeup palette comprising blush, dark eyeliner and pink lipstick. Nicky, who is based in the U.S., certainly isn't shy about showing off her physique. She regularly takes to Instagram to flaunt her frame in bikinis or activewear, and posts intense workout videos with her abs on display. Sizzling star: Nicky regularly takes to Instagram to flaunt her frame in bikinis or activewear The actress was previously married to ex-NFL star Kerry Rhodes. In October 2017, they announced their separation just six months after saying 'I do'. Nicky rose to fame on Australian soap Neighbours, before appearing in Hollywood films such as Hall Pass and the comedy series Scrubs. PFAS investigation in Pellston completes second round of samples Officials discovered polyfluoroalkyls in Pellston residential water sources in late 2019. The airport is believed to be the source of the substances. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Delta Air Lines has banned passengers who heckled Utah Sen Mitt Romney and South Carolina Sen Lindsey Graham ahead of their flights last week and will be prohibiting all guns in checked baggage on flights to Washington, DC, until after President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration next week. Romney, the lone Republican senator to vote to oust President Donald Trump after he was impeached, was on a flight from Salt Lake City to DC when he was first harassed by a Trump supporter while waiting on his flight. A second video showed dozens of people on a flight yelling traitor at Romney, though he isnt seen in that clip. On Friday, Graham was preparing to leave DC when Trump supporters confronted him at the Reagan International Airport and also called him a traitor to the country. Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said that the company has now placed 880 people on its no-fly list for not complying with its mask requirements and others were banned from flying with the airline for harassing passengers or unruly behavior related to the US election results. Scroll down for video Delta Air Lines has banned 880 passengers who heckled Utah Sen Mitt Romney and South Carolina Sen Lindsey Graham ahead of their flights last week. A woman approached Romney (left and right) while he was waiting on a flight from Salt Lake City to Washington, DC In addition, Bastian said starting this weekend the airline will prohibit passengers from traveling to DC with firearms. 'We're all on high alert based on the events over the last couple of weeks up in Washington,' Bastian told CNBC Thursday morning. Law enforcement officials will be exempt from the ban. Bastian also said other security measures will be put in place at the airports and on planes 'as we look to the week ahead'. Earlier last week, Romney was heckled and taunted by Trump supporters ahead of the 'Save America' rally. 'Let him know what we think,' a woman is heard screaming in a viral video of the incident, before a group of Trump supporters with their masks pulled down chant 'traitor' and 'traitor Mitt' from their seats. Romney is believed to be sitting further ahead in the plane, but he cannot be seen as the Trump fans record the incident. Trump supporters traveling on a plane from Texas to DC caused chaos as flight attendants struggled to grapple control of the plane, amid chants, cheering and arguments. At one stage in video of the incident, someone on the plane displays a 'Trump 2020' projection before the lights in the cockpit are turned on. Meanwhile, people are heard yelling at each other, with one saying: 'Shut the hell up!' Others are heard claiming that someone on the flight 'threatened' them but it's unclear what happened. The next day Americans watched as dozens of MAGA supporters stormed the Capitol in a shocking incident that killed five people, including a Capitol Police officer. Sen Graham was in Reagan Airport near DC when he had a run-in with a number of vocal Trump supporters last Friday. The Trump loyalists confronted Graham after he backed down from his pledge to contest the Electoral College certification on Wednesday under the debunked assertion that many thousands of votes were fraudulent. The video picks up with someone yelling 'you traitor' at Graham as he's surrounded by police officers walking down a corridor of the airport. 'Lindsey Graham, you are a traitor to the country,' someone yells. 'You know it was rigged, you know it was rigged!' Graham seems to say something to the person yelling, but it's inaudible. 'You garbage human being,' someone yells. 'It's gonna be like this forever wherever you go for the rest of your life.' 'Audit the vote! Audit the vote! Audit the vote! Audit the vote! Piece of sh*t,' someone says as Graham keeps walking with his mask hanging off his chin. Sen Graham was in Reagan Airport near DC when he had a run-in with a number of vocal Trump supporters last Friday The video picks up with someone yelling 'you traitor' at Graham as he's surrounded by police officers walking down a corridor of the airport People start chanting 'Audit the Vote' and 'Audit Our Vote' before someone yells 'you son of a b**ch' at Graham. On Tuesday, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Trump supporters who breached the US Capitol should be banned from flying and added to a government 'no-fly' list. And on Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it will be implementing a new 'zero tolerance' policy on unruly airline passengers following the string of incidents involving Trump supporters. FAA chief Steve Dickson signed an order directing the agency to harshly sanction any passenger who is disruptive on a flight or who fails to follow the instructions of airline staff. The number of passengers banned from US airlines is now in excess of 2,700, with dozens of those bans having having been handed out in the eight days since the January 6 riot. Dickson said any passenger found to be in breach of the new order could face fines of up to $35,000 and possible jail time. The chief emphasized the FAA will not issue any warning letters or negotiate penalties. 'We will no longer adjudicate certain of these unruly passenger cases with counseling or warnings. We're going to go straight to enforcement,' Dickson affirmed. 'We've seen a disturbing increase in these incidents.... We'll take the strongest possible enforcement action against any passenger who engages in it.' Dickson said the agency's special 'zero tolerance' program will be in place until at least March 30. He added the FAA may in some cases refer incidents for criminal prosecution to the Justice Department, which could seek sentences of up to 20 years for flight disturbances. Kangana Ranaut, the talented actress is all set to play a historical character once again, with the second installment of Manikarnika franchise. The National award-winner has been roped in to play the lead role in Manikarnika Returns: The Legend Of Didda, which is a sequel to her 2019-released historical drama Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi. As per the reports, the Kangana Ranaut starrer revolves around the life of Didda, the first female ruler of Kashmir. Didda, who was known as the 'Cleopatra of Kashmir' ruled the region over two decades, both directly and indirectly. She had defeated Mehmood Ghaznavi, the rule of the Turkish dynasty twice. Despite her leg being affected by polio, Didda emerged as one of the greatest women warriors the country has ever seen. Kangana is appearing as the titular character Didda, in the historical drama. The sources suggest that the highly anticipated project, which is jointly produced by Kangana Ranaut and Kamal Jain, the producer of Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi, is being made on an international scale. According to the team members, the movie is being made as a tribute to the real-life women heroes who constructed the true identity of our nation. According to the reports, Kangana Ranaut has been actively considering the possibilities of a sequel to Manikarnika for almost a year. The actress-producer finalised Manikarnika Returns: The Legend Of Didda as the second installment of the franchise, at her meeting with producer Kamal Jain which was held last week. Kangana Ranaut is planning to start shooting the project in January 2022, after she completes her current commitments. More details regarding the rest of the star cast and crew are expected to be revealed soon. Also Read: Kangana Ranaut And Rangoli Chandel Get Interim Relief Till January 25 In Sedition Case Kangana Ranaut Says She Was Grilled At Bandra Police Station For Hours; Leaves For Bhopal But several people have told MailOnline they were unaware of the new variant Most Brazilians are oblivious to the highly contagious new coronavirus strain which has sparked an explosive second wave sweeping through their country and causing alarm around the world. The Latin American nation passed 200,000 deaths from the pandemic earlier this week, the second highest toll worldwide. Now in the midst of a second devastating wave, the country registered its highest daily average of Covid infections this week, with 54,784 confirmed cases on average per day - up 51 per cent on two weeks ago. The emergence of a new mutation of the virus, believed to have originated in the northern jungle state of Amazonas, now threatens to overwhelm the country once more and lead to many more deaths. The Brazilian strain, which hasn't yet been classified as a new variant, was detected in four Japanese travellers who had recently returned from Brazil's Amazonas state. A man walks down an empty street in Manaus, Brazil on Thursday after it imposed an 11-hour curfew between 7pm and 6am due to the Covid-19 crisis Hospitals and cemeteries have run out of capacity following a spike in Covid-19 cases Far-right president Jair Bolsonaro has been blamed for allowing the crisis to get out of control after consistently downplaying the pandemic and describing Covid as a 'little flu'. The British Government announced it will ban flights from Brazil and a number of other South American countries, as well as Portugal, as fears mount that the new variant could be more contagious, and potentially more fatal, than other mutations that have emerged in South African and the UK. But on the streets of some of Brazil's biggest cities, Brazilians who spoke to MailOnline appeared oblivious to the danger, with many claiming they had no idea there was a new coronavirus strain on the rampage. Analysis underway by the Brazilian Fiocruz scientific research centre points to the new variant originating in the northern Brazilian state, whose capital, Manaus, has been a hotspot for infections since the beginning of the pandemic. The Latin American nation passed 200,000 deaths from the pandemic earlier this week, the second highest toll worldwide. Pictured: The curfew in Manaus Now in the midst of a second devastating wave, the country registered its highest daily average of Covid infections this week, with 54,784 confirmed cases on average per day - up 51 per cent on two weeks ago Health staff members walk through the corridors of the Getulio Vargas University Hospital, in Manaus, Brazil on Thursday Scientists from the institution told Brazil's UOL website it is likely the mutations increase the rate of transmission, and is likely the reason behind a new surge of infections in Amazonas. The new variant is a mutation of the B.1.1.28 lineage of coronavirus which is present throughout Brazil, according to data, and is the dominant form in Amazonas, accounting for 47 per cent of samples collected between April and November. According to researcher Felipe Naveco, from Fiocruz's Amazonia centre, sequencing data by Japanese scientists shows the same mutations as analysis of virus samples taken from Amazonas conducted by a team from Sao Paulo University and Oxford University. He said: 'This variant is the B.1.1.28 with mutations on the spike protein, and two of them are very important. Similar mutations have already been associated with increased Covid transmission rates. 'It's a virus that has gone through a process of evolution, which makes us think that maybe it's a new Brazilian variant. 'These mutations are very worrying, and we need more time and analysis to really know how to might increase transmission.' Brazil is in the midst of a second devastating wave, with the country registering its highest daily average of Covid infections this week, and 54,784 confirmed cases on average per day. Pictured: Health workers transport a patient at Getulio Vargas hospital, Manaus The Latin American nation passed 200,000 deaths from the pandemic earlier this week, the second highest toll worldwide. Now in the midst of a second devastating wave, the country registered its highest daily average of Covid infections this week, with 54,784 confirmed cases on average per day - up 51 per cent on two weeks ago He said he believed the new mutation 'partly explains the explosion of cases here in Amazonas, where Covid is rampaging through both the populous capital and remote jungle towns'. 'We also knew that the number of cases would increase because people weren't practising social distancing. 'There were protests here on 26 and 27 of December because the governor wanted to close down commerce, and there were New Year parties. 'The health system in the state is very fragile, there are many factors in my view.' Amazon's state capital Manaus, a city of 2 million, was this week placed in a state of emergency for six months as hospitalisations passed the levels seen in the worst days of last year. Hospitals this week ran out of oxygen, with new supplies having to be flown in by Brazilian Air Force jets. Refrigerator trucks have once again been deployed to store bodies, while structures to hold 22,000 coffins in horizontal 'drawers' are hastily being constructed. Manaus registered more hospitalisations in the first week of 2021 than in the whole month of December, with a record 1,524 people admitted to hospital last Saturday alone. Brazilians have told MailOnline that they had no idea there was a new coronavirus strain on the rampage in the country. Pictured: Ana Claudia Fernandes, an Uber driver in Rio de Janeiro, blamed the government for failing to keep its people informed about the virus Luciano Ferraz, a hairdresser from Porto Alegre, southern Brazil, said he didn't know about the new variant of the virus, adding that no one was talking about it on the radio The city has also registered more than 100 burials every day this week, with a record 144 on Sunday alone - the highest number since the start of the pandemic. A court on Saturday forced the state government to shut non-essential businesses for 15 days as infections and deaths surge. In Porto Alegre, southern Brazil, hairdresser Luciano Ferraz, said he didn't know about the new variant of the virus. He said: 'I haven't heard of that. Maybe I've overheard something like it, but no-one's talking about it, not even on the radio. 'If it's true it's very worrying. The original virus has already caused so much damage here. It's going to be very difficult, I don't think we'll emerge from this anytime soon. Delisandra Britto, 43, a shop keeper in Porto Alegre, was one of the few who said she had heard of the new variant, but said that not enough was being done to warn people about the dangers Alex Countinho, 41, a porter from Rio de Janeiro, said: 'I speak to people all day, and no-one has ever talked to me about a new strain of the virus' In Manaus, northwestern Brazil, where there were haunting scenes last April of mass graves and corpses piled in refrigerator trucks, the health system is near to collapse again. Pictured: Cemetery workers carry the remains of 89-year-old Abilio Ribeiro, who died of the new coronavirus strain in Manaus on January 6 WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE BRAZIL VARIANT? Name: B.1.1.248 or P.1 Date: Discovered in Tokyo, Japan, in four travellers arriving from Manaus, Brazil, on January 2. Is it in the UK? Public health officials and scientists randomly sample around 1 in 10 coronavirus cases in the UK and they have not yet reported any cases of B.1.1.248, but this doesn't rule it out completely. Why should we care? The variant has the same spike protein mutation as the highly transmissible versions found in Kent and South Africa named N501Y which makes the spike better able to bind to receptors inside the body. What do the mutations do? The N501Y mutation makes the spike protein better at binding to receptors in people's bodies and therefore makes the virus more infectious. Exactly how much more infectious it is remains to be seen, but scientists estimate the similar-looking variant in the UK is around 56 per cent more transmissible than its predecessor. Even if the virus doesn't appear to be more dangerous, its ability to spread faster and cause more infections will inevitably lead to a higher death rate. Another key mutation in the variant, named E484K, is also on the spike protein and is present in the South African variant. E484K may be associated with an ability to evade parts of the immune system called antibodies, researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro said in a scientific paper published online. However, there are multiple immune cells and substances involved in the destruction of coronavirus when it gets into the body so this may not translate to a difference in how people get infected or recover. Will our vaccines still protect us? There is no reason to believe that already-developed Covid vaccines will not protect against the variant. The main and most concerning change to this version of the virus is its N501Y mutation. Pfizer, the company that made the first vaccine to get approval for public use in the UK, has specifically tested its jab on viruses carrying this mutation in a lab after the variants emerged in the UK and South Africa. They found that the vaccine worked just as well as it did on other variants and was able to ignore the change. And, as the South African variant carries another of the major mutations on the Brazilian strain (E484K) and the Pfizer jab worked against that, too, it is likely that the new mutation would not affect vaccines. The immunity developed by different types of vaccine is broadly similar, so if one of them is able to work against it, the others should as well. Advertisement 'On a scale of one to ten of worry about Covid, I'm already on ten, even without a more dangerous strain around.' Ana Claudia Fernandes, an Uber driver in Rio de Janeiro, blamed the government for failing to keep its people informed about the virus. She said: 'About a new variant, I don't know what to say because I haven't been given this information. The government never gives us any solid facts about the virus. 'All I can say is that, now that I know this, I'm very frightened, very scared, and I'm asking myself how bad will things get now. 'I'm fearful about the direction Brazil seems to be going, we don't have a good government and they are making things worse, causing more people to die.' Ms Fernandes, who became an Uber driver after losing other informal jobs because of the pandemic, said she also lost her brother and stepmother to Covid, while her father became very ill with the virus. She said: 'This lack of clarity or information from our government has made people comfortable with the virus. 'People are still having parties, doing everything they want to do, because we have a president who makes their lives easy by saying that the virus isn't that serious, that it's just a 'little flu' and that we have to get on with life. 'I never felt any kind of certainty about the information I was receiving from the government. But I began to see that this 'little flu' was killing a lot of people, including people I loved. It's made me very confused and very scared.' Alex Countinho, 41, a porter from Rio de Janeiro, said: 'I speak to people all day, and no-one has ever talked to me about a new strain of the virus. 'That's news to everyone here. I think people will hear about it now though, but only because the flights have been banned. I'm not sure it will change the way people will behave though. 'A lot of people are staying at home, even with the mixed messages from the government, for self-preservation. But those people who believe what the president says will keep having parties, not using masks, and keep filling up bars and restaurants. 'If the virus is going to get more contagious then many more people are going to lose their lives, and those who survive are going to suffer even more. People are desperate here and the country has been brought to its knees.' Delisandra Britto, 43, a shop keeper in Porto Alegre, was one of the few who said she had heard of the new variant, but said that not enough was being done to warn people about the dangers. She said: 'I've read about it, it's very frightening. We haven't been able to control the original coronavirus, and now we have a new one that's even worse? It's terrifying. 'We've already suffered enough. Life is a long way from getting back to normal. We do our best to protect ourselves here in the shop but unfortunately not everybody wants to do the same, which puts us all at risk. 'Most people don't know about the new variant. I think it's two things - lack of interest by the government to tell us about it, and a lack of interest on the part of the population to learn about it.' Brazil has also average 993 deaths per day this week, a rise of 49 per cent compared to two weeks ago, while intensive care units in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are reportedly already 90 per cent full. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, along with Hiroshi Ueda, the new ambassador of Japan to Bucharest, who is on a presentation visit, reviewed the main points of the bilateral agenda, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), in a press release sent to AGERPRES. The two dignitaries noticed the upwards course of the Romanian-Japanese relations of the past years, materialized also through the act of consolidating a strategic bilateral Partnership, in accordance with the decision made by president Klaus Iohannis and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in Bucharest, in January 2018. Furthermore, Bogdan Aurescu addressed the topic of the preparations for celebrating this year 100 years since establishing diplomatic relations between Romania and Japan, as well as our country's participation in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo. The meeting was the occasion of an exchange of opinions regarding the perspectives of developing economic projects and Japanese investments in Romania, invoking the tendency of the trade increase in 2020, despite the difficulties generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The ambassador Hiroshi Ueda expressed the interest of the Japanese side regarding the furthering of "the excellent" bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two countries, but also regarding the establishment of common objectives for 2021, MAE specified. FLINT, MI -- Former Gov. Rick Snyder spoke only a few words as he appeared in court on charges of willful neglect of duty related to the Flint water crisis on Thursday, Jan. 14. Appearing before Genesee District Judge Christopher Odette by video from the Genesee County Jail, Snyder wore a facial mask, suit jacket and tie, and answered, Yes your honor, when asked if he was still living in the state of Michigan, allowing attorney Brian Lennon to answer other questions on his behalf. As the appearance came to an end Thursday, Lennon volunteered to Odette, Not guilty pleas on each charge. Odette ordered Snyder, Michigans governor from 2011 until 2019, to appear before District Judge William Crawford on Tuesday, Jan. 19, on the two charges of neglect of duty, misdemeanors that carry up to a $1,000 fine and up to one year in prison. Odette ordered Snyder could be released on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond on each charge. Attorney General Dana Nessel is expected to announce details of the charges against the former governor and others at 11:30 a.m. Thursday. In addition to Snyder, former Flint Department of Public Works Director Howard Croft also appeared before Odette Thursday. Croft was also charged with two counts of willful neglect of duty. Snyder, 62, served two terms as the governor of Michigan and the water crisis became his most crushing failure. Although he has previously apologized for allowing the citys water to become contaminated with lead and bacteria, many Flint residents blamed Snyder for the crisis because of his failure to change the citys water source from the Flint River in 2014 and 2015 -- a time when emergency managers he appointed were in charge of the citys affairs. 43 Top state officials arraigned on Flint water charges The emergency managers made a series of decisions that led to the change in the citys water source, a switch designed to save money but that resulted in elevated levels of lead and bacteria in tap water. Even as Flint residents marched and protested water problems in Flint, Snyder failed to order a change in the citys water source for 17 months. As governor, Snyder also appointed the directors of the state Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Health and Human Services. Employees of both departments were charged criminally in relation to the water crisis by former Attorney General Bill Schuette and former water prosecutor Todd Flood. Those charges were later dismissed against eight defendants after Nessel became attorney general in 2019. Snyder has said the water crisis was caused by a series of failures in all levels of government. As governor, he was briefed in spring 2014 on the plan to change Flints water source, and conversations within his office intensified in fall 2014 when he was also briefed about two boil water advisories in Flint due to fecal coliform bacteria, as well as complaints about the waters color, odor and taste. In October 2014, General Motors announced Flint River water was too corrosive to use in its manufacturing, and top legal aides to Snyder suggested that Flint be switched back to Detroit water -- something that didnt happen until a year later. Read more: Former Gov. Rick Snyder shows up at Genesee County Jail ahead of court appearance on water crisis charges Former Flint DPW director charged with two counts of neglect of duty in water crisis probe Former Gov. Rick Snyder charged with willful neglect of duty in Flint water crisis Agartala/Guwahati, Jan 14 : Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the northeastern states on Thursday celebrate Bihu and Makar Sankranti, both harvest festivals, with traditional fervour and enthusiasm. Lakhs of cheerful men, women and children in traditional attires took part in the Bihu and Makar Sankranti celebrations, mostly in five of the eight northeastern states -- Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. A festive atmosphere prevailed in the residential areas, villages and in mela (fair) grounds in the region. People in Assam and other northeastern states were gripped in the spirit of Bhogali Bihu, a harvest festival also called 'Magh Bihu', giving a glimpse of pre-pandemic festive fervour. The Bhogali Bihu, which began on Wednesday night with the celebration of 'Uruka', is an occasion for feasting and prayer to god for a rich harvest. The 'Uruka' is the night of feast and merriment which is celebrated a day before the Bhogali Bihu, the main harvest festival of Assam. The Bhogali Bihu celebrations began with people assembling around 'Mejis' (makeshift houses made of straw and bamboo) and lighting them, seeking the blessings of the elders. People of all ages, mostly women and children, threw 'pithas' (rice cakes) and areca nuts after setting fire on the 'Mejis' and then offered prayers as part of the festivity. After the traditional rituals, community feasts were organised in the open grounds and even in paddy fields as 'Bhogali' comes from the word 'bhog' which in Assamese means feast. Governors and Chief Ministers of several northeastern states greeted the people on the occasions of Bihu and Makar Sankranti. The festive enthusiasm among the people is more this time compared to last year, when Bhogali Bihu was a very low-key affair due to the series of protests against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The Assamese people also could not celebrate 'Rongali Bihu', a spring festival that marks the onset of Assamese New Year, last year due to the Covid-19-induced restrictions. She's suffered a string of failed relationships since being rejected by Richie Strahan on The Bachelor in 2016. But Kirralee 'Kiki' Morris appears to have finally found her Prince Charming, after debuting her new boyfriend Lucas Azzopardi via Instagram Stories on Thursday. The 33-year-old glamour model unveiled her new love sharing a photo collage of herself and Lucas cuddling up in bed together. 'Love you': Bachelor In Paradise's Kiki Morris, 33, debuted her new boyfriend Lucas Azzopardi on Instagram this Thursday by uploading a photo collage of the couple cuddling up in bed together with their dog Heavily tattooed Lucas, who celebrated his birthday on Thursday, was seen planting a kiss on Kiki's cheek in one photo, and wrapping his arms around her torso in another. 'Happy birthday to our fav! We love you,' Kiki captioned the post, presumably referring to herself and their pooch. Kiki and Lucas have also made their romance Insta-official, adding each other's initials alongside a lock-and-key emoji to their respec Instagram bios. Cute gesture: 'Happy birthday to our fav! We love you,' Kiki captioned the post, presumably referring to herself and their pooch. Muscle-bound Lucas owns a business called Nutrition Station, located in Sydney's eastern suburbs. He is also a fitness influencer, boasting an impressive following on Instagram. Lucas previously made headlines in June 2020 when he and Kiki were caught up in a police search after a daytime traffic shop. Sad: Kiki has suffered a string of failed relationships since being rejected by Richie Strahan on The Bachelor in 2016 Beefy: Muscle-bound Lucas owns a business called Nutrition Station, located in Sydney's eastern suburbs Kiki is understood to have been the passenger in the car, which was being driven by her friend Lucas Azzopardi. A police source told Daily Mail Australia the check was routine and ended with both Kiki and Lucas being allowed to continue on their way. There is no suggestion the pair were involved in any wrongdoing in relation to this police stop. Police search: Lucas previously made headlines in June 2020 when he and Kiki were caught up in a police search after a daytime traffic shop. Kiki was pictured standing outside the car as police rummaged through (pictured) At the time of the incident, Lucas Azzopardi is currently facing criminal charges of supplying prohibited drugs and selling restricted substances. But when contacted by Daily Mail Australia, he denied any wrongdoing in relation to those matters and said he was confident he will be cleared of all charges before the courts. Kiki recently returned to the spotlight after she appeared on last year's season of Bachelor In Paradise. Routine: A police source told Daily Mail Australia the check was routine and ended with both Kiki and Lucas being allowed to continue on their way Their romance ended acrimoniously not long after they left the show, however. In 2019, was last year forced to front court herself after her ex-boyfriend Jeremy Banks was charged with assaulting her in a domestic violence incident. Mr Banks was accused of slapping and choking her in a 2018 incident. He was convicted but has since appealed his sentence to the NSW District Court. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Carlisle Deputies Seek to Locate ATV Theft Suspect By West Kentucky Star Staff Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Daugherty is asked to contact the Carlisle County Sheriffs Office. CARLISLE COUNTY - A man with felony warrants for his arrest is being sought by the Carlisle County Sheriff's Office.The Carlisle County Sheriffs Office is seeking the publics assistance in locating Wayne Daugherty. Deputies said Daugherty is wanted in connection to his involvement in the theft of side by side in the Kirbyton community back in March of 2020.Daugherty also has felony warrants for his arrest out of Graves, Marshall, McCracken and Carlisle counties. TEACHABLE MOMENTS REGARDING THE NATIONS CULTURE: IS IT TIME FOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS TO HELP PLACE GENUINE EQUALITY FRONT AND CENTER IN OUR NATIONAL DISCOURSE? January 6th, 2021 was intended to be a day of ceremonial ritual that underscored the strength of our democracy, and the commitment we as a nation have to a set of principles, values, and ideals that anchor our embrace of the constitution of the United States. Students in universities and colleges, in K-12 institutions, and even mature adults could treat it as a civics lesson, for there were many teachable moments in this season of election politics. The lessons learned however, were not necessarily the ones intended, for at many levels, the teachable moments were literally colored and shaped by lessons in White supremacy, racial and ethnic politics and denigration, law enforcement and military response to protestors based on political party and racial demographic, and politicians who defiled their oath to the American people in order to court favor with a misguided ideologue bent on holding unearned power and position. What a sad day for America; the incongruence and scandalous inconsistency so palpable that it cant help but cut deep into the fabric of ones psyche and emotional core. In the aftermath of this disgraceful display, how will higher education chronicle this day and what lessons will it offer its students who are one step away from crossing the threshold into their careers, the workforce, and opportunities to become more civically engaged. To say that most Americans were shocked and horrified at the scenes emanating from our nations capital on January 6, 2021, would be an understatement of significant proportion. As I compose this letter, my spirit continues to stir with a restlessness, if not outright anger, disgust, and indignation at what I witnessed transpiring Wednesday January 6, 2021 on cable television news stations. Somehow, the normal statement a president authors in times of challenge and controversy to my campus community seemed insufficient in capturing the gravity of what I had witnessed. A massive crowd of Trump supporters, in an act of outright sedition, laid siege to one of our pillars of democracy, bolstered by the false and unsubstantiated claims of the 2020 election being hijacked by fraud, theft, and illegal voting. Various courts in numerous states throughout the country found no basis for the assertions or no evidence to substantiate the allegations. We teach our students to be more critical thinkers, and learn to bolster their opinions with actual facts and data to help them form and frame more cogent and persuasive arguments. Yet, facts and data were in short supply among that mob on the Washington mall on January 6th, and gave way to pure emotion whipped into a frenzy by massive amounts of misinformation. Interestingly, those claims stealing an election were not only authored by the President himself, but were supported by a host of Republicans like Senate Majority Leader McConnell, Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Ted Cruz, other members of the senate and congress, Republican Party leadership, the Attorney General, White House communications personnel and staff members, cabinet appointees, TV news personalities, members of organizations like Q Anon, Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, and a host of others committed to support and embrace the Presidents alternate reality of what a commander in chief should sound and act like, despite having lost the 2020 election. Im sure our students are asking what in the world is going on with our leaders? Those who have embraced and otherwise enabled the current president over the past four years also shoulder some of the blame for the January 6 riot and rebellion that damaged property, cause bodily harm, and cost human lives. Unfortunately for them, no amount of eleventh hour moon walking back from their support of the presidents agenda and actions, and their embrace of his positions over the past four years, will save them from historys judgement about these roots of rebellion. Their track record is clear; their complicity documented; their attempts to subjugate the will of the people permanently recorded. But those may not be the only culprits here. Looking at the thousands of faces descending on the nations capital, Im wondering what role higher education has played in contributing to the mindsets of those persons in the crowd. The duality of this query however, rests not just with what higher education has said, but what it hasnt said. In this moment of intense reflection, Im remembering Dr. Kings declaration reminding us that in the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends. Have our colleges and universities been silent conspirators in this drama that continues to unfold? ADVERTISEMENT Understand however that the responsibility and fault this president and his enablers hold is not for their political beliefs they embrace, conservative or otherwise. Each of us is entitled to our own views and voters can chose candidates according to whose platform best aligns with their values and perspectives on life. The fault is not really about the disappointment they feel at coming to grips with the Republicans defeat in the election. They have a right to feel disappointed, hurt, depressed, and even discouraged. Rather, their blame is grounded in the false narratives, distorted truths, alternate realities, and outright lies that are promulgated by them that misinform segments of the American people, tear at the heart of what our democracy is supposed to stand for, seeks to suppress the vote of substantial portions of our nations citizenry, and incites the activism and sedition we all witnessed. There has been ample time for many of these enablers to reverse course on this implicit and explicit assault on our democracy, and distance themselves from a president who uses his office for personal gain for he and his family, while he ignored the needs of a nation and its citizens, even in the middle of a global pandemic that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of lives lost. None of his enablers did so then, and they should not be allowed to do so now without a true accounting and reconciliation of their behavior. In the days since these horrific events incited by the sitting president of the United States, I have also pondered the blatant inconsistency and profound incongruence in the dynamics of how this siege by principally (but not exclusively) White people was handled. When compared to other protest and demonstrations held earlier this year when the murder of Black lives at the hands of law enforcement personnel and citizens alike instigated cries for social justice and police reform, those demonstrators were met with a sizable police and national guard presence, tear gas, brutality, and arrest. Even as this January 6th activity took place on a day when a ceremonial certification of an election symbolizing how the peaceful transfer of power was supposed to take place, I found myself, as a university president, retreating back to the annals of history in search of a parallel circumstance. I found myself asking the question of what does this ritual of democracy, the voting, the election, and the certification process of the Electoral College vote really mean to me as a person of color and a male or female of African descent? Do I really have confidence in our democracy that even as I seek to engage in these civic rituals, that I will then be afforded the same rights and privileges as my White counterparts? Does my full participation in the rituals of election and inauguration frenzy insulate me or Black and Brown people, or Muslim brothers and sisters, from the harsh realities of being a culturally different racial or ethnic group in America? Will these election rituals erase racism and sexism; abolish discrimination; diminish anti-Semitism; stop violence against women and children; eliminate the inequities in healthcare, economic opportunities, or educational opportunities; address housing and food insecurity; put a sizable dent in the level of poverty this nation is experiencing; reform policing practices so that my Blackness is no longer a target of biased law enforcement; will it help me obtain more justice in the courts; or help eliminate the redlining that increases my insurance premiums because of the neighborhood I reside in? I thought long and hard about these questions, and despite the status and privileges I do enjoy as a university president and distinguished psychologist with a collective sense of consciousness, I still couldnt get to yes. I mean- what do these election rituals and voting certifications really mean to me? And there it was; the answer and our contemporary challenge for 2021 was contained in the writings of Frederick Douglas. In July of 1852, some one hundred and sixty-nine years ago, Frederick Douglas delivered his famous speech on what meaning the July fourth celebration held for the slave and people of African descent. In his address, beyond describing the event as human mockery and sacrilegious irony, he answered the query and asserted that for him, it represented a day that reveals, more than all other days of the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is a constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants brass fronted impotence; your shouts of liberty and equality hallow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all of your religious parade and solemnity, are to him mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocracy; a thin veil to cover up crimes that would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on all the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody, then are the people of these United States. The address by Frederick Douglas is a sobering reminder about the profound sense of incongruence that has and continues to exist between what America preaches and what she practices when it come to African Americans and other people of color. The irony here of course is that as much celebration as African Americans have done in seeing the first woman and person of color elected Vice-President of the United States, from an HBCU no less, and seeing Joe Biden win the presidency, we all have to ask ourselves, and universities will have to interrogate, what that victory really means for the masses of Black people who registered, made phone calls, hosted fundraisers, contributed record sums of money, stood in long lines, mailed in ballots, and voted? These students and their families are our alumni, currently occupy seats in our institutions, and will be making applications for admission in the near and distant future. Ironically, the President-elect, and his 2020 election campaign was almost dead in the water until Rep. James Clyburn and Black voters from South Carolina delivered him a primary victory that he rode to the Democratic convention to receive his partys nomination. Black women and men, the Democratic Partys most loyal constituency, turned out in mass to deliver victory after victory in states critical to the Biden-Harris election. And even once that election was over, and senate races in Georgia were undecided, Staci Abrams and a coalition of Black women and other committed volunteers, along with Black voters in Georgia, delivered victories for both Democratic senate candidates. How will those efforts be rewarded? You see, it is undeniable that we have made progress as a country over the past six decades. With the passage of civil right and voting rights legislation, war on poverty programs, desegregation of schools, Comprehensive Employment & Training Act programs (CETA), Educational Opportunity Programs, TRIO Programs, Title IX regulation, and of late, renewed PELL Grant funding, and especially the affordable care act the Trump administration and Republican caucuses in the House and Senate have spent the last four years trying to undo, change has occurred. And yet, I am hoping that the measures of progress we boast about from this 2020 election, and Jan 6th 2021 Electoral College certification and pending Inauguration, extends beyond a few cabinet appointments and executive orders that at a surface level represent the desegregation of political appointees and government policies. The standard for people who live their lives at the margins of society, has to be raised in 2021, and at least one political party has to push for true equality across every domain of American life in order to acknowledge and reward, in a reciprocal way, the investment Black people have made and the trust they have placed into this American democracy. Dr. Martin Luther Kings 1967 text asking Where Do We Go From Here is reverberating in my mind as I process the legislative successes and political appointments of the past, that have yet to yield true equality for too many of this nations citizens. Similar to that space in time, a nations sensitivity was raised, and policies enacted, but real and substantial change and authentic equality has been an illusive prize too many are unable to grasp. Consequently, the address by Mr. Douglas over a century and a half ago also serves as a challenge or gauntlet thrown down at the feet of the new Biden-Harris administration, and for higher education as well. President Biden and Vice-President Harris, with control of the congress and senate, will need to help this nation realize a greater measure of its promise and possibility. They will need to help a deeply divided nation heal. And while there are a host of policy initiatives, undoing past executive orders, along with a health pandemic, and restoring the economy that will demand their immediate attention, one of those domains of intervention has to be the differential treatment of Black and Brown citizens by police and law enforcement that we saw on display this past spring and summer, versus what we witnessed on Jan 6, 2021 in how police treated marauders and rioters bent on assaulting our democracy. What to the people of African descent in this country do these election rituals represent at the deep structure level? Only time will tell if we as a nation, this new administration, and our colleges and universities have the temerity to push past this moment where sensibilities have been disrupted, and find new and enhanced measures of equality that more authentically represent a thrust towards becoming a more perfect union. Higher education will need to stand up and ante up as well in this high stakes game of political posturing. For a nation divided needs its institutions of higher learning to reframe the discourse on how best to affirm the dignity and humanity of all of this nations citizens. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High 'impacts our entire town' The Washington County Board of Education held a public hearing on the closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High School; the crowd pleaded against it. OTTAWA - A federal official says the government is considering using data on incoming travellers to prevent vacationers from claiming a benefit for people who must quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19. A man makes his way through Pearson International Airport during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto on Monday, Dec. 14, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette OTTAWA - A federal official says the government is considering using data on incoming travellers to prevent vacationers from claiming a benefit for people who must quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19. The Canadian Press isn't identifying the source because the person was not authorized to speak publicly on behind-the-scenes discussions. The government promised earlier this week to introduce legislation to prevent anyone who returns to Canada after a vacation or another non-essential trip from receiving the $500-a-week benefit during the mandatory 14-day quarantine period. The source says officials are drafting the legislation and expect it to include information-sharing mechanisms among agencies and departments to identify anyone looking to flout the rules. The earliest legislation could be introduced is later this month when the House of Commons is scheduled to return from a break. In the meantime, the government says it will hold off processing applications from anyone who returned from overseas until the new rules are in place, retroactive to Jan. 3. It wouldn't take much to for the government to start matching up names of incoming travellers with those who have applied for the sickness benefit after having updated a similar program in the last year. That program now sees roughly 20 million names of anyone arriving by land or air shared with Employment and Social Development Canada to help its investigators identify improper payments of unemployment and seniors benefits. Federal border officials have since 1992 shared information on arriving travellers with their counterparts overseeing benefits like employment insurance to flag claimants who didn't tell the government about absences from Canada and whi might have received benefits they weren't eligible to receive. At first, the information was shared from the declaration cards people filled out on arrival, but it has since gone digital with self-serve kiosks at airports tracking names. It also now includes people arriving by land. Those details are in two briefing notes from late 2019 and obtained by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act. Employment and Social Development Canada said it began looking for EI recipients in the data just before the calendar turned to 2020. The data started being scoured for old-age security recipients over the summer. A November 2019 briefing note to the department's deputy minister said officials expected to "significantly increase the recovery of payments made to ineligible El claimants" because the new measures "(do) not rely on travellers to self-disclose absences from Canada." The department was unable to share any results from the program, but also noted it began during an unprecedented drop in cross-border travel as a result of the pandemic. On Wednesday, Statistics Canada reported only 146,000 Canadians driving home from the United States in December, a 92.4 per cent year-over-year decline from the 1.9 million in December 2019. But enough have returned home that the government was forced to address concerns some were using the two-week sickness benefit to finance the quarantine period, even though that wasn't its purpose. The sickness benefit is supposed to go to anyone who has to stay home for at least half their usual work week because they are sick or have to quarantine because of COVID-19. Anyone with underlying medical conditions can also qualify for the aid. More than $271.4 million has been paid out in benefits since the program launched in late September, with the number of applications in each two-week pay period falling steadily since mid-October. The government is allowing anyone exempt from the quarantine rules, such as health-care workers who need to cross the border for their jobs, to be eligible for the sickness benefit upon their return to Canada. While the government is holding up processing of some claims, it is urging anyone who received the benefit after travelling to contact the Canada Revenue Agency to avoid repayment orders. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 14, 2021. At the height of his scandalous controversy, Armie Hammer dropped out from his role in the upcoming film "Shotgun Wedding." A production spokesperson told TheHollywood Reporter that the "Call Me By Your Name" star wished to "step away from the film" amid the malicious scandal surrounding him. "Given the imminent start date of Shotgun Wedding, Armie has requested to step away from the film and we support him in his decision," the spokesperson said. "Shotgun Wedding" To Recast After Armie Hammer's Departure In October 2020, Variety cited that the Lionsgate action-comedy movie is set to star Armie Hammer as Tom alongside Jennifer Lopez as his on-screen wife, Darcy. The story follows the misadventures of the couple together with their families as they unite for an "adrenaline-fueled" wedding trip. Directed by the renowned filmmaker Jason Moore, the production is slated to begin this year. However, due to "The Social Network" star's decision to quit the film, executives have decided to recast his character. Armie Hammer DMs Containing NSFW Messages, Resurfaced Online The "Gossip Girl" alum's departure came after he became a trending topic on social media over the weekend. On Twitter, a series of leaked dms containing graphic messages allegedly from Hammer surfaced online. Per Page Six, an anonymous social media account, House of Effie, revealed Armie Hammer's Instagram messages that features disturbing sexual fantasies--including rape and cannibalism. Meanwhile, in a tweet posted by a user named @Tevin, one person claimed that "he is obsessed with drinking blood." Multiple victims of Armie Hammer came out saying he used his fame to manipulate em to have sex, calling em "kitties" and drink their BLOOD, now WHAT IN HANNIBAL LECTER??? pic.twitter.com/LWxgZdXC4t tevin (@tevinauguste) January 10, 2021 In addition, the actor was also described as a person with a "manipulative behavior" and that his "cannibal side of him is scary." On the other hand, another claimed that the actor wrote about a carnal message that says, "I've cut the heart out of a living animal before and eaten it while still warm." Armie Hammer Speaks Out Amid his Rumored Scandal Although the messages have not been verified, Armie Hammer addressed the malicious rumors about him. In a statement obtained by THR, the great grandson of oil tycoon Armand Hammer called the propaganda as "vicious and spurious" and vowed not to "respond" to these online attacks against him. He also clarified that it has nothing to do with his decision to leave "Shotgun Wedding." "I'm not responding to these bullshit claims but in light of the vicious and spurious online attacks against me, I cannot in good conscience now leave my children for 4 months to shoot a film in the Dominican Republic. Lionsgate is supporting me in this and I'm grateful to them for that," he emphasized. READ MORE: 'Insecure' Canceled: Hit HBO Show To End After Season 5 See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, Pennsylvanias only Republican member of Congress from the Philadelphia region, voted against impeaching President Donald Trump Wednesday for inciting last weeks insurrection at the Capitol. Ten of the 211 House Republicans joined Democrats in the vote, which made Trump the first president in American history to be impeached twice. All eight other House Republicans from Pennsylvania who last week voted to throw out the states election results also voted against impeachment. Fitzpatrick had broken from them in voting to certify President-elect Joe Bidens win in Pennsylvania. After the pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol in a riot that left five people dead, Fitzpatrick denounced the insurrection as nothing short of a coup attempt. On Tuesday, Fitzpatrick and six other House Republicans introduced a resolution to formally censure Trump for trying to unlawfully overturn the 2020 Presidential election and violating his oath of office. President Trumps actions, behavior, and language are unacceptable and unbecoming of the office he holds, Fitzpatrick said Tuesday. READ MORE: First it was fraud, then they just didnt like the rules: How Pa. Republicans justified overturning an election But a statement released by his office argued against impeachment, saying it would almost certainly result in Trumps second acquittal in the Senate, and therefore further divide and inflame tensions in our nation. The statement added that forcing a time-consuming and divisive trial in the Senate would also undermine President-elect Bidens ability to govern effectively at the beginning and most critical time of his presidency. House Democrats declined to vote on the censure resolution, however, and Fitzpatricks statement didnt explicitly say he would vote against impeaching Trump. His office didnt respond to a request for an interview Wednesday. Fitzpatrick, a former federal prosecutor and FBI agent who once supervised a political corruption squad, represents Pennsylvanias 1st District, which encompasses Bucks County and a slice of Montgomery County. In 2019, Fitzpatrick joined every House Republican in voting against impeachment articles Democrats brought against Trump over the presidents efforts to pressure Ukraine to smear Biden. He was reelected to a third term in November, winning by 13 percentage points in a district where voters also favored Biden by 6 points. READ MORE: Ticket-splitting voters in Bucks County show its the most competitive Philly suburb During his reelection campaign last year, Fitzpatrick highlighted his record as the most bipartisan member of the House, as measured in rankings compiled by the Lugar Center and Georgetown Universitys McCourt School of Public Policy. Before that, he survived the Democratic wave in the 2018 midterm elections that delivered the party control of the House and wiped out suburban Republicans across the country. Early in Trumps presidency, Fitzpatrick broke with the GOP by opposing efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. He voted in favor of the partys tax cuts.. Democrats have been trying to win the Bucks County seat for a decade the district was previously represented by Fitzpatricks late brother, Mike and it remains to be seen how the impeachment vote might factor into next years midterm elections. Fitzpatrick beat a pro-Trump Republican in last years primary election with 58% of the vote. One of lifes small pleasures is to peer into your pocketbook or wallet and discover that what you thought was a dollar bill lurking in the folds is actually a 20. As the 87th session of the Texas Legislature convenes this week, lawmakers are experiencing something of a macroeconomic equivalent. Despite the fiscal perils of the coronavirus pandemic, the states budget outlook is better than officials thought it might be, state Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced Monday. In August, Hegar had projected that lawmakers would be glumly staring into a $4.6 billion abyss when they convened in Austin. As it turns out, the dreaded abyss is more of a relatively modest ravine. According to the comptrollers figures, the state is currently projected to end the 2020-21 biennium in August with a $950 million deficit. Thats not the $3 billion surplus we expected to have less than a year ago, but it could have been much worse. Lawmakers have an estimated $113 billion to spend when they write the next two-year budget. We expect them to be prudent, of course, but being prudent during these uncertain times means making good on investments they made last session, particularly in education and health care. The cant afford it rationale, always a convenient excuse for those lawmakers who see no need to plan for the states future, now rings hollow. Being prudent also means avoiding hyper-partisan feuds over bathroom bills, abortion restrictions and their equivalent as advocated by such extremists as state GOP chairman Allen West. It also means ignoring hyper-partisan hobby horses like Gov. Greg Abbotts plan for the Department of Public Safety to take over policing in Austin. The always knotty, always disputatious redistricting task on tap this session should be partisan enough for anyones taste. Focus, lawmakers. Focus on education, on health care, on helping Texans survive a pandemic that keeps getting more deadly. The Lone Star State just surpassed 30,000 deaths. Other issues require attention criminal justice and police accountability, planning for hurricanes and other natural disasters, water conservation, to name a few but education, health care and pandemic survival are paramount. In 2019, the Legislature retooled the states school finance system, injecting $6.5 billion more into public schools and enacting property-tax relief to the tune of approximately $5.1 billion. Public schools are struggling to educate our children during a pandemic. They desperately need our support. They also need to know that lawmakers wont renege on promises made. Fortunately, newly installed House Speaker Dade Phelan and other state leaders have promised to sustain the states public education investments. Those promises include continued support for full-day pre-K in districts that offer it. It also means promoting equal access to the internet. If we werent aware of the necessity of both pre-K and broadband access, we certainly are now. Broadband access is also critical to health care, another issue that demands lawmakers attention. Recent temporary expansions of telemedicine and telehealth care must be made permanent. We urge lawmakers in the worst-insured state in the nation to look for ways to make sure that all eligible Texans have access to Medicaid, the Childrens Health Insurance Program and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP (formerly called food stamps). We also believe the state should at last approve Medicaid expansion, federal funding that would provide insurance coverage for an estimated 1.2 million Texans, most of them working adults. Unfortunately, Phelan said this week Medicaid expansion is highly unlikely. We implore him to reconsider. Texas is one of only 12 stubborn states passing up billions in federal funding that would help Texans access medical care in a time of dire need. As of Jan. 12, more than 14,000 people are hospitalized for COVID-19 in Texas. The virus is not under control in Texas, and thats the primary reason the states economic future remains, in Hegars words, clouded in uncertainty, despite the relatively good economic news this week. As Dale Craymer, president of the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, told the Texas Tribune this week, the pandemic and the associated impact on state revenues means Texas faces budget challenges at the very time Texans may need government help more than ever; however, the numbers are manageable. Craymer also pointed out that lawmakers have more money in the rainy-day fund than they did in 2011, during the states most recent budget crisis. The money is there, we believe, so that lawmakers can avoid cuts in education, health care and other services vital to Texans in need. These are hard times, no doubt about it. But even in hard times especially in hard times we would echo Hegar in his admonition to lawmakers to address the states needs. Think long-term, he urged. Do what you can to lessen burdens on future generations. January 14, 2021 Open Thread 2021-004 News & views ... Posted by b on January 14, 2021 at 11:15 UTC | Permalink Comments next page PFAS investigation in Pellston completes second round of samples Officials discovered polyfluoroalkyls in Pellston residential water sources in late 2019. The airport is believed to be the source of the substances. CAMBRIDGE, England, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Frontier's Venice X platform will soon power the listening experience of a new a range of SmartRadios launched by German brand Loewe, a company perhaps better known for its high-end TVs. Frontier's Venice X delivers the most reliable and highest quality SmartRadio solution in the market. The module includes Bluetooth, FM, DAB+ and Internet connectivity via Wi-Fi, allowing Internet Radio, Podcasts and music streaming via Spotify, Amazon and newly released Deezer music services. Loewe will be the first product launched that supports Deezer. Prem Rajalingham, Managing Director at Frontier, said: "We're delighted to be working with Loewe and that our solutions have been recognised as market leading by such a prestigious brand. The SmartRadio product category goes from strength to strength, with exceptional growth seen in 2020 and expected in 2021." Loewe's new product line, Loewe klang s1, will provide beautifully designed and crafted devices which offer DAB/DAB+, Internet Radio, Spotify Connect and Amazon music streaming services, as well as a larger product category, the Loewe klang s3, that will also include a CD player. In response to the move, Matthias Claus, Director of Audio at Loewe added: "Loewe wanted to create a product line to allow users to experience the benefits of the growing SmartRadio product category. We needed a strong partner who could deliver on the reliability that our customers expect from the Loewe brand. Selecting Frontier and the Venice X platform has allowed us to create a stunning product line that will deliver quality, choice and reliability to radio listeners." About Frontier Smart Technologies Frontier Smart Technologies is a pioneer in technologies for digital audio and the market leader in DAB/DAB+ radios and SmartRadio solutions. Powering over 50 million devices worldwide, Frontier provides a range of radio chips and modules - from turnkey entry-level solutions to sophisticated, highly configurable options - to leading consumer electronics brands. With its R&D centre in Cambridge (UK) and manufacturing and sales offices in Shenzhen (China) and Hong Kong, Frontier supports clients and consumers across Europe and Asia. Frontier is a Science Group (AIM:SAG) company. About Science Group plc Science Group plc (AIM:SAG) is a science-led advisory and product development organisation. The Group has three divisions: R&D Consultancy: providing advisory, applied science and product development services cross-sector helping clients derive maximum return on their R&D investments. Regulatory & Compliance: helping clients in highly regulated markets to launch, market and defend products internationally, navigating the frequently complex and fragmented regulatory ecosystems. Frontier Smart Technologies: designing and manufacturing chips and modules for the DAB/DAB+ radio markets with 80% market share (excluding the automotive market). With more than 400 employees worldwide, primarily scientists and engineers, and speaking more than 30 languages collectively, the Group has R&D centres in Cambridge and Epsom with more than ten additional offices in Europe, Asia and North America. www.sciencegroup.com info@sciencegroup.com For all media enquiries please contact James Taylorjames.taylor@frontiersmart.com +44 7824 550745 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1420829/Loewe_klang_s1_front.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1420830/Loewe_klang_s1_side.jpg The number of domestic air passengers is growing steadily towards pre-COVID levels, civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday. "Number of domestic passengers grows steadily towards pre-COVID figures. 2,35,564 passengers on 2,238 flights, total flight movements 4,480, total footfalls at airports 4,69,871," Puri wrote on Twitter on Wednesday. Coronavirus has severely affected the aviation industry. To curb the COVID-19 spread in the country, the central government suspended domestic flights in March. After a gap of two months, the domestic flight operations resumed gradually on 25 May following the stringent measures. The civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) earlier extended the suspension of all international flight operations in the country till 31 January. However, the restrictions was not be applicable on international air cargo operations and flights specially approved by DGCA. To bring back the stranded Indians from across the world, the Central government started Vande Bharat Mission on 6 May. Air India and several other private domestic airlines IndiGo andSpiceJet have been operating flights under Vande Bharat Mission since then. Over 44.7 lakh have returned to India from different countries under the mission, the civil aviation minister said. The phase 9 of the Vande Bharat Mission started on 1 January, said "The phase nine of the Vande Bharat Mission has been made operational since January 1 - this phase would involve operating 1,495 flights from 24 countries to facilitate the return of an estimate 2.8 lakh people," the civil aviation minister said. "As of January 6, 261 of these flights have been operated and these flights have facilitated the return of 49,000 people from 19 countries. This brings the total number of people who have been facilitated through the different modes of this mission which is the world's largest repatriation exercise the number of people who have come back under this mission are more than 44.7 lakhs," he added. India temporarily suspended its Vande Bharat flights from the United Kingdom due to the emergence of the new strain of coronavirus, said the ministry of external affairs (MEA) in late December. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. UW Prepares for Spring Semester Start With the Jan. 21 start of the spring semester just one week away, University of Wyoming students returning to campus are reminded that a limited contact period begins today (Thursday) and extends through Jan. 31. Additionally, students and employees are expected to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance upon returning from winter break, including reducing nonessential activities for up to 10 days and being tested for COVID-19 three to five days following return. The semester will begin with two days of online-only instruction Thursday and Friday, Jan. 21-22, and face-to-face classes will start Monday, Jan. 25. For students living on campus, the residence halls will open Tuesday, Jan. 19, with students arriving on assigned arrival dates between then and Sunday, Jan. 24. Those students first stop will be Crane Hall, where required COVID-19 testing will take place, before they check in at the front desks of their assigned halls. Students tested before noon between Tuesday and Thursday will receive results by 5 p.m. each day, and theyre expected to shelter in place until a negative test result is received. Students living off campus should take a COVID-19 test before returning to in-person classes or activities on campus. Theyll need to make appointments for such testing, which will be available starting Tuesday, Jan. 19. Appointments can be made starting Friday, Jan. 15. More details about scheduling tests will be communicated via email, and additional testing information is available here. During the limited contact period, students are allowed to attend in-person classes, participate in work and worship engagements, and be outside; but they are expected to limit their in-person contacts to people living on the same floor of a residence hall or the same apartment/residence. These measures are necessary to give us a chance to be successful in providing a safe face-to-face engagement on campus amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Cases are on the rise again in Wyoming and across the country, and it is important we do our part to mitigate that spread, UW President Ed Seidel says. Were very hopeful that, with vaccines being administered to targeted populations now and wide administration expected by this summer, our fall semester will be much more in line with pre-pandemic practices. As was the case during the fall semester, UW will continue measures throughout the spring to limit the spread of COVID-19, including a rigorous testing, quarantine and isolation program; requirements for face protection and physical distancing; and limits on gatherings. Students, faculty and staff coming to campus or returning to work will be required to participate in UWs surveillance testing program, using UWs laboratory-developed, saliva-based tests. Students not returning to campus at any time during the semester will not be required to participate, but they need to receive testing exemptions. Students living on campus, working on campus and taking in-person classes are automatically included in the testing program and will receive emails to schedule their tests once the semester begins. Those not automatically included who plan to be on campus for in-person programs or support services need to complete an opt-in form so they are compliant with testing expectations. Undergraduate students who are part of the surveillance program will be tested twice per week; graduate students and employees will be tested once per week. UW employees and students will continue to be expected to use the COVID Pass tool daily to self-screen for COVID-19-like symptoms. Those who are noncompliant with the testing requirements will receive a red flag similar to an individual with symptoms, restricting access to campus. The spring plan approved by the UW Board of Trustees calls for a semester that includes 10 weeks of in-person instruction, a three-day spring break and five weeks of fully online classes to conclude the term. In addition to the abbreviated March 31-April 4 spring break, no classes will be held on Presidents Day Monday, Feb. 15. Starting April 5, all classes will move to online delivery, with the final day of classes May 6 and finals week May 10-14. The university is working with the Wyoming Department of Health and Albany County Public Health to make COVID-19 vaccines available as soon as possible to mitigate transmission of the virus and allow the other preventative measures to be more effective. Certain front-line employees are receiving the vaccine now, but its uncertain when all students and employees will have access to the vaccine. As a result, the move to online-only course delivery following spring break follows the same rationale for the decision to go online during the fall semester following Thanksgiving break: to help minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission that would be caused by students leaving campus and then returning. While close to 40 percent of UW courses currently are slated to be delivered fully online in the spring -- up from the historical figure of 15 percent -- about 60 percent are planned to include in-person components during the Jan. 25-March 30 period. The in-person classes will continue to be held in classrooms that are arranged to meet physical-distancing requirements, along with enhanced cleaning measures. Monitoring Under the plan, the university continues to track and monitor a set of key indicators of COVID-19 prevalence on campus to support data-based decision-making. These include the total number of symptomatic cases among students and employees; testing sample disease prevalence; capacity for isolation and quarantine; and hospitalizations. There are no automatic actions to be triggered by hitting certain indicator thresholds, but UW will continue to coordinate closely with state and local authorities to assess conditions in the community and determine appropriate interventions. Since the pandemic began, UW has reported a total of 1,865 cases of COVID-19 among its employees and students, with 1,846 people recovered. At present, there are 19 active cases -- one on-campus student, nine off-campus students and nine employees. More information about UWs COVID-19 response can be found at www.uwyo.edu/campus-return, which is being updated as information becomes available. Those with questions about testing and other COVID-19 issues may call (307) 766-COVD (2683) or email COVID19@uwyo.edu. Questions specifically about the vaccine should be emailed to COVIDVX@uwyo.edu. A UW vaccine webpage has been established at www.uwyo.edu/campus-return/vaccination. After wondering for about two years about where it would end up, the Air Force announced on Wednesday that Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville will be the home of the U.S. Space Command headquarters. It's currently stationed at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado. People across the State of Alabama said they were elated by the news. Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle said his administration along with other local, regional, state and federal leaders were able to make a persuasive argument, based on things like cost of living, quality of life and the education system. "They looked at the merits of each community and the merits are what should weigh out. The merits of this community are what won us the announcement today and what will make Space Force a success in the future," Battle said. He argued another strength of Huntsville and Redstone was that they've successfully completed transitions of similar scale in the past. "We have transferred the Army Aviation Command here. In 2005, we finished in 2011, we transferred the Materiel Command here. We've transferred commands here time and time again," Battle said. "And each time, our community has partnered with the sponsoring agency, just to make sure that they're a success." But while politicians and community members celebrated in Huntsville, some in other states competing to house Space Command headquarters decried the process and the final result. "A decision so important to national security should be based on the merits that were identified by the Air Force and the Department of Defense going forward and not on politics as it appears to have been done," said Dirk Draper, the president of the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce. Draper joined Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers in a press conference on Wednesday and argued that President Donald Trump put his thumb on the decision making scale, multiple times during the process. He said the first time it happened was when the legislative delegation from Florida pushed for the evaluation process to reopen in the spring of 2020. "Florida's delegation, which was not included in the evaluation process, successfully appealed to have that process reopened. And I'll pause for just a moment to note the President has close personal, business and political ties to the State of Florida, and reopened the process to include this second phase, which we've just now concluded," Draper said. In the second phase, 60 cities expressed interest in courting the Space Command headquarters and it was quickly narrowed down to six finalists. At the end of both phases one and two, Draper said that Colorado Springs was the front-runner for the Air Force selection until the President stepped in. "We also heard from sources inside the Air Force that Colorado Springs, in this second phase, was the number one ranked community for this location and that external pressure from the President was placed to award the permanent home of Space Command to a state, once again, to which the President has close political ties," Draper said. "If ever there was a trumped up decision, this feels like one." Colorado Congressman Doug Lamborn called the move a "horrendous decision" and said in a statement that "For the good our of nation, I will fight this proposed move. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate who I believe will be equally disturbed with this disruption to a critical national security mission." When asked about the congressman's comments, Battle agreed that the decision shouldn't be a political one and didn't believe that factored into the Air Force's final decision. "We would hope that no one would attempt to weigh politics into this decision. This decision needs to be on its merits. What is the best thing for the United States of America," Battle said. "The best thing for the United States of America is for U.S. Space Command to be located in a place where we do space. Where NASA has a facility, where the Missile Defense Agency has a facility, where Army Aviation is located." On Wednesday evening, newly sworn in Senator Tommy Tuberville also weighed in on the Space Command announcement. He said that both the education system in north Alabama coupled with the amenities already located at Redstone made it an ideal choice. He also said he believed that President Trump did have a hand in swaying the decision. "You know, I've gotten to know President Trump quite well over the last eight months and there weren't many conversations we didn't have that Space Force didn't come up at one point, that we would be very excited about having it here. Now, I'm sure he had a small part in it, maybe even more than a small part. I don't know the ladder in which the approval goes through," Tuberville said. "Just talking to the Secretary of the Air Force today, she had a lot to do with it. She had done her homework and she knows a lot about Huntsville. She talked to a lot of people. This wasn't just a snap decision or a quick decision, but I'm sure President Trump had something to do with it." Both the Colorado delegation and Senator Martin Heinrich from New Mexico said on Wednesday that they have reached out to the Biden-Harris Transition and asked that once they come into office that they pause this process and fully review the methods used to determine the home of Space Command and how much President Trump influenced the outcome. Right now, according to the Air Force, Redstone Arsenal is the "preferred location" for the headquarters. Next they need to complete the environmental impact analysis and expect to make their final decision in spring 2023. Officials noted that Redstone will provide a facility to support Space Command while a permanent facility is built. Its a humanitarian issue: North Dakota mulling bill to ban abortion in most circumstances Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A bill aimed at banning abortion with exceptions for certain circumstances is being considered in North Dakota at a time when some states are loosening their restrictions on the procedure. Known as House Bill 1313, it was introduced by state Rep. Jeff Hoverson, who's also a pastor, on Monday, given first reading, and then referred to the Human Services Committee. The legislation seeks to add abortion to the states preexisting laws against murdering an unborn child, which in current state law exempts abortion when performed by a licensed doctor. HB 1313 does include a stated exemption for abortions performed to save the life of the pregnant woman, but not for reasons such as rape or incest. A person that intentionally or knowingly aids, abets, facilitates, solicits, or incites another person to commit an abortion is guilty of a class C felony, the bill adds, with such a felony carrying a maximum sentence of five years in prison and/or a fine of $10,000. North Dakota is one of several states that has a law in place that will trigger an abortion ban should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn the 1973 decision Roe v. Wade. However, Hoverson told The Associated Press that he did not trust the Supreme Court to make such a decision, stating that I want North Dakota to take this matter into our own hands. Its a longshot, I know, he also told the AP regarding how the legislature and the legal system are unlikely to support his bill. But this is about babies crying and babies dying. Its a humanitarian issue. Some believe Roe v. Wade might one day be overturned because President Donald Trump appointed three conservative-leaning judges to the Supreme Court. In response, many states have either passed stricter laws regulating abortion, such as banning the practice once a baby's heartbeat can be detected, or have attempted to codify Roe v. Wade. In 2019, on the anniversary of Roe, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the Reproductive Health Act into law, which removed abortion from the state criminal code. "The Reproductive Health Act is a historic victory for New Yorkers and for our progressive values," said Cuomo at the time he signed the RHA. In the face of a federal government intent on rolling back Roe v. Wade and women's reproductive rights, I promised that we would enact this critical legislation within the first 30 days of the new session and we got it done. Recently, in response to the RHA, a group of New York residents filed suit against Cuomo and other state officials, arguing that it changed New York law in ways that harm women and dehumanize children. Parler Being Held to Different Standard Than Twitter, Facebook, CEO Says The social networking service Parler, which was taken offline following the U.S. Capitol breach, is being held to a different standard than Twitter and Facebook, its CEO told The Epoch Times. The standards that were held to are higher than that of Facebook and Twitter, John Matze told The Epoch Times Crossroads program. And that is wrong, because that is giving preferential treatment to some clients and some customers and not others. And then abruptly terminating us with what I would call bad faith, and doing it so quickly, that theres no possible way to remedy and doing it in a way so publicly that it tarnishes our brand, and it doesnt allow us to get anywhere else. They maliciously did this all at the same time, to ruin our reputation and destroy our business. That is evil. Parler, a social media website thats attracted a large following of conservative-leaning users, was removed from Amazons servers overnight on Jan. 10. Before that, Apple and Google had removed its application from their app stores. The companies claim that Parler, which had 20 million users, wasnt properly moderating its platform. Parler, which is trying to compel Amazon to take back the company, is in contact with other companies, including the domain registrar Epik. Parler registered with Epik this week but hasnt reached a formal deal with them. Epik said in a statement on Jan. 14 that it has been in discussions with several executive team members at Parler. While we cannot predict what will happen to Parler, we can confirm that the examples utilized to marginalize and ultimately deplatform their active base of millions of users in no way reflect the values of the owners, investors, engineers, community, of the hundreds of moderators that worked tirelessly to serve the people and user base that they loved, Robert Davis, an Epik senior vice president, said in a statement. Amazon said in a court filing that Parler showed an unwillingness and inability to remove from the servers of Amazon Web Services (AWS) content that threatens the public safety, such as by inciting and planning the rape, torture, and assassination of named public officials and private citizens. Amazon said it told Parler repeatedly that content on its site violated the agreement between the two companies and that the suspension was a last resort. Parler displayed on a smartphone with its website in the background in Arlington, Va., on July 2, 2020. (Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images) Parler sued Amazon this week after it was removed from its servers. In its response to Amazons filing, Parler said Amazon expressed no concerns with Parlers content moderation but did want to know whether President Donald Trump had joined or would join Parler now that he was blocked by Twitter and Facebook. Apple CEO Tim Cook told CBS This Morning that he thinks Parler has some issues with moderation. There are some incitement of violence examples on there, he said. They need to step it up on moderation, and our hope is that they get back on the store. Google said in a statement it was aware of continued posting in the Parler app that seeks to incite ongoing violence in the U.S. Matze told The Epoch Times that his website was a true platform, while competitors Twitter and Facebook are publishers, because of actions such as attaching labels to posts. He also noted that posts encouraging violence are seen on Twitter and Facebook, such as a term calling for hanging Vice President Mike Pence that was trending on Twitter in recent days. There were a few cases of people trying to incite violence on Parler, but theres no way to organize events on the site, Matze said, labeling attempts to pin the Jan. 6 breach of the Capitol on Parler as crazy. Every online social media company had violent content concerning that event on that day, including Parler, but including Facebook, including Twitter, including everybody, he said. I dont think it was too different than Facebook or Twitter, you know, the amount of content on there is crazy. And these companies gave them preferential treatment over us. Jack Phillips contributed to this report. GOP congresswoman to file impeachment articles against Biden once he becomes president Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Republican member of Congress has announced her intentions to submit articles of impeachment against President-elect Joe Biden the day after he's sworn in as president. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., explained her intentions in an interview with Newsmax on Wednesday that she posted on her Twitter account. We cannot have a president of the United States that is willing to abuse the power of the office of the presidency and be easily bought off by foreign governments, she stated, citing as examples Chinese energy companies and Ukrainian energy companies. Greg Kelly of Newsmax asked Greene about how plausible her impeachment proposal would be, given that the Democrats hold a majority in the House of Representatives. Greene responded that she is a big believer in having people in office that are actually willing to do the job, adding that she did not condone the violence at the U.S. Capitol over Biden being elected. The American people need hope, she continued. They need to know that there are Republicans in Congress that are willing to stand up and fight for them, regardless of being in a minority. We have to hold people accountable. Joe Biden is on record, on the phone saying that he would withhold a billion dollars of foreign aid if he didnt get his way with these deals with his son, Hunter. Greene also referenced the ongoing investigation with Hunter Bidens laptop, into being bought and paid for by Chinese, Communist Chinese energy companies. This is a dangerous threat to our country when we have a man that will be holding the power of the presidency [who] is on record abusing power, concluded Greene. Last year, Biden weathered accusations that while vice president he threatened to withhold a billion dollars in foreign aid from Ukraine unless they helped his sons business dealings. In May of 2020, Ukrainian lawmaker Andriy Derkach released a recorded phone call of Biden allegedly pressuring Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko to fire a prosecutor investigating the gas company that was paying his son, Hunter, $50,000 a month to be named as a member of its board. Last September, however, two Republican-led Senate committees issued a report concluding that there was no conclusive evidence that Biden, while vice president, tried to force Ukraine to help Hunter. While the report said Hunter Bidens dealings in Ukraine was a conflict of interest for the Obama administration, it concluded that it was unclear what impact Hunter Bidens position at the Ukrainian gas company had on the Obama administration's policies. Greenes intention to file impeachment articles against Biden after he becomes president comes as the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump for an unprecedented second time. The vote for impeachment was 232 in favor and 197 against, with 10 Republican congressmen, among them Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, joining the majority. The President of the United States encouraged an angry mob to storm the United States Capitol to stop the counting of electoral votes, stated Kinzinger. This angry mob turned violent and caused destruction to our nations symbol of democracy. This insurrection led to countless injuries and the death of several people, including two of our U.S. Capitol Police Officers. Why do we celebrate Makar Sankranti 2021 on 14th Jan? Why did Bhishma waited for Uttarayan? Bhogi 2021: What bhogi means? How is it celebrated? 19-year-old woman going for holy dip on Makar Sankranti gangraped in Odisha Makaravilakku: Lakhs of Ayyappa devotees witness 'Makarajyothi' in Sabarimala adhering to COVID protocol India oi-Madhuri Adnal Sabarimala (Ker), Jan 14: Amid strict COVID-19 protocol, hundreds of devotees on Thursday offered prayers at the famous Lord Ayyappa temple here on the auspicious occasion of ''Makaravilakku'', marking the culmination of the over two-month-long pilgrimage. The hill temple, which used to witness a heavy rush on the occasion every year, was thronged by only a few pilgrims due to the strict safety guidelines in place in the wake of the virus outbreak. As per the government directive, only 5,000 pilgrims were permitted to climb the holy hills to offer prayers on the day, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) officials here said. Wearing face masks and carrying the customary ''irumudikettu'' (the traditional bundle a devotee brings to the shrine) over their heads, devotees gathered at the temple complex to have a glimpse of Lord Ayyappa, the presiding deity in the evening. Kerala: Lord Ayyappa's Sabarimala temple re-opens for Makaravilakku festival; Chief priest in quarantine The portals of the shrine was thrown open after the ''deeparadhana'' (arti), which was performed to the idol of Lord Ayyappa adorned with the holy jewels, ''Thiruvabharanam''. The jewels were brought here, moments before the ''arti'', in a ceremonial procession, which started its journey a couple of days earlier from the Pandalam palace, where, according to legend, Lord Ayyappa was born and spent his childhood. The ''Saranam Ayyappa'' chants intensified when the ''makara jyothi'', considered a divine light by devotees, flickered across the eastern horizon above the Ponnambalamedu soon after the arti. Police, health department and other agencies made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the final leg of the pilgrimage and to manage the crowd in compliance with the COVID protocols. Meanwhile, state Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran earlier said here that the Left government was prepared to extend all support for the developmentof Sabarimala. Indicating the fall in revenue collection at the hill temple, he said only Rs 16 crore was collected till Tuesday in this season compared to the revenue of Rs 260 crore last year. The minister also requested devotees to extend all help to the hill shrine. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 14) The close contacts of the Filipino domestic worker who tested positive for the new COVID-19 variant upon arrival in Hong Kong have not been found with the variant that is regarded as more transmissible, Health Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said on Thursday. The 30-year-old Filipina domestic worker came in contact with people from her hometown in Solana, Cagayan and Metro Manila before boarding her flight to Hong Kong on Dec. 22, where she was detected with the UK variant. "We were able to get samples from all of the contacts, both from Cagayan and in Manila. All were subjected to genome sequencing. Accordingly, based from the results, none appeared to have the variant," she told CNN Philippines. The whole genome sequencing conducted by the Philippine Genome Center is capable of detecting emerging variants in one test. The patient in Hong Kong is in stable condition and nearing the end of her mandatory quarantine period, Vergeire added. Officials on Wednesday confirmed the presence of the B.1.1.7. SARS-CoV-2 variant first reported in United Kingdom in the Philippines. The patient is a 29-year-old Filipino real estate agent from Kamuning in Quezon City who arrived in the country on Jan. 7 from the United Arab Emirates. He is currently in an isolation facility in Quezon City. Vergeire said his "very close contacts" are not showing symptoms related to COVID-19. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Good again. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images After eliminating all potato items from its menu this summer, Taco Bell has big news. It is sorry. It has heard you. The Taco Bell potatoes will come back. In July, the chain announced it was streamlining its offerings for the COVID era. Were clearing space on our menu to create a more efficient Taco Bell experience, the brand explained, as gently as possible, announcing that all potato items were getting the ax, along with the 7-Layer Burrito and the Nachos Supreme. (News of the death of the Mexican Pizza would arrive a few months later, in November.) The company tried to assure fans that it really was for the best. Change is hard, Taco Bell HQ acknowledged, but soon, customers would discover new favorites. Taco Bell tater aficionados did not take the news sitting down. It was an affront to vegetarians and vegans. In the meat-centric landscape of American fast food, Taco Bell stood out as a (relative) wonderland of vegetarian options. Swapping in beans for meat always seemed easy, wrote Vices Bettina Makalintal. Swapping potatoes in for meat seemed genius, like a secret you only knew if a stoner friend passed it along to you. Not that you had to be a vegetarian to appreciate them. Thats the thing about Taco Bells potatoes, and potatoes in general. Taco Bells potatoes, declared Gabe Bergado at Eater, are the building blocks to a number of scrumptious, underrated concoctions. They are the ponytail-and-glasses girl from the teen rom-com, he observed. By the end of the movie, the choice is clear: Its potatoes. Its always been potatoes. There was a Change.org petition to save the potatoes: Please sign if you have a heart, begged potato organizer Jenna Provencher. 2020 has been hard enough, I cant handle this. Help. A man in Missouri clung to one frozen Potato Soft, in hopes of preserving it for future generations. It worked. Today, Taco Bell promised that, as of March 11 (Tater Time), potatoes will be back on the menu. Its a new year, with new possibilities, says CEO Mark King, who stars in the Twitter announcement as a talking potato. Give us a minute to get them back to most restaurants, but know that were working hard to make things right. There is more news for vegetarians: At some point this year, the company will also start testing an as-yet-unspecified item using Beyond Meat. But alas, there remains no word on the state of the Mexican Pizza, veg friendly or otherwise. Eat like the experts. Sign up for the Grub Street newsletter. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. Chinas export dominance during the coronavirus pandemic is best reflected by the item thats become essential in protecting against the virus: face masks. Factories exported 224 billion of masks from March through December, equal to almost 40 masks for every person in the world outside of China, Li Kuiwen, an official from the General Administration of Customs, told reporters Thursday. The shipments were worth 340 billion yuan ($52 billion), which is about 2% of all Chinese exports in 2020. Also Read | Digital bank account sparks off a disruption Also Read | Digital bank account sparks off a disruption Chinese firms also exported almost 100 billion-yuan worth of other personal protective equipment, Li said. In total, exports of medical equipment and medicines rose 31% last year compared to 2019, he said. Demand for masks, hospital suits and gowns, ventilators and other pandemic-related goods was a key driver of Chinas record export performance in 2020, along with computers and other work-from-home equipment needed for locked-down populations around the world. With countries from the U.S. to Japan now battling new virus waves and re-imposing restrictions, sales of masks and other protective goods will only continue to soar. Demand for Chinas goods may remain strong in the next few months with the recent surge in Covid infections in the U.S. and Europe," according to Ding Shuang, chief China economist at Standard Chartered Plc in Hong Kong. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!! Topics NASA on January 12 informed that an upgraded SpaceX cargo Dragon spacecraft has successfully undocked from the International Space State (ISS) and is now heading for Splashdown on Earth on Thursday with key science experiments, including mice. According to a press release, it is the first undocking of a US commercial cargo craft from the International Docking Adapter on ISS space-facing port of the Harmony module. The Dragon will splash down west of Tampa off the Florida coast about 8:27pm EST, i.e, 6:57am Friday, in India. The press note read, Dragon will fire its thrusters to move a safe distance from the space station during the next 36 hours. On Wednesday, Jan. 13, Dragon will conduct a deorbit burn at 7:37 p.m. to begin its re-entry sequence into Earths atmosphere. Dragon is expected to splash down west of Tampa off the Florida coast about 8:27 p.m. The splashdown will not be broadcast. The Dragon capsule used for the mission contains double the powered locker availability of previous capsules, which allows for a significant increase in the research that can be carried back to Earth. Splashing down off the coast of Florida will enable quick transportation of the science aboard the capsule, delivering some science back into the hands of the researchers as soon as four to nine hours after splashdown. The shorter transportation timeframe will allow researchers to collect data with minimal loss of microgravity effect. Read: SpaceX's Starship Fires Three Raptor Engines Of SN9 Prototype For Historic Future Launch Read: SpaceX Rocket Launch Today, Find Out How To Watch The Rocket Launch SpaceX Cargo Dragon Spacecraft Dragon was launched back in December on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, arriving at the station just over 24 hours later and achieving the first autonomous docking of a US commercial cargo resupply spacecraft. The spacecraft had delivered microbes and crushed asteroid samples for a biomining study, rapid blood test results devices, and forty mice for bone and eye research among many other items in 6,400-pound (2,900-kilogram) shipment. NASA had informed that the Dragon spacecraft was filled with supplies and payloads, including critical materials to directly support more than 250 science and research investigations that will occur during Expeditions 64 and 65. It added, that the Dragons trunk transported the Nanoracks Bishop Airlock to transfer payloads between the inside and outside of the station. The airlock delivered by Dragon helped the astronauts onboard ISS in robotics testing, and satellite deployment, meanwhile serving as a space toolbox. Read: SpaceX Launches Nextgen Satellite For SiriusXM Read: SpaceX Rocket Launch For SXM-7 Mission Today, Here Is How To Watch SpaceX Launch Live Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 14:02:55|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JAKARTA, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready to strengthen strategic communication and exchanges across all levels in the post-COVID-19 era with Indonesia to inject positive energy into regional and world peace, stability and development, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said. Wang made the remarks while holding talks with Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi on Wednesday. Noting that last year marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Indonesia, Wang said the two heads of state had reached important consensus on joint fight against the pandemic and deepening of bilateral cooperation, providing strategic guidance for the development of the bilateral relations. China-Indonesia relations have stood the test of the pandemic, opening up new prospects, he added. Pointing out that vaccine cooperation has become a new highlight in bilateral relations and has shown the brotherly friendship between the two peoples, Wang called on the two sides to seek greater synergy between the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and Indonesia's vision of Global Maritime Fulcrum, well implement the construction of landmark projects such as the Jakarta-Bandung high speed railway, actively push for the building of the regional comprehensive economic corridor and help promote Indonesia's industrialization. China is willing to import more quality products from Indonesia and enable Indonesia to further share China's development opportunities, he added. China is willing to work with Indonesia to properly manage differences and jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, Wang said, adding that China is ready to actively advance the negotiations on the code of conduct in the South China Sea so as to send a clear signal that both sides have the wisdom and capability to address the regional issue, he said. The two countries have conducted fruitful cooperation during Indonesia's non-permanent membership of the UN Security Council, and China supported Indonesia in assuming the presidency of the Group of 20 (G20) in 2022, Wang said. China is also willing to strengthen communication and coordination with Indonesia to improve global governance and push globalization toward the universally-beneficial, open and win-win development, he said. Retno, for her part, said her country is ready to further deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership with China based on the development of bilateral ties in the past 70 years. She proposed that both sides launch consultation on action plans so as to reach consensus at an early date. She hoped that Indonesia can advance the cooperation with China in production of COVID-19 vaccines and traditional medicines so as to upgrade her country's health system capability and industrial capacity. Noting that her country wishes to set up a trade working group with China to facilitate Indonesia's exports of agricultural products to China, the Indonesian foreign minister hoped that Chinese enterprises will expand their investment in the Southeast Asian country. Retno said Indonesia is willing to strengthen the docking of the vision of Global Maritime Fulcrum and the Belt and Road Initiative, and deepen the cooperation between the two countries in the fields of navigation safety, environmental protection as well as maritime search and rescue, among others. The Indonesian foreign minister also hoped that peace and stability can be maintained in the South China Sea so as to ensure that it is a peaceful and stable sea. The two sides also had an in-depth exchange of views on international and regional issues of common concern. After their talks, they witnessed the signing of cooperation documents between the two countries. Enditem CHICAGO, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe: CBOE), a market operator and global trading solutions provider, today issued the following statement: The Cboe Global Markets Political Action Committee (PAC) is temporarily pausing all donations following the assault on the U.S. Capitol last week. Cboe believes respecting the outcome of free and fair elections is the hallmark of modern democracy and we deeply believe in the democratic principles inherent in our electoral process. We are reviewing our PAC contribution strategy to ensure it aligns with our values, which include honoring the democratic process and supporting progress on important issues in a bipartisan and collaborative manner. About Cboe Global Markets, Inc. Cboe Global Markets (Cboe: CBOE) provides cutting-edge trading and investment solutions to market participants around the world. The company is committed to defining markets through product innovation, leading edge technology and seamless trading solutions. The company offers trading across a diverse range of products in multiple asset classes and geographies, including options, futures, U.S., Canadian and European equities, exchange-traded products (ETPs), global foreign exchange (FX) and volatility products based on the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX Index), recognized as the world's premier gauge of U.S. equity market volatility. Cboe's subsidiaries include the largest options exchange and the third largest stock exchange operator in the U.S. In addition, the company operates one of the largest stock exchanges by value traded in Europe, and owns EuroCCP, a leading pan-European equities clearing house. Cboe also is a leading market globally for ETP listings and trading. The company is headquartered in Chicago with a network of domestic and global offices across the Americas, Europe and Asia, including main hubs in New York, London, Kansas City and Amsterdam. For more information, visit www.cboe.com. CBOE-C CBOE-O Cboe Cboe Volatility Index, VIX, and Cboe Global Markets are registered trademarks of Cboe Exchange, Inc. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. SOURCE Cboe Global Markets, Inc. Related Links http://www.cboe.com You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Catherine Gerety has become the first person in a Longford nursing home to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Catherines vaccine was the first Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine to be administered by vaccinators at Thomond Lodge Nursing Home, Ballymahon, Co Longford on Wednesday, January 13. Catherine said, I feel privileged to have been given the vaccine. I would ask everybody to please follow guidelines so that I can go home and see my family very soon. I have kept in touch on zoom and with many telephone calls. I would like to thank all of the staff who cared for us all. Even when things got hard, they always supported us. Catherine was given a HSE vaccine information leaflet, along with more detailed manufacturers patient information leaflet, before getting the vaccine. Afterwards, each person vaccinated was given a vaccine record card, showing the name and batch of the vaccine they have received. They will each return for their second dose, to be fully protected, in three weeks. Sarah McBride, Chief Officer of Midlands Louth Meath Community Healthcare Organisation said: This is a day of hope for a better future. It is a good day for the residents and staff of Thomond Lodge Nursing Home and we are delighted that we can start rolling out the vaccine for our community. I would particularly like to thank all of the healthcare workers in Midlands Louth Meath who worked tirelessly to make this day possible. "I would also like to thank healthcare staff, who have worked so hard at the frontline over the past year to protect our community from Covid-19 and support those who were affected by the virus. While today does offer us hope for a better future, it is important that we continue to adhere with all of necessary guidelines to keep safe while the vaccine is being rolled out over the coming weeks and months. "It is important to remember that by wearing a face covering, maintaining physical distancing and practising good hand hygiene, youre supporting frontline workers to maintain essential health services for the people of Midlands Louth Meath. Trish Ennis, Person in Charge of Thomond Lodge Nursing Home said: We are delighted to be receiving the vaccine today. The past year has been difficult at times for everyone here at Thomond Lodge. The vaccine is bringing us one step closer to normality once again. Importantly we are a step closer to our residents being reunited with their families after simply too long apart. The past year would not have been possible without our incredible crew of hard-working staff they have sacrificed so much in order to keep residents, colleagues and our community safe. My sincere thanks to them all, our local GPs, especially Dr Kenny and her team. The HSE Bernie Gavin and Deirdre Kavanagh thank you for your help, support and daily contact. Thank you to the families of our residents for their support. Thank you to the local community who were very supportive and whose many donations of treats to staff and residents, along with valuable PPE in the early days were so very much appreciated. Receiving the vaccine is an incredible opportunity, but I would urge people to keep following the Government guidelines. We are so close, yet so far, from where we need to be. Worldwide, vaccines save at least 2-3 million lives each year and protect many more from crippling and lifelong illnesses. Only Covid-19 vaccines that have been authorised by the European Medicines Agency, having met stringent safety and effectiveness standards, will be used in Ireland. All Covid-19 vaccines will be carefully monitored over time and updated safety data and information will be published and shared by the HSE, on our website and in our printed information materials. Everyone can find factual, up-to-date information, based on scientific evidence on: Closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High 'impacts our entire town' The Washington County Board of Education held a public hearing on the closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High School; the crowd pleaded against it. Hospitals across England are being told to open hundreds more intensive care beds so they can take in non-Covid patients from hotspot areas, it has emerged. A letter sent by NHS England bosses to dozens of trusts has ordered them to open the emergency capacity by tomorrow in a bid to take pressure off the worst-hit hospitals to keep vital treatment up and running. The letter, seen by the Health Service Journal, says transfers from the East and London will go to the largest Midlands trusts, who may be transferred to smaller trusts. If the Midlands starts to become overwhelmed then it may be able to transfer patients to Yorkshire and the North East. Patients in the South East will be moved into the central south and South West. Heath chiefs say the network approach is the most efficient way to share the burden and may keep travel distances shorter, meaning better safety for patients. Most hospitals have beds that go unused because there are not enough staff to man them. Covid social distancing rules have meant that more beds than normal were not allowed to be used. It comes as University Hospitals Birmingham Trust announced all kidney transplants had been paused and waiting lists suspended for two weeks to deal with Covid. The trust has had to redeploy hundreds of staff to the frontlines to man ICU wards amid the winter wave of Covid admissions. NHS England figures today also revealed that around one in five major hospital trusts in England had no spare adult critical care beds on January 10. Some 27 out of 140 acute trusts reported 100 per cent occupancy of all 'open' beds on January 10 the latest date for which statistics are available. Hospitals nationally are treating more Covid sufferers than they were in spring and NHS bosses have warned it will remain on the brink until at least February. But in a glimmer of hope, figures suggest hospital admissions for peaked in London and the South East just days after England's lockdown was imposed, suggesting the outbreak may have peaked before the national lockdown. And in the East of England they had started to level off by January 4. It comes as University Hospitals Birmingham Trust announced all kidney transplants had been paused and waiting lists suspended for two weeks to deal with Covid. The trust has had to redeploy hundreds of staff to the frontlines to man ICU wards amid the winter wave of Covid admissions Under the emergency plans, hospitals helping to share the burden of Covid will be allowed to go over their maximum bed capacity. But more staff will be needed to man the beds, so it's likely that planned operations and non-emergency care will be postponed even longer. Hospital admissions are FALLING across London and the South East and are slowing in the East Hospital admissions of Covid-19 patients peaked in London and the South East just days after England's lockdown was imposed, according to MailOnline's analysis of official figures. It suggests Tier Four was starting to bring down the epidemic, but perhaps not quickly enough. Department of Health statistics show daily admissions in the capital hit their high point on January 6 on day two of the shutdown when the seven-day average stood at 864. It dropped to 845 the following day. In the South East, hospitalisations also peaked on January 6 when they reached 662. And in the East of England which was plunged into the highest bracket of restrictions at the same time they had started to level off by January 4 but have not yet started to fall. The hospital admissions data also bolster claims that Tier Four thwarted the spread of the super-infectious mutant strain of the virus. But the measures weren't working fast enough to satisfy ministers, who called a drastic national shutdown just days into the new year in a last-ditch bid to send infections into a tailspin. It can take an infected patient weeks to fall severely ill and be rushed to hospital, meaning admissions will only start to tail off a fortnight after cases begin to drop. But even as admissions have slowed across the capital and in regions first plunged into the toughest bracket, the overall number of patients in hospital is still rising because the number of new cases needing treatment each day is still high. Almost 36,500 infected Britons were receiving NHS care in January 11 the most recent day figures are available for. Despite the glimmer of hope, which comes alongside falling infections, hospital admissions for patients suffering from the virus are also continuing to rise in the South West, North West, North East and Midlands. Britain's overall daily hospital admissions remain above the highest levels seen during the darkest days of the first wave and in the final month of last year. In London they stood at 150 at the beginning of December before soaring upwards, and never went above 750 in April. For the South East, they stood at 165 in December, and never moved above 330 in the first wave. Advertisement The letter, from the NHSE Midlands regional team, said there had been calls from national leaders for the region to surge beyond its own needs to support London and the East of England. There are currently 632 ICU beds in Midlands hospitals. Under the plans, this will be increased to 876. But as Midlands hospitals prepare to take in an even bigger influx of patients under the plans, a major trust in Birmingham has had to cancel vital organ transplants. The University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) have temporarily suspended kidney transplants due to the critical Covid-19 situation in the city The Renal Transplantation Team at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust announced all kidney transplants had been paused and waiting lists suspended for two weeks. The Trust, which runs Heartlands, Solihull, Good Hope, Queen Elizabeth, Solihull Community Services and the Birmingham Chest Clinic, has had to send 500 staff, including 200 doctors, to man ICU beds. The transplant team tweeted: 'Due to the critical situation with COVID-19 in our area, we are temporarily suspending our waiting list patients for 14 days and pausing kidney transplantation in Birmingham. 'We will keep this under regular review and update when we have more information.' UHB is currently treating more than 800 Covid-positive patients and has stopped all but the most time-critical surgery while it deals with the overflow. Dr Brian McKaig, deputy chief medical officer for The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, told Birmingham Live: 'It is exceptionally busy at New Cross Hospital. 'We are very used to looking after critically ill patients, but we are now having to increase our intensive care capacity up to 200 per cent to cope with the volume of very, very sick people coming into hospital.' It comes as a top NHS chief warned the number of coronavirus infections, hospitalisations, admissions to intensive care and deaths is going to keep rising in the UK for weeks, with the peak not hitting until next month. Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, said he expects pressure to spike and begin to tail off in February because the third lockdown does not appear to be working as quickly as the one in spring, he claimed. He warned a health and social care committee of MPs yesterday: 'It is pretty clear the infection rate is not going to go down as quickly as it did in the first phase. 'We were hoping for a sharp peak that came sooner and shorter. So something for example where we saw the peak and started to crest it in mid to late January. 'It now looks like the peak for NHS demand may actually now be in February. Now if thats right thats going to basically mean theres a higher level, and a more extended period of pressure on the NHS than we were expecting even just a week ago.' A wave of admissions was now hitting the East of England into the Midlands, the North West and South West, after London, the South East and the East bore the brunt of the winter wave. 'That's a particular worry because trusts in the Midlands and the North have got significant numbers of patients still in hospital from the second surge.' NHS waiting list for routine ops hits record high with 4.46million people now in need of hospital treatment, 'calamitous' figures reveal The NHS waiting list for routine operations has surged to record levels amid rising admissions of coronavirus patients, 'calamitous' figures reveal. NHS England data published today shows 4.46million people were waiting for routine ops like joint replacements or cataract surgery in England by December. Of them, almost 200,000 had been on the list for more than a year, the highest number since records began in 2007 and 140 times more than in 2019. For comparison, there were a total of 4.42million patients on the waiting in 2019, and 4.45million the year before. There were just 1,398 people waiting a year or longer last year. Separate figures, also published today by the NHS, showed critical care units were 40 per cent more full in the second week of January than last year. Almost 800 patients were forced to wait in ambulances for more than an hour in hospital car parks before being admitted to emergency wards. Top medics said today's figures paint a picture of the 'calamitous impact' of the pandemic on the health service and warned a 'huge, hidden waiting list' was building up during lockdown. It comes amid mounting warnings that hospitals could be overwhelmed by admissions of Covid-19 patients, which spiralled in December and early January. But in a glimmer of hope, figures released by the Government appear to suggest hospitalisations in London and the South East have peaked - in an early sign the second wave could be beginning to lose steam. Total admissions remain high, however, with the University Hospitals Birmingham trust saying today it would suspend kidney transplants due to Covid admissions. Reacting to the findings today, Dr Nick Scriven, former president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: 'This data shows exactly how dire things are with millions of people waiting to start hospital treatment and 330,000 people waiting more than six weeks for key diagnostic tests, so the effects of Covid-19 will been seen for years to come and the impact on many individuals could be irreparable. 'But what is of particular note and concern for us in urgent care is that the attendances at emergency departments were higher than the peak in April and this data is well before the effects of the current wave will be seen - and this is against a backdrop of many hospitals being at capacity now. 'So whether you look at the here and now or the future, the challenges are truly daunting. Professor Neil Mortensen, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said: 'Todays figures show the calamitous impact of Covid-19 on wait times for operations. 'In November, a record number of patients were waiting for hospital treatment. 'For thousands of people in this country, a corrective operation is the best way to relieve debilitating pain and get them back up on their feet, back to work and enjoying life again. 'Many of us were complaining about the pain of the lockdown restrictions in November. 'However, we should remember all those people waiting for an operation, who had their physical pain to deal with, on top of the pain of lockdown.' NHS England data shows 27 per cent fewer patients were admitted for routine treatment during November 2020 compared to last year. Some 222,180 went ahead with their scheduled ops, down from the previous 303,193. Some 4,385 patients were in critical care beds by the second week of January this year, over a thousand more patients than the 3,111 recorded in the same week last year. It left around one in five major hospitals in England without any spare capacity in their critical wards on January 10. Some 27 out of 140 reported 100 per cent occupancy of all 'open' beds at this time - the latest date for which statistics are available. These included University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, which had all 147 beds filled; Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (all 75 beds); Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust (all 66 beds) and Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust in London (all 51 beds). Ambulances also faced longer waiting times before discharging their patients. There were 788 waiting outside hospitals for more than an hour in the second week of January, compared to 600 the year before. In 2019 figures show 396 ambulances had to wait more than an hour, and in 2018 there were 374. University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust had the highest number of patients waiting for at least 30 minutes (780), followed by London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (372) and University Hospitals Leicester Trust (360). In Accident and Emergency (A&E) a further 9,267 patients had to wait for between 30 and 60 minutes before being handed over to NHS staff at hospitals, the highest weekly figure so far. Overall, nearly 15,000 patients waited at least half an hour to be transferred to hospitals in the week to January 10. A&E department figures, however, showed a fall in the total number of admissions in December 2020, although it is not clear whether this was still the case by January. They dropped 18 per cent in December 2020 after 460,260 total admissions, compared to 560,795 at the same time in the previous year. Attendances also fell compared to a year ago. A total of 1.5 million attendances were recorded in December 2020, down 32 per cent from 2.2 million in December 2019. NHS England said the fall is 'likely to be a result of the Covid-19 response' suggesting that people are still staying away from A&E because of the pandemic. Professor Powis, NHS national medical director, said: 'The NHS has cared for nearly a quarter of a million covid-positive patients already, who collectively spent more than two million nights in hospital, while also keeping emergency care running. 'These figures are a stark reminder that the NHS is facing an exceptionally tough challenge, and that while still millions of people are getting care for non-covid health problems in the NHS in England indeed for every covid patient in hospital, the NHS is treating three people for other conditions. 'There is no doubt that services will continue to be under additional pressure until and unless this virus is under control, which is why its so important that everyone practises social distancing and follows national guidance.' Mr Ashworth, Labours Shadow Health and Social Care Secretary, said the figures showed the 'alarming and sustained pressure the NHS has been under for months now - impacting all areas of treatment'. 'Hospitals are struggling to deliver urgent care in the most difficult of circumstances, while over 190,000 people have now been waiting over a year for treatment. 'Years of underfunding, bed cuts and understaffing left our NHS exposed when the Coronavirus epidemic hit us. 'It is vital that we now have a Herculean effort to roll out at least two million vaccines a week, with NHS staff vaccinations completed in the next week, to ease pressure on our NHS.' New Delhi: Melania Trump, The first lady of the United States and wife of President Donald Trump has finally shifted to White House after spending five months in Trump Tower penthouse in New York. The family of Donald Trump, wife Melania along with the 11-year-old son, Barron joined him in the White House. She had stayed in Trump Tower after Donald Trumps inauguration in January so that their son Barron could complete his school. Trump and Melanias son Barron become the first boy to live in the White House after three-year-old John F. Kennedy Jr. in 1963. He will attend a private school in Maryland in the autumn. Looking forward to the memories well make in our new home! The first lady of America tweeted on Sunday night. Looking forward to the memories we'll make in our new home! #Movingday pic.twitter.com/R5DtdV1Hnv Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) June 12, 2017 Melania moving in with President Trump will also ease the burden on the secret service and New York Police, who was posted in her security to ensure the safety of Trumps family. It is estimated that the Police protection to Presidents family was costing the city up to $1 million a day. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. [January 14, 2021] Berkadia Acquires Moran & Company's Apartment Brokerage Practice to Further Expand Its Institutional Investment Sales Capabilities Berkadia announced today the acquisition of the apartment brokerage practice of Moran & Company, expanding Berkadia's core capabilities to include an enhanced focus on institutional investment sales. The partnership will launch Berkadia Institutional Solutions, powered by Moran, a platform dedicated to serving institutional investors nationally through Berkadia's robust suite of services and resources combined with Moran's strong institutional investor relationships, built on trust, client service and collaboration. "This is a tremendous day not just for the Berkadia and Moran teams, but most importantly for our clients-the primary focus in everything we do," said Berkadia CEO Justin Wheeler. "We remain optimistic about the future of multifamily and are committed to building the most robust CRE platform in the country, powered by the best talent in our industry. There's no team more experienced or respected in the institutional sales space than Moran. Together, we will transform apartment institutional investment sales nationally, offering our clients industry leading advice, resources and support to create new opportunities and better outcomes for long-term success." Moran Co-Chairman Mary Ann King will be joining Berkadia as Co-Head of Investment Sales and Head of Berkadia Institutional Solutions, powered by Moran, working together with Keith Misner, SVP and now Co-Head of Investments Sales, to lead the integration of the entire 31-member Moran team, including 15 dedicated institutional sales advisors, into Berkadia. The commercial real estate industry has witnessed record-breaking private real estate equity fundraising in the past few years, with $83 billion raised in 2019 and $23 billion through June 2020 according to Preqin. The sector continues to gain favor with investors as it provides an opportunity to hedge risk and enhance portfolio diversification. Multifamily real estate in particular has demonstrated impressive resilience, coupled with long-term income growth and liquidity characteristics, generating attractive risk-adjusted returns over the past 25 years according to the NCREIF Property Index (NPI). Moran's 25-year legacy in multifamily investment sales, with a specialized focus on institutional investors, will complement Berkadia's existing investment sales, mortgage banking and servicing platforms, delivering greater access to fully integrated commercialreal estate solutions. "At Moran, we're incredibly proud of our legacy, but always thinking ahead to how we can better anticipate-and answer-our clients' long-term needs. In joining Berkadia, we're doing just that," said Thomas F. Moran, Founder and Co-Chairman of Moran & Company. "Like us, Berkadia is privately-owned and shares our client-centric and collaborative mindset, our focus on people, and our commitment to integrity and excellence." "Moran's team culture and client-focused approach has enabled us to build one of the best apartment institutional sales platforms in the business," said King. "Now, as Berkadia Institutional Solutions, powered by Moran, we'll truly be a fully integrated platform with a national presence for our clients, providing them with actionable insights, industry expertise and technology, supported by a full suite of capital markets resources, to maximize their long-term success. We're energized and excited to move forward together at Berkadia and execute our shared vision for the future." In the past two years, Berkadia has executed several other strategic acquisitions aimed at broadening the firm's depth of expertise and enhancing the firm's comprehensive offerings, including the: Acquisition of Central Park Capital Partners, which launched Berkadia's Joint Venture Equity & Structured Capital Group; Addition of a tax credit syndication and advisory platform with the integration of Riverside Capital into Berkadia Affordable; and Acquisition of LIHTC Advisors, a brokerage firm dedicated to providing full-service solutions for apartment investors and focusing on Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and other affordable housing properties. Additionally, the organization has attracted elite talent across the country, including New York City, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Dallas, Seattle, Indianapolis, Denver, St. Louis, Southern California, Orlando, Richmond and Birmingham, and within specialty categories, such as Affordable Housing, Hotels & Hospitality, HUD and Student Housing. About Berkadia: Berkadia, a joint venture of Berkshire Hathaway and Jefferies Financial Group, is a leader in the commercial real estate industry, offering a robust suite of services to our multifamily and commercial property clients. Through our integrated mortgage banking, investment sales and servicing platform, Berkadia delivers comprehensive real estate solutions for the entire life cycle of our clients' assets. To learn more about Berkadia, please visit www.berkadia.com. 2021 Berkadia Proprietary Holding LLC. Berkadia is a registered trademark of Berkadia Proprietary Holding LLC. Commercial mortgage loan banking and servicing businesses are conducted exclusively by Berkadia Commercial Mortgage LLC and Berkadia Commercial Mortgage Inc. Investment sales / real estate brokerage business is conducted exclusively by Berkadia Real Estate Advisors LLC and Berkadia Real Estate Advisors Inc. This advertisement is not intended to solicit commercial mortgage loan brokerage business in Nevada. In California, Berkadia Commercial Mortgage LLC conducts business under CA (News - Alert) Finance Lender & Broker Lic. #988-0701, Berkadia Commercial Mortgage Inc. under CA Real Estate Broker Lic. #01874116, and Berkadia Real Estate Advisors Inc. under CA Real Estate Broker Lic. # 01931050. Tax credit syndication business is conducted exclusively by Berkadia Affordable Tax Credit Solutions. For state licensing details for the above entities, visit: http://www.berkadia.com/legal/licensing.aspx View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005629/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Many centuries ago, a man named Arius stirred major controversy in the church with his claim: Jesus Christ was created and finite, not of equal divinity with the Father. This became known as the heresy of Arianism. However, repudiation and rejection of his claim did not come easily. Even today, we may find ourselves falling into Arianism. What Is Arianism? The fundamental issue at stake in Arianism is whether or not Jesus the Son and God the Father are coeternal and equal in deity. Traditional Arianism holds that Jesus was created by God as the first act of creation. A letter from the late fourth century Arian bishop of Milan, Auxentius, states, One true God alone unbegotten, without beginning, without end, eternal, exalted, sublime, excellent, most high creator, epitome of all excellence... who, being alone did create and beget, make and establish, an only-begotten God [Christ]. In his Four Discourses Against the Arians, Athanasius reports that Arius stated, God was not always a Father Once God was alone, and not yet a Father, but afterwards He became a Father. The Son was not always [He was] made out of nothing, and once He was not. In simpler terms, Arianism states that Jesus was created by the Father and that He is not of the same substance or nature as the Father (anomoios). Instead, Jesus is a finite, created being. Where Did Arianism Come From? Arianism sprang up during the early fourth century in Egypt, during the rule of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, the first Roman emperor to support Christianity. Arianism is named after Arius, a Christian priest in the late third and early fourth century. Arius supposedly learned his doctrine from a presbyter from Antioch by the name of Lucius. Arius ideas spread in Alexandria where he served as a deacon. Though Arius career was rocky, he and his followers had significant influence in the Alexandrian schools, and the ideas soon spread around the eastern Mediterranean. Arius theological songs and poems from his book, Thalia, were sung by laborers and travelers, serving to spread his ideas even further. Prominent church leaders began accepting these beliefs, or ideas similar to them, including Eusebius of Nicomedia, an influential bishop who was a close counselor to Emperor Constantine. Who Was Arius? Arius was born sometime around 250 A.D. in Libya. He taught in the area of Alexandria and was appointed as a deacon there by the bishop, Peter. Arius was briefly excommunicated, but he reconciled with Peters successor, Achillas, and attained the position of presbyter. True to pattern, Arius fell out with the new bishop, Alexander, and in 321 was denounced in a local synod for heterodox teaching. However, Arius ideas proved so widespread and so worrisome that Emperor Constantine decided the church leaders needed to get together and talk it out. The First Council of Nicaea resulted, in which around three hundred bishops were summoned from throughout the Roman Empire to settle the matter, traveling from as far as the British Isles. For several weeks in 325 A.D., the bishops discussedand argued aboutvarious points of doctrine and practice, most prominently about Arius teachings. This served as the first ecumenical council. Finally, they decided upon a creed that they all would sign. The creed stated: We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten from the Father, only-begotten, that is, from the substance of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of one substance with the Father, through Whom all things came into being, things in heaven and things on earth... But as for those who say, There was when He was not, and, Before being born He was not, and that He came into existence out of nothing, or who assert that the Son of God is of a different hypostasis or substance, or created, or is subject to alteration or changethese the Catholic and apostolic Church anathematizes. Essentially, Arius view was declared anathema. Arius refused to sign the creed and was thus exiled. However, influential supporters like Constantines sister lobbied for Arius return from exile. He was allowed to return provided he sign a compromise, but before he could do so, he collapsed and died in the streets of Constantinople in 336. Why Is Arianism Wrong? Arianism has been roundly rejected by the Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox churches. But what was so wrong about Arius ideas? Arianism devalued Jesus and demoted Him from full Godhood. There are several passages that refute the ideas of Arianism. We will explore a few below. John 1:1-3 states, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made (emphasis added). In this passage, Jesus is the Word. These verses clearly tell us that Jesus was there in the beginning, not only with God but, in fact, as God. It also states that nothing was made without Him; thus, He could not be a created being. Both of these points refute Arianism. In John 8:58, Jesus declared, Before Abraham was born, I am! This isnt a case of Jesus using bad grammar. Rather, this Hebrew phrase I am was the one God gave as His personal Name to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3). Jesus was declaring Himself God, the great I Am. Furthermore, through I Am, Jesus revealed His eternal am, His eternal existence. Notably, the Jews with Him recognized Jesus claim of Godhood and picked up stones to stone Him for blasphemy, but He slipped away. In yet another example, in John 10:30, Jesus proclaimed, I and the Father are one. Jesus is truly God. Arianism robs Him of the glory and worship He deserves. Do People Still Believe in Arianism Today? Official church doctrines in Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox denominations dont embrace Arianism. However, misunderstandings of the Bible can lead to Arianism. The topic of the Trinity and the complexity of the relationship between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are concepts the wisest theologians have wrestled with for centuries. Due to this, sometimes it can be easier to set apart Jesus and God as two separate beings in our minds and set aside His Godhood. However, this is not accurate to reality. Religions like Mormonism and Jehovahs Witnesses also subscribe to Christological ideologies similar to Arianism, reducing Jesus to a lesser being than God the Father. Because of these possible confusions, the creed created in 325 was expanded in 381 to create what we now call the Nicene Creed: I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made. Who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the quick and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end. And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life; who proceeds from the Father and the Son; who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; who spoke by the prophets. And I believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins; and I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen. Largely because of Arius and his heresy, we now have this succinct and poetic explanation of the Christian faith. Though Arianism no longer plagues the church, it serves to remind us of Jesus divine nature, and the true wonder that God would become man in order to save us. More Resources: 5 Verses Proving Arianism Is a Dangerous Heresy Even Today What is Arianism? Arianism: The First Great Christian Heresy? Photo credit: GettyImages/BrianAJackson Alyssa Roat studied writing, theology, and the Bible at Taylor University. She is a literary agent at C.Y.L.E., the publicity manager at Mountain Brook Ink, and a freelance editor with Sherpa Editing Services. She is the co-author of Dear Hero and has 200+ bylines in publications ranging from The Christian Communicator to Keys for Kids. Find out more about her here and on social media @alyssawrote. Current drill results continue to reflect expected expansion and upgrade of the current resource and continues to intersect abundant visible gold Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2021) - Cerrado Gold Inc. ("Cerrado" or the "Company") is very pleased to announce drill results from six (6) drill holes from its ongoing 17,000-metre definition drilling program at the Serra Alta deposit, at its Monte do Carmo ("MDC") Project located in Tocantins State, Brazil. The drill results highlighted in this release are from drill holes FSA93 thru 98, with more drill results to be announced as assays are made available over the next few months. This release follows the initial release of the results from FSA94 in December 2020 (December 16, 2020) of 105 metres grading 3.48g Au/t. Drill Hole Highlights: FSA94 (remainder of the hole from 234.02 to 487.53 metres E.O.H.) From 290.48m TO 309.50m, true thickness 19.02m at 1.92g Au/t including 301.20m to 309.50m, true thickness 8.30m at 3.97g Au/t FSA95 From 206.35m TO 219.22m, true thickness 9.98m at 2.26g Au/t including 208.37m to 211.43m, true thickness 2.37m at 4.78g Au/t FSA97 From 299.68m TO 318.10m, true thickness 12.84m at 1.25g Au/t including 3.48m to 318.10m, true thickness 3.48m at 2.38g Au/t FSA98 From 156.00m TO 172.00m, true thickness 11.15m at 1.53g Au/t including 169.00m to 172.00m, true thickness 2.09m at 4.48g Au/t Mark Brennan, Co-Chairman and CEO, commented, "We are highly encouraged that our initial drill results continue to support our expectation of significantly expanding and upgrading the known resource at Serra Alta. To date, we are seeing longer intercepts and many more occurrences of visible gold than we saw in our very successful previous drilling campaign. We expect the results from these holes and additional results to support the Company's target to grow the resource at Serra Alta to our 1.5MM ounce target by the end of March 2021. In addition, ongoing surface mapping and other work continues to develop additional regional targets within the same analogous geological setting to expand the overall resource potential on the expansive Monte Do Carmo property." Investors are cautioned that this resource target is conceptual in nature at this time and there has been insufficient exploration to define a new mineral resource. The drill results reported in this press release were received on December 28th, 2020 thru January 8th, 2021 and represent the remaining results of drill hole (FSA94) from 234.02m through 487.53 metres and complete results for FSA 93, 95, 96, 97 and 98. The results indicate that the drill holes have been successful in confirming and expanding the mineralization. Cerrado's ongoing phase I drill program is targeting 17,000-metres and will be completed by the end of March, 2021. The drill holes intersected broad zones of hydrothermal alteration with abundant points of visible gold. The alteration is typical for the Serra Alta deposit, including an abundance of quartz veinlets, potassic, chloritic and sulphides (py, spl, and gal) with visible gold. To date, the bulk of the drill results reported fall within the pit boundary outlined by the National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") on the current resources defined at the Serra Alta deposit at its Monte do Carmo gold project in Tocantins State, Brazil. The PEA delivered an after tax NPV 5% at $1,550/oz gold of $432MM. Drill Hole Location Map To view an enhanced version of this map, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6997/72038_8a9a7ceeb438c88d_002full.jpg Drilling The first phase of the current drill program at Serra Alta, which began at the end of October 2020, follows the success of the 2018 drill program which resulted in a maiden NI43-101 compliant resource estimate of an inferred resource totaling 813,000 oz of gold contained within 13,639,000 tonnes grading 1.85 g/t Au, with an effective date of December 5, 2018. This new Phase I program is expected to consist of approximately 17,000 metres of drilling; mainly step-out and downdip to define additional ounces and will include a modest amount of infill drilling to upgrade a portion of the resource base to the Measured and Indicated resource categories focusing on the known Serra Alta deposit. The Serra Alta deposit is 1.5 kilometres long and remains open along strike and at depth and represents only the first of 4 known targets which are targeted to grow the resource on the overall Monte Do Carmo project land package. The drilling and supporting assay results will build upon the success of Cerrado's previous drill program. Cerrado is targeting to define a resource between 1.2 million and 1.6 million ounces at an average grade of between 1.5 g Au/t to 2.0 g Au/t. Cerrado expects this program to be completed by end of March 2021. Investors are cautioned that this resource target is conceptual in nature at this time and there has been insufficient exploration to define a new mineral resource. Tables 1 summarizes the drill hole information. Table 2 summarizes the significant assay results. Table 1. Drill hole information Hole_ID Easting Northing Elevation DEPTH (m) dip () Azimuth FSA-93 820,747.43 8,810,385.00 673.01 427.75 -65.47 110 FSA-94 820,573.63 8,810,318.23 570.56 487.53 -33.57 110 FSA-95 820,701.24 8,810,395.24 672.75 274.46 -63.61 110 FSA-96 820,457.94 8,809,561.10 548.19 385.71 -55.39 110 FSA-97 820,778.50 8,810,436.56 663.56 427.57 -65.86 110 FSA-98 820,680.24 8,810,456.59 672.12 397.37 -64.91 110 Table 2. Drill Hole Composites CERRADO GOLD DDH From To True Width (m) Au (g/t) FSA-94 and 257.30 261.42 4.12 1.29 FSA-94 includes 258.29 261.42 3.13 1.40 FSA-94 and 290.48 309.50 19.02 1.92 FSA-94 includes 301.20 309.50 8.30 3.97 FSA-94 and 332.84 334.49 1.65 5.28 FSA-94 and 367.08 368.38 1.30 0.66 FSA-93 327.92 329.00 0.84 0.93 FSA-95 183.90 184.90 0.78 3.31 FSA-95 and 206.35 219.22 9.98 2.26 FSA-95 includes 208.37 211.43 2.37 4.78 FSA-96 189.91 191.10 1.01 1.74 FSA-96 and 197.20 198.24 0.88 4.68 FSA-96 and 201.20 202.14 0.80 1.00 FSA-96 and 228.68 230.57 1.60 5.05 FSA-96 and 282.18 283.28 0.93 1.06 FSA-97 225.44 226.45 0.70 0.72 FSA-97 and 233.04 234.15 0.77 1.00 FSA-97 and 253.30 254.50 0.84 0.77 FSA-97 and 272.10 276.00 2.72 2.36 FSA-97 and 299.68 318.10 12.84 1.25 FSA-97 includes 299.68 302.69 2.10 2.57 FSA-97 includes 313.10 318.10 3.48 2.38 FSA-98 156.00 172.00 11.15 1.53 FSA-98 includes 162.00 163.00 0.70 5.71 FSA-98 includes 169.00 172.00 2.09 4.48 FSA-98 and 193.00 195.00 1.39 3.14 FSA-98 and 286.09 286.89 0.56 10.70 Quality Assurance and Quality Control Analytical work was carried out by ALS international lab (ALS). The facilities of the prep lab are located in Goiania, Brazil 835 km from MDC and alternatively in Belo Horizonte, Brazil 1,110 Km from the MDC project. MDC sends out their samples to ALS international labs (ALS) with the prep lab located in Goiania or alternatively in Belo Horizonte. ALS lab sends the prepared aliquots for analytical assay to their lab in Lima, Peru where the prepared samples are systematically analyzed for gold (ppm) by fire assay (Au-AA24) or gold (ppm) by metallic screen (Au-SCR24)). Randomly the ICP (Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) is done for trace elements in 4 acids (hydrofluoric, perchloric, nitric and hydrochloric) digestion (ME-MS-61). ALS has routine quality control procedures which ensure that every batch of samples includes three sample repeats and at least two commercial standards and two blanks. Cerrado used standard QA/QC procedures, when inserting reference standards and blanks, for the drilling program. The Reference material used are from CDN Resource Laboratories Ltd. and ITAK (Instituto de Tecnologia August Kekule Ltda.) Brazilian supplier included in the batches following MDC internal protocols. Review of Technical Information The scientific and technical information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Robert Campbell, P.Geo., Vice President, Exploration for Cerrado Gold Inc., who is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101. For further information please contact Mark Brennan CEO and Co Chairman Tel: +1-647-796-0023 www.cerradogold.com About Cerrado Gold Cerrado Gold is a private gold production and exploration company with gold production derived from its 100% owned Minera Don Nicolas mine in Santa Cruz province, Argentina. The company is also undertaking exploration at its 100% owned Monte Do Carmo project located in Tocantins, Brazil. For more information about Cerrado Gold please visit our website at www.cerradogold.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/72038 You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Eaton, N.Y. Ernest Chaney was found unconscious in a pool of oil and his own blood. The 63-year-old man was ambushed in September 1958 in his Eaton, Madison County gas station walloped in the head, robbed and left grievously wounded in the middle of the night inside his store, troopers said. He died 10 days later in a Syracuse hospital. And 62 years later, despite an investigation that has spanned more than half a century, Chaneys death remains unsolved. The New York State Police have asked the public for help discovering who killed Chaney. Its the second time in five years troopers have sought information about the cold case. Ernest Chaney, 63, was beaten to death while working at the Gulf Service gas station on Route 20 in Eaton, Madison County on Sept. 22, 1958. This clipping from Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard's archives shows a story published the day after his death.Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard archives No new developments have been made since state police last requested tips in 2016, said Trooper Jack Keller, a state police spokesman. Chaney does not appear to have any surviving relatives, he said. The deadly beating happened on Sept. 22, 1958, at the Gulf Service station on Route 20 west of Route 46. While the store is no longer in business, troopers say remnants of the gas station still remain. Chaney went outside to help a customer around 1 a.m. He was adding oil to the engine of an east-facing car parked on the north side of the gas pumps when he was attacked from behind, troopers said. Chaney was clubbed nine times in the back of the head with a blunt object, troopers said. His attacker then took his wallet which held about $80 and fled, troopers said. Nothing else was stolen from the Gulf station after the assault. Ernest Chaney, 63, was beaten to death while working at the Gulf Service gas station on Route 20 in Eaton, Madison County on Sept. 22, 1958. Over 60 years later, his murder remains unsolved. This crime scene photo, released by the New York State Police, shows what the Gulf Service station, which is no longer in business, looked like at the time.New York State Police About 30 minutes later, a driver stopped at the station for gas. The Gulf stations lights were on, troopers said, but no one came outside to fill his tank. So the driver went inside to look for an attendant. The man heard moaning when he entered the store, troopers said. He followed the sound and found Chaney on the floor of an oil storage room unconscious and surrounded by blood and oil, according to troopers and Syracuse.com | The Post-Standards archives. Chaney was taken to Community Memorial Hospital in Hamilton. He was later transferred to the former Syracuse Memorial Hospital, where he died 10 days later, never having regained consciousness. The weapon used to kill Chaney has not been found. Ernest Chaney, 63, was beaten to death while working at the Gulf Service gas station on Route 20 in Eaton, Madison County on Sept. 22, 1958. Over 60 years later, his murder remains unsolved. This crime scene photo, released by the New York State Police, shows the service station room where Chaney was found.New York State Police Before his death, Chaney had lived in the Eaton area for 23 years, acording to Syracuse.com | The Post-Standards archives. He was buried at Morrisville Cemetery. Troopers have spent decades seeking justice for Chaney. Many leads were followed up on during that time period and the case has remained open, state police said in a news release. Several interviews of potential witnesses have been completed throughout the years. However, this homicide has never been solved. Troopers have asked anyone with information about the case to call (315) 366-6000. Staff writer Samantha House covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? Reach her at shouse@syracuse.com. California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development opening office in Yerevan US Department of State issues statement on detention of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces Armenia 1st President says Aliyev is certain that Pashinyan won't win elections and is trying to get all that he can UN calls for $ 95 million in aid to Palestinians Twitter is concerned about safety of its employees in India Artsakh hero: Impotent and perhaps also treacherous authorities of Armenia need to be removed from power immediately France MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to show maximum restraint Azerbaijani attacks Russia citizen of Armenian descent in Moscow Armenia acting MOD provides President with information about capture of Armenian servicemen Lithuania MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to go to de-escalation of situation and pull out troops Russian Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia acting FM resigns Acting Deputy FM: Armenia reserves itself the right to take necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity China speaks on dark history of US intelligence in connection with Biden's order Netanyahu slams hypocritical and deceitful moralizing statements of French FM Turkish authorities issues new arrest warrant for mafia after his scandalous revelations of Erdogan's entourage EU-Armenia Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security holds 11th Meeting Armenia acting PM deletes statement on Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers "being intertwined" from Facebook post 6 Armenian soldiers captured: situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border is tense, May 27 digest Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff deputy chief explains difficulties with settlement of border with Azerbaijan UN: Israeli forces may have committed war crimes during 11-day war with Hamas Nikol Pashinyan presents plan for resolving border situation Dollar gains value in Armenia Opposition party leader: Armenia Security Council to convene session with heads of parliamentary factions this evening His Holiness Karekin II receives newly appointed UK Ambassador to Armenia Greece and Turkey FMs to meet in Athens Armenia acting PM says he will present plan for peaceful solution to border situation very soon Armenia Parliament Speaker sends letters to counterparts of partnering legislatures Zarif: Iran welcomes willingness of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tension Armenia acting Deputy MOD on news about soldiers being ordered to not open fire ANCA calls on US Congress to block financing of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Armenia to allocate lands in Syunik Province to Russian border guards Armenia Armed Forces General Staff deputy chief: We can destroy all Azerbaijani soldiers who invaded territory Armenian advocates file lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan Army general staff deputy chief: About 1,000 Azerbaijan soldiers are illegally in Armenia Army general staff: Armed forces can capture Azerbaijani soldiers who marched into Armenia Armenia legislature approves several amendments to laws Armenian opposition MP: Villages mentioned by ruling bloc's deputy are Armenia's buffer zone Armenia Gegharkunik Province villager to acting PM: Over 50% of our pastures are now under Azerbaijan control Armenia Kotayk Province has new governor Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US ambassador, discusses border situation NEWS.AM BREAKING: 6 Armenian soldiers are captured by Azerbaijan military in early morning European Council head says process of implementing sanctions against Belarus is launched Armenia acting MOD leaves for Moscow Armenia President, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces discuss current situation on border Armenia acting PM to residents of borderline village: If we cede our border, Azerbaijanis will get more excited Armenia MOD not confirming reports about Azerbaijan firing shots at Tavush Province Ex-President Kocharyan meets with Yerevan residents, "Armenia" bloc members (PHOTOS) Armenia petitions to European Court to ensure fundamental human rights of 6 soldiers captured by Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier: We need to unite in this situation Serj Tankian makes statement on Azerbaijans displayed horrific racism Man detained in US for intending to commit attempt on Biden Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD continues disseminating disinformation Erdogan to visit Baku and Shushi Two Armenia legislature committees to hold closed joint meeting regarding tense situation on Azerbaijan border Holy Etchmiadzin on capture of Armenia soldiers: Such behavior of Azerbaijan authorities is strongly condemnable Gegharkunik Province village border area situation very tense, says Armenia enlarged community leader Armenia opposition MP: Shots are heard Gegharkunik Province Armenian National Congress party electoral list is announced Armenia MFA: Azerbaijan leadership bears responsibility for consequences of actions by its armed forces Opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament demands convening Security Council special session 140 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Acting premier: Our servicemen were abducted from Armenia territory Armenia MOD announces names of 6 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan military early morning Armenia parliament majority leader to CSTO: Our international partners do not call it like it is Armenia parliament manages to have quorum in 2nd attempt World oil prices falling Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan popularity rating consistently drops over the past week Newspaper: Russia peacekeepers commander does not return from Azerbaijan with encouraging news for Armenia MOD: 6 Armenia soldiers are surrounded, captured by Azerbaijan military early morning William Shakespeare, 1st man in world to get approved coronavirus vaccine, dies aged 81 Spain Congress of Deputies committee accepts pro-Armenian motion Ex-PM comments on double-digit growth in Armenia economy Facebook calls Russia, Iran leading purveyors of disinformation Erdogan says meeting with Biden will mark 'start of new era' in relations with Washington Armenia acting Deputy PM on creation of third high-voltage electric communication line with Iran Vladimir Zaynetdinov: CSTO has taken note of application submitted by Armenia acting PM Armenia's Pashinyan says addressing UN Security Council not ruled out Armenia acting FM: International pressure on Azerbaijan is growing Netanyahu tells Blinken that Israel is against reopening US consulate for Palestinians 23 political parties and 4 alliances apply to Armenia Central Electoral Commission ahead of snap parliamentary elections Instagram launches ability to hide likes Iran FM on solutions to problems in the region, territorial integrity Bloomberg: Support for Erdogan's ruling party hits record low Inter-agency commission sums up reports on implementation of roadmap for EU-Armenia CEPA Armenian acting PM on CSTO and Russia and their duties as Armenia's allies Slovakia allows use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V Armenia acting PM on situation in Syunik Province: CSTO still hasn't clearly expressed its position Armenia's Pashinyan: It's very rarely that Baku made provocations in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces on its own Armenia acting PM: There will be no demarcation of borders until Azerbaijani troops are pulled out of territory Record-setting number of political parties register to run in snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Blinken describes Egypt as a "real and effective partner" Armenia's Pashinyan slams opposition again Yerevan court ends trial over Armenia 3rd President's nephew Hayk Sargsyan Armenia President expresses condolences on passing away of Catholicos-Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan Armenia President hosts Iran FM-led delegation Armenia acting PM doesn't see need to declare martial law in the country Iran to send delegation of intellectual companies to Armenia EU demands to fine AstraZeneca for not fulfilling contract Zakharova: Russia is closely participating in settling Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident The Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan federal watchdog agency, has signaled that it would open an investigation that would examine what roles members of Congress might have played, according to Representative Jason Crow, Democrat of Colorado, who requested the inquiry. The inspector general of the Capitol Police is also opening a potentially wide-ranging investigation into security breaches connected to the siege that could determine the extent of involvement of some Capitol Police officers, according to a senior congressional aide with direct knowledge of the investigation. Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, the Democratic whip, told CNN this week that although he took shelter in his unmarked office in the Capitol during the attack, the mob was able to find where he was. That to me indicates that something untoward may have been going on, he said. In a livestream on Tuesday night, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York said she feared that some of her colleagues would put her in danger by revealing her location. I didnt even feel safe around other members of Congress, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez said in an hourlong livestream posted on Instagram. There were QAnon and white supremacist sympathizers and, frankly, white supremacist members of Congress in that extraction point who I know, and who I had felt would disclose my location, who would create opportunities to allow me to be hurt, kidnapped, etc. Australians have just had a reminder that they are in a global queue for the best vaccines to shield them from COVID-19, and there is no easy way to jump to the front. The countrys Chief Medical Officer, Paul Kelly, admitted on Wednesday that the federal government could not get all the agreements it wanted with companies that could send more vaccines our way. The fight against the pandemic has entered a critical stage as countries around the world roll out vaccination campaigns. Credit:AP There is no deal with Moderna, for instance, even though its vaccine is one of the most promising right now. A contract takes two parties to sign, said Kelly. In other words, the company would not commit. Nor is there a deal with Johnson & Johnson, which is trialling a single-dose vaccine with 45,000 people. We were unable to reach agreement, said Kelly. Why not? That is confidential. Samsung has unveiled its latest range of flagship smartphones, with three models ranging in price from 769 ($799) to 1,149 ($1,199). The S21 range from the South Korean tech giant features an entry-level model, the mid-range Plus, and the Ultra which is the first S Series phone to be compatible with the Samsung's S-Pen stylus. The stand-out feature on all three devices is the upgraded rear camera system, which was heavily leaked ahead of today's announcement and features night and portrait mode as well as its 100x 'space zoom'. Pre-orders of the handsets open today, and the phones will be available as of January 29. The S21 range from the South Korean tech giant features an entry level model (right), the Plus (middle)and the Ultra (left) The Ultra also comes with S-pen compatibility, the first Galaxy device to do so. The Galaxy devices were formally unveiled at Samsung's Unpacked event featuring the tagline 'welcome to the everyday epic' The devices were formally unveiled at Samsung's Unpacked event, which featured the tagline 'welcome to the everyday epic'. Patrick Chomet, executive vice-president and head of Samsung's customer experience office, said: 'Galaxy S21 series is built for those who want premium mobile innovations to capture and share their world. 'Galaxy S21 and Galaxy S21+ are for people who want to take and share high quality photos and videos, to enjoy a premium viewing experience, plus powerful connectivity no matter where you are. 'Galaxy S21 Ultra is the ultimate premium, cutting-edge smartphone that delivers top-of-the-line mobile innovations that bring you closer to the people and things that matter most.' Screen size varies depending on the model, increasing from 6.1 inches on the entry-level device up to 6.7 inches on the Plus and 6.8 inches for the Ultra. The bigger body also means the larger models pack a bigger battery. The smallest of the three is 4,000mAh whereas the Plus and Ultra have a 4,800 and 5,000 mAh powerpack, respectively. All three phones have Samsung's fingerprint recognition security. The 5G-compatible phones also come with a rapid refresh rate of 120Hz to allow for smooth scrolling, viewing and gaming. The standard S21 is the only one which does not support ultra-wideband (UWB) technology. They all feature a dynamic AMOLED 2x display which Samsung says will be perfectly suited to gaming. Samsung is also introducing '8K video snap' which allows users to take pictures from short 8K quality video recorded on the handset at 60 frames per second. For the first time on a Galaxy device, the Ultra also brings 4K video recording capability, again at 60fps, and the ability to save it as a 12-bit RAW file so none of the quality is lost. All three models come with new Eye Comfort Shield technology which Samsung claims reduces the amount of harmful blue light produced by the screen. Screen size varies depending on the model, increasing from 6.1 inches on the entry-level device up to 6.7inch on the Plus and 6.8 for the Ultra Samsung's major pitch to consumers to convince them to buy the S21 range focuses around offering a comprehensive photography experience. The S21 and Plus both have a 10MP front camera whereas the Ultra has a monstrous 40MP sensor, for example Galaxy S21 range specifications S21 Screen size: 6.2' Ram: 8GB Storage: up to 256GB Display: 120Hz/dynamic AMOLED 2x Network: 5G/UWB Battery: 4,000 mAh S21+ Screen size: 6.7' Ram: 8GB Storage: up to 256GB Display: 120Hz/dynamic AMOLED 2x Network: 5G/UWB Battery: 4,000 mAh S21 Ultra Screen size: 6.8' Ram: 8GB Storage: up to 512GB Display: 120Hz/dynamic AMOLED 2x Network: 5G/UWB Battery: 4,000 mAh Advertisement Both the S21 and the Plus have 8GB of RAM, whereas the Ultra has 16GB. The top-end model also packs twice as much internal storage, 512GB compared to 256GB for both the S21 and the Plus. But Samsung's major pitch to consumers to convince them to buy the S21 range focuses around offering a comprehensive photography experience. The S21 and Plus both have a 10MP front camera, while the Ultra has a monstrous 40MP sensor. But the main changes come with the rear camera, as the S21 and Plus both have three lenses: a 12MP ultra wide lens, 12MP wide lens and a 64MP telephoto lens. This means both have the same vertical unit fitted to the top left corner on the rear of the phone. The 5G-compatible phones also come with a rapid refresh rate of 120Hz to allow for smooth scrolling, viewing and gaming. The S21 is the only one which does not support ultra-wideband (UWB) technology On the Ultra the three lens layout of its smaller siblings is replaced with a five-lens wedge that includes the same 12MP ultrawide lens, but that's where the similarities end The Ultra is stuffed with even more optical technology. The three-lens layout of its smaller siblings is replaced with a quad-lens wedge that includes the same 12MP ultrawide lens, but that's where the similarities end. It has two telephoto lenses which focus on different ranges of distance, as well as a 108MP wide lens and a laser autofocus sensor. But Samsung has tried to make the camera technology easy and quick to use, so as to not alienate users, championing a 'point and snap' approach which lets the software and improved AI in the phone do the heavy lifting. Samsung is also touting improvements to night and portrait mode, as well as its 'space zoom' feature which still reaches a remarkable 100x zoom. But now, thanks to some clever technological trickery, Samsung has made it possible to hold on extreme zoom and minimise wobbling caused by an unsteady hand. KJ Kim, Chief Technology Officer at Samsung, said: 'At Samsung, our goal is to help everyone take pro-quality photos and videos, no matter if you are in a low or bright light environment, near or far away from the subject. 'When innovating the camera for the Galaxy S21 series, we focused on capturing the best, high-quality photos and videos at any time, making it easy for consumers to enjoy professional looking, cinematic results powered by improved on-device AI. 'There is a lot of new technology and innovation required to achieve this and it starts with our most advanced image sensor. 'We also built the Galaxy S21 Ultra with our most advanced pro-grade camera system. It raises the bar for professional photographers and tech enthusiasts looking for the best in mobile camera performance and future-proof innovations.' Samsung has also followed the lead of its US rival Apple and removed wired headphones and chargers from the box of its S2 range. Mr Chomet says the company 'discovered' a high proportion of Galaxy customers continue to use accessories they already possess from older models. 'We believe that the gradual removal of charger plugs and earphones from our in-box device packaging can help address sustainable consumption issues and remove any pressure that consumers may feel towards continually receiving unnecessary charger accessories with new phones,' he says. 'We've also been implementing standardized USB-C type charging ports since 2017, so older chargers can still be compatible with our newest Galaxy models.' The S21 is available in Phantom Violet, Phantom Grey, Phantom Pink and Phantom White and the Plus model is only available in Phantom Violet, Phantom Silver and Phantom Black. The Ultra however comes in Phantom Black and Phantom Silver as well as three exclusive colours: Phantom Titanium, Phantom Navy, and Phantom Brown. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stripped down to a black t-shirt and got vaccinated on Thursday as the nation of 83 million people began rolling out China's Sinovac jab despite conflicting data about its efficacy. The 66-year-old Turkish leader was whisked into an Ankara hospital by a bevy of security guards before emerging about an hour later to stress the importance of officials setting a good example by getting the jab. "There are some people doing negative campaigning (about vaccinations) but I am sure common sense will prevail," Erdogan said as a masked doctor stabbed him with a needle while a nurse put a comforting arm on his shoulder. "I believe it will be vital for political leaders and deputies to encourage the vaccination drive (by getting vaccinated) themselves," he later told a group of waiting reporters. One opinion poll conducted in November showed about half of Turkish respondents unwilling to take the jab. Health officials have spent two weeks testing the safety of the doses delivered from China after preliminary studies involving 7,371 volunteers in Turkey showed Sinovac's vaccine to be 91.25 percent effective. But a bigger trial in Brazil put the efficacy of Sinovac at 50.4 percent while a third one in Indonesia resulted in a 65.3 percent success rate, raising concerns about the Chinese manufacturer's transparency. Turkish television was plastered with images on Thursday of healthcare workers receiving their first doses as officials tried to raise awareness and acceptance of the vaccine. "Our citizens should not worry," Recep Demirhan, chief physician at a city hospital on the Asian side of Istanbul, told reporters as he received his shot, adding all vaccines arriving in Turkey are safe. And the doctors and nurses lining up for their shots sounded relieved after a year fighting a virus that has officially killed more than 23,000 in Turkey and filled hospitals in hotspots such as Ankara to capacity. "We have been struggling for a long time," said Nimet Aktasa, a health worker in Ankara. - 'Light at end of tunnel'- After covering Turkey's 1.1 million healthcare workers, the vaccination programme will move on to essential workers and people aged 65 and above. "This vaccination drive is needed to return to our normal, old way of life," Koca said on Wednesday. "We see the light at the end of the tunnel and I believe the coming days will be bright." Turkey has signed up for 50 million doses of CoronaVac. Twenty million of them are due to arrive by the end of the month. The official Anadolu news agency reported that Turkey also sent 20,000 doses to the breakaway state of northern Cyprus, which is recognised only by Ankara. In December, Turkey also reached a deal to receive 4.5 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech jab by late March. Officials hope to receive up to 30 million doses from Pfizer-BioNTech, although talks are still ongoing. Turkey has seen its official daily death tolls slip back down to under 200 after imposing weekend lockdowns and other daily restrictions in November. Last month, it began requiring passengers arriving from abroad to submit negative PCR tests. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. New Jersey health officials reported 5,967 new confirmed coronavirus cases and 94 additional deaths on Thursday as the state expanded vaccination eligibility to another 4 million people for the first time. The state of 9 million residents has now lost 20,253 residents in the COVID-19 outbreak 18,162 confirmed deaths and 2,091 considered probable. New Jersey has already announced 1,063 confirmed deaths this month, following 1,890 in December. Gov. Phil Murphy announced the latest update on Twitter. The states next coronavirus briefing is expected Friday in Trenton. The statewide rate of COVID-19 transmission remained the same Thursday at 1.10. A transmission rate over 1 indicates the outbreak is expanding. The seven-day average for new confirmed cases is 5,630, down slightly from the new high set a day earlier, but up 17% from a week ago and 13% from a month ago. Statewide hospitalizations for the virus declined Thursday after three days of increases. Hospitalizations remain far below the more than 8,000 patients from the peak of the first wave in the spring, though health officials are concerned that a recent increase in cases will likely be felt in hospitals next week and into February. The positivity rate for tests administered on Saturday, the most recent day available, was 13.53% out of 25,913 tests. The positivity rate has been at 10% or higher since Dec. 22. New has now reported 549,840 total confirmed cases out of more than 8.4 million tests administered since officials announced the states first case March 4. There have also been 59,881 positive rapid antigen tests, which the state began reporting publicly last week, though the state has cautioned that could overlap with the confirmed PCR tests. CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage VACCINATIONS New Jersey has received 654,900 doses of coronavirus vaccines, according to figures tracked by the CDC. State officials reported that 287,840 doses have been administered including 253,775 first doses and 33,898 second doses, according to the states COVID-19 dashboard. (There are some doses that were recorded without a dose number, resulting in the totals not matching.) The state has faced criticism for rolling out inoculations too slowly. Officials stress there may be an undercounting of the number of vaccines administered because of reporting delays and New Jersey, like other states, is depending on the federal government for its supply. Murphy announced Wednesday people over 65 years old, as well as people with chronic health conditions and smokers are now eligible to get vaccinations. Officials have said doses should be available for the general public by April or May. Health officials have said they hope to vaccinate 70% of its adult residents about 4.7 million people by the end of May. In recent days, the state has opened the first two of its six planned mega-sites for mass vaccinations. There are also vaccines currently available at 128 locations throughout the state, including local health departments, ShopRite stores, and pharmacies. More than 1.2 million people have registered to get their vaccine when they become eligible as of Wednesday. COUNTY-BY-COUNTY CASES (sorted by most new) Middlesex County: 52,202 confirmed cases (611 new), 1,567 confirmed deaths (216 probable) Essex County: 53,161 confirmed cases (591 new), 2,202 confirmed deaths (257 probable) Bergen County: 53,264 confirmed cases (573 new), 2,130 confirmed deaths (267 probable) Monmouth County: 38,325 confirmed cases (524 new), 1,038 confirmed deaths (102 probable) Hudson County: 50,262 confirmed cases (519 new), 1,599 confirmed deaths (170 probable) Ocean County: 38,405 confirmed cases (499 new), 1,410 confirmed deaths (91 probable) Camden County: 32,833 confirmed cases (342 new), 845 confirmed deaths (67 probable) Union County: 40,694 confirmed cases (335 new), 1,421 confirmed deaths (186 probable) Passaic County: 43,423 confirmed cases (301 new), 1,365 confirmed deaths (159 probable) Morris County: 23,620 confirmed cases (284 new), 817 confirmed deaths (194 probable) Burlington County: 24,973 confirmed cases (230 new), 607 confirmed deaths (52 probable) Gloucester County: 16,755 confirmed cases (219 new), 419 confirmed deaths (21 probable) Atlantic County: 14,583 confirmed cases (216 new), 382 confirmed deaths (18 probable) Mercer County: 21,161 confirmed cases (160 new), 726 confirmed deaths (38 probable) Somerset County: 14,456 confirmed cases (149 new), 612 confirmed deaths (94 probable) Cumberland County: 9,270 confirmed cases (106 new), 243 confirmed deaths (12 probable) Sussex County: 5,677 confirmed cases (78 new), 183 confirmed deaths (51 probable) Warren County: 4,704 confirmed cases (59 new), 173 confirmed deaths (14 probable) Hunterdon County: 4,572 confirmed cases (51 new), 88 confirmed deaths (54 probable) Salem County: 3,410 confirmed cases (48 new), 113 confirmed deaths (8 probable) Cape May County: 2,780 confirmed cases (41 new), 130 confirmed deaths (20 probable) HOSPITALIZATIONS There were 3,638 patients hospitalized in New Jersey with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday night. It was 88 fewer than the previous night. That included 644 in critical or intensive care (six fewer than the previous night), with 456 on ventilators (four more). There were 495 COVID-19 patients discharged Wednesday, according to the states COVID-19 dashboard. SCHOOL CASES There have been 111 in-school coronavirus outbreaks in New Jersey involving 557 students, teachers and staff since the school year began in late August, according to the state dashboard. Those numbers do not include students or staff believed to have been infected outside school or cases that cant be confirmed as in-school outbreaks. Though the numbers keep rising every week, Murphy has said the school outbreak statistics remain below what state officials were expecting when schools reopened for in-person classes. New Jersey defines school outbreaks as cases where contact tracers determined two or more students or school staff caught or transmitted COVID-19 in the classroom or during academic activities at school. The number of New Jersey school districts with all-remote learning has increased as students return from winter break, Murphy said on Monday. There are 339 districts that started 2021 remotely an increase of 18 all-remote districts from Dec. 21. Only 77 school districts are returning with full in-person instruction (down from 82 on Dec. 21), and 348 are returning with a hybrid of in-person or remote instruction (down from 362). Another 47 districts are using some combination of in-person, hybrid, or all-remote across multiple buildings one more than Dec. 21. AGE BREAKDOWN Broken down by age, those 30 to 49 years old make up the largest percentage of New Jersey residents who have caught the virus (31.3%), followed by those 50-64 (23.8%), 18-29 (19.2%), 65-79 (11.2%), 80 and older (5.5%), 5-17 (7.3%) and 0-4 (1.5%). On average, the virus has been more deadly for older residents, especially those with preexisting conditions. Nearly half the states COVID-19 deaths have been among residents 80 and older (47.49%), followed by those 65-79 (32.29%), 50-64 (15.68%), 30-49 (4.14%), 18-29 (0.36%), 5-17 (0%) and 0-4 (.03%). At least 7,606 of the states COVID-19 deaths have been among residents and staff members at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. That number has been rising again at a steeper rate in recent months, with deaths at the states nursing homes nearly tripling in December. There are currently active outbreaks at 428 facilities, resulting in 6,510 active cases among residents and 7,034 among staffers. GLOBAL NUMBERS As of Thursday morning, there were more than 92.4 million positive COVID-19 tests across the world, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University. More than 1.98 million people have died from coronavirus-related complications. The U.S. has reported the most cases, at more than 23 million, and the most deaths, at more than 384,700. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Brian Oleksak, professor and chairman of the Department of Landscape and Horticultural Technology at the County College of Morris, recently was presented with the 2020 Distinguished Service Award from the New Jersey Nursery Landscape Association (NJNLA). The Distinguished Service Award recognizes the contributions of individuals who have given their time and resources to support and grow the horticulture industry in New Jersey. Along with being an active member of NJNLA, Oleksak, a Newton resident, teaches online courses for association members. The NJNLA works for the advancement of green industry businesses in New Jersey. As a professional horticulturalist, Oleksak is particularly concerned about the introduction of invasive species, both plants and insects, into North America. Oleksak earned his bachelors degree in agronomy from Pennsylvania State University and his masters in ornamental horticulture from Ohio State University. He joined the full-time CCM faculty in 2003 and has served as LHT chairman since 2012. At CCM, he teaches Plant Identification, Herbaceous Plants, Horticultural Soils and Introduction to Botany. Indonesian President Joko Widodo received the Covid-19 vaccine shot developed by China's biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech. The president, widely known as Jokowi, is the first Indonesian vaccinated to show that the vaccine is safe, Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday. After the president, the Indonesian military chief, the national police chief and the Health Minister, among others, were also vaccinated. Indonesia, through its Food and Drug Control Agency (BPOM), on Monday approved Sinovac Biotech's Covid-19 vaccine for use. The agency issued an emergency use authorization for the vaccine after interim results of its late-stage trials in the country which showed an efficacy rate of 65.3 per cent. As of Tuesday afternoon, Indonesia had recorded a total of 846,765 Covid-19 infections, according to the Health Ministry. The virus has claimed more than 24,000 lives across the the country, the ministry said. Weather Alert ...FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 8 AM EDT FRIDAY... * WHAT...Temperatures in the lower to mid 30s will result in frost formation. * WHERE...All of northern New York, and much of central and northern Vermont away from Lake Champlain. * WHEN...From 1 AM to 8 AM EDT Friday. * IMPACTS...Frost could kill sensitive outdoor vegetation if left uncovered. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. && New Holland's BigBaler High Density 1290 baler has won a prestigious international award for its 'efficient and productive' design. The machinery firm has been announced the winner of the 2020 Good Design Award, which recognises the most innovative product designs around the world. The baler was one of the products selected by the Good Design panel from a record number of worldwide submissions. The range has already received recognition having been awarded an ASABE AE50 Award, an Agritechnica Silver Innovation Medal and a Machine of the Year 2020 award. The baler produces bales of up to 22 percent higher density than conventional large square balers, according to New Holland. It is manufactured at the New Holland Centre of Harvesting Excellence, located in Zedelgem, Belgium. Carlo Lambro, New Holland Brand President said the firm was 'honoured to receive this prestigious award'. "I would like to thank the design teams who developed this exceptional product and our manufacturing team at our Centre of Harvesting Excellence in Zedelgem." David Wilkie, CNH Industrial Design Director added: "The design vision for the BigBaler High Density stems from nature, inspired by the flowing lines of crops as they sway in the fields. "It incorporates the natural flow vision denoted by its sinuous, sleek lines that encapsulate the functionality of the machine and enhance the efficiency of the machine's components." A team of archaeologists from Australia and Indonesia has discovered two figurative paintings of the Sulawesi warty pig (Sus celebensis) a species of small (40 to 85 kg), short-legged pig with characteristic facial warts in Leang Tedongnge and Leang Balangajia 1 caves on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. The warty pig painting from Leang Tedongnge cave dates to at least 45,500 years ago, making it the earliest known representational work of art in the world. The Sulawesi warty pig images at Leang Tedongnge and Leang Balangajia 1 were both executed in red or dark red/purplish mineral pigments (ochre). In each instance, the animal depiction consists of a complete body outline of a pig shown in profile view. Both figures are represented in immobile or static positions. The pictorial outlines are infilled with irregular patterns of painted lines and dashes. The prehistoric artists did not clearly portray any primary sexual characteristics (e.g., genitalia and mammary glands) in the outline representations of the warty pigs. At Leang Tedongnge cave, the pig figure is positioned on the rear wall of the cave. Measuring 136 cm by 54 cm (53.5 by 21.3 inches), this motif is associated with two hand stencils situated above and close to the hindquarters of the pig representation. At least two or three other pig figures are located on the same panel. It shows a pig with a short crest of upright hairs and a pair of horn-like facial warts in front of the eyes, a characteristic feature of adult male Sulawesi warty pigs, said Professor Adam Brumm, a researcher in the Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution at Griffith University. Painted using red ochre pigment, the pig appears to be observing a fight or social interaction between two other warty pigs. Leang Tedongnge cave is in a valley thats enclosed by steep limestone cliffs and is only accessible by a narrow cave passage in the dry season, as the valley floor is completely flooded in the wet, he added. The isolated Bugis community living in this hidden valley claim it had never before been visited by Westerners. At Leang Balangajia 1 cave, the large red pig figure was painted on the ceiling of a small side chamber. This motif measures 187 cm (73.6 inches) in length and 110 cm (43.3 inches) in height. There are possibly at least two other figurative animal motifs on the wall and ceiling of the chamber. They are very poorly preserved, however, and largely indistinct. Four hand stencils are superimposed on top of the large red pig figure. Humans have hunted Sulawesi warty pigs for tens of thousands of years, said Basran Burhan, a Ph.D. student in the Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution at Griffith University. These pigs were the most commonly portrayed animal in the ice age rock art of the island, suggesting they have long been valued both as food and a focus of creative thinking and artistic expression. The result of Uranium-series dating provided respective minimum ages of 45,500 and 32,000 years for the Sulawesi warty pig images at Leang Tedongnge and Leang Balangajia 1. Rock art is very challenging to date, said Professor Maxime Aubert, a researcher in the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research at Griffith University. However, rock art produced in limestone caves can sometimes be dated using Uranium-series analysis of calcium carbonate deposits (cave popcorn) that form naturally on the cave wall surface used as a canvas for the art. At Leang Tedongnge, a small cave popcorn had formed on the rear foot of one of the pig figures after it had been painted, so when dated, it provided us with a minimum age for the painting. It was this mineral deposit that was Uranium-series dated to yield an age of 45,500 years, indicating that the rock art scene had been painted sometime prior to this. The previously oldest dated rock art scene, at least 43,900 years old, was a depiction of hybrid human-animal beings hunting Sulawesi warty pigs and dwarf bovids, discovered by the same research team at a nearby limestone cave site. We have found and documented many rock art images in Sulawesi that still await scientific dating, said Adhi Agus Oktaviana, a Ph.D. student in the Griffith Centre for Social and Cultural Research at Griffith University. We expect the early rock art of this island to yield even more significant discoveries. The rock art of Sulawesi now represents some of the earliest, if not the earliest, archaeological evidence for anatomically modern humans in Wallacea, a biogeographically distinct zone of oceanic islands situated between continental Asia and Australia. Our species must have crossed through Wallacea by watercraft in order to reach Australia by at least 65,000 years ago, Professor Aubert said. However, the Wallacean islands are poorly explored and presently the earliest excavated archaeological evidence from this region is much younger in age. A paper on the findings was published in the journal Science Advances. _____ Adam Brumm et al. 2021. Oldest cave art found in Sulawesi. Science Advances 7 (3): eabd4648; doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abd4648 Two brothers bearing the same name were charged with unrelated crimes Thursday, a day after one of them held police at bay in an hours-long standoff and threatened to kill SWAT officers. On Wednesday, police went to the Plymouth Township home of Willie Singletary III, 29, to arrest his 20-year-old brother, also named Willie Singletary, for what they said was his role in a Christmas Day robbery at a convenience store. The younger Singletary surrendered peacefully and was charged Thursday with conspiracy to commit armed robbery and related offenses. His older brother refused to leave his home when police arrived looking for his brother. If yall are going to come through those doors, Singletary said, according to authorities, youre going to have to kill me. He faces charges of attempted aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, and terroristic threats after telling officers he was ready to go to war and threatening to burn down the building he was hiding in, according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest. The two are the younger siblings of former Philadelphia Traffic Court Judge Willie Singletary, who was called in by police to help calm his brother during the standoff, and eventually got him to surrender. READ MORE: Plymouth Township man surrenders after hourslong standoff with police Prosecutors said Singletary III is a suspect in a 2019 murder in Philadelphia, but they did not elaborate. A spokesperson for the Philadelphia Police Department did not return a request for comment. The officers went to Singletarys home on Johnson Road to serve a warrant on his younger brother, who they had determined was part of a group of young men who robbed the In-N-Out Food Mart in Bridgeport on Christmas Day, according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest. During the robbery, which was recorded by the stores surveillance camera, members of the group held down the clerk and stole $3,000 from the register, two rolls of lottery tickets, and the clerks iPhone. Police later learned that Singletary who walks with a limp because he has a prosthetic left leg was the subject of numerous complaints at a Sunoco gas station near his home for unruly behavior, the affidavit said. Surveillance footage from the gas station showed Singletary visiting the business multiple times, including the day after the robbery, when he cashed in three of the stolen lottery tickets, police say. From that footage, authorities were able to identify Singletary. The brothers remained at the county jail Thursday, according to court records. There was no indication that either had hired an attorney. San Francisco, Jan 14 : Chip maker Qualcomm has acquired Nuvia, formed in 2019 by three former Apple engineers including one of Indian origin, for a whopping $1.4 billion for the 5G era. As part of the transaction, Nuvia founders Gerard Williams, Manu Gulati and John Bruno and their employees will join Qualcomm, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. "Together, we are very well positioned to redefine computing and enable our ecosystem of partners to drive innovation and deliver a new class of products and experiences for the 5G era," said Cristiano Amon, President and CEO-Elect, Qualcomm Incorporated. Nuvia comprises a proven world-class CPU and technology design team, with industry-leading expertise in high performance processors, Systems on a Chip (SoC) and power management for compute-intensive devices and applications. The addition of Nuvia CPUs to Qualcomm Technologies' already leading mobile graphics processing unit (GPU), AI engine, DSP and dedicated multimedia accelerators will further extend the leadership of Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms. "CPU performance leadership will be critical in defining and delivering on the next era of computing innovation," said Gerard Williams, CEO of Nuvia. "The combination of NUVIA and Qualcomm will bring the industry's best engineering talent, technology and resources together to create a new class of high-performance computing platforms that set the bar for our industry. We couldn't be more excited for the opportunities ahead." Microsoft said that it is exciting to see Nuvia join the Qualcomm team. "Our partnership with Qualcomm has always been about providing great experiences on our products. Moving forward, we have an incredible opportunity to empower our customers across the Windows ecosystem," said Panos Panay, Chief Product Officer, Microsoft. Hiroshi Lockheimer, SVP Platforms & Ecosystems, Google, added: "The addition of Nuvia extends Qualcomm's capabilities in these three areas and we're excited to see the next generation of Snapdragon with Nuvia." There were any number of concerns for the Cheshire School District heading into the school year, but Superintendent of Schools Jeff Solan admits that one issue seemed to be on the minds of everyone. Masks. In order for in-person instruction to take place while in the midst of a pandemic, everyone knew that mask compliance would be paramount, and both teachers and parents expressed concerns that children would have the most difficult time staying vigilant. Those worries, Solan states, proved to be unfounded. They (the students) have been amazing when it comes to masks, said Solan. Its to the point now where I dont even really worry about it at all. They have been terrific. That kind of adherence to the new rules surrounding Cheshire schools during the COVID-19 crisis is one of the reasons why the town has been able to avoid any prolonged interruptions to in-person instruction. While other districts have struggled to keep students in class due to staffing shortages and pandemic protocols, Cheshires modified schedule has remained relatively unaltered. It is kind of insane that weve been able to do that, said Solan. I am just incredibly proud of the commitment from our students and families, and all of our staff. Everyone is so compliant with mask-wearing and other protocols. Everyone is just making it work the best they can. Throughout the year, Solan and his staff have kept in constant contact with the Chesprocott Health District and other health professionals to ensure that schools are adhering to all safety protocols. The goal has been to keep as many students as possible in class for in-person instruction, and throughout the fall and now into the winter, elementary and middle school-aged students have been able to attend classes five days a week, if their families so choose. One of the initiatives that helped the District keep the schools open was Solans decision to employ the help of recent Cheshire High School graduates as substitute teachers, a program that earned him applause from Governor Ned Lamont and state educators. We knew that the greatest obstacle to remaining open would likely be staffing, said Solan. We knew we had to try something different. I was so humbled by the response, he continued. I was proud of the fact that so many (former students) decided to step up. It really did allow us to stay open. Now, the District is looking forward, and Solan admits that how the rest of 2021 looks will depend on the availability of the vaccine. As of now, students in kindergarten through eighth grade all have the option of attending in person at Cheshire schools for five days of instruction. According to Solan, only 25 percent of students in those grade levels have chosen to remain in a remote learning environment. As far as the high school is concerned, 23 percent of students have opted for full-time remote learning. The rest have been attending classes under a modified schedule, where two cohorts of students attend classes twice per week and then the entire school stays on a remote learning schedule for Wednesday. Whether that changes will depend on when teachers will be eligible to receive their vaccine shots under the states rollout procedure. Federal government recommendations have called for educators to be among the group to receive the vaccine during Phase 1B. The state is currently administering doses under Phase 1A and has plans to begin 1B in the next few weeks. However, Connecticut officials have yet to determine exactly who will be included in each upcoming phase of the rollout. Solan is hoping that, when those plans are finalized, Cheshire educators will be at the front of the line for 1B. Because of the pandemic (and social distancing protocols), we removed a lot of the furniture from the classrooms, so we have already begun discussions of when to begin moving that furniture back in said Solan. Our goal is to have those students (at the high school) who want to attend class all day, every day, as soon as possible, he continued. Once the state finalizes its plans, Cheshire will determine how best to go about innoculating educators. Solan stated that, depending on availability, the school could host a vaccination clinic after school for teachers at Cheshire High School. Or teachers could be given individual times to attend vaccination clinics outside of school. There is no timeline as to when the high school could move back to a full in-person schedule, Solan reiterated, but said that once it is possible, no matter when in the school year, they will adjust the schedule. Our top priority, always, is the safety and security of our students and our staff, he said. Then, we want to make sure we are providing the best educational opportunities possible. As far as what this years budget will look likeis concerned, Solan is expected to present it to the Board of Education this evening (Jan. 14). He did offer a sneak preview, however, stating that he will have a normal operating budget request, and a supplemental budget request in case the District is still dealing with the impact of the pandemic into the next school year. What if I have to rent tents again (in the fall) because COVID-19 is still with us? Solan asked. Thats what the supplemental budget will be for. Though the pandemic has interrupted education as usual, Solan insists that Cheshire students are likely in a better boat than most others in the state and country. While instruction has had to change dramatically, Solan does not believe students have fallen too far behind, due to the hard work of local teachers as well as better use of technology. I know people are worried about the COVID slide, said Solan, but our students are pretty resilient. They are learning a lot. There is still learning taking place. My message to the community is one of pride, and one of hope, he continued. I do believe 2021 will be a better year for our kids and our community. Weve come through a very difficult time, but I believe well be stronger than ever. Housebuilder Persimmon was down in the doldrums after flagging up that the coronavirus could still spell an uncertain few months. That was the message from the FTSE 100 firm, which raked in 3.3 billion of revenues last year despite lockdown disruption. Nevertheless, its trading update pointed to a relatively strong 2020. The 3.3 billion was down just slightly from 2019's 3.7 billion, and the average selling price of a house was up from 215,709 to 230,500. Housebuilder Persimmon was down in the doldrums after flagging up that the coronavirus could still spell an uncertain few months Persimmon put this down to pent-up demand for houses after the first lockdown, a surge in interest for larger houses, and the stamp duty holiday which is in place until March. But towards the end of the year, these factors began to wane. Weekly sales during the final quarter dipped, sparking caution among investors. It also warned of the pandemic's effect on 'unemployment levels and consumer confidence', which could damage house-buying, the impact of an end to the stamp duty holiday, and increased customs duties on supplies imported from the EU due to Brexit. It added: 'We recognise the elevated risk to the group's planned build programmes presented by the higher transmission rates of the new variant of the Covid-19 virus.' Unease caused shares to dip 6.2 per cent, or 173p, to 2612p. Persimmon ended up as the biggest faller on the FTSE 100, which was near-flat at 6745.52 points. But while the large-cap index was treading water, there were some bigger swings at the smaller end of the market. Shares in Synairgen , listed on junior stock market Aim, rose 9.7 per cent, or 15p, to 169p as the British drugs firm began late-stage tests of a coronavirus treatment Shares in Synairgen, listed on junior stock market Aim, rose 9.7 per cent, or 15p, to 169p as the British drugs firm began late-stage tests of a coronavirus treatment. The first person was dosed yesterday as part of a fast-track study looking at the impact of the inhaled drug, usually used to treat lung disease, on hospitalised Covid patients. STOCK WATCH: Touchstar Technology business Touchstar was celebrating a year of profitability after demand for its products held up despite the pandemic. The tiddler, which uses gadgets to provide services such as proof of delivery, route planning and vehicle tracking for logistics firms, said it was 'profitable' in 2020, after it made 89,000 loss the year before. Chairman Ian Martin said he hoped that 2021 would be 'more straightforward'. Shares climbed by 17 per cent, or 8.5p, to 58.5p. Testing will take place in 20 countries, Synairgen said, and is expected to involve 610 patients. Synairgen boss Richard Marsden explained: 'This trial presents an opportunity for a significant UK scientific breakthrough and, if given the right support, our drug could rapidly assist with the global crisis.' The FTSE 250 was down 0.5 per cent, or 96.65 points, to 20616.31 points, amid rising fears that Britain's economy would take some time to recover from the virus even with vaccines. Fund manager Liontrust was one bright spot, climbing 8 per cent, or 100p, to 1350p. It said investors had piled in 792 million more than they had pulled out between October and December, and 2.5 billion more over the entirety of 2020. It now looks after 29.4 billion of savers' money, up 83 per cent since January. Howden Joinery was also on the rise. The company, which makes kitchen and joinery products, said that its sales had been stronger than expected towards the end of last year. Home improvement firms have been sustained by more households being at home and deciding to make changes. Howdens now thinks its profits for 2020 will be 185 million down from 260.7 million the year before, but higher than it initially thought Shares climbed 2.8 per cent, or 19.2p, to 713.2p. Back among the smaller stocks, broadcaster STV rocketed after announcing profits for 2020 would be 'comfortably ahead of expectations' at a minimum of 18 million. The Scottish firm pulled in more money from advertising than the average of its rivals, and it saw a rise of 14 per cent in TV viewing and 68 per cent on its on-demand service. The shares leapt 14.6 per cent, or 43p, to 338p. [January 14, 2021] Surna Announces Largest Contract in its History Announces $3.2 Million Sales Contract, Surpassing Previous Record of $2.8 Million Boulder, Colorado, Jan. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Surna Inc. (OTCQB: SRNA) announced today that it recently signed a sales contract valued at $3.2 million. The project in Arizona is for an approximately 53,000 square feet facility. Surna is under contract to provide custom air handlers, heat recovery chillers, and its StrataAir vertical racking air flow system, for the cultivation, processing, drying and office spaces (the mechanical engineering design was done by Surna through a previous contract in October). Surna will also provide its SentryIQ environmental controls, and system start-up. Tony McDonald, CEO commented: For the second time in six months Surna is announcing its largest-ever single contract with this latest contract being nearly 15% larger than the previous record. Over the last several years Surna has invested heavily in technology R&D as well as in our engineering capabilities. The result has been an expanding portfolio of product and system offerings and enhanced engineering sophistication. With Surnas expanded array of technology offerings, our engineering and sales teams were able to present several options to the client, giving them the opportunity to compare and contrast design approaches and choose the solution best tailored to their particular goals, budget and cultivation methods. About Surna Inc. Surna Inc. ( www.surna.com ) designs, engineers and sells cultivation technologies for controlled environment agriculture including: (i) liquid-based process cooling systems and other climate control systems, (ii) air handling equipment and systems, (iii) a full-service engineering package for designing and engineering commercial scale thermodynamic systems specific to cannabis cultivation facilities, and (iv) automation and control devices, systems and technologies used for environmental, lighting and climate control. Our customers include commercial, state- and provncial-regulated cannabis growers in the U.S. and Canada as well as other international locations, including those growers building new facilities and those expanding or retrofitting existing facilities. Currently, our revenue stream is derived primarily from supplying our products, services and technologies to commercial indoor and hybrid sealed greenhouse facilities ranging from several thousand to more than 100,000 square feet. Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, we leverage our experience in this space to bring value-added climate control solutions to our customers that help improve their overall crop quality and yield, optimize energy and water efficiency, and satisfy the evolving state and local codes, permitting and regulatory requirements. Although our customers do, we neither produce nor sell cannabis. Forward Looking Statements This press release may contain statements of a forward-looking nature relating to future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to the inherent uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. These statements reflect our current beliefs, and a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in this press release, including the factors set forth in Risk Factors set forth in our annual and quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and subsequent filings with the SEC. Please refer to our SEC filings for a more detailed discussion of the risks and uncertainties associated with our business, including but not limited to the risks and uncertainties associated with our business prospects and the prospects of our existing and prospective customers; the inherent uncertainty of product development; regulatory, legislative and judicial developments, especially those related to changes in, and the enforcement of, cannabis laws; increasing competitive pressures in our industry; and relationships with our customers and suppliers. Except as required by the federal securities laws, we undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The reference to Surnas website has been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such website is not incorporated by reference into this press release. Statement about Cannabis Markets The use, possession, cultivation, and distribution of marijuana is prohibited by U.S. federal law for medical and recreational purposes. Although certain states have legalized medical and recreational cannabis, companies and individuals involved in the sector are still at risk of being prosecuted by federal authorities. Further, the landscape in the cannabis industry changes rapidly. This means that at any time the city, county, or state where cannabis is permitted can change the current laws and/or the federal government can supersede those laws and take prosecutorial action. Given the uncertain legal nature of the cannabis industry, it is imperative that investors understand that investments in the cannabis industry should be considered very high risk. A change in the current laws or enforcement policy can negatively affect the status and operation of our business, require additional fees, stricter operational guidelines and unanticipated shut-downs. Surna Marketing Jamie English Managing Director of Marketing jamie.english@surna.com (303) 993-5271 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Trump impeached after Capitol riot in historic second charge President Donald Trump was impeached by the U.S. House for a historic second time Wednesday, charged with incitement of insurrection over the deadly mob siege of the Capitol in a swift and stunning collapse of his final days in office. With the Capitol secured by armed National Guard troops inside and out, the House voted 232-197 to impeach Trump. The proceedings moved at lightning speed, with lawmakers voting just one week after violent pro-Trump loyalists stormed the U.S. Capitol after the presidents calls for them to fight like hell against the election results. ADVERTISEMENT Ten Republicans fled Trump, joining Democrats who said he needed to be held accountable and warned ominously of a clear and present danger if Congress should leave him unchecked before Democrat Joe Bidens inauguration Jan. 20. Trump is the only U.S. president to be twice impeached. It was the most bipartisan presidential impeachment in modern times, more so than against Bill Clinton in 1998. The Capitol insurrection stunned and angered lawmakers, who were sent scrambling for safety as the mob descended, and it revealed the fragility of the nations history of peaceful transfers of power. The riot also forced a reckoning among some Republicans, who have stood by Trump throughout his presidency and largely allowed him to spread false attacks against the integrity of the 2020 election. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invoked Abraham Lincoln and the Bible, imploring lawmakers to uphold their oath to defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic. She said of Trump: He must go, he is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love. Holed up at the White House, watching the proceedings on TV, Trump took no responsibility for the bloody riot seen around the world, but issued a statement urging NO violence, NO lawbreaking and NO vandalism of any kind to disrupt Bidens ascension to the White House. In the face of the accusations against him and with the FBI warning of more violence, Trump said, That is not what I stand for, and it is not what America stands for. I call on ALL Americans to help ease tensions and calm tempers. ADVERTISEMENT Trump was first impeached by the House in 2019 over his dealings with Ukraine, but the Senate voted in 2020 acquit. He is the first to be impeached twice. None has been convicted by the Senate, but Republicans said Wednesday that could change in the rapidly shifting political environment as officeholders, donors, big business and others peel away from the defeated president. The soonest Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell would start an impeachment trial is next Tuesday, the day before Trump is already set to leave the White House, McConnells office said. The legislation is also intended to prevent Trump from ever running again. McConnell believes Trump committed impeachable offenses and considers the Democrats impeachment drive an opportunity to reduce the divisive, chaotic presidents hold on the GOP, a Republican strategist told The Associated Press on Wednesday. McConnell told major donors over the weekend that he was through with Trump, said the strategist, who demanded anonymity to describe McConnells conversations. In a note to colleagues Wednesday, McConnell said he had not made a final decision on how I will vote. Unlike his first time, Trump faces this impeachment as a weakened leader, having lost his own reelection as well as the Senate Republican majority. Even Trump ally Kevin McCarthy, the House Republican leader, shifted his position and said Wednesday the president bears responsibility for the horrifying day at the Capitol. In making a case for the high crimes and misdemeanors demanded in the Constitution, the four-page impeachment resolution approved Wednesday relies on Trumps own incendiary rhetoric and the falsehoods he spread about Bidens election victory, including at a rally near the White House on the day of the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. A Capitol Police officer died from injuries suffered in the riot, and police shot and killed a woman during the siege. Three other people died in what authorities said were medical emergencies. The riot delayed the tally of Electoral College votes that was the last step in finalizing Bidens victory. Ten Republican lawmakers, including third-ranking House GOP leader Liz Cheney of Wyoming, voted to impeach Trump, cleaving the Republican leadership, and the party itself. Cheney, whose father is the former Republican vice president, said of Trumps actions summoning the mob that there has never been a greater betrayal by a President of his office. Trump was said to be livid with perceived disloyalty from McConnell and Cheney. With the team around Trump hollowed out and his Twitter account silenced by the social media company, the president was deeply frustrated that he could not hit back, according to White House officials and Republicans close to the West Wing who werent authorized to speak publicly about private conversations. From the White House, Trump leaned on Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina to push Republican senators to resist, while chief of staff Mark Meadows called some of his former colleagues on Capitol Hill. The presidents sturdy popularity with the GOP lawmakers constituents still had some sway, and most House Republicans voted not to impeach. Security was exceptionally tight at the Capitol, with tall fences around the complex. Metal-detector screenings were required for lawmakers entering the House chamber, where a week earlier lawmakers huddled inside as police, guns drawn, barricade the door from rioters. We are debating this historic measure at a crime scene, said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. During the debate, some Republicans repeated the falsehoods spread by Trump about the election and argued that the president has been treated unfairly by Democrats from the day he took office. Other Republicans argued the impeachment was a rushed sham and complained about a double standard applied to his supporters but not to the liberal left. Some simply appealed for the nation to move on. Rep. Tom McClintock of California said, Every movement has a lunatic fringe. Yet Democratic Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo. and others recounted the harrowing day as rioters pounded on the chamber door trying to break in. Some called it a coup attempt. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., contended that Trump was capable of starting a civil war. Conviction and removal of Trump would require a two-thirds vote in the Senate, which will be evenly divided. Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania joined Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska over the weekend in calling for Trump to go away as soon as possible. Fending off concerns that an impeachment trial would bog down his first days in office, Biden is encouraging senators to divide their time between taking taking up his priorities of confirming his nominees and approving COVID-19 relief while also conducting the trial. The impeachment bill draws from Trumps own false statements about his election defeat to Biden. Judges across the country, including some nominated by Trump, have repeatedly dismissed cases challenging the election results, and former Attorney General William Barr, a Trump ally, has said there was no sign of widespread fraud. The House had first tried to persuade Vice President Mike Pence and the Cabinet to invoke their authority under the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office. Pence declined to do so, but the House passed the resolution anyway. The impeachment bill also details Trumps pressure on state officials in Georgia to find him more votes. While some have questioned impeaching the president so close to the end of his term, there is precedent. In 1876, during the Ulysses Grant administration, War Secretary William Belknap was impeached by the House the day he resigned, and the Senate convened a trial months later. He was acquitted. Posted Wednesday, January 13, 2021 4:32 pm So now many of Donald Trumps most ardent enablers are cautioning against impeaching him for a second time for his actions on Jan. 6 to incite a deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol building and for his election tampering phone call to Georgias secretary of state. They say they are worried impeaching him a second time will divide the country. Too late. The extreme right has spent the last five years promoting conspiracy theories and disinformation to divide the country, and conservative Republicans have enabled that hatred and division by not objecting forcefully to it in a timely fashion like John McCain did after his election loss in 2008. More often than not, they have just rationalized it away to serve their own political or financial or evangelical interests. No, it is too late. What is necessary now is accountability. The storming of the capitol by an armed Trump mob, ironically shouting, among other things, Hang Mike Pence! is inexcusable. Predictably, some conservatives are now trying to pin the blame on Antifa, a left-wing group that exists mostly in the disturbed imagination of Donald Trump. The FBI and Homeland Security just say, there is no evidence of that. Pence reportedly told a friend after all Ive done for him. Sorry, Mike, but you should have seen that coming. Trump is about Trump. And conservatives always say they value loyalty. As Mitt Romney said, they need to stand up and tell the truth for once. They need to tell the delusional 35 percent that constitutes Trumps base that he lost the election fair and square.They need to denounce all the lies they have been winking at or outright supporting for the last 10 years from Benghazi and the birther lie that questioned Barack Obamas legitimacy to the election fraud lies intended to derail Joe Biden. My guess is they will not do that. The fact is the lies go back a long time. Recent Medal of Freedom winner Rush Limbaugh has been spewing disinformation and conspiracy theories for many years. Conservatives have eaten it up. To quote a letter I wrote to The Chronicle in 2017, Trump is a nasty demagogue. He is, but by 2016 conservatives had opened wide the doorway to hatred and division. Trump merely walked through it. Alex Jones and the QAnon conspiracy theorists are simply Limbaugh carried to the next addled level. Impeachment would set a precedent to deter future Donald Trumps. He can be impeached and convicted after he has left office. Impeachment would also prevent Trump from ever holding public office again. Likewise, censure could do that and probably be easier to accomplish. Pence, along with a majority of the Cabinet, could invoke the 25th Amendment and remove Trump from office for being unfit to carry out his duties. Very demonstrably, he is. Any wispy notion that Republicans are still the party of Lincoln was violently disabused Jan. 6 when the Confederate flag waved through the halls of the U.S. Capitol building. Lincoln fought a bloody Civil War to prevent that. Marty Ansley Cinebar Emily Ratajkowski has been rocking a number of stylish and bump-friendly outfits since announcing she is pregnant with her first child in a candid essay for Vogue. And on Wednesday, the 29-year-old model showcased her chic maternity wardrobe in a brown, black and brown $4,394 Dolce & Gabbana mid-length tweed coat. As she strutted around Manhattan's ritzy Greenwich Village wearing a pair of python-print boots, she dutifully wore a black face mask amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Expecting: Emily Ratajkowski showcased her chic maternity wardrobe in a brown, black and brown $4,394 Dolce & Gabbana mid-length tweed coat on Wednesday The award-winning entrepreneur, who founded the fashion line Inamorata Woman, completed her ensemble with large gold hoop earrings and retro black Oliver Peoples shades. The beauty's growing baby bump was slightly less visible than usual as she bundled up in a pair long sleeve on the partly cloudy afternoon. Ratajkowski, who has been married to Sebastian Bear-McClard since 2018, looked in high spirits as she carried a very large shopping bag from Nespresso. Staying safe: As she strutted around Manhattan's ritzy Greenwich Village wearing a pair of python-print boots, she dutifully wore a black face mask amid the COVID-19 pandemic Maternity style: The award-winning entrepreneur, who founded the fashion line Inamorata Woman, completed her ensemble with gold hoop earrings and black Oliver Peoples shades Baby bump: She covered her baby bump in a black sweater, paired with matching leggings. Ratajkowski carried a full shopping bag, after what appeared to be a successful retail outing She most likely purchased one of the brand's luxury coffee and espresso machines, which weigh around 12 pounds. Two weeks ago, the London-born SoCal native took part in the popular 'Post a Pic of' challenge where she confirmed she was in her third trimester - or about 29 weeks along. Emily has already started decorating her baby's nursery with a painting of dinosaurs in space by her art teacher father, John David. Coming soon: Two weeks ago, the London-born SoCal native took part in the popular 'Post a Pic of' challenge where she confirmed she was in her third trimester - or about 29 weeks along 31 weeks along! Aside from running her three-year swimwear brand, the mother-to-be's last modeling gig was a paid partnership with French luxury haircare line, Kerastase, in July Ratajkowski and her husband are very excited to welcome a baby after adopting their HuskyGerman shepherd mix Columbo last year. Aside from running her three-year swimwear brand, the mother-to-be's last modeling gig was a paid partnership with French luxury haircare line, Kerastase, over the summer. Meanwhile, the 39-year-old Independent Spirit Award nominee's next producing effort is former child star Owen Kline's long-delayed feature directorial debut - a 2021 comedy called Two Against Nature - with the Safdie Brothers and Scott Rudin. She confirmed her pregnancy in late October to Vogue, and revealed she hopes to raise her baby in a gender-neutral environment, because she does not want to 'force gender stereotypes' on her future child. 'Baby's first painting thanks to my papa!' Emily has already started decorating her baby's nursery with a painting of dinosaurs in space by her art teacher father, John David Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 07:51:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on Jan. 13, 2021 shows the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., the United States. A majority of lawmakers in the U.S. House on Wednesday voted for impeaching President Donald Trump over "incitement of insurrection," making him the first president to be impeached twice. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WASHINGTON, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. House on Wednesday voted to impeach President Donald Trump over "incitement of insurrection," making him the first president to be impeached twice. While the number of Democrats sponsoring the impeachment article indicated there had already been enough votes to impeach the president in the days leading up to the floor vote, 10 Republicans cast the "yea" vote. That is a stark contrast to the last time the House voted to impeach Trump in December 2019, at which time no Republican representatives crossed the party line. The final vote Wednesday was 232 in favor and 197 against. "The resolution (of impeachment) is adopted. Without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced while gaveling the vote down. Kicking off the debate over the article of impeachment earlier in the day, Pelosi cited the Capitol riot by Trump loyalists last week and said the president "incited this insurrection, this armed rebellion against our common country." "He must go. He is a clear and present danger to the nation that we all love," she added. For those Republicans who opposed impeaching Trump, few of them defended the president on the ground of what he did prior to the Capitol intrusion. They argued instead that the Democrats were rushing to remove the president without due process and at a time when Trump will hand over the presidency to President-elect Joe Biden in merely a week. They accused the Democrats of further dividing the country. "They're rushing to judgment in my opinion and bringing up impeachment after failing to follow any meaningful process whatsoever," said Tom Cole, ranking member of the House Rules Committee, during the debate. "No hearings have been held. No witnesses heard, no process or opportunity to respond was provided to the president." House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy acknowledged that Trump "bears responsibility for (last) Wednesday's attack on Congress by mob rioters," but stressed that "impeaching the president in such a short timeframe would be a mistake." He called for national unity, saying "we must seize this opportunity to heal and grow stronger." The impeachment resolution cited Trump's speech to supporters on Jan. 6 that was followed by some of the crowd breaching the Capitol building to interrupt Congress's certification of the 2020 election results as his "incitement of insurrection." On top of that, the president's repeated claims of voter fraud in the election, as well as his Jan. 2 phone call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to press him to "find enough votes" to overturn the state's presidential election results, were also mentioned in the resolution as proof that Trump "gravely endangered the security of the United States and its institutions of Government," that he "threatened the integrity of the democratic system, interfered with the peaceful transition of power, and imperiled a coequal branch of Government." With Trump being impeached and Democrats not only demanding his conviction and removal in the Senate trial, but also asking for his "disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States," all eyes have turned to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who will decide when to hold the Senate trial that will determine the president's fate. McConnell, who on Wednesday tried to cool down the heat of previous media reports saying he was pleased with the impeachment and believed it to be a good option to purge Trump from the Republican Party, issued a formal statement rejecting an early trial in the Senate, which is now in recess. "The House of Representatives has voted to impeach the President. The Senate process will now begin at our first regular meeting following receipt of the article from the House," read the statement. "Given the rules, procedures, and Senate precedents that govern presidential impeachment trials, there is simply no chance that a fair or serious trial could conclude before President-elect Biden is sworn in next week." On the part of the Democratic Party, Pelosi didn't respond directly to questions about her plan for transmitting the article of impeachment to the Senate, as some Democrats floated the idea of delaying the process until after 100 days into the Biden presidency so that some of the incoming president's cabinet nominees could be confirmed timely by the upper chamber. Trump was impeached by the House in December 2019, with two articles of impeachment charging him with "abuse of power," and "obstruction of Congress" over his dealings with Ukraine. He was acquitted by the Senate, in which the number of senators supporting his conviction failed to reach the required two-thirds majority. Enditem Ministers are facing a battle to pass a controversial new law allowing the use of child spies after peers voted to block their use in all but 'exceptional circumstances. Police and the security services are among those who would be allowed to use under-18s as covert human intelligence sources (CHIS), with ministers highlighting operations against 'county lines' drug gangs as one area they could be used. But the plan is facing mounting opposition, including from inside the Conservative Party, over fears that they will be placed in danger or drawn into greater criminality. Peers last night passed an amendment by 104 votes which would only permit the undercover involvement of children and vulnerable people in crime in 'exceptional circumstances' and with additional protections. One of those behind the move was Tory former cabinet minister Lord Young of Cookham, who said police 'should be pulling children away from criminality at every turn instead of pushing them further into the arms of serious criminals'. The use of children has also been opposed by the Children's Commissioner, Anne Longfield and religious leaders including The Bishop of Durham, the Rt Rev Paul Butler. Leading Labour backbencher Stella Creasy, who helped draft the amendment, told MailOnline: 'The lords have given a clear message to the government they will not accept their plans to recruit children as spies without question. 'With cross party support and several of their own voting for our proposals it's a substantial majority for the principle no child should ever be put at risk to benefit any investigation no matter how important.' Members of the upper house also backed explicit limits on what agents could be authorised to do, including a ban on the most serious crimes, such as murder, torture and rape. It sets the stage for a legislative tussle, known as parliamentary 'ping pong', with the elected Commons where the Government has a majority. One of those behind the move was Tory former cabinet minister Lord Young of Cookham (standing, left), who said police 'should be pulling children away from criminality at every turn instead of pushing them further into the arms of serious criminals' Labour backbencher Stella Creasy, who helped draft the amendment, told MailOnline: 'The lords have given a clear message to the government they will not accept their plans to recruit children as spies without question' Proposing the amendment to the Bill, corossbench peer, film director and children's rights campaigner Baroness Kidron said: 'In every other interaction with the criminal justice system we try to remove children from criminal activity, to take them away from harm and towards safety. But before us is legislation which formalises our ability to do the opposite' Proposing the amendment to the Bill, corossbench peer, film director and children's rights campaigner Baroness Kidron said: 'In every other interaction with the criminal justice system we try to remove children from criminal activity, to take them away from harm and towards safety. But before us is legislation which formalises our ability to do the opposite.' She added: 'If, and that must be a big if, we make this extraordinary demand of a child then we must set a very high bar for the circumstances in which that happens.' However, a number of peers argued this still did not go far enough, with Labour former shadow attorney general Baroness Chakrabarti branding the use of young informers as 'state-sponsored child abuse'. Guidance issued alongside the Bill for the Covert Intelligence Bill outlines that other public bodies who will be allowed to employ them as undercover agents. As well as police, MI5, MI6 and the National Crime Agency, they include the Gambling Commission, county and district councils, the Environment Agency and the Food Standards Agency. The document, which has been published online, prohibits those under 16 from being used to inform on their parents or guardians. But it permits the use of older teenagers to be used against their own family under special circumstances. The Bishop of Durham, the Rt Rev Paul Butler, said: 'Knowingly placing a child in harm's way may be in our interests but it is not in the child's best interests.' Responding, Home Office minister Baroness Williams of Trafford, said: 'The decision to authorise a juvenile to participate in criminal conduct is not one which is taken lightly nor without consideration of the wellbeing of that juvenile.' As well as police, MI5, MI6 (London headquarters pictured) and the National Crime Agency, the list of agencies includes the Gambling Commission, county and district councils, the Environment Agency and the Food Standards Agency. She said there were 'robust safeguards' in place and proposed Government changes would 'further enhance these'. The bill has already drawn heavy criticism as it passes through Parliament. In October Security Minister James Brokenshire was forced to confirm adult undercover agents will not be given a 'licence to kill'. Several MPs raised concerns over the scope of the Bill and the Government's unwillingness to specify a list of the limits in the legislation, which aims to protect undercover operatives from prosecution if they are forced to break the law on operations. The senior minister assured the House that the bill's powers are contained in the Human Rights Act and include the right to life, prohibition of torture, and prohibition of subjecting someone to inhuman or degrading treatment. The late Pat Grace The death has occurred of Pat Grace (6 Cypress Court, Loughboy, Kilkenny) January 12, unexpectedly but peacefully, at his home, Pat, pre-deceased by his loving wife Eileen and sister Rosie, beloved father of Paul, sadly missed by his loving son, brothers Noel and Ger, sisters Caroline and Martha, Paul's fiancee Rhia, grandchildren Eabha, Shane and Ally Rose, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, extended family, neighbours and friends. In accordance with current Government/HSE guidelines and in the interest of public health and the safety of our most vulnerable, a private family funeral will take place for Pat, with Requiem Mass celebrated on Saturday, January 16 at 11am in St Fiacre's Church, Loughboy (max of 10 in church). Funeral afterwards to St. Kieran's Cemetery with the cortege passing Pat's home at 11.50 am. If you wish to leave a message of condolence for Pat's family please so so at RIP.ie. The Grace family thank everybody for their support and understanding in these difficult days. The late Patrick (Paddy) Curran The death has occurred of Patrick (Paddy) Curran, Hoodsgrove, Rosbercon, New Ross, Kilkenny. January 12. Paddy aged 89, predeceased by his parents Jack and Rita and brother Mick. Beloved husband of Stasia, father of John, Pat, Ger, Marita, Helen and the late Micky. Deeply regretted by his loving family sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and many friends. In accordance with current Government / HSE guidelines and in the interest of public health and the safety of our most vulnerable, a private family funeral will take place tomorrow Thursday, January 14 in The Church of The Assumption Rosbercon New Ross at 11am. Requiem Mass can be viewed on Rosbercon Parish Facebook Page live at 11am. Please leave a message of condolence at RIP.ie. Thank you for your understanding in these difficult times. The late Brigid Malone (nee Phelan) The death has occurred of Brigid Malone (nee Phelan), on January 12, native of Mooncoin, Kilkenny and formerly of Foxrock, Dublin. Peacefully after a long illness, in the tender care of the wonderful staff of Cairnhill Nursing Home, Bray. Sadly missed by her loving husband Des, sons Seamus, Martin, Francis, Fergal and daughter Carmel; daughters-in-law Liz and Marie; and by Elijah; grandchildren Ciara, Emma, Sarah, Rachel, David, Sean, Juliet and Freddie. Beloved sister of Josephine, Paddy, John and the late Dick and Jimmy, as well as sisters-in-law Eileen, Kathleen, Mary and Olive. In accordance with Government and HSE guidelines and in the interest of public health, a private funeral mass will take place at 11 am on Friday, January 15, at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Foxrock, Dublin. Burial after in Deansgrange Cemetery. Mass will be live streamed at www.churchservices.tv/foxrock. No flowers please, donations instead, if desired, to The Rotunda Foundation. if you wish to offer your condolences online, please visit RIP.ie. The late Eileen (Sally) O'Donnell The death has occurred of Eileen (Sally) O'Donnell, Clashwilliam, Gowran, Kilkenny / Kilkenny City, Kilkenny. Peacefully, in her 96th year, on Wedensday, January 13, in the exceptional care of the staff at Archersrath Nursing Home, Kilkenny. Remembered with love by her brothers Kevin, Kieran and Joe, sisters-in-law Ann, Ann, Mona, Eileen and Patricia, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Requiem Mass on Friday, January 15 at 11am in The Church of the Assumption, Gowran, with burial afterwards in the adjoining cemetery. Due to the current Level 5, HSE and Government restrictions regarding public gatherings, the Funeral will take place privately (10 family members only). Those who wish to view the Funeral Mass can do so through the following link https://www.livestreamireland.ie/eod150121 A message of sympathy maybe expressed through the condolences section of RIP.ie. Plus, Bill's Message of the Day, say goodbye to law and order Joe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 01/13/2021 ADVERTISEMENT Season 12 Episode 1 FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. featured the five new Season 12 couples picking out their wedding attire and enjoying their bachelor/ette parties before Clara Berghaus and Ryan Oubre met for the first time on their wedding day during Wednesday night's premiere episode on Lifetime.experts Pastor Calvin Roberson, Dr. Pepper Schwartz and Dr. Viviana Coles matched five Atlanta-based couples to wed on the new season: Clara and Ryan, Briana Myles and Vincent Morales Haley Harris and Jacob Harder Virginia Coombs and Erik Lake , and Chris Williams and Paige Banks The premiere began with 10 singles preparing to marry a couple stranger in a legally-binding marriage with only one way out -- divorce.With less than two weeks until the big wedding day, the participants shared the big news they'd be getting married with friends and family.Briana called herself "a slow starter, especially when it comes to showing affection" and said she had a laundry list of things she was looking for in her ideal partner. Briana hoped to find a patient, attractive and financially stable man and go-getter."I would like my husband to make more than me," Briana shared, adding that she's a little bit of a clean freak.The serious engineer and professional woman -- who joked she can be "a little odd -- anticipated a cute love story to tell her kids and grandkids one day, and she was matched with Vincent, an auto broker who insisted he's ready to be married for the rest of his life and start a family.Vincent shared how his father wasn't around when he was younger and he aspires to be "the complete opposite," a provider for his wife and children as well as "a super dad."Vincent said his last relationship didn't work out because the woman wanted someone with a corporate job and Vincent was trying to start his own business with no college degree."I want someone through thick and thin, someone willing to ride through the lows and the highs. I'm trusting the experts to find me someone I'm compatible with," Vincent told the cameras.Vincent shared how he's very ambitious and strives hard to be successful but also wants to have fun with his wife.Vincent's friend De'Andre said Vincent is "100 percent ready for marriage," and Vincent said he's willing to do whatever it takes to make the relationship work.The experts also matched Erik, a pilot in the Air Force Reserves, with Virginia. Erik had been in a few failed relationships due to his need to travel constantly, including a marriage which resulted in divorce three years prior.Erik's career goals were finally complete, so he couldn't wait to share his life with someone he loves. He wanted a genuine, down-to-earth and funny girl who wants to have a good time and is independent.When Erik told his traditional mother Donna that he'd be marrying a stranger, she called the idea "crazy" and admitted she had some concerns and was "a little nervous."Virginia is a customer-experience specialist at a marketing agency. While she's been used to the single, partying lifestyle, Virginia found herself ready to give a guy the chance to stick around and hopefully not break her heart.Virginia's parents got divorced and her father was in and out of the picture throughout her childhood, so she admittedly had abandonment issues and had been single for five years."I want to find The One and be with him forever. I don't want to keep hopping from relationship to relationship," Virginia noted, adding, "Once I'm committed, I'm going to be all in. I can confidently say I'm ready for that deep love and happiness that can come with being married."Virginia's dad was "afraid" for her and said he never envisioned his daughter getting married this way. Daniel clearly wasn't happy about the news, and Virginia admitted she and her father butted heads a lot and it was disappointing not to have his support."It kind of hurts that he doesn't want to support me," Virginia said.Paige, a full-time accountant and realtor, said she wants to be a wife and mother "so badly" and had met many men who weren't ready to settle down. She wanted to love a man despite all of his flaws and be there for him through thick and thin.Paige told her brother that her only dealbreakers were if the man is not God fearing and doesn't want children on her same timeline, but her brother accused her of being more picky.Paige also admitted it matters that the man makes money and has a place to call his own, and her brother said she had chosen "a really difficult path" to marriage.Chris -- a finance manager, restaurant owner and former ordained minister -- then shared the news he'd be getting married with his family and pastor Dwight, who called him "brave" but "crazy."Paige was matched with Chris, who wants an intelligent, submissive, sexy, and freak who's good in bed. Chris said he'd like up to seven children to live on his last name, his "brand."Chris once lived in a rental car for four months and was homeless but then he landed a six-figure job in Atlanta and changed things around.Chris had been engaged twice before. The first time it didn't work out because he allegedly didn't make money, and the second engagement allegedly ended due to trust issues.Chris revealed his last relationship ended just three months prior to signing up for and it's important to have a partner who is spiritual.Chris' grandmother advised him to keep an open mind and have no preconceptions, which is something he tends to do.Pastor Cal predicted Paige and Chris could be a dynamic power couple in life.The experts also matched Haley and Jacob.Haley is a sales representative who says she's been single for so long and is used to doing whatever she wants. She's been a bridesmaid 14 times and never found herself the right man.Haley's been in two serious relationships -- one of which was a five-year, on and off romance with a controlling man who often disappeared and then got another woman pregnant.Haley developed trust issues as a result, but she said she worked on herself and now feels ready for love with someone who will be willing to travel with her and accept her for who she is.Haley's friends hoped the process would force Haley to commit and stick with the relationship because she apparently is the one who usually runs after just one date or so.Jacob, a senior IT programmer, said he was always a dorky, overweight kid with glasses but he started to lift weights as a teenager and then became a bodybuilder. Jacob said he would commit to a woman in his twenties because he didn't want to settle and always wondered if there was a better girl out there.Now that he's almost 40, Jacob said he's ready to settle down with one lady but people don't give love a fair chance nowadays due to dating apps. Jacob also said he couldn't meet girls at bars due to COVID-19."This could be my last chance to find love before I'm 40," Jacob told the cameras.The experts thought Jacob could bring some stability to Haley's life but she would bring him out of his shell and show him a good time.The final matched couple for Season 12 was Clara and Ryan.Clara, a flight attendant, said she loves traveling but typically gets hit on by drunk frat guys or really old men. Clara had a string of terrible dates with drunks and perverts, apparently, and she said she was sick of casually dating losers.Clara had been searching for a confident man with whom she can take over the world. She's a social butterfly who doesn't want to live life alone, and she told her friends that she's "done with the douchebag guys.""I've just had crap. I literally had a man Venmo me $100 last week asking permission to take my best friend out on a date even though he and I [hooked up]," Clara shared. "I'm going into this [with the mentality] of 'this is it.'"Ryan told the cameras he's calculated and appreciates his routine, which includes two or three hours in the gym every day after work and then bed. Ryan said he wanted to be in love but he's never actually said "I love you" to somebody.Ryan said those words are incredibly significant and special to him and he'll say it to a woman who lights a fire in his heart.Ryan was one of 10-15 black kids in his high school and so he's had some great interracial relationships. Ryan also grew up in a very conservative, rural town, so he admitted he's faced racism in the past but other people's opinions or criticism no longer bother him.Although Ryan is typically organized and not super spontaneous, he insisted he was totally ready to take a leap of faith and take a big step out of his comfort zone.With only 10 days until the weddings, the brides met each other and the grooms also got together in a separate location.Paige said the ladies were "beautiful, dope and super energetic" and she looked forward to calling her fellow brides her "homegirls."Meanwhile, Chris said Jacob came across calm, cool and collected but the quiet one is always to be feared. Chris revealed he had been engaged in early 2020 but they broke up due to a difference in opinion over how relationships should go.Erik had been married and divorced before, so he was a little concerned Chris was rushing into a marriage when he might not be ready to do that.Virginia told the ladies that she parties a lot and asked for a man who would want to join her on adventures and have fun. Virginia said she didn't want to "settle down" and stay home with a guy.Briana worried Virginia would have trouble adjusting to married life since she still seemed to be living the single life -- young, wild and free.The girls agreed they wanted men who could keep up with them, and Clara expressed her fear she might recognize her groom or one of the groomsmen, which made the other brides-to-be laugh.Paige admitted she wouldn't be ready for a kiss at the altar, except maybe on the cheek, and Clara called that "weird." The girls also discussed how they probably wouldn't be ready to have sex on their wedding nights, although they'd probably be up for it on the honeymoon.Meanwhile, Chris said his biggest fear was having an ugly bride, which seemed to rub some of the other guys the wrong way. Jacob expressed concern about not being attracted to his wife, but he apparently thought the word "ugly" was a bit strong."Obviously you are compatible with this person and so you would want to get to know her and see why you were matched with this person," Vincent explained to Chris.Vincent told the cameras that Chris was "awkward" and "a little sketchy" and asked strange "what ifs?"Chris also asked, "What would you do if you had a honeymoon baby?... It's possible."Erik cracked up laughing, and all the guys agreed no one had thought of that possibility. Chris also bluntly told Jacob that his clock was ticking for starting a family and having children.Chris joked about how he needed to send a group text to women telling them that they couldn't talk anymore, and Erik noted he had to delete his dating apps.The next day, Chris talked to his pastor Dwight about how he just ended an engagement three months ago and that was tough for him, and it was especially tough since he was about to marry a stranger after a failed relationship.Dwight asked Chris if he was chasing love or lust, and Chris admitted that when he had sex with women before fully getting to know them in the past, all of those relationships failed."I think one of the things I've learned is that sex can cloud your judgement," Chris shared."I'm not going to lie and say that, you know, you have a beautiful wife and this is your bride, you know, it's not going to be tempting. But I am considering, even though we're married -- and I've been waiting for this day -- that I may not have sex with her the first time that we meet or on the honeymoon."Dwight advised Chris to have self-control over his body and be happy that a woman wants to be with him for his heart instead of his money.The pastor also asked Chris to close the door with his ex because his wife deserved his entire mind, body and spirit, and with that being said, Chris insisted he was over his past relationship without a doubt.Meanwhile, Paige told the girls that she felt "at peace" and at ease with marrying at first sight. Clara also bought the brides-to-be lingerie for their wedding night or honeymoon.Paige said she bought specific lingerie for the honeymoon and planned to do a little role playing, but Bri admitted she hadn't bought anything special.Virginia said Paige exuded self-confidence and has a noticeably big booty her groom would probably appreciate.Clara shared that she's very comfortable with her sexuality and talking about sex, and so she hoped her husband wouldn't shy away from the topic and would be willing to make love early on. Bri joked that Clara was 50 Shades of Gray.Paige admitted she doesn't like condoms and so she hoped her future husband got tested before getting engaged, and Bri said she'd never let her husband handcuff her to the bed.Paige also confessed she wouldn't go near a guy's butt but she hoped he could please her just like she would please him. Clara was taken aback by Paige's honesty considering she's very religious, but she gushed about how she was all for it.With one week to go until their weddings, the ladies went shopping for their wedding dress and the men went shopping for a tuxedo.Bri looked for a classic, elegant and modest gown. She said she was probably still single because she always focused on the physical with men first and worried about compatibility later."That's definitely not how it should be," Bri acknowledged. "That had a lot to do with why I changed myself in relationships, because I based everything off of physical."Bri selected a strapless satin gown with a sweetheart neckline and dramatic train.Chris picked out sparkly shoes for his wedding day and Dwight admitted he was just nervous because Chris can be "so picky" about everything, from the clothes he wears to the food he eats."I want to be the best looking groom in the history of ," Chris noted with a laugh, adding that he felt fly and full of swag in his blue and black paisley tuxedo jacket.Paige chose a form-fitted dress with lace sleeves, a little sparkle and a low back.Haley picked out a sleek design with a low back, buttons down the back and a tiny sparkly belt, and Jacob wished while trying on tuxedos that his wife would like 80s movies and appreciate his weirdness and quirks.Virginia searched for her perfect dress accompanied by her friends since her family, especially her father, wasn't exactly supportive of her decision to marry a stranger.But suddenly, Virginia's stepmother showed up to be there for the big moment in Virginia's life, and the bride-to-be burst into tears. Virginia said this was the boost she needed heading into her wedding day.Virginia chose an embellished, sleek dress, and she told her friends it would be hard if her husband asked her to slow down and stop partying. Virginia noted it would be a dealbreaker if her husband wasn't fun and outgoing.When Clara went searching for her dream dress, she avoided lace and wanted to find to find something that would show off her personality. Clara already had nightmares about her groom -- including one of him wearing Crocs at the altar -- and so she was getting a bit anxious and tense.Clara picked out a dress that showed off her curves and features a slim bedazzled belt with a big bow in the back.It then became time for the bachelor and bachelorette parties.Jacob asked Erik whether he'd rather be unattracted to his bride or have his bride be unattracted to him, and Erik said he'd rather lack the attraction because he's be willing to work on it and help it grow.Erik joked about how Jacob seemed a little weird and strange, and he was just hoping his future wife wasn't doing anything crazy at her party.But Virginia was admittedly "a little extra" at the women's joint bachelorette party, and footage showed her shaking her butt in a tiny two-piece sequin dress.Chris showed up to the bachelor party with a blowup doll in order to have "some clean fun."Ryan laughed about how that wasn't his "cup of tea" but fun can come in all different ways. It also wasn't Jacob's scene.Meanwhile, Vincent decided to have a good time by talking to the dancer at the party. Chris joked that he didn't even want to go near that woman, mainly because he didn't want to disrespect his future wife or upset her in any way.Erik said he's a traditional, conservative guy and it would be interesting to see how the other men would behave in their marriages.Clara was then shown telling the girls how they all seemed to be "alpha females" and she'd never be submissive in a marriage. But at the same time, she wanted to be matched with a guy who could call her out on her stuff and be able to go tit for tat."Obviously I want my husband to be a protector and a provider, but do I necessarily believe in gender roles? No," Paige shared.Clara asked Paige whether she wanted her husband to become head of the household, which would make her a "subservient wife" since she was raised as a Christian, and Paige responded, "Ideally, that's a perfect world, but have I had that? No."Paige elaborated that she'd like to explore the possibilities a man might set for her in their household."I've never been submissive... but I want to," Paige shared. "I just need to feel comfortable to have a man take that lead."The girls joked with Paige how she seemingly wants to drive her kids to Bible school and then get "nasty" with her hard-working husband later on.The bachelorette party apparently ended with Virginia, whom Clara said was "totally wasted," throwing up in a toilet.The couples' wedding day then arrived, and Virginia said she hoped her groom would be down-to-earth, fun and want to partake in adventures with her as well as traveling the world.All of the individuals were excited to wed but also a little nervous, and Chris told the cameras he hoped his wife was going to be "hot as hell" and not with him for his money.Clara worried about whether she'd like her husband and he'd like her, and Ryan anticipated he would be crying some tears later that day.Footage then showed Clara and Ryan getting ready for their big day, and Clara joked she'd probably "puke" once she put her dress on.Clara gifted Ryan some of her favorite tequila and shot glasses on their wedding day, and Clara shared she had made the shot glasses herself. She also "iced" him with a Smirnoff Ice, joking that he needed to get down on one knee for her in some way.In return, Ryan wrote Clara a beautiful letter and thanked her for taking a leap of faith.Ryan's beautiful words made Clara cry, as he gifted her a blue speaker -- which had been his wingman from backyard cookouts to staying in an AirBnB in Budapest -- and said he couldn't wait to create wonderful memories with her as well as playlists and their "own soundtrack" for when they go on trips together.Clara couldn't believe it because she used to make mixtapes and playlists for ex-boyfriends.Clara's mother gushed, "Who cares what he looks like! He just wrote you that letter!"Clara predicted she was about to marry an extraordinary man, who seemed to sincerely want true love.Ryan also gave Clara a blindfold to wear down the aisle so their first connection would be a hand-hold instead of catching glances at each other from yards away.Ryan wanted to form a physical connection with Clara right off the bat by touching hands and then locking eyes.Clara's bridesmaids liked the idea Ryan and Clara would look at each other for the first time at the very same moment, and Clara didn't seem to mind walking down the aisle totally blind."I'm about to welcome a complete stranger into my life, my family's life and my friends' lives. I can feel the weight of the moment, for sure," Ryan told the cameras.Clara was then shown complaining about her hair and how she didn't feel like she looked like herself."I've only wanted to get married once, and after reading his letter, it hit me, like, 'What if he doesn't like me?'" Clara lamented.Clara also said the hem job on her wedding dress was terrible because it was too short and she never picked out heels to wear since her feet were going to show.Clara just wasn't happy about her appearance on her big day and seemed upset while Ryan was ready and prepared to meet his future wife.Clara hoped her future husband was going to be as genuine as his letter had implied."I want a meaningful connection to start off our relationship. Holding hands with her and getting that moment right before I see her, I'm a bit of a sentimental person and it would be a very cool shared experience to look back on," Ryan explained.Clara felt a little sick before walking down the aisle and confessed she was "terrified" about being matched with a man she might never have picked for herself."I feel like I'm having a panic attack," Clara vented.When Clara and Ryan joined hands at the altar, Ryan apologized for having sweat palms."This is so weird," Clara said.The best man and maid of honor then removed the spouses' blindfolds at the same time.The episode ended on a cliffhanger, with fans unable to see Ryan and Clara's reactions to each other.Interested in more news? Join our Married at First Sight Facebook Group or click here to view our newspage!And click here for more updates on former cast members and info on where they are now! Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A Staten Island woman was arrested last week for allegedly assaulting police officers in upstate New York. The Lake Placid Police Department arrested Emily Boyer, 24, who public records indicate is from West Brighton, on Jan. 6 for assaulting cops who were responding to a 911 call, police said. It is not clear how many officers she allegedly assaulted. Boyer also resisted arrest after the assault, the Lake Placid Police Department said. The Lake Placid Police Department charged Boyer with assault in the second degree, attempted assault in the second degree, both felonies, and resisting arrest. After being arraigned in Village Court, Boyer was remanded to Essex County Jail and held on a $15,000 cash bail, the Lake Placid Police Department said. The investigation is ongoing, police said. CHICAGO, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Autonomous Ships Market by Autonomy (Fully Autonomous, Remote Operations, Partial Automation), Ship Type (Commercial, Defense), End-Use (Linefit, Retrofit), Solution (Systems, Software, Structures), Propulsion and Region - Global Forecast to 2030", published by MarketsandMarkets, the Autonomous Ships Market is estimated to be USD 5.8 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach USD 14.2 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 9.3% from 2020 to 2030. The demand for new ships and the retrofitting of existing ships with advanced technologies is expected to grow with the increase in trade activities. The ongoing digitalization and autonomous technologies such as sensor fusion technology, control algorithms, and communication and connectivity will create new services for autonomous ships. Ask for PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=267183224 The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the autonomous ships market significantly. The spread of COVID-19 has also forced autonomous ships companies to implement a remote working and digital technologies for business continuation and fleet optimization. For example, shipping companies and original equipment manufacturers are using artificial intelligence for predictive maintenance, intelligent scheduling, real-time analytics, and improving performance. This break in business operations is directly influencing the revenue of the autonomous ships market. Even though some industries continued operations, delays in systems supply and the limited supply of produced goods capped production and reduced capacity utilization rates. Based on autonomy, the fully autonomous segment projected to lead the autonomous ships market during the forecast period Based on autonomy, the autonomous ships market is segmented into fully autonomous, remotely-operated, and partial automation. The growth of the fully autonomous segment of the autonomous ships market can be attributed to the increased investments in developing autonomous ships in the European region. Based on ship type, the commercial segment projected to lead the autonomous ships market during the forecast period Based on ship type, the autonomous ships market is segmented into commercial and defense. The commercial segment is expected to grow at a higher CAGR, owing to the rising seaborne trade and tourism across the globe. Based on end-use, the line fit segment accounts for the largest market size during the forecast period Based on end-use, the autonomous ships market is segmented into line fit and retrofit. The line-fit segment is estimated to account for a larger share in 2020 as compared to the retrofit segment. The growth of the line fit segment can be attributed to the increased investments in naval defense by various countries and the rise in seaborne trade activities across the globe. Browse in-depth TOC on "Autonomous Ships Market" 209 - Tables 56 - Figures 262 - Pages Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=267183224 "Europe is expected to be the fastest-growing region for autonomous ships market during the forecast period." Europe is among the fastest-growing regions for the autonomous ships market. Europe has a developed market for offshore vessels, which is expected to grow significantly over the next few years. Northwestern Europe is also an emerging market for offshore support vessels due to ample offshore activities in the North Sea region. These factors positively impact the offshore vessels industry, subsequently increasing the demand for autonomous ships. Some of the players operating in the autonomous ships market are ABB (Switzerland), Honeywell International, Inc. (US), Rolls-Royce PLC (UK), Wartsila (Finland), and Kongsberg (Norway) are industry majors and have largely benefitted from their well-recognized brands, a wide range of products, and strong distribution capabilities in the autonomous ships market. Related Reports: Integrated Bridge Systems Market by End User (OEM, Aftermarket), Ship Type (Commercial: Bulk Carriers, Dredgers, Defense: Frigates, Corvettes, OPVs), Subsystem (INS, VDR, AWOS, AIS), Component (Hardware, Software), and Region - Global Forecast to 2025 Electric Ships Market by Power Source (Fully Electric, Hybrid, Plug-In Hybrid), Autonomy (Manned electric ships, Remotely-operated, Fully Autonomous), Ship Type (Bulk Carrier, Gas Tanker, Tankers, Barge, Passenger Cruise, Aircraft Carrier, Amphibious, Destroyer, Frigate) and Region - Global Forecast to 2030 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/autonomous-ships-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/autonomous-ships.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg English Lithuanian The leading tour operator in the Baltic States Novaturas Group has agreed on additional EUR 1 million 18 thousand loan received under the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania and state investment and business guarantee fund Invega. This loan will allow the Company to expedite refunds to the travelers whose trips have been cancelled due to the pandemic. "Regardless of the deadlines defined by law, settling accounts with travelers is our priority. We use both the loans received from the state and our own financial resources for refunds. After long discussions with Invega we have been able to reach a common solution that allowed us to agree on additional loan. To the date groupwise, we have refunded about EUR 7.1 million. Additionally, in Lithuania we have received requests for a refund for about EUR 1.8 million. Additional Invega loan will be used for these repayments. We are currently handling all the procedural formalities for the agreement. We project that the loan money will reach us in the second half of January and then will be immediately distributed to the travelers. We understand that people want to get their money back as soon as possible. The protracted refund process didn't go as smoothly as we wanted and required a lot of patience from everyone: travelers, tour operators, agencies, says Audrone Keinyte, Head of Novaturas group. AB Novaturas started refunds for cancelled trips due to pandemic already in July. In August, the Company was granted EUR 1 million loan by Invega, which allowed to settle with a part of tourists. About Novaturas Group AB Novaturas Group is the largest tour operator in the Baltic States, offering summer and winter package holidays in more than 30 destinations worldwide and more than 100 sightseeing routes. In 2019, the group served more than 293 thousand customers. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Countries in the neighbourhood are likely to get first preference when India takes a call shortly on the export of vaccines to combat the Covid-19 pandemic, three people familiar with the matter said. However, domestic requirements will take priority, one of the three people said. India plans to roll out its vaccination programme from Saturday and once commitments at home are dealt with, exports will be considered. Also Read | What's got Indians excited about Covid shot In the early days of the outbreak, India had assessed its requirement of medicines like hydroxychloroquine and paracetamol, once seen as a possible treatment for Covid-19, and then opened up stocks for exports, this person said, requesting anonymity. It is possible that we will follow the same template," the person said, pointing to the possibility of some countries receiving the vaccines as a gift from India while others would buy them. According to one estimate, India may gift about 10 million doses to countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles. A panel of officials from the ministries of health, commerce, and foreign affairs is likely to be constituted to take a call on exports of Covid-19 vaccines produced by India. So far, Indian drug regulators have given the go-ahead to the Oxford-AstraZeneca developed and Serum Institute of India manufactured Covishield and Bharat Biotech International Ltds Covaxin for domestic inoculation of frontline health personnel and others such as police personnel and municipal workers. A second crop of Covid-19 vaccines including Zydus Cadilas ZyCoV-D, Russias Sputnik V, Biological Es protein subunit shots, and Gennova Biopharmaceuticals mRNA jabs, are likely to be ready between March and August. Besides these, the Pune-based Serum Institute is also likely to make doses of a vaccine developed by US-based Novax company. Taken together, these vaccines are expected to increase supply and in turn drive down prices, besides allowing India to keep its promise of exports, the second person said, also on condition of anonymity. By June, we are looking at 500 million doses of vaccines being produced in India with the possibility of ramping up of production," the second person said. The statement comes as China steps up its drive to ensure its vaccines find a place in lists prepared by countries like Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. News reports suggest that this effort could end up being a soft power" diplomacy tool for China whose image across the world has taken a beating because of the pandemic originating there. There have been questions about Beijings role in allowing Covid-19 to become a pandemic that has claimed almost two million lives around the world. In his address to the UN General Assembly in September, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised that India would use its vaccine production and delivery capacityto help all humanity in fighting this crisis (Covid-19 pandemic)." Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Assicurazioni Generali SpA Chief Executive Officer Philippe Donnet is seeking to overhaul the top ranks at Italys largest insurer to increase control on key businesses and speed up growth, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The CEO, whose current mandate runs out early next year, will submit a proposal on the reorganization to Generalis board as soon as this month, the people said, asking to not be named because the matter is private. General Manager Frederic De Courtois and Chief Investment Officer Timothy Ryan two top lieutenants are among executives who might leave as part of the changes, the people said. Donnet, 60, is weighing the management changes to accelerate the insurers digital transformation, integrate management of insurance portfolios and boost the asset management business, the people said. A spokesman for Generali declined to comment. De Courtois declined to comment, while Ryan wasnt immediately available for comment. Generali is banking on cost cuts, digitalization and expansion in more lucrative products and high margin insurance to boost profitability. The insurrer in November, confirmed its three-year strategy and financial targets for this year, even as impairments from the Covid-19 crisis and an asset sale caused net income to plummet. The company expects earnings per share to rise by an average of 6% to 8% a year over the 2019-2021 period, with a return on equity above 11.5% this year. The company plans to generate a 300 million euros ($365 million) of recurring savings by 2021. Generali rose as much as 0.6% in Milan trading. The shares were up 0.5% as of 9:45 a.m., giving the company a market value of 23 billion euros. Generali shares have fallen 21% in the last 12 months compared with a 4.8% decline by the Italian benchmark FTSEMIB Index. Donnet, who joined the insurer as CEO of Generali Italy in 2013, was named chief executive officer in 2016 to replace Mario Greco. The French manager, who previously worked for AXA SA, was confirmed in the top post in 2019 and will remain in office until the shareholders meeting called to approve the companys 2021 financial results next year. With assistance from Daniele Lepido. Photograph: Philippe Donnet, chief executive officer of Assicurazioni Generali SpA. Photo credit: Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Topics Generali Life Assurance (Thailand) Plc. Several people were left homeless after fire broke out Wednesday night at a Lebanon County mobile home park, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Initial reports of a blaze in Bethel Township came in around 8:51 p.m., state police said. When firefighters arrived at 54 Sunrise Court, state police said they discovered half of a mobile home engulfed in flames. Fire crews were able to save more than half of the home and keep the fire from spreading, state police said. Residents inside when the fire started were able to get out without any injuries, according to the state police report. State police said although the majority of the home was spared from flames, the roof collapsed and damages are roughly $50,000. The American Red Cross are helping its residents. Investigators said the ignition source and cause of the fire are undetermined. No further criminal investigation is expected. READ MORE: Mom, grandma charged in 1-month-olds drug-related death in Harrisburg Harrisburg man who got high and naked during his first day at work cant beat indecent assault conviction The time has come for Texas to take reasonable measures on behalf of pharmacists and their patients in the name of fair competition and public health." State Representative Eddie Lucio, III (D-Brownsville) today filed House Bill 1093, legislation that would increase oversight of pharmacy benefit managers and improve patient choice for prescription drugs. The legislation is one of the Texas Pharmacy Associations top priorities for the 87th Legislative Session. Pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, serve as middlemen between health plans, patients, and pharmacies, determining not only which prescription drugs are covered but also at which pharmacies patients can fill their prescriptions. The three largest PBMs are responsible for nearly 85% of the nations drug claims. The time has come for Texas to take reasonable measures on behalf of pharmacists and their patients in the name of fair competition and public health, Lucio said. As we continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to increase patients access to the pharmacy of their choice to improve health care for all. Its also essential to pass legislation that supports our states pharmacies, many of which are locally owned small businesses. PBMs face mounting scrutiny nationwide for their lack of transparency and their role in driving up the cost of prescription drugs. The U.S. Supreme Court, in a unanimous 80 opinion issued in December 2020, affirmed that states may act to protect local businesses and their patients from PBM overreach. The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the importance of community pharmacies, which have remained open on the front lines to serve their communities by filling prescriptions, counseling patients, offering COVID-19 tests, and administering COVID-19 vaccines to thousands of patients, said TPA President Michelle Beall, Pharm.D. It is critical that we do not allow patients and pharmacies to be harmed by the anti-competitive business practices of these middlemen. Increasingly, PBMs engage in self-dealing by directing or requiring patients to use PBM-owned mail-order or specialty pharmacies, limiting patient choice and in some cases, increasing prescription costs. House Bill 1093 prohibits PBMs from steering patients to their own pharmacies, improving market competition and allowing patients to choose the pharmacy of their choice. It also prohibits PBMs from forcing patients to receive medications by mail who would prefer to use a local pharmacy. At the same time, it would allow patients who prefer to receive their medications by mail or delivery to do so from their local pharmacy. House Bill 1093 also protects small businesses by preventing unfair pharmacy direct and indirect remuneration clawbacks that arbitrarily recoup additional money from pharmacies after the sale. This provision will provide pharmacies with greater business certainty, particularly during the pandemic. Philanthropist Judith Neilson's newest cultural venture will relaunch after COVID-19 forced its shutdown 11 months ago after a single performance. A collaboration between the Sydney Dance Company and choreographer Rafael Bonachela will kick off a series of digital performances commissioned for the $32 million performing arts venue, Phoenix Central Park, which opened last February in Chippendale only to abruptly close weeks later. The short film captures the first moment the dancers were able to make physical contact again after months of adhering to a strict no-touch policy due to the pandemic. The video was filmed and choreographed to respond to various spaces throughout the building, including the central performance space and the subterranean car park. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome delivered her sternest message yet Thursday regarding mitigation measures during the coronavirus pandemic, telling East Baton Rouge Parish residents they have "one more chance" to better comply with restrictions or else risk her taking the city-parish back down to Phase 1 protocols. "If we don't change our course, as in the next few weeks, I may not have any other choice," Broome said. Consider this a warning. Its frustrating when people talk about personal responsibility but sometimes these same people dont practice what they preach. East Baton Rouge, like the rest of Louisiana and the U.S., is facing a third major surge of the virus. The parish broke 25,000 confirmed coronavirus cases over the weekend, and the 12-parish Baton Rouge region has surpassed 60,000 cases. More than 35% of those cases have appeared since Nov. 1. More than 1 in 3 of Baton Rouge-area coronavirus cases diagnosed since November 1 During the weekend, East Baton Rouge Parish broke 25,000 cases of the novel coronavirus and the 12-parish region surpassed 60,000 cases since In response to the stark numbers, Broome and officials from the city-parishs medical community entreating businesses and residents to become more compliant with wearing masks, social distancing and adhering to the states mandates to curb current infection and hospitalization rates. Dr. Katie ONeal, chief medical officer at Our Lady of the Lake, told reporters the hospital on Thursday admitted 120 COVID-19 positive patients, the highest number since April. For the next couple of weeks, we need you to stay in your bubble, she said. Baton Rouge mayor Sharon Weston Broome says 30% of major roadwork plan will be done in second term Sharon Weston Broome is pledging to have at least 30% of the projects included in her $1 billion roads improvement project completed before th New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell reverted her city back to a modified version of Phase 1 protocols despite the state being in modified Phase 2. Phase 1 places tougher restrictions on local businesses, limiting their capacity even more and essentially shutting down bars. Vaccine news in your inbox Once a week we'll update you on the progress of COVID-19 vaccinations. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Since Sunday, East Baton Rouge Parish has seen 1,231 new cases of the novel coronavirus, including another 425 Thursday. The tally since Sunday is already the second highest number of new cases in any weeklong period since the third surge in cases began to gain steam after Halloween, an Advocate analysis shows. And two days of cases are left to be counted in the current period. Some of the cases on Thursday could include backlogged tests dating back to Nov. 9. In the Baton Rouge-area state health region, the number of people hospitalized with the Covid-19 illness reached the highest number on Wednesday, at 235 beds, since the third surge in cases began. The viral surges in the spring and over the summer forced greater hospitalizations a peak of 252 beds in use, for example, on Aug. 3 during the summer surge. ICU bed capacities also remained on the tight side in the Baton Rouge area. The parish has seen 16 new deaths from the Covid-19 illness since Sunday, including five reported Thursday. The new fatalities have pushed total deaths since the pandemic began to 587 overall. Regionally, new deaths from the virus are trending back up this week after a dip last week and were on track to break 1,400 fatalities from the virus since the pandemic began, possibly as soon as Friday, an Advocate analysis shows. Louisiana is rolling out vaccines for the virus, but it is expected to be months before access to those vaccines is widespread. In taking parish residents to the metaphorical woodshed Thursday, Broome went on to say that local law enforcement will crack down on businesses and anyone hosting large gatherings in the next few weeks. "If I hear about large gatherings in the city limits, I'll be sending the police to shut it down," Broome said. Were putting our economy at risk. I understand COVID fatigue; I know its real. But we are close to the end. Covid vaccinations will be available in some high street pharmacies from today. The injections are being rolled out at 200 locations over the next fortnight, both at the major chains and independent chemists. Boots in Halifax and Superdrug in Guildford will be among the first six sites to administer the injections. Yesterday, Asda announced it had been given the green light for pharmacy staff to administer the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at a branch in Birmingham from January 25. It will operate in a former clothing section seven days a week from 8am to 8pm for people who receive an appointment from the NHS. Officials said each mass vaccination site must have capacity to deal with 1,000 appointments a day and allow for social distancing. It comes as Boris Johnson yesterday pledged to launch a 24/7 vaccination service 'as soon as we can' after bowing to immense pressure to ramp up the immunisation drive. The injections are being rolled out at 200 locations over the next fortnight, both at the major chains and independent chemists. Pictured: Vaccination centre at Boots in Halifax Yesterday, Asda announced it had been given the green light for pharmacy staff to administer the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at a branch in Birmingham from January 25 Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Johnson said: 'We'll be going to 24/7 as soon as we can. And Matt Hancock will be setting out more about that in due course.' No10 will run a pilot of round-the-clock vaccinations to gauge whether there is enough demand to keep jab hubs open through the night, according to senior Government sources. But there are serious doubts over whether ministers can deliver the 24-hour scheme amid growing concerns over vaccine supply. Mr Johnson admitted in the Commons: 'At the moment the limit is on supply.' Around 2.6million people have received at least one dose of Covid vaccine across the UK so far, with just four and a half weeks remaining for the Government to hit its target of reaching the 15million most vulnerable. Matt Hancock hinted on Wednesday that problems in the supply chain were also behind the decision to slow down the roll-out of jabs in parts of the country. However, the Health Secretary said it was 'fantastic' that jabs were now available on the high street because they will make a 'big difference' to the rollout. He added: 'Pharmacies sit at the heart of local communities and will make a big difference to our rollout programme by providing even more local, convenient places for those that are eligible to get their jab. 'Pharmacists have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, often acting as the first port of call for medical advice and often staying open when all around have closed.' Also in the first six sites are Andrews Pharmacy in Macclesfield, Appleton Village pharmacy in Widnes, Cullimore Chemist in Edgware, north London, and Woodside Pharmacy in Telford. The eventual 200 community chemists join seven mass-vaccination centres that opened this week, as well as 200 hospital hubs and about 800 GP sites. Vaccines will be given by appointment only, with people invited to choose either a mass-vaccination centre or pharmacy site through a national booking service. Matt Hancock said it was 'fantastic' that jabs were now available on the high street because they will make a 'big difference' to the rollout. Pictured: Boots in Halifax Around 2.6million people have received at least one dose of Covid vaccine across the UK so far If neither is suitable, patients can wait to be contacted by their family doctor but this could mean waiting a few more weeks as GPs work through their lists. The Government needs to vaccinate around two million people a week if it is to reach the 14million most vulnerable people by February 15. Officials insist they are on track to meet the target but supply issues seem to be an issue, with fewer than 208,000 vaccines administered yesterday. The pharmacy industry had urged the Government to let them help as they do annually with the flu vaccine. Mark Lyonette of the National Pharmacy Association said: 'Community pharmacists are eager to play their part in the Covid-19 vaccination programme, and as trusted healthcare professionals they will have a key role in achieving widespread uptake.' Michael Henry of Superdrug said: 'Today sees a significant step forward in making the vaccination more accessible to people most at risk from coronavirus as our pharmacists and nurses use their clinical expertise to deliver the vaccine. Kelly Heney receives her coronavirus vaccination at the Depaul homeless shelter in Oldham, Greater Manchester, on Wednesday Boris Johnson revealed the Government was preparing to roll out the vaccine 24 hours a day 'as soon as we can' at Prime Minister's Questions 'Guildford is the first of five current Superdrug sites to support the NHS with the rollout of its critical vaccination programme and we are in active discussions for additional vaccination sites through further pharmacy involvement.' Seb James of Boots said: 'Our pharmacists are experts in vaccination programmes and have a trusted role at the heart of our local communities. 'Pharmacies are extremely well-placed to support the rollout of this vaccine quickly and safely.' How the Government's vaccine plan breaks down PHASE 1 (FEB 15 TARGET) CARE HOME RESIDENTS - 300,000 CARE HOME WORKERS - 500,000 AGE 80+ - 3,300,000 HEALTHCARE WORKERS - 2,400,000 SOCIAL CARE WORKERS - 1,400,000 AGE 75-79 - 2,300,000 AGE 70-74 - 3,200,000 CLINICALLY EXTREMELY VULNERABLE (UNDER 70) - 1,200,000 PHASE 2 (SPRING) 65-69 2,900,000 AT-RISK UNDER 65 7,300,000 60-64 1,800,000 55-59 2,400,000 50-54 2,800,000 PHASE 3 (AUTUMN) REST OF ADULT POPULATION 21,000,000 Advertisement The Prime Minister revealed ministers were planning to ramp up the vaccine roll out in response to a question from the opposition leader Keir Starmer on Wednesday. 'I welcome news that has come out this morning about a pilot of 24/7 vaccine centres - I anticipate there is going to be huge clamour for this,' he said. 'So, can the Prime Minister tell us when will the 24/7 vaccine centres be open to the public, because I understand they are not at the moment, and when will they be rolled out across the country?' At the session of PMQs, Mr Johnson added he would 'not hesitate' to impose tighter coronavirus restrictions if necessary. 'We keep things under constant review and we will continue to do so,' he said. 'And certainly, if there is any need to toughen up restrictions, which I don't rule out, we will of course come to this House.' Mr Hancock said today the NHS was 'absolutely up for' giving out the jab 24/7, but added 'most people want to get vaccinated in the daytime, and also most people who are doing the vaccinations want to give them in the daytime, but there may be circumstances in which that would help'. Quizzed over reports that GPs are having to pause vaccinations to let other practices catch up, the Health Secretary told BBC Radio's 4 Today Programme: 'The rate-limiting step on the rollout is the supply of the vaccine itself. 'We are now managing to get that supply more than we have done before and it will increase over the next few weeks. 'We have the capacity to get that vaccine out. The challenge is that we need to get the vaccine in. 'What I know is that the supply will increase over the next few weeks and that means the very rapid rate that we are going at at the moment will continue to accelerate over the next couple of weeks.' Around 2.6million people have received at least one dose of Covid vaccine across the UK so far, with just four and a half weeks remaining for the Government to hit its target of reaching the 15million most vulnerable. With just 33 days left to deliver on his lockdown-ending promise, around 11.5million over-70s, NHS workers, care home residents and workers, and adults with underlying conditions still need to be vaccinated the equivalent of around 340,000 a day. In a bid to speed up the sluggish programme, it emerged on Wednesday that easyJet cabin crew are being recruited by the NHS as vaccinators to bolster the rollout. The airline wrote to the PM in November to offer 3,000 crew who are first aid trained, security cleared and based in every major UK city. Crew who apply will be fast-tracked to become trained vaccinators at NHS vaccination centres across the country and will undergo online training and onsite immunisation training to become fully-qualified in administering the vaccine. Matt Hancock hinted on Wednesday that problems in the supply chain were also behind the decision to slow down the roll-out of jabs in parts of the country EasyJet said: 'As easyJet continues to operate a reduced schedule as a result of the pandemic, our furloughed crew has an ideal skill set to be able to assist in the effort to provide much needed inoculation support to the NHS in rolling out the Covid-19 vaccine.' Katy Bryant who has been cabin crew for easyJet since 2005 and is based at Luton, added: 'Like everyone, I'm incredibly grateful to our NHS and all frontline healthcare workers for all they continue to do for the country with the continued pressure they are facing from the virus, so when the opportunity came for cabin crew to assist the NHS as vaccinators I knew I wanted to apply. 'As cabin crew we are in a great position to support the vaccination effort because of the first aid and safety-focused training we receive for our job, so I am sure I will be joined by many of my fellow cabin crew at easyJet who will want to support the NHS in the vital roll-out of the vaccine across the country.' But amid reports of supply chain issues, Brigadier Phil Prosser, the head of military support to the coronavirus vaccination programme, warned of the huge logistical challenges involved in scaling up the rollout. Appearing on BBC Breakfast, he summarised the challenge: 'It's an untested supply chain, brand new vaccines, the largest vaccination programme this country has ever delivered. 'The amount of sites we've set up and the amount of vaccine we have to distribute it's complex by its very scale.' Brigadier Prosser said the military were bringing 'operational planning excellence' and working 'hand in glove' alongside the NHS. He said planning included ensuring the vaccine was distributed across the country, including 'the hardest-to-reach cohorts, as well as those most at risk'. He added: 'This isn't about keeping vaccine in the warehouse, it's about getting it in the arms as quickly as possible.' Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 14) Health Secretary Francisco Duque III will recommend prohibiting the entry of foreign travelers from the United Arab Emirates after a Filipino who flew home from the Gulf country became the Philippines' first case of the new COVID-19 variant initially detected in the United Kingdom. "We will recommend to the Office of the President of the inclusion of UAE in the travel restriction. Wala kaming duda na ito ay aaprubahan," Duque said in a media briefing Thursday. He said UAE was not included in the government's initial list of areas with travel restrictions because it did not report the presence of any emerging COVID-19 variant. The Philippines banned travel from the UK on December 22, several days after it reported detecting the new variant. The ban was expanded to 33 jurisdictions after they confirmed the presence in their area of emerging COVID-19 variants believed to be more transmissible. Filipinos coming from these places are allowed to enter the country, but they are required to complete the facility-based 14-day quarantine. The travel ban is set to expire on Friday. The COVID-19 task force will deliberate if it will be extended or expanded. Pending the government's decision, health officials said they are taking a pro-active stance by sending samples of travelers from UAE to the Philippine Genome Center to check for the presence of new variants. Officials on Wednesday confirmed the presence in the Philippines of the B.1.1.7. SARS-CoV-2 variant first reported in the UK. The patient is a 29-year-old Filipino real estate agent from Kamuning in Quezon City who arrived in the country on Jan. 7 from the UAE. The patient and his close contacts are quarantined in government facilities. Health experts from the technical working group on COVID-19 variants hailed the government's efforts in the early detection of the entry of the mutated virus. "Gumagana ang surveillance system dahil we were able to detect it early... We have the tools. If everybody will cooperate, we can prevent a big surge this time," Dr. Edsel Salvana said. Dr. Marissa Alejandria added, "Hindi natin kailangang mag-panic o matakot sa balita na mayroon tayong na-detect na UK variant sa ating bansa. Bagkus pinapakita nito na maganda ang ating surveillance system." New Delhi: Robbery, cheating, causing grievous hurt and attempt to commit culpable homicide are all punishable by up to seven years in prison. Now add one more crime to that list that may soon attract such a stringent punishment: messing with Ganga. A Centre-appointed panel has drafted a bill, the National River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Protection and Management) Bill 2017, which if passed into a law will also prescribe seven years in jail and a fine of up to Rs. 100 crore for anyone who commits a range of offences on the river, including blocking its flow, quarrying its banks or constructing jetties without permission. The Uttarakhand High Court recently declared the river a "living entity," and the panel's bill makes it emphatically clear that troubling it can be a costly affair, if converted into the country's first ever act on a river. Among others, the panel led by retired Justice GiridharMalaviya, has also suggested declaring an area abutting within 1 kilometre from Ganga and its major tributaries as a "watersaving zone". The panel though has suggested that such zones may be defined after conducting scientific studies within six months after the bill is enacted. The government has forwarded the draft, submitted to the Water Resources Ministry in April, to another experts 'committee to seek their suggestions on the bill, which will be further discussed with the basin states of Uttarakhand, UttarPradesh, Jharkhand and Bihar before the final draft is out. "Since the issue relates to the basin states of Ganga and its tributaries, the Centre wants to discuss the draft with the state governments first. Such a meeting shall be convened in the near future," sources in the ministry said. Advocate Arun Kumar Gupta, one of the four members of the experts' committee currently studying the draft bill, pitched for making stringent provisions to ensure people did not violate the law which aims to make the river pollution-free. "Crores of rupees were spent on cleaning the river in the past, but all went down the drain. Hence, responsibility should be fixed now or else the currents efforts too will not bear fruit," Gupta, an amicus curiae of the Allahabad High Court, told PTI over the phone from the Uttar Pradesh city. Some of the major punishments for various offences recommended by the panel are: * Stone quarrying, crushing, cutting, finishing orprocessing sand mining illegally in bed/on banks of Ganga/its tributaries: Simple imprisonment up to five years or with fine which may extend up to Rs 50,000 or both. In case the contravention continues, an additional fine extending up to Rs 20,000 per day. Offender concerned shall be punishable with imprisonment for the term which may extend upto seven years in case the failure continues for a year after a conviction. * Causing discontinuity in flow of water in Ganga/tributaries without permission from competent authority:Offender shall be liable to imprisonment up to two years andmonetary fine which may extend to Rs 100 crore. * Constructing jetties/port/permanent hydraulic structurefor storage/diversion/control/channelisation of waterinto/from Ganga/tributaries sans permission: one yearimprisonment and monetary fine which may extend up to Rs 50crore. * Contaminating water of Ganga/tributary by disposal ofpesticide, non-degradable plastic, waste batteries, hazardous chemicals: imprisonment for a term extending up to one year or with fine which may extend up to Rs 50,000 or with both and incase contravention continues, with additional fine which may extend up to Rs 5000. * Withdrawing water by electric/diesel-operated tube wells from the land fronting Ganga/tributaries: simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with fine which may extend to Rs 2000, or with both. Additional fine which may extend up to Rs 2000 per day incase of contravention. The imprisonment may be extended to five years in case the failure continues beyond a period of ayear after conviction. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. T he FTSE 100 was set to gain today despite record Covid deaths in the UK which are set to get worse over the next fortnight. Traders were expected to look beyond the pandemic crisis and short term impact of the crisis in a session being dubbed Super Thursday due to the huge number of companies reporting financial results. Among those will be likely winners such as Boohoo and Tesco which benefit from people either shopping from home during the lockdown or eating in rather than dining in restaurants. One sector looking increasingly promising was the travel industry, where reports are beginning to indicate summer holiday sales growing strongly as people expect to be vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. The BBC reported that older people were particularly optimistic in their booking patterns, with National Expresss summer schedule proving hugely popular when its brochure was released recently. Standard Chartered shares may rise today as it appeared to be dealing with its succession issues at the top. The Financial Times reported that the groups head of investment banking, Simon Cooper, was in the front of the internal pack of candidates to replace Bill Winters, chief executive. He is being dubbed the heir apparent internally after having overseen a strong performance of his division during the Covid crisis. Like other banks, Standard Chartereds investment banking arm had a strong year as corporate clients scrambled to raise equity and debt to get them through the Covid cash crunch. Just Eat Takeaway.coms decision to review its London stock market listing in favour of Amsterdam sparked concerns in the City yesterday. That will only be widened by todays news that Polish ecommerce group InPost had decided to pick the Dutch exchange for its float instead of London. Londons market is increasingly being seen as a market largely dominated by old fashioned oil and banking stocks while other countries snap up the faster growing technology companies. The FTSE 100 tends to rise and fall depending on the oil price due to the dominance of BP, Shell and a plethora of mining companies. This has prompted a strong performance this year so far but contributed to its underperformance during 2020. Today it was expected to make a modest gain of around 18 points to 6765.1 by traders on the IG Index platform as crude oil was set for a quieter session. Underlying sentiment remains strong on global markets due to hopes of a multi-billion Covid stimulus package from Joe Biden when he is sworn in as US president. Italy was plunged into a fresh political crisis as the influential Viva party withdrew its support for the ruling coalition. As CMC Markets analysts put it: In the light of the Covid-19 crisis, this is the last thing the indebted country needs. China trade data this morning came in above expectations, with exports beating economists forecasts despite slowing a slight cooling from the November, perhaps signalling a cooling during December of global demand for PPE equipment which could reverse given the current rise in Covid cases. Incumbent OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde will visit Ukraine next week, where she intends to get acquainted with the situation on the solution to the conflict in Donbas. "Already next week I will travel to Ukraine to meet Ukrainian officials as well as special representative Grau (Special Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office in Ukraine and in the Trilateral Contact Group (TCG), Ambassador Heidi Grau) to assess the situation and support efforts of a sustainable conflict resolution," Linde said on Thursday while presenting to the OSCE Permanent Council the program of Sweden's Chairmanship in the OSCE in 2021. She stressed that the most egregious example of violation of general obligations and international law remains the crisis in and around Ukraine. "As chair, Sweden recognizes the vital importance of the Special Monitoring Mission and Normandy format, and the Trilateral Contact Group, to find a sustainable political solution to the conflict. This must be done in line with the OSCE principles and commitments, in full respect of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity and independence of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, including the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol," Linde said. She stated that the OSCE will continue to strongly reaffirm that the SMM is empowered to have secure and reliable access without restriction throughout Ukraine, and to remind that the SMM must be provided with the necessary conditions to carry out its mandate. As reported, Sweden began its annual presidency of the OSCE on January 1, 2021. ST. PAUL, Minn. A new bill at the Minnesota Legislature would toughen the penalties for attempted 1st degree murder of a member of law enforcement. State Senator John Jasinski of Faribault and State Representative John Petersburg of Waseca say their legislation would increase the maximum sentence for such crimes from 20 years to life in prison, and would require a minimum of 30 years be served before being eligible for release. The bill was presented at a press conference Thursday, where the state lawmakers were joined by Officer Arik Matson, a Waseca police officer who was nearly killed in the line of duty last January, as well as Officer Matsons wife Megan and Waseca County Attorney Rachel Cornelius. Every day gets a little easier for our family, and we appreciate the support of the community as we move along in our journey, says Megan Matson. This legislation will help make sure law enforcement members and their families will have the full support of the justice system with them when a person tries to keep that law enforcement officer from ever seeing their family again. After prosecuting the case for the attempted murder of Officers Arik Matson, Officer Andrew Harren and Sergeant Tim Schroeder, it was clear there was a glaring gap in our current statutes, says County Attorney Cornelius. We provided for higher penalties for murder of police officers, but there was no similar increase in penalties for attempted murder. This legislation fixes that and gives prosecutors in Minnesota another tool in the toolbox to pursue violent criminals. FLORENCE, S.C., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- First Reliance Bank announced today that Brook Moore has been promoted to the position of chief credit officer. Moore will succeed Jack McElveen, who will remain in a credit leadership position with the bank. Moore and McElveen have nearly twenty years' experience working together, initially at a Columbia-based community bank and later at First Reliance Bank. McElveen spoke to the tenured relationship, saying, "Brook and I first formed a professional relationship almost two decades ago when we worked on a senior management team together. I am excited and pleased to have the opportunity to hand-select him as the next chief credit officer at First Reliance Bank. I have high confidence in his ability to move the company to the next level." Bringing in Moore is the latest move by CEO Rick Saunders to strengthen a leadership team that brings depth and insight to a growing community bank. Moore joined First Reliance Bank earlier this year from Southern First Bank where he was a senior credit executive. He brings over 25 years of experience to the position from across the banking industry. Having started his career in commercial banking, he has served in leadership positions in the Carolinas including market president, commercial banking executive, and chief lending officer. "Brook's promotion builds upon strategic efforts to further advance First Reliance Bank across the Carolinas," said Rick Saunders, CEO of First Reliance Bank. "Having such strong leadership in our credit division is critical to maintaining the tremendous growth we are having." These changes are the latest step in a broader holistic effort to position the bank for transformational growth. As it continues to attract industry-proven leadership, develop technological advancements and expand into new markets, the bank expects to see corresponding growth in income and other areas in fiscal 2021. First Reliance Bancshares, Inc. (OTC: FSRL), the holding company for First Reliance Bank, reported record net income and earnings in the 3rd Quarter 2020. "Our record performance this last year is based upon conservative fiscal strategy and a continued commitment to our customers," Saunders added. "We will work to provide more offerings to our customers through unmatched customer service and across new markets. This is our recipe for success and growth across both South and North Carolina." ABOUT FIRST RELIANCE BANK Founded in 1999, First Reliance Bancshares, Inc. (OTC: FSRL.OB), is based in Florence, South Carolina and has assets of approximately $785 million. The Company employs more than 170 professionals and has locations throughout South Carolina and central North Carolina. First Reliance has redefined community banking with a commitment to making customers lives better, its founding principle. Customers of the company have given it a 93% customer satisfaction rating well above the bank industry average of 81%. First Reliance is also one of three companies throughout South Carolina to receive the Best Places To Work in South Carolina award all 14 years since the program began. We believe that this recognition confirms that our associates are engaged and committed to our brand and the communities we serve. In addition to offering a full range of personalized community banking products and services for individuals, small businesses, and corporations, First Reliance offers two unique community-customers programs, which include: Hometown Heroes, a package of benefits for those serving our communities and Check N Save, an outreach program for the unbanked or under-banked. We also offer a full suite of digital banking services, a Customer Service Guaranty, a Mortgage Service Guaranty, and are open on most traditional holidays. Additional information about the Company is available on the Company's web site at www.firstreliance.com. SOURCE First Reliance Bank Related Links http://www.firstreliance.com The New York Times MEHTAR LAM, Afghanistan Ammunition was depleted inside the bedraggled outposts in Laghman province. Food was scarce. Some police officers hadnt been paid in five months. Then, just as U.S. troops began leaving the country in early May, Taliban fighters besieged seven rural Afghan military outposts across the wheat fields and onion patches of the province, in eastern Afghanistan. The insurgents enlisted village elders to visit the outposts bearing a message: Surrender or die. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times By mid-month, security forces had surrendered all seven outposts after extended negotiations, according to village elders. At least 120 soldiers and police were given safe passage to the government-held provincial center in return for handing over weapons and equipment. We told them, Look, your situation is bad reinforcements arent coming, said Nabi Sarwar Khadim, 53, one of several elders who negotiated the surrenders. Since May 1, at least 26 outposts and bases in just four provinces Laghman, Baghlan, Wardak and Ghazni have surrendered after such negotiations, according to village elders and government officials. With morale diving as U.S. troops leave, and the Taliban seizing on each surrender as a propaganda victory, each collapse feeds the next in the Afghan countryside. Among the negotiated surrenders were four district centers, which house local governors, police and intelligence chiefs effectively handing the government facilities to Taliban control and scattering the officials there, at least temporarily. The Taliban have negotiated Afghan troop surrenders in the past, but never at the scale and pace of the base collapses this month in the four provinces extending east, north and west of Kabul. The tactic has removed hundreds of government forces from the battlefield, secured strategic territory and reaped weapons, ammunition and vehicles for the Taliban often without firing a shot. The base collapses are one measure of the rapidly deteriorating government war effort as one outpost after another falls, sometimes after battles, but often after wholesale surrenders. The surrenders are part of a broader Taliban playbook of seizing and holding territory as security force morale plummets with the exit of international troops. Buyoffs of local police and militia. Local cease-fires that allow the Taliban to consolidate gains. A sustained military offensive despite pleas for peace talks and a nationwide cease-fire. The government is not able to save the security forces, said Mohammed Jalal, a village elder in Baghlan province. If they fight, they will be killed, so they have to surrender. The surrenders are the work of Taliban Invitation and Guidance Committees, which intervene after insurgents cut off roads and supplies to surrounded outposts. Committee leaders or Taliban military leaders phone base commanders and sometimes their families and offer to spare troops lives if they surrender their outposts, weapons and ammunition. In several cases, the committees have given surrendering troops money typically around $130 and civilian clothes and sent them home unharmed. But first they videotape the men as they promise not to rejoin the security forces. They log their phone numbers and the names of family members and vow to kill the men if they rejoin the military. The Taliban commander and the Invitation and Guidance Committee called me more than 10 times and asked me to surrender, said Maj. Imam Shah Zafari, 34, a district police chief in Wardak province who surrendered his command center and weapons on May 11 after negotiations mediated by local elders. After the Taliban provided a car ride home to Kabul, he said, a committee member phoned to assure him that the government would not imprison him for surrendering. He said, We have so much power in the government and we can release you, Zafari said. The Taliban committees take advantage of a defining characteristic of Afghan wars: Fighters and commanders regularly switch sides, cut deals, negotiate surrenders and cultivate village elders for influence with local residents. The current conflict is really dozens of local wars. These are intimate struggles, where brothers and cousins battle one another and commanders on each side cajole, threaten and negotiate by cellphone. A Taliban commander calls me all the time, trying to destroy my morale, so that Ill surrender, said Wahidullah Zindani, 36, a bearded, sunburned police commander who has rejected Taliban demands to surrender his nine-man, bullet-pocked outpost in Laghman province. The negotiated surrenders are part of a broader offensive in which the Taliban have surrounded at least five provincial capitals this spring, according to a Pentagon inspector general report released May 18. The offensive has intensified since the U.S. withdrawal began May 1. The Taliban have used their control of several major highways to cut off bases and garrisons, leaving them vulnerable. The surrenders have a profound psychological effect. They call and say the Taliban are powerful enough to defeat the U.S. and they can easily take Laghman province, so you should remember this before we kill you, Rahmatullah Yarmal, Laghmans 29-year-old governor, said of the Taliban committees during an interview inside his barricaded compound in Mehtar Lam, the provincial capital. Its an effective propaganda tactic, the governor conceded so effective that some outpost commanders now refuse to speak to elders or Taliban negotiators. He said many elders were not neutral peacemakers, but hand-picked Taliban supporters. Yarmal said 60 police officers who surrendered and took refuge in his government center are now primed to fight to retake the seven lost outposts. I think well have them back in a month, he said. But just hours after the governor spoke on May 19, a nearby district center, Dawlat Shah, surrendered without any resistance after negotiations. By the next morning, five more outposts had surrendered the same way in the district of Alishing, also in Laghman, district officials said. Those Taliban victories were facilitated, in part, by a 30-day cease-fire negotiated by elders on May 17 in the heavily contested district of Alingar, allowing the Taliban to shift resources to the Alishing, where they forced the negotiated surrender of the five outposts just two days later. (On May 21, the Taliban violated the cease-fire with renewed attacks in Alingar, Khadim said.) The series of base collapses represented the second wholesale surrender in a Laghman district in two weeks. On May 7, three outposts and a military base collapsed the same way without a fight, said Nasir Ahmad Himat, the Alingar district governor. The soldiers simply dropped their weapons, got in their vehicles and went to the district center or provincial capital, said Faqirullah, a village elder who goes by one name. As Taliban fighters advanced on the provincial capital Sunday, Yarmal announced that 110 security force members who had surrendered, and several commanders who were supposed to supervise them, had been detained for negligence. Also Sunday, the Afghan military announced that troop reinforcements and the military chief of staff had rushed to Laghman to try to repel the Taliban assault. In Ghazni province, Hasan Reza Yousofi, a provincial councilman, said he begged officials to send reinforcements to an outpost and a military base that ultimately fell to the Taliban this month. He played a recorded phone call from a police officer, Abdul Ahmad, who said his ammunition was gone and his men were drinking rainwater because the base water tower had been destroyed by a rocket. We have been sold out we make calls for reinforcements, but officials dont help, the recorded voice said. The Taliban sent us tribal elders who said, Surrender, you are sold out, no one will help you. Yousofi said he did not know whether Ahmad survived after his outpost fell. Negotiations have proved remarkably fruitful for the Taliban in Baghlan province, where at least 100 soldiers surrendered, and in Wardak province, where about 130 security force members surrendered following negotiations, officials said. In Laghman province, negotiations leading to the surrender of the seven outposts stretched over 10 days. Khadim, the village elder, said different elders negotiated with commanders of each outpost. We guaranteed they would not be killed, he said. There was nothing written, just our word. A few miles away, Zindani refused to surrender his forlorn outpost near the front line. He said officers who had negotiated surrenders at three nearby outposts had betrayed their country. One of his men, Muhammad Agha Bambard, said he would fight to avenge the deaths of two brothers he said were killed by the Taliban. He would never surrender, he said. Zindanis nine men were down to a machine gun, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and one AK-47 rifle each inside a ramshackle outpost with bloodstained walls. But he said he intended to fight on as he told the Taliban commander who regularly phoned to demand his surrender. I told him, Im a soldier of my country, the commander said. I am not here to surrender. Four days later, on Sunday, the outpost was overrun during a firefight with the Taliban, a member of the provincial council said. One police officer was shot dead and Zindani and his outgunned men were taken prisoner. A few hours later, the Taliban released a video showing Bambard being questioned by a Taliban commander as he lay on a mattress, his face and neck bandaged. In a mocking tone, the commander asked why Bambard had posted on his Facebook page that he would not let the enemy capture his outpost while he was alive. The wounded officer responded, This is Afghanistan. This article originally appeared in The New York Times. 2021 The New York Times Company Lying is not free speech it is fraud representing something as real which is not. Politicians who are unable to tell the difference between fact and fiction should resign. Jennifer Katauskas, Wahroonga Mass vaccinations are our best weapon against COVID-19 Let's get serious about vaccines (''Nation in search of new deals on vaccine'', January 14). We were frightened of COVID because it killed more people than the flu and left others with severe side-effects; it required expensive and sophisticated treatments that were in short supply. Through laudable medical effort and scientific research we now have better treatment and some vaccines. We can reduce this virus to the seriousness of the flu. We don't lock down communities or prevent travel for the flu. We don't tell people not to go to countries where it is prevalent. Surely our, and the world's, goal should be to vaccinate enough people at enough strength to reduce COVID to flu status - Astra Zeneca can do that. Kenneth Raphael, Woollahra Your article does not address one piece missing from trials of the Astra Zeneca vaccine: it was evaluated mostly on the 18-55 age group ("We cannot delay vaccine rollout", January 14). Since older adults are a priority group for protection, they should receive only the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine, which did demonstrate efficacy in this cohort. We could otherwise end up with floods of older patients filling up hospitals, precisely what health authorities are trying to avoid. Ronald Watts, Chatswood It would give me greater confidence if the politicians and other queue jumpers, being vaccinated under the guise of "showing leadership", will be injected with the Australian-made Astra Zeneca product. Patrick Russell, North Nowra Hypothetically, I travel to New Zealand mid-2021. Upon entry I am asked if I have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Answering yes, I am asked which vaccine was used. "AstraZeneca," I reply. "Just step this way, you are required to be quarantined for 14 days. Only those with proven high efficacy vaccinations are permitted direct entry." Surely not? Roger Epps, Armidale The Commonwealth's COVID response show's a government afraid to get out of its comfort zone of budget measures (''Border problems show we are a nation divided'', January 14). The Commonwealth is happy to hand out well over $100 billion to people and businesses, but not spend a few billion on quarantine in safer locations particularly out-of-town major airports, where the Commonwealth also has responsibility. Nothing has been done to test and improve ventilation at hospitality and event venues, hospitals, universities, schools and offices. Peter Egan, Artarmon How does Queensland Health know the NSW travellers have returned to NSW (''NSW residents at risk after mutant strain outbreak at Brisbane hotel'', January 14)? They could be still travelling in Queensland. In any event, contacting them shouldn't be that difficult their details should be in the hotel register and by way of the QR code used to sign in. Jenny Greenwood, Hunters Hill Feral horses don't belong in national parks Not all horse lovers would support the unbridled access of wild brumbies to the high country (''Wild horses are killing Kosciuszko and have to go'', January 14). They'd understand that a burgeoning feral horse population would face catastrophe from fire and famine. With the former we've been shown just a hint of what is forecast, and the latter through collapse of fragile alpine ecosystems. The welfare of the contemporary horse is best met in the company of humans; the survival of the high country is best left in the ancient hands of Mother Nature. Steve Dillon, Thirroul Australia's national parks make up about 8 per cent of the Australian land mass. That leaves John Barilaro and his mates 92 per cent on which to run their horses. Clearly, national parks are designed to preserve native animals and plants. A horse is not an Australian animal or plant. They should not be in our national parks. Our governments need to take feral animals in national parks far more seriously than they currently are. Peter Olive, Marrickville Blaze of vainglory I'm a kind-hearted and charitable person, so I'm glad to see that President Trump will leave the White House in the blaze of total humiliation which he so thoroughly deserves ("'Blood on his hands': Trump impeached for second time", smh.com.au, January 14). Patrick McGrath, Potts Point Trump finally has something he can truthfully boast that no other US President has done. Stephen Manns, Woollahra Trump's second impeachment would ensure that he could never stand for public office again. But seriously, can an orange souffle rise twice? Scott Poynting, Newtown Illustration: Matt Golding Credit: I read that a few Republicans are being careful in what they do so that they don't upset Trump's base. Pompeo, Cruz and Pence are all considering running for the presidency in 2024. That's the start of a quality field of candidates. Ron Brown, Wallsend The closing of Trump's social media avenues smacks of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted (Letters, January 14). Facebook and Google have had plenty of opportunities over the past four years to try and moderate a modicum of truth. They decided that there was little harm in Trump's lies, only intoxicating revenue. As Donald would say; "So sad." Tristan Parry, Cremorne Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, but not everyone should be given a microphone. Bravo Twitter and Facebook for turning Trump off. Best wishes to Pelosi. Anne Matheson, Gordon Is anyone else watching the fictional The West Wing as a desperate anti-dote to the real news casts from Trump's America? Linda Lillie, Port Macquarie Suggested music for the inauguration: I Predict A Riot by the Kaiser Chiefs. Robert Ward, Thirroul Unfair dinkum The dozen or so Coalition MPs and senators opposing the increase in the superannuation guarantee must have forgotten that they receive 15 per cent super while other workers get 9.5 per cent (''Keating slams plan to make super opt-in'', January 14). When they volunteer to have their super reduced to that of everyday Australians there's a chance (admittedly, a very slim one) the electorate might start to think they're fair dinkum. Col Shephard, Yamba Icare outrage It doesn't seem to matter how outrageous and arrogant the decisions the icare board makes or the scale of their massively outrageous incompetence or their outrageous waste of taxpayers' money, we always receive the never-ending defence by its architect Dominic Perrottot (''Icare gets its new chief at a high price'', January 14). It's all just ... outrageous. Glen op den Brouw, Liverpool How often have we been told by government, business and universities offering excessive executive salary packages that "to be competitive in the open market and attract appropriate talent we need to offer appropriate remuneration"? And, as occurs with parliamentarians salaries, responsibility for the decision is fobbed off to a board, and the board fobbs it off to "an independent benchmarking report" prepared by a large consulting firm whose executives are themselves on excessive salary packages following a benchmarking report they themselves quoted in their salary negotiations. Garry Rogers, Petersham No parking Ain't progress grand? Randwick Council has just introduced timed parking at all the beaches that come under its jurisdiction, because of the increased pressure from an increased population both human and vehicular (Letters, January 14). Our little street in "west" Maroubra is so crowded with residents' cars that the council had to install "no parking" signs on one side of the street, applicable on Tuesday mornings so that the garbage trucks can get through. There are only a few houses in the street with a garage. No wonder people are seeking a bush or sea change, Sydney is being loved to death. Planning Minister Stokes is encouraging more and more high rise everywhere to further increase Sydney's population. What he want Sydney to look like, Hong Kong or Seoul?Stewart Copper, Maroubra In too deep Don't worry, Sandra Burke, about Icon winning the tender for North Sydney pool redevelopment (Letters, January 14). With the building standards that are acceptable today, you could soon end up with a nice, new tidal pool on the harbour's edge. Ron Wessel, Mount St Thomas Book me in for a good read Come on, there were plenty of racy reads back then (Letters, January 13). How about She and Ayesha by Rider Haggard. And The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy. And when we had a sleepover after the parents disappeared The Decameron. Tigger Wise, Vaucluse The Canterbury Tales? Are you kidding? Between The Wife of Bath and The Miller, it delivered one filthy line after another in our English classroom. We had a ball. Translating was half the fun. Paul Hardage, Leura I started to read Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain in 1961. I put it aside. I returned to it occasionally. I finished it in 2006. Is this a record? Barry Wooldridge, Harden Your correspondent prompted me to share the "fun" of reading (Letters, January 14). My favourite is Robert G Barrett's The Day of the Gecko. The author has captured days of the past when political correctness did not exist and joy of a story always brought a smile, giggle and fun. Tony DeGiovanni, Bawley Point A Portland man was indicted and arrested on suspicion of multiple sex offenses as part of a larger investigation into human trafficking, prosecutors announced Wednesday. John Ivezic, 63, was arrested last week and booked on charges of sexual abuse, sodomy and purchasing sex with a minor, a spokesman for Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt said in a statement. In February, Portland Police Bureaus Human Trafficking Unit discovered a suspect who was trafficking a young teenager, prosecutors said. As part of that investigation, which resulted in a 10-year prison sentence for the trafficker, officials learned Ivezic had paid for sex with the minor in 2018. Ivezic is next scheduled to appear in court March 1, according to court records. -- Kale Williams; kwilliams@oregonian.com; 503-294-4048; @sfkale Pennsylvania voters could have the opportunity to consider as many as five amendments to the states constitution as early as this spring that touch on a variety of controversial topics ranging from how appellate judges are elected to limiting the governors disaster declaration powers. Two state House of Representatives committees on Wednesday, in their first meeting of the 2021-22 legislative session, approved bills that propose additions to the document that provides the framework for state government. Three bills calling for constitutional changes were approved in the last legislative session. So if approved by both the House and Senate in identical form in this session, they would go to the voters for ratification, possibly as early as the spring. Both chambers would have to approve them by mid-February to appear on the May 18 primary ballot. Gov. Tom Wolf came out voicing strenuous opposition to some of the proposed constitutional changes, which he said would subvert democracy. Electing judges State Rep. Russ Diamond, R-Lebanon County, has sponsored a proposed constitutional amendment to change the way voters elect the states appellate court judges and justices. It narrowly passed the House Judiciary Committee by a one-vote margin, with two Republicans siding with Democrats in opposing it. The aim of this proposed amendment is to provide more geographic diversity on the Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth court benches, Diamond said. It would establish judicial districts to guarantee voters in various regions in the state would have a judge or justice from their region deciding cases that come before the appellate courts. Currently, those jurists are elected on a statewide basis, which tends to result in most of them coming from the Philadelphia or Pittsburgh areas. Regular citizens, real people, working people want our courts to reflect the geographic diversity of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Diamond said. Beyond that, he said the districts would be equally divided by population, which could increase the chance for more racial diversity on the appellate benches as well. In a statement, Wolf said it would give the Legislature, which would draw the maps creating judicial districts, the power to gerrymander our justice system. The governor said the Republican majorities in the General Assembly dislike rulings that have come out of appellate court and want to respond by taking the right to pick judges away from their constituents and insert partisan politics into the judicial system. Rep. Natalie Mihalek, R-Allegheny County, argued against changing the constitution to move to regional elections of Supreme, Superior and Commonwealth Court justices and judges, saying it will make the courts more partisan. Jan. 13, 2021 Screenshot from Pa. House websiteScreenshot from Pa. House website Reps. Natalie Mihalek of Allegheny County and Todd Stephens of Montgomery County, the Republicans who cast the dissenting votes, agreed this could make judicial elections more partisan. Its evident that what we have is a highly partisan bench right now and I think that this bill would further play into that, Mihalek said. I dont think its going to alleviate the partisanship that we see in our appellate courts. Governors powers in disasters Another proposed constitutional amendment that drew strenuous opposition from the governor calls for limiting the length of a gubernatorial disaster declaration to 21 days, from the current 90 days, unless the Legislature agrees to extend it in whole or in part. Those declarations give the governor expanded powers that allow him to make decisions in dealing with a disaster emergency without requiring legislative approval. A second, related, constitutional change would clarify that the General Assembly through a concurrent resolution could vote to terminate a disaster declaration without having to present it to the governor. Both stem from the Republicans dissatisfaction with decisions Wolf made in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and a Supreme Court ruling that said the state General Assembly cant act unilaterally to end Wolfs emergency declaration. Considering the state has been under his COVID-19 emergency declaration for 10 months, Grove said, A declaration is meant to allow the governor to quickly address emergencies. It is not a vehicle for a single person to set policy that impacts Pennsylvanians and the states economy in perpetuity. The House State Government Committee approved the legislation that included both of those proposed constitutional amendments related to disaster declarations as well as a less controversial proposed amendment barring the denial of equal rights based on race or ethnicity on a 15-10 party-line vote. Wolf said these changes to disaster declaration powers would hinder our ability to respond quickly, comprehensively and effectively to a disaster emergency by requiring any declaration to be affirmed by concurrent resolution of the legislature every three weeks. This would force partisan politics into the commonwealths disaster response efforts and could slow down or halt emergency response when aid is most needed. Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia, said it was dangerous. In a moment of a disaster we have to have an executive that is fully empowered to respond to that disaster whether that executive is Republican or Democrat, Kenyatta said. They need to have the flexibility to respond. State Government Committee Chairman Seth Grove, R-York County, said Pennsylvania is the only state that allows for a 90-day disaster declaration. He said most states limit their declarations to 30 days and have some kind of trigger allowing them to be extended. Diamond, who serves on the state government committee and has been highly critical of Wolfs COVID-19 response, said 21 days is enough time for an executive to act unilaterally and swiftly in response to an emergency. But Democrat Rep. Jared Solomon of Philadelphia said this could hamstring the states executive in a power play to make sure that the majority party [at that time] gets to decide whether or not we have the necessarily tools in place for a declaration of a disaster. Wolf was even more direct in his statement about this proposal as well as one that changes how appellate court judges are elected. Make no mistake, these actions are thinly veiled power grabs and an attack on the other branches of government and on democracy itself, and I will oppose these efforts through every means possible, the governor said. Child sex abuse victims While much of the judiciary committees time was spent discussing those proposed amendments dealing with the election of judges, one other less contentious amendment advanced to the full House for consideration. House Bill 14, which passed on a bipartisan 24-1 vote, would grant child sexual abuse survivors who timed-out of the legal system a two-year window to pursue justice. This change was among those recommended by a statewide grand jury in 2018 that investigated the claims of child sexual abuse within Roman Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania. Efforts to establish an opportunity for victims to bring civil claims for past abuses at the same time the Legislature was considering changes to the civil and criminal statutes of limitations on this crime failed due to concerns about its constitutionality. Rep. Jim Gregory, R-Blair County, an abuse survivor, with the support of another survivor, Rep. Mark Rozzi, D-Berks County, took up the charge to change the constitution to allow for this opportunity for survivors to file civil lawsuits against their abusers. The dissenting vote on this proposed amendment came from Rep. Paul Schemel, R-Franklin County. He has opposed this because, the statute of limitations exists for the very reason of preventing injustice because great expanses of time make it difficult, very challenging for the accused to be able to defend themselves adequately. Rep. Mike Zabel, D-Delaware County, agreed with Schemel that the General Assembly should tread lightly in tinkering with statutes of limitations but said this is one time where he could support doing so. Jan Murphy may be reached at jmurphy@pennlive.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JanMurphy. Acting Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly during a press conference in the Prime Ministers Courtyard at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on July 24, 2020. (Sam Mooy/Getty Images) CMO Defends CCP Virus Vaccine Choice Amidst Concerns Over Supplies The federal government will roll out the first phase of CCP virus vaccinations in the coming weeks; however, there are concerns over Pfizers limited supply as primary vaccine choice Oxford-AstraZeneca faces scrutiny. Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly has stressed that it is not a question of whether one vaccine is better than the other but one of availability under the circumstances. [W]eve had so few cases in Australia, so there will be very few people with the immunity that comes from having had the illness in many ways, Australia is at more risk from that point of view. Professor Kelly said in a press conference on Wednesday. He said it comes down to which vaccine is available to save lives and protect lives this year and the answer to that is one we can make here. The federal government has been forced to respond to criticism about the rollout strategy again, after several infectious disease experts cast doubt on the AstraZeneca jabs effectiveness, leading to worry that the 10 million doses agreed with Pfizer/BioNTech will cover all of Australia. Currently, Australia has agreed to purchase 53.8 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The federal government will import 3.8 million doses with the remaining 50 million to be manufactured at the CSL Melbourne facility in Victoria. This is enough to vaccinate the entire Australian population, but the AstraZeneca has a lower efficacy score averaging 70 percent compared to Pfizers vaccine which has a reported efficacy of 95 percent. Kelly also objected to claims that emphasis was only put on one CCP virus vaccine. We have from the beginning looked at a diversified portfolio of vaccines, he said noting that negotiations are still ongoing with 12 other vaccine manufacturers. Close up image of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination vial at The Falmouth Health Centre during the first phase of COVID-19 vaccinations in Falmouth, England on Dec. 20, 2020. (Hugh Hastings/Getty Images) Australian Technical Group on Immunisation Co-Chair, Professor Allen Cheng said on Twitter vaccine manufacturers are unlikely to priorities Australia given our low virus transmission. I understand that there are ongoing discussions with vaccine manufacturers, he wrote. But if you were in charge of a vaccine manufacturer, would you send your supply to a country where there are thousands of deaths a day or to Australia? That said, I understand that there are ongoing discussions with vaccine manufacturers. But if you were in charge of a vaccine manufacturer, would you send your supply to a country where there are thousands of deaths a day or to Australia? Allen Cheng (@peripatetical) January 12, 2021 Australias agreement with Pfizer dwarfs that of Europe, the UK and the United States who have agreements for 10 to 20 times more doses. Currently, these regions are distributing it on an emergency status in response to rising COVID-19 death rates. Kelly said, looking at the situation these countries need it more. Vaccinating against COVID-19 will be a long term strategy he said, we have no evidence yet about how long any of the vaccines last in terms of immunity, he said Kelly also noted that the Novavax vaccine looks like a strong option for later this year and beyond. The Colosseum is open to visitors seven days a week. The Colosseum has extended the end date of its exhibition highlighting the history of the long-standing relationship between Rome and Pompeii, until 27 June. The exhibition Pompeii 79 AD. A Roman story is hailed as "unprecedented" and is held on the second tier of the Colosseum. The Pompeii exhibition, which comprises almost 100 pieces, reconstructs the complex dialogue that linked the two most famous sites in Italian archaeology from the Second Samnite War to the eruption of 79 AD. The display is centred around the reconstruction of social and cultural relations, traceable in particular through archaeological research, and is enriched by videos and virtual projections. The show is divided into three large sections the alliance phase, the Roman colony phase, the decline and end of Pompeii. It also focuses on two crucial moments that shaped the long history of Pompeii: the Roman siege of 89 BC and the earthquake of 62 AD, up until the catastrophic event of 79 AD that brought about the destruction of the Vesuvian city while Rome continued on its path to become a metropolis without precedent. Photo Parco Colosseo Promoted by the Parco archeologico del Colosseo, the exhibition was conceived and curated by the late, celebrated archaeologist Mario Torelli. Entry to the exhibition is included in the Colosseum tickets which must be booked in advance online. For visiting details see Parco Colosseo website or Facebook page. The Chief Justice, Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah, has given the assurance that he would ascertain the facts involved in the allegation that a Justice of the Supreme Court tried to bribe a National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament-Elect (MP) to influence her in the election for a Speaker of Parliament. A press statement signed by the Judicial Secretary, Justice Cynthia Pamela Addo, said the Chief Justice will seek the assistance of the person who made the allegation, the NDC MP for Asawase, Mr Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka. The general public is hereby assured that the Hon Chief Justice considers this allegation of impropriety a matter of grave import to the integrity of the Judiciary. The Hon Chief Justice is therefore taking steps to solicit the assistance of Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, MP, to establish the facts in order that the matter can be dealt with appropriately. The public will be apprised of any further development in due course, the statement added. Allegations In an interview with Joy News last Sunday, Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka, who is also the Chief Whip of the NDC caucus in parliament accused a Justice of the Supreme Court of attempting to induce a colleague NDC MP to vote for Prof Aaron Mike Oquaye as the Speaker. Shamefully, a Supreme Court judge called a lady colleague telling her what they will give her, if she votes for Prof Mike Oquaye. He told her that, they will help her take care of her children. She can take fuel from a filling station for free for the next four years. So we [NDC] are going to look into it. We will look at the time he made those calls, he stated. 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 New Delhi: Bhupinder Singh Mann, one of four experts nominated by the Supreme Court for negotiations with farmers protesting against the farm laws, is learned to be receiving threats from Canada after recusing himself from SC-appointed panel. READ | Don't stop Punjab farmers Kesari tractor rally on January 26: Sikhs for Justice threatens CJI SA Bobde Bhupinder Singh Mann on Thursday announced to withdraw his name from the Supreme Court-appointed panel. He quit the panel saying he wanted to remain impartial and due to public sentiment in connection with the farmers ongoing protest. READ | Bhupinder Singh Mann, one of four experts nominated by SC for talks with farmers, quits Mann said, "While I am thankful to Hon'ble Supreme Court of India for nominating me in the 4 member committee to start a dialogue with Kisan Unions on the three laws brought in by the Central Government. As a farmer myself and a Union leader, in view of the prevailing sentiments and apprehensions amongst the farm unions and the public in general, I am ready to sacrifice any position offered or given to me so as to not compromise the interests of Punjab and farmers of the country, I am recusing myself from the Committee and I will always stand with my farmers and Punjab." Earlier on Tuesday, the top court had named four experts to the panel including Ashok Gulati, agricultural economist; Bhupinder Singh Mann, President, Bhartiya Kisan Union-Mann; Anil Ghanwat, President, Shetkari Sangathan; and Pramod Kumar Joshi, International Food Policy Research Institute. Live TV On Tuesday, Attorney General (AG) KK Venugopal had told the Supreme Court that the Khalistan supporters have infiltrated the farmers protest against the three farm laws. When a bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde along with and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian told the AG that if there is infiltration by a banned organisation, then the government has to confirm it. The CJI asked Venugopal to file an affidavit by Wednesday, AG replied, "Yes, I will file an affidavit and the IB reports." The Chief Justice queried the AG, "Will you confirm this?" The AG replied "We have said that Khalistanis have infiltrated into the protests," He added the government cannot allow one lakh people protesting against the farm laws to come into the national capital. "One group may go to the Parliament...the other group may come to the Supreme Court", said the AG. The Chief Justice further queried the AG, "Isn`t it in your power to check the number of people and see if they are armed or not and if there is an infiltration by a banned organisation? The AG reiterated the government will bring on record the IB report on the aspect of infiltration. Live TV MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexicos president vowed Thursday to lead an international effort to combat what he considers censorship by social media companies that have blocked or suspended the accounts of U.S. President Donald Trump. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors administration is reaching out to other government to form a common front on the issue. I can tell you that at the first G20 meeting we have, I am going to make a proposal on this issue, Lopez Obrador said. Yes, social media should not be used to incite violence and all that, but this cannot be used as a pretext to suspend freedom of expression. How can a company act as if it was all powerful, omnipotent, as a sort of Spanish Inquisition on what is expressed? he asked. Foreign Relations Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said Mexico is starting to build an international campaign around the issue. Given that Mexico, through our president, has spoken out, we immediately made contact with others who think the same, Ebrard said, noting they had heard from officials in France, Germany, the European Union, Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. The president's orders are to make contact with all of them, share this concern and work on coming up with a joint proposal, Ebrard said. We will see what is proposed. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is among those who have publicly criticized the action against Trump. Her spokesman said Monday the German leader found it problematic that corporate managers could deny someone access under rules not defined by law. Polands prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, later called for new regulations that would govern the use of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in the European Union. Without mentioning Trumps case, he said that the owners of corporate giants should not decide which views are right and which are not. Lopez Obrador has not said whether he is thinking of trying to regulate social media platforms or perhaps just switching to a new outlet. On Tuesday, he posted an invitation on Facebook the platform he most frequently uses for his followers to switch to Telegram. Story continues Jesus Ramirez, the president's spokesman, said the Telegram account has been open for a while, suggesting the switch was not related to Twitter, Facebook and other media platforms acting against Trump after a mob of his supporters broke into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, accusing him of inciting the violence. Lopez Obrador says private companies should not have the right to decide who can speak. But the issue also displays his closeness to Trump, and his off-again, on-again love of social media. Ramirez Cuevas said Lopez Obrador manages his own social media accounts, and is not being ironic when he uses a favorite phrase, the blessed social media. When he talks about the blessed social media, he is referring to the citizens who use it freely to express opinions freely and get information, Ramirez Cuevas said. The mass use of social media has allowed his message to get through, when before it was blocked by traditional news media. Like Trump, Lopez Obrador thinks traditional media outlets are biased against him, and like Trump, the Mexican president has used the term fake news, or Spanish variants of it. The two men had such a close relationship that Trump, in one of his only public appearances since Jan. 6, heaped extensive praise on Lopez Obrador, calling him a great gentleman, a friend of mine. I want to thank him for his friendship and his professional working relationship, Trump said. He is a man who really knows what's happening, he loves his country and he also loves the United States." The relationship was based not on ideological affinity, but on the help Mexico provided under U.S. pressure to stop Central American migrants from reaching the U.S. border. Trump bragged that we actually had 27,000 Mexican soldiers guarding our borders over the last two years. Lopez Obrador seldom tweets, but has a regular, home, folksy presence on Facebook, where he often posts videos of himself playing baseball, giving "fireside chats" to the nation, or showing off landscapes, traditional Mexican foods or landscapes he is proud of. During his morning news conferences unlike any Mexican president before him, he holds them almost every weekday Lopez Obrador takes many, if not most of, his questions form online or social media news sites. But Lopez Obrador has also complained bitterly about "bots" and trolls on social media and has sponsored studies of which so-called robot accounts are purportedly used to attack him. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Julia Letlow announced Thursday morning that she would run for the congressional seat her late husband, Luke Letlow, had won but never occupied as he died of COVID-related complications days before taking his oath of office. A native of Monroe, Julia Letlow is ombudsperson and special projects coordinator for the University of Louisiana at Monroe Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, where she also has contributed to the development of the university's strategic plan. Letlow made the announcement during an interview at KWCL-FM in Oak Grove, the same place her husband had announced his successful bid for Congress last March. Luke and I have been best friends and a team for the last eight years, and we always believed that you have to work hard for your dreams and often that requires stepping out and taking a leap of faith," Letlow said. During Lukes campaign for Congress last year, Luke and I traveled to every corner of Louisianas 5th Congressional District - from Bastrop to Bunkie to Bogalusa - and all points between. I met many of the hardworking people of the district and listened to the dreams and ideas they have for our district." Reporter's notebook: Luke Letlow, killed by the coronavirus, though he was a cautious campaigner When I received the tragic news Tuesday night that Luke Letlow had died from complications of COVID-19, my mind flashed back to the last time Congressman-elect Luke Letlow died in late December from complications of COVID-19, leaving Julia a widow with two small children in their crossroads hometown of Start. The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Luke Letlow had been elected a few weeks before to the 5th Congressional District seat, which was vacated by retiring Republican U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham. Letlow, a former aide to Gov. Bobby Jindal, served as chief of staff to Abraham and beat out state Rep. Lance Harris, R-Alexandria, in a runoff Dec. 5th to replace Abraham on a 62% to 38% vote. The 5th District is a mostly rural district that encompasses 24 parishes and extends from Bastrop in the far northeast of Louisiana through Alexandria to Opelousas, then east past St. Francisville through much of the Florida parishes over to Bogalusa. Of the 491,128 registered voters, 64% are White and 35% are Republican. Twenty-two percent of the voters live in Ouachita Parish and 18% live in Rapides Parish. Sixty-four percent of the district's voters backed President Donald Trump in the Nov. 3 presidential election. Trump outpolled both Letlow and Harris, together, by 60,000 votes. Gov. John Bel Edwards on Jan. 6 called special elections for two vacant U.S. House seats, setting the contests for March 20 with April runoffs if necessary. The other open congressional seat is the one Democratic Congressman Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans will vacate next week to take a position in the White House. Qualifying for the election, during which candidates sign up and pay the fees, will take place Jan. 20th to 22nd. Mink that survived attempts to gas them to death were kicked or beaten to death with a metal rod at a Polish fur farm, investigators say. And inside the gas chamber, the animals took several dozen seconds to die, footage from secret cameras suggests. Activists argue the UK is complicit in the cruelty by allowing real animal fur to be imported and sold on items from hood trims and hat bobbles to slippers. Advertisement A retired firefighter in Pennsylvania will be remain in federal custody pending his trial after prosecutors filed charges alleging he hurled a fire extinguisher at police during last week's US Capitol riots. Robert Sanford, 55, of Chester, Pennsylvania, appeared in a virtual hearing in federal court in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Thursday to face charges of unlawful entry, civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding police. Sanford was captured on video hurling a fire extinguisher at police during the mob attack at the Capitol, according to court documents. Prosecutors said a search warrant executed at Sanford's home this week uncovered paraphernalia referencing the far-right 'Proud Boys' group. Sanford's lawyer told the judge his client is not a member of any extremist group and has no criminal history. The judge ordered Sanford to be detained pending trial, saying he posed a 'danger to the community' as well as to 'democracy and our legislators'. Sanford is not the same person suspected of killing Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick after he was struck on the head with a fire extinguisher during the riots, officials said. The FBI has not yet released details about possible suspects in Sicknick's death. They say the investigation into the officer's death remains ongoing. Robert Sanford, a retired firefighter from Chester, Pennsylvania, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly throwing a fire extinguisher at police officers during last week's insurrection at the US Capitol. The photos above were included in an affidavit for Sanford's arrest An affidavit filed in connection with Sanford's arrest states that the incident was caught on video at about 2.30pm during the riots on January 6. A screengrab from the video, which was included in the affidavit, is shown above, with Sanford circled in red Senator Bill Cassidy had earlier tweeted the photos of Sanford, saying the suspect shown in the video was wanted in connection with Sicknick's death. He deleted his tweet after authorities confirmed the man identified by Cassidy was not the same suspect wanted over the officer's death. An affidavit connected to Sanford's arrest states that the incident was caught on video at about 2.30pm during the January 6 riots outside the Capitol. 'The video was shot from an elevated position and showed an area of the Capitol with a large group of police officers surrounded on at least three sides by a group of insurrectionists,' the affidavit said. The extinguisher allegedly hit three officers on the head, including one who was not wearing a helmet. 'The object appears to strike one officer, who was wearing a helmet, in the head. The object then ricochets and strikes another officer, who was not wearing a helmet, in the head. The object then ricochets a third time and strikes a third officer, wearing a helmet, in the head,' the documents say. The affidavit included this undated driver's license photo of Sanford The affidavit includes a screenshot from a video that was widely circulated on social media in the aftermath of the riots. The affidavit says that Sanford recently retired from the Chester Fire Department. According to court documents, a friend of Sanford's contacted the FBI to identify him as being involved in the insurrection. The friend said Sanford had told them he traveled to Washington DC, on a bus with a group of people who had attended President Donald Trump's speech at the White House 'and then had followed the President's instructions and gone to the Capitol', the document states. The video included in the affidavit shows a man wearing a blue knit cap with the letters 'CFD' stitched on the front and 'SANFORD' on the back. It shows the suspect picking a fire extinguisher up off the ground and then walking toward a crowd of police officers who were attempting to keep protesters from breaching barriers. The suspect then hurls the extinguisher in the direction of the officers. 'Immediately after throwing the object, the subject moves quickly in the opposite direction,' the affidavit states. One of the officers, William Young of the Capitol Police, described the incident to investigators, saying he felt a 'hard strike' to the back of his helmet. The affidavit says that Sanford recently retired from the Chester Fire Department. He is pictured here in a 2019 photo posted on the fire department's Facebook page At the beginning of the video the fire extinguisher is seen lying on the ground amid the chaos (left) before a man in a backpack leans down to pick it up (right) The man then walks toward a crowd of police officers who were attempting to keep protesters from breaching barriers and hurls the fire extinguisher in their direction The object appears to ricochet off the helmets of two officers before hitting a third who was not wearing a helmet When he turned to see where the object came from, he saw the extinguisher on the ground but could not determine who had thrown it, he said. Young was subsequently taken to a hospital for evaluation before being cleared for duty. Authorities released a photo of the man in the video on Tuesday and asked anyone with information to contact the FBI. According to the affidavit, Sanford told his friend that he was the person in the photo released by authorities. The friend said Sanford, however, had said 'they' were only at the Capitol for about 10 minutes and did not mention throwing any objects. The friend said they have known Sanford for many years. The Justice Department has brought more than 70 criminal cases so far since Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, trying to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden as the winner of the election. The violence, which left five dead including Sicknick, led to the impeachment of Trump on Wednesday by the House of Representatives on a charge of inciting an insurrection. Shortly before the attack, Trump had fired up a crowd of supporters, repeating his baseless claims that he won the election and urging them to go to the Capitol. Many of the people arrested so far were captured on social media bragging about taking part in the assault, and the FBI has been combing through more than 100,000 videos and photographs. After the violence was quelled, most of the rioters were allowed to leave the Capitol, meaning law enforcement has had to track them down in the days since. Tourism O n behalf of the Government and people of Barbados, I wish to express sincere condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Gordon Butch Stewart, on his passing. Butch was the quintessential Jamaican, from his accent to his antics, and in everything he did he represented his country well always wearing the Jamaica motto with pride: Out of many, one people. It was impossible to share a space with him and not be drawn to his infectious laughter and warm personality, no doubt products of his Jamaica heritage. But for him, love of country never translated into insularity, for he was always the consummate Caribbean man. The success of his Sandals brand, a name that he has indelibly imprinted on the Caribbean landscape, will no doubt serve as a monument to his Caribbeanness for generations to come. His association with Barbados and Barbadians has been long, even if at times contentious, but this country has benefited from his investment. There can be no denying that Barbados tourism product is the better today because of the presence of Sandals Barbados and Sandals Royal Barbados. The region has definitely lost a great son who put Sandals, as a Caribbean brand, on the global landscape. To his wife Chyril, his children, the Sandals family here in Barbados and across the region, and the people of Jamaica, my thoughts and prayers are with you at time. May his soul rest in peace. Myanmar & COVID-19 Myanmar Closes Eight Temporary COVID-19 Hospitals in Yangon COVID-19 patients are treated at a temporary hospital at Yangons Thuwunna Football Stadium. / U Zaw Zaw's Facebook page Yangon Yangon has closed eight temporary hospitals, out of 15, as the number of COVID-19 cases drops in the city. In mid-September, Myanmar rapidly opened temporary hospitals and converted public housing into COVID-19 hospitals in Yangon as up to 1,900 cases were reported per day. Myanmar opened about 15 temporary coronavirus hospitals with a capacity of between 500 and 2,000 beds as permanent hospitals began to run out of space. Since Dec.19, Myanmar has seen a decline in daily COVID-19 cases. Fewer than 1,000 new cases are now being reported per day across the country and Yangon is currently reporting fewer than 200 cases per day. On Tuesday, more than 2,300 coronavirus patients have been treated at the Yangons hospitals, including at a private hospital, Pun Hlaing, according to Yangons health authorities. In a televised briefing on Tuesday evening, Professor Zaw Wai Soe, vice-chairman of the Yangon COVID-19 prevention, control and treatment committee, said Yangon is reporting fewer than 10 COVID-19 deaths over the preceding three days, down from up to 40 deaths per day in previous months. He said the city could soon return to business under new health restrictions. The government says it is planning to resume some classes at the University of Medicine in late January and most other classes in February using new teaching techniques, said Professor Zaw Wai Soe. Myanmar can consider getting back to work under new conditions, he said, adding that everybody needs to take care to prevent another wave of coronavirus. Despite stay-at-home orders and COVID-19 bans on dining at teashops and restaurants, many employers have resumed operations to fight off bankruptcy as other businesses have closed permanently. On Wednesday, Myanmar reported 132,260 COVID-19 cases, including 2,902 deaths and 115,621 recoveries, with Yangon reporting new 183 cases. Since March 23, Yangon has reported 85,389 coronavirus cases. The countrys second hardest-hit city, Mandalay, has reported 15,318 cases, followed by Bago Region with 8,570, Ayeyarwady Region with 5,372, Rakhine State with 4,208 cases and Magwe Region with 3,105. Myanmar has ordered 30 million COVID-19 vaccine doses from the Serum Institute of India, commonly known as the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine, which are due to arrive in Myanmar from next month. Health care staff on the COVID-19 frontline are due to be vaccinated first, followed by older citizens, according to the Ministry of Health and Sports. Myanmar is also trying to buy COVID-19 vaccines from China, the UK, USA and Russia. Myanmar is now fourth in terms of COVID-19 cases in Asean countries behind Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia. You may also like these stories: Myanmars Shangri-La Hotel Temporarily Closes Amid COVID-19 Impact More Thais Returning From Casinos in Myanmar Test Positive for COVID-19 Myanmars Migrants Face Discrimination Amid Surging COVID-19 in Thailand Advertisement An overflow mortuary costing 4million has now been set up at Britain's third biggest crematorium to provide an extra 20 per cent capacity for bodies in London, following the country's worst day for coronavirus deaths. The storage units in large temporary structures at Breakspear Crematorium in Ruislip, West London, can hold up to 1,300 bodies in total, with the site intended to help relieve pressure on hospitals and council-run morgues. Westminster Council said the newly-built facility, which was constructed in just over a week, acted as a 'sobering reminder' of how the pandemic is affecting thousands of lives as he urged people to follow Covid-19 rules. More than 10,500 people have died from coronavirus in London since the start of the outbreak and the city's Mayor Sadiq Khan declared a major incident last week as hospitals came under increasing pressure. It follows emergency morgues being set up at RAF Coltishall in Norwich; Headley Court in Leatherhead, Surrey; Waterside Industrial Park in Leeds, Salisbury Hospital in Wiltshire and Aylesford Temporary Place of Rest in Kent. The National Association of Funeral Directors said mortuaries across the UK were becoming 'very tight on space', adding that members had been 'extremely busy' as pressure on the industry ramped up in the last week. Inside one of the storage units at the overflow mortuary at Breakspear Crematorium in Ruislip, West London, pictured today The overflow mortuary at Breakspear Crematorium will provide an extra 20 per cent capacity for public mortuaries in London The mortuary at Breakspear Crematorium can currently hold 217 bodies, but will reach a capacity of 1,300 once building works are completed around January 20. Westminster City Council chief executive Stuart Love, who is leading the pan-London response, said today that local authorities worked with faith communities to ensure all religious requirements, wishes and needs were met. Where have temporary morgues been set up? Breakspear Crematorium in Ruislip, West London in Ruislip, West London RAF Coltishall in Norwich, Norfolk in Norwich, Norfolk Headley Court in Leatherhead, Surrey in Leatherhead, Surrey Waterside Industrial Park in Leeds in Leeds Salisbury Hospital in Wiltshire in Wiltshire Aylesford Temporary Place of Rest in Kent Advertisement When asked whether he thought the temporary mortuary could reach full capacity in the current wave of the pandemic, Mr Love said: 'We really hope it doesn't come to that. 'From my point of view, we have built this really hoping it doesn't get used to its capacity. This really is a visual, sobering reminder that we are still in the midst of a severe pandemic. 'We want to give people hope but we are not there yet. This just re-emphasises the message of staying at home and looking after your loved ones.' During the first wave of the pandemic, four temporary mortuaries were built in London to provide extra capacity. Mr Love said those sites were decommissioned and a decision was made to open one hub in north-west London instead, making the process of storing bodies more streamlined. 'We learnt from the first wave how additional capacity was or was not being used and that informed our decision-making this time round,' he said. The entire Ruislip site, made up of tented facilities with refrigeration units, has cost 3.2million, with the total expected to reach 4million by March, Mr Love added. 'As the number of deaths have increased, particularly since Christmas Eve, we made the decision to build temporary capacity with the overriding principle of ensuring the dignity and respect for the bereaved and the deceased are maintained. Storage units at Breakspear Crematorium which aims to help relieve pressure on hospitals and council-run morgues One of the structures covering storage units at the overflow mortuary at Breakspear Crematorium in Ruislip, pictured today 'It's really important that people have confidence that bodies are being treated with respect. As mortuary capacity needs increase so do the risks around various elements of the system in storing the deceased.' Since the pandemic began, 10,820 deaths have been registered in London where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate. The figures, from the Office for National Statistics, show that 492 deaths involving Covid-19 were registered in the capital in the seven days to January 1 - the highest weekly number since the seven days to May 1. In Norfolk, a temporary mortuary set up in a former aircraft hangar at the old RAF Coltishall is now being used by the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, having not been required during the first wave of the pandemic. Tom McCabe, chairman of Norfolk's Covid-19 Strategic Co-ordination Group, said: 'It was always anticipated that during challenging periods there would be extra pressures on mortuaries, undertakers and crematoria. 'This temporary mortuary provides additional capacity to help make sure the county's hospitals have enough flexibility of space in their own mortuaries, and to ensure we can provide the most respectful and dignified way to look after both those who have died, and their families, over this difficult period.' Inside one of the storage units at the overflow mortuary at Breakspear Crematorium in Ruislip, West London, pictured today A member of security staff stands in the rain Breakspear Crematorium which aims to relieve pressure on council-run morgues The former air base site is now known as Scottow Enterprise Park. 'Anyone whose loved one is moved to the Scottow location will be informed and we can reassure people that we have a dedicated, trained team of staff who care for those who have died and been taken there,' said Mr McCabe. 'The temporary mortuary also received a blessing from the Bishop of Norwich back in April last year, with him making a prayer of dedication in a special address from his home. 'One of the county's hospitals, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, has now had to put their business continuity plans in place to use a number of these mortuary spaces.' The hospital is using the temporary mortuary due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on top of usual winter pressures, and while it puts new equipment in place. Dr Richard Goodwin, NNUH chief of division for clinical support services, said: 'Our priority is to always ensure that the deceased are treated with respect and dignity, and therefore we work with our partners to ensure every year we can use additional mortuary space, if needed.' Meanwhile bodies are being stored at a temporary facility in Surrey after the county's hospital mortuaries reached capacity amid rising Covid-19 case rates. Storage units at the overflow mortuary at Breakspear Crematorium in Ruislip, West London, are pictured this morning One of storage units at the site at Breakspear Crematorium which will provide extra capacity for public mortuaries Some 170 bodies are being kept in the temporary mortuary at the former military hospital Headley Court in Leatherhead, which first opened in April to alleviate pressure during the first wave of the pandemic. More than half of those kept at the facility died with coronavirus, a Surrey Local Resilience Forum spokesman said. The county's hospital mortuaries have the capacity to store 600 bodies but are currently full, while the temporary facility has room for 800. The Surrey Local Resilience Forum spokesman said the county would be left in 'real difficulty' if the 1,400 capacity is exceeded in the coming weeks. He said: 'To put some perspective on this, during the first wave, they had 700 bodies go through that (temporary) facility. The first wave lasted approximately 12 weeks from mid-March to mid-May. 'Since December 21, after just two-and-a-half weeks, they have had 300 bodies go through it.' The entrance to the overflow mortuary at Breakspear Crematorium in Ruislip, West London, pictured today Breakspear Crematorium in Ruislip, West London, now has a new temporary mortuary that can hold up to 1,300 bodies Meanwhile Leeds City Council said 50 Covid victims have been stored at a 800,000 temporary facility in Waterside Industrial Park for the time since it was built. And Wiltshire Council said Salisbury District Hospital and Great Western Hospital had reached the capacity for 171 bodies and were having to use temporary morgues set up in March. Around 11million was set aside in April by Kent County Council to prepare three emergency morgues that could store up to 3,000 bodies as part of the authority's worst-case scenario planning. One of them was the 10,000-sq-ft Aylesford morgue which has room for 825 bodies and will reportedly operate 24 hours a day and seven days a week. A virtual council meeting was yesterday told that an 'urgent requirement' for more space was made on December 30 due to the pressure on mortuary services across the county. Within 48 hours the Aylesford site was operational and the first body arrived on January 1. Security staff at the overflow mortuary at Breakspear Crematorium in Ruislip, West London, are pictured in the rain today A sign signalling the temperature of -15C to -20C in the mortuary area at Breakspear Crematorium in Ruislip, West London At the meeting, Councillor Rob Bird said: 'We are looking at a dire situation in Kent as more local mortuaries are full. The temporary morgue in Aylesford is having to take bodies in at an unprecedented rate.' The leader of Kent County Council, Roger Gough, said: 'KCC has the statutory responsibility to lead the county's coronavirus response and sadly we have not been alone in needing to make preparations for increased mortuary demand as a result of the COVID pandemic. 'Like every other authority across the country, we have had to plan to ensure sufficient mortuary capacity is available should it be required and we can confirm that Aylesford Temporary Place of Rest is now in use. 'We know this is a difficult time for all our communities and throughout all our planning our priority has been to ensure that there is dignity and respect for those who have lost their lives and consideration for the bereaved.' Assistant Chief Constable of Kent Police Claire Nix, who is also the chair of the Kent Resilience Forum, said: 'The fact that a Temporary Place of Rest has had to be set up in Kent should serve as a stark reminder that the country is at a critical point and we must all understand how dangerous COVID-19 is. 'Many people are able to recover from catching the virus but there are many who sadly can't. Hospitals and mortuaries are under increasing pressure and so it has been necessary to have a Temporary Place of Rest established in Aylesford.' The entrance to the overflow mortuary at Breakspear Crematorium, which will have cost 4million to build once completed Signs on the walls of a storage unit at the overflow mortuary at Breakspear Crematorium in West London, pictured today National Association of Funeral Directors spokesman Deborah Smith said undertakers were 'very, very busy' as they came under increased pressure due to the pandemic. She added: 'It's a busy time of year for the funeral sector anyway, but this year only more so. It's a very, very busy time, as I'm sure you can imagine from the news. 'The pressures this year are also very different from normal with staff shielding, dealing with childcare responsibilities, or having to self-isolate. And the problem is we don't know exactly it will stop building' Ms Smith also told Agence France-Presse that discussions about the need for the further use of temporary morgues was ongoing across the whole of the UK. She said three pressures - the spike in Covid cases, the normally higher rates of mortality in the winter months generally and the likelihood of illnesses amongst funeral staff - could all potentially limit the industry's capacity to deal with the deaths. That would have a further knock-on effect on mortuaries she added. 'The numbers are higher, the sense of unknown is greater,' Ms Smith explained. 'We don't know for how long the numbers will keep building, before they fall away again.' The entrance to the overflow mortuary at Britain's third biggest crematorium, Breakspear Crematorium in Ruislip Siraj Qazi is the manager of Ghousia Funeral Service, a mortuary serving the Muslim community in and around the town of Luton. He said in the last month, the number of deaths in the community had started to increase. Over two weeks, he said there had been a 'massive influx'. 'We are doing funerals daily and the deaths that we are dealing with now are predominantly back to Covid,' Mr Qazi said. Levels were similar to those seen during the March and April peak of the first wave last year when his firm was almost overwhelmed. 'I think we're going have to keep an eye on things and see how it goes in the next two weeks or so,' he added. It comes as Boris Johnson last night admitted there is a 'very substantial' risk the NHS will run out of intensive care beds as the country suffered its deadliest day of the pandemic so far. The Prime Minister said despite signs the national lockdown in England is starting to slow the spread of the virus there are concerns hospitals will not be able to cope. Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government's chief scientific adviser, last night warned the 'period of high death numbers' is 'going to carry on for some weeks'. Undertakers vans queue to enter a temporary morgue in Aylesford, Kent, today which is another one that has been set up A view of the roof of the morgue at Aylesford Temporary Place of Rest in Kent this afternoon 'It's not going to come down quickly even if the measures that are in place now start to reduce the infection numbers. So we're in for a pretty grim period, I'm afraid,' he told ITV's Peston programme. Amid fears about a new variant of the virus identified in Brazil, Mr Johnson also acknowledged schools may not reopen after the February half-term as planned. The stark warnings came as the daily reported death toll reached a new high, with 1,564 fatalities recorded within 28 days of a positive test. The latest figures mean the grim milestone of more than 100,000 deaths involving coronavirus has now been passed in the UK, although that is not the official UK death toll. Mr Johnson said yesterday the national lockdown in England was 'starting to show signs of some effect' in some parts of the country as hospital admissions in London and the southeast fell for the first time since before Christmas. But he warned the country was in the 'toughest of times' with the NHS facing a 'colossal strain' and the possibility of intensive care units (ICUs) being overwhelmed. Appearing before the Commons Liaison Committee, Mr Johnson said there were 32,000 Covid-19 patients in hospital, which he said was about 70 per cent higher than during the first peak in April. He told MPs: 'If you ask me when do we think that the ICU capacity is likely to be overtopped, I can't give you a prediction for that. 'But all I can say is that the risk is very substantial and we have to keep the pressure off the NHS and the only way to do that is to follow the current lockdown.' Dr Yvonne Doyle, medical director at Public Health England, said there have now been more deaths in the second wave than the first. The 1,564 deaths recorded yesterday was the biggest figure in a single day since the pandemic began, although because of a lag in reporting the deaths will not have all occurred on the same date. The latest figures bring the total number of deaths recorded within 28 days of a positive test to 84,767. When all deaths where coronavirus is mentioned on the death certificate are counted, plus deaths known to have occurred more recently, the number of deaths involving Covid in the UK is 101,160. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th January, 2021) The European Space Agency (ESA) hopes that the United Kingdom will join the EU Copernicus earth observation program, as London is currently in talks with Brussels on its post-Brexit participation in the space program, incoming ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher said Thursday. "As part of the Brexit agreement, the Copernicus was included in the deal as one program, where the UK can participate even after Brexit. And this is currently ongoing, the UK is negotiating with the European Commission and the European Union under which conditions and how this participation looks in detail," Aschbacher said at a press conference. The ESA considers the UK a "strong partner" and hopes that London will ultimately join the program, the incoming chief noted. The Copernicus Earth observation program, created by the European Union, is served by a set of satellites. The program is aimed at improving the life of EU communities by providing near real-time global environment data. Lisa Montgomery was convicted of killing a pregnant woman and cutting the baby from her womb in 2004. Photo: AP, File A Kansas woman was executed yesterday for strangling an expectant mother in Missouri and cutting the baby from her womb, the first time in nearly seven decades that the US government has put to death a female inmate. Lisa Montgomery (52), was pronounced dead at 1:31am after receiving a lethal injection at the federal prison complex in Terre Haute, Indiana. She was the 11th prisoner to receive a lethal injection there since July, when President Donald Trump, an ardent supporter of capital punishment, resumed federal executions following 17 years without one. As a curtain was raised in the execution chamber, Montgomery the only woman on federal death row looked momentarily bewildered as she glanced at the journalists behind thick glass. A woman standing over Montgomerys shoulder leaned over, gently removed Montgomerys face mask and asked her if she had any last words. No, Montgomery responded in a quiet, muffled voice. Read More At 1:30am an official listened to her heart and chest, then walked out. She was pronounced dead a minute later. The craven bloodlust of a failed administration was on full display tonight, Montgomerys attorney Kelley Henry said in a statement. Everyone who participated in the execution of Lisa Montgomery should feel shame. The government stopped at nothing in its zeal to kill this damaged and delusional woman. Montgomery was the first of the final three federal inmates scheduled to die before next weeks inauguration of president-elect Joe Biden, who is expected to discontinue federal executions. However, a federal judge for the District of Columbia halted the scheduled executions later this week of Corey Johnson and Dustin Higgs. Montgomery killed 23-year-old Bobbie Jo Stinnett in the Missouri town of Skidmore in 2004. She strangled Ms Stinnett, who was eight months pregnant, then cut the baby girl from the womb with a kitchen knife. Montgomery took the child and attempted to pass the girl off as her own. An appeals court granted her a stay of execution, shortly after another appeals court lifted a ruling that she was likely mentally ill and couldnt comprehend she would be put to death. But both appeals were lifted, allowing the execution to go forward. Montgomerys legal team says she suffered sexual torture, including gang rapes, as a child, permanently scarring her emotionally and exacerbating mental-health issues that ran in her family. At trial, prosecutors accused Montgomery of faking mental illness, noting that her killing of Ms Stinnett was premeditated and included meticulous planning, including online research on how to perform a C-section. Ms Henry balked at that idea, citing extensive testing and brain scans that supported the diagnosis of mental illness. She said the issue at the core of the legal arguments are not whether she knew the killing was wrong in 2004 but whether she fully grasps why she is slated to be executed now. SAN MATEO, Calif., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lumiata, the healthcare-specific AI platform, announced today that it has completed $14 million in Series B funding, led by Defy.vc and AllegisNL Capital along with existing investors Khosla Ventures and Blue Venture Fund . Lumiata CEO, Dilawar Syed Lumiata takes disparate healthcare-specific datasets and has them machine learning-ready within weeks. Once the data is analyzed using AI, Lumiata is able to identify underwriting risks, surface opportunities to reduce costs, and enable better care by providing reliable predictions to patient outcomes. Lumiata is the only AI platform able to make predictions down to the individual member level while protecting members' privacy. In many instances, Lumiata has identified hundreds of millions of dollars in risks on their customers' books that they were previously unaware they had. Customers are able to reduce costs and provide more responsible and responsive healthcare to their members. Lumiata is cloud-based, fully scalable, and integrates with existing systems through APIs. "Lumiata is breaking new ground in the adoption of AI across healthcare's core functions of underwriting, cost management, and more individualized patient care. We relaunched Lumiata two years ago with a mission to democratize AI to reduce the cost of care and improve outcomes. We have an even greater purpose to realize this mission as COVID-19 changed healthcare and our world forever," said Lumiata CEO Dilawar Syed. "We will accelerate our investment in product, customers, and people to grow and scale the business." Lumiata will use the funding to scale its enterprise-grade AI platform and invest in customer acquisition and success. The company also plans to open a new office in Guadalajara, Mexico in 2021. "Lumiata excels at building trusted relationships with its customers," said Dalbir Bains, FGC Health's chairman, president and CEO, a Lumiata customer. "They have delivered results that help us manage consumer risks for comorbidities. Our long partnership means that we can depend on them long-term to help us manage our pharmacy business." Lumiata's suite of products includes predictive applications for healthcare business teams to manage underwriting and clinical costs and risks for improved decision support, transparency, and patient centricity. Lumiata's machine learning toolkit is purpose-built for healthcare data scientists to build and deploy predictive models with speed and ease. Lumiata's automated data management, pre-built models, and AutoML capabilities provide a low- or no-code option for healthcare organizations with limited data science expertise. "The Lumiata team has done an amazing job bringing to market a powerful AI platform that is easy for business analysts to use from day one while providing the capabilities data scientists require," said Victor Westerlind, Managing Director at AllegisNL Capital. "We are excited to work with this team as they accelerate their customer traction and continue to grow their company." "Lumiata is moving healthcare forward," said Neil Sequeira, Co-founder, and Partner, Defy.vc. "Our firm believes that investing in Lumiata will accelerate AI and machine learning and have a material impact on the industry." About Lumiata Lumiata is transforming the healthcare enterprise through the application of AI. Bringing predictive power within reach of data science teams and business users, we're driving predictability and precision at scale empowering providers and payers to reduce risk and manage costs and move out of reliance on flat data into a future of insights. Lumiata machine learning tools and pre-trained models comprise a scalable platform purpose-built for healthcare. Lumiata products are built from more than 120 million patient records, in-depth clinical knowledge, and its proprietary clinical IP. Lumiata enables healthcare organizations to explore use cases such as underwriting and care management. Lumiata is proud to be backed by Khosla Ventures, Blue Venture Fund, Defy.vc, and AllegisNL Capital. Team Lumiata is distributed across Silicon Valley, Dallas, and Guadalajara, Mexico. About Defy.vc Founded in 2016, Defy is a Silicon Valley based early stage venture capital firm. Defy was founded to invest in entrepreneurs and companies looking to solve complex problems. Defy's focus is to help companies, after seed funding, mature and scale into companies ready for growth capital. The firm's team has more than 50 years of venture experience, successful operating backgrounds and actively helps successful entrepreneurs grow companies from inception through exit. About AllegisNL Capital AllegisNL Capital invests in innovative companies at the intersection of technology, finance, insurance, and digital health. Backed by one of the largest life insurance companies in the world, AllegisNL Capital is part of the Allegis Capital family of venture capital funds based in Palo Alto, CA. Contact: Jessica McCarthy VP of Marketing (415) 350-7118 [email protected] SOURCE Lumiata Related Links http://www.lumiata.com (CNN) The universe may be a little darker after a recent discovery has shown that there could be fewer galaxies populating it. A previous measurement by Hubble Space Telescope suggested there were 2 trillion galaxies spread across the universe. Now, the latest research points to only hundreds of billions of galaxies instead. After NASA's New Horizons mission flew by Pluto and the distant object Arrokoth on the edge of our solar system 4 billion miles from Earth in 2015 and 2019, it looked across the vastness of black space. The New Horizons spacecraft was at such a distance that the sky it surveyed was 10 times darker than the darkest sky observed by Hubble. Hubble only orbits the Earth from a distance of 340 miles and it has to contend with light pollution from an effect called zodiacal light. Our corner of the solar system is full of dust shed by asteroids and comets and those dust particles reflect sunlight, which creates zodiacal light. The previous estimate of galaxies was determined by astronomers counting every galaxy visible in Hubble's deep field and multiplying it based on the total area of the sky. "Deep field observations are long-lasting observations of a particular region of the sky intended to reveal faint objects by collecting the light from them for an appropriately long time," according to the European Space Agency's Hubble site. However, that doesn't account for distant or faint galaxies that couldn't be seen. While space may appear absolutely black in its vast darkness, it's actually illuminated by the diffuse glow of distant stars and galaxies. Leaving the illuminated inner solar system is the best way to determine just how many galaxies may exist in the unseen distance -- which is exactly what New Horizons did. New Horizons found that distant galaxies are less plentiful than previously believed because the cosmic glow they cause is so weak. The study has been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal and was presented Wednesday at the 237th meeting of the American Astronomical Society, which is occurring virtually due to the pandemic. "It's an important number to know -- how many galaxies are there?" said study coauthor Marc Postman, a distinguished astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, in a statement. "We simply don't see the light from two trillion galaxies." Previously, astronomers believed that 90% of the galaxies in the universe remained hidden from Hubble's view. But the new calculation is much less. "Take all the galaxies Hubble can see, double that number, and that's what we see -- but nothing more," said lead study author Tod Lauer, an astronomer at the National Science Foundation's National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory, in a statement. The background glow in the universe, called the cosmic optical background, is the visible light counterpart of the afterglow associated with the Big Bang, which is called the cosmic microwave background. "While the cosmic microwave background tells us about the first 450,000 years after the big bang, the cosmic optical background tells us something about the sum total of all the stars that have ever formed since then," Postman said. "It puts a constraint on the total number of galaxies that have been created, and where they might be in time." "New Horizons provided us with a vantage point to measure the cosmic optical background better than anyone has been able to do it," Lauer said. There is still a sort of leftover glow that remains unaccounted for, which could belong to yet unknown stars or galaxies. The James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled to launch in October, could reveal the source. This story was first published on CNN.com There may be fewer galaxies in the universe than we thought One of the state's biggest urban renewal projects has reached another milestone with the release of public space plans around Subiaco Oval. Subi East's 'The Oval' spaces will have six components, including the Six Seasons Bidi trail, developed and design-led by members of the Noongar community, where visitors can learn about Noongar knowledge, culture and history, and a heritage plaza at the retained oval's entry gates, celebrating the historical home of WA football. The planned heritage plaza. Credit:Development WA. Woody Meadow, a research landscape project by Murdoch University and University of Melbourne with input from the Noongar community, will have native landscaping for adults and children to explore, while the perimeter of the oval, honouring the 1938 oval boundary and incorporating representation of the Sandover Medal Walk, will be circled by a permanent running track. A community park for sports and games, with barbecue and picnic spaces, a nature play area, youth plaza, toilets and temporary change rooms, and a green link featuring the Aleppo Pines from Gallipoli, connecting to Bob Hawke College and Mueller Park, will also be included. [January 13, 2021] KKR Closes First Asia Real Estate Fund at US$1.7 billion KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced the final close of KKR Asia Real Estate Partners ("AREP" or the "Fund"), a US$1.7 billion fund focused on opportunistic real estate investments in Asia Pacific. "AREP's close marks the next chapter of growth for KKR in Asia Pacific as we continue to expand our position as a proven alternative capital provider across asset classes," said Ming Lu, Head of KKR Asia Pacific. "Asia Pacific's real estate sector needs sophisticated investment and innovative operational solutions to meet the high demand for modernized properties and developments that are required to stay ahead of the region's rapid growth. Our experienced team is well-positioned to capture compelling opportunities and add value to our portfolio to generate attractive, yield-adjusted returns for our investors." KKR's Asia Pacific real estate platform takes a flexible investment approach across assets and platforms, utilizing equity and debt in both emerging and developed markets. AREP will invest in opportunities where KKR can drive meaningful growth by leveraging the Firm's highly experienced in-country investment teams, its global network of industry and operational experts, and long track record of value creation. The Fund, which builds on KKR's standing as a partner of choice to leading real estate businesses and developers, will specifically focus on a range of sectors, including commercial, industrial and residential properties, and will opportunistically evaluate assets in emerging alternative sectors. John Pattar, Head of Asia Pacific Real Estate at KKR, said, "The transformation of Asia Pacific's real estate sector is creating a strong pipeline of new and exciting opportunities that are well-suited to KKR's flexible investment approach, local expertise and deep operational experience. Increased domestic consumption, productivity and urbanization - combined with the acceleration of e-commerce and platform-based businsses and the evolution of the traditional office landscape - is fundamentally reshaping the region's real estate sector. AREP will play an important role in bringing the necessary solutions to the region's real estate industry during this exciting phase of growth." AREP, which is KKR's inaugural pan-Asian real estate fund, received strong support from a diverse group of new and existing global investors, including public and corporate pensions, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies, endowments, private banking platforms, family offices and high net worth individual investors. The Fund represents one of the largest inaugural pan-regional real estate funds to have been raised in Asia Pacific to date. "Our ability to raise this Fund in the midst of a pandemic is a testament to the strength of KKR's Asia Pacific franchise, proven real estate track record around the world, and the trust in our ability to create value," said Jon Fiorello, Head of KKR's Real Estate Strategies Team. "We appreciate the confidence that our global investors have placed in our strategy and team." In Asia Pacific, the Firm has deployed more than US$1.5 billion of equity across approximately 20 real estate transactions since 2011, including investments in mixed use, commercial, industrial, hotel, office and retail properties. KKR has also provided debt financing to real estate developers and companies. Assets within KKR's Asia Pacific real estate portfolio include, but are not limited to, Namsan Square, an office tower located in Seoul's central business district. Ralph Rosenberg, Global Head of KKR Real Estate, said, "AREP's close is an exciting milestone for our global real estate platform. Asia Pacific is an integral and increasingly important part of our investment strategy given the attractive growth and demographic drivers shared by markets across the region. Looking ahead, we are well-positioned to build on our successes in Asia Pacific to create a diverse portfolio of investments capable of delivering attractive returns to our investors." KKR launched its dedicated real estate platform in 2011. The Firm has approximately US$14 billion of real estate assets under management in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific, as of September 30, 2020, and a team of approximately 90 dedicated investment professionals across 11 offices and 8 countries. About KKR KKR is a leading global investment firm that manages multiple alternative asset classes, including private equity, credit and real assets, with strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns for its fund investors by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and driving growth and value creation with KKR portfolio companies. KKR invests its own capital alongside the capital it manages for fund investors and provides financing solutions and investment opportunities through its capital markets business. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR's website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter (News - Alert) @KKR_Co. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210113005956/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] In Jackson Heights, Roseline David, 80, a retired auditor, said she has been trying to get vaccination appointments for herself and her husband since Monday. She sent repeated messages to her regular doctor. She spent hours on the citys website Tuesday night, painstakingly filling out forms, only to find out at the end that there was no availability and she had to cancel out of the system. She called 311 and is waiting for a call back. (Natural News) Friday night amid the far-left and Big Tech-led purging of anyone opposed to their Orwellian future, Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson guided viewers through what he called a night unlike anything in my lifetime that were going to look back on as Big Tech carried out an unprecedented crackdown on our most basic civil liberties. Among such purges? Twitters permanent banning of President Donald Trump and his campaign. (Article by Curtis Houck republished from NewsBusters.org) Carlson began by stating that [t]he crackdown on Americas civil libertiesis here now and its unprecedented and it will have consequences and unintended ones at that as this widespread censorship and forced social isolation (on top of COVID restrictions) will cause extremism. On the Trump ban, Carlson pointed out that Big Tech has silenced him after the fact that Trump has called for such companies to be broken up. This, Carlson noted, was a way for Big Tech and the Democratic Party to show the public that theyre in control now and that their assault on speech will gain speed. The Intercept founder Glenn Greenwald joined Carlson and declared this the initiation of a new war on terror because the Biden administration will further criminalize domestic terrorism by expanding it to include Trump supporters writ large and increase their power to monitor political groups, to infiltrate them, to criminalize activities that currently are not criminalized, nor should they be. A tiny handful of tech oligarchs are more powerful than any nation state. They determine what we can hear, what we can speak, what is true, and what is false, with zero accountability and zero transparency. They overwhelmingly donated to the Democratic Party and support the Democratic Party, he added. Before an interview with Parler chief policy officer Amy Peikoff, Carlson pointed out the double standards on Twitter with regard to Chinese and Iranian government accounts as Big Tech also spent Friday working to choke and kill off Parler. Carlson spoke in the third segment with former Boris Johnson aide Craig Dillon and made this observation about the importance of social media for social cohesion: So, in this country, and Im sure its similar to the U.K., these platforms are our public square. This is how people sort out their political differences, how they learn about politics, and many other things. So when you shut these down, you are isolating people. It seems to me, you are insuring the rise of real extremism in this country. I mean, its obvious. Censorship makes people paranoid and crazy and frustrated and angry and sometimes violent. They must know that. The FNC added that whats being carried out is an attack on people and they feel under siege, creating a situation where theyre turning up the temperature too high. And in a crazy turn of events, Carlson was in the midst of reading Trumps statement from the @POTUS account about the suspension of @realdDonaldTrump when Twitter took that down as we read it. Listen, never been a night like this in my lifetime. At another point in the show, Carlson made clear that these censorship fears werent being manufactured for TV ratings: So your civil rights are disappearing. Again, thats not cable news hype. Its actually happening. Closing out the show, Carlson summed it all up, speaking in terms of both the present and whats to come as a result of Big Techs Friday night actions: Its been an amazing day. Just in the past hour, we have seen and were going to say it again an unprecedented crackdown on the most basic civil liberties weve enjoyed for 200 years in this country and the first its in the First Amendment is the freedom of speech. Theyve pushed us into our own isolated little worlds out of COVID restrictions, made us more dependent on social media to communicate with each other and then cracked down on our use of social media. Cant end well. To see the relevant FNC transcript from January 8, FNCs Tucker Carlson Tonight January 8, 2021 8:00 p.m. Eastern TUCKER CARLSON: The crackdown on Americas civil liberties is coming. We told you that yesterday. Turns out, it didnt take long. It is here now and its unprecedented. And it will have consequences. This will cause extremism. Actions taken to suppress extremism will cause it. Those unintended consequences, we dont know. Its very clear what is happening and what will happen. Heres the first news. Just days after Donald Trump called for breaking up the Big Tech monopolies in order to preserve democracy, the Big Tech monopolies have silenced him. Twitter has just announced the sitting President has been banned permanently from the platform that is his primary means of communication. Of course, wait until the Democratic Party took power and they shut it down. Theyre in control now. Silicon Valley oligarchs are more powerful than the President of the United States. And they want you to know it. Everywhere, the assault on speech accelerates. Glenn Greenwald is an independent journalist, cofounder of The Intercept, now found on SubStack. Were happy to have him on tonight. You are a long-standing civil libertarian. Glenn, thanks for joining us. Please assess what you are seeing now in the United States. GLENN GREENWALD: Well, one thing I think were clearly seeing is the initiation of a new war on terror, which I dont say lightly. I say that because the Biden administration, what will be the Biden administration in about a week, is saying explicitly that they want, first of all, a new law to further criminalize domestic terrorism, even though every act that constitutes domestic terrorism is already criminalized. What they want to do is increase their power to monitor political groups, to infiltrate them, to criminalize activities that currently are not criminalized, nor should they be, whether it be advocacy or speech or other things. Theyre saying they want a new law, similar to the way that the 9/11 attack and the emotion surrounding it was instantly seized upon to institute a whole series of new laws that endure to this very day. Secondly, they are explicitly saying that they believe that domestic terrorism so this war on terror is not going to be directed at foreign, non-state actors or terrorist groups or foreign countries like China or Iran or Russia, its going to be directed inward, is the greatest threat to national security. And weve talked about this before. This is what they are likely going to do, because they have been focused for so long, media outlets have, the Democratic Party has, on Donald Trump, and increasing fear levels about him. That has been the key to their profit and power. What will happen once hes gone, the strategy has always been clear, to inflate the risk of what they call white supremacist terrorism, which increasingly means nothing more than being a Trump supporter, and then treating people in the United States who fall into that category the way you treat terrorists. You monitor them, you surveil them, you restrain them, you detain them. And this is what they are saying explicitly, and the Silicon Valley component of this is particularly menacing, Tucker, because these companies have greater power than any corporations [sic] in the history of the world. Not just wealth, but the amount of data that they have on us, and now the control that they exercise over our political discourse. A tiny handful of tech oligarchs are more powerful than any nation state. They determine what we can hear, what we can speak, what is true, and what is false, with zero accountability and zero transparency. They overwhelmingly donated to the Democratic Party and support the democratic party, are part of that coalition, and Jennifer Palmieri, a top level, long-term advisor to the Clintons, boasted on Twitter that the reason that Facebook and Silicon Valley are now censoring the enemies of the Democratic Partys because they know the Democrats are now in control of the key committees and have to do their bidding in order to get what they want. But the reality is, they are the ones who wield power, Silicon Valley does come and the rest of us are subject to their undemocratic and unaccountable whims. CARLSON: Youve been saying this for 20 years, and almost 20 years ago, you said laws like this will be used against American citizens, and I want to confess, I thought you sounded paranoid at the time but you were right and I want to acknowledge that you are right, and we should be really, really concerned. Glenn Greenwald, I know we will be talking to you a lot. Appreciate it. Thank you. GREENWALD: Thanks, Tucker. CARLSON: So, this is coming from everywhere all the sudden, and we are going to unpack what we know at this hour, but we do know that over the last 24 hours, Twitter specifically has banned a number of different conservative accounts, not just the Presidents. At the same time, the Chinese Communist Party, the Ayatollah of Iran still have their accounts, because they are not a threat to the ruling party here. Tonight, a competing social media service, Parler, which we told you about, is seeing massive and unprecedented surge in traffic. The site even experienced server outage because of new users tonight. Why? A couple of reasons. Mostly this. Parler is a free-speech alternative to Twitter. They dont censor you. You can say what you want. The president is on Parler, and that has drawn a lot of people who realize they are being suppressed by Twitter. Parler is succeeding. What happens now? Of course, Silicon Valley is trying to kill it. Google has just removed Parler without any warning from its App Store. Apple and Amazon, which provide services that keep Parler that keep services like Parler online, have also threatened to shut Parler down. (.) 8:10 p.m. Eastern CARLSON: So, as we said, Twitter has permanently suspended the president from its app. The question is how far will this go, and what will its effects be? Craig Dillon is a former advisor to the British prime minister Boris Johnson. He ran Johnsons social media accounts. He joins us tonight. Craig, where do you think this is headed from here? CRAIG DILLON: Well, I think theyve set themselves a dangerous precedent. The question is, you know, who do they ban next? Are the Chinese accounts coming down? CARLSON: No. DILLON: You know, the Supreme Leader of Iran regularly tweets. Youve got the Venezuela leader. Hes using Twitter all the time. So, where does this stop? Do they are they going to ban all of these people or is just particular ones they dont like? CARLSON: So, in this country, and Im sure its similar to the U.K., these platforms are our public square. This is how people sort out their political differences, how they learn about politics, and many other things. So when you shut these down, you are isolating people. It seems to me, you are insuring the rise of real extremism in this country. I mean, its obvious. Censorship makes people paranoid and crazy and frustrated and angry and sometimes violent. They must know that. Why are they doing this? DILLON: Well, theyre theyre receiving unbelievable amounts of pressure from from various people and their side of society to to ban him and do these things. Its an interesting decision for them to make. I imagine they took a lot of debating over it. But as you say, this is going to push people onto as youve already heard, places like Parler and things like that. So, its basically just segregated the people now. You know, the only people that are going to be using Twitter are going to tend to be left-leaning people, whereas right-leaning people are going to go to Parler in places like that. Its just made both sides are going to be a echo chamber, but its not good for democracy. CARLSON: No! And its an attack on people. And they feel under siege. This is were turning up the temperature too high, these companies are doing that, I think. Craig, it is great to see you. Thank you. (.) 8:32 p.m. Eastern CARLSON: Okay, so as we have been telling you, the president has been permanently banned from Twitter, but he just sent this from his POTUS account. Roll that back a little bit so I can read if you dont mind. Other direction. This is what the President has just sent out on the permanent President of the United States account on Twitter: As Ive been saying for a long time, Twitter has gone further and further in banning free speech and tonight, Twitter employees have coordinated with the Democrats and the radical left in removing my account from their platform to silence me. And you, the 75 million great, also look at the possibilities of building out our own platform in the near future. We will not be silenced. Twitter is not about free speech. Theyre all about promoting a radical left platform where some of those vicious people in the world are allowed to speak freely. Stay tuned. As we read this, this is all happening in real time as you can see, Twitter took that down as we read it. Listen, never been a night like this in my lifetime. (.) 8:37 p.m. Eastern CARLSON: So your civil rights are disappearing. Again, thats not cable news hype. Its actually happening. (.) 8:59 p.m. Eastern CARLSON: Its been an amazing day. Just in the past hour, we have seen and were going to say it again an unprecedented crackdown on the most basic civil liberties weve enjoyed for 200 years in this country and the first its in the First Amendment is the freedom of speech. Theyve pushed us into our own isolated little worlds out of COVID restrictions, made us more dependent on social media to communicate with each other and then cracked down on our use of social media. Cant end well. BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - European stocks rose modestly on Thursday to extend gains for the third straight session as positive Chinese trade data and hopes of a large stimulus under the Biden administration helped outweigh concerns over rising Covid-19 infections and the resultant lockdowns. Investors shrugged off the first calculation from Destatis showing that the German economy suffered a deep recession after a ten-year growth period. GDP fell 5 percent in 2020, in contrast to the 0.6 percent rise seen in 2019. However, the economic downturn was less serious than in 2009, when GDP slid 5.7 percent. In calendar-adjusted terms, GDP was down 5.3 percent versus a 0.6 percent rise in the previous year. The pan European Stoxx 600 edged up 0.4 percent to 410.70 after closing up 0.1 percent in the previous session. The German DAX, France's CAC 40 index and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 were up between 0.3 percent and 0.6 percent. German automotive parts supplier HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA was up 1.3 percent after posting strong second-quarter results. Wind turbine manufacturer Nordex Group rose over 1 percent. The company said that it received an order for its N163/5.X turbines of the Delta4000 series about 131 MW in Sweden, at the end of 2020. Dialog Semiconductor gained 0.7 percent after Taiwan's TSMC posted a record high quarterly profit. ASML Holding advanced 2.4 percent and ASM International soared 5.2 percent after Barclays boosted its price target on the stocks. Geberit, which makes bathroom ceramics, lost 3.2 percent. The Swiss company said a stronger franc stripped out 136 million Swiss francs ($153.15 million) from its sales during 2020. Carrefour shares plunged 6.3 percent after the French government signaled initial opposition to Canadian convenience-store operator Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. buying the company. Groupe Renault gave up 1.4 percent. The automaker increased its cost-savings target and plans to reduce vehicle productions to focus on electric vehicles. Shares of Centrica rallied 2.6 percent after the British energy and services company said it currently expects to report 2020 full year adjusted earnings per share from continuing and discontinued operations ahead of current market consensus. Premier Inn-owner Whitbread jumped 3 percent. After reporting a sharp fall in total sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2021, the company said its strong balance sheet provides the opportunity to take full advantage of the enhanced structural opportunities that are already visible in the market. Retailer Tesco gave up 1.6 percent despite posting record Christmas sales. Similarly, fashion retailer Boohoo lost 1.5 percent despite raising its strong growth forecasts for 2021. Homebuilder Taylor Wimpey declined 1.8 percent after reporting a fall in sales in the second quarter of the year. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de MILWAUKEE, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Eagle Eye Power Solutions, a global leader in the critical power industry, is pleased to announce the addition of Erik Knudtson to its leadership team. Knudtson brings over 16 years of industry experience, with a focus on DC power applications, having most recently served as Vice President of Operations for Mountain Power Communications out of Denver. Backup Power System Industry Leader Adds Service Manager to Expand Complete Offering Tweet this Eagle Eye's experienced service team performs on-site installation and preventative maintenance. With years of hands-on installation and maintenance experience, Knudtson will serve as Eagle Eye's service manager, running the company's expanding service and support division. Having also operated a staffing agency for AC and DC technicians in Denver, Knudtson's ability to train both employees and customers in the field will be vital in rolling out numerous products to utilities nationwide. "Erik brings a unique combination of experience in installing and servicing DC systems as well as an ability to educate others with his hands-on knowledge. We're thrilled to have him on board to solidify our offering as not only an equipment provider, but as a long-term service partner to our customers, as well," said Eagle Eye CEO, Ryan Sberna. Not only will Knudtson play a key role in the service division, but he will also be a contributor to the company's growing training program. Offering both online and on-site training programs, Eagle Eye will look to utilize Knudston's expertise by setting up training programs at customer locations around the country. According to Knudtson, "The biggest reason I wanted to pursue this opportunity was to join an established business that is poised for significant growth nationally and internationally. Being on-site working with utility customers every day will give me an opportunity to see how many other ways Eagle Eye can meet a wide range of increasing customer demands." Luke Walder, Eagle Eye's vice president of sales and marketing said, "Erik connects the dots between our products and the service and support for them. As our boots on the ground in customer facilities, he will ensure our products are performing the way they should be, enhancing the overall customer experience we can offer. Ultimately, this move helps us continue innovating and offering more to our customers. It's a natural fit." About Eagle Eye Power Solutions Headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, Eagle Eye Power Solutions is driven to increase reliability, decrease costs and meet compliance for its customers. With a strong history in battery monitoring, portable testers and load banks, Eagle Eye is a single-source, global provider of complete critical power solutions, education and services across the utility, telecom and UPS/data center industries. For more information, visit www.eepowersolutions.com. SOURCE Eagle Eye Power Solutions Related Links https://eepowersolutions.com Traditionally, when ones candidate loses the election for the presidency of the United States, feelings of anger and depression arise. It is in our nature to root for our team, our player and our candidate. It is quite natural to feel a sense of impending doom and uncertainty after a loss. After all, conservative voters generally vote based on which candidate they believe will support and implement policies that align with the Constitution, morals, and conservative values. Liberals on the other hand tend to select and vote for candidates based on emotionally driven needs and wants that are subject to change and often lead to disastrous policies with horrendous unintended consequences. This has been established in many studies. So why then would it be different this time? After all, we would expect Trump voters to lick their wounds, suck it up, roll up their sleeves, and return to work in a patriotic fashion as conservatives always do. In order to answer that question, we must first answer another question: Why did so many thousands of individuals choose to take time off from work, spend considerable resources, and inconvenience themselves in order to visit the nations capital Jan. 6 for what is usually an unremarkable process of certifying electoral votes? First, we must understand that conservative voters have endured not just the last four years of insults, berating, and unreasonable and childlike behavior out of the Democrat-led House and the Democrat senators as well as many Republicans that failed to support and often worked against President Trump. They suffered eight years of flagrant trampling of the Constitution, irresponsible and reckless leftist policies and regulations, scandals and abuse, insults and divisiveness from the Obama administration and liberals in the legacy media and social media. The 2016 election, while a victory for conservatives, was an expression of our frustration and anger at Democrats and liberals, many of whom labeled us as racists, bigots, xenophobes, and greedy capitalist pigs rather than debate policies with us in a civilized manner. The Democrats committed numerous actions during their campaign that led even the most skeptical voter to conclude that Democrats had engaged in less than ethical behavior to win an election, from the meeting on the tarmac to the Democratic National Committee supplying the debate questions to Hillary, the abundance of undocumented aliens suspected of voting to the polling numbers being pushed by the media that were grossly incorrect. All these contributed to a base level of distrust from conservatives. Underneath the noticeable actions though, lies a far deeper and prolonged manipulation of the system. A violation of the fundamental principle that keeps our nation free and prosperous. It is the belief and faith in our vote being counted that keeps us a democratic republic that has been under siege by Democrats for years. Laws have been changed to allow widespread unchecked voting requiring little or no signature verification. Language has been changed in regulations, sometimes a word or two at a time. Voter registration rolls have never been purged, allowing untold numbers of ballots to be sent out. Year after year, progressive Democrat activists have brought suit after suit to the courts presided over by partisan activist judges that allowed a swarm of election policies to be implemented. These actions created and fostered a modern version of ballot-box stuffing on an industrial scale. Throughout President Trumps tenure, the Democrats have attempted to remove him from office no matter what the cost might be. Their irrational hatred for Trump and the voters that chose him has been the constant drone of the left. A symphony that has blared its ugly discordant notes of venom at us constantly. We have watched the left attempt to remove him through the Russia hoax, through a variety of baseless charges and lies cast through big tech and the media. We have seen them attempt to remove President Trump through impeachment, even though it's expressly prohibited from being used a political tool. Even now Nancy Pelosi is attempting to impeach yet again. While it's largely symbolic of the lefts irrational hatred and utter contempt for Trump and his voters, it also serves to further the belief that the left fears exposure by Trump as a parting shot on the way out of office. While Trump will be leaving the Oval Office in a peaceful transfer of power, the voters are left with more questions than answers. There is a loss of faith in the election process by an unprecedented 80% of Trump voters. Many studies show that even up to 30% of Democrat voters acknowledge that the election was fraudulent. With so many Republicans believing that the election was fraudulent and the process corrupted, their anger is directed toward the party that orchestrated the fraud. That anger is not simply the usual anger at seeing their candidate lose. The system has been corrupted and invalidated. The Democrat Party logically has no interest whatsoever in repairing the election process to ensure free and fair elections. They had no interest in putting any questions to rest about the validity of the process before the election. The anger and frustration that the Republican base is feeling right now has been years in the making by the Democrats' ongoing manipulation of voting laws and regulations culminating in the highly suspect 2020 election. In order to resolve the divide between conservatives and liberals that is metastasizing and threatening to overwhelm this great nation, meaningful election law reform must happen immediately. We must have a conversation on free and fair elections. David Attwood is an aspiring author currently writing a novel based upon the true-life events of a womans escape from the socialist GDR and her journey into the American Dream Only One Free. Image: PixaHive Seafood - EU to temporarily suspend some Scottish imports EU imports of seafood from smaller Scottish companies have been temporarily suspended after they were impacted by post-Brexit delays. Deliveries have been halted by the industry's biggest logistics provider, Denmark's DFDS, until Monday (18 January) so a backlog caused by additional bureaucracy at border points can be sorted out. The UK government has said it will compensate firms affected by the suspension, which is a result of confusion surrounding the introduction of additional health certificates and customs papers and issues relating to IT systems following the UK's departure form the EU on 1 January. The UK's Guardian newspaper reported that lorry-loads of live seafood and some fish destined for shops and restaurants in France, Spain and other countries have been rejected because they are taking too long to arrive. The article added that new Brexit rules require every box of seafood and fish to be offloaded from lorries and inspected by vets before it leaves Scotland and said it has taken business owners five hours per lorry to obtain a health certificate, which is required to apply for other customs paperwork. Quizzed about the situation, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "I understand very much the frustrations of people who are fishing community and Scottish fishermen and women who are facing what I believe are temporary frustrations, and in so far as there are delays caused by a variety of problems we will compensate those fishing businesses." In response, the Scottish Seafood Association's chief executive Jimmy Buchan tweeted that the organisation welcomed the pledge of compensation for the "nightmarish bureaucratic hurdles that have been erected since 1st January". He added: "This is just what we have been calling for in numerous meetings with government officials over the past few days. We now look forward to engaging with the government on the detail of the package on offer and working with both the UK and Scottish governments to clear the path for exports to resume as normal." UK Environment Minister George Eustice described the issues as "teething problems" adding "when people get used to using the paperwork goods will flow". Advertisement California is seeing a glimmer of hope in its coronavirus crisis as the state lifted a stay-at-home order for 13 northern counties where hospital conditions have improved and Disneyland in Orange County has become a massive vaccination site with 10,000 people scheduled for appointments so far. The state's deadly surge is showing signs of leveling off after besieging hospitals, morgues and ambulance services for weeks. The number of newly hospitalized COVID patients statewide declined to 2,500 admissions every 24 hours over the past two days from a previous daily average of about 3,500, California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said in an online briefing with reporters. Ghaly called it 'the biggest signal to me that things are beginning to flatten and potentially improve.' The improving hospitalization numbers led the state to lift the stay-at-home order for the Sacramento region on Tuesday, freeing it from rules imposed on December 10 banning gatherings outside a household and restricting businesses. Lines of cars and socially distanced crowds arrived at Disneylands Toy Story parking lot Wednesday for opening day of Orange Countys first mass-vaccination site A view of a long line of people waiting to get vaccinated at Disneyland in Anaheim, California on Wednesday above Mass vaccination sites are being opened at Disneyland in Orange County, Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and the Cal Expo in Sacramento. A view of people in line for the shot in the parking lot for Disneyland on Wednesday in Anaheim, California. Orange County is the first county to allow anyone age 65 and older to get the vaccine The crisis wears on: Clinical Nurse Zachary Petterson tends to a COVID-19 patient in the intensive care unit at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center during the coronavirus pandemic in San Jose, California on Wednesday The state has reported more than 2.7million COVID-19 cases and more than 31,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic The region can reopen for outdoor dining, worship services, hair and nail salons, and increase capacity in stores. Gatherings with up to three households are allowed. Currently three of the five state regions are under the order because their hospital intensive care capacity is under 15 percent. Those regions are: San Francisco Bay Area, the San Joaquin Valley, and Southern California. Ghaly also cited other promising trends including a decrease in confirmed daily case numbers. A total of 36,487 new cases were reported Tuesday, down from a seven-day average of about 42,000 cases every 24 hours - and a leveling off in the rate of diagnostic tests coming back positive, stabilizing at 13.5 percent after weeks of a steep upward climb. He also pointed to a reduced rate in the uptick of the number of COVID patients in hospitals, standing at 21,747 on Tuesday, up 5.5 percent over the past two weeks. He said that marked lowest rate of increase since late October, when California last saw a week-on-week decline in hospitalized COVID patients. The state has reported more than 2.7million COVID-19 cases and more than 31,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic. People receive temperature checks while waiting in line to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at a mass vaccination site in a parking lot for Disneyland on Wednesday Got the shot! A view of California locals leaving the Disneyland testing site after receiving the vaccine on Wednesday There have been issues with landing appointments at the Disneyland vaccination site on its registration app Othena. According to officials about 10,000 people scheduled for appointments this week Worth the wait: A view of people waiting in line, including one man who brought a foldable chair, at the Disneyland testing site on Wednesday in Anaheim, California above Ghaly warned that the post-holiday surge hasnt peaked yet. 'Earlier this year, we had a significant number of big-case days, and those cases will ... continue to be admitted into our hospitals in the days to come, so we continue to look at the data,' he said. Gov. Gavin Newsom set a goal last week to deliver one million doses by Friday in the state of nearly 40million people. Newsom last week said only about 1 percent of Californias residents have been inoculated. Mass vaccination sites are being opened at Disneyland in Orange County, Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and the Cal Expo in Sacramento, Disneyland being the first to open. Lines of cars and socially distanced crowds arrived at Disneylands Toy Story parking lot on Wednesday for opening day of Orange County's first mass-vaccination site, giving new meaning to the company's motto 'Happiest Place on Earth'. The park itself has been closed since March due to the pandemic. However, there have been issues with landing appointments at the Disneyland vaccination site on its registration app Othena. Deanne Thompson, a spokeswoman for Orange Countys vaccination rollout team, said of the 60,000 people who registered via Othena for an appointment to receive the shot at the site Tuesday night, 10,000 were scheduled from Wednesday through Friday at the park. The goal of this week is to administer 3,000 doses per day, she said, according to the Orange County Register. Laguna Woods couple Don and Deanna Ader, ages 78 and 75, were among the first recipients at the parking lot Wednesday. They waited in line for a little over an hour before their got their shots. 'It was painless and ready to go; its a great service theyre providing. No side affects for me and my wife,' Don said. So far Orange County has received more than 170,000 vaccines and intends to open five mass-vaccination sites after Disneyland. County officials say the goal is to administer 7,500 to 8,000 vaccinations per day at their super testing sites and ideally all five sites together would administer 40,000 doses daily. A healthcare worker tends to a COVID-19 patient in the intensive care unit at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center during the coronavirus pandemic in San Jose, California on Wednesday On Wednesday the state announced it'll allow everyone 65 and older to receive the vaccine in the next tier after previously stating it would apply to people 75 and older, in accordance with an updated federal government advisory California is focusing on vaccinating health care workers, nursing home residents first and people at risk of getting the virus at work, teachers and agriculture workers will get the shot in the next tier. On Wednesday the state announced it'll allow everyone 65 and older to receive the vaccine after previously stating it would apply to people 75 and older. The announcement is in accordance with an updated federal government advisory. 'There is no higher priority than efficiently and equitably distributing these vaccines as quickly as possible to those who face the gravest consequences,' Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement. 'Individuals 65 and older are now the next group eligible to start receiving vaccines.' Orange County was the first region to expand the vaccine to older residents following the CDCs announcement. On the other hand, Los Angeles Countys health director said the county wont immediately vaccinate those 65 and older because there are hundreds of thousands of health care workers that are yet to be vaccinated. The state also announced Wednesday itll launch a new system to let people know if they're eligible to receive a vaccine or sign up to be notified when they are. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Zainab Al Momen, a visually impaired student, said that she was determined not to let her blindness stand in her way to achievements and successes. The student at Sitra Girls' Secondary School has been among the top achievers, driven by her inner strength, a deep belief in her capabilities and great support from family and school. "Acceptance is the basis of success, as I was able to prove myself among the students and form many friendships," she said. "My friends always help me with reading and all the things I need, and I see in my presence and that of other students in my conditions in integration schools a bright and helpful idea because it provided us with strength and self-pride. I personally regularly achieved high scores and top rankings." The teachers' gentle understanding and generous assistance have helped her with easing herself into lessons, providing motivation and ironing out obstacles, she added. "God has blessed me with deep insights and a strong drive towards acquiring knowledge and fast comprehension," Zainab said. She added that she was passionate about Japanese and that she was learning the language from various sources. Zainab is among the students with special needs who have been integrated into the Ministry of Education schools to avail of greater opportunities ad better chances for learning. The Ministry of Education is committed to the policy of not leaving anyone behind and to providing all people the chance to learn and to hone their academic aptitudes, a ministry official said. It provided genuine care through the policy of integrating government schools at all levels of education and ensured the necessary means, tools and human resources with a high level of qualification and professionalism, the official added. Any vaccine maker, including Pfizer, which has sought emergency-use authorisation for its Covid-19 shot in India, must conduct a local "bridging" safety and immunogenicity study to be considered for the country's immunisation programme, a senior government official told Reuters. Serum Institute of India, the local manufacturer of the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, has done a similar study on more than 1,500 people over months before seeking and receiving emergency approval in the country. According to reports, Pfizer had sought an exception when last month it became the first company to seek emergency-use approval in India for its vaccine already in use overseas. The company has not attended subsequent meetings called by India's drugs regulator. "As of now, the pre-condition for any vaccine to be implemented in India is that you have to do a bridging trial," Vinod K Paul, who heads a government panel on vaccine strategy, said in an interview in his office near the parliament building. A Pfizer spokeswomen did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment. Paul also said Russia's Sputnik V, a shot undergoing last-stage trials in India, will soon apply for emergency-use approval in the country. No vaccine maker will be given indemnity by the government should something go wrong, Paul said. Serum Institute had written to the government seeking indemnity. AstraZeneca has said it has received such indemnity in many other countries. India has also approved for emergency use a vaccine developed locally by Bharat Biotech. Also read: What scientific papers on Bharat Biotech's Covaxin say Also read: Coronavirus vaccine: Unilever gets partnership offers as it plots worker safety strategy The Vatican has confirmed received the first shot of the vaccine on Thursday. No photos of the 84-yer-old pontiff receiving the shot have been released. The pope has advocated that everyone should get the vaccine, calling it an ethical option performed not only for ones own health but for the lives of The Vatican has beefed up restrictions amid a spike in cases in Italy. The pope, who is missing part of one lung since a surgery in his 20s, has been saying the traditional Angelus blessing from a library in the Apostolic Palace, and not a window overlooking St. Peters, in a bid to prevent gatherings. The Vatican launched its vaccination program this week, administering the Pfizer vaccine. Vatican City has had at least 27 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including a cluster among the Swiss Guards last fall. Closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High 'impacts our entire town' The Washington County Board of Education held a public hearing on the closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High School; the crowd pleaded against it. Peace talks between Afghan government representatives and the Taliban have been painstakingly slow, bogged down for months by disagreements over minor issues. The warring sides have agreed on the rules and procedures for the negotiations. But they have yet to settle on an agenda for the talks. Negotiations over the substantial issues -- including a permanent cease-fire and a power-sharing formula -- are far off. Progress has been hampered by deep mistrust and animosity. A huge gulf remains on key issues between the sides, which have conflicting priorities in the negotiations. Those divisions have been exacerbated by soaring violence. Both sides have intensified military operations, particularly the Taliban, which sees violence as its main source of leverage against the government. Amid the bloody impasse, there have been growing calls for President Ashraf Ghani to step down and a neutral interim government that includes the Taliban to take over. That transitional authority could pave the way for a political settlement, proponents say, including the future distribution of power and changes to the constitution. The idea has been floated privately by U.S. officials and has been supported by the Taliban, Pakistan -- the militant groups main foreign sponsor -- and some Afghan opposition figures. But the proposal is deeply controversial and has been strongly rejected by Ghani and his allies. Supporters of the idea say it would stop the escalating violence and allow the warring Afghan factions to reach a settlement, given the Talibans refusal to recognize Ghanis administration. But critics describe it as premature and a risky ploy that could trigger chaos and state collapse. Opponents say the idea is being pushed by opposition figures who want to gain a stake in power. A political settlement is a key part of the U.S.-Taliban agreement signed in February 2020 that is aimed at ending the war. That deal calls for the withdrawal of all foreign forces in Afghanistan by May in return for counterterrorism guarantees from the Taliban, which is to negotiate a permanent cease-fire and a power-sharing arrangement with the internationally recognized government in Kabul. It is unclear if President-elect Joe Biden, who takes office on January 20, will stick to the deal. The Afghan government and the Taliban have effectively put peace talks on hold in recent weeks as they wait for signals from the new U.S. administration. Undeniable Topic Calls for an interim government have grown since Afghan and Taliban negotiators reconvened for talks in the Gulf state of Qatar on January 5, following a 20-day hiatus. The talks have turned toward setting an agenda for the talks -- what and in which order issues should be negotiated by the sides. But the discussions have stalled. The government is prioritizing a permanent cease-fire. The Taliban wants to discuss power-sharing, insisting it will only agree to a cease-fire when progress is made on the form of a future power-sharing government. "An interim government is an undeniable topic of discussion, because we want a cease-fire and the Taliban aren't ready to agree to one with the current government," said Hafiz Mansur, a member of the government negotiating team, on January 3. Amin Ahmadi, another government negotiator, said in an interview on January 7 that the international community backed an interim government, adding that we cannot say no to the world's demand. Meanwhile, Atta Mohammad Noor, a powerful regional leader, said on January 7 that we should not oppose the idea of an interim government but further develop it for the sake of national unity. Those calls came as U.S. envoy for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad visited Kabul last week where he held talks with senior Afghan officials and key power brokers to gauge their support for an interim government, Afghan media reported. Ghani did not meet with the U.S. diplomat. Gul Rahman Qazi, a close aide to former President Hamid Karzai, with whom Khalilzad held talks, said three options were discussed. The first one is to include the Taliban in the present government, the second option is to merge this government with the Taliban, but both of these options arent acceptable for the international community. The third option was to establish an interim and inclusive government. Ross Wilson, the most senior U.S. diplomat in Kabul, denied that Washington had advocated for the creation of an interim government. We have not advocated, and the United States is not advocating, an interim government, Wilson said in a tweet on January 13. The outcomes of Afghanistan Peace Negotiations are up to Afghans & we believe those outcomes should reflect the wishes & aspirations of the Afghan people. Peace Of The Graveyard Ghani ruled out an interim government with the Taliban last week, saying he would complete his five-year term as president. Ghani won a 2019 presidential election that was marred by record-low turnout and widespread irregularities. Khalilzad had first proposed the idea of an interim government before the election but it was rejected by Ghani, the incumbent. "My basic goal is to be able to hand power, through the will of the people, to my elected successor, Ghani told CNN on January 8. Were not a type of society that the Taliban-type approach of the past can be imposed on us. That was the peace of the graveyard. Second Vice President Sarwar Danish recently warned that an interim government would mean rupture and the collapse and dissolution of the constitution. Critics have accused Ghani and his allies of stalling the peace process to retain power. Critics say the president has surrounded himself with staunch anti-Taliban figures, including First Vice President Amrullah Saleh, a former intelligence chief. Ghani this month also reappointed as his adviser Mohammad Mohaqiq, a former anti-Taliban commander. Last year, the president dismissed Mohaqiq, a senior figure in the mainly Shi'ite Hazara ethnic community. Critics have also accused Ghani of stalling the peace process in the hope that the Biden administration would reverse the withdrawal of U.S. forces or even renegotiate the terms of the U.S.-Taliban peace deal. Observers consider both scenarios unlikely. That agreement excluded Ghanis government and is seen as skewed in favor of the militants. Collapse Of The State Torek Farhadi, an analyst and former Afghan government adviser, says Ghani has become a polarizing figure who has postponed peace possibilities in Afghanistan. The Taliban has called Ghani an American "puppet" and ruled out joining the current political system. Because of the emergency situation we are in, Afghanistan can't afford for President Ghani to complete his term while dozens of Afghans are killed every day, says Farhadi. It is not sustainable and over time it risks the collapse of the state after the exit of the foreign forces. The solution, Farhadi says, is a transitional authority that oversees an end to hostilities and gives the warring Afghan factions the space to agree to a political settlement. To end this war, and because no side is winning it, I don't expect the Afghan government to join a Taliban government nor the Taliban to join the Afghan government, he says. There is a need for a transitional governance structure including both. Further Fragmentation But critics also say the idea of an interim government is premature, given that the Taliban has yet to show the willingness to make the significant compromises needed to reach a political settlement. The Taliban has entered peace talks from a position of relative strength. Controlling or contesting roughly half of the country, the extremist group has the military advantage to drive a hard bargain at the negotiations, observers say. Under the U.S.-Taliban deal, the militant group extracted substantial concessions from Washington, including a timetable for the complete withdrawal of all foreign forces, its core demand. Afghan officials fear that the Taliban could simply wait out the United States and forcibly attempt to take control of the country after a complete pullout. The U.S. military has reduced U.S. troops to around 2,500 -- the lowest since the war began in 2001. The United States also made controversial pledges on behalf of the Afghan government, including the release of 5,000 Taliban inmates. In return, the militants made only small concessions. Critics say the agreement gave the Taliban international legitimacy and recognition, while undermining the Western-backed government in Kabul. Emboldened by what it sees as its victory in the war, the Taliban has intensified attacks on government forces and killed dozens of civic and political figures in recent months, seeking to further undermine the Kabul government. Davood Moradian, the director of the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies, a Kabul-based think tank, says an interim government should only be explored as a way forward if and when it is part of a mutual tradeoff or an overall peace deal. Amid the Taliban's political advancement and military consolidation and expansion, talk of an interim government will only result in the further fragmentation of the government, which would not advance the peace process, he says. Memories are still fresh of the anarchy and violence following the decision of former President Mohammad Najibullah, Afghanistans last communist leader, to resign. Najibullahs announcement in 1992 was intended to pave the way for an interim government that would include the mujahedin, the U.S.-backed Islamist rebels that had fought against Soviet and Afghan communist forces. Instead, state institutions broke down and a devastating civil war erupted that eventually paved the way for the rise of the Taliban. When the Taliban seized control of Kabul in 1996, it brutally tortured and executed Najibullah, who had been living in a United Nations compound. Dr. Najibullah made the mistake of his life by announcing that he was going to resign, Ghani said during a June event in Washington. Please dont ask us to replay a film that we know well. Bhoomi doesnt give you a moment to breathe or even feel what just hit you. Watching a film in a movie theatre and writing a review from memory is a journey in self-doubt. Is that really the dialogue? or should I quote or paraphrase? are questions I catch myself asking very often. In an effort to be accurate, I end up leaving out a lot of things I either find remarkable or laughable because I cant recall them entirely. Reviewing OTT films, on the other hand, is a boon I can always rewind or just replay later to confirm. How else would I be able to confidently tell you that the BGM for the villain in the latest Jayam Ravi film Bhoomi actually goes: Im here Im fit I rise You fall Im one Im all Intolerance injustice Im here to see them all Your motherland My upper hand Im here to strike you all The magic doesnt end there. Bhoomi is the story of Bhoominathan, a NASA scientist, who has figured out a way to live on carbon dioxide and cultivate on Mars. After years of self-imposed isolation, he decides to return to his ancestral village for a holiday, only to see that his high-school sweetheart hasnt grown up at all, but his farming community has. Naturally, he adores his high-school sweetheart as she is and decides to change the fate of his community. First, he encounters the apathetic youth, then the disrespectful local government, then the creep of a collector, and then the ill-informed agriculture minister. Soon enough, an evil corporation from abroad shows up. And its owner personally flies down to a remote village in Tamilnadu to claim responsibility for the proceedings. He leaves without killing Bhoominathan and the rest is history. No really. Bhoomi can go into Tamil cinema history as one of the most appallingly written films (trust me, Ive watched a lot of them). Its an assault on the senses a potpourri of ill-researched ideas, thrown together with an extra helping of salt and shouting. Naive white reporters whod believe anything: Check. Drive to a Tamil village to the background of a chest-thumping song: Check. Cute, scared cat of a heroine: Check. Farmer protest, police violence, self-immolation: Check. Jayam Ravi, who plays Bhoominathan, makes an earnest effort to sell this preposterous film to us. (By the way, does he go looking for films like this or do they come looking for him?) While its not easy to believe that hes a genius he needs a drone to find out that there is a car manufacturing plant near agricultural land he convinces us that he cares. The film doesnt do much for him, though. It doesnt give us a moment to breathe or even feel what just hit us. Scene after scene is written like the rough-note scribbles of a high schooler. The villains, though, is a completely different story. The film goes out of its way to show him as an evil corporate monster. Take this scene, for instance: The villain is the head of a Monsanto-inspired evil corporation, who controls governments across nations, curiously named Richard Child. He is waiting for Tamilnadus agricultural minister, in the latters home, urinating in a potted plant in the living room. Just marking my territory, he explains, only a moment before calling the minister a dog who guards Childs home. I paused Im watching on OTT, remember? trying to untangle the mixed metaphors, but there was a deadline looming and I decided to come back to it in a few years time. Ronit Roy, who plays Child, doesnt look like a white guy hes supposed to be. And we see him in what were told are Hong Kong and Laos, so were not sure how to comprehend his genealogy. Then again, in a film that thinks foreign corporations are evil, but indigenous ones are made with hearts of gold, it perhaps doesnt matter. Their encounters are ingenious, full of assumably clever manoeuvres by both parties. You know, like when Bhoominathan just walks up to a judge presiding over another case, educates him on pre-historic Tamilnadu, and gets an order to vandalise temple buildings. Or when he recruits salespeople who report to HR to eliminate middlemen. Or when Child incites a lorry strike to stop Bhoominathan from selling his wares, which the latter tackles by building innovative wait for it vegetable carts. The dialogues too leave sparks flying. Our hero challenges our villain thus: Idhu varaikkum nee ezhudhi kuduthadha thane un adimainga padichutrundhaanga? Adhu anjaanglass varaikkum pencil-la ezhudhara madhiri. Eppo venumna thiruthikkalaam. (The script you were writing for your slaves meaning world leaders is like writing with a pencil till fifth standard. You can always erase and rewrite it). He goes on to add, with a deeper voice for emphasis, that everything hes going to do hereon is like writing with a pen in sixth standard. Absolutely no one can erase it or rewrite it. Ada, idha auto pinaadiye ezhudhalaame! Lakshman, the writer and director of Bhoomi, appears to have a somewhat unflattering view of his audience. He seems to think anything posted on social media will go viral. And that the media will numbly listen to anything anyone says. And that corporatisation of agriculture more like a co-operative that adopts corporate practices of sales, HR, packaging, marketing etc. under a benevolent leader is the solution to all problems. Worst of all, he appears to think that he can make people believe anything by stroking Tamil pride. Yet, he doesnt go the entire distance. His slogan for an agriculture company named Tamizhan is Vande Mataram. Go figure. Bhoomi is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex. (All images from Twitter) A bowl of cereal topped with milk has been a quick and healthy breakfast option for decades. While it was once an extremely common way to start the day, the popularity of cereal has dipped in more recent years as consumers sought out more eat-on-the-go options. Still, there is no denying the nutrient package that a simple serving of milk and cereal can provide. To reignite a passion for cereal and milk, General Mills Big G cereal and the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) have partnered to bring the Got Milk? campaign to the breakfast table. In honor of the partnership, General Mills will debut limited-edition packaging on certain cereals, with the Got Milk? tagline and popular characters such as the Trix Rabbit and Honey Nut Cheerios Buzz the Bee sporting milk mustaches. The Minneapolis-based company and MilkPEP formed this partnership to highlight what they consider to be the major benefits of milk and cereal, including: Nutrition Cereal is the number one breakfast source of whole grain, fiber, and several vitamins and minerals, including iron. Meanwhile, milk is the leading source of calcium and vitamin D, along with high-quality protein. Affordability Cereal and milk costs an average of 50 cents per serving. Simplicity Cereal and milk are a quick and easy way for busy children and adults to start the day with nutrition they need and a taste they enjoy. These limited-edition boxes of Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Cocoa Puffs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Trix include coupons on the back, and shoppers will also be able to get a $2 rebate when they buy 2 gallons of milk and two boxes of cereal. The boxes will be available at most major retail stores nationwide. The campaign will also include trucks delivering milk door-to-door in the Los Angeles area and an online milk mustache contest (#CerealMilkStacheChallenge) featuring social media stars. To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com. (c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2021 January 11, 2021 The Chinese government has rejected pleas from its own steel industry to lift bans on Australian coal cargoes, keeping dozens of ships holding 8 million tonnes of the commodity stranded at sea. More than 70 vessels carrying Australian coal have been unable to unload in China since October, coinciding with a souring of diplomatic and trade tensions between Canberra and Beijing. Australian miners had hoped the restrictions may have eased from January 1 when China reset its unofficial import quotas but analysts and industry leaders on Thursday warned China appeared to be taking an even "firmer position" against Australian coal. Ships have continued to unload coal from other countries at Chinese ports even as those from Australia languish. Credit:AP Coal mining insiders, not authorised to speak publicly on the matter, said some of their customers in China's steel sector had notified them that they had lobbied Beijing to lift the Australian import ban late last year with the help of their industry associations, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The sitting District Court judge Desmond Zaidan has clashed with the Courts Service over a decision to leave windows open in a Naas courtroom yesterday. The judge complained that he was feeling the cold in his feet and hands and ordered that the windows be closed. He criticised the CS, which is responsible for the administration and management of the courts in Ireland. He said if there was a need to ventilate the room because of fears surrounding the spread of Covid-19, this could be done either before the court sitting starts or after it ends. Read more County Kildare news I cannot work under oppressive conditions, I could get pneumonia, he said at a Naas District Court sitting. He added that if there were specific instructions from NPHET directing that windows should be open while the court is taking place, he would want to see them in black and white. He said he had been told previously that no instruction exists. I dont want to work in freezing conditions. Yet I come in here today and the windows are open. He said that if there is a view that this is necessary and the premises are not fit for purpose, then the building should be shut down and another one found so that court business can be conducted. He added that all of the Covid-19 restrictions were being observed in the courtroom, adding that numbers in the room are limited to 22 but often less than that number are present. People have nothing better to do than sit behind a laptop and come up with ideas like this. He said the service is ticking boxes and trying to think of something to do. He added: no one has got Covid in this building in nine months. I dont want to avoid one illness by getting another. Id like to know how many other judges have been told to sit in a courtroom with all the windows open. Barrister Sarah Connolly said that an exit door leading outdoors was left open the day before a Circuit Court sitting in the same building. Armed Forces, which fought and bled together with their Indian counterparts 50 years ago, will participate in the Republic Day Parade in New Delhi on January 26, at Rajpath, a statement said. A contingent of 122 proud personnel of the Armed Forces has departed for in a specially-sent IAF C-17 aircraft, the Indian High Commission said in a press note. The contingent, which will proudly march down the Rajpath, will carry forward the legacy of the brave freedom fighters of 1971, who fought for freedom, justice and their people, it said. It is the third time in India's history that any foreign military contingent has been invited to participate in the Republic Day parade. Earlier, contingents from France and the UAE have participated. A majority of the personnel in the Bangladesh contingent come from the most distinguished units of the Bangladesh Army, comprising 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 and 11 East Bengal Regiments and 1,2 and 3 Field Artillery Regiments, who have the distinct honour of fighting and winning the 1971 Liberation War. Sailors of the Bangladesh Navy and air warriors of the Bangladesh Air Force are also represented. It is especially significant as the year 2021 marks 50 years of the Liberation War, through which Bangladesh emerged as a vibrant nation, free from the yoke of tyranny and oppression, the press note said. --IANS sumi/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.) (Natural News) Right-leaning talk show hosts all across the country are being told that they can no longer mention the fraudulent 2020 election on their shows, and must accept the mainstream media claim that Joe Biden is the rightful winner. The head of Cumulus Media, which employs big conservative names like Ben Shapiro, Dan Bongino, and Mark Levin, issued a statement suggesting that any employee who from now on questions the 2020 election results while on the air will face termination for insubordination. We need to help induce national calm NOW, Brian Philips, executive vice president of content for Cumulus, wrote in an internal memo to company employees. Cumulus and its program syndication arm, Westwood One, will not tolerate any suggestion that the election has not ended, Philips further wrote. The election has been resolved and there are no alternate acceptable paths.' The memo was issued on Wednesday just as false flag agitators were granted access by law enforcement to storm the Capitol building during the congressional certification of Bidens victory. Philips made clear in his memo that should a talk radio personality transgress this policy, he or she can expect to separate from the company immediately. Cumulus, based out of Atlanta, owns 416 radio stations in 84 regions across the country. Many of its stations broadcast in a talk format, which is largely dominated by conservatives or at least neutral voices who, for many, are a breath of fresh air from the usual far-left slant of the mainstream media. As the Constitution burns, liberals cheer The new censorship rules being imposed by Cumulus piggyback on those also implemented by Facebook, Twitter, Google, YouTube, Apple, Amazon, and many other tech giants, nearly all of which are censoring President Donald Trump and his most vocal supporters. Apple and Google also both removed Parler, an alternative social media platform, from their respective app stores, preventing conservatives from congregating there or really anywhere at this point. Amazon, which had been providing web-hosting services to Parler, likewise shut down the platform, which is now being forced to hunt down another company that will agree to be its host. The leftists who brought us to this point are thrilled to see their political opposition persecuted like this, but the party will quickly come to the end once their time comes. These useful idiots, as the history books refer to them, are always disposed of once their usefulness by the tyrants expires. In the event that Trump runs out of options and has no choice but to concede, the leftists who cheered on this election theft will quickly feel the heavy boot of tyranny come down from the tyrants they thought were on their side. Tyrants are on nobodys side except their own, it turns out so have fun, leftists! Biden has not even been installed yet and communist Chinese censorship of opposing viewpoints, including those of our president, is in full swing. It is a sad state of affairs, and the left is responsible for bringing us here. George Orwell was certainly right in writing that the dystopian future, which is now the present, would look like this: Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue and street building has been renamed, every date has been altered. And the process is continuing day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the party is always right. We have arrived. The year 2021 has become 1984. The latest news about Big Tech censorship of conservative voices can be found at Censorship.news. Sources for this article include: TheTelegraph.com NaturalNews.com PHOENIX, Jan. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BeachFleischman PC, Arizona's largest locally-owned CPA firm, announces it has entered into an agreement with the Phoenix-based cybersecurity firm, Silent Sector, to sell and market Silent Sector's cybersecurity services to its clients throughout Arizona and nationwide. The agreement expands the existing collaboration between the two firms and combines the strengths of both to protect mid-market and emerging companies from cyber-attacks. The announcement is part of BeachFleischman's growth plans to provide businesses with expanded strategic and operational advisory solutions beyond traditional accounting, auditing, and tax services. "Silent Sector has years of expertise building cybersecurity programs across multiple sectors to help businesses create a competitive advantage, protect their resources and reduce vulnerabilities," said Marc Fleischman, CPA, Chief Executive Officer of BeachFleischman. "We see how disruptive forces are accelerating digital transformation, ecommerce and remote working, and our collaboration with Silent Sector provides our clients with reliable guidance to support their cybersecurity strategy, implementation, and compliance. We look forward to working together." "Silent Sector sees many mid-market and emerging companies struggle to build an effective cybersecurity program to protect their organizations while achieving compliance requirements," said Zach Fuller, Founding Partner of Silent Sector. "For companies without an in-house cybersecurity team, we provide the capabilities of a CISO, Security Engineer, and Security Architect for a fraction of the cost of hiring a single, full-time cybersecurity professional with experience. This makes proper cybersecurity accessible to companies that recognize the need for a formalized security program, but don't have limitless resources." Complementing BeachFleischman's market reach and range of professional business services, Silent Sector provides cybersecurity services that both firms recognize as being critical to the success and longevity of mid-market and emerging organizations. Disclaimer: BeachFleischman PC and Silent Sector, LLC are separate independent legal entities and are not joint ventures, partners or members of a formal business organization. Neither BeachFleischman PC nor Silent Sector, LLC has the authority to bind, act for or incur liability on behalf of the other. About BeachFleischman PC: BeachFleischman PC is Arizona's largest locally-owned CPA firm and a Top 200 largest CPA firm in the United States. The firm has over 200 client service and administrative professionals, and provides advisory, accounting, assurance and tax services to businesses (U.S. and foreign-based), organizations and individuals. BeachFleischman serves clients doing business domestically and internationally and specializes in a variety of Industry-related practice areas, including cannabis, construction, financial & professional, healthcare, hospitality, real estate, manufacturing, not-for-profit and technology businesses. Offices are in Phoenix and Tucson, AZ. Visit www.beachfleischman.com for more information. About Silent Sector: Silent Sector provides effective and accessible cybersecurity solutions to mid-market and emerging companies. Silent Sector helps businesses reduce costs and risks, while creating simplicity through a secured technology model that's backed by experienced and credentialed, US-based cybersecurity professionals. The firm serves a wide variety of organizations across many industries. Silent Sector has locations in Phoenix, AZ (Headquarters) and Boise, ID. Visit www.silentsector.com for more information. Media Contact: Eric Majchrzak, Chief Strategy Officer BeachFleischman PC [email protected] SOURCE BeachFleischman PC Related Links http://www.beachfleischman.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. The prosecutor asked for the reinstatement of a first and second degree sentence of 30 years. She will be released from prison in 2039. Park Geun-hye is the fourth South Korean president to end up in jail: her predecessor Lee Myung-bak is serving a 17-year sentence. Seoul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Supreme Court today confirmed the sentence of 20 years in prison for former President Park Geun-hye. The sentence includes the payment of a fine of 18 billion won (13 million euros). The trial closed after three years of twists and turns: the prosecutor had petitioned for the restoration of the first verdict, which had established 30 years of imprisonment for corruption, abuse of authority and disclosure of state secrets. 68-year-old Park is the daughter of Park Chung-hee, the country's former strongman. South Korea's first female president, and first to be impeached, she was removed from office in 2017. Prosecutors accused her of collaborating with her friend Choi Soon-sil to force dozens of companies - including the giant Samsung - to make "donations" to two foundations controlled by Choi for a total of 77.4 billion won. (58 million euros). In addition to 20 years of imprisonment for corruption, there are two more for illegally interfering in the decision-making processes of the nationalist Saenuri Party, in power during her term. Given her time in prison, Park will finish serving her sentence in 2039. Park is the fourth South Korean president to be sentenced. Her predecessor Lee Myung-bak has been in prison since November serving a 17-year sentence: judges found him guilty of corruption and embezzlement. Roh Tae-woo and Chun Doo-hwan spent two years in jail for insurrection and for organizing a coup: both were pardoned in 1997. 14 January 2021 Imperial X Plc ("Imperial X" or the "Company") Issue of Equity and Warrants Imperial X Plc is pleased to announce that, further to its announcements on 28 August 2020 and 26 November 2020, it has today completed the second and final tranche of a two tranche placement by placing 1,914,200 new Ordinary Shares of 0.1p each (the "Placing Shares") at a price of 2.5p per share for a total value of 47,855 net of expenses. In total, the Company has raised 416,348 net of expenses in this placement. The Placing Shares will represent 2.6 per cent of the enlarged issued share capital of the Company, with the funds to be used for working capital and corporate costs associated with the proposed acquisitions also announced on 28 August 2020. Each placee has also received one warrant for every two Placing Shares, resulting in 957,100 warrants exercisable at 5.0p per share at any time until 5 January 2023. The Company's enlarged issued capital now consists of 73,285,149 Ordinary Shares of 0.1p per share with voting rights attached. This number may be used by shareholders, following the Placing as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change in interest in, the share capital of the Company under the Financial Conduct Authority's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. This announcement contains information which, prior to its disclosure, was inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014. The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the content of this announcement. For further information please contact: Imperial X Plc Kyler Hardy Tel: +1 250 877 1394 khardy@cronincapital.com Novum Securities Limited David Coffman / Lucy Bowden Tel: +44 (0)207 399 9400 Blytheweigh Tim Blythe / Madeleine Gordon-Foxwell Tel: +44 (0)207 138 3204 Right now, the only public places where people 75 years old and up in the Shoals can get the coronavirus vaccine are at hospitals connected to the Huntsville Hospital System. The state said all county health departments' vaccines have already been scheduled, but you can still call the hotline to get on a waiting list. You will also be able to go to some pharmacies, but it's unclear which ones. The North Alabama Medical Center in Florence is Lauderdale County's largest hospital, but it's not going to be a public vaccination area yet, according to hospital officials. The Alabama Department of Public Health said there are pharmacies in Lauderdale County that will get the vaccine to give to people 75 years old and up starting next Monday, but it didn't have a list of those pharmacies. WAAY 31 reached out to several local pharmacies in Lauderdale County that said they hope to get the vaccine but haven't heard anything official or have an official date on when they will get those vaccines. People who fit into the next category can get the vaccine at Helen Keller Hospital or any facility associated with the Huntsville Hospital System, but doses are limited. "We're creating a waiting list, too, in order that as soon as we're notified that we're getting more doses, we start calling those individuals first come, first serve and say, 'hey, have your mom here with us tomorrow at 10 a.m. for the vaccine.' We will be very excited. There's no group that will be more excited than to get the vaccine, but we're just having to work through it and work with the state to make sure it's done appropriately," said Helen Keller Hospital President Kyle Buchanan. Buchanan said they have facilities in Colbert, Lauderdale and Franklin Counties where people on the waiting list will be able to get the vaccine if they get enough doses. Buchanan said if you want to get on their waiting list for the vaccine, visit the Helen Keller Hospital website. Clarity AI tech platform delivers insights on the social and environmental impact of over 30,000 organizations Data science and machine-learning help clients develop sustainability insights BlackRock announced minority investment in Clarity AI BlackRock Inc. (NYSE: BLK) today announced a minority investment in Clarity AI, a sustainability analytics and data science platform, as the firm continues to invest in delivering sustainable investing analytics and software for clients. BlackRock will integrate Clarity AI's capabilities with Aladdin, BlackRock's end-to-end operating system for investment professionals. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005634/en/ Clarity AI uses big data and machine learning to create actionable sustainability and impact insights and expand these to a uniquely broad universe of companies, countries and local governments. Its proprietary technology and data science capabilities across environmental and social impact analyze more than 30,000 companies, spanning almost 200 countries. Clarity AI also supports regulatory and client reporting to help investors meet new sustainability disclosure obligations. "Investors are galvanized around sustainability as a critical consideration in managing immediate and future risks, and better data is foundational to this," said Mary-Catherine Lader, Head of Aladdin Sustainability at BlackRock. "As BlackRock makes sustainability its standard for investing, we are committed to raising the standards for ESG data and technology. We're investing in new analytics and software in Aladdin and are also integrating capabilities from strategic partners like Clarity AI so clients can understand their investments' social and environmental impact and risks. Clarity AI's capabilities use machine learning to help Aladdin clients analyze a broader universe of companies, address their disclosure obligations and build more sustainable portfolios." "BlackRock's investment in Clarity AI and the integration of our capabilities and comprehensive ESG, sustainability and impact data into BlackRock's Aladdin platform will be transformative, bringing Clarity AI data and analytics to more of the world's largest and most significant investors," said Rebeca Minguela, Founder and CEO of Clarity AI. "This strategic partnership with BlackRock reflects the growing demand for our innovative approach in helping investors assess the impact of companies on our society and planet." Demand for sustainable investing accelerated rapidly in 2020. Global investors in mutual funds and ETFs invested $326 billion in sustainable assets in the 12 months to November 2020, a 97% increase over the same period in the prior year1. In addition, a recent survey2 of global investors shows that their allocations to ESG strategies are expected to double by 2025. Within the survey2, 53% of respondents cited concerns about "poor quality or availability of ESG data and analytics" as their biggest barrier to adopting sustainable investing. As more investors look for ways to evaluate the social and environmental impact of their investments, the need for improved ESG data and analytics in individual investments and across whole portfolios will continue to grow. Clarity AI builds on the existing sustainability dataset in the Aladdin platform with additional forward-looking sustainability analytics and models, generated from data about companies. These insights complement traditional corporate ESG disclosures. This investment is the latest step from BlackRock's Aladdin platform as it continues to invest in its sustainability capabilities, which last year added 1,200 sustainability metrics and established data partnerships to help investors understand ESG and physical climate risks and opportunities. BlackRock also recently unveiled Aladdin Climate, which helps investors understand and act on climate risk. It is the first software application to offer investors measures of both the physical risk of climate change and the transition risk to a low-carbon economy on portfolios. BlackRock will join existing investors including Deutsche Borse, Kibo Ventures, Mundi Ventures, Seaya Ventures and Founders Fund. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. About BlackRock BlackRock's purpose is to help more and more people experience financial well-being. As a fiduciary to investors and a leading provider of financial technology, we help millions of people build savings that serve them throughout their lives by making investing easier and more affordable. For additional information on BlackRock, please visit www.blackrock.com/corporate. About Aladdin Aladdin is BlackRock's end-to-end investment management and operations platform used by institutional investors including asset managers, pension funds, insurers and corporate treasurers. It combines sophisticated risk analytics with comprehensive portfolio management, trading and operations tools on a single, unified platform. Also customized for wealth managers, the Aladdin platform provides a common language across the investment lifecycle and enables a culture of risk transparency among users. About Clarity AI Clarity AI is a global data science and technology platform that uses machine learning and big data to deliver environmental and social data that empowers investors to measure the impact of their portfolios. Clarity AI's platform analyzes more than 30,000 companies, 200,000 funds and 400 countries and local governments, delivering data, analytics and software applications for investment and corporate research and reporting. Founded in 2017, Clarity AI has offices in the US, UK and Spain and a client network with over $10 trillion assets under management. Clarity AI's team is specialized in technology, sustainability and research, with collective experience from leading organizations, businesses and research institutions including NASA, the World Bank, Google, McKinsey Company, Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan, Harvard, M.I.T and more. For additional information on Clarity AI, please visit www.clarity.ai. ___________________ 1 Simfund, Broadridge, GBI. Data as of Nov 2020. Closed-end funds, FoFs excluded; Money Market funds included. 2 BlackRock 2020 Global Sustainable Investing Survey, which includes responses from 425 clients in 27 countries representing an estimated $25 trillion in assets under management: https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/literature/publication/blackrock-sustainability-survey.pdf View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005634/en/ Contacts: Media Contacts BlackRock Kirsty King +44 7880 405 624 kirsty.king@blackrock.com Matt Kobussen +1 (646) 231-0599 matt.kobussen@blackrock.com Clarity AI The One Nine Three Group Stuart Davis +44 7808 611 048 stuart.davis@the193.com The One Nine Three Group Katherine Kremer +1 (917) 885 9704 katherine.kremer@the193.com Midwestern Pet Foods has expanded a voluntary pet food recall after the deaths of more than 70 dogs, including 80 reportedly ill. This is likely a result of the consumption of food containing fatal levels of a toxin produced by mold, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The pet food company, Midwestern Pet Foods Inc., of Evansville, said it expanded the voluntary recall out of caution after more than 70 dogs reportedly died. The company issued the first voluntary recall at the end of December last year after clinical tests had shown that certain pet food products contained aflatoxin. The Food and Drug Administration found that aflatoxin which is produced by mold exceeded acceptable levels. F.D.A. acted based on a report that a minimum of 28 dogs had died and 8 others had fallen ill after the consumption of the contaminated food. The food regulatory body said it issued the advisory warning because of the possibility of remnants of the contaminated food on store shelves, online, and the homes of pet owners. ALSO READ - Labrador Barks Non-Stop to Police, Only to See Her Blind Owner Almost Dead In Ice The Recalled Food Products The food products suspected to be contaminated and marked for recall include Sportstrail, Nunn Better dry dog, Sportmix, Splash, Sportstrail, Pro Pac Originals, and cat foods. Midwestern Pet Foods produces pet food in Oklahoma and distributes them to retailers and online vendors across the country. In addition to the above listed recalled food, Midwestern Pet Foods expanded the recall on Monday to include dry and cat food products that were produced with corn. The food products are due to expire on or before July 9, 2022. Retailers who are still in possession of the contaminated pet food products were directed to stop selling or donate the recalled products. If possible, they should contact customers who had purchased the products from them. In a press statement, Midwestern Pet Foods Inc. said as a fourth-generation family-owned company for almost 100 years it has been committed to ensuring that they produced pet food products that are nutritious and safe. The company added that they haven't had a product recall throughout their history as a pet feed producing organization until recently. However, the F.D.A. said that not all suspected cases of aflatoxin poisoning have been ascertained through laboratory tests, but the investigation was ongoing. Aflatoxin F.D.A. said aflatoxin can be found in crops such as corn and grains which are used as raw materials in the production of pet food. A study explains that aflatoxin is produced by a fungal species Aspergillus flavus. The study added that aflatoxin can cause health complications in humans and animals. The F.D.A. emphasized that at a high concentration of toxins in food, pets can become ill and likely die. Toxins can lead to liver damage without any sign. Surprisingly, the toxins can be present in feeds without a visible mold. Loss of appetite, sluggishness, jaundice, vomiting, or diarrhea, are symptoms of aflatoxin poisoning the F.D.A. said. Even though there is no report that humans or cats have been ill, or evidence that a pet owner who has handled pet feed contaminated with aflatoxin is at risk of poisoning, the F.D.A. has cautioned pet owners to wash their hands after feeding their pets. RELATED ARTICLE - England: Pet Owners Forced To Implant Microchips in Cats or Face Fine of More Than $600 For more news, updates about pet foods and similar topics, don't forget to follow Nature World News! Joann Kubas experienced what would best be described as tempered relief when the outbreak at Maples Personal Care Home was finally declared over by the province this week. Joann Kubas experienced what would best be described as tempered relief when the outbreak at Maples Personal Care Home was finally declared over by the province this week. Her mother-in-law, Rose Kubas, 77, survived the scourge of COVID-19 that enveloped the facility on Mandalay Drive for more than three months. WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Rose Kubas has stayed free of COVID-19, but 55 fellow residents of Maples care home died. She said by no means has the threat diminished because residents of the care home have yet to be vaccinated. "I was happy to hear that in their eyes, its officially over. But I dont really know if anythings over until everybodys immunized, do you know what I mean?" Joann Kubas said Wednesday. "Everyone there is vulnerable. "Just as quickly as it got in there, thats as quickly as it can return until theyre immunized. Lets try and be positive and lets hope for the best, but the fear is still there." Rose Kubas managed to stay free of the virus, even though Maples was decimated after an outbreak was declared on Oct. 20. In all, 153 residents and 62 staff members tested positive for COVID-19, and 55 residents died. Shes been isolated for months, including over the holiday season, and has rarely seen family beyond waving in a window, but was finally able to move around the care home a little more freely, as of Tuesday. "Its been very difficult, but at least theyre now out of their rooms. Thats a huge part of it because as much as we could say, Hang in there, its just around the corner, things will get better, the days must have been very long for them," said Joann. She said her family immediately took a proactive approach to her safety, even though the doors were locked to visitors for large blocks of time during the outbreak. "As soon as it broke out, we didnt just trust them with everything. We made a lot of the calls of what we felt were acceptable. For example, we said we didnt want any activity staff going into her room and we wanted her isolated. She wasnt going to die from being isolated. She was going to die if somebody brought in COVID," she said. "Even to the point where we could have done Skype calls with her, we didnt because we didnt want them passing iPads from room to room. There were no guarantees. And what I questioned, and what I still question, as soon as big numbers of staff tested positive, and if they were wearing masks, how come so many staff got it?" Joann doesnt understand why a care home in which there was so much pain, suffering and loss wouldnt be near the top of the vaccination list. "We question their decision not to start with the homes that had these bad outbreaks. Now, the chance of it getting in is still there, and it puts the survivors at risk," she said. "They should have made the decision to go in and immunize the staff and people who live at these places who have been through a lot." The outbreak at Parkview Place Long Term Care Home in downtown Winnipeg also ended Tuesday. Since mid-September, 165 people were infected there, including 120 residents. Twenty-nine residents died. Both care homes are run by Ontario-based Revera Inc. Questions emailed to Revera on Wednesday regarding the timing of vaccinations at its centres were not answered by late in the day. jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @WFPJasonBell Posted Wednesday, January 13, 2021 4:12 pm On Tuesday, Jan. 12, Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz and state Rep. Larry Springer, D-Kirkland, joined experts and advocacy leaders from across the state to unveil House Bill 1168, which would create a dedicated funding source for wildfire response, forest restoration and community resilience strategies. Its the latest strategy to fund wildfire response by Franz, who has seen previous efforts fail in recent legislative sessions. The legislation developed with the input of a wide-ranging coalition of firefighters, fire chiefs, tribes, environmentalists, public health advocates and forest products companies would create a first-of-its-kind dedicated funding account for wildfire response, forest restoration and community resilience a year after wildfires tore through West Coast states with ferocity. Franz is asking the Legislature to create this account and fund it with $125 million each biennium. Out-of-control wildfires now threaten families and communities on both sides of the Cascades, said Franz. We cant afford to have another wildfire season as devastating as last years. We know what needs to be done to change the trajectory were on we just need the political will and resources to make it happen. If passed, the bill would dedicate $75.2 million to wildfire response, $31.4 million to forest restoration, $12.6 million to community resilience such as offering direct assistance to homeowners to secure their properties and investing in defensive strategies such as fuel breaks and prescribed fires and $5.9 million for workforce training. Our forests are burning, our towns are burning, and Washingtonians are losing homes and livelihoods, said Springer, who is the prime sponsor of the bill in the House. This is not going to end by itself. Hoping it will is a fantasy. The states trajectory for wildfire severity has worsened in recent years, climbing from 293,000 acres burned in 2016 to 438,000 in 2018 to over 812,000 acres burned in 2020, according to the Department of Natural Resources. I have seen firsthand how devastating wildfires in our nation and particularly our state can be, said Daniel Lyon, a former firefighter and wildfire injury survivor. That is why I believe that it is crucial that we provide the needed funding to our states firefighting resources to better protect the public, property, and our men and women who are battling these blazes. The bill comes on the heels of a historically destructive 2020 fire season in Washington, during which over 800,000 acres burned in more than 1,600 fires and 298 homes were destroyed, including the near total destruction of the town of Malden. Over my 32 years as a firefighter in Western Washington, I have witnessed a concerning change slow moving fires are being replaced by wildfires that spread quickly to homes and other buildings, said East Pierce County Fire Chief Bud Backer. Dry weather conditions that fuel rapid wildfire growth now occur more and more in Western Washington. More and more, these fires threaten the lives of our neighbors. We must have additional resources to combat these fires when they erupt. The bill aims to fund 100 new full-time firefighters, 20 dozer operators, two new fixed-wing planes, upgrades to the states Huey helicopters and the addition of night vision technology and fire detection systems for current aircraft. The funding is intended to provide the proactive resources needed for immediate fire response and provide the long-term investments needed to fulfill goals outlined in the Department of Natural Resources 20-year Forest Health Strategic Plan and Wildland Fire Prevention 10-year Strategic Plan including the restoration of forests on federal, state, tribal and private land. The longer fire seasons and stronger fires experienced on the Colville Reservation have destroyed thousands of acres of commercial forests, costing millions in lost revenue for years to come, said Rodney Cawston, chairman of the Confederated Tribes of Colville. Consequences also include mudslides, road and bridge destruction, impacts to cultural resources, and, worst of all, danger to human life. We cannot wait to improve fire management. Franz has not identified a specific funding source for the plan. Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain If you have a chronic condition, you might have questions about exercising. How often can you exercise? Which exercises are safe? Understand the basics about exercise and chronic disease. If you have a chronic diseasesuch as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, or back or joint painexercise can have important health benefits. However, it's important to talk to your health care provider before starting an exercise routine. He or she might have advice on what exercises are safe and any precautions you might need to take while exercising. Find out what you need to know about exercise and chronic disease. If you have a chronic condition, regular exercise can help you manage symptoms and improve your health. Aerobic exercise can help improve your heart health and endurance and aid in weight loss. High-intensity interval training is generally safe and effective for most people and can take less time. In high-intensity interval training, you alternate exercising at high levels of intensity and exercising at a less intense level for short periods of time. Even activities such as walking at higher intensities count. Strength training can improve muscle strength and endurance, make it easier to do daily activities, slow disease-related declines in muscle strength, and provide stability to joints. Flexibility exercises may help you to have optimal range of motion about your joints, so they can function best, and stability exercises may help reduce the risk of falls. For example: Heart disease. Regular exercise can help improve your heart health. Recent studies have shown that interval training is often tolerated well in people with heart disease, and it can produce significant benefits.For people with high blood pressure, exercise can lower your risk of dying of heart disease and lower the risk of heart disease progressing. Diabetes. Regular exercise can help insulin more effectively lower your blood sugar level. Physical activity can also help you control your weight and boost your energy. If you have type 2 diabetes, exercise can lower your risk of dying of heart disease. Asthma. Often, exercise can help control the frequency and severity of asthma attacks. Back pain. Regular low-impact aerobic activities can increase strength and endurance in your back and improve muscle function. Abdominal and back muscle exercises (core-strengthening exercises) may help reduce symptoms by strengthening the muscles around your spine. Arthritis. Exercise can reduce pain, help maintain muscle strength in affected joints and reduce joint stiffness. It can also improve physical function and quality of life for people who have arthritis. Cancer. Exercise can improve the quality of life for people who've had cancer, and it can also improve their fitness. Exercise can also lower the risk of dying from breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. Dementia. Exercise can improve cognition in people with dementia, and people who are active on a regular basis are at less risk of dementia and cognitive impairment. Your health care provider might recommend specific exercises to reduce pain or build strength. Depending on your condition, you might also need to avoid certain exercises altogether or during flare-ups. In some cases, you might need to consult a physical or occupational therapist before starting to exercise. If you have low back pain, for example, you might choose low-impact aerobic activities, such as walking and swimming. These types of activities won't strain or jolt your back. If you have exercise-induced asthma, be sure to keep an inhaler handy while you exercise. If you have arthritis, the exercises that are best for you will depend on the type of arthritis and which joints are involved. Work with your health care provider or a physical therapist to create an exercise plan that will give you the most benefit with the least aggravation on your joints. Before starting an exercise routine, it's important to talk to your health care provider about how long your exercise sessions can be and what level of intensity is safe for you. In general, try to accumulate about 30 minutes of physical activity a day at least five days a week. For example, try walking briskly for about 30 minutes most days of the week. You can even break physical activity up into short chunks of time spread out through the day. Any activity is better than none at all. If you're not able to do this much activity, do as much as you can. Even an hour a week of physical activity can have health benefits. Start with moving more and sitting less, and work your way up to moving more each day. If you haven't been active for a while, start slowly and build up gradually. Ask your doctor what kind of exercise goals you can safely set for yourself as you progress. Depending on your condition, your health care provider might recommend certain precautions before exercising. If you have diabetes, for example, keep in mind that physical activity lowers blood sugar. Check your blood sugar level before any activity. If you take insulin or diabetes medications that lower blood sugar, you might need to eat a snack before exercising to help prevent low blood sugar. If you have arthritis, consider taking a warm shower before you exercise. Heat can relax your joints and muscles and relieve any pain you might have before you begin. Also, be sure to choose shoes that provide shock absorption and stability during exercise. Talk to your doctor about what kind of discomfort you might expect during or after exercise, as well as any tips for minimizing your pain. Find out what type or degree of pain might be normal and what might be a sign of something more serious. If you have heart disease, for example, signs or symptoms that you should stop exercising include dizziness, unusual shortness of breath, chest pain or an irregular heartbeat. Starting a regular exercise routine can be tough. To help you stick with your routine, consider exercising with a friend. You might also ask your health care provider to recommend an exercise program for people who have your condition, perhaps through a local hospital, clinic or health club. To stay motivated, choose activities that are fun, set realistic goals and celebrate your progress. Share any concerns you might have about your exercise programfrom getting started to keeping it upwith your health care provider. Explore further Exercises for chronic health conditions 2021 Mayo Clinic News Network Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC Support for the American Revolution was by no means universal, and at one point, failing to entice enough recruits for the rebellion among white colonists, the government began to enlist thousands of Black ones, a move it had resisted. Resistance to the wars in Vietnam and now Iraq and Afghanistan is well known and somewhat entrenched. In the case of the Vietnam War, for instance, the percentage of people who believed that the United States did the right thing by fighting in Vietnam has remained below a quarter of the population, according to polling. If anything, America is united against the governments approach to the war. We may think that something like an international competition and accomplishment would rally and unify the country. Not necessarily. Looking back on the space race of the 1960s with hagiographic hindsight, one would think that most Americans were cheering on the effort. They werent. As Gallup points out: In most polls conducted by Gallup during the 1960s, less than a majority of Americans said that the investment in getting a man to the moon was worth the cost. For example, a 1965 poll found only 39 percent of Americans thought that the U.S. should do everything possible, regardless of cost, to be the first nation on the moon. At times a sense of national unity and community exists when America is attacked like on 9/11 when there is a national disaster like Hurricane Katrina or when there is a national tragedy like the shooting at Sandy Hook. But once the politicians become involved or dont the divisions that exist become more evident. After 9/11, politicians lied us into Americas longest war. After Katrina, the federal response was too slow and anemic, and people died as a result. After Sandy Hook there was much talk about new gun control measures, but few materialized. See also: Don't abandon the GOP, take it over and use the ballot access and many effective officeholders it already has Yesterday, during the Democrat-led congressional impeachment proceedings of President Trump, Republican House minority leader Kevin McCarthy declared that "[t]he president bears responsibility for Wednesday's attack on Congress." Also, yesterday, Republican Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said he had "not made a final decision on how I will vote" on impeachment. The Associated Press also reported that Sen. McConnell believes that the president is guilty of committing impeachable offenses. I have attended several Trump rallies and listened to his speech in Washington last Wednesday. In all of President Trump's rally speeches I have never inferred rhetoric inciteful to riot or violence. The president's speech I watched in Washington was not at all different. My brother was at the rally in Washington and got within a few feet of a couple of places where people were fighting police and breaking windows and entering the Capitol. He observed Antifa types dispersed in the crowd as the ones instigating the crowd to push forward and breach the barricades. As he got closer to the building, he also observed several Trump-supporters trying to stop people from breaking into the building and fighting police. While there were some Trump-supporters involved in fighting police and entering the Capitol, it was clear that they were incited in a coordinated effort. While this is no excuse for their actions, it's a fact that some people are predisposed to give in to incitement in highly stressful situations. There are many other witnesses who have told the same story. What happened at the Capitol was wrong and tragic, but it was not incited by President Trump. Over the last five years, at a couple of hundred Trump rallies, there were zero riots. Period! Over the last year, across the country, BLM and Antifa "peaceful protests" erupted into 220 riots, resulting in 30 people being killed, 2,000 policemen injured, multiple attacks on police stations and federal buildings, public and federal property vandalized, minority communities and businesses destroyed, and portions of cities taken over by force. And just who was to blame for these deadly riots? Not one Democrat politician who voiced wholehearted support for BLM or any other high-profile liberal media or Hollywood type. And certainly not Joe Biden or Kamala Harris, both of whom have the full support of BLM and Antifa. And what were the consequences for BLM and Antifa as a result of all the riots, death, and destruction? Community leaders defunded the police. Leftist media and Democrat politicians applauded and encouraged their actions and encouraged compliance with their cause. Corporations gave millions to their cause. Big Tech applauded their actions and censored all opposition and condemnation of their actions. And citizens put yard signs in their yards to promote their cause. There are hundreds of incidents of double-standards and blatant hypocrisy by leftists Democrats and their media and corporate supporters, but the time for pointing it out as the only defense the Republican Party can muster is over. It's just as Nancy Pelosi says: "people will do what they do." So I, along with probably millions of other Trump-supporters, who feel personally betrayed by both GOP rep. McCarthy, Senate GOP leader McConnell, and a host of other feckless congressional Republicans, "will do what we do" and leave the Republican Party. And I'm fairly sure there are about 50 or 60 million other disgruntled Republicans who will be on board with this movement. Let's roll! Graphic: Public domain graphic modified by Thomas Lifson. The latest from a friend of the blog and the only person to ever win a citywide light rail yes vote in Kansas City history. Check-it . . . Clay wins round one over Quinton in historic federal court fight (Case # 694RK) over liberty (petition) in Kansas City Thomas Jefferson said, "When a government fears its people, that's liberty". Kansas City's arrogant government does not (yet) fear its people (tyranny) and that is why we don't (yet) have liberty in Kansas City. Mayor Lucas and the City Council have refused to place a valid petition on the ballot (from the people) for 629 days! In round one City Attorney Galen Beaufort came out swinging at the bell and tried to knock out Clay and the Committee of Petitioners (Pro se) by appealing to Federal Court Judge Roseann Ketchmark to throw out their lawsuit based on a bogus technicality. But the honorable judge said no in ruling, " construing Plaintiffs' pro se Complaint liberally, the Court declines to hold Plaintiffs' Complaint deficient in all the ways Defendant points out". Clay predicts he will go on to knock out Lucas, the Council and Beaufort and thus return Liberty to the people of Kansas City. Clay Chastain, Kansas City fighter for Liberty. #################### Developing . . . A cannabis dealer has denied being a gang boss who directed the torture and murder of a father-of-one after a 900,000 cocaine shipment went missing. Lee Knox has claimed to be an underling in an operation that ended with Joseph McKeever's body being found in a burnt-out car in Everton. Knox, from Melling, said he worked for Mr Keever and his business partner James Doyle, who were importing 150 kilos of cannabis from Spain. He claimed to be due a payment of 5,000 when the drug was delivered but prosecutors allege Knox was actually the kingpin. Mr Doyle was responsible for a lorry full of drugs not arriving, prompting a hunt for the 900,000 shipment, Knox told Liverpool Crown Court. Under cross-examination by Tim Storrie, QC, prosecuting, Knox said: 'I wasn't playing no leading role'. Lee Knox has claimed to be an underling in an operation that ended with Joseph McKeever's (pictured) body being found in a burnt-out car in Everton He said he was helping Mr McKeever and was supposed to meet Anthony Wales, a representative of the buyers of the drugs, at MGM Garage in Kensington, at 6pm on June 14, 2017. He said Mr Doyle failed to show up but he, Mr McKeever and Wales went into a shipping container used as an office by mechanic Jamie Grimes. Wales suddenly hit the victim, Knox added, saying he and Grimes didn't inflict or encourage any violence. They only collected a metal bar and straps from the garage because Wales told them to. He said he thinks Grimes was wrongly convicted by a jury of murder in 2018. Knox said James Doyle failed to show up but he, Mr McKeever and Wales went into a shipping container used as an office by mechanic Jamie Grimes Knox said the suggestion Wales was a 'dog on a leash' at his bidding was 'totally false' and he was 'terrified' of Wales. Mr Storrie alleged they were 'acting as a team' against Mr McKeever, that Knox 'shepherded' him into the container and 'that you knew he was going to be beaten and tortured when he went in there' - all of which Knox denied. He said it must have been 'thirsty work', because Knox had a beer with Wales, but Knox denied these claims and said Wales offered beers to everyone, and that he took one, but didn't drink it. Mr Storrie said: 'He was a monster as far as you were concerned, is that right?' 'Yes, he was,' replied Knox. The prosecutor said: 'And there you are, having a drink with him, isn't that right?' Knox said: 'What am I supposed to do?' Mr Storrie said: 'When were you supposed to put your arm round him and comfort him?' Knox accepted another clip showed him putting an arm around Wales' shoulder, but said this was 'trying to get him on side'. Jamie Grimes (left) was convicted of murder while Darren Colecozy (second left) and Karl Kelly (second right) were convicted of manslaughter. Dylan Owen (right) was convicted of assisting an offender The defendant said: 'He was a monster, but he wasn't a monster full time, he seemed to calm down.' Mr Storrie later said: 'Aren't you putting your arm around him because you were the boss?' Knox said: 'No, I was putting my arm around Jamie too, because I was trying to calm him down too.' Judge Andrew Menary, QC, asked why Wales allowed everyone to keep their mobile phones, to which Knox said he thought Wales knew they were all scared of him and wouldn't call the police. Knox said he tried to convince Wales that Mr McKeever hadn't ripped the buyers off and the situation could be resolved. However, he said cocaine snorting Wales repeatedly hit the victim's legs with a metal bar, which may have broken his kneecaps. Mr Storrie said a pathologist found the victim was strangled with a ligature, potentially twice, and had marks on his neck, but Knox said he never saw anyone strangle him or such marks - swearing on 'everything holy', including his children's lives. He said: 'If I had seen Wales go near his neck I would have risked my own life. I would have jumped on top of him.' Knox said he didn't know how a piece of bone was 'cleanly' chopped from Mr McKeever's jaw and never saw a blade or him bleeding from his jaw. He denied directing the violence and said: 'There's no weed, there's no money in this world that would make me do this to any human being, let alone a mate, a good friend of mine, a gentleman that Joseph was.' Knox said he was helping Mr McKeever and was supposed to meet Anthony Wales (pictured), a representative of the buyers of the drugs, at MGM Garage in Kensington, at 6pm on June 14, 2017 Knox said he didn't know why Grimes was shown moving vans or getting a plastic sheet, but Mr McKeever's hired Renault Megane was taken away because Wales was paranoid about it having trackers on it. He said he thought they were going to an industrial estate in Burscough in Grimes' van, as per Wales' orders, because Mr McKeever said Mr Doyle had a yard there. However, just before this, he said Wales kicked the victim in the head, leaving him semi-conscious, which may have caused a brain injury. He accepted he didn't give Mr McKeever first aid, as there was 'no time', but said he sat in the back of the van, holding his hand, trying to reassure him, when they left at around 10.20pm. Knox said he hoped they would get pulled over by the police, but Mr Storrie said steps were taken to make sure they weren't, as Grimes fixed a faulty rear light on the van, having collected a bulb from a compartment near Knox. He said he didn't remember this and denied that hoping they would be stopped was a 'lie'. He said he didn't expect to go to Darren Colecozy's flat in Wavertree, where Colecozy and Karl Kelly - both convicted of manslaughter - helped Wales carry Mr McKeever inside. Knox said he thought the trip he then took with Wales and Grimes to Burscough to look for Mr Doyle's yard without Mr McKeever was pointless. He told the jury back at the flat he drifted in and out of sleep, before waking up around 5am, finding the victim dead, and unsuccessfully giving him CPR. He said he picked up a cigarette next to Mr McKeever and smoked it in the kitchen, which explained why his and the victim's DNA were found on the stub and his fingerprints discovered in the victim's blood, but didn't witness any violence in the flat. Mr Storrie said: 'There must have been some unspeakable acts of violence taking place whilst you were managing to nap. Is that the case?' 'No,' Knox replied. Knox said he was 'sucked into a situation I had no control over' and if he was guilty of murder, he would have pleaded guilty, like Wales did. He told jurors he believed the CCTV and a timeline of events backed up his account and everything he had said 'made perfect sense'. Knox said Wales, Colecozy and Knox were a team, while he protested throughout, only stopping after Mr McKeever died. He said he had nothing to do with cleaning the flat or container, or the disposal of the victim's body, and didn't go to police because his family would be endangered, instead choosing to flee abroad with Grimes. Knox said: 'I didn't want my kids or my missus to end up in a dingy flat or in a burned out car, or me.' He added: 'I'm sorry I ran away, I'm sorry I never contacted the police, at that time I wasn't thinking clearly, I had been through a night of hell, I had been terrorised along with Joseph.' He said he didn't understand why Mr McKeever was killed, adding: 'If it was my money that he owed me, why would I kill him? Now he owes you money and you're wanted for murder.' Mr Storrie suggested he took the 'executive action' of fleeing to Spain while 'the staff were left to clean up'. Knox denied this and said: 'I was scared of getting caught by Wales' people and scared of getting caught by the police and was running, just running.' The trial continues. Hudson, NY (12534) Today A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 47F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 47F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development opening office in Yerevan US Department of State issues statement on detention of Armenian soldiers by Azerbaijani forces Armenia 1st President says Aliyev is certain that Pashinyan won't win elections and is trying to get all that he can UN calls for $ 95 million in aid to Palestinians Twitter is concerned about safety of its employees in India Artsakh hero: Impotent and perhaps also treacherous authorities of Armenia need to be removed from power immediately France MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to show maximum restraint Azerbaijani attacks Russia citizen of Armenian descent in Moscow Armenia acting MOD provides President with information about capture of Armenian servicemen Lithuania MFA urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to go to de-escalation of situation and pull out troops Russian Deputy FM, EU Special Representative discuss situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border Armenia acting FM resigns Acting Deputy FM: Armenia reserves itself the right to take necessary steps to protect its territorial integrity China speaks on dark history of US intelligence in connection with Biden's order Netanyahu slams hypocritical and deceitful moralizing statements of French FM Turkish authorities issues new arrest warrant for mafia after his scandalous revelations of Erdogan's entourage EU-Armenia Subcommittee on Justice, Freedom and Security holds 11th Meeting Armenia acting PM deletes statement on Armenian and Azerbaijani soldiers "being intertwined" from Facebook post 6 Armenian soldiers captured: situation on Armenia-Azerbaijan border is tense, May 27 digest Armenia Armed Forces' General Staff deputy chief explains difficulties with settlement of border with Azerbaijan UN: Israeli forces may have committed war crimes during 11-day war with Hamas Nikol Pashinyan presents plan for resolving border situation Dollar gains value in Armenia Opposition party leader: Armenia Security Council to convene session with heads of parliamentary factions this evening His Holiness Karekin II receives newly appointed UK Ambassador to Armenia Greece and Turkey FMs to meet in Athens Armenia acting PM says he will present plan for peaceful solution to border situation very soon Armenia Parliament Speaker sends letters to counterparts of partnering legislatures Zarif: Iran welcomes willingness of leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to ease tension Armenia acting Deputy MOD on news about soldiers being ordered to not open fire ANCA calls on US Congress to block financing of Azerbaijani Armed Forces Armenia to allocate lands in Syunik Province to Russian border guards Armenia Armed Forces General Staff deputy chief: We can destroy all Azerbaijani soldiers who invaded territory Armenian advocates file lawsuit against Nikol Pashinyan Army general staff deputy chief: About 1,000 Azerbaijan soldiers are illegally in Armenia Army general staff: Armed forces can capture Azerbaijani soldiers who marched into Armenia Armenia legislature approves several amendments to laws Armenian opposition MP: Villages mentioned by ruling bloc's deputy are Armenia's buffer zone Armenia Gegharkunik Province villager to acting PM: Over 50% of our pastures are now under Azerbaijan control Armenia Kotayk Province has new governor Armenia parliament majority leader meets with US ambassador, discusses border situation NEWS.AM BREAKING: 6 Armenian soldiers are captured by Azerbaijan military in early morning European Council head says process of implementing sanctions against Belarus is launched Armenia acting MOD leaves for Moscow Armenia President, Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces discuss current situation on border Armenia acting PM to residents of borderline village: If we cede our border, Azerbaijanis will get more excited Armenia MOD not confirming reports about Azerbaijan firing shots at Tavush Province Ex-President Kocharyan meets with Yerevan residents, "Armenia" bloc members (PHOTOS) Armenia petitions to European Court to ensure fundamental human rights of 6 soldiers captured by Azerbaijan Armenia acting premier: We need to unite in this situation Serj Tankian makes statement on Azerbaijans displayed horrific racism Man detained in US for intending to commit attempt on Biden Armenia defense ministry: Azerbaijan MOD continues disseminating disinformation Erdogan to visit Baku and Shushi Two Armenia legislature committees to hold closed joint meeting regarding tense situation on Azerbaijan border Holy Etchmiadzin on capture of Armenia soldiers: Such behavior of Azerbaijan authorities is strongly condemnable Gegharkunik Province village border area situation very tense, says Armenia enlarged community leader Armenia opposition MP: Shots are heard Gegharkunik Province Armenian National Congress party electoral list is announced Armenia MFA: Azerbaijan leadership bears responsibility for consequences of actions by its armed forces Opposition Bright Armenia faction in parliament demands convening Security Council special session 140 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Acting premier: Our servicemen were abducted from Armenia territory Armenia MOD announces names of 6 Armenian servicemen captured by Azerbaijan military early morning Armenia parliament majority leader to CSTO: Our international partners do not call it like it is Armenia parliament manages to have quorum in 2nd attempt World oil prices falling Newspaper: Armenia acting PM Pashinyan popularity rating consistently drops over the past week Newspaper: Russia peacekeepers commander does not return from Azerbaijan with encouraging news for Armenia MOD: 6 Armenia soldiers are surrounded, captured by Azerbaijan military early morning William Shakespeare, 1st man in world to get approved coronavirus vaccine, dies aged 81 Spain Congress of Deputies committee accepts pro-Armenian motion Ex-PM comments on double-digit growth in Armenia economy Facebook calls Russia, Iran leading purveyors of disinformation Erdogan says meeting with Biden will mark 'start of new era' in relations with Washington Armenia acting Deputy PM on creation of third high-voltage electric communication line with Iran Vladimir Zaynetdinov: CSTO has taken note of application submitted by Armenia acting PM Armenia's Pashinyan says addressing UN Security Council not ruled out Armenia acting FM: International pressure on Azerbaijan is growing Netanyahu tells Blinken that Israel is against reopening US consulate for Palestinians 23 political parties and 4 alliances apply to Armenia Central Electoral Commission ahead of snap parliamentary elections Instagram launches ability to hide likes Iran FM on solutions to problems in the region, territorial integrity Bloomberg: Support for Erdogan's ruling party hits record low Inter-agency commission sums up reports on implementation of roadmap for EU-Armenia CEPA Armenian acting PM on CSTO and Russia and their duties as Armenia's allies Slovakia allows use of Russian vaccine Sputnik V Armenia acting PM on situation in Syunik Province: CSTO still hasn't clearly expressed its position Armenia's Pashinyan: It's very rarely that Baku made provocations in Syunik and Gegharkunik Provinces on its own Armenia acting PM: There will be no demarcation of borders until Azerbaijani troops are pulled out of territory Record-setting number of political parties register to run in snap parliamentary elections in Armenia Blinken describes Egypt as a "real and effective partner" Armenia's Pashinyan slams opposition again Yerevan court ends trial over Armenia 3rd President's nephew Hayk Sargsyan Armenia President expresses condolences on passing away of Catholicos-Patriarch Krikor Bedros XX Gabroyan Armenia President hosts Iran FM-led delegation Armenia acting PM doesn't see need to declare martial law in the country Iran to send delegation of intellectual companies to Armenia EU demands to fine AstraZeneca for not fulfilling contract Zakharova: Russia is closely participating in settling Armenia-Azerbaijan border incident WASHINGTON A growing number of House Democrats are calling for an investigation into whether their Republican colleagues aided President Trumps supporters who violently stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 in an effort to overturn the results of last years election. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., told Yahoo News that many of his Democratic colleagues are discussing the possibility Republican House members played a role in the attacks. I would hope no member did this, but the truth is there are more questions than answers: What kind of communications did people have with members? Did members give them a heads up about certain things like which entrances to use or other intelligence before or during the attack? Richmond asked, adding, Thats a real concern, and Ive heard many people talk about that. Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., a freshman member of Congress, told Yahoo News he wants to see an investigation into the role his Republican colleagues might have played in the attacks. Many of my colleagues and I feel strongly that Donald Trumps most egregious enablers in Congress should be investigated for their complicity in the insurrection against the United States, Torres said. Thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol following a rally the president held on the National Mall. During a speech to the crowd, Trump reiterated his false claim that his election loss to President-elect Joe Biden was fraudulent. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La. (Reuters) Trump also urged the crowd to fight like hell and indicated he knew they planned to march on to the Capitol, where lawmakers were certifying Bidens victory. The subsequent riots briefly stopped the electoral certification. Five deaths have been linked to the violence, including that of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who was reportedly struck by a fire extinguisher, and Ashli Babbitt, a Trump supporter who was shot by law enforcement. On Wednesday evening, Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for his role in inciting the riot. Concerns about potential involvement from Republican members gained steam on Tuesday evening after Rep. Mikie Sherill, D-N.J., claimed she witnessed members of Congress who had groups coming through the Capitol that I saw on Jan. 5 for reconnaissance for the next day. Sherill, a former Navy helicopter pilot, detailed her claims further on Wednesday evening in a letter she and her colleagues, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., and Rep. Katherine Clark, sent to officials charged with securing the Capitol. That letter suggested multiple members observed suspicious groups being given tours of the Capitol complex the day before the attack. It also claimed these groups were reported to officials at the time. The visitors encountered by some of the Members of Congress on this letter appeared to be associated with the rally at the White House the following day, the letter said. Members of the group that attacked the Capitol seemed to have an unusually detailed knowledge of the layout of the Capitol Complex. That letter was addressed to the acting sergeants at arms of the House and Senate and the acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police. It requested information from the officials about visitors to the complex on Jan. 5. Sherills office did not respond to requests for comment. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, speaks during a press conference in the Capitol on Feb. 11, 2020. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) The rioters penetrated deep inside the maze-like Capitol complex and reached key locations including Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosis office and the chambers of both the House and Senate. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., claimed during an Instagram Live broadcast on Tuesday that she didnt feel safe around other members of Congress when she was evacuated to a secure location during the attack. I myself did not even feel safe going to that extraction point because there were QAnons and white supremacist sympathizers and, frankly, white supremacist members of Congress in that extraction point who I know and who I had felt would disclose my location, Ocasio-Cortez said. Ocasio-Cortez, a high profile progressive who has dealt with previous death threats, also said she had a very close encounter that caused her to fear for her life during the attack. She declined to detail that experience further for security reasons. Ocasio-Cortezs office did not respond to requests for comment. Adam Neubold and Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH). (Facebook{2}) Federal law enforcement is currently investigating the Capitol attack and how it might have been coordinated. Many of the rioters who breached the building came prepared with weapons and protective gear. Multiple people have been arrested in conjunction with the attack. In a press conference on Tuesday, acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Michael Sherwin, who is investigating the Capitol insurrection, suggested there would be disturbing revelations about what took place. I think people are going to be shocked with some of the egregious conduct that happened within the Capitol, Sherwin said. The FBI did not respond to requests for comment about whether it is investigating potential involvement by members of Congress. At least one Republican member of Congress has a previously unreported connection to a group that led a caravan to the Capitol attack. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, participated in a 2018 weapons training with a company in his home state that brought a group to the Capitol on Jan. 6. Rep. Bill Johnson attents a training at ATG Worldwide in 2018. (Facebook) Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, and his staff participated in a range day with a Lisbon, Ohio based company called ATG Worldwide in November 2018. According to its website, ATG offers weapons training courses. The company posted photos on Facebook showing Johnson and his staff firing a variety of guns on its range on Nov. 13, 2018. We think he truly enjoyed just putting some rounds downrange and not politicking, ATG wrote in a message that accompanied the photos. Johnsons office did not respond to a request for comment. ATG Worldwide Director Adam Newbold, a retired Navy SEAL, has reportedly been questioned by the FBI after posting a Facebook video the night of the attack in which he described breaching the Capitol. That clip has since been taken down. Neither ATG nor Newbold responded to requests for comment. However, on Tuesday, the company shared a video message from Newbold on its Facebook page. In it, he described being angry at the direction of our country and leading a caravan to the Capitol on Jan. 6. Screengrab from a Facebook video posted on Jan. 12, 2021, by the Director of AGT Worldwide. ATG organized a caravan to go down to Washington DC and we were organizing to link up with a national caravan coming from all over the country, Newbold said in the clip. So, it wasnt just all ATG members. It wasnt ATG members plotting and planning to go take over the country. All we did was plan and we invited anyone who wanted to go down there to ride along with us. In that video, Newbold defended his conduct including bringing knives and other equipment in the caravan. I make no apologies for being a rough man ready to do rough things in rough situations, he said. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: NEW YORK and HONG KONG, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MANA Products, a leading partner for innovative ideation, development, and manufacturing of prestige branded beauty products, Meiyume, a one-stop shop partner providing product and retail solutions for the beauty industry, and RPG, an award-winning global design and manufacturing firm recognized for building all aspects of the retail and branded experience, announce the establishment of The Vertical Beauty Alliance, a revolutionary industry alliance which creates a supply chain nucleus for the development, manufacturing and merchandising of beauty products on a global scale. The Vertical Beauty Alliance allows beauty brands to leverage the collective experience, expertise, and resources of MANA Products, Meiyume, and RPG - industry leaders in beauty product ideation, innovation, formulation, manufacturing, packaging and in-store experience. This new association brings their customers unparalleled innovation, reliable speed to market, and a global footprint for creativity, formulation, and manufacturing of their brand essentials. The combined R&D innovation labs and manufacturing strength of all parties allows The Vertical Beauty Alliance to provide clients with quality mixing, filling and supply solutions in Europe, Asia, and America to ensure supply chain resilience as well as access to an extensive library of innovative formulas and finishes, including clean and vegan formulas. Furthermore, The Vertical Beauty Alliance will collectively identify and harness the white space in retail categories, markets, and environments to elevate the power of brands and compel consumers to shop and purchase. From forecasting trends to providing in-store solutions, including displays, fixtures, retail environments, and data analytics, this alliance will re-imagine turnkey product development and customer experience where digital meets brick & mortar. With The Vertical Beauty Alliance, customers will have access to: Expertise in Formulation & Production of All 4 Categories of Beauty Color Cosmetics, Skincare, Haircare & Fragrance A Global Footprint with 6 Manufacturing Facilities Located on 3 Continents 9 Research & Development Laboratories 2 Formula Libraries with Over 10,000 Formulas Award-Winning Retail and Brand Experiential Design & Manufacturing Services for Successful Global Retail Activation Across All Channels. "The world is changing rapidly, and our industry needs to keep pace. The formation of The Vertical Beauty Alliance will simplify everything and give new, emerging, and existing beauty brands access to the global resources of three industry powerhouses - for formulation, design, packaging, production, manufacturing and display, and create a seamless pathway from ideation to on-shelf, across the entire supply chain," said Bob Jaegly, CEO of MANA Products. "Today's environment is an opportunity to find new ways to meet the demands of the consumer for today and tomorrow. I'm proud to join forces with MANA and RPG to expand their reach by leveraging our award-winning manufacturing facilities. By complementing their US footprint with our Asian and European capabilities, we can demonstrate our shared commitment to creating seamless beauty solutions for our customers around the world," said Gerard Raymond, President of Meiyume. "RPG is excited to support THE VERTICAL Beauty Alliance with best-in-class design and manufacturing. This partnership will allow us to create a cohesive customer experience from product to retail activation. Together, our disciplines will be aligned and synergized, poising us to successfully compete in all markets. The hybridization of our business models and disciplines makes us stronger and better to provide holistic services to both heritage and developing brands," said Bruce E. Teitelbaum, CEO of RPG. MANA MANA is one of the world's leading partners for innovative ideation, development, and manufacturing of prestige branded beauty products. With four research and development laboratories and two production and manufacturing facilities, MANA brings together the passion, process, and people to define and lead the future of beauty. For over 45 years, MANA has developed groundbreaking color cosmetic, skin care and hair care formulas for some of the world's most renowned beauty brands and globally recognized makeup artists. Based in New York City since 1975, MANA was acquired by Traub Capital in September 2020. Traub has a celebrated legacy in prestige beauty and has brought their unrivaled experience, operational expertise, resources, and global network to MANA. Visit www.manaproducts.com. MEIYUME Meiyume is a one-stop shop partner of product solutions for fragrance, skincare, and color cosmetics, and digital retail solutions such as interactive POS displays with data capture and insights for world-class brands, retailers and direct marketers. Operating award-winning manufacturing facilities in the United Kingdom, United States, China, Indonesia, and Thailand, Meiyume delivers mixing, filling and supply chain excellence around the world. Meiyume believes in sharing knowledge and ideas to deliver transformative solutions for their customers around the world. Visit www.meiyume.com. RPG Founded in 1991, RPG designs, engineers, and manufactures brands, products, packaging, displays, and retail environments across multiple categories, for both mass and prestige distribution. With headquarters in Manhattan and global manufacturing facilities, RPG maintains an unwavering commitment to quality and innovation. Visit www.rpg57.com. SOURCE The Vertical Beauty Alliance Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said Wednesday that his office will not re-present the case of Marquise Jones to a new grand jury, nearly seven years after Jones was shot and killed by an off-duty San Antonio police officer. It was the latest development in the controversial case that has raised questions about police misconduct and evidence tampering. Repeatedly, Jones death has been cited by police reform activists as an example of the need for change. In consideration of all available evidence, we believe that additional prosecution is not feasible at this time, three top officials, including Gonzales, wrote in a 10-page memo about their decision. It would not be appropriate for this case to be re-presented to a grand jury without sufficient evidence to overcome a self-defense claim. The announcement Wednesday comes four months after Gonzales assigned two top prosecutors in his office to re-examine all available evidence after receiving additional information about the shooting from Jones family. Gonzales has not elaborated what that information was. Jones, a 23 year-old father of one, was killed Feb. 28, 2014, at the Chachos and Chaluccis on Perrin Beitel Road after Officer Robert Encina, who was working as an off-duty security guard, shot Jones in the back as he ran from the scene of a fender bender. He was a passenger in a car that hit another car in the drive-thru lane. On ExpressNews.com: What did witnesses say? An overview of the Marquise Jones case Encina, a six-year veteran of the SAPD at the time of the shooting, said that Jones brandished a gun as he ran, making Encina fear for his life. Several witnesses challenged the police account that Jones had a gun initially, only one witness corroborated Encinas story. Jones family said Jones ran from the car because he was on probation and was nervous about getting in trouble. They have long maintained that the gun was planted near his body in a cover-up by the police department a claim city officials have denied. The police departments internal investigation of the shooting found Encina was justified in using force. In December 2015, then District Attorney Nico LaHood presented the case to a grand jury, which declined to indict Encina. In 2017, Encina also was cleared of any wrongdoing by a federal jury in a wrongful-death civil lawsuit filed by Jones family. A federal judge later denied a request for a new trial. Both the criminal case and the civil lawsuit hinged on whether Jones had a handgun and pointed it at Encina. But that handgun wasnt actually tested for fingerprints until January 2016 a month after the case was presented to the grand jury. On ExpressNews.com: Outside review of SAPD investigation finds no wrongdoing Detective Randall Hines, the lead homicide detective on the case, said the handgun wasnt tested initially because it was in poor condition and its not standard practice to run prints at a crime lab. Studies show the probability of obtaining a usable print on a handgun ranges from 5 percent to 10 percent. According to Police Chief William McManus, detectives decided to test the handgun in 2016 after a meeting with the local chapter of the NAACP, during which some people questioned why detectives did not attempt to obtain fingerprints on the gun. Debbie Bush, Jones aunt, said at the time that the way detectives handled the evidence was one example of how the case was botched. City officials hired an outside law firm in 2017 to review how detectives handled evidence in the case. The firm found there was no indication of misconduct, tampering or wrongdoing. On ExpressNews.com: Floyds death renews outrage over killings of two black men in San Antonio Still, Jones family have remained vocal advocates for police reform over the last seven years. Last year, after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis reignited calls for police reform, the family urged the District Attorneys Office to reopen the case. Gonzales initially said that he had personally reviewed Jones case in addition to other high-profile killings by local police officers and there was no new evidence to warrant reopening the case at the time. That led to calls by dozens of Black Lives Matter activists for him to be voted out of office. Gonzales changed course in September, saying that his office would re-examine the case after receiving the additional information from Jones family. Daryl Harris, the new head of the new Civil Rights Division, and Jamissa Jarmon, chief of the Misdemeanor Division, conducted the review. eeaton@express-news.net NEW HAVEN Leaders from a coalition of community groups called on the school district Thursday to delay reopening school until at least Feb. 1, even as the district continues to prepare to open for younger students next week. The coalition said in a letter that while they dont all agree on when New Havens school system should open its doors, they they agree on one thing: its still too soon. Currently, the school district is preparing to open for students up to the fifth grade on Tuesday, more than 10 months after officials closed schools and abruptly moved to remote learning as the COVID-19 pandemic reached Connecticut. The letter, addressed to Superintendent of Schools Iline Tracey, Mayor Justin Elicker and Board of Education President Yesenia Rivera, said the signatories believe that before the district can open its schools, officials must produce a uniform reference guide that addresses the most common operational questions and scenarios. The signatories include Dave Cicarella, president of the New Haven Federation of Teachers, leaders of organized parent groups, clergy, experts in epidemiology and virology and political organizers. That request represents the bare minimum that any reasonable person would expect from a school district: an operations plan, said parent Sarah Miller, a volunteer organizer with parent group NHPS Advocates and a signatory of the letter. There are many aspects of the reopening conversation about which reasonable people can disagree. But its difficult to assert that its safe to operate in a pandemic without basic written guidelines. The letter said an acceptable operations plan would include more specifics on topics such as meals, mask breaks, use of bathrooms, transportation and COVID isolation rooms. Tracey said Thursday that the operations plan is on the districts website and reflects the work the district already did to prepare for a reopening in the fall. This is just a last-ditch effort to create problems in the system and to create this hoopla around what they want it to look like, and its just a shame, said Tracey. This public school district is the most prepared Ive ever seen. Tracey said she does not agree with anything in the Thursday letter. I have 63 percent of my families who are sending their children back into school, she said, citing the percentage of families who did not opt-out of in-person instruction when the district prepared to reopen its buildings Nov. 9, before the citys health department advised the reopening be delayed because of an uptick in community infections. In a list of operational tasks to be completed, two schools still had work remaining. She said a ventilation concern in a third-floor bathroom at James Hillhouse High School was expected to be completed on Friday. An engineering firm contracted by the district is still evaluating the gymnasium of Nathan Hale School, she said. The same document shows the isolation rooms in Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School and New Haven Academy are still in progress. Elicker said he supports the school and city officials who have been preparing for the reopening. I know Dr. Tracey and her team, principals and school staff have been working hard to prepare for Tuesdays opening, he said. New Haven has gone well beyond what is required and what other school districts have done to ensure the safety of staff and students. Evidence strongly shows that school opening for young students is low-risk. I wouldnt send my daughter to school on Tuesday if this werent the case. Community Services Administrator Mehul Dalal provided 12 references for research data supporting the view that reopening schools is low-risk for spread of the virus. The research includes data about transmission reported by Gov. Ned Lamont that showed little difference in the number of detected cases of COVID-19 based on whether students were in-person or learning remotely; on Facebook, the NHPS Advocates countered that the presentation of the data ignored that students might go from an in-person or hybrid model to a remote model if there had been an outbreak in their school, and so many remote learners possibly had been in-person at the time they were infected. Four of Dalals references were from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; school board member Darnell Goldson, who was unsuccessful Monday in pushing for a board vote on whether the schools should reopen on Jan. 19, said the CDC had been inconsistent in its guidance throughout the pandemic. Rivera did not immediately return a request for comment. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com Nearly 40% of Working Canadians Worried About Co-Workers Mental Health, New Report Finds Nearly four in 10 working Canadians are concerned about the mental well-being of their fellow co-workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report suggests. The December Mental Health Index (MHI) by Morneau Shepell released on Wednesday, reports that 36 percent of Canadian workers are concerned about their co-workers mental health as the pandemic continues to plague the country. On top of that, 35 percent of supervisors have indicated their concerns for their employees mental health, and 27 percent of them have reported that their employees are less productive than in 2019, suggesting that the Canadian workforce may be at risk of detrimental long-term mental health effects, the report said. One of the biggest challenges facing employers today is finding the balance between effort and impact in terms of employee productivity, said Paula Allen, global leader and senior vice president, Research and Total Wellbeing at Morneau Shepell. Canadians mental health is at its lowest point since April, and while were seeing positive productivity numbers overall, its important to consider that this is the result of many overtime hours. At a granular level, productivity levels are actually decreasing. Putting in more hours results in less time for rest and self-care and the moment those stop being a priority, employee mental health suffersas do business bottom lines, Allen said. This demonstrates that employee wellbeing must be a priority in order to ensure sustainability and ultimately, business continuity, Allen said. Also, with non-essential travel restrictions increasingly blurring the lines between work and home life, 46 percent of the respondents had said they did not use all their vacation time, 36 percent used all of it, and the remaining 18 percent reported they did not have time off. And this factor has significant impact on the workers mental well-being according to the report as it found out those without paid time off have the lowest mental health score (-12.6), while those who have used all of it (-12.0), and those who used some of it (-10.9), fare slightly better. The scores are the result of benchmarking against the data collected in 2017, 2018, and 2019, which means a score of zero reflects no change, whereas a positive score means improvement, and a negative score indicates decline. When it comes to adapting at work during this pandemic, nearly half (45 percent) of the respondents who are currently employed, said the most stressful part is following the health and safety measures. Interacting with the public comes next (34 percent), followed by job uncertainty (29 percent). Over one quarter (28 percent) of employees have considered leaving their job since the beginning of 2020, the report said, and the number one reason is the increased stress/strain at work (53 percent). The mental health score of this group is -25.5, more than two times lower than the overall average for Canadians at -11.8. Besides that, the report indicated individuals working in the Health Care and Social Assistance sector are more likely to consider leaving their jobs (33 percent) when compared to all other sectors combined (26 percent). When measured across provinces, Quebec had the greatest decrease in mental health with a decline of 1.4 points from November. Only Manitoba and Saskatchewan improved in December according to the report. The MHI is based on an online survey of 3,000 Canadians residing in Canada from Nov. 20, 2020 to Nov. 30, 2020, who are currently employed or who were employed in the last six months. The company has been publishing the index since last April. Doubling the number of known gravitational lenses Data from the DESI (Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument) Legacy Imaging Surveys have revealed over 1200 new gravitational lenses, approximately doubling the number of known lenses. Discovered using machine learning trained on real data, these warped and stretched images of distant galaxies provide astronomers with a flood of new targets with which to measure fundamental properties of the Universe such as the Hubble constant, which describes the expanding Universe. Astronomers hunting for gravitational lenses utilized machine learning to inspect the vast dataset known as the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys, uncovering 1210 new lenses. The data were collected at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) and Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), both Programs of the National Science Foundation's NOIRLab. The ambitious DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys just had its ninth and final data release. Discussed in scientific journals since the 1930s, gravitational lenses are products of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. The theory says that a massive object, such as a cluster of galaxies, can warp spacetime. Some scientists, including Einstein, predicted that this warping of spacetime might be observable, as a stretching and distortion of the light from a background galaxy by a foreground cluster of galaxies. The lenses typically appear in images as arcs and streaks around foreground galaxies and galaxy clusters. Only 1 in 10,000 massive galaxies are expected to show evidence of strong gravitational lensing [1], and locating them is not easy. Gravitational lenses allow astronomers to explore the most profound questions of our Universe, including the nature of dark matter and the value of the Hubble constant, which defines the expansion of the Universe. A major limitation of the use of gravitational lenses until now has been the small number of them known. "A massive galaxy warps the spacetime around it, but usually you don't notice this effect. Only when a galaxy is hidden directly behind a giant galaxy is a lens possible to see," notes the lead author of the study, Xiaosheng Huang from the University of San Francisco. "When we started this project in 2018, there were only about 300 confirmed strong lenses." "As a co-leader in the DESI Legacy Surveys I realized this would be the perfect dataset to search for gravitational lenses," explains study co-author David Schlegel of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). "My colleague Huang had just finished teaching an undergraduate class on machine learning at the University of San Francisco, and together we realized this was a perfect opportunity to apply those techniques to a search for gravitational lenses." The lensing study was possible because of the availability of science-ready data from the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys, which were conducted to identify targets for DESI's operations, and from which the ninth and final dataset has just been released. These surveys comprise a unique blend of three projects that have observed a third of the night sky: the Dark Energy Camera Legacy Survey (DECaLS), observed by the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) on the Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at CTIO in Chile; the Mayall z-band Legacy Survey (MzLS) [2], by the Mosaic3 camera on the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope at KPNO; and the Beijing-Arizona Sky Survey (BASS) by the 90Prime camera on the Bok 2.3-meter Telescope, which is owned and operated by the University of Arizona and located at KPNO. "We designed the Legacy Surveys imaging project from the ground up as a public enterprise, so that it could be used by any scientist," said study co-author Arjun Dey, from NSF's NOIRLab. "Our survey has already yielded more than a thousand new gravitational lenses, and there are undoubtedly many more awaiting discovery. The DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys data are served to the astronomical community via the Astro Data Lab at NOIRLab's Community Science and Data Center (CSDC). "Providing science-ready datasets for discovery and exploration is core to our mission," said CSDC Director Adam Bolton. "The DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys is a key resource that can be used for years to come by the astronomy community for investigations like these." To analyze the data, Huang and team used the National Energy Research Scientific Computer Center's (NERSC) supercomputer at Berkeley Lab. "The DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys were absolutely crucial to this study; not just the telescopes, instruments, and facilities but also data reduction and source extraction," explains Huang. "The combination of the breadth and depth of the observations is unparalleled." With the huge amount of science-ready data to work through, the researchers turned to a kind of machine learning known as a deep residual neural net. Neural nets are computing algorithms that are somewhat comparable to a human brain and are used for solving artificial intelligence problems. Deep neural nets have many layers that collectively can decide whether a candidate object belongs to a particular group. In order to be able to do this, however, the neural nets have to be trained to recognize the objects in question [3]. With the large number of lens candidates now on hand, researchers can make new measurements of cosmological parameters such as the Hubble constant. The key will be to detect a supernova in the background galaxy, which, when lensed by a foreground galaxy, will appear as multiple points of light. Now that astronomers know which galaxies show evidence for strong lensing, they know where to search. New facilities such as the Vera C. Rubin Observatory (currently under construction in Chile and operated by NOIRLab) will monitor objects like these as part of its mission, allowing any supernova to be measured rapidly by other telescopes. Undergraduate students played a significant role in the project from its beginning. University of California student Andi Gu said, "My role on the project has helped me develop several skills which I believe to be key for my future academic career." ### Notes [1] Strong gravitational lenses are those where the effect is easily visible in the form of arcs or Einstein Rings. [2] z-band means the data were taken in the infrared, centered on a wavelength of 900 nm. [3] As an example, imagine trying to train a human who has never seen the night sky how to recognize a star. You would have to describe certain characteristics: it is small, it is bright, it is on a dark background. But immediately there are challenges. What if several stars are close together? What if the sky is a bit cloudy? What if the object is blinking (so is not a star at all, but a plane)? It quickly becomes clear that defining a clear set of rules to describe an object is actually very difficult. However, any human who has seen the night sky will simply be able to recognize other stars once they have seen them. This is the sort of thing that humans are very good at, and computers are very bad at. Hence the necessity to train highly sophisticated neural nets to recognize the desired objects. More information This research was presented in the paper Discovering New Strong Gravitational Lenses in the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys to appear in The Astrophysical Journal. The team is composed of X. Huang (Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of San Francisco), C. Storfer (Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of San Francisco), A. Gu (Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley), V. Ravi (Department of Computer Science, University of San Francisco), A. Pilon (Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of San Francisco), W. Sheu (Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley), R. Venguswamy (Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley), S. Banka (Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley), A. Dey (NSF's NOIRLab), M. Landriau (Physics Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory), D. Lang (Physics Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Toronto; Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Waterloo), A. Meisner (NSF's NOIRLab), J. Moustakas (Department of Physics and Astronomy, Siena College), A. D. Myers (Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Wyoming), R. Sajith (Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley), E. F. Schlafly (NSF's NOIRLab), and D. J. Schlegel (Physics Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory). NSF's NOIRLab (National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory), the US center for ground-based optical-infrared astronomy, operates the international Gemini Observatory (a facility of NSF, NRC-Canada, ANID-Chile, MCTIC-Brazil, MINCyT-Argentina, and KASI-Republic of Korea), Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), the Community Science and Data Center (CSDC), and Vera C. Rubin Observatory. It is managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) under a cooperative agreement with NSF and is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona. The astronomical community is honored to have the opportunity to conduct astronomical research on Iolkam Du'ag (Kitt Peak) in Arizona, on Maunakea in Hawai?i, and on Cerro Tololo and Cerro Pachon in Chile. We recognize and acknowledge the very significant cultural role and reverence that these sites have to the Tohono O'odham Nation, to the Native Hawaiian community, and to the local communities in Chile, respectively. DESI is supported by the US Department of Energy's Office of High Energy Physics; the US National Science Foundation, Division of Astronomical Sciences under contract to the NSF's NOIRLab; the Science and Technologies Facilities Council of the United Kingdom; the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation; the Heising-Simons Foundation; the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA); the National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico; the Ministry of Economy of Spain; and DESI member institutions. The DESI scientists are honored to be permitted to conduct astronomical research on Iolkam Du'ag (Kitt Peak), a mountain with particular significance to the Tohono O'odham Nation. Current DESI Member Institutions include: Aix-Marseille University; Argonne National Laboratory; Barcelona-Madrid Regional Participation Group; Brookhaven National Laboratory; Boston University; Brazil Regional Participation Group; Carnegie Mellon University; CEA-IRFU, Saclay; China Participation Group; Cornell University; Durham University; Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne; Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule, Zurich; Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory; Granada-Madrid-Tenerife Regional Participation Group; Harvard University; Kansas State University; Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute; Korea Institute for Advanced Study; Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Laboratoire de Physique Nucleaire et de Hautes Energies; Max Planck Institute; Mexico Regional Participation Group; New York University; NSF's NOIRLab; Ohio University; Perimeter Institute; Shanghai Jiao Tong University; Siena College; SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory; Southern Methodist University; Swinburne University; The Ohio State University; Universidad de los Andes; University of Arizona; University of Barcelona; University of California, Berkeley; University of California, Irvine; University of California, Santa Cruz; University College London; University of Florida; University of Michigan at Ann Arbor; University of Pennsylvania; University of Pittsburgh; University of Portsmouth; University of Queensland; University of Rochester; University of Toronto; University of Utah; University of Waterloo; University of Wyoming; University of Zurich; UK Regional Participation Group; Yale University. For more information, visit desi.lbl.gov. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory addresses the world's most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the Universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab's scientific expertise has been recognized with 13 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. DOE's Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 to promote the progress of science. NSF supports basic research and people to create knowledge that transforms the future. Established in 2007 by Mark Heising and Elizabeth Simons, the Heising-Simons Foundation is dedicated to advancing sustainable solutions in the environment, supporting groundbreaking research in science, and enhancing the education of children. The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, established in 2000, seeks to advance environmental conservation, patient care and scientific research. The Foundation's Science Program aims to make a significant impact on the development of provocative, transformative scientific research, and increase knowledge in emerging fields. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) of the United Kingdom coordinates research on some of the most significant challenges facing society, such as future energy needs, monitoring and understanding climate change, and global security. It offers grants and support in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics. Links Research paper Legacy Surveys portal Photos of DESI Videos of DESI Photos of the Nicholas U. Mayall 4-meter Telescope Photos of the Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope Photos of DECam Photos of the Bok 2.3-meter Telescope Contacts Xiaosheng Huang University of San Francisco Cell: +1 510 316 8390 Email: xhuang22@usfca.edu Arjun Dey NSF's NOIRLab Cell: +1 520 981 9024 Email: dey@noao.edu David Schlegel Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) Cell: +1 510 965 3287 Email: djschlegel@lbl.gov Amanda Kocz NSF's NOIRLab Cell: +1 626 524 5884 Email: amanda.kocz@noirlab.edu This story has been published on: 2021-01-14. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Gina Carano opened up about facing backlash from the Star Wars community over her conservative and anti-mask tweets amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The 38-year-old Mandalorian star, who received criticism after slamming Democrats for adhering to coronavirus safety protocols in November, spoke with YouTuber Drunk 3PO about her controversial social media presence late last month. 'People need to be OK with having conversations,' she told the host. 'With having difficult conversations, with having different opinions. What's wrong with having a different opinion?' Controversial: Gina Carano opened up about facing extensive backlash online and from the Star Wars community over her conservative and anti-mask tweets amid the COVID-19 pandemic; seen in December 2019 Gina did not address how the CDC has asked the American people to wear masks to help stop the spread of COVID-19. As of Wednesday, there are 381K people dead in the US from COVID-19. She continued: 'Why does everybody have to straight go to demoralizing because maybe they just didn't think the way you did?' The actress also noted that she is not deterred by critics and stays vocal to prevent them from controlling Twitter and other social media platforms. 'My whole perspective on this is, I've seen people get bullied off of Twitter on both sides,' the former MMA fighter explained. 'I don't like bullying, and If I don't stay present, which I don't even necessarily want to stay present that often, I want to make art, art is my passion, but if I don't stay present then other people win.' 'People need to be OK with having conversations,' she told the host. 'With having difficult conversations, with having different opinions. What's wrong with having a different opinion?'; seen in 2019 She continued: 'Other people win in bullying people off of platforms and there needs to be a more balanced platform.' Insisting she won't be silenced, the Texas-born performer pointed out that 'a lot of people are not bothered by' her presence on Twitter and she chooses to focus on her fans. 'I bring the fire out in people. I'm not sure why,' she said just weeks after sharing a snarky meme of two people putting face masks over their eyes like blindfolds. 'I bring the fire out in people. I'm not sure why,' she said just weeks after sharing a snarky meme of two people putting masks over their eyes like blindfolds 'BREAKING NEWS: DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT LEADERS NOW RECOMMENDS [sic] WE ALL WEAR BLINDFOLDS ALONG WITH MASKS SO WE CAN'T SEE WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON,' the meme read. At the time, many of Carano's 580,700 Twitter followers were outraged and tweeted that she should be removed from the hit Disney+ Star Wars spinoff series. After her latest interview, people turned to the platform again to share their thoughts about not wanting 'transphobic racist a**holes in The Mandalorian.' Angering followers: Many of Carano's 580,700 Twitter followers were outraged and tweeted that she should be removed from the hit Disney+ Star Wars spinoff series Hypocritical: One Twitter user suggested Disney CEO Bob Chapek review how Carano has 'shared dangerous conspiracy theories, treated the pandemic as a hoax, and been openly transphobic,' which doesn't 'seem very in line with' with his brand Many tweets point out how her tweets promoting hateful views and misinformation conflict with The Walt Disney Company's support of Black Lives Matter and Disney CEO Bob Chapek's recent statement condemning the violent act of rioters at the U.S. Capitol. One Twitter user suggested Chapek review how Carano has 'shared dangerous conspiracy theories, treated the pandemic as a hoax, and been openly transphobic,' which they pointed out doesn't 'seem very in line with' with his brand. Another tweeted that 'she clearly isn't afraid to be fired by Disney- and I think that speaks volumes not only about her, but also about Disney's complicity.' Another pointed out 'she clearly isn't afraid to be fired by Disney- and I think that speaks volumes not only about her, but also about Disney's complicity' Speak out: Twitter user @mastahskywolkah shared a tweet from Disney where they say they, 'stand against racism,' and tweets that Carano liked, which claimed America does not have a systemic racism problem Carano was previously called out in September for putting 'beep/bop/boop' in her profile, seemingly mocking trans people who put she/her/hers next to their name. Another fan, @alderaansben, added, 'Its more than political differences. She is spewing hate and violent, extremist ideals, and aligningn herself with white supremacists,' adding #FireGinaCarano. Twitter user @mastahskywolkah shared a tweet from Disney where they say they, 'stand against racism,' and tweets that Carano liked, which claimed America does not have a systemic racism problem. Replace: 'I'm totally down for #FireGinaCarano because she's transphobic and overall just an awful person who doesn't deserve a platform. Replace her with Katee Sackhoff's Bo Katan,' said @truemanofsteel_ Other fans not only want Disney to fire Carano, but give more prominent screen time to other female characters. 'I'm totally down for #FireGinaCarano because she's transphobic and overall just an awful person who doesn't deserve a platform. Replace her with Katee Sackhoff's Bo Katan,' said @truemanofsteel_ Another fan, @evanscohan, suggested, '#FireGinaCarano, make Koska Reeves the new female lead instead,' referring to the character played by Sasha Banks. Scotland Yard Deputy Commissioner Steve House revealed extent of crackdown Sir Steve said the officers were now 'accelerating more quickly' to enforcement In the first lockdown, Met Police gave out 4.5 fines a day compared to 300 now Britain's biggest police force is handing out a record 300 penalties a day with more Covid rule breakers fined in the past few weeks than in the first nine months of the pandemic. Scotland Yard Deputy Commissioner Sir Steve House yesterday revealed the extent of the crackdown as it emerged that officers are doling out 66 times more fines every day than during the first lockdown. ADVERTISEMENT When the restrictions were first announced, the Metropolitan Police dished out 4.5 fines a day on average between March 27 and April 13. In comparison, more than 300 people a day are now getting fixed penalty notices, with almost 4,000 penalties handed out so far in London. Scotland Yard Deputy Commissioner Sir Steve House yesterday revealed the extent of the crackdown as it emerged that officers are doling out 66 times more fines every day than during the first lockdown. Pictured: Police in Clapham Common, London Sir Steve said officers were 'accelerating more quickly' to enforcement rather than listening to excuses from Covid rule breakers this time around. 'We have seen a significant increase in the amount of fixed penalty notices that were issued,' he said. 'The number is increasing quite rapidly day on day. I wish it weren't so. I wish everybody was abiding by the regulations.' Click here to resize this module Between March 27 and December 20, the force handed out 1,761 penalties for breaking the rules, including for being outside home without a reasonable excuse, not wearing a mask or organising a mass gathering. Home Secretary Priti Patel has told police they can question people if they find them sitting on park benches. Met Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick has ordered officers to take a more hardline approach during this lockdown, saying it is 'preposterous' to suggest that the public would be unaware of the need to follow the rules. Yesterday her deputy said it was clear the public were not taking the rules as seriously this time around and the police had been asked by the Government to step up enforcement. Sir Steve described his frustration at anti-lockdown protests, citing a demonstration in Clapham, south London, last week where protesters were heckled by the public. ADVERTISEMENT 'As they were walking down Clapham High Street members of the public who were legitimately out started shouting at them and telling them they were a bunch of idiots,' he said. 'I wouldn't necessarily disagree with that view.' Around 20 people on a makeshift sledge cram onto a tarpaulin at Roudhay Park, Leeds today Pictured: Leeds today Pictured: Leeds today He also told the London Assembly Police and Crime Committee that his officers urgently needed vaccines and the force were happy to vaccinate their own officers and staff. Around 1,700 Metropolitan Police staff are off sick or self-isolating. On Wednesday night, Met officers broke up a party at an industrial unit in Southwark, south London, where they found at least 20 revellers on top of the building. Local residents cheered when police arrived. Two people were arrested, one on suspicion of carrying an offensive weapon, the other for suspected drug dealing. Five people were handed fines for breaching Covid restrictions. An illegal house party attended by up to 100 people in South Mimms, Hertfordshire, was also broken up by police. ADVERTISEMENT Police seized alcohol and music equipment from the organiser. One officer was hurt while trying to disperse the crowd and one person was arrested. At least 12 people were handed fines. The U.S. House voted to impeach President Donald Trump a historic second time on Wednesday, but six representatives from New York state voted against the impeachment. U.S. Reps. Elise Stefanik of Schuylerville, Tom Reed of Corning, Chris Jacobs of Orchard Park, Nicole Malliotakis of Staten Island, Andrew Garbarino of Long Island, and Lee Zeldin, also of Long Island, all Republicans, voted against charging Trump with incitement of insurrection over the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol. I am vehemently opposed to the snap impeachment of President Trump. It is a partisan ploy with no basis in the Constitution, said Stefanik, who represents NYs 21st Congressional District in the North Country. The Democrats decision to impeach the President with one week remaining in his term further fuels the divisions in the country during this very trying time. As Members of the United States Congress, we should focus on unifying our country by delivering solutions to the American people. The resolution to impeach Trump passed 232-197, making him the first U.S. president ever to be impeached twice. A Senate trial could began when Congress returns Jan. 19, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said. Twenty House members from New York voted in favor of impeaching including Rep. John Katko, R-Camillus. Katko is one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach, making it the most bipartisan presidential impeachment in modern times. To allow the president of the United States to incite this attack without consequence is a direct threat to the future of our democracy, Katko said in a statement. For that reason, I cannot sit by without taking action. I will vote to impeach this president. Reed said he would support a bill to censure Trump and an effort to ban him from holding federal office in the future, but argued impeachment was too big a step, and could further fan the flames of division without accomplishing anything. If our leaders make the wrong decision in how to hold him accountable, it could damage the integrity of our system of justice, further fan the flames of division, and disillusion millions of Americans all while failing to accomplish anything, Reed said in an op-ed. Given the tools that lie before Congress, it is clear that pursuing impeachment only days before President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated is not the answer. Trump impeachment: Presidents wall of GOP support breaks down Trump claims impeachment is angering nation, but wants no violence See text of House resolution to impeach Trump Stunning photos: National Guard fills US Capitol amid Trump impeachment Harvard cuts ties with Rep. Elise Stefanik, who blames woke Left Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 3 mesi fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili. Bharat Book Bureau Provides the Trending Market Research Report on North America French Fries Market Outlook 2030: Industry Insights & Opportunity Evaluation, 2019-2040under Food & Beverage Category. The report offers a collection of superior market research, market analysis, competitive intelligence and Market reports. North America French Fries Market by Product Type (Regular and Frozen); By Age Groups (Below 18 Years, 20 - 35 Years Old and Above 35 Years); By Distribution Channel (QSR, Institutional, Restaurant and Others) and Region Analysis of Market Size, Share and Trends for 2014 2019 and Forecasts to 2030. Product Overview French fries are a deep-fried meal made from potatoes which come in various shapes and sizes and is mostly served sweet, soft or crispy. French fries, potato chips, wedges are some types of frozen potatoes. Potatoes are kept at extremely low temperatures for food preservation and safety. Various kinds of French fries are available for customers, ranging from simple salted flavors to spicy versions. Market Highlights Request a free sample copy of North America French Fries Market Report @ https://www.bharatbook.com/marketreports/sample/reports/2175162 North America French Fries Market size was registered at USD XX billion in 2019 and is estimated to reach USD XX billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of XX% from 2020 to 2030. Certain factors driving the growth of the French frieze market in North America. North America French Fries Market: Segments Some factors that improve the role in the market of the key players within the French fries market have been the expansion, product launch, and acquisition as well as increased demand. Rising trend of working population relying on fast food due to busy lifestyles and improvements in consumption behavior also improve role of key players. North America French Fries Market: Key players Mccain Foods Limited -Company Overview -Business Strategy -Key Product Offerings -Financial Performance -Key Performance Indicators -Risk Analysis -Recent Development -Regional Presence -SWOT Analysis Agristo Nv Alexia Foods Aviko Cavendish Farms J.R. Simplot Company Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. Luxfries Bvba Nathans Famous Other prominent players Browse our full report with Table of Content : https://www.bharatbook.com/marketreports/north-america-french-fries-market-outlook-2030-industry-insights-opportunity-evaluation-2019-2040/2175162 About Bharat Book Bureau: Bharat Book is Your One-Stop-Shop with an exhaustive coverage of 15, 0000 reports and insights that includes latest Market Study, Market Trends & Analysis, Forecasts Customized Intelligence, Newsletters and Online Databases. Overall a comprehensive coverage of major industries with a further segmentation of 100+ subsectors. Contact us at: Bharat Book Bureau Tel: +91 22 27810772 / 27810773 Email: poonam@bharatbook.com Website: www.bharatbook.com "Mango tamales" are being credited for helping a South Texas snack shop weather the woes of pandemic-related business slowdowns. Yvette Gutierrez, owner of The Sweet Tooth Candy Apples in Robstown, says she added business hours to accommodate a flood of customers craving the new craze. The mango tamales are a sweet and sour take on the delicacy, which is usually made up of masa and either beef, pork or chicken. Instead, her shop uses a Fruit Roll-Up as the casing, fills it with mango and strawberry slices and then coats the concoction in liquid and powder chamoy. RELATED: Now you can get the viral 'pickle Fruit Roll-Up' in San Antonio The business owner calls it a "godsend" for her business, which faced a nationally shared struggle of emptied parking lots and dining rooms due to the pandemic. "Our business has suffered," she says. "We need to keep the lights on, we need to get the rent paid." Gutierrez says she even picked up baking, which she dislikes, to freshen up the menu. As she and her loved ones brainstormed ideas to help the business, eldest son, Joe Montalvo, pitched an idea he found on TikTok. The video her son shared showed step-by-step directions on how to make the mango tamales. Gutierrez got to work and tapped Montalvo as taste-tester. "He said, 'Mom, this is a game-changer," she says. Customers and online onlookers seem to agree. Gutierrez says the reactions to the $2 treat have been "crazy." Gutierrez has also been getting calls from business owners across the country asking for tips on introducing the candy-fruit tamales to their stores. "God has just been providing us a a way. I don't want to close my store, I've worked so hard," she says. "I'm really blessed that we're helping other businesses too." The mango tamales don't appear to have hit the San Antonio snack scene yet, but if you're in Robstown, The Sweet Tooth Candy Apples shop is located at 202 Messer Ave. Madalyn Mendoza covers news and puro pop culture for MySA.com | mmendoza@mysa.com | @maddyskye Bhopal: Following the police firing incident in Mandsaur, the Madhya Pradesh government on Monday appointed a single-member commission to inquire into the incident in which five persons were killed on June 6. Retired High Court judge Justice J K Jain would chair this Commission of Inquiry. The commission headquarters will be at Indore and it will submit its report in three months, a state public relations department official said. The commission will find out, among other things, the circumstances under which the firing incident took place and whether the force used by the police was reasonable under prevailing circumstances or not, and if not, who was responsible for this. The points of the commissions inquiry also include whether the district and police authorities had taken timely and appropriate steps during the prevailing circumstances and the incident. The commission will also suggest ways to prevent such incidents in the future, the official said. Also read: Shivraj Singh Chouhan should have met kin of deceased instead going for seven-star fast, says Congress The farmers protest in Madhya Pradesh, which began on June 1, took a violent turn on June 6, when five persons were killed in the police firing at Mandsaur. Subsequently, the farmers protest witnessed bandh and arson as the agitation spread to other districts of western Madhya Pradesh including Neemuch, Dhar, Ratlam and Jhabua. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had launched an indefinite fast here on Saturday with an appeal for peace and met farmer leaders. However, he ended his fast on Sunday saying peace has returned to the state. Before ending the fast, he had assured that those involved in the deaths in Mandsaur would be punished severely. Also read: MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan breaks his fast, says will make state land use advisory service for farmers' benefit For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. A former Melbourne chef, who sexually penetrated an intoxicated 16-year-old girl, gave her his clothes afterwards to wash so he could hide the incident from his wife. Graeme John Walter, 34, narrowly avoided jail on Thursday, but has been warned if he fails to get treatment that's where he'll go. Walter, then a chef at a Mornington Peninsula restaurant, tried to kiss the teenager after they had been drinking one night in June 2019. Former Melbourne chef Graeme Walter (pictured), who sexually penetrated an intoxicated 16-year-old girl, gave her his clothes afterwards to wash so he could hide the incident from his wife The girl pushed him away and tried to diffuse the situation by suggesting they leave. On the way out the door they went into a bathroom where Walter pulled down his pants and the girl's, and sexually penetrated her twice. She then got up and vomited in the toilet. He also vomited. Walter then took the girl home and said he shouldn't have done what he did because he had a wife and family. County Court Judge Kevin Doyle said the girl had been on her period and Walter got blood on his jumper. He asked her to take his jumper home and wash it so his wife wouldn't find out, and she agreed. Walter (right), who is a father and was married at the time of the assault, narrowly avoided jail on Thursday but has been warned if he fails to get treatment that's where he'll go Family noticed changes in the girl and asked if something happened. She replied that she couldn't say because it would 'ruin someone's life'. Walter was arrested in March last year and admitted to police he tried to have sex with the girl, but couldn't get an erection. He said he threw up a couple of times, realised the gravity of the situation and 'freaked out and panicked a bit'. Walter pleaded guilty to two charges of sexual penetration of a 16-year-old. Judge Doyle said the girl had suffered depression and nightmares after the incident. 'You persisted after she pushed you away,' he said. He said Walter, who admitted problems with drugs and alcohol but now abstains from both, had a good prospect of rehabilitation. He now lives with his parents after separating from his wife because of the incident and is unable to continue working as a chef. Judge Doyle ordered he undergo drug, alcohol and mental health treatment, and complete 180 hours of unpaid community work. 'You've missed going to jail by a sliver in this case. If you don't do this order I won't hesitate in ordering imprisonment,' he said. He'll also be placed on the sex offender register for 15 years. The committee also recommends that the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada submit the drafts to The Venice Commission. The Committee on Legal Policy of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine's parliament has recommended that the Parliament include in the agenda of the Rada's fifth session a draft law on constitutional procedure (No.4533) related to reform of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine (CCU), as well as an alternative bill. Verkhovna Rada envoy to the Constitutional Court, Deputy Head of the Parliamentary Working Group for Resolving the Constitutional Crisis, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada's Committee on Legal Policy, MP from the ruling Servant of the People Party Olga Sovgiria announced this on Telegram on January 14. "The Committee on Legal Policy has decided to recommend to the Verkhovna Rada that the draft law on the constitutional procedure (No. 4533 of December 21, 2020) and the alternative one, No. 4533-1, be put on the agenda of the fifth session of the Verkhovna Rada of the ninth convocation. It also recommends that the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada send the documents to The Venice Commission to obtain its opinion," she said. CCU reform When presenting the bill at a press conference on December 21, Sovgiria said the document proposed that the Constitutional Court of Ukraine pass decisions by two-thirds of its members. "These are 12 judges of the Constitutional Court. Today, decisions can be made by 10 judges. This is less than two-thirds," Sovgiria said, explaining that two-thirds is "the absolute majority required for us to realize that the move to repeal a certain law, recognize it unconstitutional is motivated, justified, and backed by a vast majority of CCU judges." Read alsoPresident's Office: CCU statement defying Zelensky's decree "null and void"In addition, it is envisaged that certain CCU judges may be challenged during proceedings. In this case, the number of votes required to hand down a ruling may be reduced, but at least 10 judges must still vote in favor of the decision. Moreover, it is envisaged that the Constitutional Court shall hear cases in oral proceedings, which will ensure openness and transparency in the CCU's activities. Sovgiria also explained that with regard to constitutional complaints, the proceedings shall be carried out mainly in writing, with the possibility of switching to oral ones if the issue raised in the constitutional complaint is publicly important and resonant. Speaking about the formation of the CCU agenda, she noted that it is formed in fact in "manual mode". "Today we have a situation where there are cases, whose consideration is delayed by Constitutional Court for six months or even more. There are certain cases that are heard for five or six years ... We propose that not only CCU chairman be able to influence the agenda and its formation, but also CCU judges. Cases with a certain frequency must be included on the agenda and heard by Court," she said. The draft law also proposes the introduction of an automated register of court acts and automated distribution of cases among judges-rapporteurs. Sovgiria also stressed that there should be no grounds for removing acts from such a register. The document stipulates that the CCU must not go beyond the issues raised in the constitutional motion. Among other things, it is envisaged that the CCU's definitions and acts, that is, rulings and conclusions, must be sound and motivated. In addition, it is proposed to regulate the basis of disciplinary proceedings against CCU judges in the law on the Constitutional Court of Ukraine with the possibility of resolving certain aspects in line with the CCU rules. In particular, it is established that the issue of disciplinary proceedings is considered by the Commission on Regulations and Ethics, which operates in the Constitutional Court; certain grounds for initiating disciplinary proceedings are determined; while those who can initiate such proceedings are designated, namely the council of judges, the president, people's deputies, and CCU judges. Reporting by UNIAN Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Hong Kong: Hong Kong national security police on Thursday arrested a lawyer and 10 others on suspicion of helping 12 Hong Kongers try to flee the city, local media reported in the latest arrests in an ongoing crackdown on dissent. The fresh wave of arrests comes a week after police arrested 55 pro-democracy activists under the new national security law, the largest move against Hong Kongs democracy movement since the law was imposed by Beijing last June to quell dissent in the semi-autonomous territory. District councillor and lawyer Daniel Wong Kwok-tung, (centre), is escorted by police outside his office after police search in Hong Kong, on Thursday, January 14. Credit:AP Recent arrests have intensified concerns that Beijing is asserting more control over the city, drawing criticism that it was breaking its promise of Hong Kong maintaining separate civil rights and political systems for 50 years from the handover from Britain in 1997. Police arrested eight men and three women aged 18 to 72 for assisting offenders, according to the South China Morning Post, which cited unnamed sources. WINDSOR (dpa-AFX) - Shares of Centrica plc (CNA.L) were gaining around 4 percent in the early morning trading in London after the energy and services company Thursday said it currently expects to report 2020 full year adjusted earnings per share from continuing and discontinued operations ahead of current market consensus. As of January 13, the average 2020 adjusted earnings per share of 16 analyst forecast is 4.8 pence. In its trading statement, the company reported resilient operational and financial performance in the second half of 2020 against the backdrop of Covid-19. The significant restructure announced in June remains on track, and trading and optimisation performance continued to be strong, in particular in LNG business. At the end of 2020, the company had 6.9 million UK energy supply customers and 3.6 million UK services customers, both broadly unchanged since the half year. The company noted that Covid-19 continued to impact financial performance, but the expected gross impact was lower in the second half than in the first half. UK business electricity demand was negatively impacted by around 15% in H2 2020 compared to around 30% in Q2 2020. Looking ahead, the company said it remains cautious as it enters 2021, with the return of tighter Covid-19 restrictions in the UK and Ireland expected to put continued pressure on business energy demand and limit services workload. Further, the related uncertain economic backdrop increases the potential for additional working capital outflow and higher bad debts. The company is due to release its 2020 Preliminary Results on February 25. In London, Centrica shares were trading at 51.40 pence, up 3.69 percent. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX CENTRICA-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Lucknow, Jan 14 : BJP MP from Unnao, Sakshi Maharaj, has created another political stir by claiming that the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi had helped the BJP in the Bihar Assembly elections and would also help in the Assembly polls in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. The BJP MP said that AIMIM's participation in UP and Bengal elections will help the BJP win the states. "It is God's grace. May God give him strength. He helped us in Bihar and will help us (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh panchayat and Assembly polls and also in West Bengal," he told media. The AIMIM has often been referred to as the 'B' team of the BJP since it helps in polarising votes on religious lines. However, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has strongly resented the tag and has denied having helped BJP with his brand of politics. Owaisi had contested last year's elections in Bihar, which was said to have cut into the Muslim votes that go to the opposition, leading to the NDA's victory. His party won five seats in the Muslim-dominated Seemanchal region -- a large figure given that the NDA won just 15 more seats than the Grand Alliance. After the elections, the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal had dubbed him the 'B Team of the BJP'. Owaisi has now announced his party's intention to contest the next state elections in Uttar Pradesh as part of a front led by former BJP ally Om Prakash Rajbhar. Owaisi, on Tuesday, had visited some districts of eastern UP accompanied by Rajbhar. Elections in Uttar Pradesh are due next year. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Victims of domestic abuse will now be able to access support from thousands of pharmacies across the UK using the codeword 'Ask for Ani'. From today anyone who is suffering from abuse will be able to get help in a 'discreet' way without their abusers or other members of the public knowing. Trained staff in 2,300 Boots and 255 other pharmacies will know to take customers to one side and discuss their options. As soon as they 'Ask for Ani' they will be taken to a private consulting room where they will be put in touch with the police, support services for victims or helplines. Victims of domestic abuse will now be able to access support from thousands of pharmacies across the UK using the codeword 'Ask for Ani' 'ANI' stands for Action Needed Immediately and also sounds like the name Annie - letting victims raise an alarm without tipping off an abuser when shopping - which is often their only trip out. Window posters will allow victims to easily identify from outside that certain pharmacies are taking part. The phrase will be promoted using discreet social media adverts. Making a statement on domestic abuse and hidden harms during the lockdown in the Commons, Safeguarding Minister Victoria Atkins said: 'Protecting those at risk of abuse and exploitation remains a priority for this Government, which is why I am so pleased that today I am able to announce the launch of a new codeword scheme for victims of domestic abuse called "Ask for Ani". Victoria Atkins MP, Minister for Safeguarding helped launch the first national Government-backed codeword scheme for domestic abuse victims 'From today, thousands of pharmacies across the UK will provide this service, enabling victims to seek help discreetly. 'Through a signal to a pharmacist, a victim will be provided with a safe space in the pharmacy and taken through the support available to them - whether that is a call to the police or a domestic abuse helpline service. 'The codeword scheme will offer a vital lifeline to all victims, ensuring they get help in a safe and discreet way.' Trained staff in 2,300 Boots and 255 other pharmacies will know to take customers to one side and discuss their options The Prime Minister Boris Johnson added: 'As we once again have to ask people across the country to stay at home to tackle this virus, it's vital that we take action to protect those for who home is not a safe space. 'That is why we have launched this scheme, supported by pharmacies up and down the country, to give some of the most vulnerable people in society a critical lifeline. 'It will make sure they have access to the support they need and keep them safe from harm.' Earlier this month a Women's Aid campaigner warned that domestic abuse cases could surge during this third national lockdown as perpetrators use the restrictions to 'create real barriers' and increase their control over their victims. Lucy Hadley, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Women's Aid, described how the restrictions last year had 'stopped victims from accessing the support' they needed and enabled abusers to isolate them. The charity, which found 78 per cent of women had found it more difficult to leave their toxic relationships in June last year, now expects there to be a spike in victims separating from their abusers after the lockdown finally comes to an end. Last year a report by Women's Aid, titled A Perfect Storm, found that domestic abuse had worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic, with 91 per cent of respondents experiencing domestic abuse saying the pandemic had negatively impacted them in at least one way. Of those women living with their abuser during lockdown, 61 per cent described how the abuse had worsened and 68 per cent said they felt they had no one to turn to during lockdown. Woman-Owned Catering Business Has Made Long-Standing Memories in Every Dish for Over 20 Years Food comes to life with chef Daria Le Sassier; her catering business showcases her love, starting from preparation-to-presentation. The goal for each bite of her cooking is for it to be rememberable. Daria shared her passion and how she came to be the most sought-after catering business in Los Angeles. Her extraordinarily wide pallet of cuisines was feasted upon by President-elect, Joe Biden, which can be seen on the Le Sassier Facebook account. With reliable support and the steady guidance received from her mentor, Le Sassier Catering continues to thrive. Staying true to her roots, Daria flourished in the Louisiana-style of cooking, but she wanted to expand her knowledge to diverse flavors and techniques, to reach everyones pallet. Daria reminisced over her journey and the pathway laid out by her mentor, the late chef Emanuel Thomas, who provided a solid foundation for Darias gifts to grow. ADVERTISEMENT Starting a business is always some interesting entrepreneurship, she stated, while looking back on how her journey began. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 65 percent of businesses fail in their first 10 years. Le Sassier Catering has been producing quality and extraordinary flavoring for over 20 years. Daria provided the inside scoop on how she keeps her clients clamoring for more. In her early 20s, Daria made the decision that she wanted to be her own boss; she had a gift for enchanting people with her cooking. She described the vibrant energy and happiness found at one of her dinner parties; her tantalizing cuisine made long-lived memories. Breaking bread with friends and family is the formal love language of New Orleans. Daria said, Coming from New Orleans, Louisiana, food was the biggest part of our whole thingits a heritage that we had Daria provided early memories of standing on a step stool to be a part of the culinary action; she joined her Aunt Ruth in the kitchen. Daria spoke highly of her aunts cooking, naming her one of the best cooks that she knows of. Her aunt left a strong impact on Daria, fostering her gift for rendering impeccable flavor. Thinking about Aunt Ruth, Daria said, She cooked so well, that the whole neighborhood loved her food. You could smell her fried chicken from down the block. Daria said everything Aunt Ruth touched was very tasty. The Los Angeles native shared her flare for her cooking comes from generational recipes that lay deep in her Louisiana roots. With bountiful memories of warmth surrounding the dinner table every Sunday; those shared laughs and full stomachs launched Darias inspiration to master the art of cooking. Encouragement came from her friends to continue developing her own lane in the culinary arts. Daria knew she had to be something in the industry of food, unaware that she was embarking on a 20-year legacy and eventually cooking for one of the most powerful soon-to-be leaders of the world. She started with the support of her sisters: Denise, Demetria, and Donna. Realizing all roads to success are different, the sisters dismantled the foundation, and took joy in finding their own holy grail of passions. However, Daria stayed true to how she felt; cooking made her happy, and she was going to pursue her dream by any means necessary. To this day, Darias family supports and provides encouragement on her expedition to greatness. Her niece, Donna Burch, supports the business by offering administrative assistance, and another of her sisters is readily available whenever they need an extra pair of hands to render a tri-tip feast to perfection. As my passion grew, I couldnt really afford culinary school, Daria explained; she created an unconventional way of mastering her gift. She continued, I found a caterer who was pretty exquisite in what he did. Chef Emanuel Thomas is a renowned culinary master, who created out-of-this-world flavor and a presentation of opulence in his execution. He catered to the legends of L.A.; and Chef Thomas became her mentor. Daria said, When we met, we instantly hit it off. She mentioned that Chef Thomas expertise created an aura of individuality, catering exclusively to the person honored to try it. When Daria joined Thomas cooking guild, her fire grew, and she wanted to know more about the art behind different culinary practices. She recalled a phrase he imparted to her when they met, I dont have a tutorial; just follow me. And Daria stated thats what she did. ADVERTISEMENT In the span of six years, Daria absorbed all that she could from Thomas, before he passed away in May. She mentioned the void that appeared among his clients; Thomas had developed strong ties and had clients who relished in his style of cooking for years. One client, in particular, was extremely loyal to the Thomas legacy; Marilyn Hudson, daughter of the first Black architect in the United States. Hudson and Daria crossed paths and developed a relationship through the Thomas catering circuit. Knowing that there was no one better suited to sit at the helm, Hudson said to Daria, Are you ready to do this, because you would be the one. Knowing the shoe size, she would be looking to fill, Daria was taken back by the thought. Hudson rallied behind her and began to spread the word, and Daria marked that moment as the time her culinary journey truly began. The doors flung open to a new threshold of catering opportunities; She found herself among the affluent within the collective community. Well-versed in all positions of the kitchen, Daria hit the ground running and took calculated strides to thrive in the catering circle. Thomas not only passed down his knowledge to her, he also passed down his seasoned crew. The loyalty from Thomas clientele, found its way to his mentee. Daria saw the same devotion with the clientele as Thomas did, and she continues doing business with them presently. Daria shared that her style is as limitless as her mind. Although she stays true to the southern notes of flavoring, she is aware of the romance that can come from other styles of cooking. she incorporates that into her menu, stating, Every ethnicity of food is wonderful. Daria mentioned her favorite dish to cook is blackened catfish chowder; she starts with slow- cooking a chowder base and grills catfish to add on top. She then adds sherry, herbs, and spices. The combination of ingredients highlights the catfish, and the chowder picks up the blend of smokiness and creamy notes, creating a new sensation of taste and warmth. Daria reminisced on her favorite moments in her journey; the goodness. When her cuisine was delivered across the country and into the Oval Office. She, and her team, served Le Sassier-style cuisine to President-elect Biden, who was smiling ear-to-ear from the aroma, flavors, and welcoming company. The diverse and noted chef closed with the remarks of love for her passion, You have to stay with your food; I talk to the foodits a thing. Daria continued, From me cooking it, to going to your stomach, it has to say, Oh, my God, this is so wonderful, and you remember it. And thats my job to remember the dish that you received from me. If I cant do that, then I shouldnt be cooking, she stated poignantly. Learning how to add her own essence under the watchful eye of her mentor, Daria continues to thrive within her catering business, one can explore the legacy of Le Sassier, and share the warmth of her food with friends and family, by dialing 213-361-9934. Visit her Instagram, Facebook page, or yelp for more details. In a historic vote, the House voted for a second time to impeach President Donald Trump, making him the first president to be impeached twice. Every Democrat as well as 10 Republicans including Rep. John Katko voted in favor of impeachment. The single article of impeachment accused Trump of inciting a riot on Jan. 6, when Trump-supporting terrorists stormed the Capitol as Congress was in the process of certifying President-elect Joe Bidens Electoral College victory. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, once again oversaw this weeks impeachment process albeit a much quicker one than in 2019. Shortly after the vote, he spoke with City & State from Washington, D.C. Obviously, this is the first time in history a president has been impeached twice, whats the significance of what we just saw? The significance is that the United States faced for the first time a tremendous plot against democratic government, against the self-government of the country. Weve never seen that before. And we had to do what we did. And the fact is that we impeached him the first time. Unfortunately, it didnt succeed in the Senate. Hopefully it will now. But we had to do it. The attack last week made it clear that he learned nothing just as I said, and other people said, in the first impeachment. In the Senate, (Sen.) Susan Collins said, Well, hell learn from this. And we said, no he wont. If hes not convicted, hell just learn that he can get away with anything. I think thats now proven. What was it like for you? Its not every day that you get to say you helped impeach the same president twice? Its not fun. I mean, the fact is that its a terrible necessity, but it had to be done. I dont enjoy it. This time was obviously much faster, the incident was last week and the impeachment was today. How else was this time different than the first go-round? I think what was different than the first go-round was that people were more willing to see what was going on. I mean, we, even in the Democratic Party, the first time, it took a long time to persuade people. We were pushing, some of us were pushing impeachment from the beginning, the very beginning of 2019. It took a long time to persuade people that it had to be done. This time I think people had seen that and we had that experience, and so they were willing to go much faster. And I understand this was the most bipartisan impeachment in history, with 10 Republicans voting in favor of impeaching a president from their own party. Well, in one sense, yes. But in one sense, no. Technically yes, because its an impeachment. But remember with (Richard) Nixon, he was not impeached by the House only because the Republican leaders went to him and told him that if he didnt resign, he would be convicted in the Senate. I think you have to say that that was the equivalent of a successful impeachment because he avoided the technicality of impeachment only by resigning from the Senate. The Republican leaders of those days were more honest than these days. They were willing to go through with it. What was it like entering a Capitol occupied by thousands of National Guard troops for this impeachment vote? Ive never seen anything quite like it. It felt good that they were there to protect us. (With) the experience we had last week, I was very glad to see all those troops there, it felt good. I wasnt happy about the necessity obviously, but we knew about that since last week. The Daily Beast Rexburg Police DepartmentA psychological evaluation has found Lori Vallowthe doomsday mom accused of murdering her two childrennot competent to stand trial.Assessment determined at this time the defendant is not competent to proceed and recommends restorative treatment, Seventh Judicial District Judge Steven Boyce wrote in a Thursday order pausing the case.Prosecutors have already contested the reports findings, but the judges order remains in effect pending determination of the issue of competency.The news comes after Vallow and her husband, Chad Daybell, were indicted on several new charges and accused of justifying the murders of three peopleincluding Vallows two kidswith their doomsday-centered religious beliefs.On Thursday, the Chandler Police Department confirmed to The Daily Beast that it has also submitted its investigation into the death of Vallows ex-husband, Charles Vallow, who was fatally shot by his brother-in-law in July 2019, to the Maricopa County Attorneys Office. Police said they recommended that Vallow should be charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murderthough it is up to county prosecutors to make an official charge.A Maricopa County Attorneys Office spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast they received the Chandler Police Departments investigation into Charles Vallows death on April 1, but declined to comment on it.Doomsday Couple Allegedly Murdered Threeand Justified It With Religious Beliefs On Tuesday, the couple was indicted on several charges, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, in connection with the deaths of Vallows kids, 7-year-old J.J Vallow and 17-year-old Tylee Ryan. Daybell, a doomsday author, was also been charged with first-degree murder for the October 2019 death of Tammy Daybell, his ex-wife. Vallow has been separately charged with grand theft for allegedly diverting her childrens Social Security benefits into her personal bank account. Prosecutors allege Daybell and Vallow did endorse and espouse religious beliefs for the purpose of encouraging and/or justifying the homicide of all three people.Their alleged murder spree began in 2019, when Charles Vallow was fatally shot by his wifes brother, Alex Cox, during a domestic dispute. Cox, who was not charged and died months later from natural causes, said at the time he fired in self-defense. In divorce and custody petitions against Vallow, Charles wrote that his estranged wife had become obsessed with doomsday visions and had threatened his life. He said Vallow believed she was reincarnated to lead people during the second coming of Jesus in July 2020 and said that if he got in the way of her saving humanity, she would kill him, according to NBC News.Vallow believes that she is receiving spiritual revelations and visions to help her gather and prepare those chosen to live in the New Jerusalem after the Great War as prophesied in the Book of Revelations, the divorce petition read.Vallow and Daybell, who are members of a community of doomsday preppers and were married two weeks after Daybell was widowed, are already in prison for several other crimes related to the childrens disappearance in September 2019.Im Not Supposed to Be Talking to You: Doomsday Mom Called Hubby From Jail as FBI Searched His HomeProsecutors allege Daybell and Vallow killed Tylee Ryan on Sept. 8 or Sept. 9, 2019, after almost a year of planning. About two weeks later, the pair allegedly killed J.J. The indictment states that Daybell then murdered his ex-wife in October with the help of Vallow and her brother. In January 2020, Vallow made national headlines when she refused to comply with a court order to produce her two children. It was later revealed she had also asked a friend to lie to the police and say she was watching J.J.Last June, Idaho authorities charged the pair with conspiracy to conceal evidence after the remains of two kids were found in Daybells home. Daybell is scheduled to enter a plea on the murder charges on June 9. Vallow was supposed to make an initial appearance on Wednesday but her hearing was put on hold at the request of her lawyer, Mark Means. Attorneys for Daybell and Vallow did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast's request for comment.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. In the Indian Army, for instance, adultery is described using the military euphemism 'stealing the affection of a brother officers wife'. The case is similar in the Air Force and the Navy too The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to examine the Central Governments request to keep adultery a crime in the armed forces. In its plea, the government said the 2018 verdict should not apply to armed forces where personnel can be cashiered from service on the grounds of unbecoming conduct for committing adultery with a colleagues wife. The Centre in its plea was referring to a September 2018 judgment, where a five-judge Constitution bench led by the then Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra scrapped Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that defined adultery as a criminal offence. The court had ruled at the time that the 19th Century law treats a husband as the master and violated constitutional rights such as equality and privacy. The application by the Department of Military Affairs, representing the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, raises the peculiar conditions in which its personnel work, away from families for long, and adds, in view of the judgment, there will always be a concern in the minds of the Army personnel about the family indulging in untoward activity, and that this may cause instability within the Applicants Services, reports Indian Express. Since the 2018 judgment was rendered by a five-judge bench, Justice Nariman said the clarification should come from a bench of the same strength. Nariman referred the matter to Chief Justice SA Bobde for setting up of a five-judge Constitution Bench which can clarify the position. During the hearing on Wednesday, Attorney-General KK Venugopal said that under the relevant rules of armed forces, adultery is a ground for court-martial for unbecoming conduct and therefore armed forces should be exempted from the purview of 2018 judgment of the Constitution Bench. He said that a clarification is needed in this regard from the top court on the applicability of the verdict in armed forces. But despite the judgment, the Indian Army has continued to act against officers found to have engaged in adulterous relationships. In August 2019, a bench headed by Justice Nariman had quashed the General Court Marshal (GCM) proceedings against a colonel who was charged with adultery. As per the case, a decorated colonel serving in Jammu and Kashmir was accused of having two adulterous encounters with the wife of a retired officer. The army had initiated proceedings against the officer, but he was reinstated by the apex court. What was the 2018 judgment? The apex court in September 2018, had struck down Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code, a 150-year-old law, that criminalises adultery, calling it unconstitutional and absolutely manifestly arbitrary. The logic behind the 2018 judgment was taken after considering two points. One, the privacy in a marriage and the fact that the wording of the provision of adultery in IPC only made for a man to be able to charge a man with the crime. Section 497 of IPC made it an offence if a man had sex with the wife of another married man without his connivance or consent. But only men, and not women, could be prosecuted. Second, there was no provision of the woman in the situation being able to place criminal charges on a man who commits adultery to her or on the woman with who he commits adultery with. 'Special circumstances' As per the Centre, the armed forces live under special circumstances where they remain away from their families for a long period of time, which in it would cause instability in their marriages and in situations where they stay away from their family for these long periods would result in apprehensions of their families "behaving untowardly". Additionally, the Centre speaks of the restriction on fundamental rights of the army personnel under Article 33 of the Constitution. Article 33 of the Constitution is an exception to the Fundamental Rights. It empowers the Parliament to restrict or abrogate the fundamental rights of uniformed personnel to maintain discipline and ensure the proper discharge of their duties. The Indian Army wants the offence to be punishable under Section 45 of the Army Act that deals with ''Unbecoming Conduct''. According to Section 45 of the Army Act: "Any officer, junior commissioned officer or warrant officer who behaves in a manner unbecoming his position and the character expected of him shall, on conviction by court-martial, if he is an officer, be liable to be cashiered or to suffer such less punishment as is in this Act mentioned; and, if he is a junior commissioned officer or a warrant officer, be liable to be dismissed or to suffer such less punishment as is in this Act mentioned." Offences of under adultery were punishable with a court-martial and five years rigorous imprisonment under Section 69 of the Army Act. Section 69 of the Army Act read with Section 354 (outraging modesty of a woman by criminal force or assault) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for conduct unbecoming of an officer. In the Indian Army, for instance, adultery is described using the military euphemism stealing the affection of a brother officers wife. The situation is similar in the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy too. As per the ThePrint, the adultery as an offence is only a notch below cowardice, which is punishable with even death. This is because officers and jawans get posted in field areas while their families remain in cantonments. Rules are strictly enforced to ensure that soldiers focus on the job and not on the welfare of his family. Discipline is the bedrock of the work culture in defence services and an essential ingredient for combat operations, the armed forces said. Armed forces exist in an environment wholly different and distinct from civilians. Honour is a sine qua non of the service, the Centre argued as per this ThePrint report. The punishment for stealing the affection of a brother officers wife derives its power from Section 497 and is not a standalone offence. Similar provisions exist in all three forces and prosecutions usually lead to the accused officers dismissal from the force. Scrapping of [section] 497, therefore, has thrown up a situation, a senior military lawyer told Firstpost. Officers and men stay away from families for months and are looked after by others, there has to be some deterrence to deal with this kind of improper behaviour, he added. Another argument given by the army is that due to the special conditions of families staying away for a long time, families become more vulnerable and by criminalising adultery, servicemen are given the "mental satisfaction" that their families are looked after. A senior army officer and lawyer told Firstpost, "There should be an apprehension among men to not look into such unbecoming behaviour. By bringing in this law, the moral and social fabric of the army is being held together. Men at borders need to be given this kind of mental satisfaction that their families are not being taken advantage of when they are away." While most agree that criminalisation of adultery will set a precedent among servicemen to not indulge in "unbecoming" behaviour, it remains to be seen what stance the highest court in the land takes. With inputs from agencies Vice President Mike Pence and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) preside over a Joint session of Congress to certify the 2020 Electoral College results after protestors stormed the Capitol earlier in the day in Washington on Jan. 6, 2020. (Erin Schaff/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Koch Network: Future Support for Lawmakers Based on How They Acted Before, During Capitol Breach The Koch networks nonprofit group and its linked political action committee (PAC) may not support lawmakers who took certain actions before and during the Jan. 6 Capitol breach. We decide to support candidates based on their record and ability to lead on policy that will help people improve their lives, Emily Seidel, the CEO of Americans for Prosperity and senior adviser for the super PAC Americans for Prosperity Action, said in a statement to news outlets. With that standard in mind, lawmakers actions leading up to and during last weeks insurrection will weigh heavy in our evaluation of future support. And we will continue to look for ways to support those policymakers who reject the politics of division and work together to move our country forward. The Koch network was founded by Charles and David Koch, brothers who are businessmen, philanthropists, and GOP megadonors. It was rebranded as Stand Together last year as Charles Koch vowed to counter destructive ideas like socialism and nationalism. Koch, one of the richest men in the world, wrote in a recent book that he regretted spending only on conservative causes. The network donated money to several Democratic candidates in 2020. Unite a diversity of people behind a common goal, Koch told the Wall Street Journal. Thats our approach today. Founder of Stand Together Charles Koch and CEO and Chairman of Stand Together Brian Hooks prepare for the Stand Together Summit in Colorado Springs, Colo., on June 29, 2019. (Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Stand Together) Republicans who supported electoral objections to votes from Arizona and Pennsylvania could see funding from the network dry up, the statement suggests. One hundred and 25 Republicans objected to Arizonas votes while 145 did so for Pennsylvanias votes. Protesters stormed the Capitol during the vote counting session on Jan. 6, interrupting the debate on Arizonas objection. Lawmakers, pundits, and others have since tried blaming the storming on those who objected to votes and President Donald Trump, impeaching the president for incitement of insurrection on Wednesday. A slew of corporations have halted donations to the Republicans who objected, including American Express, AT&T, and Airbnb. The Republicans have largely defended their actions, pointing out how Democrats objected to results in 2017 and 2005, among other years. Some wondered why I stuck with my objection following the violence at the Capitol, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) said this week. The reason is simple: I will not bow to a lawless mob, or allow criminals to drown out the legitimate concerns of my constituents. The statement from Americans for Prosperity came after Seidel, the CEO, issued a statement on Jan. 6 condemning the violence at the Capitol. We join fellow Americans who are watching the violence at the U.S. Capitol with grave concern. Violence is not the answer and never an acceptable way to resolve problems in our country, she said. Our prayers are for the safety of those in the Capitol, law enforcement, and those people who came to peacefully protest but have now been caught up in this violence. This must stop now. No head of state from foreign country as Republic Day chief guest this year India oi-Madhuri Adnal New Delhi, Jan 14: Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said there will be no Foreign Head of State or Head of Government as the Chief Guest for India's Republic Day 2021 event due to the global Covid-19 situation, days after UK PM cancelled visit. This will be the first time in at least five decades that the Republic Day celebrations, seen as a high point in India's diplomatic calendar, will not have a chief guest. For the first time in five and a half decades Republic Day unlikely to have chief guest The last time that the Republic Day did not have a chief guest was in 1966, the Indira Gandhi was sworn in as the prime minister following the death of Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri. The years 1952 and 1953 too did not have a chief guest during the Republic Day parade. A HT report said the decision was taken after UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson decided to cancel his visit due to the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country. The Republic Day this year will be of shorter duration. The marching contingent will be smaller and the cultural performances will be fewer. The number of spectators too be reduced at Rajpath on January 26. The overall traditional character of the parade would however be maintained despite the restrictions. A contingent of the Bangladesh armed forces will take part in the parade in view of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the 1971 war of liberation. The parade will begin from Vijay Chowk. However this year it would culminate at the National Stadium instead of ending at the Red Fort. This means that the parade which normally covers 8.2 kilometres will only 3.3 kilometres this year. Around 25,000 spectators will be allowed to witness the parade as compared to the average of 1.3 lakh people every year. There would be no permit for elders with Co-morbidities and children below the age of 15. WASHINGTON Amid the sea of troubling facts, arrests and iconic images that have emerged in the days since the assault on the Capitol, one element remains largely absent: reassurances from some of the nations top national security officials. Neither the acting attorney general, Jeffrey A. Rosen, nor the F.B.I. director, Christopher A. Wray, has appeared at the type of high-profile news conference that typically marks a major criminal investigation, instead issuing news releases. Mr. Rosen also called for calm and vowed to fully investigate the violence, but the comments came in a video posted by the Justice Department on YouTube around midnight. Chad F. Wolf, the departing acting secretary of homeland security, was in the Middle East during the siege and did not return until later in the week. He also issued a news release that week calling the riot tragic and sickening. For the most part, officials have not addressed that President Trump himself incited the attack by his supporters on Congresss certification of the Electoral College results. Mr. Trumps refusal to concede the election or to acknowledge his role in goading his supporters has forced administration officials to choose between remaining relatively silent or speaking out in a public setting where they could be pushed to directly contradict him, according to two current government officials and two former national security officials. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Police are looking for a man who allegedly snatched a pair of headphones from a woman who was waiting for a bus at the St. George ferry terminal. A 42-year-old woman was waiting for the S52 bus at the ferry terminal on Dec. 27, 2020, at around 8:30 p.m., when the man snatched her Beats headphones from her head, police said in a statement. The man was riding a bicycle, according to police. Police provided a picture of the man taken while on the Staten Island Ferry shortly before the incident. Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls are kept strictly confidential. SANE Vitaae contains a proprietary blend of ingredients that provide natural brain inflammation support while also supporting healthy brain function. The science is clear that being in a state of chronic stress is harmful to your mental health as it can lead to neuroinflammation - a condition associated with brain fog - and other cognitive stressors were seeing during this pandemic," Jonathan Bailor, Founder and CEO of SANESolution. Today, SANESolution is announcing an innovative supplement called SANE Vitaae to naturally support healthy and effective brain function against pandemic fatigue. With mental stress and fatigue due to the pandemic at an all-time high, Vitaae is the answer to a calm and sharpened mind. Living with the uncertainty and threat of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, we are experiencing what the World Health Organization (WHO) calls pandemic fatigue, a condition of apathy and demotivation. 1 Pandemic fatigue is a natural response to a prolonged health crisis like we are currently experiencing, and this form of mental fatigue is an unpleasant and unproductive experience for those who are suffering from it. Symptoms of pandemic fatigue include anxiety, frustration, irritability, sadness/depression, and trouble focusing (brain fog). 2 The science is clear that being in a state of chronic stress is harmful to your mental health as it can lead to neuroinflammation - a condition associated with brain fog - and other cognitive stressors were seeing during this pandemic, said Jonathan Bailor, Founder and CEO of SANESolution. But brain inflammation does more than just cause cognitive impairment. The latest groundbreaking clinical research is showing that it may be the hidden cause of a slowing metabolism, obesity, diabetes, and even heart disease. That is to say, stress-induced neuroinflammation from the pandemic could have long-lasting and far-reaching mental and physical health consequences if proactive measures are not taken. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 The Chief Medical Director at SANESolution, Matthew Olesiak, M.D. added, To protect the health of the brain and the body, it is important to find ways to not only de-stress during this pandemic and beyond, but to also regularly take a supplement that supports its health. This is why Vitaae was created. Developed by a team of researchers headed by Jonathan Bailor, SANE Vitaae contains a proprietary blend of ingredients that provide natural brain inflammation support while also supporting healthy brain function. At the heart of Vitaae is Cognizin, a patented form of Citicoline shown to increase brain energy levels and significantly increase attention and motor speed in clinical research trials. Citicoline is a chemical that occurs naturally in the body, and studies indicate it may increase phosphatidylcholine, a brain chemical essential for proper brain function. 8, 9, 10 During his research, Jonathan Bailor also discovered several other nutrients shown to synergistically and naturally support the brain's natural inflammation response as well as support overall brain health and function -- including folate, acetyl-l-carnitine, and coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ10) -- which he also included in the supplement to provide people with a complete multi-factor brain health formula. 11, 12, 13 Dr. Olesiak further noted, Science has shown us that there is indeed something we can do to relieve the symptoms and combat the long-term negative health effects of pandemic fatigue. Vitaae combines the most potent and effective grade brain health nutrients into a formula that has shown to help minimize these negative effects. Now available for purchase nationwide, Vitaae is the breakthrough health product of 2021 as it supports a healthy response to stress-induced brain inflammation while also acting to support overall brain health, thus mitigating negative cognitive effects of pandemic fatigue. For more information, or to purchase Vitaae, visit: https://store.sanesolution.com/products/sane-vitaae-brain-health-formulation ### About SANESolution: SANESolution is a wellness technology and metabolic healing company dedicated to ending the Diabesity (diabetes plus obesity) epidemic. Backed by 1,300 clinical studies and thousands of success stories, SANESolutions metabolic healing framework and model is the only program endorsed by top doctors at the Harvard Medical School, Johns Hopkins, the Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic, and UCLA, and is the subject of New York Times best-selling books, and award-winning documentaries. Started as a not-for-profit research project by a ten-year Microsoft alum, Jonathan Bailor, SANESolution has transformed into a trusted international wellness brand focused on reversing the most common and devastating modern diseases. Using the latest innovations in biochemical research and a service-first story-based marketing approach to reach, lift up, and educate consumer health choices, SANESolution is changing the world of wellness by helping everyone from the underprivileged to the Fortune 500 CEO to regain their SANEity one new SANE consumer at a time. SANESolution was inducted into Inc. 5000s list of Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America for 2020. For more information, visit: https://store.sanesolution.com SANE Vitaae Ingredients: Vitamin D (as cholecalciferol) Folate (as 5-MTHF from Calcium Methyltetrahydrofolate) Acetyl L-carnitine HCL L-Carnitine Tartrate Gymnema sylvestre Leaf Extract 25% Gymnemic Acid Omega-3 Fish Oil Miroencapsulated (9% EPA, 6% DHA) Citicoline Sodium (CDP-Choline) CoQ10 (as HydroQsorb) Other ingredients: Gelatin, magnesium stearate, silica, and rice flour. Scientific References 1- World Health Organization. WHO/Europe discusses how to deal with pandemic fatigue. WHO. Oct 7, 2020. Accessed Jan 5, 2021. https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/who-europe-discusses-how-to-deal-with-pandemic-fatigue 2- UCLA Health. 7 Steps to Reduce Pandemic Fatigue. UCLA. Jul 7, 2020. Accessed Jan 5, 2021. https://connect.uclahealth.org/2020/07/07/7-steps-to-reduce-pandemic-fatigue/#:~:text=%20You%20may%20notice%20that%20you%3A%20%201,racing%20thoughts%207%20Withdraw%20from%20others%20More%20 3- Helena C.Cesar, Luciana Pellegrini Pisani. Fatty-acid-mediated hypothalamic inflammation and epigenetic programming. Jrnl of Nut Biochem. Volume 42, April 2017, Pages 1-6 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955286316304624#f0010 4- Cai D, Liu T. Hypothalamic inflammation: a double-edged sword to nutritional diseases. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2011;1243:E1-E39. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06388. 5- Cai D, Liu T. Hypothalamic inflammation: a double-edged sword to nutritional diseases. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2011;1243:E1-E39. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2011.06388. 6- Calcia MA, Bonsall DR, Bloomfield PS, Selvaraj S, Barichello T, Howes OD. Stress and neuroinflammation: a systematic review of the effects of stress on microglia and the implications for mental illness. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2016 May;233(9):1637-50. doi: 10.1007/s00213-016-4218-9. Epub 2016 Feb 5. PMID: 26847047; PMCID: PMC4828495. 7- EurekaAlert. Chronic stress and anxiety can damage the brain. Baycrest Cenre for Geriatric Care. Jan 21, 2016. Accessed Jan 6, 2021. https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-01/bcfg-csa012116.php 8- McGlade E, Agoston AM, DiMuzio J, Kizaki M, Nakazaki E, Kamiya T, Yurgelun-Todd D. The Effect of Citicoline Supplementation on Motor Speed and Attention in Adolescent Males. J Atten Disord. 2019 Jan;23(2):121-134. doi: 10.1177/1087054715593633. Epub 2015 Jul 15. PMID: 26179181. 9- Babb SM. Wald LL. Cohen BM. Villafuerte RA. Gruber SA. Yurgelun-Todd DA. Renshaw PF. Chronic Citicoline Increases Phosphodiesters in the Brains of Healthy Older Subjects: An In Vivo Phosphorus Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study. Psychopharmacology. 161(3):248-54, 2002 May. https://cognizin.com/en/studies/chronic-citicoline-increases-phosphodiesters-in-the-brains-of-healthy-older-subjects-an-in-vivo-phosphorus-magnetic-resonance-spectroscopy-study 10- Babb SM. Wald LL. Cohen BM. Villafuerte RA. Gruber SA. Yurgelun-Todd DA. Renshaw PF. Chronic Citicoline Increases Phosphodiesters in the Brains of Healthy Older Subjects: An In Vivo Phosphorus Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study. Psychopharmacology. 161(3):248-54, 2002 May. https://cognizin.com/en/studies/chronic-citicoline-increases-phosphodiesters-in-the-brains-of-healthy-older-subjects-an-in-vivo-phosphorus-magnetic-resonance-spectroscopy-study 11- D'Anci KE, Rosenberg IH. Folate and brain function in the elderly. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2004 Nov;7(6):659-64. doi: 10.1097/00075197-200411000-00011. PMID: 15534434. 12- WesnesKeith A, Josh R. The Effects on the Cognitive Function of Healthy Volunteers of a Combination of Acetyl-L-Carnitine, Vinpocetine and Huperzine A Administered Over 28 Days. Int J Neurol Neurother. 2019;6(2). doi:10.23937/2378-3001/1410089. 13- Sanoobar M, Eghtesadi S, Azimi A, Khalili M, Khodadadi B, Jazayeri S, Gohari MR, Aryaeian N. Coenzyme Q10 supplementation ameliorates inflammatory markers in patients with multiple sclerosis: a double blind, placebo, controlled randomized clinical trial. Nutr Neurosci. 2015 May;18(4):169-76. doi: 10.1179/1476830513Y.0000000106. Epub 2014 Jan 10. PMID: 24621064. Residents of northern Vietnam saw the return of sunlight and warmer temperatures on Thursday morning as the cold front impacting the region has begun to subside, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. Intense cold, however, was still blanketing several northern areas, as well as the central provinces from Thanh Hoa to Thua Thien Hue, with temperatures dropping to as low as four degrees Celsius in some regions. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting also reported the possibility of sub-zero temperatures in high-altitude areas, with chances of frost. Temperatures in northern provinces are expected to climb to 20 degrees Celsius. With warmer temperatures, northern farmers have opportunities to resume work after a week of interruption caused by extreme cold, frost, and sleet. However, the temperature disparity between daytime and nighttime will remain, with bitter cold at night and in the early morning. The cold front is expected to continue in central areas, with the provinces from Ha Tinh to Thua Thien Hue going to record temperatures as low as nine degrees Celsius, while the region from Da Nang City to Quang Ngai Province may experience mercury as low as 15 degrees Celsius. The Central Highlands and southern provinces will also experience cold weather at night, with Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding provinces to see temperatures around 23-27 degrees Celsius. Speaking on weather conditions over the next months, the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting anticipated a 0.5 to one degree Celsius drop in average temperature in January and February compared to the same time last year. Cold spells over this period will last around five to seven days and prolong even more in northern mountainous areas. Experts have advised residents to curb outdoor activity, wear warm clothing, avoid burning coal for heat in insulated rooms, as well as consider keeping children off school based on temperatures. Residents are also recommended to pay attention to weather updates and cold front developments on a regular basis. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A Texas megachurch pastor who once served as a spiritual adviser to Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama has been sentenced to six years in prison after persuading investors to spend millions on useless historical Chinese bonds. Kirbyjon H. Caldwell, 67, was sentenced Wednesday in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he and his co-defendant, Gregory A. Smith, were indicted in 2018. Caldwell, who in March pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was the senior pastor of Houston's Windsor Village United Methodist Church, which has about 14,000 members. According to federal prosecutors, Caldwell and Smith, a Shreveport-based investment adviser, used their clout and influence to persuade people to invest about $3.5million in historical Chinese bonds. The bonds were reportedly issued by the former Republic of China that lost power to the communist government in 1949. The bonds arent recognized by Chinas current government and have no investment value. Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell has been sentenced to six years in prison for bilking investors out of millions of dollars Kirbyjon Caldwell previously served as a spiritual adviser to Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama Caldwell, who served as a spiritual adviser to Obama, received about $900,000 from the scheme Caldwell has a masters degree from the Wharton School of Business and previously worked in the financial industry The Securities and Exchange Commission considers the bonds to be 'mere collectables with no value outside of the memorabilia market,' according to prosecutors. Caldwell 'used his status as the pastor of a mega-church to help convince the many victim investors that they were making a legitimate investment, but instead he took their hard-earned money from them and used it for his own personal gain,' Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook said in a statement. 'This office will continue to investigate and prosecute those who scheme and prey upon the elderly and others.' Caldwell personally received about $900,000 from the scheme and used it to maintain his lifestyle and pay down credit cards and mortgages, according to the Justice Department. Kirbyjon Caldwell, the former senior pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston, used his clout to sell historical Chinese bonds The former pastor was also ordered to pay nearly $3.6million in restitution Caldwell, 64, is a close friend of former President George W. Bush Besides his six year sentence, Caldwell was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,588,500, as well as a fine of $125,000. He is set to report to federal prison on June 22. After his release, he will spend one year on supervised release. The pastor has a masters degree from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and had worked in the financial industry. In November, Smith was also sentenced to six years in prison. Floyd LeBlanc, chairman of the Windsor Village Church Family Personnel Committee, said in a video posted to Facebook that Caldwell has taken full responsibility and paid full restitution to all the victims. LeBlanc said Caldwell has remained active within the church during his case, including helping with virtual ministry and weekly food distributions to families during the pandemic. 'Mr. Caldwell has apologized and asked forgiveness from the people harmed in this matter,' LeBlanc said. LeBlanc also described Caldwell as a victim for choosing the wrong business partners. 'Were very disappointed that Mr. Caldwells contributions to society and his extraordinary efforts to make every victim whole resulted in a sentence that is disappointing,' LeBlanc said. Prothom theke prothomey, Bengali approximation for a leader from birth is the brand promise with which TV9 Network launched TV9 Bangla, 24x7 news channel beaming out of Kolkata. TV9 Bangla is the sixth language news channel from the House of TV9 and will bring a whiff of fresh air to the Bengali news genre with its unique perspective, best-in-class facilities, state-of-art technology and top rung journalists. Just like all its language siblings TV9 Telugu, TV9 Kannada, TV9 Marathi, TV9 Gujarati and TV9 Bharatvarsh which are all leaders in their respective genres, making TV9 Network the biggest television news powerhouse Commenting on the channel going live today, TV9 Network CEO Barun Das said: Inspired by its glorious past and distinct regional pride, West Bengal is finally getting ready to resurrect and revive. And TV9 Bangla is here to chronicle this new development narrative with neutrality and world class presentation. TV9 Network enjoys undisputed regional dominance in language differentiated markets and with Bangla we will extend our lead. We will be a game changer in this robust market. Explaining the rationale behind the channel going with the prothom pitch, Das said: The word prothom signifies three broad elements first its an allusion to our beloved state West Bengal. Its an aspiration to see Bengal at the top of the charts again. Second, TV9 Network will further reinforce its position as the No. 1 news network with TV9 Bangla adding to its already substantial lead over competing networks. And third, we are vying for a lateral entry at No. 1 position in the West Bengal market. Calling upon the discerning Bengali news consumers to sample TV9 Bangla, Das added: We are here to redefine news coverage by simply doing the basics, turning to the good old style of neutral journalism balanced perspective and fact-based reporting. We are here to give test to the Fourth Estate, especially as the state goes to polls. Thats why the viewers just cant afford not seeing us Na DekheleiNoye. On the timing of the launch, the CEO said: The state is already into election mode. Given that Bengals propensity for free flow of information, news viewership is bound to peak. We believe this is a perfect opportunity for TV9 Bangla to establish its credentials and win the maximum share of voice. Thanking the advertiser community for showing immense faith in TV9 Bangla, Chief Revenue Officer Amit Tripathi said: We are proud to add another feather to our cap with TV9 Bangla. Thanks to our customer first approach and remarkable deliveries, we enjoy unstinted confidence of our advertisers which was further strengthened by the unprecedented success of TV9 Bharatvarsh. With the launch of TV9 Bangla, we look forward to providing our partners the best media solutions cutting across geographies and priority markets. We are delighted that our esteemed advertisers from all over the country have already given a thumbs up to our Bangla by committing their support for the channel from day one. Speaking on the launch, Gautam Sarkar, Business Head, TV 9 Bangla, said We are super excited to launch TV9 Bangla from Indias No. 1 news network in Bengal. We have a very experienced, efficient and energetic team that is capable to bring forth this new chapter in the regional news broadcasting industry. Being unparalleled, indomitable and fearless, we promise to leave a lasting impression and be a trendsetter in the electronic and digital platforms. I am very confident that we will hit every TV screens of Bengal to be the No. 1 soon. Adding an editorial perspective, Amritanshu Bhattacharya, Deputy Managing Editor and Editor-Digital, TV9 Bangla, said As we have embarked on this new journey, we shall create a milestone in the regional electronic media fraternity. We are proud to enter into the land of Bengal tigers and roar loudest with the latest updates from every nook and corners of Bengal. Our team intends to bring the latest minute-to-minute news updates with correct facts and figures that shall thrive and make a top of the mind recall for the viewers both in the TV as well as digital. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 14) The Philippines must now brace for local transmissions of the new COVID-19 variant that first emerged in the United Kingdom after it was detected in a Filipino who recently returned from abroad, health experts warned Thursday. In an interview on CNN Philippines' The Source, Dr. Rontgene Solante, head of San Lazaro Hospital Adult Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine Department, said the Philippines must be more aggressive in the implementation of health protocols, and all returning travelers must be strictly quarantined, even if they come from countries that have not yet reported the more contagious variant. "Even if a country has not reported the UK variant, as long as there is anybody outside the country, I think we have learned our lesson now. We need to be vigilant in doing testing and sequencing, particularly on anybody who is coming from another country," Solante said. He added: "Definitely, we need to strengthen our health protocol measures especially in public places. One of the more important aspects here is really looking at a possible local transmission." The Department of Health, together with the Philippine Genome Center, confirmed that the B.1.1.7. SARS-CoV-2 variant, which was first reported in the UK, has been detected in samples from a Filipino who returned home from the United Arab Emirates on Jan. 7. The patient has been described as a male resident of Quezon City who departed for Dubai on December 27, 2020 for business purposes and arrived back in the Philippines last Jan. 7, 2021 on Emirates Flight No. EK 332. READ: New COVID-19 variant from UK detected in PH Meanwhile, OCTA Research fellow Fr. Nic Austriaco said in a separate interview that the government must check if the new COVID-19 variant has affected the number of infections in Metro Manila. "We have to look at the numbers carefully. If there is any hint that the variant has taken hold of the pandemic in the NCR, then the government has to do whatever it can do to reduce social mixing and to mitigate mobility...What we want to avoid another lockdown," he told CNN Philippines' News.PH. According to Solante, with the new variant having a 70% to 80% transmissibility rate, authorities in charge of testing and tracing must consider the ones with whom the patient has had contact prior to his departure for Dubai, in the airplane, and at the airport. A house-to-house surveillance must even be considered on the ones he had interacted with at least a week before he left the Philippines. Although more contagious, Philippine Genome Center Executive Director Dr. Cynthia Salome said it does not mean the new variant is more dangerous. "The data suggests that it is highly infectious...but it's not any deadlier than the typical SARS-Cov-2. So even if an individual is infected with this virus, there's no evidence the symptoms will be any more severe," she told CNN Philippines' The Final Word. But does this mean that the United Arab Emirates and other countries that have not yet detected the UK variant be part of an expanded travel ban? Solante said this may not be necessary for now, but the Philippines must be extra vigilant. "At this point, I don't think we need not do that ban, but it would be enough that any person coming from any country outside the Philippines, they should be tested for protection," he said. Solante added: "In countries that have not yet [reported the new variant], we cannot assure that they don't have them. Their ability to detect will also depend on how extensive are they doing the surveillance in that particular country." For his part, Austriaco said the government should maintain its travel ban on certain countries and make sure international travelers will follow quarantine protocols. "We really urge the government to maintain the travel ban and the strict 14-day mandatory quarantine for travelers, because even if the variant is here and maybe there are few patients with that variants, we don't want to unnecessarily increase the number of variants in the country," he said. The Philippines suspended all flights from the United Kingdom beginning Dec. 24, a ban that later included 31 other countries and territories, following reports of the new COVID-19 variants. To date, the country has recorded 492,700 cases, which include 9,699 deaths and 458,523 recoveries. Here is a hypothetical. What would be the political response were a bidder from the Anglosphere to swoop in with a 30 billion offer for Britain's largest supermarket chain Tesco? In these days of highly leveraged takeovers, such an approach is not impossible. After all, earlier this week the Canadian convenience store chain Alimentation Couche-Tard launched a 14 billion offer for France's dominant grocer, Carrefour. Tesco is a bigger bite and is having a good pandemic as the latest trading update shows, with a 6.7 per cent jump in same store sales in the third quarter accelerating to 8.1 per cent in the six weeks to January 9. Earlier this week the Canadian convenience store chain Alimentation Couche-Tard launched a 14 billion offer for France's dominant grocer, Carrefour 'Finest' had a particularly good holiday season. If there were a bid for Tesco, I would not expect Rishi Sunak to unfurl the union flag and declare that domestic ownership of Tesco is critical to UK food security. There would almost certainly be a reference to the Competition and Markets Authority as there was most recently when the British billionaire brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa made an offer for Asda. Across the channel they do things differently. French finance minister Bruno Le Maire publicly opposed the French-Canadian bid, declaring jobs and food sovereignty were key concerns about a takeover of Carrefour. He echoed arguments made when PepsiCo was considering a deal for French yoghurt maker Danone in 2015. Le Maire's intervention likely will cool Alimentation Couche-Tard's enthusiasm, but is largely a straw man. There is no overlap between the Canadian firm's convenience store and petrol stations and Carrefour at all. The predator is unlikely to sack or move cashiers to North America or substitute Canadian food suppliers for French counterparts. Food security is an issue for governments, as we learned during the brief French blockade of channel ports before Christmas, and is now being seen in Northern Ireland. Agriculture is a mighty lobby in France so the finance minister will have felt he had no choice but to intervene. On overseas takeovers, France and the UK are at the opposite ends of the spectrum: one highly protectionist, the other welcoming. It is gratifying that Boris Johnson's government is moving the dial in the direction of the broader national interest. Compass is among a group of big UK-based service companies that because of superior performance rarely makes a wave, says Alex Brummer (Stock image) Going big Compass is among a group of big UK-based service companies that because of superior performance rarely makes a wave. The last time it made headlines, before the Chartwells free school meal scandal, was in 2017 when chief executive Richard Cousins tragically died in a plane crash in Australia. As a sprawling giant, providing food services in 45 countries, one wouldn't expect chief executive Dominic Blakemore to have a personal grip on every contract. It is hard to believe that when the deal to provide 'free' school meals was signed, with an unnamed county council, that Blakemore or UK chief executive Robin Mills were on the case. As important as every bit of business might be during a pandemic, it is not Wimbledon, Twickers or this paper's canteen. What the senior team should have recognised immediately is how a local political row, involving the country's least well-off schoolchildren, could blow up in the company's face badly, damaging the group's reputation. At G4S, a scandal about security readiness at the Olympic Park in 2012 cost chief executive Nick Buckles his job. The correct response for Blakemore and the board of Compass in such circumstances was to go big. With due respect, the promise to supply free breakfast to all the affected families looks footling. There should have been a grown-up, no excuses apology and a promise to supply more generous quality meals free of charge to local authority and the taxpayer until such time as school closures end, and through the Easter break. For a 25 billion company which raised 2 billion of extra cash from investors as recently as May that would have been an appropriate response. Hotel manager All job losses are a blow to the people involved. The 1,500 pandemic cull at Premier Inn-owner Whitbread is better than the 6,000 envisaged a few months back. Credit to chief executive Alison Brittain for convincing key investors that Covid is an expansion opportunity in Germany where it has gone from five no-frills hotels to 68 in the last year. Refurbishment may mean losses rather than profits for the next couple of years. But disease also has created a buyers' market as local owners struggle with debt. Prost. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Flash France on Wednesday confirmed 23,852 infections with COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, the biggest one-day tally since Jan. 6, as more infectious variants circulate, posing growing risk of the epidemic rebound, health authorities data showed. France's cumulative number of infections has grown to 2,830,442, with the coronavirus-related deaths surpassing 69,000 after 229 patients died in one day. Some 24,769 patients were hospitalized, of whom 2,711 are in intensive care units, up by 32 and 23 respectively. Early Wednesday, Jean-Francois Delfraissy, the government's top scientific adviser, warned that "the coming three months will be difficult," notably due to the circulation of the highly infectious virus variant first detected in the United Kingdom. "I am very concerned about this variant... If we do nothing, if a certain number of measures are not taken... very quickly, we will have a spread of the variant," he told France info radio, adding "The question is not to block it, but to slow it down." Delfraissy expected "the situation will slightly improve during the spring but should really get better at the end of the summer." About 47 cases of the variant were confirmed in France where the new strain accounted for an estimated 1 percent of the COVID-19 infections, said Health Minister Olivier Veran on Tuesday during a hearing at the parliament. "One percent today is 50 percent in six weeks, so we must try to slow down this progression as much as possible because once there are 50 percent of the variant among all the cases we see on the territory, the epidemic will unfortunately have become much more difficult to control," said epidemiologist Pascal Crepey on Wednesday on BFM TV. As of Wednesday, more than 247,000 people in France have been vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data released by the Health Ministry. As the world is struggling to contain the pandemic, vaccination is underway in some countries with the already-authorized coronavirus vaccines. Meanwhile, 236 candidate vaccines are still being developed worldwide -- 63 of them in clinical trials -- in countries including Germany, China, Russia, Britain and the United States, according to information released by WHO on Tuesday. WASHINGTON (WTVA) - One U.S. representative from Mississippi voted to impeach President Donald Trump on Wednesday. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) voted in favor of impeachment. His fellow Reps. Trent Kelly, Michael Guest and Steven Palazzo, all Republicans, voted against impeachment. The U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday afternoon to impeach the president following last weeks deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol. Related - Trump impeached after Capitol riot in historic second charge Many in Washington blame the president for the riot, claiming he incited rioters to storm the Capitol. Many rioters managed to break into the building and some stole federal property. Similar to Mississippi, only one representative from Alabama, Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.), voted for impeachment. Alabama Reps. Robert Aderholt, Jerry Carl, Barry Moore, Mike Rogers, Mo Brooks, Gary Palmer, all Republicans, voted against impeachment. Senator Bill Hagerty has opened an office in Cookeville, marking the first time in the states history that the region will have a permanent Senate office and staff to assist citizens.Ensuring that those who live in the Upper Cumberland region have a U.S. Senate office on a permanent basis was a top priority of mine as I took office, said Senator Hagerty. This region, which has its own distinct personality, needs and opportunities will now have dedicated staff members from my office to assist them with constituent services not just in Cookeville, but across this beautiful area of our state.Establishing the first ever U.S.Senate office in the Upper Cumberland shows how committed Senator Hagerty is to serving every Tennessean, said Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter. Having an office in Putnam County can only benefit our community as we continue to grow.Senator Hagerty has appointed the following to his Cookeville office:Tanner Cox will serve as a field representative. He was most recently campaign manager for Congressman John Roses campaign. Previously, he was a regional field director for Senator Hagerty. He is a graduate of Tennessee Tech University. Mr. Cox is originally from Fentress County and lives in Cookeville.Bonny Warren will serve as a constituent services representative. Ms. Warren has 10 years of constituent service experience with the U.S. House of Representatives. Having previously worked in Tennessee state government, Ms. Warren has a background serving constituents. Ms. Warren lives in Cookeville with her husband and enjoys her large family.The office will be located in the L. Clure Morton Federal Building at 9 E. Broad St., 3rd Floor, and can be contacted by calling the Nashville office at 615-736-5129. ST. PAUL, Minn. A new temporary COVID-19 testing site will operate in Olmsted County on January 22 and 23. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) says the testing site on the second floor of the 318 Commons in Rochester will be open from noon to 6 pm each day. Appointments are strongly encouraged, but not required. Testing is a key component of our strategy to protect Minnesotans from COVID-19, says Minnesota Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm. Through a robust, collaborative statewide testing program, we have made great progress in removing obstacles to testing. When combined with social distancing, masking, avoiding crowds and staying home when sick, testing can help us slow the spread of COVID-19 and bridge to the better days we know are coming. The Rochester site is a coordinated effort between the State of Minnesota, Olmsted County, University of Minnesota Rochester, and Vault Health. "COVID-19 testing remains an important part of our Maroon and Gold Sunrise Plan, says Chancellor Lori Carrell, University of Minnesota Rochester. As we work toward a safe and healthy spring semester for all students, faculty and staff, the University of Minnesota Rochester is grateful to host a COVID-19 testing site." Testing is open to anyone who believes they need a COVID-19 test, with or without insurance. MDH says those who arrive for a test should avoid eating, drinking, chewing, or smoking anything for at least 30 minutes before providing a sample. Once they arrive at the site, they will self-administer the test by salivating into a funnel attached to a small tube. Clinic staff will be available on-site to monitor the collection process. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-15 03:28:15|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ALGIERS, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- As many as five people were killed and three others injured Thursday when an improvised bomb exploded in Algeria's eastern province of Tebessa, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. It specified that "five civilians were killed" when their car passed by the bomb in the locality of Telidjane in Tebessa, near the border with Tunisia. Another three passengers were wounded, added the source, without providing more details. The statement further added that "following an ambush in the locality of Guentis in the province of Khenchela, army troops shot dead a dangerous terrorist." The security situation in Algeria has remarkably improved in the last decade. However, clashes between security forces and terrorist groups are still reported time to time. Enditem Three young children and their mother have been found dead inside a family home in Melbourne's north west. Emergency crews were called to the house on Burgess Street, Tullamarine about 12.30pm on Thursday. There they found the bodies of 43-year-old Katie Perinovic and three children - Claire, seven, Anna, five, and Matthew, three. The 48-year-old father of the children, Tomislav Perinovic, is a 'person of interest' and is assisting police with inquiries. It's understood he made the call to triple-0. He was found by paramedics sitting in the front yard of the house, according to the Herald Sun. Acting Deputy Commissioner Robert Hill said while the investigation is in its very early stages, the woman and her children 'died in suspicious circumstances'. 'As to who is culpable for the death of the four people that is yet to be determined and we should not draw any conclusions at this point in time,' he said. The bodies of Katie Perinovic and her three children - Claire, seven, Anna, five, and Matthew, three, were found inside a house in Melbourne on Thursday. They are pictured with Tomislav Perinovic, who is assisting police with their inquiries Police and ambulance crews are pictured at the scene in Tullamarine, Melbourne, on Thursday The bodies of two girls aged five and seven, a three-year-old boy and a 42-year-old woman were found at the property Police in face masks gather in a group outside a house in Tullamarine, after four people were found dead Emergency crews were called to the house in Tullamarine, Melbourne's north-west, on Thursday afternoon He said it would be 'grossly unfair' to assume culpability on the basis that the father is assisting police. 'We just need to understand the facts, and unfortunately they're not known to us but will be in the fulness of time,' he said. 'We have a long way to go before we can actually understand and appreciate what occurred.' It's understood the father appeared 'extremely distressed' on the street when emergency serviced arrived at the scene. Dep Comm Hill, who declined to comment on the nature of the family's injuries, said investigators don't believe there are other parties involved at this stage. He said police aren't expecting to lay charges tonight but couldn't rule out the possibility. Police said there is no risk to the community and there was no history of family violence involving the family. Homicide detectives have established a crime scene at the property, and police have confirmed they are probing multiple different scenarios including murder-suicide. Dep Comm Hill, who declined to comment on the nature of the family's injuries, said investigators don't believe there are other parties involved at this stage Police said there is no risk to the community and there was no history of family violence involving the family Residents have been left shocked by the deaths which have rocked what they describe to be a quiet area The scene at 56 Burgess St, Tullamarine, where a woman and her three young children died Forensic officers are seen at work at a crime scene in Tullamarine Residents have been left shocked by the deaths which have rocked what they describe to be a quiet area. A neighbour who lives next door said he heard the commotion of the emergency crews but was advised to stay inside. 'I heard the police and I went to check on what was happening and they (police) told me to go home and stay inside,' he told The Herald Sun. 'I don't know what happened. There's three young kids there.' The man said he was in 'shock'. John Constantino, who also lives nearby, said he spoke with a woman who lived in the house on Wednesday night. He described her as a 'nice lady' who was 'polite' and 'really friendly'. Another neighbour named Johnie said the police helicopter hovered above his house for an hour on Thursday. 'It's a bit too much for a local neighbourhood like this,' he said. Officers remain at the scene as they commence their investigations. 'A man is assisting police with their inquiries,' a police statement read. 'A crime scene has been established and detectives from the Homicide Squad are attending. The street has been cordoned off to the public (pictured on Thursday afternoon) Officers who were called to the scene in Tullamarine stand with police tape on Thursday The street has been cordoned off to the public Homicide detectives are investigating after three children and their mother were found dead inside a home in Melbourne 'The exact circumstances around the incident are under investigation and we will provide more information when it's appropriate to do so. 'There is currently no ongoing threat to the community.' Aerial images from Thursday afternoon show a heavy police presence outside a home. The street has been cordoned off to the public. A local phoned into 3AW to report the police presence on Burgess Street about 1pm. 'I estimate now about ten police cars,' he said. Ambulance crews were also pictured at the scene. The announcement that the headquarters for the new Space Command would be in Alabama was hailed by state officials. Others around the country arent as happy. The Air Force said Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville is the preferred location for the new headquarters and its 1,600 jobs. Redstone is already home to NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center, Army Aviation Command, Army Materiel Command, Army Space and Missile Command, Defense Intelligence Agency/Missile and Space Intelligence Center and Missile Defense Agency. The Space Command was established under the Air Force in 2019 and the search for a permanent HQ began in 2020 with states around the country competing. The selection was made based on criteria related to the commands mission, room for expansion and infrastructure, community support and costs to the Department of Defense. Other finalists include Albuquerque, New Mexico; Bellevue, Nebraska; Cape Canaveral, Florida; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and San Antonio, Texas. The headquarters has temporarily been based in Colorado Springs and is expected to stay there for the next six years. Officials in Colorado quickly called foul, claiming President Trump pressured the Air Force to select Huntsville for political reasons. Moving a critical institution like Space Command for political reasons unrelated to national security would be foolish at the best of times, Colorado Republican Congressman Doug Lamborn said in a letter to president-elect Joe Biden. This decision was not based on what is best for Americas national interests. Heres what theyre saying about Space Command in Alabama: Politico Colorado lawmakers blast Space Command decision, urge Biden to review Members of the Colorado congressional delegation are urging President-elect Joe Biden to reverse the Trump administrations horrendous decision to base the headquarters of U.S. Space Command at Alabamas Redstone Arsenal. AL.com Mo Brooks says Biden, Dems could move Space Command out of Alabama Mo Brooks, a Republican from Huntsville, said in a statement Wednesday that the incoming Biden administration as well as Democrats controlling both chambers of Congress could reverse the Air Force decision. In fact, Brooks said the final decision on the HQs home which is set to remain in Colorado for six more years may still be years away. Denver Post U.S. Space Commands home moving out of Colorado in move Polis calls politically motivated Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers, in an afternoon press conference, said the move was based on politics and that outgoing President Donald Trump chose Alabama to reward Sen. Tommy Tuberville, one of the eight Republican senators who challenged portions of the Electoral College certification in Congress last week. Air Force Times U.S. Space Command site to be located in Huntsville, Alabama The role of the Space Command is to conduct operations such as enabling satellite-based navigation and troop communication and providing warning of missile launches. That is different from the Space Force, which is a distinct military service like the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Space News Redstone Arsenal selected as future home as US Space Command The selection of Redstone Arsenal is a huge win for Huntsville, nicknamed Rocket City. U.S. Space Command is currently based at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. Alabama was considered a long shot and Colorado was the front runner, given its incumbent status and concentration of military installations and space industry contractors. Fox News Space Command to be headquartered in Alabama, in win for Trump allies in state The U.S. Space Command will be headquartered in Huntsville, Ala., it was announced Wednesday, in what sources say is a major win for allies of President Trump in the state after an intense lobbying battle between six finalists. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. WASHINGTON, D.C. - Holmes County GOP Rep. Bob Gibbs has never wanted to bring a gun to the House of Representatives floor even though he has a concealed carry permit. But he believes the institution would be more secure from rioters and other intruders if his colleagues with police and military firearms training were allowed to do so. I would feel a lot safer if the Dan Crenshaws of the world were carrying firearms, Gibbs says of a Texas colleague who formerly was a Navy SEAL. Gibbs is appalled that Democrats who control the U.S. House of Representatives this week began requiring Congress members to pass through metal detectors to access the House of Representatives floor after last weeks riot at the U.S. Capitol and the election of several new GOP Congress members who say they carry guns wherever they go. House of Representatives rules allow Congress members to have guns in their Capitol offices, but not bring them to the House floor. If our Democratic colleagues are so afraid of their Republican colleagues, why is the fear only on the House floor? asks Gibbs, who was observed circumventing one of devices. We have all these other access points. It doesnt make any sense. It is fear mongering and drives an agenda that is not healthy for the country. Gibbs is among a large group of Republican Congress members who object to the new metal detectors, which he says House Speaker Nancy Pelosi installed without consulting Republicans, like shes the queen dictator. This policy makes absolutely no sense, says Gibbs. It impedes our ability to do our jobs. When I got off the elevator to go to a vote at 7:30 at night, the line for the metal detector was backed up to the elevator. Social distancing didnt matter. If you need to leave the House floor to take a phone call or go to the rest room, now you have to go through the metal detectors again to return to the floor. It makes no sense. The House Sergeant at Arms office notified Congress members of the new requirement on Tuesday, saying failure to go through the security screening or carrying prohibited items into the chamber could result in denial of access. Congress members were also told that theyll be removed from the House floor unless they wear masks to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Champaign County Republican Rep. Jim Jordan objected to the new policies in a Tuesday House of Representatives floor speech, saying Ive been here 14 years. Ive never seen anything like this, and I do not know where this ends, but it is dangerous where theyre taking us. I fear for the First Amendment, I fear for the Second Amendment, I fear for the Bill of Rights, I fear for the Constitution, Jordan continued. I do not know where this takes us, but it is scary. After learning that some Republicans were evading the magnetometers when they entered the House floor, Pelosi announced Wednesday that she will impose stiff fines for circumventing the devices, saying Republicans had disrespected heroic U.S. Capitol Police officers by verbally abusing them and refusing to adhere to basic precautions keeping members of our congressional community, including the Capitol Police, safe. The House will soon move forward with a rule change imposing fines on those who refuse to abide by these protections, said Pelosi. The fine for the first offense will be $5,000 and $10,000 for the second offense. The fines will be deducted directly from Members salaries by the Chief Administrative Officer. It is tragic that this step is necessary, but the Chamber of the Peoples House must and will be safe. Niles-area Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan, who chairs an appropriations subcommittee that oversees funding for U.S. Capitol security, said he believes the metal detectors are entirely appropriate to keep members of Congress who carry guns from bringing them onto the House of Representatives floor, and the fines that Pelosi wants to impose to make sure that everybodys following the rules, are also appropriate. I commend the Speaker for doing that, said Ryan. Not all Ohio Republicans object to the devices. Bainbridge Township Republican Rep. Dave Joyce is happy to abide by all security protocols put in place by USCP and has been complying with requests from officers to use the new metal detectors, says his communications director Katherine Sears. Gibbs argues that the metal detectors and the fines that Pelosi is imposing violate Article 1, Section 6 of the U.S Constitution, which stipulates that Congress members shall be paid for their services and be privileged from Arrest, when they attend congressional sessions, except for cases of Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace. I think it is an illegal search for a member of Congress to go through a metal detector on the way to a vote, says Gibbs. He says the screenings are unnecessary because only members of Congress and a few of their highly screened staffers have access to the House of Representatives floor, unlike other public places like airports, where he believes magnetometers are appropriate to prevent hijackings. Gibbs says Republicans are not optimistic theyll be able to reverse the policy change while Democrats control the legislative body, but they plan to bring their objections to their attention. It is so personally insulting to me, says Gibbs. We all ran for office to serve the country, to make a better country for the people. To imply that I could possibly do a lethal attack of my fellow members of Congress on the House floor is absurd. This is over the top. Read more: Rocky River Republican Anthony Gonzalez votes to impeach President Donald Trump House votes to impeach President Trump after last weeks U.S. Capitol riot, with all Ohio Democrats and one Ohio Republican in the majority What Ohios Jim Jordan said as he led President Trumps impeachment defense on the House floor Sen. Rob Portman urges President Trump to address the nation to explicitly urge that his supporters refrain from violence, or bear responsibility Ohios Sherrod Brown plans to take on corporations as chair of Senate Banking Committee U.S. Capitol Police officers are being disciplined for cooperating with rioters, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan says What Ohios Jim Jordan said before, during and after the riot at the U.S. Capitol Joe Biden names former KeyBank official Don Graves his Deputy Commerce Secretary Capitol riot prompts Democrats in Congress to seek Trumps removal before Bidens inauguration Angered by attempted coup at the Capitol, Rep. Tim Ryan wants to probe Capitol Police force and remove President Trump from office Ohio members of Congress whisked to secure location as Trump supporters storm U.S. Capitol Ohios Sen. Sherrod Brown says hell pursue $2,000 coronavirus checks and relief for renters when Democrats take Senate control At least three Ohio GOP congressmen will join Rep. Jim Jordan in objecting to Wednesdays presidential vote count The mayor in charge of Coonabarabran says changing the town's name to avoid a 'racist' connotation would be more bigoted than keeping the current one. The name of the northern New South Wales town, often shortened by locals to 'Coona', had come into focus after Saputo Dairy Australia changed the name of its famous Coon cheese brand, as coon is also an old racial slur aimed at black people. There were already plans to rename Coon Island near Newcastle for the same reason. Warrumbungle Shire Council mayor Ambrose Doolan, however, said Coonabarabran was an Aboriginal term, and therefore it would be a racist insult in itself if it was renamed. 'It's been the name of the Kamilaroi language for a very long time,' he told Daily Mail Australia. Warrumbungle Shire Council mayor Ambrose Doolan, however, said Coonabarabran was an Aboriginal term, and therefore it would be a racist insult in itself if it was renamed The town's name Coonabarabran descends from the Indigenous word for 'inquisitive person.' He previously found the meaning in multiple Royal Historical Society journals dating back to the 1920s. 'That's what I've always known it to mean,' Mr Doolan said. In the journals, it confirms that the name Coonabarabran to have indigenous heritage. 'Coonabarabran (Wallerawang-Gwabegar): After name of pastoral holding. An aboriginal word meaning 'An inquisitive person.',' it said in a section explaining the meaning of railway station in NSW. As a result, Mr Doolan has said that he will not change the town's name. Coonabarabran name taken from the Kamilaroi language and has been stated in various Royal Historical Society journals (pictured) dated back to the 1920s The journals confirm what Mayor Doolan has said. Pictured: meaning of Coonabarabran from a journal of the 1920's 'You wouldn't do that because that is who we are,' he said. 'There's no offence to be found once you know the history of the place. 'It's been the name for so long, it's no longer indigenous history but a shared history that everyone is proud off.' Coonabarabran was also the name of a shire council from 1907 to 2004 and was in use at least two decades before Kraft and Fred Walker's cheese company in 1935 launched Coon cheese. From July, the popular but polarising 86-year-old Coon cheese brand will become Cheer Cheese, taking effect a year after its Canadian owner initially said it would 'retire' the name and search for a new one. Coon cheese will now be named Cheer (pictured) as the name 'coon' is also used as a racial slur Saputo confirmed the new name on Tuesday, more than three years after it inherited the Coon trademark when it bought Warrnambool Cheese and Butter. 'It's been the name for so long, it's no longer indigenous history but a shared history that everyone is proud off,' Mayor Ambrose Doolan (pictured) said The much-loved dairy product got its original name from American pioneering cheese processor Edward William Coon, who died in 1934. Mr Doolan said the name switch was an overreaction and an example of cancel culture. Aboriginal activists, including academic and former diplomat Dr Stephen Hagan, have spent the past two decades lobbying to have the cheese brand name changed as the word 'coon' is a slur against people of colour. The decision to ditch its well-recognised but controversial brand last year followed the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement worldwide - a political reaction to the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. Administrators and school board members are considering ways for Hazleton Areas elementary students to return to classrooms by Feb. 1, as the state recommends. Our administrative teams will be meeting to discuss how we see this working, Superintendent Brian Uplinger said in an email to parents and guardians Friday. On Thursday, state health and education secretaries recommended that schools teach kindergartners through sixth graders in classrooms during the second half of the school year. This is change from the first half of the year when the state recommended that all students study from home if the transmission level of COVID-19 is substantial, as it has been in every Pennsylvania county for the past five weeks, according to the Health Department. We must remember that a safe return to in-person instruction will look different across every school and county depending on a variety of local factors, Noe Ortega, acting education secretary, said when issuing the new recommendation. The recommendation doesnt prohibit schools from continuing home study, but lists options for keeping classes small so elementary students and teachers can stay 6 feet apart. Districts could ask elementary students to attend half-days, a few days a week or every other week. Also, elementary students could report to high schools, because older students would continue studying from home. In Hazleton Area, eight schools serve elementary and middle school students. So students in grades six and lower, in theory, could spread out in rooms normally used by seventh and eighth graders, who would stay home. Uplinger, instead, said seventh and eighth graders might return with elementary students. Because we have a unique situation with our schools, K-8 could be considered in the return plan, Uplinger said Tuesday in response to questions emailed to him. He said seventh and eighth grade students have the same bus schedules as sixth graders, whereas younger students have different schedules. Elementary students, however, wont attend secondary classrooms because teachers are using them, Uplinger said. The first semester ends Feb. 1 in Hazleton Area, so that is when elementary students might start attending in person. Everyone will know well in advance if this date is solid, as well as anything needing to be addressed with the return schedule, he said in the email to parents. Uplinger is working with Lehigh Valley Health Network and the Wright Center for Community Health to schedule vaccinations for teachers when their turn comes in the rollout plan. School nurses already have been vaccinated, he said. Parents will retain the option of home study for their children even if Hazleton Area offers elementary classes in person, Uplinger said. The number of students who opt to return will affect how many days a week they study in person. If only, for example, 25% of the population returns, we could run five days a week, based off (state) recommendations for social distancing, Uplinger said. In any case, students who study in person would spend full days, not half days, in school buildings, he said. The number who return also will affect how many workers return from layoffs, Uplinger said. Some maintenance, security, food service and classroom assistance workers have been on furloughs. School board President Linda DeCosmo, a retired elementary school teacher, pointed out in a text message that students havent been in school all year, so young children wont know how to find their classrooms right away. Crestwood mulls options for reopening If Crestwood elementary students return to classrooms as the state recommends in the second Because of the pandemic, most Hazleton Area students have studied from home so far this year. Seniors attended shop classes inside Hazleton Area Career Center. Classes met in person for preschoolers and students in autistic and learning support programs. They returned to virtual classes when the pandemic worsened after Thanksgiving. Uplinger said students in pre-kindergarten and early intervention classes and seniors in the career center would also return to classrooms in the second semester. We were very successful in mitigating any issues in the HACC when our seniors were there, he said. Uplinger and DeCosmo plan to talk with Patrick Patte, director of curriculum and instruction, before the school board holds a committee meeting Thursday at 6 p.m. Already, Uplinger said he is thinking how to offer classes beyond the second semester. Next school year, we will have to see where this pandemic takes us, he said, ... this situation is very fluid and changes often. Representative image: Reuters The high demand and short supply of COVID-19 vaccine doses across most parts of the world has triggered concerns of a booming black market for the jabs. Even in richer nations, which have snapped up a major chunk of the initial production of doses, the slow rollout has meant some people are trying to get vaccinated through the black market. This has also raised fears that poorer nations would have to wait even longer due to the black market, coupled with the supply shortage caused by high- and middle-income countries continuing to secure a disproportionate quantity of doses. Experts cited by NBC San Diego believe that the poor rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in the United States has laid the groundwork for a scenario in which the rich and the influential may use their money and power to cut in line and get vaccinated before others. In Miami, big hospital donors reportedly got the vaccine out of turn. Some business tycoons in New York also reportedly flew down their friends to Florida, Miami to get vaccinated that were earmarked for a retirement home. New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo had earlier threatened to impose fines of up to $1 million and revoke licenses of doctors, nurses and others who do not follow vaccine distribution guidelines. In most countries, healthcare and frontline workers have been prioritised for inoculation. COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions View more How does a vaccine work? A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine. How many types of vaccines are there? There are broadly four types of vaccine one, a vaccine based on the whole virus (this could be either inactivated, or an attenuated [weakened] virus vaccine); two, a non-replicating viral vector vaccine that uses a benign virus as vector that carries the antigen of SARS-CoV; three, nucleic-acid vaccines that have genetic material like DNA and RNA of antigens like spike protein given to a person, helping human cells decode genetic material and produce the vaccine; and four, protein subunit vaccine wherein the recombinant proteins of SARS-COV-2 along with an adjuvant (booster) is given as a vaccine. What does it take to develop a vaccine of this kind? Vaccine development is a long, complex process. Unlike drugs that are given to people with a diseased, vaccines are given to healthy people and also vulnerable sections such as children, pregnant women and the elderly. So rigorous tests are compulsory. History says that the fastest time it took to develop a vaccine is five years, but it usually takes double or sometimes triple that time. View more Show In November 2020, a Bloomberg report had documented how some in China were bending the rules to get vaccinated out of turn through illegal markets, even before data on efficacy was made public. COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker: All you need to know about manufacturing and pricing South Africa to store vaccine at secret location As a result, the South African government has decided to store 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses at a secret location due to the risk of theft for sale at black market prices, news agency PTI reported earlier citing a media report. The country will be receiving vaccine consignments from India in next few weeks. The doses are a highly-rated commodity once they are stolen and reach the black market, Department of Health spokesperson Popo Maja told the weekly City Press, adding that if this occurs, there is a risk that the prices of these illegally-obtained vaccines will be hiked significantly. Follow our LIVE blog for the latest updates of the coronavirus pandemic There will be a central place where the consignment will be stored and from where we will distribute it to hospital and clinic pharmacies that can store it, Maja said. Theres a security issue too because countries which have already begun rolling out the vaccines have warned us that there is a huge theft of it, so we may not even disclose where it is being centrally stored, Maja added. India had reported more than 1.05 crore COVID-19 cases as of January 14, including 1.51 lakh deaths due to the outbreak. While over 1.05 crore patients had recovered, around 2.13 lakh cases remained active. Globally, more than 9.17 crore individuals have been infected by the virus and over 19.69 lakh people have died so far. India is scheduled to begin its COVID-19 vaccination drive on January 16. A speedy rollout of vaccines is being seen as the best way to curb the spread of COVID-19 and restore normalcy in the pandemic-battered global economy. As many as 50 countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, have already vaccinated a large number of people from high-risk groups. Lifetime Memories Nathaniel Greenwald Marine Science major James Cook University, Australia Hello my name is Nathaniel Greenwald and this past semester I have been studying at JCU in Townsville Australia. My major back at UH Hilo is Marine Science and the reason why I had chosen to go to JCU was for the marine science program. Studying abroad has been the time of my life and have made so many memories that will live with me for the rest of my life. One of my favorite memories that I have had studying abroad in Australia was seeing a wild koala for the first time. I had gone to an island called Magnetic Island and took a hike called the forts. I was told if you do the fort hike you would surely see a koala so I had decided to the hike with some friends. I remember being a half hour or so into my hike and there had been no sight of a koala, I had thought for sure I wasn't go to see one. But after continuing on for another 10 minutes I had seen a group of people looking up into a tree. I went up to get a closer look and right in front of me was a sleeping koala with her baby on her back. I was so happy to finally see one and decided to take a picture of her. This had been one of my favorable memories of Australia. My second most memorable time in Australia was diving the Great Barrier Reef. Diving the Great Barrier Reef had been my main reason coming to Australia in the first place. It had been a dream of mine my whole life to dive the Great Barrier Reef and marine biologists dream. I remember me and a few of my friends scheduling our dives and calling the dive shop together. The dive shop had been on the same island where we had seen the koala. We had booked our dive for the weekend and booked a hostel to stay overnight on the island since our dive was in the morning. When the morning of the dive had came around me and my friends walked over to the dive shop but when we got there they had told us our dive was cancelled due to strong seas. We had to reschedule for the following weekend. I was mad and disappointed but I knew that I was going to dive the Great Barrier Reef. The following weekend snuck up and it was time to try again, and with luck we were good to go diving on the reef. I remember the boat ride being long but I was so excited. Finally we had arrived at the reef and when first going down I thought it was the most beautiful sight. I got to see so many different fish and coral. The water was so clear and blue that it seemed like glass. I remember taking it all in and thinking to myself that I had accomplished a lifetime goal of mine. This was on of the most memorable times I have had in Australia. This is a picture I took of the Great Barrier Reef when I first went diving on the reefs. This moment had to be one of my favorite moments while in Australia since diving the Great Barrier Reef had been a dream of mine since I could remember. I was filled with joy and happiness being able to cross this off on my bucket list. Kind-hearted animal lovers from across the country have rowed in behind a Garda effort to locate two stolen dogs. The Kildare Garda Division say Clane Gardai are investigating the theft of the two female springer spaniels. "These dogs were taken on the night of the 9th December 2020 in Allenwood, Co Kildare", a post on their Facebook page reads. "Clane Gardai wish to appeal to anyone who may have bought or been offered these dogs to please contact them. "The owners of these dogs are obviously distraught and in hope of being reunited with their beloved pets. "Anyone with any information please contact Clane Gardai on 045868262." Read More In response, the post has been shared more than 1,000 times amongst the Facebook community with dozens of people leaving comments. "Shared in hope", one person from Dublin wrote. "Bring them home", added another. One kind person added: "Please God they will be found safe", while another revealed a similar dog had been found by Gardai in Co Laois. Read More "Shared in hope xx Wexford and Milton Keynes", added another. Others shared the post in various locations across Ireland including Westmeath, Carlow, and North Kildare. It has also been shared in Dartford, Kent and Leeds in the UK. JACKSON, MI -- The mood at Mission Point Health Campus in Jackson was so jubilant, you could forget there was a vaccination clinic going on. Oh my goodness, you would not believe that people were receiving shots, Executive Director Laurie McCullough said. They were so excited to actually receive an injection. It was so upbeat and so hopeful. More than 70 residents and staff members at the skilled nursing and assisted living facility on Robinson Road received the first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday, Jan. 7, during the first of three clinics performed by Walgreens Pharmacy. As a vaccination campaign rolls out across Michigan, residents of skilled nursing facilities and front-line workers are first in line to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Thats welcome news for seniors, many of whom can become gravely ill with the virus and have missed out on important socialization while social distancing, McCullough said. At Mission Point, residents have mostly resided in their rooms because of the pandemic, McCullough said. Social activity can come back once immunizations are more wide spread and community spread of the virus reduces, McCullough said. Our residents who have friends right here in the facility that are accustomed to eating together and playing games and just spending time together, well be able to do that again, she said. Related: Henry Ford Allegiance Health partners with Jackson County to expand community vaccination effort Family visits could happen this year as well. Jackson County must reduce its risk level and positivity rate -- 9.5% of county residents who test for COVID-19 are positive, according to the state -- for visits to be reinstated. More than 2 million more Michigan residents became eligible for COVID-19 vaccines on Monday, Jan. 11. Teachers, child-care providers, first responders and all Michiganders age 65 and older are now eligible for the vaccine, along with frontline health care workers and residents of skilled nursing facilities like those at Mission Point. Related: Latest on COVID-19 vaccination program: What you need to know McCullough is hopeful her residents will be able to leave the facility, visit family and eat meals with other residents within the year, she said. Gaining some normalcy will be possible once the virus becomes less prevalent by reducing community spread through mitigation efforts and vaccinations. If that happens, then I do anticipate that our residents will be able to go out of the facility will be able to see their families, and that we will be able to serve our wonderful meals in the dining room again and have the closeness, that occurs when youre able to eat together and share conversation over meals, she said. MORE ON MLIVE: Next in line for vaccines, Michigan teachers are feeling optimistic Michigan is among worst states in the country for administering COVID-19 vaccinations, CDC data says Former Gov. Snyder, 8 others criminally charged, accused of trampling trust of Flint people Walberg calls Trump impeachment ill-advised, Dingell says its about accountability [January 14, 2021] Zycada Recognized by CB Insights and Tech Trailblazers for Industry-First E-Commerce Technology Zycada, the company that empowers the fastest online shopping experience in the world, announced today that it has been named to the 2020 CB Insights Retail Tech 100 list of the most promising startups in retail. In addition, Zycada has been selected as a finalist in the Networking category of the Tech Trailblazers Awards, which recognize technological innovation and entrepreneurial excellence. Zycada empowers the fastest online shopping experience via its industry-first white hat botnet technology. Zycada bots learn user interactions and use that information to work ahead of them as a personal concierge - dramatically accelerating the shopper's experience and increasing online retail revenues. Zycada's novel approach drives TTI (Time To Interactive) speeds 10X faster than Amazon, empowering merchants to achieve faster online shopping experiences than Amazon for the first time. "We're honored to be recognized by CB Insights and Tech Trailblazers for leveling the playing field in retail," said Subbu Varadarajan, Founder and CPO, Zycada. "2020 has been an inflection point for e-commerce, and many retailers have had to scramble to accommodate the sudden shift to online shopping. We are dedicated to providing our customers with the fastest e-commerce experience using innovative technology and are proud to help them succeed." "The rate of change in retail is accelerating, and the Retail Tech 100 showcases the tech companies that are changing every facet of retail - from store automation to supply chain robotics to personalized merchandise discovery. Spanning 13 distinct technology markets, they address key challenges retailers face today while also helping them adapt and be ready for changing consumer habits," said CB Insights CEO Anand Sanwal. "The honorees also nderscore the fact that the best technologies driving retail transformation may come from anywhere as they hail from 21 countries ranging from Canada to Singapore to Brazil to Sweden. As we head into 2021, we are excited to see the impact the Retail Tech 100 will have on customers, retailers, and markets." Zycada launched from stealth in June of this year to introduce an innovative approach that eliminates performance bottlenecks by employing the scale and power of bot technology. By utilizing the Zycada platform, customers gain substantial improvements in TTI and page load speeds, driving higher conversion rates, revenue per session and total revenue lift. The speed boost has led to an average of 8-10% increase in revenue gains, and customers have seen revenue gains up to 33%. Delivered as a SaaS (News - Alert) , Zycada can integrate to optimize sites or apps in under a few hours. For a demo, more information and to begin a free trial of Zycada, please visit www.zycada.com/demo/. Social Visit the Zycada blog: http://Zycada.com/blog/ Follow Zycada on Twitter: @Zycada Follow Zycada on LinkedIn (News - Alert) : https://www.linkedin.com/company/zycada-networks/ Follow Zycada on Facebook (News - Alert) : https://www.facebook.com/ZycadaNetworks/ About Zycada Zycada empowers the fastest online shopping experience by leveraging the power and scale of bot technology. Zycada bots anticipate user interactions, working ahead of them as a personal concierge - dramatically accelerating the shopper's experience and increasing online retail revenues. Zycada is backed by Khosla Ventures, Cervin Ventures and Nordic Eye Venture Capital. The company is headquartered in San Jose, California. To learn more, visit www.zycada.com and follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @Zycada. About CB Insights At CB Insights, we believe the most complex strategic business questions are best answered with facts. We are a machine intelligence company that synthesizes, analyzes and visualizes millions of documents to give our clients fast, fact-based insights. Serving the majority of the Fortune 100, we give companies the power to make better decisions, take control of their own future, and capitalize on change. About the Tech Trailblazers Awards Recognizing startup innovation since 2012, Tech Trailblazers is designed explicitly for smaller businesses and startups less than six years old and at C-series funding or below. Early stage startups (2 years or less, without VC funding) are able to apply for a chosen tech category free of charge via the new Firestarter bursary and are automatically submitted for the Firestarter award. In 2016, the Tech Trailblazers introduced the Female and Male Tech Trailblazers of the Year categories to celebrate individual success within senior members of enterprise tech startups. For more information, visit www.techtrailblazers.com or follow @techtrailblaze. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005230/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Kaizzen, Indias leading independent Public Relations & Digital Agency has won the PR mandate for Enterprise Ireland, post a multi-agency pitch. The mandate encompasses providing strategic communications support to Enterprise Ireland covering corporate reputation management, brand visibility, and crisis management; across media platforms. Enterprise Ireland is the government organization responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets. Enterprise Ireland also manages the Education in Ireland national brand under the authority of the Minister for Education and Skills. Thus, Kaizzen will also be managing the promotion of Irish Higher Education Institutions in the Indian market. On appointing the agency, Mr. Abhinav Bhatia, Director of Enterprise Ireland India and South Asia cites, We are pleased to appoint Kaizzen as our Public Relations Consultancy to communicate our vision and help us achieve our objective. What helped Kaizzen deliver an excellent pitch was the understanding of the sector and the account. Furthermore, having managed to amplify similar accounts with notable results certainly made Kaizzen a suitable agency for the brand. We believe that the strong team with expert backing from the leadership will help Enterprise Ireland seamlessly manage its media communications right from planning, strategizing to execution in the Indian market. Mr. Abhinav Bhatia is responsible for managing Irish companies entry and expansion into the Indian market within a diverse range of sectors like education, life sciences, ICT, FinTech, etc. We have worked with Kaizzen in the last term and are happy that the agency won our mandate again. Moreover, by handling communications for EI in the past, affirms my belief in their ability to deliver compelling results. We look forward to a fruitful association with team Kaizzen yet again, he adds. Kaizzens dedicated team for Public Relations, as a part of the mandate, will be driving Enterprise Irelands media communications. Vineet Handa, CEO of Kaizzen eagerly exclaims, Kaizzen has a long-standing relationship with Enterprise Ireland and has been working with them for the last 2 years. We are thankful to the management team at Enterprise Ireland for placing their trust in Kaizzen once more. Our team is excited at the opportunity of working collaboratively with the team at EI; to execute innovative, disruptive high-impact PR campaigns that positively impact the business. With over 25 years of experience in Public Relations, Brand Communication, and Outreach, Vineets venture at Kaizzen aims at bringing a new dimension to the communications realms, thereby providing value to companies through this function. He further mentions, Enterprise Ireland needs to be promoted in India to showcase the potential Ireland possesses. With the strong presence of the UK, USA, Australia, and the likes of it, the capability of a booming country like Ireland is overshadowed. We at Kaizzen will be magnifying the opportunities in Ireland in both trade and education sectors furthermore. Over the years Kaizzen has built a diverse portfolio to serve clients in both National & International markets across verticals including, Education, Healthcare, Fintech, FMCG, Sports, Broadcasting, Market Research, Hospitality, Government organizations on National and International platforms. Kaizzen has recently been ranked as the 7th Fastest-Growing PR Agency globally in the Provoke Global PR Agency Rankings and also awarded Specialist Consultancy of the Year at IPRCCA 2019. Delilah Hamlin posted sizzling photos to Instagram on Thursday where she was modeling a set of hosiery products from Kim Kardashian's SKIMS line. The 22-year-old social media personality - whose sister Amelia Hamlin dates Kourtney Kardashian's ex partner Scott Disick - gave the camera her best look as she relaxed on a bed in front of an open book. Her proud mother Lisa Rinna of RHOBH fame shared three hearts in the comments section. Hot stuff! Delilah Hamlin was featured in a set of promotional photos for Kim Kardashian's SKIMS line, one of which was posted to her personal Instagram account Reading time: The 22-year-old social media personality gave the camera her best look as she relaxed on a bed in front of an open book Hamlin was seen wearing a nude-colored bralette that allowed her to show off her impressively toned tummy; she paired her top with a matching mid-waist brief during the photo shoot. She donned a set of pantyhose to cover up her jaw-droppingly sculpted legs; the leg-covering products are set to have their wide release from the brand on Thursday. The model allowed her gorgeous blonde hair to stay messy and fall down her shoulders for the shoot; she also accessorized with a set of simple rings. Looking good: The social media personality modeled numerous products from the shapewear brand and was also seen in a set of pantyhose from the line's soon-to-be-released hosiery collection Glam time: The model allowed her gorgeous blonde hair to stay messy and fall down her shoulders for the shoot; she also accessorized with a set of simple rings A separate photo of Hamlin endorsing the new products was uploaded to SKIMS' official Instagram story on Wednesday showing her laying on her stomach as she showed off a little more of her backside for the brand's 2.3 million followers. This is not the first time that the social media figure has been featured in a campaign for Kardashian's personal brand; she has been featured in promotional photos with the line's merchandise on multiple occasions. In September of last year she was pictured getting close to her younger sister Amelia in a shot to promote items from the shapewear brand. Last year: This is not the first time that the social media figure has been featured in a campaign for Kardashian's personal brand; she has been featured in promotional photos with the line's merchandise on multiple occasions With her sister: Here the beauty is seen with her sister Amelia Hamlin who dates Scott Disick Kardashian founded SKIMS in June of 2019 after becoming frustrated about not being able to find undergarments that fit her specific needs as a working model. The line was initially branded Kimono, but after the 40-year-old supermodel received criticism for appropriating the name of the traditional Japanese garments the brand's name was changed to its current one. Going live: SKIMS' new hosiery line is set to have its wide release on the brand's official website later today The brand's founder has also taken an active role as the main face of SKIMS, and often features in its promotional materials. Other figures who have been involved with the undergarment brand include Kardashian's sister Kourtney and her niece Kylie Jenner, among others. In February, the media figure spoke to Harper's Bazaar about the motivations behind starting the brand and the balance of fashion and function that she was attempting to find with her products. Kardashian stated: 'Im all about comfort and glamour at the same time. I always think you can do it all, so why not have everything that you need as far as your products?' She also elaborated on her design ideals and how many of her detractors thought that what she desired for her products was out of her reach. 'Im very minimal but practical...When I said I wanted seamless shapewear, everyone looked and thought that I was crazy,' she added. Kardashian then opined that she was especially focused on removing seams from her line's clothing, adding that she viewed them as unnecessary for undergarments. The model opined: 'You would have this really tight dress and then see this seam, defeating the purpose of wearing something that is supposed to look like there is nothing underneath.' Hello, its Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. President Trump got himself impeached again, and in record time: one week between the commission of offense, indictment, and a vote in the House of Representatives. Wednesday was notable in another way, too: For the second time this month, U.S. deaths from COVID-19 surpassed 4,000 in a single day. Despite the presence of a vaccine, January is set to be the deadliest month yet. Nearly 40,000 Americans have died 14 days into 2021. The worldwide total during the past year has now surpassed 2 million souls. Viruses are a formidable adversary for humans, even if were doing everything right. That was not the case with this contagion. The institutions tasked with protecting us failed to do so, lapses exacerbated by dishonest, dysfunctional politics. One year ago today, the World Health Organization tweeted, Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel #coronavirus. This was untrue. It was a lie in service of a coverup. Chinas government was so intent on hiding the burgeoning health crisis that authorities had arrested and threatened a Wuhan Central Hospital physician who tried to warn the outside world about the lethal contagion. Coincidentally, also a year ago today, I focused my morning newsletter on a Jan. 14 milestone in the fight against the 1918-1920 Spanish flu pandemic, which was far more lethal than the new coronavirus were dealing with -- or anything else. Influenza killed more people in a year than the Black Death of the Middle Ages killed in a century, John M. Barry, author of the most definitive book on the pandemic, wrote in 2004. It killed more people in 24 weeks than AIDS has killed in 24 years. In the ensuing century, I noted on Jan. 14, 2020 (not knowing anything of COVID-19), science learned a great deal about the spread of such pathogens. We learned much, in fact, between 1918, when it was hard to get people to postpone parades, and this date in 1920, when a single official at the Chicago State Hospital -- a person who had had no contact with patients -- contracted the flu, resulting in the entire facility being quarantined. I added this: But the astonishing death toll of the pandemic was not primarily because poor medical practices were followed. It was because the strain of that virus, which was brought back from extinction in 2005 for study, was at least 100 times more lethal than typical flu viruses. This should give us pause. Influenza pandemics have spread through the world three times since then (in 1957, 1968, and 2009) with nothing like the 1918 death rate. But if it happened before, it can happen again. At the time, I didnt know what the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta was beginning to learn -- despite Chinese stonewalling -- about the lethal respiratory illness coming out of Wuhan. I certainly had no inkling of the hellish year that was unfolding. I was aware impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump were going forward. After having held onto the articles of impeachment without explanation for nearly a month, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the Democrats impeachment managers a year ago today. Now its deja vu all over again -- the difference being that this time we have a coronavirus vaccine and a new president-elect. With that, Id point you to RCPs front page, which presents our poll averages, videos, breaking news stories, and aggregated opinion pieces spanning the political spectrum. Todays lineup includes Juliette Kayyem (The Atlantic), Miranda Devine (New York Post), and Alan Dershowitz (Newsweek). We also offer original material from our own reporters, columnists, and contributors, including the following: * * * Vote to Impeach Imperils Liz Cheneys GOP Leadership Role. Phil Wegmann reports on the intra-party fight, which stands as a proxy war for the broader question of whether Trump populism ought to remain Republican orthodoxy. Capitol Violence Underscores Need for Political Reforms. Nick Troiano argues that nonpartisan reforms can break the doom loop of political polarization that fuels our nations growing unrest. In Praise of Melania Trumps Humble Leadership. Chad Banghart extols the first ladys accomplishments -- and the manner in which she served. Bidens Approach to North Korea. At RealClearDefense, Matt Abbott urges the incoming president to build upon the absence of long-range ballistic missile testing since the Trump-Kim Jong un summit. Waste, Not Deficits, Are What We Must Worry About. Gary Marshall explains at RealClearMarkets. Democrats Misguided War on Plastic. At RealClearPolicy, Will Coggin writes that opponents of single-use plastic products fail to point out that the U.S. is responsible for just 1% of global plastic that enters the ocean. The Gradual Conquest of Cancer. RealClearScience editor Ross Pomeroy lays out some of the many small advances that are bringing malignant tumors to heel. * * * Carl M. Cannon Washington Bureau chief, RealClearPolitics @CarlCannon (Twitter) ccannon@realclearpolitics.com [January 14, 2021] Doosan Bobcat North America announces investment in Ainstein AI to elevate radar-sensing solutions WEST FARGO, N.D., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Doosan Bobcat North America announced today a strategic equity investment with Ainstein AI, Inc., a startup radar technologies company located in Lawrence, Kan., to continue the development of next-generation radar sensor systems for Bobcat equipment solutions. "Radar sensor technology is a key component of our innovation accelerated strategy and ensures Bobcat provides the most productive machinery on any work site," said Joel Honeyman, vice president of global innovation at Doosan Bobcat. "Radar will enhance equipment performance and provide our customers with optimal productivity and the ultimate operator experience through sensor technology. Our investment with Ainstein allows us to work more closely to provide numerous solutions to our customers." Doosan Bobcat first announced a strategic partnership with Ainstein in June 2020 to identify forward-looking solutions to help equipment owners and operators maximize productivity, efficiency and safety through innovation and technology. This latest strategic investment is designed to generate several shared-value benefits between the companies and customers. Doosan Bobcat North America and Ainstein will further collaborate to create next-generation radar sensor solutions to detect objects on job sites when using Bobcat equipment. The radar system developed by Ainstein collects object position data like range, azimuth, elevation and doppler information to provide real-time alerts to operators by incorporating a combination of mmWave radar, sensor fusion and artificial intelligence. This technology will enable obstacle avoidance solutions and future technologies that support autonomous operations. "The investment from Doosan Bobcat is a validation of our technology and leadership position in next-generation sensor development," said Andrew Boushie Doosan Bobcat's investment in Ainstein AI comes at the completion of a Series A funding round. The investment agreement was finalized in December 2020. About Doosan Bobcat North America Doosan Bobcat North America, headquartered in West Fargo, North Dakota, is a leading global manufacturer of construction, agriculture, landscaping and grounds maintenance equipment, attachments and services. The company is committed to empowering people to accomplish more. Doosan Bobcat North America is home to world-renowned brands, including Bobcat compact equipment, Doosan portable power products, BOB-CAT mowers, Ryan and Steiner grounds maintenance equipment and Geith attachments. Doosan Bobcat North America is a tradename of Clark Equipment Company. About Ainstein Founded in 2015, Ainstein enables safer driving, flying, working and living through radar-based technology. Leveraging our radar technology and expertise, we are continuously imagining, developing and perfecting products that haven't been built before. We make radar more affordable and easier to deploy, offering complete customized solutions for autonomous drones, advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), autonomous vehicles, and IoT Applications. We incorporate a combination of mmWave radar, sensor fusion and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into all of our products. Headquartered in Lawrence, Kansas, Ainstein is in the business of improving safety and protecting valuable assets through innovation. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/doosan-bobcat-north-america-announces-investment-in-ainstein-ai-to-elevate-radar-sensing-solutions-301207812.html SOURCE Ainstein [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Thursday the launch of the Safe Schools for All Hub a measure for transparency, accountability, and assistance in regards to information on planning for safe in-person instruction for schools in California. This site is meant to help support Newsom's Safe Schools For All Plan from December and will be updated frequently, according to Newsom's press office. This new site is meant to: Launch a one-stop-shop for state guidance and resources on safely resuming in-person instruction School staff and parents will be able to report school-specific safety concerns to the State Safe Schools Team by online web portal and telephone hotline School administrators can request technical assistance on developing and implementing safety plans from the State Safe School Team via an online web portal Strengthen and up to date guidance provides a framework for safe reopenings and reflects additional resources to implement school-centered Covid-19 testing Learning is non-negotiable, and getting our kids and staff back into the classroom safely will help us continue turning the corner on this pandemic, said Newsom. With proposed new funding and ongoing conversations with districts, school employees, stakeholders, and the Legislature, we remain committed to our Safe Schools for All Plan and helping all students with a focus on those in disproportionately impacted communities get the help they need to return to in-person instruction. The transparency and accountability measures are focused to ensure that the public and state agencies can find ways to safely resume in-person instruction. Click here to access the Safe Schools For All Hub. The untold stories of Irish girls and women who emigrated to North America in the 19th and early 20th centuries and fell into lives of crime and destitution are told in a new podcast. In five-part series Bad Bridget, historians Elaine Farrell, of Queens University Belfast, and Leanne McCormick, a lecturer in Modern Irish Social History Ulster University, tell the stories of the young Irish women for whom 'the American dream became a nightmare'. Between 1838 and 1918 an estimated five million Irish people, many driven by poverty caused by a series of failed potato harvests, left behind everything they knew for the promise of greater prosperity in the US and Canada. Many young Irish women made this journey alone, with the cost of their ticket paid by families who expected them to find a job and send money home. History remembers these women as dutiful nuns, teachers and servants who worked hard, attended church, married and raised good, God-fearing Irish American children. Indeed there were so many Irish women and girls working in American homes in the 19th century that the term 'Bridget' - a common Irish name at the time - became shorthand for someone in domestic service. But this image of the virtuous, stable and productive Irish woman is far from the whole story. Bad Bridgets: The untold stories of Irish girls and women who emigrated to North America in the 19th and early 20th centuries and fell into lives of crime and destitution are told in a new podcast. While many became servants, teachers and nuns, others found a life of destitution and crime. Pictured, stock image of household staff at a family home in Wisconsin in 1890 Dr Farrell and Dr McCormick spent five years digging through police, court and prison records from Toronto, Boston and New York to uncover the stories of the Irish women who became pickpockets, prostitutes and even murderers once they arrived in North America. Even though they knew there would be a significant number, the historians said they were overwhelmed by how many they found. In the 1860s, Irish women accounted for 86 per cent of the female prison population in New York, despite making up just a quarter of the city's population as a whole. Boston saw similarly stark figures. Thirty-five per cent of the 12,514 women admitted to Bostons House of Correction from 1882 to 1915 were Irish, but the Irish accounted for just 17 per cent of the citys population. Between 1860 and 1881, there were 5,260 Irish women imprisoned in Toronto. The figure is almost double the combined number of Canadian, English and Scottish women jailed during that time They were also over-represented in asylums, workhouses and other institutions. The research forms the basis for the podcast and Dr McCormick and Dr Farrell are also working on a book. In episodes like 'The Demon Drink!' and 'Unmarried Mothers', the academics chronicle the lives of individual women - like 16-year-old Rosie Quinn, who was jailed in 1903 for drowning her baby in Central Park, and Mary Farmer, who was executed by electric chair in 1909 for killing her neighbour with an axe - while placing them within the social and historical context in which they occurred. The Great Famine, Irish immigration and the pressure felt by women chasing the American dream Victims: An image of Bridget O'Donnel and her children. Bridget's 1849 account of her family's suffering during the Great Famine made headlines in England The Great Famine was a period of deprivation and disease in Ireland caused by a series of failed potato crops between 1845-49 that resulted in extreme poverty, mass starvation and the death of around one million people between 1845 and 1852. The crop failures were caused by late blight, a disease that destroys both the leaves and the edible roots, or tubers, of the potato plant. This was disastrous as by the early 1840s almost half the Irish populationbut primarily the rural poor had come to depend almost exclusively on the potato for their diet. The rest of the population also consumed it in large quantities. At the same time Britain still demanded Irish farmers export meat, fish, vegetables and pulses to the mainland despite people starving. Critics claim this contributed to the deaths of thousands more people from malnutrition. Although the Irish had been emigrating to North America since colonial times, the failed harvests in the 19th century drove a wave of people to cross the Atlantic. Between 1820 and 1860, the Irish constituted over one third of all immigrants to the United States. In the 1840s, they accounted for almost half. Many of the immigrants in the pre-famine years were men looking to establish themselves in the US and Canada. However the makeup changed during the middle of the century, when an increasing number of families and single women made the journey. Dr Farrell and Dr McCormick note this experience of single Irish women emigrating alone was quite unique. Women immigrating from other parts of Europe, for example, would have most likely travelled with their families. While the majority of these women would have had a contact at their destination in North America, whether that was an employment agency, sibling, or other family member, they sometimes found themselves abandoned at the port or without an updated address for the person they had intended to meet. This left them alone and vulnerable. There was also the pressure of family expectation that these women would find a job and earn enough money to send home. In the podcast Dr Farrell and Dr McCormick tell how this led some women who had lost their jobs, or could not find one, to turn to sex work. The crossing: An engraving showing the conditions on a ship bound for North America from Ireland in the 1840s. A steward takes the pulse of a sick man Advertisement THE DISGRACED SERVANT SHOT DEAD BY HER UNCLE Born in Cork, Maude Merrill emigrated to New York in 1870 at the age of 18. Her younger sister, Lottie, had emigrated the year earlier, with both sisters' journeys being funded by their uncle Robert, who was already living in the US. Lottie, who had already set herself up in the city, helped Maude secure a job as a servant - a common posting for young Irish women in the city. Among them was a job with a local church minister named Reverend Williams. However the posting came to an end after Robert turned up at the door one night while drunk and accused Rev. Williams of taking 'improper liberties' with his niece. It was the first in a chain of interference by Robert that eventually led to Maude's death. Maude was immediately sacked by Rev. Williams. Despite the mark against her, Maude was able to secure another job with another woman. Dr Farrell notes this shows just how in demand Irish girls and women were as housemaids at the time. Once again, Maude lost her job thanks to her uncle Robert, who turned up to the house one night, slapped Maude and accused her of being a 'damned whore'. The desperate servant tried to explain herself to her employer, but she would not listen. Maude lost her job. It was at this point she moved into the sex industry. The teenager moved to a few brothels and stayed, despite the protestations of her sister. While some women were forced or tricked into becoming prostitutes, there were also benefits. In Maude's case, she was living in quarters that were well carpeted, lavishly furnished and even had 'lace curtains' - a level of comfort and luxury far beyond what she would have enjoyed as a servant. The historians note that Maude, at least partly, chose to remain where she was out of choice. However Robert could not accept his niece's way of living. One night he made his way to Maude's rooms and shot her dead. Passing a maid on the stairs on his way out, he said: 'I have just killed my niece and I'm going to give myself up.' His belief was that it was better for his niece to be dead than to continue to bring herself and the family into disrepute. MURDERESS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING HER NEIGHBOUR Executed: Mary, who was born in Ireland and had emigrated to the US in 1901, was sentenced to death after murdering her neighbour Sarah Brennan with an axe While Dr Farrell and Dr McCormick shy away from talking about murders because they are not representative of the crimes committed by Irish immigrants, they do dedicate the final episode of the podcast series to two notorious cases. On Thursday 23 April 1908, Patrick Brennan returned home from work in upstate New York to discover his locks had been changed. His wife Sarah, who should have been at home, was not answering the door. The following day, with still no sign of his wife, Patrick enlisted a detective for help. The same day he was served with eviction papers instructing him to move out of the marital home of 20 years that had been in Sarah's name. Suspicion soon turned to their next-door neighbours, James and Mary Farmer, whose names were now on the deeds to the Brennans' property. Mary, who was born in Ireland and had emigrated to the US in 1901, was a friend of Sarah's despite being less well off. On Saturday 25 April, two days after Sarah was last seen, the Farmers, helped by neighbours moved their modest belongings into the Brennans' home. Among the items was a black trunk, which was carried 80ft from one house to the other by two men. On Monday 27 April, four days after Sarah's disappearance, a sheriff carried out a search of the Brennans' former property, where the Farmers now lived. When police broke the lock to the trunk, they found the body of missing Sarah Brennan. The Farmers were arrested and charged with murder. They went on trial separately. In a bid to defend her actions, Mary claimed Sarah had 'asked' to be killed because she was feeling 'sick'. Her lawyers also claimed Mary was mentally unfit. It later emerged that six months previously Mary had stolen the deeds to the Brennans' property and took them to a lawyer where she pretended to be Sarah and asked for the estate to be put in James Farmer's name. Both Mary and James Farmer were found guilty of murder and sentenced to death. However Mary later gave a sworn statement in which she claimed her husband had never had any part in Sarah's pre-meditated murder. Mary was executed by electric chair in 1909. James later escaped the death penalty. THE WRONGLY ACCUSED PROSTITUTE RESCUED BY HER FATHER An image of a French sex worker from 1880, around the time Marion Canning was working and arrested in New York. She later returned to Ireland On a warm summer's evening in 1891, 19-year-old Marion Canning was walking down a Manhattan street when she encountered a man named Richard Bronkbank. Marion had emigrated from her home in rural Co. Leitrim a couple of years before but for the last six months had been 'living a life of shame', as she told Mr Bronkbank, meaning she had become a sex worker. Mr Bronkbank told her he had just landed in New York, he had been paid off a steamer that had now finished its journey. He said that although he didn't have any money on him, he was going to be paid $27 the next day and would give her $5, as well as his watch as a keepsake. When they reached Marion's apartment, he asked for his $5 and watch back and accused Marion of stealing. He went outside, found a policeman and Marion was taken to the station where she was searched but no money was found. Despite Mr Bronkbank being unable to positively identify her, Marion was arrested and put on trial. Without a lawyer, Marion was left to defend herself and was found guilty. She was sentenced to seven years in jail. However unlike many other similar stories, Marion's has a happy ending. Letters found by Dr Farrell and Dr McCormick in an archive reveal how Marion's father Thomas was so distraught he had written to the judge to ask for leniency and offered to travel to New York to collect her and bring her home. Too late to influence the sentencing, Mr Canning then wrote to the Governor of New York, asking for clemency. His pleas worked and the District Attorney reviewed the case. The arresting policeman, who had been on holiday at the time of Marion's trial and so had been unable to testify, said he had known of Marion before the crime and attested to the fact that she 'wasn't of the low character' of others in the neighborhood. He added he knew her to be of 'respectable parentage' and believed her 'course in life' - sex work - 'was more the fault of others' than of her choice. The character witness and the letters from home were enough to sway the Governor and Marion was pardoned on 9 February 1893 after serving 18 months in prison. Although Thomas didn't travel to New York to collect his daughter, he did send for her and she returned home to Ireland. She went on to marry. THE UNMARRIED MOTHER WHO DROWNED HER BABY One of the most heartbreaking stories is that of Rosie Quinn, a 'wretchedly poor' 16-year-old girl who was jailed for life in 1903 for drowning her nine-day-old baby in a reservoir in Central Park. The case prompted an outpouring of support from members of the public who believed the 'naive' teenager had fallen victim to a man who took advantage. Rosie's boss at the hotel where she worked wrote a letter pleading for leniency in which she said Rosie was 'unfortunate in meeting a man utterly without principal and being young in years and experience and without education fell an easy victim. In the minds of all who knew her, she was more sinned against than sinning.' Another letter writer described Rosie as being 'wretchedly poor, weakened by illness, disgraced in the eyes of the world, friendless and deserted.' One woman who had been following the case wrote to the Governor: 'My heart is burdened for that poor, ignorant Irish girl, all alone in a strange country, deserted by her lover and friends, that I can't rest.' The protestations worked and Rosie was pardoned and released from prison in December 1904 after serving 18 months of her life sentence. SERIAL KILLER DUBBED 'THE WORST WOMAN ON EARTH' Lizzie Halliday, another Irish immigrant who was arrested and tried for murder The most extreme case tackled in the podcast is that of Lizzie Halliday, who was dubbed 'the worst woman on Earth' after she killed at least four people. Born Eliza Margaret McNally in 1864, 'Lizzie' left Co. Antrim for America when she was just three years old. She married her first husband in 1879, at the age of 15, but he died two years later. Her second husband died after less than a year of marriage. There is speculation about whether Lizzie, who was married six times by the age of 30, was responsible for their deaths. She married for a third time but her husband 'deserted' her within months of their wedding day. Lizzie then married for a fourth time to a man who was a veteran and a comrade of her second husband. 'In a few months she tried to kill Smith by giving him a cup of poisoned tea,' the New York Times reported in 1894. 'Failing in her design, she fled to Bellows Falls, VT, taking with her every portable article in the house.' Once settled in Vermont, Lizzie married for a fifth time but stayed with her husband for just two weeks before 'disappearing'. Her next known address was in Philadelphia, where she served two years in prison for burning down her shop in an insurance scam. After being released from prison, she travelled to Orange County, New York, and began working as a housekeeper for a widower named Paul Halliday, who had two sons. The pair later married. The timeline of events is conflicted but at some point Lizzie ran off with a neighbour, stealing horses in the process which she later sold. In May 1891 Mr Halliday's house, barn and nearby mill were set alight, killing one of his sons. Lizzie was arrested for the crime and sent to an asylum, transferred to another, but was later declared 'cured' and released, returning home to Halliday Three months later, in August 1891, Mr Halliday went missing. Lizzie told neighbours he was travelling for work but they were suspicious and notified police. During a search of the property the bodies of Margaret and Sarah McQuillan, the wife and daughter of the man who had provided Lizzie a home in Philadelphia, were discovered. A few days later police found the body of Mr Halliday beneath the floorboards. Lizzie was charged with all three murders. On June 21, 1894, Halliday was convicted for the murders of Margaret McQuillan and Sarah Jane McQuillan. She was initially sentenced to death but the Governor later commuted her sentence to life in a mental institution after she was declared insane. She spent the rest of her life at the Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. In 1906 she killed a nurse by stabbing her more than 200 times with a pair of scissors. Halliday died in June 1918. President Donald Trumps unprecedented second impeachment heads to the Senate, where his fate rests with Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who now has more leverage than ever over the president in his final week in office. McConnell told Republican colleagues in a letter Wednesday he would block starting an impeachment trial before takes office Jan. 20 and control of the Senate shifts to Democrats. But he also said he has not yet made up his mind on whether to vote to convict Trump of inciting an insurrection that left five dead and damaged the Capitol, including the Senate chamber where he has spent much of the past 36 years. That allows Trump to finish his term without being removed from office. But McConnell has left open the option that if Trump were to instigate more unrest or take any other dangerous action, he could turn against him. That would raise the odds there would be enough Republican votes for Trumps conviction and a possible ban on ever again serving in office. The next steps after Wednesdays House impeachment vote depend on how McConnell, House Speaker and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer navigate the of a trial, a change of administration and a shift in power in the Senate all happening simultaneously. Much is uncertain, but one thing is clear: the Senate isnt back until Jan. 19, so no trial can start before Jan. 20 -- the same day Biden is sworn in -- under McConnells timeline. ALSO READ: Over and out for Trump? How he could be barred from holding office again Pelosi hasnt said publicly when shell send the article of impeachment to the Senate. Once she does, an intricate and prescribed process for the trial plays out. Most significantly, all other business grinds to a halt unless all 100 senators agree to conduct any other work. That could mean no confirmation votes for Bidens nominees or votes on early legislative initiatives, raising the prospect that he could start his administration without key cabinet secretaries in place. Biden has been exploring with leaders whether there might be a bipartisan pact to split the Senate days between regular business -- such as confirmation votes -- and the trial. There has not been any sign yet of a resolution, though committees are proceeding with hearings on Jan. 19 for Treasury, State, Defense and Homeland Security posts. This nation also remains in the grip of a deadly virus and a reeling economy, Biden said in a statement Wednesday. I hope that the Senate leadership will find a way to deal with their constitutional responsibilities on impeachment while also working on the other urgent business of this nation. Also left to be negotiated are the details of the trial, such as length and scope of the process, whether to subpoena documents and witnesses. Impeachment managers from the House would serve as prosecutors and Trump would be allowed to mount a defense. Its not even clear whether Chief Justice John Roberts would preside over a trial of a former president, something thats never happened before in history and could face legal challenges as well. ALSO READ: US House impeaches Trump for a second time; 10 Republicans vote yes Trumps impeachment trial a year ago lasted almost three weeks. But the evidence from Democrats this time primarily consists of videos of Trumps own statements and the subsequent actions of the crowd. Thats suggests a shorter proceeding. Once two Senate contests are certified in Georgia and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is sworn in -- giving her the tie breaking vote in a 50-50 Senate -- Schumer will take over from McConnell as majority leader. Yet even in minority status, McConnell will have some say over the conduct of the trial with an evenly divided Senate. McConnells delay in beginning any trial hands the newly empowered Democrats a dilemma the longer they spend prosecuting the case against Trump, the less time theyll have to move priority pieces of Bidens agenda. Trump himself tried to appeal to Republican holdouts with multiple statements Wednesday opposing violence and disavowing the mob that stormed the Capitol on his behalf. I unequivocally condemn the violence that we saw last week, Trump said in a video released by the White House. Now I am asking everyone who has ever believed in our agenda to be thinking of ways to ease tensions, calm tempers and help to promote peace in our country. ALSO READ: Attackers of Capitol were 'domestic terrorists' sent by Trump: Nancy Pelosi Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who has staunchly defended Trump over the past four years, used that statement to argue that Trump is helping move the country forward. In a series of tweets Wednesday evening he appealed to Biden to rise to the occasion and instruct his party to call off post-presidential impeachment proceedings. He also praised Trumps statement, calling on Americans to avoid further violence, in a video released by the White House after the impeachment vote. McConnells Influence While 10 House Republicans joined Democrats in the 232-197 vote to impeach Trump, what McConnell does next could have enormous influence in a chamber where no GOP senators have said yet that they would convict him. It would take 67 votes to convict Trump and mete the only real punishment to a president who would have just left office -- a bar on future runs for office -- and the chamber will be split 50-50 between the two parties. McConnell has told associates he considers Trumps conduct surrounding the riot to be impeachable, according to two sources, putting Trump in the danger zone. A handful of others have sharply criticized Trumps actions, including Ben Sasse of Nebraska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania. ALSO READ: Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey defends permanent ban on Trump after Capitol attack Without cover from McConnell, theres little expectation most Republicans would risk convicting an ex-president who remains popular among the Republican Party base. Romney was the only Republican to vote for conviction on one count during Trumps impeachment trial in January 2020, though the timing of that trial came when many Republicans, including McConnell, were heading into an election year. There is little Trump can do to McConnell politically now. While his allies threatened Republicans who didnt vote to overturn the election, let alone impeach Trump, with primaries, McConnell doesnt face the voters in Kentucky again until 2026, if he even runs then. His position leading the Senate GOP hes already the longest serving Republican leader in history is unchallenged. Many other McConnell allies havent ruled out impeachment and arent up until 2024 or 2026 either, somewhat insulating them from the wrath of Trump loyalists. The autonomy proposal presented by Morocco remains the most realistic solution to the dispute over the Moroccan Sahara, according to Gotz Schmidt-Bremme, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Rabat. It is difficult to find a more realistic and reliable solution to the regional dispute over the Sahara than the autonomy proposal presented by Morocco. The international community concurs in describing this proposal as a realistic and practical solution, he said in a video interview with media outlet Hespress.com posted online on Tuesday. In his opinion, polisarios refusal to negotiate the Moroccan proposal could pose a danger to the region with the spread of violent extremism. The separatist front now finds itself in a difficult situation after having suffered two successive blows, namely the events of the crossing of El Guerguerat and the US decision to recognize the Moroccanness of the Sahara, the diplomat explained. On the US decision, the ambassador said he discussed this issue with his American counterpart in Rabat, Ambassador David Fischer, stressing that the dispute over the Sahara has been going on for more than forty years and that it was time for it to be resolved. He also welcomed the resumption of diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel. According to the diplomat, HM King Mohammed VIs position as chairman of the Al-Quds Committee and the presence of over one million Jews of Moroccan origin in Israel are all channels that the Kingdom could use to have an impact on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Morocco and Germany share the same vision of the two-state solution as a basis for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he said. On German investments in Moroccos southern provinces, Schmidt-Bremme said that his countrys government does not impose any restrictions or guidelines on German companies regarding the regions in which they should invest. German companies are already present in the region, he added. The partnership between Morocco and the EU also includes the southern regions of the Kingdom, the diplomat stated. On bilateral relations, Schmidt-Bremme described the Kingdom as the most stable and reliable partner in the Maghreb, noting that relations between Berlin and Rabat are excellent and free of bilateral problems. In this regard, he pointed out that trade between the two countries has increased tenfold over the past 15 years. German companies operating in the Tangiers-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, for example, have managed to develop their productivity and contribute to the industrial fabric of the region during the year 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the diplomat concluded. Posted Wednesday, January 13, 2021 4:15 pm On Tuesday night, the Centralia City Council voted to approve the completion of the construction of the $2.5 million Salzer Substation with the total project amount being 8.7 percent over the original contract amount of $2.3 million. There were a total of 10 change orders issued from the projects start date on Nov. 25, 2019, and Sept. 4, 2020, when the projects substantial completion was issued. A description of each change order was provided by Centralia City Light General Manager M.L. Norton for the council to review. One of the change orders that was questioned by the council was Change Order #4 which showed a $25,193.92 charge for the demobilization of construction due to COVID-19 in April of 2020 and the remobilization in May. Norton said that construction was halted in an effort to keep the crews safe during the early days of the pandemic, and since it was the citys decision to pause construction, the city must pay the associated costs. We chose to have them stop work for a month to square away those COVID response items and also to find a welding firm that could properly do the job that we needed them to do, Norton said. We did not want to expose our personnel to the possibility of getting COVID. If you recall in the early days of COVID, there were many, many questions about how it was transmitted and how long it would live on surfaces. Norton said time was needed to adapt to the COVID-19 restrictions and put procedures in place to keep personnel safe. He also said that the figure of about $25,000 was a pared down figure from what (the contractors) requested. The contractors completed the installation of the concrete foundation, the switchgear building, the transformer and other necessary items. The crew also drove 27 piles approximately 80 feet into bedrock to provide additional support for the earthquake-resistant substation. We still have some fine-tuning to do before the sub is brought to full power but the (contractors) role in building most of it is done, Norton said on Tuesday. Norton said that the date the Salzer Substation, named after the nearby Salzer Valley, will be energized is still uncertain as they wait for the delivery of a device that goes into the switchgear building. In November 2019, the city council approved the bid award of $2.3 million dollars to the prime contractor Michels Power, Inc. Centralia City Light had planned for construction to be completed by the fall of 2020 but with interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the completion date was pushed out. The Saltzer Substation will adopt the same earthquake resistant design as the recently updated Ford's Prairie Substation. The substation will also include earthquake resistant transmission lines. The substation will operate at 69,000 volts initially and be able to increase to 115,000. The Salzer Substation would provide either primary or emergency supply to Providence Centralia Hospital as well as many areas in downtown Centralia including City Hall, Centralia Community College, the Centralia Emergency Operations Center, Centralia downtown business district, Riverside Fire Authoritys Pearl Street station, and three elementary schools. The substation will also be in a location that will allow it to provide power to the proposed Centralia Station project, which is expected to include a WinCo. Source: Xinhua| 2021-01-14 12:41:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Ten more COVID-19 cases were recorded in Mongolia in the past 24 hours, bringing the national caseload to 1,479, the country's National Center for Communicable Diseases (NCCD) said Thursday. "A total of 15,899 tests for COVID-19 were conducted across the country yesterday and 10 of them were positive," said Amarjargal Ambaselmaa, head of the NCCD's Surveillance Department, at a press conference. Nine of the latest cases were locally transmitted, and the remaining one was imported from Afghanistan, said Ambaselmaa. Mongolia has so far recorded two COVID-19-related deaths and 909 recoveries. Enditem A junior doctor warned that medical staff have been battling to cope with "carnage" in Irish hospitals since Christmas because of the explosion in Covid-19 cases. The doctor said that nurses, medics and support staff in Cork University Hospital (CUH) are now "out on their feet" due to exhaustion in trying to cope with the combination of soaring case numbers and roster pressure due to personnel being off work. CUH is one of six acute hospitals in Ireland struggling to cope with more than 100 Covid-19 cases. As of this morning, 1,838 patients are being treated in Irish hospitals for the virus. More than 170 patients have required intensive care treatment putting enormous pressure on the national emergency treatment system. Read More At one point, more than 140 CUH staff including 100 nurses were off work having either tested positive for the virus or been a close contact of a positive case. A further 14 Irish hospitals each have 50 or more cases of the virus. The CUH junior doctor who asked to be unnamed said staff were called to a meeting and briefed that they were now facing "the peak crisis of the entire pandemic". "There are times you look around and you wonder how much more pressure the system can take. You can see the strain on the faces of doctors and nurses," she said. "It has been very tough. It was tough last April and May when the first wave peaked but this has been something else altogether." Even medical rotations have effectively been suspended as doctors struggle to cope with the demands of soaring patient numbers. On Tuesday, patient numbers spiraled at CUH to the point where the hospital was one of three nationwide which had no available critical care bed capacity. Letterkenny became the first Irish hospital to trigger its "last resort" option asking staff who had gone off work because of being designated a close contact of a positive case to return to duties once they were not symptomatic and were subject to precautionary tests. "The commitment of doctors, nurses, hospital support staff and managers has been incredible but you can see the toll it is taking on everyone," she said. "I left a ward a few days ago and went into a store room to find a nurse crying. I still don't know if it was exhaustion, stress or worry about a loved one with Covid." Junior doctors have borne the brunt of the pandemic third wave by working longer hours, extra shifts to cover for sick colleagues and postponing leave. "A few of my classmates opted to work as junior doctors in Australia and New Zealand and their work demands are like night-and-day compared to ours. "When I chat to them on social media and explain what it has been like here since Christmas they just can't believe it and some of them worked here throughout the first wave of the virus." Read More The junior medic has a simple plea for the public. "Please listen to the Government and HSE advice obey the rules, socially distance, wear a mask and wash your hands regularly. All of this carnage could have been avoided if people had just done what they were asked. "Hospitals just cannot take this kind of pressure of numbers. "Nurses and doctors have been doing everything in their power but there is a limit to the strain the system can take." Registration of freshers into the various universities in the country entered the second day yesterday as they continued to go through the exercise at the various campuses with full compliance with the COVID-19 health protocols. AUCC In an interview, the Business and Administration Manager at the African University College of communication, (AUCC), Mr Samuel Ogyiri Sackey, stated that the registration process had been smooth so far because students were only visiting the campus to pay their fees and take their photographs, then follow the rest of the registration process online which students were doing smoothly alongside departmental orientations before lectures could begin. He announced that the overall orientation would be done in two weeks time and we look forward to admitting a total of 600 freshers out of which 450 have already been admitted, he stated. On accommodation, Mr Sackey said the location of the school at the centre of Accra made it difficult for students to get hostel facilities but said the school had contacted private hostel owners and their contacts had been given to students to find accommodation when they needed it. GIJ The story was no different from the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), the Assistant Registrar, Public Affairs, Mr Daniel Machator, stated that though there had been an initial challenge in the registration of the freshers due to a break down on the school portal, the challenge has been resolved and the process is smooth now. He said the time table for both the continuing students and the freshers had been given out to the students. There has been little challenges relating to the registration portal but we have resolved them and the registration process is going on smoothly. We are looking forward to admitting 2,500 freshers for the new academic year, he stated. Speaking on data challenges for online learning, Mr Machator started that the school had provided free WIFI on its two campuses and so students were to use that to facilitate their online lectures. Accommodation Challenges In relation to accommodation challenges, Mr Machator said the school was a non-residential school, but added that provision had been made by the school for private hostel facilities for students who required it, but gave the assurance that the school had plans of building its own hostel facilities in due course. Mr Machator, said orientation for the freshers had been completed and lectures had already begun at the new campus at Dzorwulu, while the continuing students were retained at the Osu campus. He said the school would run a blended form of lectures of online and face-to-face to ensure that the social distancing protocol was observed, while we do our best to make sure, students visiting the campus wash their hands and use their nose masks. Accra Technical University At the Accra Technical University, the Snr. Assistant Registrar and Acting Director of the Public Affairs, Mrs Foster Kilian Ganaa Kodua, stated that registration process had so far been smooth, because the school did not allow the admitted students to come to campus for registration but were given all necessary details for registration to be done online. The registration process is totally online, students are to enter into their portals and register for their courses while new students are to create their personal account as soon as they resume. Our freshers have however not resumed yet. When they resume on January 15, 2021, they will be required to go through the online process of registration, Mrs Kodua said. She said a desk would be mounted at the forecourt of the school to assist freshers that might find difficulties in using the online portal, explaining that the students were mostly encouraged to use their smart phones to do the online registration. Mrs Kodua said the school was hopeful to admit about 7,500 freshers to start the new academic year. She said the school would be running a semblance of a double track system when lectures resumed, of which students would do one week online while another group would do one week face-to-face and swap after that week to do online and vice versa. Mrs Kodua gave the assurance that a wireless internet system would be deployed on the campus for students to access to aid them in the online lectures. On accommodation, she said that had not been a problem because the institute had its own hostel facilities, while arrangement had been made with private hostels so that interested students would have the option as to which of the hostels to lodge when academic work resumed. 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 Scientists say vaccines are the only way out of the pandemic, but inocculation programmes are off to a slow start China recorded its first COVID-19 death in eight months on Thursday, as experts huddled to discuss worrying new strains of the coronavirus that are spreading rapidly around the globe. The gathering in Geneva of the World Health Organization's emergency committee comes as their colleagues landed in Wuhan for a long-delayed mission to find the origins of the virus. More than 91 million people have been infected, with almost two million of them dying, according to figures widely thought to be an underestimate. Much of the planet is enveloped in a second or third wave of the disease, with populations chafing under painful and economically damaging restrictions. Chinawhere the virus first emergedhas again locked down millions of people as it fights to control a fresh outbreak that has now claimed its first victim, sparking anguish on social media. The hashtag "New virus death in Hebei" quickly ratcheted up 100 million views on the Twitter-like Weibo platform. "I haven't seen the words 'virusdeath' in so long, it's a bit shocking! I hope the epidemic can pass soon," one user wrote. The death comes as a politically sensitive investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic finally got under way with the arrival of a 10-strong team in Wuhan, where the virus emerged in late 2019. Relatives attend the funeral of a victim of Covid-19 in Brazil, one of the world's worst-hit countries Mission leader Peter Ben Embarek said the group would start with a two-week quarantine at a hotel before the probe begins in earnest. But, he warned, it "could be a very long journey before we get a full understanding of what happened". Beijing has argued Wuhan might not be where the virus originated, only where it was first identified. "I don't think we will have clear answers after this initial mission, but we will be on the way," Embarek added. Disneyland Regardless of the virus's origins, scientists say large-scale vaccination is the only way to escape its ravages. Programmes have spluttered into life in a number of countries, although progress is slower than many are hoping. In the United States, where more than 4,000 people are dying every day from the disease, around 10 million have received a first shot. Health workers were waiting to meet the WHO team as they arrived in Wuhan on Thursday ahead of their probe into the origins of the pandemic California's Disneyland threw open its doors Wednesday as a vaccination site, with 81-year-old Gary Dohman near the front of the queue. "Easypiece of cake, nothing to it. Didn't even feel it go in," he said after getting his injection. "I've been cooped up in a house for 10 months, can't go anywhere. I want to get my second shot and do a little traveling." There was some good news for those who have already had COVID-19, with one British study suggesting that recovery confers immunity for at least five months for most people. The research will be welcomed by Britain's under-pressure healthcare workers struggling to cope with surging caseloads caused in part by a new, more infectious strain of the virus. That strain, and another identified in South Africa, was going under the microscope in Geneva on Thursday when the WHO's emergency committee gathers. The newly identified variants have been logged in dozens of countries. The committee normally gathers every three months, but the WHO said the director-general pulled the meeting forward "to consider issues that need urgent discussion". Premier League players have been told to tone down their goal celebrations to aid social distancing Up to a million people are expected on Thursday alone for the first day of the Hindu festival of Kumbh Mela in Haridwar One million pilgrims Sport has provided a measure of diversion for many trapped in their homes, but top-flight athletes were warned this week they had to lead by example. English Premier League bosses told clubs they could be sanctioned if players hug or shake hands after goals. "We are fortunate to be able to continue to play and bring our competition to fans at home and around the world," EPL chief executive Richard Masters said. "This brings justified additional scrutiny and the Premier League must take the lead in setting the right example to follow." The raging pandemic was largely being shrugged off by Hindu pilgrims gathered on the banks of the Ganges river in India. Up to a million people were expected to show up on Thursday alone for the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar. "The pandemic is a bit of a worry, but we are taking all precautions," said organiser Siddharth Chakrapani, but added that he was not too worried for the faithful. "I'm sure Maa Ganga will take care of their safety," he said, referring to the sacred river. Explore further Follow the latest news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak 2021 AFP EDWARDSVILLE Felony criminal charges recently filed by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include: Monte C. Ritchie, 29, of Granite City, was charged Jan. 14 with unlawful possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, a Class X felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. According to court documents, on Jan. 13 Ritchie was found to be in possession of between 15-100 grams of methamphetamine, with the intent to deliver. Bail was set at $100,000. Charles F. Vasquez, 37, of Granite City, was charged Jan. 14 with domestic battery (three prior convictions for domestic battery), a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County Sheriffs Department. According to court documents, on Nov. 19 Vasquez struck a household or family member in the head with an electric drill. It was noted Vasquez had prior convictions for domestic battery going back to 2004. Bail was set at $50,000. Joseph T. Shimchick, 52, of East Alton, was charged Jan. 14 with unlawful possession of methamphetamine and driving while license revoked, both Class 3 felonies; and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Bethalto Police Department. According to court documents, on Jan. 13 Shimchick was found to be driving a motor vehicle on Illinois State Route 140 in Bethalto while having a revoked license due to prior convictions for DUI. He was also found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine, and less than 15 grams of Hydrocodone. Bail was set at $30,000. Alexander R. Henry, 31, of St. Louis, was charged Jan. 14 with aggravated driving under the influence, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Edwardsville Police Department. According to court documents, on Jan. 14 Henry was driving a 2020 Toyota Rav4 while under the influence of alcohol. It was noted that Henry had several convictions for similar offenses. Bail was set at $50,000. Bronson P. Hundley, 22, of St. Louis, was charged Jan. 14 with aggravated or attempting to elude a police officer, both Class 4 felonies. The case was presented by the Maryville Police Department. According to court documents, Hundley attempted to flee a Maryville police officer while driving a 2009 Yamaha RZ1 motorcycle. During the incident he violated several traffic control devices and was going more than 21 miles above the speed limit. Bail was set at $20,000. Cadarious M. Baker, 23, of Chicago, was charged Jan. 14 with aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Hamel Police Department. According to court documents, on Jan. 12 Baker intentionally strangles a household or family member. Bail was set at $50,000. Chariah T. Clark, 20, of Granite City, was charged Jan. 14 with aggravated battery, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. According to court documents, on Jan. 13 Clark dragged a Granite City Police Department sergeant with a motor vehicle. Bail was set at $80,000. Phillip H. Haynes, 25, of Bunker Hill, was charged Jan. 14 with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. According to court documents, on Jan. 13 Haynes was found to be in possession of more than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $30,000. Damion L. Whitehead, 25, of Granite City, was charged Jan. 14 with two counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, both Class 4 felonies. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. According to court documents, on Jan. 12 Whitehead was found to be in possession of less than 15 grams of Hydrocodone, and less than 15 grams of Oxycodone. Bail was set at $15,000. Wyatt R. Lloyd, 46, of OFallon, Missouri, was charged Jan. 14 with unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 3 felony; and aggravated unlawful use of weapons, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. According to court documents, on Jan. 12 Lloyd was found to be in possession of a Taurus Judge .45 caliber handgun, and had a prior conviction for unlawful possession of a controlled substance; and was carrying the weapon loaded weapon in his car. Bond was set at $40,000. Ronald C. Feldpausch, 40, of Maryville, was charged Jan. 14 with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. According to court documents, on Jan. 13 Feldpausch was in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $20,000. Chinas Orchid Asia Leads Funding in Delivery Platform Fantuan, Edtech Startup Ivydad By DealStreetAsia / Jan 14, 2021 12:36 PM / Finance Chinese private equity firm Orchid Asia has led Series B funding rounds in two startups Canadas delivery service platform Fantuan and Beijing-based edtech brand Ivydad. Orchid Asia leads $35m funding in Fantuan Delivery Canada-based Asian food and services platform Fantuan Delivery has closed a $35-million Series B round led by Chinese PE firm Orchid Asia, per a company statement on Tuesday. With this round, the total corpus raised by the platform to date touches over $50 million. The latest round was joined by existing investors including Vision Plus Capital, Celtic House Asia Partners, and Chinas Meituan co-founder Jing Li. The three investors had together participated in Fantuans $12-million Series A round funding in March last year. Chinese global investment bank Taihecap served as the financial advisor for the deal. The company will use the proceeds to recruit talent and to improve its delivery services. Vancouver-headquartered Fantuan has three flagship services food delivery, reviews and errands management. It has a presence in 40 cities across Canada and the US. In 2020, Fantuan generated annual revenue of $400 million. According to the German global market and consumer research giant Statista, the size of global online food delivery is expected to reach $32.3 billion by 2024. Orchid leads $30m Series B funding in Ivydad Orchid Asia has led a $30-million Series B round in Beijing-based edtech brand Ivydad, according to a company statement on Tuesday. Nanjing-based home appliances supplier Fivestar Holdings investment arm Focustar Capital participated in the latest round as a new investor. Returning investor V Star Capital re-upped in the round. V Star Capital had invested 50 million yuan ($7.7 million) in Ivydads Series A round in 2018. Ivydad, founded by Harvard and Yale University graduate Ren Huang, offers learning courses in Maths, Chinese and foreign languages, music and animation to children up to 8 years old. Ivydads early-stage investors include Sinovation Ventures, Crystal Stream Capital and others. Chinas online education industry was pegged at 486 billion yuan ($75 billion) in 2021, per market research company iiMedia Research. Contact editor Marcus Ryder (marcusryder@caixin.com) Related: Takeout Delivery Driver Sets Self on Fire Over Withheld Pay The Artist Tree Marijuana Dispensary and Delivery in West Hollywood hosts Roger James, a self-taught Los Angeles artist and visual philosopher specializing in abstract expressionist contemporary art for it's January art exhibition West Hollywood, California--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2021) - The Artist Tree is a one-of-a-kind destination for art and cannabis exploration with locations across Southern California. As one of the only art exhibition spaces currently open, the West Hollywood location provides a unique venue for artists to display their works and to comment on current events. Starting January 13th, The Artist Tree Marijuana Dispensary location in West Hollywood will be exhibiting art by Los Angeles artist, Roger James (b.1965). James' artwork is influenced by his work in the fashion industry and he primarily works on canvas. The painter's work reveals flexibility in thoughts, chaotic forms, vigorous hues and intentional toughness. He sees the beauty in an imperfect psychedelic world. James quoted "the amalgam of several colors is like notes in classical music. There is deep meaning but that depends on your personal interpretation." The Artist Tree was created by Lauren Fontein, Aviv Halimi, and brothers Avi Kahan and Mitchell Kahan. The team built The Artist Tree to celebrate art and community, while providing a welcoming place for people to enjoy cannabis. The Artist Tree team also owns additional dispensaries in Riverside, Corona, El Sobrante, and Los Angeles, which are scheduled to open in the next 12 months. "The Artist Tree will enhance your perception of the arts and change how you experience cannabis," says Fontein. "Constantly changing art displays and the best cannabis products available are integrated with interactive educational hubs throughout the space. Shopping with us is an immersive experience unlike any cannabis retail location in California." The Artist Tree Marijuana Dispensary and Delivery Hollywood location houses a dispensary and delivery service, a rotating gallery of local art, and a cannabis learning center. The most striking education hub is the beautifully designed Cultivation Learning Center, a 10 x 15 enclosed glass room containing live cannabis clone plants. Guests are encouraged to walk through the glass cube and visualize the entire craft cannabis production process with cloned plants, led by The Artist Tree's cultivation guides. The flagship retail store offers a variety of cannabis products - vape cartridges and topicals, edibles, CBD wellness products, craft strains, premium concentrates and pre-rolls. Featured brand products are showcased in secured custom display tables designed to allow The Artist Tree's certified Guides to assist customers with walkthrough consultations and product interaction. Interactive touch pads for ordering products are positioned throughout the retail showroom with built in product and brand information. A secondary sales area and lounge is available for private consultations and personalized concierge experiences for individual guests or small groups. Converting the retail space formerly occupied by Frontrunners shoe store, The Artist Tree has created a museum-esque environment with a seamless floorplan, industrial detailing, eco friendly concrete, split face basalt, and inlaid glass sections throughout the interior. The space was designed by LEED certified architectural firm, Retail Design Collaborative. The Artist Tree is the only business applicant to qualify for West Hollywood's cannabis licenses in all five categories, which include recreational cannabis sales, medical cannabis sales, cannabis delivery, operation of a cannabis lounge offering edible products, and operation of a lounge where cannabis smoking and vaping is permitted and edible products can be consumed. The Artist Tree in West Hollywood retail and art space is open daily from 8:00 AM - 9:50 PM at 8625 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069. The Artist Tree offer delivery and express pick up, accepting online orders at The Artist Tree Marijuana Dispensary and Delivery Hollywood . Details on The Artist Tree's upcoming consumption lounges will be announced soon. Press Contact: Lauren Fontein lauren@theartisttree.com (213) 700-6858 # # # About The Artist Tree The Artist Tree was founded by Lauren Fontein, Aviv Halimi, Avi Kahan and Mitchell Kahan. With more than 13 years of experience in the California cannabis industry, The Artist Tree team is the only business applicant to qualify for West Hollywood's cannabis licenses in all five categories, which include recreational cannabis sales, medical cannabis sales, cannabis delivery, operation of a cannabis lounge offering edible products and operation of a lounge where cannabis smoking and vaping is permitted and edible products can be consumed. The Artist Tree's mission is to provide safe access to legal cannabis, raise awareness of the health benefits of cannabis, showcase artists from the community and break stereotypes surrounding cannabis sales and consumption. For driving directions, click here: https://g.page/marijuanadispensaryhollywood. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/71987 For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe. Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime. The United Nations' atomic watchdog agency confirmed Thursday that has informed it that the country has begun installing equipment for the production of uranium metal, which would be another violation of the landmark nuclear deal with world powers. maintains its plans to conduct research and development on uranium metal production are part of its declared aim to design an improved type of fuel, the Vienna-based Atomic Energy Agency said. Uranium metal can also be used for a nuclear bomb, however, and research on its production is specifically prohibited in the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action signed with world powers in 2015. The ultimate goal of the deal is to prevent from developing a nuclear bomb, something Iran insists it does not want to do. Iran now has enough enriched uranium to make a bomb, but nowhere near the amount it had before the nuclear deal was signed. IAEA inspectors visited the Isfahan plant where Iran has said it plans to conduct the research on Jan. 10, and officials were informed by Tehran on Jan. 13 that modification and installation of the relevant equipment for the mentioned R&D activities have been already started," the agency said. Iran's ambassador to the IAEA, Kazem Gharibabadi, repeated that in a tweet on Wednesday, adding that natural uranium will be used to produce uranium metal in the first stage. He told Iran's official news agency IRNA that the move will elevate Iran to the level of progressive nations in production of new fuels. It was the latest in a string of violations of the JCPOA that Iran has undertaken since President Donald Trump pulled the United States unilaterally out of the deal in 2018, saying it needed to be re-negotiated. Tehran has been using the violations to put pressure on the other signatories Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia to provide more incentives to Iran to offset crippling American sanctions reimposed after the U.S. exited the deal. President-elect Joe Biden, who was vice president when the JCPOA was negotiated, has said he hopes to return the U.S. to the deal. Britain, France and Germany said last week, however, that Iran risks compromising chances of diplomacy with Washington after Tehran announced another violation that it was starting to enrich uranium to 20 per cent purity, a technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent. The foreign ministers of the three European nations said in a joint statement then that the Iranian activity has no credible civil justification. They said the enrichment was a clear violation of the deal and further hollows out the agreement. Germany's Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment Thursday, but the announcement on the production of uranium metal now further complicates trying to get Washington back on board. Those working to save the deal also note that despite the violations, Iran continues to allow inspectors to access all sites in the country. Closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High 'impacts our entire town' The Washington County Board of Education held a public hearing on the closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High School; the crowd pleaded against it. We must also admit that, while our treatment has helped, it has not, in fact, cured the disease. The pathology lies much deeper, and it is widespread. And as with any real trauma, its impact will not go away any time soon. The only sure way to mitigate its effects over the long term is with the deepest resolve that America will never let something like this happen again. (Photo : Screenshot From Pxhere Official Website) Sign Up for COVID Vaccine Guide: Who is Eligible? Where to Get Second Shot, and MORE The first month of official vaccine distribution over in New York as well as a number of states didn't really inspire confidence despite massive efforts. However, with the new expansion of vaccine access, a number of other people in New York are now eligible to get the vaccine over the next few weeks. Who can sign up for the vaccine? January 12 - The health and Human Service Secretary known as Alex Azar has instructed all of the states to open vaccinations towards all Americans over the age of 65. That very same day, the Governor Andrew Cuomo announced aside from New Yorkers above 65, those with certain pre-existing conditions as well as those considered immunosuppressed are eligible for the first two doses according to the story by NYMag. This means that over 7 million residents of New York are eligible in the current tier known as the 1b. Last week, it included the following: Teachers Public-safety workers Police Firefighters EMT Other first responders Public-transit workers Pharmacy Clerks Stock workers Cashiers Delivery Staff 1.4 million New Yorkers over age 75 The rule now changes in order to allow medical providers to give the said vaccine to any of the public-facing employees for the extra doses in a vial and none from the priority population can come in before the said doses expire. Phase 1 had prioritized health-care workers in certain patient-care settings, the long-term-care facility workers, and even the at-risk long-term-care facility patients. The phase 1a added any of the health-care workers all providing in-person services, pharmacists, and even a number of health-care staff. How to sign up for COVID vaccine Starting January 11, those eligible for the tier 1b can click this link to sign online. Governor Cuomo however warned that it might take some weeks for all of those that are eligible in the phase 1b to get their vaccine. In order to determine eligibility, the state uses an online screener that requires residents to answer certain questions determining their age or if their employment qualifies them to be under the 1B guidelines for a vaccine shot. After having completed the online form, those that are eligible are now directed to a certain site listing vaccination sites to make an appointment. There is also a hotline for faster transactions that started on January 11: call 1-833-NYS-4VAX Over in New York City, the official Health Department has actually set up a portal that is called the NYC COVID Vaccine Finder. This helps residents schedule certain appointments. The NYX Health Department is requiring residents to answer about 50 questions during the verification process and this raises immediate concerns regarding accessibility for the older New Yorkers as well as those who can't access a computer. Read Also: New Chest X-ray Tool Uses AI to Detect COVID-19 with 83% Accuracy What if I can't qualify for COVID vaccine? For those that can't qualify for this current tier, the government's office stated that the next phase could start sometime late January. How to get the second shot of COVID vaccine? Residents that have gotten the first shot will have to wait for a while before receiving the second shot. The information will be entered in the New York State Immunization Information System which will update residents regarding the second shot. Related Article: COVID-19 New Strain: It's More Contagious, But Scientists Say Not to Worry This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Urian Buenconsejo 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. President Moon Jae-in, left, and new Ambassador to Japan Kang Chang-il pose after a ceremony at Cheong Wa Dae, Thursday. Yonhap By Do Je-hae Amid increased bilateral tensions between Korea and Japan resulting from a recent local court ruling regarding a historical issue, diplomatic experts expressed the importance of proceeding with the 9th Korea-China-Japan summit as planned. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga lashed out at Seoul after a local court ruling last week in favor of surviving South Korean victims of wartime sex slavery who demanded compensation from Tokyo. The Japanese leader reiterated that all colonial-era reparations were completely concluded with the 1965 normalization treaty. President Moon officially appointed Kang Chang-il as his new ambassador to Japan, Thursday, during a ceremony at Cheong Wa Dae. It is expected that one of the first things the new envoy will focus on is persuading the Japanese side to attend the annual summit. Suga is hesitant to visit Korea unless there is progress in the existing deadlock between the two countries on the issue of compensation for surviving South Korean victims of wartime forced labor. Some diplomatic experts are underlining the need for the three-way summit to proceed as planned, given its special role in promoting not only trilateral cooperation, but also softening the mood between Korea and Japan at intense moments in bilateral relations. Moon met with Japan's then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on the sidelines of the three-way summit in Chengdu, China, in December 2019, a few months after the bilateral tension peaked with Japan's export restrictions earlier that year. "Diplomatic platforms that have been difficult to build in the past should be respected and utilized as much as possible. It is very difficult to create such a three-way summit in Northeast Asia," former Ambassador to Japan Lee Su-hoon said in a recent Facebook post. By Amran Abocar and Steve Scherer OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada and other U.S. allies are looking to President-elect Joe Biden to re-engage with the world on such issues as climate change and free trade, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a Reuters Next interview aired on Thursday. The Liberal Party prime minister also said the U.S. electoral system and its institutions had held up following last week's violent attack on the U.S. Capitol by what he called "a small, angry mob." "There is a need for a re-engaged United States in global circles," said Trudeau, 49, who took office more than five years ago. Biden, who defeated U.S. President Donald Trump in a November election, will be sworn in on Wednesday. "One of the things that a lot of the traditional allies and friends of the United States are looking forward to is a re-engagement on some of the big themes, whether it's freer trade, climate change, protecting democracy or coordinating against some of the rise of authoritarianism we're seeing around the world," he said. Trump often clashed with traditional allies on trade. He imposed tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel and paralyzed the World Trade Organization's role as global arbiter on trade by blocking appointments to its appeals panel. On climate, Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement that set up a global framework to reduce carbon emissions, and he seemed more at ease with leaders like Russian President Vladimir Putin than with NATO allies, whom he berated for not spending enough on their armed forces. "We're seeing a world that is changing rapidly. The rise of a much more assertive and sometimes problematic China, the shifts in poles of power around the world, the rise and strengthening of Asia as an economic focal point. These are things that are needing to be responded to," Trudeau said. Last week Trudeau said Trump and other U.S. politicians had incited the violence on Washington's Capitol Hill. Story continues "The democratic principles and the structures around (the U.S.) electoral process will not be stopped or disrupted by a small, angry mob, however disconcerting and alarming that can be," he told Reuters in reference to an FBI warning of armed protests before Biden's Jan. 20 inauguration. "I have confidence that Americans who are concerned about defending their democracy will do what is necessary and what is right to keep themselves and their institutions safe long into the future, through this unpredictable moment." Trudeau said he aims to meet Biden soon after the inauguration, with climate change high on his agenda. Biden's ambitious climate change plan, which includes $2 trillion in investment for clean-energy infrastructure over four years, could pressure Canada to act more aggressively on its own climate policies. For more coverage from the Reuters Next conference please click here or www.reuters.com/business/reuters-next To watch Reuters Next live, visit https://www.reutersevents.com/events/next/register.php (Writing by Steve Scherer; Editing by Howard Goller) Jared Bernstein, a top economic adviser to President-elect Joe Biden, is citing the example of New Age Industries 135-worker Bucks County plant in urging Americans to set up more employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), which enjoy tax advantages over for-profit companies. In a report that Bernstein recently wrote for an ESOP trade group, he uses New Age Industries in Southampton as a case study. The article details how Ken Baker sold his family-founded company in Southampton to staffers in stages between 2006 and 2019. The company makes AdvantaPure, BrewSavor and Vergenics tubing. It is now 100% employee-owned, unlike some larger area-based ESOPs such as those at W.L. Gore & Co. a maker of plastic products, and Wawa, where founding families have kept control but workers can accumulate shares to help fund retirement. Baker says the internal value of New Ages ESOP shares is up tenfold since the ESOP started in 2006, more than triple the rise in the S&P 500. In his 17-page article, Bernstein said the tax incentives to create ESOPs were already potent and need no sweetening. He says the main factor slowing adoption was a simple lack of information about ESOPs and the absence of an expert bench to provide advice. Worker-owned companies are popular among small manufacturers and professional-service firms in engineering, insurance and other areas. Advocates see them as a worker-led, or at least a worker-equity, alternative to familiar investor capitalism. Bernstein is a senior fellow at the liberal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. During Barack Obamas first presidential term, he was chief economist for Biden, who then was vice president. Last month, Biden named him to the White Houses Council of Economic Advisors. Magellan Health backs Philly medical software firm Magellan Health, the big U.S. provider of drugs and mental-health services, has led a $20 million investment (with others) in NeuroFlow, a Philadelphia company whose software helps doctors, hospitals, governments, and insurers track patient conditions and treatments. NeuroFlow employs 60 workers, some on contract. With the new funding, it plans to hire 40 more this year, according to chief executive Chris Molaro, a West Point graduate and Iraq veteran who began planning the company with cofounder Adam Pardes when they were grad students at Penn (Molaro for the Wharton MBA he got, Pardes for the bioengineering Ph.D. he got distracted away from.) They founded the company in 2016. Early backers include the state-funded Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania; the start-up-focused Red and Blue Ventures, founded by Penn alumni to invest in Penn-related businesses; and Philadelphia-based DreamIt Ventures. Its early funders included Builders VC in San Francisco. Molaro said the service is used by 200 hospitals and other health-care providers, ranging from Jefferson Health to the Air Force. About 118,000 health professionals run the software to look after 330,000 patients, up tenfold in a year. On Jan. 6, Magellan agreed to be sold to health insurer Centene Corp. in a $2.2 billion deal. Brain cancer pioneer sold Chimerix, a publicly traded cancer-drug developer based in Durham, N.C., last week agreed to pay $78 million, half in cash and half in stock, to purchase Philadelphia-based Oncoceutics, which has been developing a cure for recurrent glioma, a brain cancer that usually kills patients in less than a year. Oncoceutics, which employs 20, is developing a clinical trial for its lead drug candidate, ONC201. Gliomas generally are one of the highest areas of unmet need in fighting cancer, and no pill already on the market treats H3 K27M-mutant recurrent glioma, the particular condition the drug is designed to treat, Chimerix CEO Mike Sherman said in a statement. We are thrilled to join the Chimerix team, said Lee Schalop, a former stock analyst who cofounded Oncoceutics in 2009 and took over as CEO in April. The cofounders include cancer doctors Wafik El-Deiry, of Brown University, and Wolfgang Oster. Oster stepped down as Oncoceutics CEO in April and has started Ambler-based Virus Abatement Corp. The sellers included Oncoceutics lead investor, Spring Mountain Capital, of New York. Philadelphia law firm Morgan Lewis advised Oncoceutics in the sale. ROME, JAN 14 - Ex-premier Silvio Berlusconi went to a hospital in Monaco for routine heart checks on Thursday, his entourage said. The three-time former premier and media mogul checked into the Principality's premier heart clinic. The leader of the centre-right Forza Italia (FI) party will return home in a few days, sources said. Berlusconi, 84, who had a heart valve replaced in 2016, had been staying at Valbonne near Nice where he also spent most of the COVID lockdown. (ANSA). Larsen & Toubro (L&T) gained 1.77% to Rs 1375.90 after its construction arm secured 'significant' orders from various businesses. As per L&T's classification, the valuation of the 'significant' contract lies between Rs 1000 crore to Rs 2500 crore. The commercial and residential spaces arm of the buildings & factories business won an order from a reputed developer to construct an office space in Mumbai. The arm has also won an order from the State Government of Haryana to construct a medical college at Jind. The railways strategic business unit has secured an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) order from the Central Organisation for Railway Electrification (CORE), package EPC-06 to electrify 918.40 RKM/1171.31 Track KM of railway lines in the North Western Railway. L&T is an Indian multinational engaged in engineering, procurement and construction projects, manufacturing, defence and services with over $21 billion in revenue. On a consolidated basis, the company's net profit surged 118.43% to Rs 5,520.27 crore on 12.15% decline in net sales to Rs 31,034.74 crore in Q2 September 2020 over Q2 September 2019. L&T will announce Q3 FY21 result on 25 January 2021. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karate Kid Star Shares the Secret to Happy 33-Year Marriage to High School Sweetheart Actor Ralph Macchio has shared the secrets to his happy 33-year marriage with his high school sweetheart, Phyllis Fierro. With a rate of divorce in the United States as high as 50 percent, according to the American Psychological Association, its remarkable how some marriages have withstood the test of timeparticularly when were talking marriages coming out of Hollywood. Macchio says that not only has his been successful, but his wife is who made his Hollywood dreams possible. Julia Macchio, Ralph Macchio and Phyllis Fierro attend the screening of Cobra Kai during the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival at SVA Theatre on April 24, 2018, in New York City. (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images) Without her and without the foundation and the family we established, one foot in, one foot out would have been very, very difficult on my own, the Cobra Kai star told People magazine. Because there would not be balance. The father of two made his debut as teen martial arts student Daniel LaRusso in the 1984 film The Karate Kid. He was just 22 years old, but he had already met his wife-to-be years earlier at a cousins birthday party when he was 15. This is 1970 or whatever, he laughed. So this is Cheez Doodles, 7Up, Tootsie Rolls, probably the Ruffles with onion dip. She was a friend of my cousin, and we just smiled and talked and danced a little. Probably the Hustle! Back then, Macchio didnt yet know that he and Fierro would eventually become parents to Daniel, 25, and Julie, 28. According to Macchio, the success of their relationship all stems with commitment. Its the belief through the easy times, through the tough times, whatever we encounter, that we are meant to be together, the actor said. Actor Ralph Macchio visits The IMDb Show on June 10, 2019, in Studio City, California. (Rich Polk/Getty Images) This year has thrown a few extra hurdles at the couple, too, with Fierro a front-line nurse practitioner helping patients in their battles against the CCP virus. We know that we will overcome all because we believe in that, the foundation of that, Macchio added. These days, Macchio is still a busy actor. Most recently, he appeared in season 3 of Cobra Kai, which premiered on Netflix on New Years Day. Of the show, he told Yahoo News: Its exceeded my expectations. Not that I didnt feel we were making something great that was connecting to the original story, the nostalgia of the Karate Kid universe and paying homage to that and never losing sight of that. But to propel to this level on YouTube, break out in that way He added that the low expectations for the show gave them an advantage. The press and the media was like, OK, theyre doing this now. Sure, no one has any original ideas, why not do this? Macchio said. So that was a good thing for us. Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Epoch Inspired Newsletter here: https://www.theepochtimes.com/newsletter HOUSTON, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tex-Isle Inc. (Tex-Isle), an industry leading provider of OCTG, Line Pipe, and associated services, today announced plans to open a new steel tubular mill located in Robstown, Texas in the 3rd quarter of 2021. In 2009 Tex-Isle embarked on a vertical integration initiative, which, over the past decade has included the creation of two new divisions: Tex-Isle Coating in George West, TX and Tex-Isle Processing in Robstown, TX. The greenfield project will be adjacent to the company's current OCTG heat treating, inspection, and threading facility in Robstown. When complete, the mill will build on Tex-Isle's Asset Based Distribution model and provide feedstock to its other facilities. The mill will add to Tex-Isle's growing footprint in the coastal bend area and bring Tex-Isle's total capital investment in the region to nearly $100 million. Chris Kayem, Tex-Isle's President, discussing the project. "A pipe mill is the natural progression of our long-term strategic plan which started over a decade ago. Our Asset Based Distribution model of vertical integration combines the traditional benefits of distribution with the scope of a manufacturer, creating a unique blend of services for our customers. Once complete, the new mill will dive a level deeper into our cost structure as we continue our crusade against inefficiencies in the supply chain. Having these facilities, along with private ownership and a strong balance sheet, allows us to deliver customer first service and flexibility - which I'm certain will pay dividends to our clients, our community, and our company for years to come." The mill will be housed in a 60,000 square foot facility, bringing the company's total under roof to 250,000 square feet, and is designed to produce steel tubes from 2.375" - 8.625" OD. Overall, the facility will have the ability to produce 350,000 tons per year, of which, 250,000 tons is slated for API material with the remaining 100,000 tons reserved for structural products. The addition of structural tubulars will deliver much needed supply to the rapidly growing Corpus Christi and South Texas regions. Billy Sias, Tex-Isle's Business Development Manager, added. "We are very excited about this project. The growth in the coastal bend area around Corpus Christi provides enormous opportunity for our company. Our growing facility in Robstown has numerous strategic advantages. We are an operating foreign trade zone, we are located on a Union Pacific mainline, and we are within twenty minutes of the deep-water Port of Corpus Christi. At the Port we are developing property for a lay down and storage facility and have been one of the major bulk cargo customers over the past number of years. Lastly, Steel Dynamics will be opening a new state of the art electric arc furnace (EAF) steel mill right up the road in Sinton. We feel this is an ideal manufacturing footprint which tightens our supply chain." The project is another step for Tex-Isle in an ongoing effort to be a leader in the industrywide push for greater ESG stewardship. The facility is designed to run on 100% electric technology; allowing for the use of renewable energy to power the mill. In addition to all electric manufacturing, the pipe mill's raw material, hot-rolled coil, will be supplied by manufacturers using EAF technology, which produce their product from as much as 85% recycled material. Kayem describes the pipe mill as, "making a green, environmentally conscious product in a traditionally carbon intensive manufacturing process. This facility represents our ongoing commitment to expanding our manufacturing capabilities, while also lowering our carbon footprint. We are constantly evaluating further opportunities to achieve both of these goals." About Tex-Isle Tex-Isle is a third generation, family-owned business, founded by Hans Kayem in 1959. For more information visit https://www.texisle.com/ or contact Billy Sias at [email protected] or (713) 461-1012. SOURCE Tex-Isle Inc. Related Links https://www.texisle.com The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. [January 13, 2021] RS Components is stocking an extensive range of RS PRO handheld T&M instruments SHANGHAI, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- RS Components (RS), a trading brand of Electrocomponents plc (LSE: ECM), a global omni-channel solutions partner for industrial customers and suppliers, is now stocking an extensive range of RS PRO handheld test and measurement instruments for engineers and technicians on the go. The range includes devices that allow accurate and ergonomic measurements and calibration, including handheld multimeters, clamp meters and voltage indicators, and all the necessary accessories. For access to awkward and hard to reach areas, the RS PRO Flexible Clamp Meter features a flexible coil which snakes around obstructions with ease. It also means that the technician can take a reading from a wire without touching it, which i safer and more convenient than other methods. The instrument has a built-in data logger that can measure AC current with a high degree of accuracy between 0.5A and 3000A. Measured data can be transferred in real-time to a laptop via Bluetooth. The large backlit LCD makes measurements easy to read, even in poorly lit environments. The RS PRO clamp meter complies with EN61010-1, EN61010-2-032, and EN61326-1 safety standards and meets the overvoltage Cat III and Cat IV requirements. It comes with two AAA batteries, application software, and a carry case. The RS PRO handheld T&M instrument range also includes the RS PRO insulation tester to help technicians ensure the wiring insulation is safe and remains undamaged after electrical work has been completed. The RS PRO RS14 digital multimeter is a useful instrument for measuring capacitance, voltage, electrical current, and resistance and features a diode and continuity check. Designed especially for HVAC engineers, the RS PRO HVAC multimeter features true RMS measurements and connects via Bluetooth to the RS PRO Connect App. All RS PRO products and equipment have been through high-calibre compliance and quality testing to assure quality, durability, and consistency, and come with the RS PRO Seal of Approval. The RS PRO handheld T&M equipment range is shipping now from RS in China. SOURCE RS Components [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Two and a half decades in negotiations, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway remains stalled on basic issues, with no clear way forward. The fate of the CKU is reflective of a host of issues that Chinas Belt and Road Initiative faces as it tries to expand trade and travel infrastructure. The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway (CKU) has been under discussion for almost 25 years, but construction may never begin, The Third Pole writes in the article China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway remains uncertain. Despite numerous high level meetings the three countries have failed to reach a consensus on the route, railway tracks and sources of funding, as well as to address ecological, geopolitical and national security concerns. In his resignation speech on 16 October 2020, the then Kyrgyz President, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, shared his dream for the railway. One of my dreams was the realisation of the CKU railway. High-level negotiations took place, and a political decision was taken regarding the start of the work. Kyrgyzstan needs this like it needs air and water, and I hope that my countrymen who have come to power will continue with it and make it a reality. Conflicting interests The three countries have conflicting interests. China and Uzbekistan want a shorter and cheaper transit route to Europe and the Middle East, whereas Kyrgyzstan prefers a longer variant that will connect centres in the north and south of the country and boost its economy. The train is expected to carry consumer goods from China to Central Asia and take food produce and minerals from Kyrgyzstan back to China. Uzbekistan hopes to boost its oil and cotton exports. At a meeting about the development of the Kyrgyz rail industry in June 2020, the then President Jeenbekov noted the importance of railways for the country, the largest and most strategically important projects in this regard is the CKU. The next day, general director of the Kyrgyz Railway Company, Vasily Dashkov, hastened to inform journalists that documents relating to the construction of the CKU were ready and denied there was any disagreement over the route and the track. In an interview with Birinchi Radio, Jeenbekov called the construction of the route vitally important, and added that a 3+1 agreement was reached with Russia for participation in the project. When the pandemic began and borders were closed, we found ourselves in a very bad situation. Our priorities werent only the economy, but the issue of providing food and flour to people. We were again convinced that the railway is very important for us. The Chinese are interested in this project. A dead end? In an interview with MK-Asia, former Kyrgyz deputy Minister of Transport and Communication Ulan Uezbaev underlined that although there has been a political decision to build the railroad, as of yet no viable approach has been suggested. Theres no investment or decision about a partnership between the government and private sector. After a feasibility study, the first variant of the railroad cost USD 1.5 billion during discussions this sum rose to USD 4.5 billion, a figure which will continue to grow in the coming 5 years of discussion until it reaches around USD 8 billion. Construction on this project must begin now. According to the Kyrgyz Railway Company (Kyrgyz Temir Zholy), the idea of the CKU railroad first appeared in 1996 when China announced the start of construction of a South Xinjiang rail route from Korla to Kashgar. A year later, China, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan signed a memorandum in Tashkent and Bishkek to cooperate on the construction of a KashgarOshAndijan railroad, and published the minutes of the first meeting of the Joint Working Commission. Initially, experts from the three countries researched eight options for the route, but eventually settled on two. A northern route from Kashgar to Andijan would go through Torugart, Arpu and Kara-Suu, and a southern route would go through Irkeshtam, Sary-Tash and Osh. In 2002, the Chinese government gave Kyrgyzstan a 20-million-yuan technical grant for research on the main line, after which the two sides agreed on the northern route, though the southern option was more beneficial for China. Impasse over routes The northern route is 270 kilometres long and will link the northern and southern railways of Kyrgyzstan via an internal route of Balikchi Kochkor Kara-Keche Arpa Kara Suu. This will allow Kyrgyzstan to provide an inter-regional rail system. However, the Chinese government representatives rejected the Kyrgyz proposal during an online meeting on 15 July 2020 indicating that the railway width and route must be agreed by all sides. Whether the Kyrgyz governments call for the northern route will materialise is unclear but it has come under criticism from some Uzbek experts. Bakhtiyor Ergashev, director of the Tashkent based think-tank Mano believes that the Kyrgyz authorities are focusing on purely selfish interests by proposing the northern route. The option that they [Kyrgyz government] offer is simply longer and more expensive and does not work for the idea of a fast and affordable railway construction, Ergashev told a news website in Kazakhstan. Technical challenges Preliminary data from feasibility studies show that construction will take place in mountainous areas. This will involve building 48 tunnels over almost 50 kilometres. This includes a Ferghana Tunnel (14.1 kilometres), a Torugart tunnel (3.4 kilometres) and a Kurshab tunnel (1.7 kilometres). Large engineering structures such as bridges, railway divisions and transfer stations will also have to be built. There are also technical problems linking the new railway with existing regional rail routes. An official from the Kyrgyz Ministry of Transport and Communication told The Third Pole on condition of anonymity that the width of the track gauges is different in Kyrgyzstan and China. So in the Tuz-Bel Pass in Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan insists on building a station where carriages will change tracks, and therell be cargo weighing, organisation of the trains and sorting of the containers. This will add both time and cost to transporting goods. In his opinion, it would be better to build a station on Uzbek territory so that they can deliver goods there directly, by passing the need for a transition station. But this doesnt suit the Kyrgyz side. Even if the Chinese side will compromise, then their government, considering that theyre ready to invest billions in this ambitious project, will want to claim mining rights as a form of collateral. Mining the price Kyrgyzstan is rich in mineral deposits, in particular gold, which China wants to exploit. More than ten years ago the Kyrgyz government offered to pay China for building the railroad with rights for gold mining, the official said. It is unclear if that offer still holds, but the former Kyrgyz Minister of Transportation Janat Beishenov told a local newspaper in Kyrgyzstan that there are 23 mineral deposits, including: coal, lignite, gold, aluminum, iron, gypsum, barite, lead, terandite, shell limestone, construction limestone and other can be respectively developed along the railway route if CKU project moves forward. Environmental impacts Experts worry about the environmental damage of building a railway through fragile mountain regions. Kyrgyz Prime Ministers advisor and economist Kubat Rahimov said that any infrastructure project will need additional measures relating to explosive-technical and drilling operations requiring hundreds of thousands or even millions or cubic metres of rocks to be moved, as well as building tunnels, bridges, railway stations, loading and unloading stations, and all kinds of junctions, bypasses and additional tracks. The CKU railroad project is particularly difficult, said Kubat Rahimov, because it will require building tunnels through mountainous areas. Regardless of the route, the environmental consequences will be significant, as in certain areas it will be necessary to change the course of rivers and change drainage patterns, because we will need to build bridges with columns and engineering structures which will be directly on the water surface. Experience demonstrates that the building of a mountainous railroad in Tibet required changing the course of local rivers and putting concrete pillars in areas where water once flowed. This inevitably affected flora and fauna. The seismicity of the territory also affects the project introducing the necessity for load-bearing steel-concrete structures, additional engineering measures, additional concrete works, the strengthening or filling of cracks and joints, all of which will affect rocks. In certain areas dams will need to be built to join two mountains that are separated by a narrow gorge or river. This negatively affects seismicity: if the railroad goes through in an area with tectonic faults or where theres a likelihood of landslide or rockfall. The technogenic activity will have a negative impact in any case. An expert in the field of environmental protection and climate change from Bishkek, Vladimir Grebnev, warned the environmental costs of the project are likely high. But this shouldnt be said without any proof. As international legislation states, there must be an EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) with the involvement of society and appropriate consultants, he said. However, there is weak enforcement of environmental protections around infrastructure and mining major projects in Kyrgyzstan. The development of the Kumtor gold mine one of the highest gold deposits in the world in the Issyk-Kul region has led to the melting of the Davydov glacier in the Tianshan mountains. Mining waste was not properly stored, resulting in melting snow and polluted lakes and rivers. According to Jamal Sooronkulov, the railroad may spur the development of nearby mineral deposits, which again will have negative environmental impacts. Therefore, in realising this ambitious project, a parallel project for the protection of the environment must also be provided. However, some scientists say the benefits outweigh the costs. Kamil Ashimov, the director of the Jalal-Abad region Science Centre of the Kyrgyz Republics Academy of Science. Kyrgyzstans ecology wont be impacted at all by the construction of this CKU railroad. During the work, there will be minimal harm to biodiversity, but, in contrast to road freight transport, the operation of the railroad is considered much less dangerous, he said. The exhaust emissions of road freight vehicles are more environmentally damaging than rail transport. Therefore, constant monitoring of the loaded trains will suffice. However, the array of problems and lack of cooperation from the Chinese side may force Kyrgyzstan to reject this idea outright. There is an option that if the Kyrgyz side continues to delay this question, then China will find another way to build a road through neighbouring Tajikistan (Gorny Badakhshan), thereby bypassing Kyrgyzstan. And then Kyrgyzstan will be at a loss. Washington's envoy to the United Nations held a virtual talk with Taiwan's president on Thursday after her visit to the island was scrapped in a diplomatic volte-face during the chaotic last days of the Trump administration. Ambassador Kelly Craft praised Taiwan's success in fighting the coronavirus while criticising China for blocking the island from global bodies during a video discussion with President Tsai Ing-wen. "Unfortunately, Taiwan is unable to share those successes in UN venues, including the World Health Assembly, as a result of PRC obstruction," Craft tweeted, referring to the People's Republic of China. Taiwan has been praised for its pandemic response, with fewer than 850 cases and seven deaths. It effectively sealed its borders and implemented strict quarantine and tracing measures to stifle its initial outbreak and at one point last year recorded 253 days without a single local transmission. "If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that more information, more transparency, is part of the answer," Craft said. China's authoritarian leadership views Taiwan as its own territory and has vowed to seize it one day. It keeps the island's 23 million people locked out of international bodies like the World Health Organization (WHO) to reinforce Taiwan's diplomatic isolation. China criticised Thursday's phone call between Tsai and Craft. "The Chinese side firmly opposes any form of official exchanges between the US and Taiwan," foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters. The call came as a team of experts from the WHO arrived in Wuhan on Thursday to begin a highly politicised probe into the origins of the coronavirus. The 10 scientists must first complete a two-week quarantine in Wuhan, where the virus first emerged before sweeping the globe, infecting tens of millions of people and killing nearly two million so far. Craft's Taiwan visit and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's trip to Europe were called off at the last minute, just a week before the inauguration of US President-elect Joe Biden. In a statement released by her office after the video call, Tsai expressed regret that Craft was unable to visit and described Taiwan as a "force for good" that deserves a place on the world stage. Taiwan was expelled from the WHO in 1972, a year after losing the "China" seat at the UN to the People's Republic of China. It was allowed to attend the WHO's top annual meetings between 2009 and 2016 as an observer when relations with China were warmer. However, Beijing has stepped up its campaign to pressure Taipei since Tsai came to power as she refuses to acknowledge its stance that self-ruled democratic Taiwan is part of China. [January 14, 2021] New Mountain Capital Completes $10.2 Billion of Private Equity Fundraising in 2020 New Mountain Capital, LLC ("New Mountain"), a leading growth-oriented alternative investment firm headquartered in New York, today announced the closing of two new private equity funds, totaling over $10.2 billion in aggregate capital commitments. These funds include New Mountain's sixth flagship private equity fund, New Mountain Partners VI, L.P. ("Fund VI"), with $9.6 billion of capital, and its first non-control private equity fund, Strategic Equity Fund I, L.P. ("SEF I"), with $640 million of capital. Demand for Fund VI substantially exceeded the hard cap amount, and Fund VI closed with $9.0 billion of Limited Partner commitments and approximately $600 million of General Partner/Affiliated investor commitments. SEF I, which is dedicated to non-control/minority investments, held its final closing in September. New Mountain, founded in 2000, manages over $30 billion in aggregate assets in private equity, credit, net lease real estate and public equity funds. New Mountain's previous flagship fund, Fund V, closed with approximately $6.2 billion of commitments in 2017, and is now fully invested in platform companies, with the remaining capital reserved for follow-on growth investments. The investors in Fund VI include approximately 300 of the world's leading pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, asset managers, family offices, high net worth individuals and endowments. The vast majority of Fund V investors returned for Fund VI, and the firm also added many new investors, with notable expansion from Asia, Europe and Latin American regions. Fund VI and SEF I will continue to pursue New Mountain's strategy of emphasizing non-cyclical growth and business building for companies in carefully selected "defensive growth" industries. New Mountain proactively develops research and operational expertise in these acyclical niches through multi-year industry deep dive work that leads to targeting industry sub-sectors and specific companies of interest. New Mountain has built expertise in sectors that now include life sciences/advanced materials, healthcare technologies, advanced data and analytics, infrastructure/water/power services, digital transformation services, software, niche consumer products, financial services, supply chain and others. New Mountain's team totaled 122 investment professionals and staff in 2017 when Fund V commenced and has grown to over 175 today. New Mountain has particularly sought to continuously strengthen its operational and business building capabilities over time. Fund VI has already closed on three portfolio investments and signed a fourth investment in Deceber. These investments include HealthComp, LLC, a health benefits administrator; Tinuiti, Inc., a digital performance marketing firm; and Inframark, LLC, a water infrastructure services company; with the fourth investment in the digital services/digital transformation space to be announced. The investments to date represent over 10% of Fund VI capital commitments and are followed by a strong pipeline of additional platform and add-on opportunities. SEF I has made two portfolio investments: Lincoln Investment Capital Holdings LLC, a full-service RIA/broker dealer, and IMA Financial Group, Inc., a property and casualty-focused specialty insurance brokerage. SEF I also has a strong pipeline of additional investments that the firm is pursuing. This recent activity capped a strong year for New Mountain in 2020. Key events included: Acquisition of eight new private equity platform companies, two non-control SEF I positions, and five major add-ons to existing companies, deploying $2.6 billion of fund capital in total. Sale, or partial sales, of seven companies generating total gross cash returned or in contract, of $5.4 billion. Continued focus on control of risk, social responsibility and broader ESG initiatives. New Mountain has never had a private equity bankruptcy or missed an interest payment in its history. Based on the firm's last "social dashboard" (published in March 2020 representing 2019 data), the private equity portfolio companies under New Mountain's ownership have added or created over 46,000 jobs net of any job losses and maintained a median income of ~72% above national individual median income. In addition, these companies committed $5.3 billion to R&D, software development, and capital expenditures and generated ~$37 billion of enterprise value gains. Additional details on New Mountain's social responsibility can be found on the website: www.newmountaincapital.com. "We thank our Limited Partners for their friendship and support, particularly during a pandemic and other significant global challenges," said Steven Klinsky, Founder and CEO of New Mountain. "Since our founding twenty years ago, New Mountain has sought to consistently "build great businesses" in carefully chosen acyclical growth sectors, and to build a great and highly operationally-focused team. We will strive to continue to build great businesses for the benefit of our investors, and the community at large, in the years ahead." Simpson Thacher & Bartlett serves as legal advisor for the Fund. About New Mountain Capital New Mountain Capital is a New York-based investment firm that emphasizes business building and growth, rather than debt, as it pursues long-term capital appreciation. The firm currently manages private equity, credit, net lease real estate and public equity funds with over $30 billion in assets under management. New Mountain seeks out what it believes to be the highest quality growth leaders in carefully selected industry sectors and then works intensively with management to build the value of these companies. www.newmountaincapital.com Under no circumstances does the information contained herein constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security or interest in an investment vehicle managed by New Mountain Capital. Any such offer or solicitation can only be made through a definitive private placement memorandum describing the terms and risks of an investment to sophisticated persons who meet certain qualifications under the federal securities laws and are capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the investment. Nothing presented herein is intended to constitute investment advice, and no investment decision should be made based on any information provided herein. It should not be assumed that an investment will be profitable or that the performance of any particular investment will equal its past performance. No guarantee of investment performance is being provided and no inference to the contrary should be made. There is a risk of loss from an investment in securities, including the potential loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210114005272/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] ALBANY Capital Region lawmakers and business promoters took a victory lap on Thursday to tout Gov. Andrew Cuomos State of the State announcement that an expanded Port of Albany would host what they said will be the nations first facility for manufacturing giant wind turbine towers. Part of a plan to build a series of turbine farms off the Long Island coast, the factory will represent one of the regions newest and largest industrial facilities, employing an estimated 300 people once completed. This is something weve worked on for the past three years, Port of Albany General Manager Rich Hendrick said during a press conference at the port. While the port was viewed as a top contender for building the wind towers going to the Long Island area, Cuomo in Wednesdays State of the State address confirmed that. He also said that the Long Island coast would be home to two more wind installations built by the Norwegian-based Equinor. Thats in addition to the projects already approved off Long Island being built by Equinor and Danish firm Orsted. The new manufacturing facility also will represent a physical expansion of the existing Port of Albany, as it will be built across the Normanskill Creek in the town of Bethlehem, adjacent to Albanys southern border. Construction on the plant is expected to start in 2022 and will include a 500-foot wharf, said Megan Daly, the ports director of economic development and procurement. Materials for the 400-foot-plus towers will be brought to the plant by vessels on the Hudson River. Once the towers are made at the plant, they will be transported by river to their off-shore locations, Daly said. She and others said they believe that, once the Long Island projects are built, the plant will continue to operate as a regional hub for wind tower manufacturing. The ability to move towers down the Hudson to the Atlantic coast makes the port an ideal spot, they said. European companies have dominated much of the wind turbine building industry but the ports facility should make the U.S. a player in this emerging field as well. It places us here in the Capital Region at the center of the off-shore wind industry in the United States, said Doreen Harris, acting president and CEO of the state Energy Research and Development Association, or NYSERDA. NYSERDA will administer the contracts with the wind companies and the firms that will operate the new facility Marmen Inc. and Welcon A/S. Marmem is a Quebec-based manufacturing firm and Welcon is a Danish wind tower builder. The project, estimated at $350 million, will contain 600,000 square feet of manufacturing space in four buildings. It will also include a training program to hire workers at the plant. Many of these jobs will entail new manufacturing technologies and the pay should average about $100,000 per year, said Harris. Theyll be subject to union agreements and the new plant will make efforts to hire minority employees. The port is located in Albanys South End where many Black residents live. The surrounding neighborhoods have been battling high unemployment and blight for years. Expanding southward into Bethlehem is also a welcome move for that neighboring community, said town Supervisor David VanLuven. It was too soon, however, to say how much the plant would add to the towns tax base, which supports municipal operations and schools. Most of the talk on Thursday morning centered on the employment the project should bring. Its going to be jobs, said Democratic state Sen. Neil Breslin. Its a tremendous, tremendous boost. At least four more people have died of the coronavirus infection during the last 24 hours taking the tally of total deaths to 1752 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Jan, 2021 ) :At least four more people have died of the coronavirus infection during the last 24 hours taking the tally of total deaths to 1752 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A report from the provincial Health Department said 286 more have tested positive for coronavirus during the last 24 hours. The total number of coronavirus-affected people has reached to 62377, the report said. During one day at least 286 people have gained recovery from the infection that took the number of the recovered people to 57313 in the province, the report added. Stats on HIV among men who have sex with men could help resolve China's epidemic Since the dawn of the 21st century, there has been a rapid rise in the number of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in China, and today, the epidemic continues to grow. Several populations are victims of this virus, including injection drug users, sex workers, and men who have sex with men (MSM). In the various decades since HIV has gripped China, these groups and others have variously been at the forefront or background of national efforts to tackle the epidemic. In the recent past, the prevalence of HIV has been high among the MSM population, particularly, MSM students. According to China CDC's national data on newly reported HIV/AIDS cases, there was a 35% annual increase in cases among student MSM from 2011 to 2015. Between 2005 and 2007, the HIV prevalence among this population was 3%. This increased to 6% between 2008 and 2010. Dr. Jing Zhang, researcher at the NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology (China Medical University) and lead scientist on a recent study on HIV incidence among MSM youth in China, says, "This increasing HIV prevalence could be because of expanding HIV testing in China in the recent years, or it could be that the number of recent infected cases has truly been growing." Explaining her rationale for the study, she continues, "To clarify why this increase is happening and its proportions, we need data on the 'incidence'. The incidence is one of the most crucial indicators of the trend of the epidemic and is key to understanding the impact of prevention measures. Because unlike 'prevalence', which accounts both recent and established cases, 'incidence' more specifically records only the recent cases. Data on incidence is what is lacking among the MSM student population." In their study, which has been published in Chinese Medical Journal, Dr. Zhang and her colleagues conducted a multi-center study, measuring not only the incidence but also the rate of transmitted drug resistance (TDR) among MSM college students in seven cities across China during 2012 and 2013. The TDR negatively impacts the prognosis of HIV-infected individuals when receiving antiretroviral therapy, the main measure China has taken to combat the epidemic over the years. "For an epidemiologist and public health provider, concrete data on these trends of recent incidence and TDR is valuable evidence for understanding the epidemic and evaluating the outcomes of the prevention measures employed thus far," Dr. Zhang says. In the study, a total of 4496 candidates--565 MSM college students, 1094 non-student MSM youth The scientists found 436 HIV-positive participants, 186 of whom were recent infections. Among MSM college students, the proportion of HIV recent infections was 70.3%, among non-student MSM youth it was 50.8%, and among non-youth MSM it was 35.1%. The TDR prevalence rates were ~7%, 2%, and ~5%, respectively, for these groups. In short, in the recent past, more MSM college students had become infected than the other groups, and they were more likely to be resistant to antiretroviral therapy. Drawing on previous studies about behavioral changes among young MSM, Dr. Zhang explains, "The median age of first anal intercourse for these men in China has significantly decreased from 33 years for those born during 1940-1959 to 18 years for those born during 1990-1996. This could be indicative of the gap in current sexual health education in China. China has taken many actions to mitigate the HIV epidemic among students in higher education institutions, including comprehensive education on sexual health and more accessible HIV testing. According to our findings, and given these changing trends, this education should be provided as early as possible during college, or preferably in high school, as soon as youth become sexually active." Further highlighting and underlining the importance of her team's study, Dr. Zhang remarks, "This study unravels the high proportion of recent HIV infections among college student MSM in 2012-2013. This is expected to facilitate an understanding of the growing HIV epidemic among MSM college students in China today. The study also addresses the importance of regular HIV testing among students and young MSM, emphasizing to this population the importance of early diagnoses. It further brings to the fore the need for TDR testing among this population before initiation of antiretroviral therapy for better response and prognosis." With such meticulous data collection and proactive measures, perhaps the HIV epidemic in China will soon see an end. ### Reference Title of original paper: Disparity of human immunodeficiency virus incidence and drug resistance in college student, non-student youth and older men who have sex with men: a cross-sectional study from seven major cities of China Journal: Chinese Medical Journal DOI: 10.1097/CM9.0000000000001161 This story has been published on: 2021-01-13. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Colorado lawmakers are unhappy with the Air Force's decision to move U.S. Space Command's headquarters to the Army's Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. The service announced its choice Wednesday. SPACECOM, which was reactivated in August 2019, has been temporarily housed at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs. It will remain the "provisional location" until facilities at Redstone are ready, according to the Air Force. But Democratic Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper don't see a reason to move SPACECOM when their state already offers a robust, space-focused infrastructure with multiple bases -- including nearby Schriever Air Force Base and Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station -- supporting the military's mission. Read Next: Retired Navy SEAL Reportedly Questioned by FBI After Facebook Video on Capitol Riot "We are deeply disappointed the Trump administration is trying to move Space Command from Colorado to Alabama," the senators said in a joint statement Wednesday. "We do not believe this decision reflects the best choice, or even a rational choice, for our national security and ability to confront threats in space." In November, the service selected six candidate locations to host SPACECOM. The bases included Redstone; Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico; Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska; Patrick Air Force Base, Florida; Port San Antonio at Kelly Field, Texas; and Peterson in Colorado. While Redstone is the service's preferred location, the Air Force said in a separate release that the other locations remain reasonable alternatives until an environmental impact analysis on Redstone is complete. The final decision is expected in 2023, according to the release. In addition to Redstone, Huntsville, sometimes known by the nickname "The Rocket City," hosts the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, the Missile Defense Agency, Army Space and Missile Command, Army Aviation and Missile Command, the Defense Intelligence Agency/Missile and Space Intelligence Center. Last month, Bennet, Hickenlooper and other local officials sent a letter urging President Donald Trump to keep the command in Colorado. The senators also cited reports that it had been the "Air Force's top choice" until Trump personally got involved. "We are concerned by rumors that the Trump White House influenced this decision for political reasons," Bennet and Hickenlooper said. "We will work closely with the Colorado delegation to ensure the Biden administration reviews this purported decision. We believe a process based on the merits will keep Space Command in Colorado. There is no role for politics when it comes to our national security." An Air Force spokesperson told Military.com on Thursday that while Trump was involved, he did not "override" the decision, as some news outlets have reported. During a typical basing decision process, multiple officials are consulted, including local commanders and those involved in discerning the mission worthiness of a particular location, the spokesperson explained. Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett, the decision-making authority, was required to keep top brass and other leaders at the Pentagon and the White House informed on the process. Last week, she presented her analysis during a meeting with members of the military's National Command Authority, which includes Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Barrett chose Redstone Arsenal following that meeting, the spokesperson said. SPACECOM is responsible for military operations related to space, while the Space Force, the newest military branch, organizes and trains space personnel. Like the other military branches, the Space Force has its headquarters at the Pentagon. The process to find a location for SPACECOM started in spring 2019 but faced pushback from lawmakers who believed the Defense Department was not being transparent enough about its selection. In May 2020, the Pentagon directed the Air Force to go back to the drawing board to find its permanent home. Rep. Mo Brooks, a Republican from Huntsville, said that, while the final decision is still years away, it could become a partisan issue now that the Democrats have control of both houses of Congress and the White House. "I hope the Biden/Harris administration will not duplicate the overall approach of the Obama/Biden administration, wherein all-too-often the answers to questions such as this were: 'Blue state: YES! Purple state: Likely or maybe. Red state: Unlikely or NO!'" he said, as reported by AL.com. "Partisan politics should not play a role in national security. Time will tell what happens in a red state when the federal government is totally dominated by Democrats," Brooks said. -- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214. Related: 'Rocket City' Picked as Home of New Space Command Headquarters Switzerland and The Gambia sign cooperation agreements on migration and civil aviation bedo/iStockBy PETE MADDEN, ABC News (NEW YORK) -- Turkish authorities have rebuffed a request from the United Nations for more information on the murders of Syrian-American journalist Halla Barakat and her mother, Orouba Barakat. In a letter dated Oct. 7, published by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, U.N. special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Agnes Callamard sought clarity on the depth of the investigation into the brutal 2017 killings, calling it a matter of "international concern." "The political nature of the Barakats' work, and the death threats they received, make it imperative that a possible politically-motivated killing be considered and investigated and the evidence for and against that conclusion shared with the family and the public," Callamard wrote. "Such an investigation would make it more likely that all culpable parties are identified." In response, Turkish officials defended their actions, declined to provide any further information and reasserted the "complete conscientious opinion" that the murders were committed over "family issues." "As in all cases, the investigation and prosecution of the present case was carried out by Turkish authorities with utmost diligence," Turkish officials wrote on Dec. 2. "As the hearings were held openly, the Government is of the view that due transparency was provided in the process." The exchange, sparked by an 18-month investigation of the killings by ABC News and Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting, represents the first official response to lingering questions about the case raised by the Barakat family allies, who contend that the motivations behind the murders -- and the possibility of a broader conspiracy -- were not adequately probed after Turkish authorities declined the FBI's offer of forensic assistance. Callamard declined to comment beyond saying that she was "analyzing the situation to see what my next steps might be." Rep. David Price, a North Carolina Democrat, had previously called on State Department officials to appeal to their Turkish counterparts to grant the authorization for "FBI work on the ground." He said he was encouraged that Callamard is seeking answers but disappointed in the lack of engagement from Turkish authorities. "Unfortunately, the Turkish government was not detailed or comprehensive in its response, leaving many loose ends in the investigation," Price told ABC News and Reveal in a statement. "My hope is that the UN special rapporteur will continue seeking the truth Halla and Orouba Barakat deserve justice. I support the U.S. government using its diplomatic tools to help ensure this case is given every possible consideration." Suzanne Barakat, a family member in San Francisco who has led the effort to bring further scrutiny to the case, responded to the Turkish letter by renewing her demand for U.S. and Turkish law enforcement to cooperate in reexamining the evidence. "If they think this was all done well, there shouldn't be any concern with us all collaborating and getting the evidence we have and corroborating all the different pieces," Suzanne told ABC News and Reveal. "If they are in fact aligned in seeking justice in Halla and Orouba's names, then I don't see why there would be any issue about collaborating." The Barakats were fierce critics of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and members of the Istanbul-based opposition to his regime. Their brutal double murder in September 2017 in Istanbul sparked headlines around the world, and a suspicion among their family, friends and colleagues that their work may have threatened powerful figures with the motive and means to silence them. The crime scene, to many observers, suggested the work of a professional. Halla was an American citizen -- born in North Carolina while Orouba was visiting relatives there -- who had worked for a U.S. media outlet. So two U.S. lawmakers from the state, Sen. Thom Tillis and Rep. Price, soon called for a thorough investigation. H.R. McMaster, then a senior member of the Trump administration, even invited Suzanne Barakat to the White House, where, she said, intelligence officials and diplomats assured her that the case was a priority. By then, Turkish authorities had arrested and secured a confession from a distant relative named Ahmed Barakat, who had been working for Orouba since arriving in Turkey from Syria six months earlier. Orouba owed him money, Ahmed told prosecutors, according to court documents, claiming that when he confronted her in the apartment she shared with her daughter Orouba refused to pay and attacked him with a kitchen knife, which he then used to kill her. When Halla screamed, he said, he killed her, too. After a brief trial, Ahmed was convicted and given two life sentences. The case, as far as prosecutors were concerned, was closed. But questions about the case lingered, so in the three years since the murders, a trans-Atlantic team of journalists -- some based in Turkey, others in the United States, some of whom knew Halla and Orouba personally -- sought answers to those questions. That reporting, led by ABC News, where Halla briefly worked in the months before her death, and Reveal, was featured in a special edition of Nightline and an episode of the Reveal podcast in October. ABC News and Reveal obtained hundreds of pages of documents from the investigation led by the Turkish National Police -- including police statements, autopsy reports, witness testimony, evidence inventories and court transcripts. Coupled with more than a dozen interviews with family members, friends, colleagues, government officials and outside experts familiar with the case, the documents reveal several inconsistencies and outright contradictions in the official narrative. And records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, filed by Reveal, show that despite assurances from officials at the White House National Security Council and U.S. Department of State to the contrary, the FBI never opened a case. Those findings prompted Callamard, the human rights and international law expert who determined in June 2019 that Saudi Arabia was responsible for the premeditated killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, to launch her own inquiry. Citing a "presumption that crimes committed against journalists are in relation to their work and reporting until proven otherwise," Callamard questioned whether Turkish authorities had adequately examined that possibility. "It is unclear whether the investigative authorities consider if [Ahmed] acted in concert with or at the direction of others," Callamard wrote, "such as representatives of the Syrian Government, or of an armed group such as ISIL." She posed many of the same questions raised by the ABC News and Reveal reports about the effectiveness of the Turkish investigation, the level of transparency provided the family, and the apparent lack of international cooperation in pursuing the evidence. Then she echoed the call from the Barakat family and U.S. lawmakers to permit the involvement of U.S. law enforcement. "Given Ms. Halla Barakat's US citizenship, would your Excellency's Government reconsider receiving assistance from the FBI," Callamard wrote, "particularly with respect to investigating aspects of the case relating to social media?" Suzanne Barakat hopes that fresh scrutiny will change the official narrative. Shortly after ABC News and Reveal's investigation aired, Suzanne and her attorney met with officials at an FBI field office to present their case for further investigation. "What we're looking for is just answers and the truth," Suzanne told ABC News and Reveal. "The Turks have some answers." Copyright 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved. Britain will ban all arrivals from South America, Panama, Cape Verde and Portugal from 0400 GMT Friday over fears of importing a new coronavirus variant in Brazil, the UK government said Thursday. "I've taken the urgent decision... following evidence of a new variant in Brazil," Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on Twitter. "This measure does not apply to British and Irish Nationals and third country nationals with residence rights," he added. Shapps said such passengers returning from these destinations must nonetheless self-isolate for 10 days along with their households. There will be an exemption for hauliers travelling from Portugal to allow transport of essential goods. The Department for Transport said it was also imposing a ban on direct flights to England from the targeted countries, impacting services from Argentina, Brazil, Cape Verde and Portugal. The embargo excludes cargo and freight without passengers, but no other exemptions -- including those related to employment -- would apply, it added. Numerous virus variants have been identified since the pandemic began last year, including a more contagious one that has led to a surge of infections in Britain in recent months. However another strain, known as E484K, detected initially in South Africa and on subsequent variants in Brazil and Japan, has raised greater alarm among researchers over its possible impact on immunity. The UK government has faced criticism over its borders' policy during the health crisis, initially allowing international arrivals and departures to continue last year even as infections surged. It then introduced requirements to self-isolate if people have been somewhere that is not on a regularly updated "travel corridors" list. But from next Monday, travellers will need to present proof of a negative coronavirus test result in order to be allowed into England, or face a 500 ($685, 564 euros) fine on arrival. The change announced last week was set to begin Friday, but late Wednesday the government said it was delaying its imposition in order to give travellers more time to prepare. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman defended the delay, after it drew fresh criticism of his handling of the crisis. "We've implement a grace period over the weekend... so that passengers can have a little bit more time to ensure that they can get access to the tests that they need that meet our requirements," he told reporters. "We will continue to take the actions that we deem appropriate." Britain has been one of the worst hit countries in Europe by the pandemic, recording nearly 85,000 deaths and more than 3.2 million cases to date. Ambassador of Belarus Y.Senko meets the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China On January 13, 2021 the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Peoples Republic of China, Yuri Senko, met with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, Le Yucheng. During the conversation the interlocutors discussed a wide range of issues of Belarusian-Chinese cooperation, as well as the organization of contacts at the highest and high levels in 2021. The parties reaffirmed the unity of their positions on topical international problems and the latest world events and outlined strategic directions for the development of relations between Belarus and China. print version When Catty Asaveria-Snaggs sits on the lip of the mud volcano, she experiences the history and mystery of this age-old landform. I see this grey pool of gold, an invaluable blend of our core beauty coming to the surface. There is this mysterious aspect of it in knowing that the volcano was here millions of years before us, and it will remain when we are gone. Page Content The Premier's Book Awards support, develop and recognise excellence in Western Australian writing with a total prize pool of $105,000 available The $60,000 Western Australian Writer's Fellowship is one of the most valuable literary awards in Australia and is open to Western Australian writers of any form or genre Entries for the 2020 Premier's Book Awards are now open Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman today announced the 2020 Western Australian Premier's Book Awards is open for entries. The Awards aim to support, develop and recognise excellence in writing. Nominations are open for the following categories: The Western Australian Writer's Fellowship valued at $60,000, designed to assist a Western Australian writer, in any genre, to develop their writing practice. valued at $60,000, designed to assist a Western Australian writer, in any genre, to develop their writing practice. The Premier's Prize for Writing for Children valued at $15,000. This category recognises quality writing for children (0-12) in any genre by an author/s residing in Western Australia and published in 2020. Self-published titles are eligible. valued at $15,000. This category recognises quality writing for children (0-12) in any genre by an author/s residing in Western Australia and published in 2020. Self-published titles are eligible. The Premier's Prize for an Emerging Writer valued at $15,000. This category is for the first published work, in any genre, by an author residing in Western Australia and published in 2020. Self-published titles are eligible. valued at $15,000. This category is for the first published work, in any genre, by an author residing in Western Australia and published in 2020. Self-published titles are eligible. The Daisy Utemorrah Award for Unpublished Indigenous Junior and Young Adult Writing ($15,000 and a publishing contract with Magabala Books) for a new unpublished manuscript for a work of junior and young adult fiction, including graphic novels, by an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander writer - Australia wide. The Daisy Utemorrah Award is open to Indigenous writers from across Australia. This Award is administered by Broome-based Indigenous publisher Magabala Books, with support from the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries. Entries close 5:00pm February 8, 2021 and winners will be announced in August 2021. Information about the Awards, including how to enter, is available on the State Library's website - https://www.slwa.wa.gov.au/ Comments attributed to Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman: "If ever there has been a time when books and reading have been important, it is this year. I am excited to see what new Western Australian literary talent is unearthed through the Awards process. "The State Library is a fitting place to hold the Awards as it is a home of education, learning and literature; a community hub where writing and reading are cherished and celebrated." Minister's office - 6552 5400 At a press conference, the Delhi deputy chief minister said the AAP govt doesn't have an obligation to provide funds but has decided to after 'seeing the suffering of MCD employees' New Delhi: The Delhi government will provide Rs 938 crore to three municipal corporations to pay up pending salaries of their employees, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia announced on Thursday and alleged that the BJP-led civic bodies have become "bankrupt" due to corruption by their leaders. At a press conference, Sisodia claimed that the Delhi government does not have any obligation to provide funds to the civic bodies but it decided to do so after "seeing the suffering of MCD employees". "Despite its own financial constraints, the Delhi government is reducing outlays to its own departments and giving Rs 938 crore to pay up the salaries of MCD employees," he said and appealed to civic employees to keep a tab on the money to prevent it from being "embezzled by the BJP". Several employees of North Delhi Municipal Corporation, South Delhi Municipal Corporation and East Delhi Municipal Corporation which together formed the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) went on an indefinite strike last week against non-payment of salaries and pensions. The strike was called under the aegis of the Confederation of MCD Employees Union an umbrella body of civic employees' unions. Sisodia of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said it is a matter of concern for the Delhi government to see that the employees, who are also residents of the national capital, are not getting their salaries. "It is not fault of the employees. If they've worked, they should be getting their salaries. Therefore, a decision was taken for funds to be arranged from wherever possible. Even the Delhi government is short of funds...only half of the tax money is coming in. We've had to stop many schemes.... However, Rs 938 crore is being given for the salaries of the employees despite the Delhi government having no such liability," he said, adding that the situation was further accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown. Sisodia said the BJP came to power in the civic bodies 14 years ago and has "completely bankrupted" them. "Now, only Rs 12 crore is left in the bank accounts of North MCD while East MCD has only Rs 99 lakh in its accounts. MCD owes the Delhi government a sum of Rs 6,276 crore. The BJP bankrupted the MCD to such an extent that they don't even have the money to pay their own employees. Not just cleanliness, the MCD is no longer suitable for even building work. From sanitary workers, teachers to medical staff, none of them has been paid their salaries," he claimed. Sisodia alleged that such a corrupt municipal corporation cannot be found anywhere in the world. "BJP leaders themselves believe that there is a lot of corruption going on in the MCD. This is the reason why all other municipal bodies of the country are given financial assistance by the central government, but the MCD does not get any amount from the central government," he said. Sisodia said that Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had written to the central government several times requesting it to give funds to the MCD. He said that BJP leaders had promised in the run-up to the 2017 civic elections that they would bring in the money to the MCD directly from the central government, but failed to do so. "We know that the BJP leaders of the municipal corporations are completely corrupt as they will eat and steal whatever money they get," he alleged. A former San Antonio campaign worker was arrested Wednesday and charged with election tampering, the state attorney generals office announced. The allegations surfaced last fall after the conservative activist group Project Veritas posted an edited video of the woman, Raquel Rodriguez, in which she appears to be helping an elderly person fill out a mail-in ballot form and discussing unlawful tactics, including assisting people at the polls. The video included only snippets of what appear to be multiple conversations, and it was not clear who Rodriguez believed she was speaking to or under what context. Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, said in a statement that his office reviewed dozens of hours of unedited footage, and that Rodriguez says at one point that she knows her actions are illegal. IN-DEPTH: Project Veritas activists release San Antonio video purporting to show voter fraud This is a victory for election integrity and a strong signal that anyone who attempts to defraud the people of Texas, deprive them of their vote, or undermine the integrity of elections will be brought to justice, Paxton said. Rodriguez was charged with four counts, all felonies. She did not respond to a request for comment, and it was not immediately clear whether she had an attorney. RELATED: Candidate sues San Antonio woman who appears in secretly recorded Project Veritas video In October, Rodriguez, who also goes by the first name Rachel, posted on Facebook that the group had approached her saying it represented an anonymous candidate with money looking for help in a future City Council race. I immediately suspected something was wrong with this conversation, she said, adding: I chose to continue the conversation and play along in order to discover the source and gather my own evidence that I could submit to legal authorities. At the time of the video, she appeared to be working on behalf of a Republican congressional candidate, and mentioned working for several other San Antonio area political figures, including former Republican state Sen. Pete Flores, newly elected state Rep. Elizabeth Liz Campos, a Democrat; and former state District Judge Renee Yanta, a Republican. Flores and Campos listed payments to her in prior campaign expenditure reports. Paxton routinely targets election fraud, an issue he and other conservatives contend is widespread, without evidence. His office spent nearly twice as much time working on voter fraud cases last as it did in 2018, yet resolved half as many prosecutions, just 16. Project Veritas, which is known for deceptive sting operations intended to expose supposed liberal bias and corruption, spent much of 2020 trying to delegitimize mail-in balloting in the lead-up to the presidential election. In September, researchers at Stanford University found that a video the group released about Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omars campaign was likely part of a coordinated disinformation effort. In 2015, Republican state officials used a now-discredited Project Veritas video to drop Planned Parenthood from its Medicaid program, which serves low-income women. A conservative appeals court upheald the decision last fall and it takes effect next month. It was unclear what evidence the attorney generals office reviewed in the case beyond the raw video footage. Nicole Garza, a Democrat elected to be judge of the 37th Civil District Court, was named in the video by Rodriguez as someone who had hired her, but Garza said state investigators did not contact her about it. Allen Blakemore, speaking for Flores, also said the former senator has not been contacted by the Attorney Generals Office. Yanta sued Rodriguez days after the video was released, saying Rodriguez defamed her by claiming to the Veritas interviewer that she had Yanta and several other judges in her pocket. The suit is pending. Attempts to reach Yanta and her attorney, Art Martinez de Vara, were unsuccessful Wednesday. A Campos spokeswoman said she would not be able to comment on the case. Staff writer Elizabeth Zavala contributed to this report. The Associated Press Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey defended his companys ban of President Donald Trump in a philosophical tweet thread that is his first public statement on the subject. When Trump incited his followers to storm the US Capitol last week, then continued to tweet potentially ominous messages, Dorsey said the resulting risk to public safety created an extraordinary and untenable circumstance for the company. Having already briefly suspended Trumps account the day of the Capitol riot, Twitter on Friday banned Trump entirely, then smacked down the presidents attempts to tweet using other accounts. "I do not celebrate or feel pride in our having to ban @realDonaldTrump from Twitter," Dorsey wrote. But he added: "I believe this was the right decision for Twitter." Dorsey acknowledged that shows of strength like the Trump ban could set dangerous precedents, even calling them a sign of failure. Although not in so many words, Dorsey suggested that Twitter needs to find ways to avoid having to make such decisions in the first place. Exactly how that would work isnt clear, although it could range from earlier and more effective moderation to a fundamental restructuring of social networks. In Dorsey-speak, that means Twitter needs to work harder to "promote healthy conversation." I do not celebrate or feel pride in our having to ban @realDonaldTrump from Twitter, or how we got here. After a clear warning wed take this action, we made a decision with the best information we had based on threats to physical safety both on and off Twitter. Was this correct? jack (@jack) January 14, 2021 Extreme measures such as banning Trump also highlight the extraordinary power that Twitter and other Big Tech companies can wield without accountability or recourse, Dorsey wrote. While Twitter was grappling with the problem of Trump, for instance, Apple, Google and Amazon were effectively shutting down the right-wing site Parler by denying it access to app stores and cloud-hosting services. The companies charged that Parler wasnt aggressive enough about removing calls to violence, which Parler has denied. Dorsey declined to criticize his Big Tech counterparts directly, even noting that this moment in time might call for this dynamic. Over the long term, however, he suggested that aggressive and domineering behaviour could threaten the noble purpose and ideals of the open internet by entrenching the power of a few organizations over a commons that should be accessible to everyone. The Twitter co-founder, however, had little specific to say about how his platform or other Big Tech companies could avoid such choices in the future. Instead, he touched on an idea that, taken literally, sounds a bit like the end of Twitter itself a long-term project to develop a technological standard that could liberate social networks from centralized control by the likes of Facebook and Twitter. But for the moment, Dorsey wrote, Twitters goal is to disarm as much as we can, and ensure we are all building towards a greater common understanding, and a more peaceful existence on earth. WHO investigative team arrives in Wuhan from Singapore A team of experts from the World Health Organisation (WHO) arrived in Wuhan today to start a probe into the origins of the coronavirus, even as China reported its first death from COVID-19 in eight months. Their trip comes as more than 20 million people are under lockdown in the north of China and one province has declared an emergency, with reported COVID-19 numbers climbing again after several months of being relatively static. Photo courtesy: Pixabay The 10 scientists, who must complete a two-week quarantine in Wuhan before starting their work, arrived for their much-delayed mission amid allegations of geopolitical manoeuvreing. The virus was first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019 and has since billowed out across the world, killing nearly two million people so far, infecting tens of millions and eviscerating the global economy. State broadcaster CGTN showed the plane carrying the team arrive from Singapore to be met by Chinese officials in full hazmat suits. Their trip comes as more than 20 million people are under lockdown in the north of China and one province has declared an emergency, with reported COVID-19 numbers climbing again after several months of being relatively static. Beijing is anxious to stamp out local clusters ahead of next month's Lunar New Year festival when hundreds of millions of people will be on the move across the country. As infections have spread, northeastern Heilongjiang declared an "emergency state" on Wednesday, telling its 37.5 million residents not to leave the province unless absolutely necessary. Peter Ben Embarek, team lead for the mission, said the group would start with a mandatory quarantine at a hotel due to Chinese immigration requirements. He warned it "could be a very long journey before we get a full understanding of what happened". Beijing has argued that although Wuhan is where the first cluster of cases was detected, it is not necessarily where the virus originated. The hedge fund industry posted a second consecutive positive month in December, returning 3.29% according to the Barclay Hedge Fund Index compiled by BarclayHedge, a division of Backstop Solutions. By comparison, the S&P 500 Total Return Index was up 3.84% in December. For the year, the hedge fund industry gained 10.95% in 2020, its third double-digit annual return in the past four years. The S&P 500 Total Return Index was up 18.40% over the 12 months. Thirty of the 31 sectors tracked by the Barclay Hedge Fund Indices posted gains in December, the outlier being the Emerging Markets MENA Index which was down 0.98%. While some indicators pointed to a slowing economy as COVID-19 cases surged, stock markets responded well to new economic stimulus developments, said Sol Waksman, president of BarclayHedge. Meanwhile, vaccine approvals and initial distribution offered hope to Investors for a return to normal. The S&P 500 Total Return Index finished 2020 at record highs. Leading the way among Decembers gainers was the Emerging Markets Asian Equities Index, returning 6.59% for the month. The Emerging Markets Global Equities Index was up 6.34%, the Emerging Markets Latin American Equities Index returned 5.41%, the Healthcare & Biotechnology Index advanced 5.33%, and the Emerging Markets Eastern Europe Index gained 5.10%. In a year in which the pandemic prompted an even greater reliance on technology and focus on health care, the Technology Index set the pace for 2020, gaining 34.10% over the 12 months, followed by the Healthcare & Biotechnology Index which was up 27.51%. Other leading sectors over the 12-month period included the Emerging Markets Asian Equities Index, up 25.76%, the Emerging Markets Global Fixed Income Index, returning 23.30%, and the Equity Long Bias Index, gaining 16.16%. Sectors in the red for 2020 included the Emerging Markets Latin America Index, down 6.45%, the Emerging Markets MENA Index, off 4.14%, and the Equity Market Neutral Index, giving up 1.23%. Twenty-seven sectors posted annual gains. Only 4 sectors posted losses For a complete table of BarclayHedge Hedge Fund and Sub-Index results for December, as well as historical returns, click here. About Backstop Solutions Backstops mission is to help the institutional investment industry use time to its fullest potential. We develop technology to simplify and streamline otherwise time-consuming tasks and processes, enabling our clients to quickly and easily access, share and manage the knowledge thats critical to their day-to-day business success. Backstop provides its industry-leading cloud-based productivity suite to investment consultants, pensions, funds of funds, family offices, endowments, foundations, private equity, hedge funds and real estate investment firms. BarclayHedge, a division of Backstop, currently maintains data on more than 6,900 hedge funds, funds of funds and CTAs. The BarclayHedge Indices are utilized by institutional investors, brokerage firms and private banks worldwide as performance benchmarks for the hedge fund and managed futures industries. Buying a home often entails also buying various types of insurance to protect your property, and one type you might need to get is called title insurance. When you buy a home, you take title to it and establish legal ownership. A title insurance policy protects you against the possibility that someone else might have a claim on your home. In essence, it ensures that a homeowner and their lender will be okay in the event that the seller or previous owners didn't have absolute ownership of the house. (It sounds crazy, but sometimes it turns out that the homeowner is not the only one with rights to a home!) If you need a mortgage to buy real estate, your lender will likely require you to buy a title policy from a title insurance company. Although it's a cost home buyers incur, getting a title policy from a title insurance company is critical to establishing peace of mind. Let's examine the ins and outs of title insurance, why home buyers need it, how much you can expect to pay, and how you can save on a title insurance policy. What is title insurance? Holding a title insurance policy means you and your mortgage lender are protected against any financial loss or title issues due to liens, disputes between prior owners over wills, clerical problems in courthouse documents, or fraudulent claims against the property or forged signatures. A title search will be performed by your title or settlement company to uncover any issues with your title that could give you legal troubles down the line. The title company then insures your claim to the property's title. If anything is missed during the search or there are lawsuits questioning your legal ownership of the property after closing, your title insurance policy will cover the costs of resolving the problem. Why a title search is required with a mortgage When getting a mortgage to buy real estate, you'll find that most lenders will typically require that you get a title search before you close the deal with your escrow company. Basically this would mean you'll have to hire a title company to search local records on your property. Some of the issues theyre looking for include the following: Disputes between prior owners over wills: If your property was inherited and then sold by the heirs, there could be other heirs contesting the will and claiming ownership of your property. Liens for unpaid property taxes. Liens for contractors who worked on the home but were never paid. Clerical problems in courthouse documents: Believe it or not, a simple typo can lead to title claim problems. Fraudulent claims against the property or forged signatures: For example, if a group of heirs can't get a holdout to agree to sell the home, its possible that someone will forge a signature on a quit claim deed. While most homeowners will never need to use their title insurance, its existence offers protection against a potentially aggravatingand very expensivefinancial loss. Lender's title insurance vs. owner's title insurance There are two types of title insurance: lender's and owner's. Almost every lender will require you to pay for a lender's title insurance policy. This protects the lendernot youfrom incurring any costs if a title dispute pops up after closing. Owner's title insurance is usually optional, but it's highly recommended. Without it, you'll be left footing the bill for all the costs of resolving a title claim, which could be thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Even though it can feel like you're hemorrhaging cash when you're closing on a house, a title insurance policy is one of those things that can save you money in the long run. "When you consider the benefits of title insurance and some of the unique aspects of title insurance relative to other kinds of insurance, it is clear why its risky and ill-advised to purchase real estate without a title insurance policy," says Brian Tormey of TitleVest in New York City. You can purchase basic or enhanced owner's title insurance, with the enhanced insurance policy offering more coverage for things like mechanics liens or boundary disputes. While your title insurance covers you for things such as mistakes in the legal description of your property or human error, be aware that it will have some exclusionsparticularly in cases where violations of building codes occur after you bought your home. How much does title insurance cost? The average cost of title insurance is around $1,000 per policy, but that amount varies widely from state to state and depends on the price of your home. Title insurance premiums can vary from a couple of hundred dollars to a couple of thousand dollars. Some factors that can affect the cost of your premium include the title search, examination, and expected cost of any title defects. "In general, each policy price is based on the purchase amount of the home or the total amount of the loan," explains Tormey. "Title insurance is a highly regulated industry, so title insurance policy types and costs will vary from state to state. Each states Department of Insurance can provide information on the pricing regulations in their state." In some states such as Texas and Florida, title insurance premiums are fixed by the government, so you will pay exactly the same amount no matter what. Other states such as California and New Mexico have unfixed premiums, which means that buyers can shop around. Iowa actually underwrites the insurance itself, resulting in the lowest premiums in the country: $110 for properties costing up to $500,000. Unlike other types of insurance, a title insurance policy is paid with a single premium during escrow while closing for your mortgage. If youre buying a real estate resale or refinancing, you may be eligible for a "reissue" rate, which could offer a substantial discount off the regular premiumbecause the title policy is already in effect, and the title research has already been completed. Here's a calculator that can help you figure out the cost for your area and purchase price. How to save on title insurance In some states, title insurance premiums are the same no matter who you work with, but in the majority of states, you can save money by shopping around. Even in states with highly regulated title insurance industries, there are ways to save. Here are some ways to lower your title insurance costs. Shop around. If premiums are unregulated in your state, find the company that offers the best deals. Just make sure you're not sacrificing customer service to save a few dollars: Resolving a title issue can be stressful, and you want a company that will help you through the process. Read reviews and talk to your real estate agent for recommendations. If premiums are unregulated in your state, find the company that offers the best deals. Just make sure you're not sacrificing customer service to save a few dollars: Resolving a title issue can be stressful, and you want a company that will help you through the process. Read reviews and talk to your real estate agent for recommendations. Bundle. Some companies will offer a discount if you bundle your lender's and owner's policies. Some companies will offer a discount if you bundle your lender's and owner's policies. Negotiate add-ons. Even if the premium itself is fixed, there are almost always other fees built into your total premium price. See if there is any wiggle room with those items. They may be optional, or the insurance company might be open to discounting them. Even if the premium itself is fixed, there are almost always other fees built into your total premium price. See if there is any wiggle room with those items. They may be optional, or the insurance company might be open to discounting them. Negotiate with the seller. Closing costs are always open to negotiation, and picking up the tab for the title insurance might be worth it to a seller who's highly motivated to close the deal. But be wary of using this tactic in a competitive market. Michele Lerner contributed to this article. The post What Is Title Insurance, and How Much Does Title Insurance Cost? appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. It was an echo of conversations Id had after 9/11, from Pakistan to Gaza, Iraq to Yemen, in which local people told me that it was American Jews or the C.I.A. that had organized the attacks on the twin towers. Amid mass delusion and a miasma of bigotry and conspiracy theories, they took up arms or bombs to defend Islam from infidels. Those young Saudis, Afghans and others who backed violence in some cases arent so different from those who were manipulated by Trump and his allies into attacking the Capitol. One thing we should have learned from that epoch is the need not only to confront terrorists individually but also to clear out the ecosystem that produces them. So here are five lessons from that war on terror to inform todays: Invoke moral clarity. We instinctively reach for the military toolbox when were attacked, but its also important to fight a war of ideas and delegitimize certain behaviors and speech. To me, thats why its crucial that impeachment be a teachable moment. Pursuit of moral clarity always leads to flurries of whataboutism and bothsidesism, and there are usually elements of truth to such objections. But we can accept that the world is nuanced and inconsistent without giving up a moral compass to navigate it. In the 1960s, some on the left believed that violent revolution was necessary to fight an entrenched system, but such violence led to a healthy revulsion. There are still some on the left sympathetic to violence, but for now the biggest challenge is to mobilize public opinion to stigmatize violence by white nationalists on the right. Beware the educated leaders. People often believe that its poverty and illiteracy that drive terrorism, but thats too simplistic. The 9/11 plot was orchestrated by university-educated elites. Last weeks Capitol rampage was obviously entirely different and not comparable, but it was galvanized by a trio with Ivy League degrees. And yes, Im talking about Donald Trump, Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz. They all know better, and they should be held responsible. Cuba Gooding Jr. is at the center of legal trouble over an incident that occurred more than two years ago in a New York City nightclub, as his accuser has asked for a default judgment based on his lack of response in the case. A bartender named Natasha Ashworth is suing the 53-year-old actor, claiming he 'pinched' her rear end without consent at the Tao Downtown Nightclub, Page Six reported Wednesday. Ashworth initially filed the civil suit for assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress against the Oscar-winning actor in October 2019. The New York City native did not hire an attorney to assign to the lawsuit and never responded to the court, according to the outlet, leading her to request the default judgment, which rules on the side of one party in court when the other hasn't responded to the court. The latest: Cuba Gooding Jr., 53, is at the center of legal trouble over an incident that occurred more than two years ago in New York City nightclub. He was snapped last year in NYC The star of movies including Boyz n the Hood, Jerry Maguire and A Few Good Men vowed he would not return to the establishment after she rejected his advances, Ashworth said in court docs filed in Manhattan Supreme Court. ADVERTISEMENT Ashworth said in court docs that Gooding asked her if she wanted to hear a joke that was sexual in nature and after she declined, he recited the joke anyway. She said as her work shift was winding down around 4:20 a.m., he approached her and used 'his right hand reached to pinch [her] on her right buttocks.' Click here to resize this module Ashworth said she told the actor, 'Dont touch my butt' to which she responded, 'Aw, thats no fun ... and I didnt, I touched your back.' After unsuccessful attempts to touch her again, a promoter at the club told him to leave the establishment, to which he 'pushed the promoter out of his way and approached a manager,' Ashworth said. The star of movies including Boyz n the Hood, Jerry Maguire and A Few Good Men was snapped in NYC in 2019 In court: Gooding was seen in a NYC court last August wearing a face mask Ashworth said Gooding told her, 'You dont have to worry, because I am never coming back here again.' Peter Scoolidge, who is representing Ashworth in the case, told the court that he served Gooding with the lawsuit on January 22, 2020. Scoolidge told the court that 'neither defendant nor his attorneys have appeared, served an answer or moved with respect to the complaint herein' in moving for the default judgment.' Mark Heller, who works as a criminal defense attorney for the Outbreak actor, told the outlet that the lawsuit 'is totally baseless' and that 'there is no substance to the allegations.' He previously told the paper that 'it is rumored [Ashworth] is an aspiring actress' who he assumed was 'looking for notoriety' by going public in her claim against the Hollywood star. ADVERTISEMENT 'We welcome this baseless civil claim as a validation that the inspiration for her criminal accusation and this civil complaint is a money grab from Cuba, who previously declined to be shaken down by this individual,' said Heller. The lawyer added that video of the incident 'clearly and unequivocally demonstrates that Mr. Gooding committed no criminal act and certainly did not pinch her butt.' Gooding, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by at least 30 women in recent years, has denied all of the accusations. Last year was one of the three hottest years on record, an analysis of five climate studies has reported with global temperatures up 2.3F on pre-industrial levels. Experts from the World Meteorological Organisation who studied the international datasets said that the three hottest years on record have all fallen in the last decade. One of the data sources for the analysis came from researchers at the UK National Centre for Atmospheric Science, the University of East Anglia and the Met Office. They said 2020 was the second-hottest year on record, only 0.018F (0.01C) cooler than 2016, when temperatures were 2.32F (1.29C) above pre-industrial levels. Experts from the World Meteorological Organisation who studied the international datasets said that the three hottest years on record have all fallen in the last decade. Pictured: residents in Hillsville, north of Sydney, Australia, defend a property from a wildfire last November. Experts have attributed last year's extreme weather to human-driven climate change Last year was one of the three hottest years on record, an analysis of five climate studies has reported with global temperatures up 2.3F on pre-industrial levels. Pictured, one of the datasets, collected by the European Union, which said that global temperatures in 2020 were an average of 2.25F (1.25C) higher than in pre-industrial times According to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the World Meteorological Organisation's findings represent 'yet another stark reminder of the relentless pace of climate change, which is destroying lives and livelihoods across our planet'. The report comes in the wake of a year which saw wildfires raging across America and Australia, ravaging vast swathes of natural habitat while cyclones, floods and storms battered communities across the planet. In the UK, Storms Ciara and Alex caused record amounts of rainfall, flooding and power cuts, while the height of summer saw temperatures exceed 86F (30C) for several days all phenomena experts have attributed to man-made climate change. According to World Meteorological Organisation experts, it is 'remarkable' that temperatures last year were virtually on a par with those seen in 2016. Conditions were unexpectedly high, given the presence last year of La Nina, a naturally occurring, periodic climate cooling phenomenon. 'We are headed for a catastrophic temperature rise of 35C [5.49F] this century,' Mr Guterres commented. 'Making peace with nature is the defining task of the 21st century. It must be the top priority for everyone, everywhere.' Under the international Paris Agreement, countries have pledged to limit global warming to 3.6F (2C) above pre-industrial levels, while pursuing efforts to keep the temperature rise under 2.7F (1.5C) to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The hottest year on record, 2016, saw a strong El Nino the opposite phenomena to La Nina which boosts temperatures on top of human-caused global warming. In 2020 there was notable regional warmth in northern Asia that also stretched up into the Arctic, parts of eastern Europe and Central America. In the UK, Storms Ciara and Alex caused record amounts of rainfall, flooding and power cuts, while the height of summer saw temperatures exceed 86F (30C) for several days all phenomena experts have attributed to man-made climate change. Pictured, flood water surrounds a house in Snaith, in the north of England, in the wake of Storm Jorge in March 2020 Under the international Paris Agreement, countries have pledged to limit global warming to 3.6F (2C) above pre-industrial levels, while pursuing efforts to keep the temperature rise under 2.7F (1.5C) to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Pictured, following heavy floods in the French village of Breil-sur-Roya, cars were left stuck in the mud of the riverbed '2020 has proved to be another notable year in the global climate record,' said Met Office climate scientist Colin Morice. 'For the global average temperature in 2020 to be yet another warm year the second warmest on record even when influenced by a slight La Nina is a sign of the continued impact of human induced climate change on our global climate.' 'With all datasets showing a continued rise in global average temperature, the latest figures take the world one step closer to the limits stipulated by the Paris Agreement,' he added. 'For the last 50 years, our global climate has been warming at about 0.2C [0.36F] each decade,' said climate scientist Tim Osborn of the University of East Anglia. 'This underlying warming due primarily to society's use of coal, oil and gas is what matters for monitoring climate change and tracking our progress against the goals of the Paris Agreement, more so than the warmth of an individual year.' 'Nevertheless, it is notable that we have just experienced, globally, the second warmest year of the warmest decade on record.' VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Capella Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: CMIL) (FRA: N7D2) (the "Company" or "Capella") is pleased to provide the following update on drill target generation activities being undertaken on its high-grade Kjli copper project in central Norway. The Kjli property lies in the northern part of the Rros mining district, which saw copper production from a number of high-grade massive sulfide ("VMS") deposits from the mid-1600's until the mid-1980's. Kjli represents a district-scale brownfields/greenfields exploration project covering the former Kjli and Killingdal copper mining operations, together with approximately 15 km strike of underexplored but highly-prospective stratigraphy for the discovery of new copper-rich VMS deposits (Figure 1). Highlights Drill target generation activities at Kjli have focused on an initial 4.5 km-long segment of the interpreted 15km strike of prospective stratigraphy for copper-rich VMS deposits. The area contains 4 known (and previously undrilled) occurrences of high-grade copper mineralization: Svenskmenna, Rorosmenna, Guldalsgruve, and Godthap (Figures 2-4). A detailed ground magnetic survey was completed within the 4.5km long initial target area, with a prominent NE-trending pyrrhotite-bearing horizon (typically associated with copper-zinc-silver-gold mineralization) being well defined by the survey (Figure 2). Exceptional soil copper anomalies have also been generated from Ionic Leach geochemical survey lines in and around the Guldalsgruve and Rorosmenna sectors (Figure 3). The original 120 square kilometre Kjli claim block as acquired from EMX Royalty Corp. (NYSE:EMX; TSXV:EMX) was expanded by 25% (30 square kilometres) through the staking of new exploration claims over previously unexplored surface occurrences of VMS mineralization (Figure 2). These represent new targets for Capella to evaluate during the 2021 summer field season. Separately, Windfall Geotek has been contracted to perform a CARDS Artificial Intelligence ("AI") and Data Mining evaluation for the entire Kjli claim block using all available geological and geophysical data sets. The CARDS analysis will allow Capella to accelerate the definition of high-probability VMS targets at Kjli during the winter season. Permitting for initial diamond drilling at Kjli is expected to begin in Q2, 2021, and will incorporate targets defined from the CARDS AI evaluation and Capella's in-house targeting. Link to figures: https://capellaminerals.com/site/assets/files/5597/2021_01_kjoli_figures.pdf Eric Roth, Capella's President and CEO, commented today: "I am very pleased to be providing this update on our exploration activities at Kjli, which serve to confirm the exceptional potential of the project for the discovery of new high-grade copper deposits. Our own field-based target generation activities are now being complemented with the CARDS AI evaluation, and these will form the basis for the permitting of a maiden diamond drill program on the project. In parallel, we will continue our generative activities on new drill targets throughout the remainder of this high-potential, district-scale property holding. Kjli represents an extraordinary opportunity for Capella to make a high-grade copper discovery in the short term, and I look forward to keeping the market updated as we move towards drilling." Kjli Project Drill Targeting Field activities at Kjli have been focused on the generation of drill targets within an initial 4.5 km-long segment of the interpreted 15km strike of prospective stratigraphy for copper-rich VMS deposits. The selected area contains 4 known (and previously undrilled) occurrences of high-grade copper mineralization: Svenskmenna, Rorosmenna, Guldalsgruve, and Godthap. The targeting has been based on a detailed ground magnetic survey (primarily used to follow a pyrrhotite-bearing horizon which is intimately associated with copper mineralization) and trial Ionic Leach soil geochemical surveys in the Guldalsgruve and Rorosmenna sectors. Ground Magnetic Survey A high-resolution 195-line kilometre ground magnetic survey was completed over the initial 4.5km target area. Whilst detailed interpretations are still in progress, three key initial observations include: i) the definition of a NE-trending "main mineralized corridor" (interpreted to indicate pyrrhotite which is intimately associated with copper-zinc-silver-gold mineralization) across the entire 4.5km strike length of the survey area, ii) additional potential satellite bodies of massive sulfide mineralization W of Rorosmenna and around Godthap, and iii) the potential for buried massive sulfide systems beneath a thrust fault located at the northern end of the survey area. Soil Ionic Leach Geochemistry The Kjli project consists of flat to undulating terrain and is typically covered by thin soil and local bog cover. A total of 382 soil samples were collected for a trial Ionic Leach analytical survey in the Guldalsgruve and Rorosmenna sectors (Figure 3), with strong copper anomalies (>1,000 parts per billion Cu or "ppb") being returned by 133 soil samples taken from around, and along strike from, known workings. A total of 55 samples returned >10,000 ppb Cu in soils and these represent priority areas for follow-up work and drill testing. The Ionic Leach analyses for the Kjli soil samples were performed by ALS Laboratories ("ALS") in Loughrea, Ireland, utilizing a partial leach extraction with ICP-MS finish. ALS utilizes industry standard Quality Assurance/Quality Control methods in order to ensure sample result quality. New Claim Staking A further 30 square kilometres of new exploration claims were staked during Q4 2020 to cover a group of previously-unexplored surface occurrences of copper-rich VMS mineralization located immediately to the WNW of the main prospective horizon at Kjli (see Figure 2). These represent additional targets for Capella to evaluate during the 2021 summer field season. Windfall Geotek CARDS AI Analysis Overview In addition to Capella's in-house field activities, Windfall Geotek has been contracted to perform a CARDS Artificial Intelligence ("AI") and Data Mining evaluation for the entire Kjli claim block using all available geological and geophysical data sets. The CARDS analysis will allow Capella to accelerate the definition of high-probability VMS targets at Kjli during the winter season. The identification of high-probability target areas using the CARDS AI Data Mining system is based upon the following procedures: Algorithms analyze each layer of information for every rock/soil sample and data site to create a unique signature for the mineralization that is being sought (e.g., copper at Kjli). The MCubiX Data Mining engine (with numerous supporting algorithms) analysis recognizes patterns of information. The system uses these algorithms to find the new patterns that are often not recognized by the naked eye. CARDS analysis identifies locations of the new mineralization signature in the exploration area. Predictions are given a cell rating by percentage. Millions of spatial data points and their relationships are analyzed. The CARDS System becomes trained and "cross validates" each model that CARDS generates. The cell rating percentage "weeds out" unwanted (low percentage cells) targets, leaving only the highest probability areas for the discovery of mineralization. Qualified Persons and Disclosure Statement The technical information in this news release relating to the Kjli project has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in NI 43-101, and approved by Eric Roth, the Company's President & CEO, a director and a Qualified Person under NI 43-101. Mr. Roth holds a Ph.D. in Economic Geology from the University of Western Australia, is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), and is a Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists (SEG). Mr. Roth has 30 years of experience in international minerals exploration and mining project evaluation. The scientific and technical data relating to the CARDS AI Data Mining system has been prepared and reviewed under the supervision of Grigor Heba, Ph.D., P.Geo., Principal Geologist of Windfall Geotek and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. On Behalf of the Board of Capella Minerals Ltd. "Eric Roth" ___________________________ Eric Roth, Ph.D., FAusIMM President & CEO About Capella Minerals Ltd Capella is engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of quality mineral resource properties in favourable jurisdictions with a focus on high-grade gold and copper deposits. The Company's precious metals focus is on the discovery of high-grade gold deposits on its recently acquired Southern Gold Line Project in Sweden, in addition to its active Canadian Joint Ventures with Ethos Gold Corp. at Savant Lake (Ontario) and Yamana Gold Inc. at Domain (Manitoba). The Company also retains a residual interest (subject to an option to purchase agreement with Austral Gold Ltd) in the Sierra Blanca gold-silver epithermal project in Santa Cruz, Argentina. The Company's copper focus is on the discovery of high-grade massive sulfide (VMS) deposits within district-scale land positions around the past-producing Lkken and Kjli copper mines in central Norway. Field activities are ongoing on all projects, with the primary focus being to advance priority targets through the permitting process and onwards to drilling and discovery. About Windfall Geotek Windfall Geotek is an Artificial Intelligence ("AI") company that has been in business for over 15 years developing its proprietary CARDS AI analysis and Data Mining techniques. Windfall Geotek can count on a multidisciplinary team that includes professionals in geophysics, geology, Artificial Intelligence, and mathematics. It combines available public and private datasets including geophysical, drill hole and surface data. The algorithms designed and employed by Windfall are calculated to highlight areas of interest that have the potential to be geologically similar to other deposits and mineralization. The Company's objective is to develop a new royalty stream by significantly enhancing and participating in the exploration success rate of mining and to continue the Land Mine detection application as a high priority. Windfall has played a part in numerous past discoveries utilizing its methodology as described at: https://windfallgeotek.com/ . Cautionary Notes and Forward-looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Such statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the future results of operations, performance and achievements of Capella, including the timing, completion of and results from the exploration and drill programs described in this release. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that such expectations will prove to be correct. All such forward-looking information is based on certain assumptions and analyses made by Capella in light of their experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. This information, however, is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from this forward-looking information include those described under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in Capella's most recently filed MD&A. Capella does not intend, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or revise the forward-looking information contained in this news release, except as required by law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither the TSXV 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 release. SOURCE Capella Minerals Limited Related Links www.newdimensionresources.com Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: A longtime Houston Police Department officer believed to have joined a violent mob at the nations Capitol resigned Thursday amid a growing federal probe into the insurrection. The officer, Tam Pham, dropped off his resignation with Chief Art Acevedo ahead of his disciplinary meeting Friday with the top law man though the chief earlier expressed doubt that the officer would attend. The chief after receiving a tip about Phams possible involvement reviewed the officers social media and found photos suggesting that he entered the Capitol building during the deadly takeover. Acevedo said he then contacted the FBIs Houston Division, which opened a federal investigation into the officers East Coast trip. Acevedo expects federal charges to be filed against the officer. NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up for breaking news email alerts from HoustonChronicle.com here The special agent in charge of the FBIs Houston field office stressed that federal investigators without acknowledging the police officer are using tips and advanced technical and scientific tools to tie local residents to the Capitol mob. Our agents and analysts have been gathering evidence, sharing intelligence, and working with federal prosecutors toward bringing appropriate charges, Perrye Turner said Thursday in a statement. In Washington, the FBI there has spent more than week sharing dozens of photos of rioters in an attempt to identify and then arrest them. At least 32 people including two Virginia police officers have been charged federally in connection to the violent mob. A tip on Tuesday led law enforcement to the latest arrest of a retired Boothwyn, Pa., firefighter in suspicion of hitting three U.S. Capitol Police officers with a fire extinguisher. Discovering the officers possible role in the Capitol attack sparked by nationalistic impulses dismayed Acevedo, he wrote in an opinion essay in Thursdays Houston Chronicle. He pointed to Pham being Asian-American amid a mob of predominantly white participants as an indication of a larger issue in the country. I long hoped such threats wouldnt material here, Acevedo wrote. But the reach of this movement is broader than we may think, the chief continued. Look no further than my own department. Police union leaders on Wednesday expected Phams resignation when the 18-year veteran was placed on administrative leave. In a phone call, the Westside patrol officer confirmed he was among the thousands of people who gathered in Washington D.C. in support of President Donald Trump. He contends he was there to take pictures but stopped short of saying he entered the Capitol building as alleged. I shouldnt have done it, Pham told the Houston Chronicle. In a statement, U.S. Rep. Al Green, D-Houston, addressed the scrutinized HPD officer and stressed that the FBI identify and punish each individual who may have contributed to this treasonous act. Police officers should not be exempted, he continued. No one should be allowed to return to their home states and towns and simply assume their lives as usual, without penalty if they participated in this insurrection, Green said. nicole.hensley@chron.com The agitating farmers' on Wednesday received a boost as a delegation of 1,000-odd Kerala farmers aligned with the All India Kisan Sabhas Kerala unit decided to join the agitation at Delhi border on Thursday. (Photo:AFP) New Delhi: A day after the Supreme Court stayed the three farm laws and formed a committee to study them, the agitating farmers who had declared that their agitation will continue, burnt copies of the three Acts on Wednesday to mark the harvesting season of Lohri. The farmers' agitation entered its 50th day on Wednesday. With the next round of talks between farmers and the Centre scheduled for January 15, minister of state for agriculture Parshottam Rupala said that dialogue is the only way forward to resolve the deadlock. "It is only through dialogue that a way forward can be found," Mr Rupala said on Wednesday. Farmers unions have also shown willingness to attend the scheduled ninth round of talks but have insisted on a complete repeal of the farm laws. The agitating farmers' on Wednesday received a boost as a delegation of 1,000-odd Kerala farmers aligned with the All India Kisan Sabhas Kerala unit decided to join the agitation at Delhi border on Thursday. This will be the first delegation from Kerala to participate in the sit-in. The delegation is led by former Rajya Sabha MP and senior CPI(M) leader K.N. Balagopal. It is the governments propaganda that only Punjab farmers are impacted by the three laws. The truth is these laws will affect each and every farmer of the country, Mr Balagopal said. In a related development, Haryana's deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala who is under pressure from the agitating farmers met the Prime Minister to discuss the protests in the state. The meeting came a day after Mr Chautala and chief minister Manoharlal Khattar had met home minister Amit Shah and later reiterated that the state government was under no threat. Mr Chautala, whose Jananayak Janata Party (JJP) lends support to the BJP government in Haryana, is learnt to have said after the meeting that there is no threat to the state government. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) launched a drive here on Thursday to collect funds for the construction of a in Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. general secretary Suresh "Bhaiyyaji" Joshi launched the drive in as part of a nationwide campaign, an spokesperson said. Joshi reached out to people and sought their participation in the construction of the The drive will continue till February 27. Joshi said the drive was not just for collection of funds but also to connect with people and the society. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had performed the bhoomi pujan to begin the construction of the temple on August 5 last year. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) We Need a New Media System If you sell culture war all day, dont be surprised by the real-world consequences By Matt Taibbi January 13, 2021 " Information Clearing House " - The moment a group of people stormed the Capitol building last Wednesday, news companies began the process of sorting and commoditizing information that long ago became standard in American media. Media firms work backward. They first ask, How does our target demographic want to understand whats just unfolded? Then they pick both the words and the facts they want to emphasize. Its why Fox News uses the term, Pro-Trump protesters, while New York and The Atlantic use Insurrectionists. Its why conservative media today is stressing how Apple, Google, and Amazon shut down the Free Speech platform Parler over the weekend, while mainstream outlets are emphasizing a new round of potentially armed protests reportedly planned for January 19th or 20th. What happened last Wednesday was the apotheosis of the Hate Inc. era, when this audience-first model became the primary means of communicating facts to the population. For a hundred reasons dating back to the mid-eighties, from the advent of the Internet to the development of the 24-hour news cycle to the end of the Fairness Doctrine and the Fox-led discovery that news can be sold as character-driven, episodic TV in the manner of soap operas, the concept of a Just the facts newscast designed to be consumed by everyone died out. News companies now clean world events like whalers, using every part of the animal, funneling different facts to different consumers based upon calculations about what will bring back the biggest engagement kick. The Migrant Caravan? Fox slices off comments from a Homeland Security official describing most of the border-crossers as single adults coming for economic reasons. The New York Times counters by running a story about how the caravan was deployed as a political issue by a Trump White House staring at poor results in midterm elections. No Advertising - No Government Grants - No Algorithm - This Is Independent Media Get Our Free Newsletter Repeat this info-sifting process a few billion times and this is how we became, as none other than Mitch McConnell put it last week, a country: Drifting apart into two separate tribes, with a separate set of facts and separate realities, with nothing in common except our hostility towards each other and mistrust for the few national institutions that we all still share. The flaw in the system is that even the biggest news companies now operate under the assumption that at least half their potential audience isnt listening. This leads to all sorts of problems, and the fact that the easiest way to keep your own demographic is to feed it negative stories about others is only the most obvious. On all sides, we now lean into inflammatory caricatures, because the financial incentives encourage it. Everyone monetized Trump. The Fox wing surrendered to the Trump phenomenon from the start, abandoning its supposed fealty to family values from the Megyn Kelly incident on. Without a thought, Rupert Murdoch sacrificed the paper-thin veneer of pseudo-respectability Fox had always maintained up to a point (that point being the moment advertisers started to bail in horror, as they did with Glenn Beck). He reinvented Fox as a platform for Trumps conspiratorial brand of cartoon populism, rather than let some more-Fox-than-Fox imitator like OAN sell the ads to Trumps voters for four years. In between its titillating quasi-porn headlines (Lesbian Prison Gangs Waiting To Get Hands on Lindsay Lohan, Inmate Says is one from years ago that stuck in my mind), Foxs business model has long been based on scaring the crap out of aging Silent Majority viewers with a parade of anything-but-the-truth explanations for Americas decline. It villainized immigrants, Muslims, the new Black Panthers, environmentalists anyone but ADM, Wal-Mart, Countrywide, JP Morgan Chase, and other sponsors of Fortress America. Donald Trump was one of the people who got hooked on Foxs narrative. The rival media ecosystem chose cash over truth also. It could have responded to the last election by looking harder at the tensions they didnt see coming in Trumps America, which might have meant a more intense examination of the problems that gave Trump his opening: the jobs that never came back after bankers and retailers decided to move them to unfree labor zones in places like China, the severe debt and addiction crises, the ridiculous contradiction of an expanding international military garrison manned by a population fast losing belief in the mission, etc., etc. Instead, outlets like CNN and MSNBC took a Fox-like approach, downplaying issues in favor of shoving Trumps agitating personality in the faces of audiences over and over, to the point where many people could no longer think about anything else. To juice ratings, the Trump story which didnt need the slightest exaggeration to be fantastic was more or less constantly distorted. Trump began to be described as a cause of Americas problems, rather than a symptom, and his followers, every last one, were demonized right along with him, in caricatures that tickled the urbane audiences of channels like CNN but made conservatives want to reach for something sharp. This technique was borrowed from Fox, which learned in the Bush years that you could boost ratings by selling audiences on the idea that their liberal neighbors were terrorist traitors. Such messaging worked better by far than bashing al-Qaeda, because this enemy was closer, making the hate more real. I came into the news business convinced that the traditional objective style of reporting was boring, deceptive, and deserving of mockery. I used to laugh at the parade of above the fray columnists and stone-dull house editorials that took no position on anything and always ended, Only one things for sure: time will tell. As a teenager I was struck by a passage in Tim Crouses book about the 1972 presidential campaign, The Boys in the Bus, describing the work of Hunter Thompson: Thompson had the freedom to describe the campaign as he actually experienced it: the crummy hotels, the tedium of the press bus, the calculated lies of the press secretaries, the agony of writing about the campaign when it seemed dull and meaningless, the hopeless fatigue. When other reporters went home, their wives asked them, What was it really like? Thompsons wife knew from reading his pieces. What Rolling Stone did in giving a political reporter the freedom to write about the banalities of the system was revolutionary at the time. They also allowed their writer to be a sides-taker and a rooter, which seemed natural and appropriate because biases end up in media anyway. They were just hidden in the traditional dull objective format. The problem is that the pendulum has swung so far in the opposite direction of politicized hot-taking that reporters now lack freedom in the opposite direction, i.e. the freedom to mitigate. If you work in conservative media, you probably felt tremendous pressure all November to stay away from information suggesting Trump lost the election. If you work in the other ecosystem, you probably feel right now that even suggesting what happened last Wednesday was not a coup in the literal sense of the word (e.g. an attempt at seizing power with an actual chance of success) not only wouldnt clear an editor, but might make you suspect in the eyes of co-workers, a potentially job-imperiling problem in this environment. We need a new media channel, the press version of a third party, where those financial pressures to maintain audience are absent. Ideally, it would: not be aligned with either Democrats or Republicans; employ a Fairness Doctrine-inspired approach that discourages groupthink and requires at least occasional explorations of alternative points of view; embrace a utilitarian mission stressing credibility over ratings, including by; operating on a distribution model that as much as possible doesnt depend upon the indulgence of Apple, Google, and Amazon. Innovations like Substack are great for opinionated individual voices like me, but whats desperately needed is an institutional reporting mechanism that has credibility with the whole population. That means a channel that sees its mission as something separate from politics, or at least as separate from politics as possible. The media used to derive its institutional power from this perception of separateness. Politicians feared investigation by the news media precisely because they knew audiences perceived them as neutral arbiters. Now there are no major commercial outlets not firmly associated with one or the other political party. Criticism of Republicans is as baked into New York Times coverage as the lambasting of Democrats is at Fox, and politicians dont fear them as much because they know their constituents do not consider rival media sources credible. Probably, they dont even read them. Echo chambers have limited utility in changing minds. Media companies need to get out of the audience-stroking business, and by extension the politics business. Theyd then be more likely to be believed when making pronouncements about elections or masks or anything else, for that matter. Creating that kind of outlet also has a much better shot of restoring sanity to the country than the current strategy, which seems based on stamping out access to wrong information. What weve been watching for four years, and what we saw explode last week, is a paradox: a political and informational system that profits from division and conflict, and uses a factory-style process to stimulate it, but professes shock and horror when real conflict happens. Its time to admit this is a failed system. You cant sell hatred and seriously expect it to end. NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP announced the election of nine new partners: Tayo Atanda, Blake Bernard, John Bunge, Nathan Hertzog, Stacy Clark Hooper, Lindsay Jacques Irving, Nora Katz, Leanna Weinstein, and Josh Wood. "We are very proud to welcome these talented attorneys to the partnership," said Waller chair Matt Burnstein. Waller Atanda represents grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, e-commerce retailers, retail package stores, and other retailers with their regulatory compliance and licensing needs. Atanda earned his J.D. in 2012 from the University of Tennessee College of Law and received his B.A. in 2008 from Tennessee State University. Bernard focuses on patent and trademark prosecution in the mechanical, electromechanical and industrial arts. Bernard earned his J.D. in 2013 from the University of Alabama School of Law. He received his B.S., with highest honors, from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2010 where he majored in mechanical engineering. Bunge provides guidance on tax planning, business succession planning, and estate planning issues. He earned his LL.M in Taxation in 2014 from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. Bunge received his J.D., magna cum laude, in 2013 the University of Alabama School of Law and his B.S., summa cum laude, from the University of Kentucky. Hertzog assists clients in private equity transactions including venture capital investments, leveraged buyouts, mergers and acquisitions, fund formations and investments in private funds and alternative assets. He earned his J.D., cum laude, in 2013 from Boston University School of Law. He A.B. and M.P.A. degrees, magna cum laude, in 2009 from the University of Georgia. Hooper advises employers across a range of industries on employee benefit plans matters and compliance. Hooper earned her J.D. in 2012 from Harvard Law School and received her B.A., summa cum laude, from Vanderbilt University. Irving assists hospitals, health systems, healthcare IT companies, and other clients in mergers, acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures and other corporate transactions. Irving earned her J.D. in 2013 from Vanderbilt University Law School. She received her B.A. in 2010 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Katz represents healthcare providers, automakers and manufacturers with critical immigration matters. Katz earned her J.D. in 2013 from the University of Colorado Law School and received her B.A. in 2008 from Tufts University. Weinstein structures and closes complex mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, recapitalizations and divestitures in the healthcare industry. Weinstein earned her J.D. in 2012 from the University of Georgia School of Law. She received her B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Georgia. Wood helps employers resolve day-to-day human resource and employment law issues. Wood earned his J.D./D.C.L. in 2013 from the Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center. He received his B.A. in Theater and Political Science in 2010 from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Media Contact: Sarah Brawner Phone: 615.610.0323 Email: [email protected] Related Images image1.jpg SOURCE Waller Swastik Nigam, CEO & Founder Winvesta, has over 10 years of trading experience in equities, ETFs, fixed income, and currencies. He is of the view that 2020 was an active year for overseas investments from India. However, we are just scratching the surface here. Less than 0.1% of Indias wealth is currently invested overseas, , he said in an interview with Moneycontrols Kshitij Anand. Swastik Nigam is an IIM-Ahmedabad graduate and chairs the IIM-A Alumni London Chapter. He expects global diversification to pick further pace in the coming years. Edited excerpts: Q) The year 2020 gave rise to many new avenues of investments and geographical diversification tops the list. What should be the strategy of investors for 2021? And someone wants to place fresh money in US markets should they wait for a dip or deploy at current levels? A) 2020 was an active year for overseas investments from India. However, we are just scratching the surface here. Less than 0.1% of Indias wealth is currently invested overseas. We expect global diversification to pick further pace in the coming years as Indian investors shed home-bias. Investing in US markets comes with the usual risks of investing in equity markets. Investors should consider their risk profile to allocate appropriate weight to international investments. Long-term investors should look at it as portfolio allocation rather than worrying about timing the market. As the popular saying goes - Time in the market is more important than market timing Q) Which products can one look at for international diversification? A) US markets are home to some of the largest companies in the world. Over 40 percent of revenues of the S&P500 companies comes from outside the US. Through those companies, investors can get exposure to the global economy without even selecting individual countries. Investors can also look at other stock markets in other countries for specific opportunities. Beyond the stock markets, investors may also look at international real estate which may offer better yield than domestic real estate, depending on the location. Q) What will be in store for Indian investors with Biden in power how will his policies impact the markets? A) While there has been some apprehension about market performance in case of a blue wave (Democrat control of both the house and the white house), history shows that market performance under such a scenario has not been worse than the overall average. Some sectors may react more favorably under the Biden administration. Sector winners on Biden's victory would include industrials, tech, and materials - cyclical industries that benefit from accelerating economic growth. Infrastructure-related stocks, including the construction and transportation sectors, would be longer-term winners. A Democrat control also likely means more stimulus and a greater emphasis on policies to address climate change and health care. That puts the spotlight on biotech and cleantech companies. On the other hand, Trump's regulatory policies and support for defense spending are less likely to continue. Q) How can one invest in German, UK or Japanese markets by investing in ETFs in the US markets and how will it help in diversification? A) Winvesta has many geographical ETFs listed in the US such as EWU (UK), EWJ (Japan), and DAX (Germany) that investors can utilise for exposure to specific markets. We also have geographical theme ETFs as well, like the EEM that provides exposure to the emerging markets. These low-cost ETFs make diversification across many markets easy and affordable. Q) What is the kind of charges which Indian investors have to give when investing in a fund in the US? Both entry and exit if any. Help us with an example of $1000 being invested. A) US ETFs carry no entry or exit load when traded in the secondary market (exchanges). The expense ratios of the ETFs are also a lot lower than what Indian investors are used to. The VOO ETF which tracks the S&P500, for example, has an expense ratio of 0.03%. An investor putting in $1000 in VOO would pay $0.30 in fee annually assuming a constant investment size. However, there may be other costs involved in remitting the money to the US or a trading commission depending on the platform used. We, at Winvesta, dont charge any fees for incoming deposits, and have a certain number of commission-free transactions per month, making it extremely affordable to invest in such ETFs. Q) How are Robinhood investors different from Indias New Age investors? Do you think Indian investors are more matured when it comes to investing/trading? A) We cant yet compare Indias investors to those who invest through US-based investors through Robinhood. We have a very small investor base compared to Robinhoods large investor base. Head to the nation's Sweetheart City the first two weeks of February for safe, distanced ways to show your love Loveland, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2021) - News Direct-- For 75 years, Loveland the nation's Sweetheart City has been spreading love and joy across the world by re-mailing valentines with a special stamp and poem. Today, Visit Loveland and partners celebrate the program's diamond anniversary by unveiling details on reimagined sweetheart season activities in the city. "The Valentine Re-Mailing Program put Loveland on the map as the nation's Sweetheart City 75 years ago and today, we take our role in sharing love very seriously with activities and more ways for visitors to celebrate," said Cindy Mackin, visitors services manager for the City of Loveland. "From love lock sculptures and festive art and light displays to our socially-distanced group wedding, scavenger hunts, and more, we welcome everyone to Loveland to spread the love this valentine's season." The LOVE love locks sculpture at the Visitors Center in Loveland, Colorado is one of the largest in the nation. Pose for pictures, or lock your love lock on the back. This is one of two love lock sculptures in the nation's Sweetheart City. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7234/72067_E0nIucdK.jpg Re-Imagined Sweetheart City Activities Experience any of the following socially-distanced activities across the city in February. Specific dates apply for each. Check out the most up-to-date details on all here. Valentine Group Wedding - Feb. 14 - $95 per couple: What could be more romantic than saying "I do" on Valentine's Day in the Sweetheart City? Now more than ever, celebrating love and connection is needed. Loveland, Colorado is known for being the best place in the country to celebrate Valentine's Day. To honor love, My Big Day hosts an annual wedding on Feb. 14 where couples get married or renew their vows with a special custom ceremony and romantic touches. Careful accommodations and adjustments are being made for the 2021 wedding which will be held at Chapungu Sculpture Park at Centerra. Tickets and details are available at ValentinesDayInLoveland.com . Love Locks - Available year-round - Free; can purchase love lock for $20 at Visitors Center: Loveland is home to two of the largest love lock sculptures in the U.S. Love locks are a symbol of love and commitment that has been inspired by an ancient custom where lovers lock a padlock on a chain or gate and then throw away the key, symbolically locking their love forever. The love lock sculptures allow love locks to stay locked forever in the nation's Sweetheart City on a beautiful piece of art. The Quest for Dan Cupid - A socially-distanced scavenger hunt - Feb. 1 - 15 - Free: What is Valentine's Day without Dan Cupid? Join our quest during the first two weeks of February to find him and bring him back in time for Valentine's Day so he can shoot his arrow of love to those across the world from the nation's Sweetheart City. Participants will be entered to win the ultimate Loveland experience trip worth over $500 with hotel stay, food, shopping, and more. Free and open to the public. Lights and Art Installations - Various dates - Free Downtown: Valentine-themed lights can be found across Loveland to celebrate valentine's season. Head downtown for the "Something RED" art installations and community mural from the Creative District, the Tunnel of LOVE, and valentine displays in the Foundry Plaza. "Something RED" features local artist interpretations of the color RED - the color of action, violence, heat, luck, happiness, and passion. Installations include glowing symbols of love and luck, sailors' valentine, and even a robot cheering up his broken-hearted friend. Windows will feature a speakeasy collage, video work, and even a pair of Firebirds from Feb. 12 - March 12. Participants can also help create the "Stamp" Your Love community mural that is on display at the corner of 4th Street and Lincoln Ave. Artist Scott Freeman is working with the Loveland Museum to set up a socially-distanced, safe experience for community members to create pieces for the mural. Time slots to paint are during specific times Jan. 27 - Feb. 10. Registration opens on Jan. 20 at lovelandmuseumgallery.org. Valentine-themed lights can be found across Loveland to celebrate valentine's season. "Something RED" features local artist interpretations of the color RED - the color of action, violence, heat, luck, happiness, and passion. Installations include glowing symbols of love and luck, sailors' valentine, and even a robot cheering up his broken-hearted friend. Windows will feature a speakeasy collage, video work, and even a pair of Firebirds from Feb. 12 - March 12. Participants can also help create the "Stamp" Your Love community mural that is on display at the corner of 4th Street and Lincoln Ave. Artist Scott Freeman is working with the Loveland Museum to set up a socially-distanced, safe experience for community members to create pieces for the mural. Time slots to paint are during specific times Jan. 27 - Feb. 10. Registration opens on Jan. 20 at lovelandmuseumgallery.org. Loveland Lights at Chapungu: Chapungu Sculpture Park in Centerra will be lit up with thousands of red and pink lights and sweetheart-themed decor backed by romantic music from Feb. 1 - 14. The lighting display is free and open to the public from 5-9 p.m. every evening. Loveland, Colorado is the nation's Sweetheart City. Throughout the month of February visitors experience valentine decorations, art installations, and light displays. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7234/72067_0NLKYquP.png Sweetheart Classic Race - Feb. 13 - $30 for singles - $55 for couples: The 2021 Sweetheart Classic takes runners on a course with diverse terrain and views, from downtown out to River's Edge Natural Area. Socially-distance start times for waves, no in-person award ceremony, and other safety measures are in place to ensure safe, healthy fun. Runners can bring a sweetheart and participate together or single runners can be on the lookout for that future running partner. Be My Valentine - An Evening at the Rialto - Feb. 13 - free concert with a suggested donation of $40 : Enjoy Valentine's Day date night in the comfort of your own home with live concerts streamed from the Historic Rialto Theater in downtown Loveland. This is a fundraiser for Backstage Rialto. Lovely Valentine Libations Head to Loveland to taste delicious locally-produced beverages only found in the Sweetheart City during the first two weeks of February or until they sell out. 2021 Loveland Valentine Wine : Sweet Heart Winery in Loveland has produced the Loveland valentine wine - a Valentine's Day 2021 special edition 2018 Malbec with a special label from Loveland artist Billie Colson. This medium-bodied Malbec is a delight with bright red berry aromas on the nose. This fruit-forward wine continues to entice with notes of sugarplum, red cherry, and black raspberry. With a hint of baking spice and sweet tobacco on the finish, this wine is a pleasure to drink - perfect for sharing with your valentine. There will be 400 bottles of this wine available on Feb. 2 at Sweet Heart Winery. 2021 Loveland Valentine Beer : The Bleeding Heart, the 2021 official Loveland valentine beer produced by Grimm Brothers Brewhouse, is a barrel-aged Baltic Porter brewed with vanilla and bourbon. 2021 Loveland Valentine Coffee : The Sweetheart Blend official coffee for 2021 is a Gingersnap flavor by Top of the Lakes that will be sold at the Loveland Visitors Center. About Visit Loveland The mission of Visit Loveland is to enthusiastically promote, market and sell Loveland, Colorado as a destination for meetings, conventions and individual travelers, fostering economic development and benefiting and supporting members and the overall business community. It is Visit Loveland's goal to promote tourism, conventions and related activities within the city by marketing the city and sponsoring destination and community events. Learn more at VisitLovelandCO.com. Contact Details Nicole Yost +1 970-776-9980 Nicole@FynPR.com Cindy Mackin 970-290-8810 cindy.mackin@cityofloveland.org Company Website https://www.visitlovelandco.org/ *Note to Media: Download additional photos and video here. View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/loveland-colorado-celebrates-75th-valentine-anniversary-with-socially-distanced-activities-and-themed-local-beverages-226843784 New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday (January 14, 2021) granted relief to spa center owners in the capital by allowing them to reopen their services. The spa centers have been permitted to resume on the condition that strict COVID-19 protocol will be followed. Two applications were filed in the Delhi High Court by spa centre owners of the spa looking for the court's ruling to resume services. The plea stated that the spa center was closed during the nationwide coronavirus induced lockdown and while the central government in its guidelines allowed the spa center to operate, the Delhi government had not given the requisite permission. The plea contended that the Delhi government had allowed saloons, restaurants and every other business to resume but spa centres were stilll not allowed to operate. Meanwhile, the schools in the Delhi-NCR will reopen for classes 10 and 12 from January 18, the Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia announced on Wednesday (January 13, 2021). "In view of CBSE board examinations and practicals in Delhi, permission is being given to open schools for practical, project, counselling etc for 10th and 12th classes from January 18," Sisodia said. Students can come to school only if their parents allow. Gov. Charlie Baker plans to sign a bill that aims to improve access to emergency care, known as Lauras Law on Friday, January 15, at the Massachusetts State House. Four years after Laura Levis died looking for the emergency room entrance, the bill her husband advocated for in her honor is on track to become law. The bill would create a working group to make recommendations on improving hospital signage, lighting and other way-finding elements. It also requires the state Department of Public Health to create regulations to mandate those improvements. No one should have to worry about whether they can find the emergency department when they head to a hospital, said Peter DeMarco, Levis husband. That shouldnt be one of your worries when youre in a medical crisis. Levis was experiencing asthma symptoms the morning of Sept. 16, 2016. She walked to a door that appeared brightly lit, choosing it over what ended up being the official emergency room entrance. Levis unknowingly tried to open the ambulance-access door, which was locked. There was no emergency room sign over either door, DeMarco wrote in Losing Laura, a story about her death in the Boston Globe Magazine. She dialed 911 seeking help but went into cardiac arrest by the time she was found. She died days later at age 34. DeMarco worked with Sen. Pat Jehlen and Rep. Christine Barber to file the bill, sharing the story of Levis death. He talked about her work for Harvard Universitys Office of Public Affairs and Communications, and her hobbies, like hiking and weightlifting. He also shared little known information about how even the healthiest of people, like Levis, can suffer asthma attacks in the third week of September, known as Peak Week. Lauras law was one of several bills the Legislature passed in the final hours of the 2019-20 legislative session. The bill was officially laid before the governor on Thursday. Baker confirmed in a statement he plans to sign the bill. In the wake of her tragic passing, Lauras husband, Pete, undertook an exhaustive effort to honor her legacy and protect others from similar fates, the Republican governor said. After months of collaboration and hard work with legislators, including Senator Jehlen and Representative Barber, I am proud to sign Lauras Law and celebrate her memory in a meaningful way. The proposal, S.2931, requires the state Department of Public Health to create regulations for emergency room signage, lighting, doorbells or panic buttons and video surveillance monitoring of any visible hospital doors or entrances that are locked at night. The safeguards are meant to help hospital staff spot anyone experiencing a medical emergency outside the hospital, like Levis did. The working group is expected to file its recommendations no more than six months after the governors state of emergency ends. DPH is expected to create its regulations within a year of the emergency declaration ending. When the COVID-19 emergency declaration will end, however, remains unclear as the state reports thousands of new cases a day. Barber told MassLive in October the timeline gives hospitals a chance to shift from their COVID-19 response to the new standards. When COVID hit, as all of our lives turned upside down and legislation became more about really basic needs for our constituents, I think we were worried that this might not make it across the finish line given the amount of work to do around the pandemic, Barber said on Wednesday, but we were able to keep momentum on the bill and Pete DeMarco honestly did a lot of that himself. The bill does not say when the working group members would be appointed, but DeMarco said he wants to join. He also hopes to get Jan Carpman, a wayfinding expert who worked with DeMarco, on the working group. I think its going to help a lot of people, DeMarco said of the bill, once its signed into law. I think, again, it will help save some lives. Related content: Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. ORANGE, Ohio -- A group of Jewish elected officials in Cuyahoga County has drafted a letter strongly condemning the Jan. 6 attack on the United States Capitol. Mayor Kathy U. Mulcahy read the entire letter at the Village Council meeting Wednesday (Jan. 13). She noted that it was signed by 28 Jewish elected officials on the East Side of Cleveland and its suburbs, including herself and five members of Orange council. The letter calls the incident an attack on democracy itself and a direct assault upon our Jewish values. As Jewish elected officials, we will work to assure that authoritarianism is rejected at every turn, the officials wrote. We strongly condemn both the terrorists who carried out the hateful and violent attack on our federal government, and President Donald J. Trump and the others who helped him enable and provoke it. Councilwoman Staci Adelman Vincent, one of the signers, noted that she spent a dozen years covering Congress on Capitol Hill and that it was absolutely heartbreaking to hear and watch the events unfold last week. My heart is with the Capitol police and those who work day in and day out in the Capitol building in public service, and I sincerely hope that we will find more peaceful days ahead, said Vincent, an award-winning television correspondent and former director of news for Tribune Broadcasting, based in Washington, D.C. Others who signed the letter were Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish; Cuyahoga County Councilwoman Sunny Simon; Beachwood Mayor Martin S. Horwitz; Beachwood council members Barbara Bellin Janovitz, Justin Berns, Mike Burkons, Alec Isaacson, James Pasch and Eric Synenberg; Bratenahl Councilman Keith Ari Benjamin, who also serves as South Euclid community services director; Cleveland Heights Councilman Mike Ungar; Cleveland Heights-University Heights Board of Education members Malia Lewis and Jim Posch; Gates Mills Councilman Larry Frankel; Lyndhurst Councilman Jeff Price; Orange council members Alan Charnas, Brandon Duber, Jud Kline and Brent Silver; Orange Board of Education members Jeffrey Leikin and Melanie Weltman; Pepper Pike Mayor Richard Bain; Shaker Heights council members Jeff Isaacs and Rob Zimmerman; Solon Mayor Ed Kraus; and South Euclid Councilwoman Jane Goodman. The entire letter reads: The attack on the U.S. Capitol while Congress was fulfilling its constitutional role in accepting the votes of the Electoral College selecting our next president was an attack on democracy itself. It was instigated, promoted and provoked by a president who refused to accept the will of the people and was enabled by his supporters in Congress and certain targeted media who helped spread his lies about the election results. The near-universal condemnation of this abhorrent, extremist conduct is warranted. All responsible must be held to account for the insurrection and violence. The attack was also a direct assault upon our Jewish values. We write as local Jewish elected officials. Nearly all of us were elected on a non-partisan basis. We represent the level of government closest to the people. Its our job to fulfill the most basic functions of government -- public safety, sanitation, respect for civil rights, recreation and the education of our children. We bring to office our shared values as Jews, and all of us swore an oath to uphold the Constitution. Many of those who stormed the Capitol were neo-Nazis, white supremacists and known members of other hate groups. They were the frontline stormtroopers of President Donald J. Trumps mob. Some waved the Confederate flag and Nazi emblems. Another wore a shirt saying Camp Auschwitz. That these symbols of hate were paraded in the halls of Congress to promote the cause of a president seeking to overturn the results of a national election should shake us to our core. In synagogue, a prayer for our country is recited in which we ask G-d to guide our leaders in government out of Your Law, that they may administer all affairs in state in justice and equity. The prayer goes on to say, Unite the inhabitants of our country, of all backgrounds and creeds, into a bond of true kinship, to banish hatred and bigotry, and to safeguard our ideals and institutions of freedom. We reaffirm our commitment as elected officials to be guided in those ways and serve our citizens interests, not our own, consistent with our constitutional oaths and core values, and to always tell the truth. We will do our utmost to administer the affairs of our communities to promote fairness and equal justice under law. We ask our constituents and fellow Jews to demand nothing less from those whom we elect to public office at every level. We cannot compromise our values or place anyone in public office who is unfit to serve because we may like certain policies or because it may seem to be in our own individual self-interest. We just witnessed the horrific consequences of that compromise. As Jewish elected officials, we will work to assure that authoritarianism is rejected at every turn. We strongly condemn both the terrorists who carried out the hateful and violent attack on our federal government, and President Donald J. Trump and the others who helped him enable and provoke it. May G-d bless our communities here in Northeast Ohio and across the United States. Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun. The chairperson of Dublin Mid-Leinster's HSE Regional Health Forum has vowed to raise growing calls for local pharmacies to administer Ireland's Covid-19 vaccination programme at its next meeting. Cllr Paraic Brady said he was "100 per cent in support" of a Longford Leader campaign for local pharmacies to deliver the Covid-19 vaccines to local communities. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is facing mounting calls for pharmacists to lead the charge in Ireland's vaccination programme with a petition having already received umpteen signatures from the wider public. MORE ABOUT #BESTSHOT : Longford #bestshot campaign launched to 'Save lives, businesses and our future - get the vaccine out!' The Fine Gael local representative said the initiative was one which could bring about a speedier rollout of the vaccine and local economies reopen at a much faster rate than had been originally anticipated. "I will put it to the Forum at our next meeting, no question," pledged Cllr Brady. "I am 100 per cent in support of it." Cllr Brady did, nontheless, express concerns at the progress which was being made to hasten the distribution of the vaccine to vulnerable groups, but stressed local pharmacies could be a key part in overcoming those problems. "The whole programme itself will have to be streamlined down to see how best to get efficiency into it in order to speed up the vaccine, so certainly if it meant that pharmacies could help in this way I would be 100 per cent behind it." Cllr Brady is just the latest local figure to row in behind the Leader's #bestshot campaign following similar calls by Longford based pharmacist Padraig Loughrey yesterday. ALSO READ: Longford pharmacist throws weight behind Covid-19 #bestshot campaign You can comment on the Longford Leader Facebook page or follow us on Twitter-#bestshot. The Longford Leader is backing local pharmacies to deliver the Covid 19 vaccines to our communities - and we need you to sign up HERE! Closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High 'impacts our entire town' The Washington County Board of Education held a public hearing on the closing of Hancock Middle-Senior High School; the crowd pleaded against it. Stating that a housing revolution is the need of the hour much like the IT revolution and the green revolution, the National Real Estate Development Council (NAREDCO) has urged the government to provide an infrastructure status to the real estate sector to enhance its borrowing capacity. The real estate body also emphasized on the need for an increase in tax deduction on home loan interest from the current Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to boost sales. There should be more stressed funds on the lines of the SWAMIH fund for providing funding to stuck projects and incentives for rental housing, NAREDCO said as it presented its wishlist for Union Budget 2021-22 on January 14. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has impacted global economies and Indian real estate is not spared from the depths of despair. The fiscal impetus announced under (the) Aatmanirbhar Bharat has led to renewed consumer demand that led to the emergence of green shoots in (the) Indian economy and real estate sectors. The laudable measures like tax rationalisation, additional stress fund, ample liquidity tools will keep the momentum going and propel India towards a $5 trillion economy, said Niranjan Hiranandani, National President, NAREDCO. We want that the real estate sector be given infrastructure status to boost its borrowing capacity, he told reporters. Maharashtra has cut stamp duties and this has helped boost the sector. The recent cut in premium is also likely to rationalise housing prices in the state. "We want a housing revolution like the IT revolution and the green revolution," Hiranandani said. Two segments - rental and affordable housing - need an impetus in Budget 2021. For rental housing, enhanced HRA Tax Exemption; increase depreciation rate for the rental projects like in commercial buildings and allow carry on of loss from rental income, NAREDCO said. Similarly, affordable housing will benefit from increasing completion period to six years; while enabling concessional lending rate for affordable housing projects. Extending the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) for all segments will support homebuyers. To promote rental housing, deduction of 30 percent from the annual rental income (for purpose of maintenance) should be increased to 50 percent. This will not only improve ROI, but will also encourage citizens from investing in residential properties for giving on rent, it said. As for the government-backed SWAMIH fund worth Rs 25,000 crore, Hiranandani said the Centre should allow more such stress funds to help facilitate the last-mile funding for stressed and stalled projects. "Industry demands estimated Rs 1,25,000 crore via many HFCs/NBFCs who are ready to establish such funds for ailing real estate sector. This will allow for faster appraisals and sanctions," he said. As an incentive to homebuyers, the deduction on home loan interest should be enhanced to Rs 5 lakh from Rs 2 lakh under section 24 of IT Act 1961, it said. It also recommended long-term capital gains at 10 per cent (on par with the provision of section 112 for equity shares and reduction in the period of holding house property to up to 12 months from existing 24/36 months to qualify as a long-term capital asset. Rajeev Talwar, Chairman, NAREDCO, said the Interest on housing loans should be fully allowed under Income Tax Deduction without any ceiling. The current limit of interest deduction under Section 24 of IT Act 1961 on housing loan of Rs 2 lakh should be removed to incentivise homebuyers and spurring overall demand. Also, loss from house property should be fully allowed to be adjusted against other heads of income. In case of unadjusted loss, it should be fully allowed to be carried forward to subsequent years. The RBI, through a notification in 2017, allowed a loan to-value ratio (LTV) of up to 90 percent for home loans for affordable houses of Rs 30 lakh or less. Same facility should be permitted for other housing including MIG and HIG as well, he said. Talwar also said the government should lift the ban on subvention schemes. Under subvention schemes, homebuyers pay the initial amount, and the bank pays the loan amount to the developer according to the construction stage, while the interest portion on the loan disbursed is paid by the developer until possession. What this means is that the real estate developers pay pre-EMIs (equated monthly instalments) on behalf of homebuyers for a certain period specified in the contract or the date of possession. In 2013, the RBI had advised banks to exercise caution while financing purchases under the interest subvention schemes in view of the higher risks associated with such lump sum disbursal of sanctioned housing loans and customer suitability issues. In 2019, the National Housing Bank (NHB) had asked HFCs to "desist" from offering loans under interest subvention scheme after there were complaints of default. The result of the two advisories was that several banks and later the HFCs stopped funding under the scheme. NAREDCO said the one-time restructuring of loans will play an important role in improving the liquidity situation. "The requirement of the unit being 'standard unit' if done away and restructuring permitted for all units as per mutual agreement with the financing enterprise and the borrower would have a positive impact," it added. The realtors body also said External Commercial Borrowings for the sector and reforms for Special Economic Zones should be allowed, including extending notification date for IT/ITeS SEZs and withdrawal of MAT. This will go a long way in ensuring green shoots in the real estate sector, they said. Up to 50 per cent of office workers can return to their desks from Monday, without being required to wear a mask indoors, after Victoria recorded its eighth consecutive day of zero community transmission of the coronavirus. But Premier Daniel Andrews and employer groups have predicted working from home will be here to stay, with employers reporting high levels of productivity from staff, workers enjoying greater flexibility, and some lingering nervousness about the safety of public transport. Premier Daniel Andrews announces an easing of mask restrictions as his government pushes go on a delayed return-to-office plan. Credit:Jason South Mr Andrews said flexible working arrangements were no longer "a concept" in Victorian workplaces, but "the lived experience for many people over a long year". "I've had nothing but positive feedback from many, many very big employers about productivity not really being impacted, [and] in fact, in many cases, actually being enhanced by people working in a much more flexible way." The Croatian Civil Protection Headquarters has updated the decision to temporarily ban and restrict border crossing. From January 14 to January 31, special epidemiological measures are being introduced for persons arriving from countries where the new strain of coronavirus is spreading, the Ukrainian Embassy in Croatia said. "Therefore, persons, including citizens of Ukraine, who arrive in Croatia from countries where a new strain of coronavirus is widespread, upon entering Croatia must present a negative PCR test result (valid 48 hours), and they will also be assigned a 14-day self-isolation. Self-isolation can be reduced to seven days, subject to the availability of an additional PCR test at their own expense in Croatia (after seven days of self-isolation) and if the test is negative," the embassy said on Facebook. Citizens of Ukraine who enter Croatia for urgent personal reasons (funeral, medical treatment) have the right to enter Croatia without a negative PCR test result, provided that they leave the country within 12 hours from the moment of entry. Citizens of Ukraine who plan to enter Croatia for the purpose of volunteering in earthquake-affected territories have the right to enter Croatia without a negative PCR test result with the prior permission of the Croatian Civil Protection Headquarters. Other conditions for the entry of Ukrainian citizens into Croatia during the period of restrictive measures remain unchanged. Ukrainian citizens permanently residing in Ukraine have the right to enter Croatia in exceptional cases. Entry is permitted for medical professionals, health researchers, elderly care workers, border guards, transport workers, diplomats, international organizations, the military, police officers, humanitarian workers and civil protection workers on duty. Also, entry is allowed for persons traveling in transit or for the purpose of training, traveling for urgent personal, family and business interests, as well as seafarers. Ukrainian citizens are not allowed to enter Croatia for tourist purposes. The ban does not apply to citizens of Ukraine who have a valid residence permit in the countries of the European Union, subject to the presentation of a negative PCR test result upon entry into Croatia, or with the obligatory passage of self-isolation and passing the appropriate PCR test in Croatia. If there is a reason for entering Croatia, travelers must register their intention on the website of the Croatian Ministry of Internal Affairs and print the registration number of the application, so such confirmation will speed up the border crossing, but it is not an entry permit from the Croatian Ministry of Internal Affairs. Shanghai's supermarkets, catering businesses, malls and office buildings are taking stricter measures to prevent gatherings and the spread of coronavirus. At the Cloud Nine Shopping Mall in Changning District, everyone must have their temperature checked by infrared thermometers before entry and staff have been told to wear masks, said Li Jiajun, the malls executive director. Customers arriving by car will also have their temperatures checked by security staff. If the cars license plate indicates north China, where some areas have recently become COVID-19 hotspots, the driver will be required to leave visitors names, license plate number and entry time for emergency tracking, Li said. In previous months when the pandemic was better controlled in China, some people without masks were allowed to come in, Li said. But recently measures to curb COVID-19s spread have been strengthened. Reminders about wearing masks are broadcast regularly, but some visitors were seen taking off masks in the shopping mall, especially after finishing their meals, Li said. Some companies, such as Spanish retailer Zara and supermarket chain Carrefour have put in their own measures such as checking health QR codes and taking temperatures. A notice about wearing masks was seen at the Global Harbor shopping mall in Putuo District yesterday, next to a board with the information on Chinas latest high- and middle-risk zones. A staff member, surnamed Ma, who is in charge of checking health QR codes at the entrance of the mall, said the notice about the zones is updated once a week. Measures in some wet markets have also been tightened. A market in Bansongyuan Road Subdistrict in Huangpu District has an infrared body thermometer at the entrance and two staff members ask visitors to wear masks before letting them in. Yesterday a senior citizen argued with us and refused to wear a mask, a staff member surnamed Zhang said. But the majority of consumers understand the stricter measures. Several kilometers away, a vegetable market has posted a notice about prevention measures on the wall. But the staff werent checking on visitors and some customers were seen shopping without masks yesterday. Restaurants have also enhanced coronavirus prevention and control efforts. At the Sunya Cantonese Restaurant on Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall, every diner is required to have their temperature checked and must present their health QR code before entry. They also need to register their name and contact details. Online payment backed We ask them to keep a 1-meter distance while waiting, and we have increased the frequency of disinfection. Even the menus are disinfected, said Zhu Hong, Sunyas deputy executive chef. We also remind diners to finish meals in two hours. Diners are suggested to make payment online and avoid using cash to prevent contact, said Zhu. Diners were seen waiting patiently and cooperating with the upgraded measures. It is quite understandable because it is for our safety, said Xu Li. I have taught my parents how to make payment online to avoid contact. Zhu added: Cold-chain foods are disinfected and staff handling cold-storage meat should wear protective clothing and glasses during food operation. Xing Hua Lou in Huangpu District, which dates back to 1851, is asking customers to maintain a distance when buying prepared food. They also need to have their temperatures checked and present their health QR codes before entry. Thorough disinfection is conducted throughout the restaurant every hour. Alibabas online and offline grocery chain Freshippo is insisting on nucleic acid tests for all imported fresh food products since April last year. Since August, consumers have been able to track the test reports as well as the import dates, vehicles used and place of origin. Gloves and disinfectants are also available at frozen food counters. Walmart said it has been testing and disinfecting all its imported frozen food. Cashiers, cleaning staff and those handling fresh food are required to wear plastic gloves. Regular cleaning and disinfection is carried out on shopping carts, elevators, toilets and self-service check-out facilities. At Sunings department stores and home appliances outlets, shoppers also have to show their health codes and have their temperatures taken. HKRI Taikoo Hui, a commercial complex in Jingan District, has tightened its anti-epidemic measures at its two Grade A office buildings. Office tenants in the two buildings have to make reservations in advance for visitors who are also asked to fill out a form with their names, gender, phone numbers, the name and address of the company they plan to visit, date of arrival, and whether they traveled outside Shanghai. A new species of bat has been discovered in Western Africa during conservation efforts. While bats have particularly come under scrutiny during the coronavirus pandemic, the discovery has set a celebratory mood amongst the biologists and conservationists. The discovery came into light after the American Museum of Natural History shared an image of the dual coloured mammal on Twitter. New research alert! A new species of a striking orange & black bat from the Nimba Mountains in West Africa has been described by scientists from the Museum & @BatConIntl. Read more about the discovery of the species, Myotis nimbaensis, here: https://t.co/8eCumcfYh3 pic.twitter.com/B15DsWwlUa American Museum of Natural History (@AMNH) January 13, 2021 Myotis nimbaensis The newly discovered species has been named Myotis nimbaensis and the nomenclature is in honour of the Guinea mountain range's habitat. As per the museum, the dual-coloured bat features orange and black colours. The mammal is native of the Nimba Mountains in West Africa, where it was discovered. In an age of extinction, a discovery like this offers a glimmer of hope, said Winifred Frick, chief scientist at Bat Conservation International and an associate research professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Its a spectacular animal. It has this bright-orange fur, and because it was so distinct, that led us to realize it was not described before. Read: Scientists Find Six New Coronavirus Strains In Bats Read: Indian Scientists Discover Coronaviruses In Two Bat Species New snake species Scientists in the United States have discovered a new species of snake which is no longer than a pencil and was previously overlooked despite being found in 2006. Scientists at the Biodiversity Institute of the University of Kansas recently decided to study ethanol-preserved liver or muscle tissue samples from individuals that were found in 2006 and 2012 during field missions in the Philippines. After the scientists studied the snakes carefully, they discovered that the reptiles belong to a new snake genus called Levitonius, and a new species, called Levitonius mirus. Read: Atlantic Researchers Discover 12 New Marine Species 'hiding' In The Deep Sea Read: Remarkable New Species Of Snake Discovered By Scientists, 'good At Hiding' In Plain Sight When we deploy to somewhere like the Middle East, were at war, he said. When we deploy to D.C. to help, the people on the other side of the fence are Americans. Theyre our brothers, our sisters, friends, things like that. So its definitely a different mindset. Our goal is to help assist the police and hopefully keep the protests peaceful. The U.S. Census logo appears on census materials received in the mail with an invitation to fill out census information online in San Anselmo, Calif., on March 19, 2020. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Census Bureau Halting Efforts to Comply With Trump Citizenship Mandate Census Bureau workers were ordered this week to stop complying with President Donald Trumps order to collect data on the immigration status of people living in the United States, the bureaus director said. Steven Dillingham, the director, said in a Jan. 13 memo that hes informed officials at the agency that those involved should stand down and discontinue their data reviews. Dillingham, a Trump nominee, was writing to Peggy Gustafson, the inspector general for the Department of Commerce. She told Dillingham on Jan. 12 that several whistleblowers at the Census Bureau informed her of a directive that the production of a report that includes data on legal and illegal immigrants was the number one priority for the director. The whistleblowers said Dillingham set a Jan. 15 deadline for the report. The report relates to Trumps 2019 executive order directing all executive agencies to share data concerning immigration with the Department of Commerce. Trump issued the order after being blocked from adding a question about citizenship to the census. Todays executive order will finally give us an accurate understanding of how many citizens and non-citizens live in our country, then-Attorney General William Barr said during a press conference announcing the order. Dillingham said the bureau has since then been working on collecting and processing data on citizenship. Ron Jarmin, the bureaus deputy director, reported this week that there are problems with the data that would require additional work, prompting the director to inform him that there is no deadline for the data and no pressure in regards to finishing the work. Dillingham said the production of a report was Jarmins idea. Only three analysts were working on the report, compared to the hundreds working on the census. Dillingham said the bureaus highest priority is completing the processing of data from the 2020 Census. The White House didnt immediately respond to a request by The Epoch Times for comment. The bureau missed its statutory deadline for delivering numbers used to apportion congressional seats. In a statement issued just before the deadline, the bureau said it will deliver a complete and accurate state population count for apportionment in early 2021, as close to the statutory deadline as possible. Trump signed an order in July directing the government to exclude illegal aliens from the calculations used to apportion congressional seats. That order, which was upheld by the Supreme Court late last year, could be affected by the Census Bureaus latest memo. Mimi Nguyen Ly, Ivan Pentchoukov, and Matthew Vadum contributed to this report. Israel is yet to see its infection and death numbers come tumbling down after four weeks of the world's fastest coronavirus vaccination programme. But studies from the country suggest the jab could eventually slow the rate of contagion by up to 50 per cent as well as stopping infected recipients becoming sick. While Israel is leading the world in the vaccine race with more than one in five people receiving an initial dose, its infection rates are at their highest ever with more than 8,000 positive tests per day while a record 1,102 patients are in hospital. Some 17% of the country's coronavirus hospital patients had received one dose of the Pfizer vaccine, but not in time to reap its full protection before they were infected, health officials said. But Israel is expecting to see new hospitalisations start falling soon, with scientists saying that the vaccine's protection will typically take two weeks to kick in. Israel started vaccinating on December 19 and had already given doses to 800,000 people before the turn of the year two weeks ago, meaning a large chunk of the 8.7million population should have a fairly high degree of protection by now. It has now given 1.9million of its residents one dose of the vaccine, and its pace of new vaccinations is set to slow as it administers second doses to those people instead of injecting more first doses as Britain is doing. Only 110,000 people in Israel have had the full two-dose course recommended by Pfizer, with second doses only starting to be handed out last weekend. And with infection rates still sky-high, one possibility is that the jab has indeed brought hospitalisations and deaths down from where they would have been without the vaccine drive. Israel hopes that the vaccine drive will start to show an effect by mid-February and hopes to vaccinate all its adults by the end of March - when PM Benjamin Netanyahu will face the voters in a snap election. It could also be a few more weeks before cases and hospitalisations start to drop because the focus on second doses means additional people will receive protection from the virus. Meanwhile, a top official at Israel's health ministry offered a ray of hope to the rest of the world by announcing initial findings that the vaccine might not only stop symptoms but cut the risk of transmission as well. Trials of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab showed it was 95 per cent effective at stopping people becoming ill with Covid-19 if they are infected. But the new data suggests that the vaccine could also stop people becoming infected at all. Initial studies of data from Israel's world-beating vaccine drive suggest that the first dose of the can curb infections by up to 50 per cent after 14 days - raising hopes that vaccination programmes will have an even more dramatic effect. On Tuesday, Israel saw daily Covid-19 infections and active cases reach all time-highs. On Tuesday, Israel reported 9,997 new cases - its highest in a single 24 hours - and 46 deaths, after recording a record 67 deaths on Monday Israel is well ahead of other countries in its vaccine drive, administering 23.66 doses per 100 people, as of January 14. The second highest rate has been achieved by the UAE, with 14.1 per 100 people. In comparison, the UK has administered 4.52 per 100 people With Israel rolling out the world's fastest vaccination programme, handing out 1.9million doses in less than four weeks, studies of hundreds of thousands of people offer perhaps the most extensive real-world data on the vaccine's efficacy. Sharon Alroy-Preis, head of the Health Ministry's public health department, announced the 50 per cent figure to Channel 12 news, though cautioned that results are preliminary and need to be treated with caution. Separately, two pieces of research by healthcare providers Maccabi and Calit showed infections dropped by 60 per cent and 33 per cent, respectively, after a first dose of vaccine. The preliminary studies, which examined hundreds of thousands of patients, were both reported in Israeli media, though the data behind them has not been released to the public meaning no explanation has been given about the discrepancy in their figures. Health minister Yuli Edelstein has warned Israelis to remain cautious even after a first dose of vaccine, amid concerns they could still catch the disease. But Netanyahu has talked up hopes of an end to the pandemic by the time Israelis go to the polls on March 23. 'We will be the first country in the world to emerge from the coronavirus... we will be able to embrace each other and get back to life,' he promised. Initial studies of data from Israel's vaccination drive suggest that the first dose of the Pfizer jab curbs coronavirus infections by up to 50 percent after 14 days. Pictured: A woman gets vaccinated against the COVID-19 coronavirus in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, head of the Health Ministry's public health department, stressed to Israel's Channel 12 that the research was preliminary, and highlighted the need for caution - even among those that have received the first dose of jab. Alroy-Preis noted that the data was not enough to conclude that the vaccine stops transmission of Covid-19, because it is believed that a person can still spread the virus to others for a limited time if it is still located in their nasal cavity. She added that nearly one-fifth of the more than 1,000 serious Covid-19 patients in the country had previously received the first does of the vaccine. 'Seventeen percent of the new serious cases today, or 180 cases, are after the first dose,' she told reporters. On Tuesday, Israel saw daily Covid-19 infections and active cases reach all time-highs, and despite the optimistic signs, the country's health minister also stressed there was still the need for extreme caution. The vaccine is only expected to give a person 95 percent immunity against Covid-19 a week after receiving the second dose of the vaccine. Rollout of the second dose in Israel began last week, according to The Times of Israel. Speaking to The Telegraph, Yuli Edelstein, the country's health minister, warned that there was still a risk of catching the virus within two weeks of being given the jab, saying that Israelis must stay vigilant. 'Those who are getting the first shot should still be very, very cautious about their behaviour, due to the partial resistance to the disease,' Mr Edelstein said. Israel has leaped ahead in the global vaccine race by squeezing every last dose out of its vaccine supplies and using its efficient health system to launch a 24/7 immunisation drive with military help. Pictured: Mass vaccination centre in Tel Aviv 'In my imagination, it's like the scene from the movie where you nearly escape the danger, and at the very last moment you catch a bullet.' He added: 'It shows what we have already known, which is that the full 95 per cent protection comes after two shots.' The two studies carried out by health maintenance organisations (HMOs) compiled the data from some 400,000 patients they treated (800,000 in total), with the reason behind the discrepancy (60 percent and 33 percent) currently unclear. The Clalit study compared test results of a group of 200,000 people who had been given the vaccine to a sample of 200,000 Israelis who had not received the jab. The full results of the study are yet to be released or peer reviewed. Israel's vaccination programme is so far the fastest in the world and has given the vaccine to more than two million people - around 20 percent of its population. The programme runs 24/7, even on the Jewish holdy day of Shabbat, and is being boosted by hundreds of Israeli combat medics who have been culled in for duty. Given that Pfizer's phase 3 trials only checked 40,000 people, the data from Israel's vaccination campaign could offer some of the best indicators for the vaccines effectiveness against the coronavirus. The Times of Israel reports that the latest number given by officials was 1,910,330 - although Netanyahu held a ceremonial event celebrating the 2 millionth vaccine on Tuesday. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the anti-coronavirus vaccination facility in the northern Israeli Arab city of Nazareth on January 13, 2021 Israel has reported a total of 520,060 confirmed cases of coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, with 3,817 related deaths. On Tuesday, Israel reported 9,997 new cases - its highest in a single 24 hours - and 46 deaths, after recording a record 67 deaths on Monday. Like many countries, Israel is facing a second wave of the virus in winter after the rate of new infections and related deaths dropped during November. On January 5, the government announced a two-week national complete lockdown, effective from January 7. The lockdown is set to expire at the end of the month, but is almost sure to be extended as new cases and deaths continue to rise. When Donald Trump was impeached the first time in 2019, Democratsdespite having spent months investigating and building a caseseemed like the ones on the defensive. Not a single Republican voted to impeach President Trump, and the leadership team hadnt had a particularly stressful whipping job in achieving that end. Two Democrats, meanwhile, voted against impeachment articles, while one switched jerseys and joined the Republican Party over the entire episode. Democrats were on edge over the optics. When some Democrats began to break out in cheers after the first article was adopted, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, from the presiding chair, gave them a quick, dagger-like look telling them to shush. House Republicans murmured in jest the way a classroom might when a student is sent to the principals office. By the time the articles were adopted and prepared to be sent to the Senate graveyard, House Republicans felt that Democrats had made an unforced political mistake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, however, all 222 Democrats voted to impeach the president a second time while Republicans suffered 10 defections. (Another four Republicans didnt vote.) Those 10 defections for the snap impeachment may not seem like many, given the presidents behavior during the transition culminating in last weeks attack on the Capitol. But they are the most defections a president has ever lost from his own party on an impeachment vote. And considering the fear with which the president has controlled House Republicans over the last four yearsa fear that draws its power from Republican primary voters, who still overwhelmingly adore Trumpthose 10 votes, most of which will go over poorly at home, are a revelation. Advertisement Both the vote tally and the debate throughout the day showed a Republican Party that was on the defensive both morally and politically. To the extent there was a direct defense of the president from the presidents loyalists, it was that he didnt say the exact words now go to the Capitol and kill cops! at his Jan. 6 White House rally. Others argued that the siege on the Capitol was already planned and in operation before the president spoke, so how could he be to blame for it? Advertisement So many of the objections, though, were procedural or whataboutist in nature. Democrats were rushing the process, they said, even though a lot of Democrats had wanted this done the night of the attack. There hadnt been any hearings or evidence collected, they said, even though Capitol Hill custodians had been literally sweeping up evidencebroken shards of glass, dust from riot control agentsever since. And why werent Democrats this het up over the summer during the riots and violence that broke out at George Floyd protests? Others took issue with the specific language in the articles, or worried that it set a low enough bar for incitement that many members of Congress would also be found guilty. Advertisement But few could manage to say with a straight face, as many of them managed to do during the Ukraine scandal, that Trump hadnt done anything wrong. Even the boss of the caucus. The president bears responsibility for Wednesdays attack on Congress by mob rioters, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, a typically unwavering Trump ally, said on the floor. He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding. These facts require immediate action by President Trump. Advertisement That rare concession of presidential imperfection, along with a mid-debate statement from the president urging against violencewhich the GOPs debate floor manager, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, read aloud to the chamberseemed like a move to stanch House Republicans bleeding. It is one thing to follow the party line when the issue at stake is mischievous shadow diplomacy in Ukraine, another when the presidents post-election strategy has gotten you barricaded inside the House chamber away from zip-tie-wielding lunatics trying to capture you. Advertisement That white-hot rage at being attacked over a fictitious presidential narrative was enough to create some of the first true moments of conscience for House Republicans in the Trump era, just under the wire. You can try to overthink clever reasons for why House Conference Chair Liz Cheney, the No. 3 House Republican, was theoretically making a shrewd political move in voting for the presidents impeachment. But there isnt really one. She may lose her position, her seat, and whatever higher political ambitions she has over her vote, and before all that, she has to figure out a way to get home safely. These votes didnt make life easier for Washington Rep. Dan Newhouse, Ohio Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, or Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger. Okay, they do help Reps. David Valadao and John Katko, who are in biennially challenging general election matchups. But South Carolina Rep. Tom Rice, the biggest surprise of the day, who only a week ago voted to reject Joe Bidens electors from Pennsylvania and Arizona, will now go home to his safe red district to face livid constituents. Advertisement It has been a week since so many were injured, the United States Capitol was ransacked, and six people were killed, including two police officers, Ricewhose yea vote many reporters and members assumed was a misvote when it first appeared on the boardsaid in his statement. Yet the President has not addressed the nation to ask for calm. He has not visited the injured and grieving. He has not offered condolences. Yesterday in a press briefing at the border, he said his comments were perfectly appropriate. I have backed this President through thick and thin for four years, Rice concluded. I campaigned for him and voted for him twice. But this utter failure is inexcusable. Republicans were nowhere near an offensive position on Wednesday. While Democrats acted with a decisive swiftness and righteousness of purpose that theyve rarely demonstrated, most Republicans were stuck either voting to excuse their sinking, lame-duck president who nearly had them killed, or breaking with him and returning home to constituents with a higher than average propensity for being involved in a militia. And now they have to walk through these fucking metal detectors, too. Jigawa State High Court sitting in Ringim has sentenced the father of a four-year-old girl to death for burying her alive. Justice Ahmed Moh... Jigawa State High Court sitting in Ringim has sentenced the father of a four-year-old girl to death for burying her alive. Justice Ahmed Mohammed Kazaure said Nasiru Hamisu was accused of killing his 4-year-old biological daughter Zainab and burying her alive in his room. Prosecution counsel, Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, Attorney General Jigawa State presented three witnesses before the court, including a medical doctor at Ringim General Medical Hospital, defendants father and the mother of the deceased and ex-wife of the defendant. Police had last year arrested one Nasiru Hamisu for allegedly killing his daughter and burying her in a shallow grave in his house. Justice Ahmad Muhammad Kazaure, however, said the persecution counsel had proved his case beyond a reasonable doubt. He sentenced the accused to death by hanging. The Supply Chain & Logistics Technology bachelor's and master's degree plans at the University of Houston are now accredited by The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), allowing students to apply for membership upon graduation and use the CILT credential after their name. This marks the first such distinction for any academic program in the United States. CILT is the oldest international transportation and logistics organization in the world. "In launching our globally-recognized credential program, we are addressing gaps in skill sets and focusing on filling those gaps with our students, helping them become more marketable," said Margaret Kidd, program director, Supply Chain & Logistics Technology. Funds from a $50,000 Port Houston grant are being used to embed curriculum from the Chartered Institute into an online learning platform for certificate courses. The initial cohort of participants come from area dual-credit high schools with a logistics focus and community colleges offering logistics and international business degrees. "The College of Technology prides itself in providing degree programs that support the workforce - a workforce that both needs to expand in numbers to boost the economy, but also to provide a more relevant education for industry and commerce," said Anthony P. Ambler, dean of the UH College of Technology. "We are grateful to the Port Houston and its support of our technology program which explicitly exposes students to how business operates so that they are able to be productive quickly." Harris County Commissioner for Precinct 2, Adrian Garcia, Port Houston Commissioner Wendy Montoya Cloonan, as well as Lisbeth Cabrera, a program participant working in the field of maritime logistics, joined Ambler and Kidd at a press conference on the UH campus announcing the grant and certification. "The pandemic has wrecked several sectors of the economy, directly impacting thousands, and so many are searching for new skills that translate to this new normal. This UH program, funded by Port grants, is yet another way we and our partners are addressing that," said Commissioner Garcia. "Hardworking people need locally elected officials, educational institutions, and industry to help us get past these difficult times, which is why I am extremely excited about the launch of this program." "Our program plays an integral part in preparing the next generation of workers. We thank Port Houston for funding our project which provides meaningful influence for area students," said Kidd. Aside from being the initial hub for all CILT credentialed courses (certifications) in the United States, the UH Supply Chain & Logistics Technology program serves as the Education Ambassador to other colleges and universities in the United States, Mexico, Panama and Brazil who seek membership as an CILT-accredited academic degree plan. ### Pope Francis has been given his first dose of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, the Vatican announced today. The 84-year-old pontiff, who only has one lung after the other was removed due to an infection while he was a teenager, received the jab Wednesday. Pope Emeritus Benedict, 93, was also vaccinated against the virus on Thursday as the Vatican's jabs roll-out got underway. The pair are expected to receive their second dose in around three weeks. Vatican officials said that the elderly, those with pre-existing conditions, public workers and health officials were being prioritised for the jabs. The Vatican has so-far confirmed 27 cases of coronavirus, with at least 11 of them among the Swiss Guard who share a communal barracks. 'I can confirm that, as part of the Vatican City State vaccination programme to date, the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine has been administered to Pope Francis and the Pope Emeritus,' spokesman Matteo Bruni said. Pope Francis has been a vocal supporter of vaccines, despite concerns among Catholics because they are partly based on research carried out using fetal tissue from aborted infants. Francis said earlier in the week that it was an 'ethical duty' for everyone to take the vaccine, to protect their own health and the health of others. 'Everyone should get the vaccine. Without a vaccine, you are playing with health, life, but also with the health of others,' he said. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican's watchdog office for doctrinal orthodoxy, said it addressed the question after receiving several requests for 'guidance' during recent months. LARGO, FL As Tampa Bay public school teachers begin their second week of the second semester, many are still worried that they're putting their lives at risk each day they enter their classroom. Bianca Goolsby, founder of a Tampa Bay teachers advocacy and activist organization, Teaching for the Culture, said Tampa Bay educators are more stressed than ever about the coronavirus as the positivity rate in Florida continues to rise and hospitals report running out of beds. Teachers are equally frustrated with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' refusal to give teachers priority to the coronavirus vaccine even though they say teachers are just as much at risk as the front-line health care workers and first responders who have received the vaccine. Public schools in Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough counties require students and staff to wear face masks and practice 6-foot social distancing, but teachers said those requirements aren't always practical. The day before Tampa Bay teachers returned to the classroom following winter break, Goolsby hosted a livestreamed YouTube program titled "Afraid to Return" (watch below) in which teachers spoke out about their fears. "Honestly, I'm terrified," said teacher Matt Bartholomay, who has both a wife and son with compromised immune systems. "A lot of people don't understand the data, don't understand the science. That's what scares me. The kids don't understand what's going on, and it's a challenge for me to explain to them that they have to wear masks to protect the community. It's daunting. It's terrifying. I see students in the hallways and outside school, and those masks just pop off, and they're hugging one another." Hillsborough County educator Michelle Stover is both an educator and mother. She also has a compromised immune system but said she had no choice but to go back into the classroom. She was never offered one of the few coveted online teaching positions and her husband's job was eliminated due to the coronavirus. Stover is now the sole breadwinner for her family. Story continues "I feel like the district has been disingenuous with parents in many ways," she said. "We cannot socially distance in school. There are many classrooms where students are packed in tight. They're still not 6 feet apart in my classroom. Students are not wearing their masks correctly. Many are coming from an environment where masks are not supported, and they're defiant." Even if teachers are able to convince students to keep their masks on or wear them correctly, the classrooms are too small to allow social distancing. Additionally, new ventilation systems in the school promised by school districts haven't materialized. "We're in enclosed spaces, some without windows or outside doors," said Stover. Stover said 25 teachers in Florida have died from coronavirus. But despite pleas from the state teachers' union, school boards and school superintendents, she said the governor has refused to prioritize teachers to receive the coronavirus vaccine. Like Stover, Bartholomay said the schools simply aren't designed to protect them from the coronavirus. "We aren't 6 feet apart. Kids are all over each other," he said. "My school is 50 to 60 years old and there's no way they're going to replace the ventilation system. They made all these promises, but they're not following through. They're doing best they can, but we shouldn't be in this situation at all. We shouldn't be in these buildings period." Hillsborough County school teacher April Cobb is a single mother. She said she cringes when she hears DeSantis say teachers shouldn't be prioritized for the vaccine because they have the choice to teach in the classroom or teach remotely online. Although she has asthma, she was never given the choice to teach online. Her only choices were either go back into the classroom or not support her family. "I'm very concerned, Cobb said. "In South Tampa on New Year's Eve, everyone was out there partying at the bars, and now we're getting ready to host the Super Bowl. People are acting as if everything is normal. It is not. The world is pretending this virus doesn't exist. Society is giving off this false pretense and has deemed wearing masks is not important right now. I'm concerned that children are ignorant of how dangerous this virus is." Teacher Johnny Biggens agreed. "It scares me so much that I'm not going back," he said. "I'm taking a leave. I'm a son who has an 80-year-old mom I want to see, and she wants to see me. But if go back into the classroom, I'm endangering her life. And I have a son with Type 1 diabetes. I want to be in my son's life. My wife is an e-learning teacher and, when I come home from school, I'm afraid I might infect her." He said it was a difficult decision not to return to the classroom this semester. "It leaves us in a financial bind but I'd rather take that chance because I don't know how I'd get over it if I endangered my family," he said. "The state shouldn't have put us in this position." Teacher Latesia Coleman said she teaches in a predominantly Black school and, despite lectures on the importance of wearing masks and social distancing, she said she can't get through to her students and their parents that this is a matter of life or death. Last semester, one of her students came to school with a runny nose. "He didn't even realize it could be a symptom of the virus," she said. "And temperature checks don't guarantee that students don't have COVID. That student came back to school two days later, and he still had a runny nose. Some people are under the impression that kids don't get it and don't spread it. Kids do get it and spread it." Like the other teachers participating in the forum, Coleman said the classrooms at her school haven't been retrofitted with updated ventilation systems. "I have 19 desks in my classroom, and I'm encouraged to walk around, engage with students and do group activities," she said. "We're not taking some of these guidelines seriously. We're denying this is happening and sending our kids to school like it's no big deal. This is not the solution." She said she's especially concerned about Tampa Bay's minorities. "People of color are more likely to be negatively impacted by virus," she said. "They live in multigenerational households and don't have access to adequate nutrition and health care. A lot of Black students have asthma and diabetes, especially in St. Petersburg where I live. Black residents in Tampa Bay are two times more likely to live in poverty, and these things have an impact on health." The teachers are equally concerned about the effectiveness of the school districts' quarantine protocols. "If someone tests positive and tells the school like they're supposed to and goes into quarantine, they have brothers and sisters who are still coming to school," said Stover. "It's a secret," Cobb said. "The school district can't tell us who contracted COVID, and contact tracing isn't done at the level of expertise necessary. There's just too many children to allow proper contact tracing. If I worry about it too much, I would lose my mind." "Teaching today is a great responsibility," said Bartholomay. "We not only have to keep students safe, but we have to keep our own families safe." "What happens when educators start dropping like flies?" asked Cobb. "We shouldn't have to be fighting this fight. At some point we have to be able to say that something different has to happen." "Am I afraid to go back? Yes, because I know what I'm going back into," Stover said. "I'm going to be swimming in coronavirus. It's not safe." Courtesy Teaching for the Culture See related stories: This article originally appeared on the Tampa Patch New Jerseys top health official warned Wednesday the state is preparing for a surge in hospitalizations from the latest spike in coronavirus cases that could come as soon as next week and may trigger a new round of restrictions, particularly with elective surgeries. While hospitalizations have remained between 3,500 and 3,900 for weeks, far below the more than 8,000 peak in the spring, Department of Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said that hospital officials are concerned about the weeks ahead due to available staffing. We are preparing for the predictive surge that may start as early as next week into the middle of February, Persichilli said Wednesday during the governors regular COVID-19 briefing. What we will not have is the appropriate level of staffing that people are familiar with, conventional staffing, she said. So we will be working with our hospitals if they need to progress to what we call contingency staffing, and hopefully never crisis staffing. Gov. Phil Murphy has warned that hospitalizations above 5,000 patients would likely trigger some new restrictions particularly on elective surgeries, which include procedures like removing tumors. In the spring outbreak, New Jersey benefited from health care workers from other parts of the country arriving here to help treat patients. Now that the virus is raging across the nation, health officials dont expect to be able to receive that same support which could mean a shortage of workers to meet the high demand of patients. There were 3,638 people being treated across the states 71 hospitals as of Wednesday evening, down 88 patients from a day earlier, according to state data. New Jersey, however, reported a single-day record 6,922 new confirmed positive tests on Wednesday and 95 additional deaths. The seven-day average for new confirmed cases increased Wednesday to 5,679, up 22% from a week ago and 18% from a month ago. Thats the highest seven-day average in the outbreak to date, though the lack of testing in the spring likely undercounted the extent of the infections in the first wave. Hospitalization increases tend to follow one to two weeks after spikes in new cases as symptoms worsen and people seek advanced medical care, officials have said. Hospitalizations as of 1/13/21 CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage (We) are watching that number and this number like a hawk, Murphy said on Wednesday. Moderate models for the outbreak predict a peak of 4,000 to 4,500 hospitalizations, while high models show more than 6,000, Persichilli said. The high model would be tough to manage, Persichilli said. At that point, were going to have pull some levers that were not pulling at the moment, Murphy added. The state of 9 million residents has now lost 20,161 residents in the COVID-19 outbreak 18,070 confirmed deaths and 2,091 considered probable. The probable deaths were revised higher Wednesday from 2,059. New Jersey has already announced 969 confirmed deaths this month, following 1,890 in December. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com.